DALLAS--The Dallas Federal Reserve said Monday that the Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey, a gauge of regional factory activity, rose 6 points in October to 25.6. That’s the highest reading since April 2006 and far stronger than the 21.3 median forecast.

MUNICH--Automotive materials and parts supplier Toray Industries has announced that it will be open the Automotive Center Europe here to focus on the emerging environmentally friendly vehicle sector. Expected to open next summer, the center will consist of a laboratory block paired with an office block and showroom.

WINSTON-SALEM, NC--Forsyth Technical Community College this month opened its new Center for Advanced Manufacturing here as part of a larger mission to help students land jobs with major manufacturers.The facility includes an additive manufacturing lab with six state-of-the-art 3D printers, as well as dedicated areas for students to learn about design, machining and robotics.

WASHINGTON-–The Department of Homeland Security and Federal Bureau of Investigation warned in a report distributed by email last week that critical manufacturing, nuclear, energy, aviation and water industries have been targeted, along with government entities, in attacks dating back to at least May. The agencies warned that hackers had succeeded in compromising some targeted networks, but did not identify specific victims or describe any cases of sabotage.

MISSION, TX-—Officials with tool maker Black & Decker have signed a lease to locate a manufacturing facility here that will create as many as 420 jobs, according to several sources familiar with the decision. The company signed a lease on a 270,000-square-foot facility that will be located at an industrial park.

PALO ALTO, CA--Electric car maker Tesla Inc. reaffirmed this week that it is talking with the Shanghai municipal government to set up a factory in the region and expects to agree on a plan by the end of the year. However, the company declined to comment on a report that a deal has been reached.

PLATTSBURGH, NY--Norsk Titanium, a supplier of aerospace-grade, additive manufactured, structural titanium components, opened its Plattsburgh Development and Qualification Center here last week. The facility houses nine rapid plasma deposition titanium printers that will make aerospace components for Boeing and other aerospace producers.

KYODO, Japan-–Murata Manufacturing Co. said Monday it has acquired a Sony Corp. plant in central Japan as it looks to meet growing demand for iPhone and other smartphone components.Murata, an Apple Inc. supplier, has purchased the plant located in the city of Nomi, Ishikawa Prefecture, to produce smartphone circuit boards. Kanazawa Murata Manufacturing Co., the wholly owned subsidiary of Murata that will operate the plant, will hire a workforce of about 300 over the next three years.

WASHINGTON--The Trump administration is advocating for a more balanced trade relationship with Japan as high-level economic talks with the Asian nation advance this week in Washington, according to Vice President Mike Pence.

SALT LAKE CITY,UT--Stadler Rail Group is building a new plant here with an investment of around $50 million. The plant has been designed to accommodate around 350 workstations, but can be upgraded on a modular basis at any time. Its 62-acre property boasts 75,000 square feet of production space for the bogie, main, pre- and final assembly of single- and bi-level trains.