WASHINGTON—New orders for U.S.-made goods rose more than expected in March, boosted by strong demand for transportation equipment and a range of other products, but there are signs that business spending on equipment is slowing, the Commerce Department said last week. Factory goods orders rose 1.6 percent, Data for February was revised up to show orders jumping 1.6 percent instead of the previously reported 1.2 percent increase.

TORONTO—Bombardier Inc. has signed a deal to sell its Downsview aircraft assembly plant in Toronto for US$635 million to the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, the company said in a statement last week. Under a lease agreement, Bombardier will continue to operate from the Downsview assembly site for up to 3 years following the closing of the deal, with two optional one-year extension periods.

NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI—State tax breaks, infrastructure spending and job training are helping General Dynamics Electric Boat gain significant submarine construction work for the next several years. President Jeffrey Geiger last week said that the company hopes to create 1,300 new Rhode Island manufacturing jobs over the next decade.

ORION TOWNSHIP, MI—A General Motors Co. manufacturing plant in Metro Detroit that was idled during the Detroit automaker’s federally induced bankruptcy is now one of the keys to GM’s future, reports The Detroit News. Orion Assembly is one of two plants where GM is investing $100 million in total to retool for Cruise AV production. The other is the Brownstown battery assembly plant, where roof modules for the Cruise AV are built.

PFINZTAL, Germany--As carbon fiber-reinforced plastics continue to become major components of aircraft, it’s increasing the need for sustainable recycling concepts.

WASHINGTON--The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) have formed a strategic partnership that focuses on sustainability in manufacturing.

ANN ARBOR, MI--Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are very common on assembly lines, due to repetitive tasks.

ROSEMONT, IL--Eric Pope, vice president of operations at US Synthetic Corp., will be the keynote speaker at the 2018 ASSEMBLY Show on Oct. 24.

ATLANTA--Engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a printer that could streamline the creation of self-assembling structures that can change shape after being exposed to heat and other stimuli.

KILDEER, IL--Last year, combined reshoring and foreign direct investment (FDI) announcements surged, adding more than 171,000 jobs to the U.S. economy.