ANN ARBOR, MI—Industrial robot sales saw record highs in 2018, especially when looking at orders from nonautomotive companies, according to the latest numbers from the Robotics Industries Association. Overall, 35,880 robots were shipped last year, a 7 percent increase over 2017.
GEORGETOWN, KY—Toyota Motor Corp. will invest $238 million in its plant here and add production of two vehicles as part of a plan to ramp up spending on its U.S. operations.
ORION TOWNSHIP, MI—General Motors is investing $300 million in its assembly plant here to produce a new Chevrolet electric vehicle that will create 400 new jobs.
LOUISVILLE, KY—Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it will shift 550 jobs from one of its plants here to its nearby Kentucky truck plant to boost production of the Expedition and Lincoln Navigator vehicles to meet growing demand for its large SUVs.
KOHLER, WI—Kohler Co. will shut down engine production here and move the work to Hattiesburg, MS. Some 325 positions in Wisconsin will be eliminated, but all affected employees will be offered alternative jobs here.
MOUNT PLEASANT, WI—Foxconn Technology Group said Monday that its manufacturing facility in Wisconsin will be producing flat-screen panels by the end of 2020, with construction starting later this year. After a meeting with President Donald Trump, Foxconn’ founder and CEO Terry Gou recommitted to building a smaller manufacturing facility in the state than what was originally promised.
ELK GROVE VILLAGE, IL—Used machinery sales company Kempler Industries recently released a study on the best U.S. cities for manufacturing jobs. Wichita, KS; Fort Wayne, IN; and Battle Creek, MI, own the top three spots in the ranking.
OPELIKA, AL—Yongsan Automotive, a South Korean manufacturer of automotive interior parts, will invest more than $5.5 million to open a new assembly plant here. The facility is expected to employ 150 people in three years.
DAYTON, TN—STULZ Air Technology Systems Inc., a German manufacturer of HVAC equipment, will invest $2 million to build a new assembly plant here that could eventually employ 250 people.