SAULT STE. MARIE, MI-A Michigan gun-sight maker has been able to dramatically improve production and hire more employees since it completed a major automation project. MORE

CHATTANOOGA, TN-Volkswagen expects to open its new assembly plant here in April. MORE

PORTLAND, OR-Keen Footwear has quietly started assembling boots here-something American industry has largely relegated to Asia in recent decades. MORE

BEIJING-Chinese battery and car maker BYD Co. plans to start test-marketing an all-electric battery car in the U.S. next year. MORE

JONESBORO, AR-Nordex USA has secured its first order for its newly dedicated wind turbine manufacturing plant. EverPower Wind Holdings Inc. placed an order for a 75 MW project using N100 wind turbines. MORE

SEOUL, South Korea-Workers at the Hyundai assembly plant in Ulsan, South Korea, have agreed to end a near-monthlong strike. MORE

MIDDLETOWN, DE-Johnson Controls Inc. is looking to expand its business and purchase 300,000 square feet of land for an assembly plant here. MORE

FREMONT, CA-Robots outnumber people at Solyndra’s Fab 2 solar cell assembly plant here. MORE

MOBILE, AL-The European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co. is soliciting bids for construction of an aircraft assembly plant here, where the company is proposing to build refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force. MORE

LOUISVILLE, KY-The one-time home of the Edsel, LTD and Explorer reaches another milestone today when Ford Motor Co. unveils details of a $500 million overhaul that will remake the Louisville Assembly Plant into one of the automaker’s most state-of-the-art factories. MORE