NORTHBROOK, IL—Although 84 percent of manufacturers believe that consumer confidence in product safety is increasing, 58 percent of consumers believe manufacturers value sales over product safety, according to a new study by United Laboratories.

CHARLESTON, SC—Daimler Vans Manufacturing plans to invest $4.6 million to expand its assembly plant here, creating at least 60 new jobs.

SPRING HILL, TN—GM will add a second shift at its assembly plant here to boost production of its Ecotec four-cylinder engine. Approximately 100 jobs will be added to the workforce.

JACKSONVILLE, FL—Embraer will open its assembly plant here in January. So far, the company has filled 40 of a planned staff of 50 people.

PLEASANTON, CA—Adept Technology Inc. will host a series of educational webinars this fall on topics such as vision-guided robotics, automated packaging, and control software.

SAO PAULO, Brazil—It carried hippies through the 1960s, hauled surfers in search of killer waves during endless summers, and serves as a workhorse across the developing world, but the long, strange trip of the Volkswagen van is ending. VW will end production of the iconic vehicle here Dec. 31.

TOKYO—Eiji Toyoda, a member of Toyota’s founding family who helped create the super-efficient “Toyota Way” production method, has died. He was 100.

SPARTANBURG, SC—BMW has taken a step toward revolutionizing the role of robots in automotive manufacturing by having a handful of robots work side by side with human workers at its assembly plant here.

WASHINGTON—The National Institute of Standards and Technology has awarded two grants totaling $7.4 million to fund research projects aimed at improving the rapidly developing field of additive manufacturing.

SOUTHPORT, NC—Lee Controls, a manufacturer of linear motion components, will spend $2.46 million to locate its manufacturing and headquarters operations here, bringing 77 new jobs to the area.