Romeo RIM to add capacity, jobs in Mich.
ROMEO, MICH. — Composites molder Romeo RIM Inc. will invest $7.6 million in new equipment to expand production in Romeo for new business.
Romeo RIM also expects to add 67 jobs, the Michigan Economic Development Corp. said in a Sept. 14 news release.
The firm does reaction injection molding and other thermoset processing and in-mold painting. It makes large parts for the automotive, heavy-duty truck and agriculture industries, including bumpers and body panels.
MEDC is providing a tax credit of nearly $700,000 to help finance the expansion. A tax break from local government will cut the firm's tax bill in half for the added equipment for 12 years.
3D buys rapid prototyper Express Pattern
ROCK HILL, S.C. — Prototyping specialist 3D Systems Corp. has purchased the assets of Express Pattern Inc. to expand its abilities in rapid prototyping and manufacturing services.
Rock Hill-based 3D makes three-dimensional printers and provides prototyping services. Express of Vernon Hills, Ill., makes functional models using the 3-D printers and has its own proprietary rapid prototyping applications for plastics and metal.
The acquisition, announced Sept. 16, will combine Express with 3D's year-old global rapid prototyping service business, 3Dproparts. Terms were undisclosed.
DuPont, Invista settle resin lawsuits
WILMINGTON, DEL. — DuPont Co. and Invista have settled a trio of lawsuits between the two firms.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, the firms said in a Sept. 13 news release.
The lawsuits covered polymer technology, adiponitrile feedstock technology and disputes related to supply agreements. The settlement resolves those issues, which date back to 2004, when Koch Industries bought the Invista fibers business from Wilmington-based DuPont.
In one of the lawsuits, filed in late 2008, DuPont claimed that Wichita, Kan.-based Invista was infringing on a DuPont patent and had misappropriated trade secrets and proprietary information relating to DuPont's nylon resins business.
Indiana automotive molder expands
JEFFERSONVILLE, IND. — Injection molder Southern Indiana Plastics Inc. is investing $650,000 to add space and jobs as it ramps up for new automotive production.
The Jeffersonville firm will create up to 14 new jobs and add 25,000 square feet to its plant, said a Sept. 13 news release from the Indiana Economic Development Corp. SI molds wiring harness components such as clips and clamps used by Honda and Toyota. SI's 16,000-square-foot plant now operates 13 presses.
The state is giving SI $80,000 in training grants, and the city of Jeffersonville is providing additional tax abatements.
Berry's Captive Plastics unit growing
EVANSVILLE, IND. — Berry Plastics Corp. will expand its Captive Plastics subsidiary in Peosta, Iowa, adding 12 jobs.
According to a Sept. 15 news release from Gov. Chet Culver, Captive will receive tax incentives through the state's High Quality Jobs program. The Peosta plant blow molds bottles for the health-care and food markets.
The $8.8 million expansion is due to a growing personal-care market and provides Berry with more manufacturing space, the release said. Berry officials were unavailable for comment.
Evansville-based Berry's total 2009 sales were $3.5 billion.
Harley-Davidson plant, union make deal
MILWAUKEE — Union workers for motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Inc. of Milwaukee have agreed to new contracts that will reduce the number of workers at plants in Wisconsin, but ensure those plants remain open.
Contracts approved Sept. 13 include one with United Steelworkers Local 460 at a plant in Tomahawk that makes plastic and fiberglass parts, including saddlebags, sidecars and windshields. About 75 workers will be cut from the current 200 union members at the plant. The firm had considered relocating the operation.
The contract, which takes effect in April 2012, will allow the firm to adjust employee numbers according to production needs and seasonal changes in product demand.
