MISHAWAKA, IN-Infused with a $50 million federal loan, Vehicle Production Group plans to assemble wheelchair-accessible vans at an old factory here. MORE

WASHINGTON-The economy grew slightly faster last summer than first thought, benefiting from stronger spending by U.S. shoppers and improved overseas sales of U.S. goods. MORE

WEST POINT, GA-Kia Motors is gearing up for a third wave of hiring-about 1,000 jobs altogether-in anticipation of adding a third vehicle to its assembly plant here. The massive plant already employs more than 2,000 people. MORE

LOUISVILLE, KY-Investigators are looking for a person who left a suspicious package at Ford’s assembly plant here. The Metro Police Bomb Squad responded to a suspicious package at around 1 p.m. Thursday, and determined it was not explosive. MORE

ESPOO, Finland-Nokia has cited an assembly line problem for a defect affecting some of its new N8 smartphones. “We have narrowed [the issue] down to the way we assemble the engines,” says Nokia Executive Vice President Niklas Savander. MORE

WASHINGTON-President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden will visit a Chrysler Group LLC transmission plant in Indiana on Tuesday-the president’s fourth trip to a U.S. auto factory this year. MORE

BOULDER, CO-Precision Photonics Corp. has expaned its manufacturing facility here, add 5,000 square feet to to accommodate new personnel and new manufacturing and metrology equipment brought on during the past several months. MORE

HIROSHIMA, Japan-Ford Motor Co. will reduce its stake in Mazda Motor Corp. from 11 percent to 3.5 percent. However, the automakers will continue their strategic partnership. MORE

SEATTLE-Boeing is set to announce a seventh delay in its 787 program, possibly pushing delivery out by another nine months after the inflight electrical fire to its ZA002 on Nov. 9. MORE

LOS ANGELES-Volvo’s top executive opened the door to U.S. production of the Swedish brand’s luxury vehicles in remarks before the auto show here Wednesday. Stefan Jacoby, president and CEO of Volvo Cars, said reducing the cost disadvantage Volvo’s European-made cars and SUVs face in the United States keeps him up at night. MORE