STOCKHOLM—Volvo Cars is best known in the United States for safe cars built in Sweden. But CEO Hakan Samuelsson says he is looking at the pros and cons of bolstering the company’s U.S. product lineup with smaller vehicles made in China.

RICE LAKE, WI—Henry Repeating Arms has invested in new machinery to assemble centerfire rifles here.

MESA, AZ—Apple Inc. will open a new manufacturing plant here to make glass for the iPhone and other products. The factory will eventually employ 700.

WASHINGTON—Driven by a 57.7 percent jump in demand for aircraft, new orders for manufactured goods rose 1.7 percent in September to hit $490.8 billion.

NEW YORK—Almost 80 percent of the current manufacturing workforce is between the ages of 45 and 65, says a new report from ThomasNet.com. One-third are between 55 and 64 years old and starting to look toward retirement. Yet more than three-quarters of the manufacturers in the study said that fewer than 25 percent of their employees are under age 30, and most don’t see that changing anytime soon.

INDIANAPOLIS—Rolls-Royce has opened a new, $42 million assembly plant here to make components for military and commercial jet engines.

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI—Nordson EFD has released a free, 13-page guide to dispensing equipment for automotive applications.

EVANSVILLE, IN—Systems integrator Evana Automation has received a contract from a Tier 1 automotive supplier to provide a custom automated assembly system that will produce ABS control modules.

WASHINGTON—Manufacturing activity in the United States expanded at the fastest pace in 2.5 years last month, getting a boost from overseas growth and a strong year for the auto industry. The manufacturing index at the Institute for Supply Management rose to 56.4 in October, up from 56.2 in September.

ATHENS, GA—Caterpillar opened a sprawling new assembly plant here that will make “small-track” bulldozers and mini hydraulic excavators. So far, approximately 300 of a promised 1,400 workers have been hired.