PEORIA, IL-Caterpillar Inc. is asking the city of Franklin, IN, for a 10-year tax abatement to offset costs related to a $13.6 million investment in local operations. MORE

SPRING HILL, TN-GM will build the next generation of its Ecotec four-cylinder engines at its plant here. MORE

SAN JOSE, CA-RPO Inc., which manufacturers technology used in touch screens, has secured $15 million in financing to build a new high-volume assembly plant in the Bay Area. MORE

HUMBOLDT, IA-Hy-Capacity, which remanufactures parts for agricultural equipment, is expanding its facility here, adding 30,000 square feet and installing a geothermal heating and cooling system. MORE

LOS ANGELES-Pavilion Energy Resources Inc. has launched a joint venture to mass produce wind turbines in Idaho. MORE

LIVONIA, MI-A123 Systems Inc. opened its new assembly plant here. The 291,000-square-foot plant is the largest lithium ion automotive battery production facility in North America. MORE

CLEARFIELD, UT-ATK Aerospace Systems will invest $100 million to build an assembly plant here that will create 802 high-paying jobs over the next 20 years. The facility will create composite friames for military aircraft. MORE

PHOENIX-Power-One Inc. will build a new factory here to assemble power conversion devices. The facility will create 350 jobs and is expected to reach full capacity by mid-2011. MORE

SAN MARCOS, CA-RMD Technologies Inc. has opened its new corporate headquarters and assembly plant here. The new facility will manufacture small electric vehicles. MORE

CHATTANOOGA, TN-Volkswagen and Chattanooga State Community College have collaborated to create the Automotive Mechatronic Program, a three-year curriculum to train assemblers and technicians for VW’s new assembly plant. MORE