KALUGA, Russia-The central Russian industrial town of Kaluga, known by many as “Little Detroit,” offers wages that are even less than those at auto plants in Eastern Europe. MORE

WASHINGTON-The Boeing Co. and a unit of Italy’s Finmeccanica SpA have failed to reach a deal to jointly build an assembly plant in Florida for a new multibillion-dollar military cargo fleet. A spokesman for Alenia North America Inc., a unit of Finmeccanica, said the companies were unable to broker a “mutual satisfactory business agreement” given the current economic environment. However, Alenia still intends to build a second assembly plant for the military’s C-27J, known as the Joint Cargo Aircraft, in Jacksonville, Fla. MORE

Cullman, AL-A contract manufacturer of plastic parts and assemblies will open a new manufacturing facility in here that is expected to create 300 to 400 new jobs. Royal Technologies Corp. is a diversified manufacturer supplying products and services to the automotive, office furniture and consumer products industries. It is purchasing 26.6 acres in the industrial park for an injection molding, assembly, decorating and foam molding operation. MORE

DEARBORN, MI-The United Autoworkers membership has approved a new round of concessions that will save Ford Motor Co. millions of dollars in the coming months. MORE

TOKYO-Toyota is currently finalizing plans for a fresh set of cutbacks among its factories in the British Isles. MORE

OGDEN, UT-Carbon monoxide sickened dozens of people here at a plant for manufacturing stainless steel sinks. Firefighters were first called to Elkay West Co. about noon on March 5, when workers complained of being sick. When firefighters arrived at the facility, their personal CO detectors went off. Thirty people were immediately taken to local hospitals, while 14 others were later transported. MORE

GALAX, VA-Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co. will invest $2.16 million to expand its assembly plant here, creating 100 jobs and saving 500 existing jobs. The company makes bedroom and dining room furniture and was started in 1919. MORE

WASHINGTON-A number of Senate Republicans are calling for the Obama administration to let GM and Chrysler go bankrupt. MORE

DURHAM, Ontario-The Canadian Auto Workers has reached a tentative deal with General Motors that calls for wages and pensions to be frozen until 2012. MORE

FULTON, MS-Pardon Dennis Cuneo when he scoffs at talk that Toyota plans to abandon its Blue Springs assembly plant. The former senior vice president for Toyota Motor North America said Monday the automaker will open the plant when the economy gets better. MORE