DEARBORN, MI—Ford Motor Co. is formulating and testing new foam and plastic components that uses carbon dioxide as feedstock. Formulated with up to 50 percent CO₂-based polyols, the new materials could reduce petroleum use by more than 600 million pounds annually.

GAITHERSBURG, MD—The National Institute of Standards and Technology has created a new international standard that maps environmental aspects of manufacturing processes.

DETROIT—Flex-N-Gate Corp. plans to build a 500,000-square-foot assembly plant here to supply Ford Motor Co.

BENTON HARBOR, MI—Whirlpool Corp. plans to invest $14 million to build wind turbines at its assembly plants in Marion and Ottawa, OH.

EVERETT, WA—Boeing’s new $1 billion factory here features state-of-the-art automation that will be used to build wings for the next-generation 777X jetliner.

WARREN, MI—General Motors engineers have developed a technique to join steel to aluminum with resistance spot welding.

BELVIDERE, IL—An online card game is motivating FCA assemblers here to reduce energy consumption.

TEHRAN, IRAN--Tata Motors is talking to Iran Khodro Company for a joint venture to assemble knocked-down units of the petrol versions of its models, including the latest compact car Tiago, Bolt and Zest, say sources here. All three models are powered by the company’s new Revotron petrol engines.