Manufacturing

In 2012, the automobile industry in the United States enjoyed its best year since 2007, with sales up by 13.4 percent over 2011.

Total sales across the industry reached 14.5 million, with General Motors taking top spot with 2.5 million cars and light trucks sold in the year, although its market share fell from 19.6 percent to 17.9 percent with other manufacturers growing more quickly than GM’s modest 3.7 percent.

Alcoholic beverages producers and importers Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC) and Russian Standard have agreed a revised transaction for their strategic alliance.

The amended transaction is intended to stabilize CEDC's business and to allow CEDC to address its balance sheet issues in an orderly fashion. Changes in management structure are also included.

Boeing and Aeromexico have finalized an order for six 787-9 Dreamliners, with reconfirmation rights for four additional Dreamliners.

The order by Mexico's largest airline, first announced as a commitment in July, is valued at more than $1.46 billion at published list prices.

The 2013 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), commonly known as the Detroit Auto Show, will feature more than 50 new vehicle debuts.

The press preview will be held on 14-15th January, with the industry preview on 16-17th. The public show will then run from 19-27 January, with every vehicle manufacturer you can think represented on the floor of the newly renovated Cobo Center in Detroit.

NewPage Corporation, a leading producer of printing and specialty papers in North America, today announced the release of its 2011-12 sustainable development report, Making a Difference.

The company focuses on five key areas of sustainability; healthy, safe and engaged employees, responsible sourcing of raw materials, efficient and sustainable manufacturing, responsible and safe products, and strong, viable communities.

Flexible packaging and specialty paper manufacturer Packaging Dynamics Corporation has announced the acquisition of Groupe De Luxe.

Headquartered at its Montreal manufacturing base, with facilities in Toronto, Chicago and Saugerties, New York, De Luxe is a North American manufacturer of flexible packaging products for food service, bakery, supermarket, confectionery, dairy, and other specialty applications.

Novelis today broke ground on a $250 million aluminium recycling and casting centre at its plant in Nachterstedt, Germany.

Constructed adjacent to the company's existing aluminium rolling mill, the new centre will enable the company to produce 400,000 metric tons of aluminium sheet ingot from recycled material annually, and is projected to be the world's largest aluminium recycling centre.

The latest data follows a rise in fixed asset investment, industrial production and retail sales in October.

In response to the news back in September that overall economic growth had fallen to a three-year low the Chinese authorities have since introduced numerous measures in a bid to revive growth. This has included the lowering of interest rates and the move by the central bank to cut the amount of money that financial institutions need to keep in reserve to try and boost lending.

Equipment manufacturer Deere & Company has reported net income of $687.6 million, or $1.75 per share, for the fourth quarter ended 31 October 2012, up from $669.6 million, or $1.62 per share, for the same period last year.

For fiscal 2012, net income attributable to Deere & Company was $3.065 billion, or $7.63 per share, compared with $2.800 billion, or $6.63 per share, in 2011.

The move comes after Beijing approved a £1 billion joint venture between the company and Chery Automobile. This milestone deal will initially see JLR construct a plant close to Shanghai, which will open in 2015.

A joint statement released by the Chinese and British companies said: "We are delighted to have reached this milestone, achieved thanks to the understanding and foresight of the Chinese authorities and we want to thank them for recognising the potential of our joint venture in the fast-growing Chinese market.”