EVERETT, WA—Boeing has begun construction on its $1 billion 777X Composite Wing Center here. The facility will make the largest wings Boeing has ever built—114 feet long and 23 feet wide.
DETROIT—Detroit Manufacturing Systems LLC plans to hire 200 assembly workers by January 2015 to support production growth of the Ford F-150 truck. The company will host two job fairs the next two Saturdays to fill those positions.
TORRINGTON, CT—FuelCell Energy will invest $65 million to expand its assembly plant here. The project could create up to 325 jobs over the next four years.
DETROIT—Tesla Motors Inc. is asking its Michigan-based suppliers to pressure the state’s governor to veto a bill that would bar the California automaker from direct sales to customers in the state. Tesla will procure $170 million in parts and services from suppliers in the state in 2014.
PALMDALE, CA—A Japanese company’s much-celebrated plans to build a light-rail manufacturing plant here appear all but dead after months of clashes with local labor unions and community groups. Kinkisharyo International said it is now looking at factory sites outside California.
ARMONK, NY—IBM has dealt its chip manufacturing division to Globalfoundaries Inc. In an unusual move, IBM will pay Globalfoundaries $1.5 billion over the next three years to take over the division. As part of the deal, Globalfoundaries will also own and operate IBM's manufacturing facilities in East Fishkill, NY, and Burlington, VT.
MELBOURNE, FL—Embraer has broken ground for a new assembly plant here that could employ 600 people. Expected to be operational by 2016, the facility will produce the company’s Legacy 500 and Legacy 450 jets.
OSHAWA, ON—Another 11 General Motors facilities worldwide, including the automaker’s assembly plant in Ingersoll, ON, have achieved landfill-free status. All totaled, GM runs 122 landfill-free manufacturing and non-manufacturing facilities around the world.
ASHEVILLE, NC—GE Aviation celebrated the opening of its new advanced composites factory here. The new 170,000-square-foot facility will be the first in the world to mass-produce engine components made of advanced ceramic matrix composite materials.