US aerospace and defense executives are looking at strategic acquisitions and expansion into new markets to promote company growth, according to a recent survey by KPMG.

Faced with tighter federal defense budgets, stiffer competition and a struggling home economy, nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of A&D executives say their companies will be involved in a merger or acquisition as a buyer in the next two years.

AgustaWestland, the Anglo-Italian helicopter company, has secured a contract that marks the first entry of its AW169 model into the UK market.

The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Rome-based industrial group Finmeccanica, has signed a preliminary contract with the Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) for two AW169 helicopters.

The aircraft will be delivered in 2015, and will be specially designed for the WNAA’s air ambulance mission requirements.

The boards of directors of Ecolab Inc. and Nalco Holding Company have unanimously approved a definitive agreement under which Nalco will merge with a subsidiary of Ecolab.

Ecolab Inc. is a global leader in cleaning, sanitizing, food safety and infection prevention products and services. Nalco is the world's largest sustainability services company focused on industrial water, energy and air applications, and is seen as a natural complement to Ecolab’s portfolio.

Paris-based communications giant Alcatel-Lucent has announced it is reviewing the future of its enterprise business.

The company said it is “exploring strategic options to enhance the future opportunities” of the unit, with all avenues being considered, including a sale to a third party.

HP, Cisco and Siemens Enterprise Communications are all thought to have been involved in recent discussions over a possible sale.

AMR Corporation, the parent company of American Airlines and American Eagle, announced landmark agreements today with both Airbus and Boeing to replace and transform American's narrowbody fleet over five years.

These new aircraft will allow American to reduce its operating and fuel costs and deliver state-of-the-art amenities to customers, while maximizing financial flexibility for the company.

Eurostar, the high-speed passenger rail service, has reported strong growth in first half sales revenues and passenger numbers.

Sales revenues were up four per cent from £404 million to £421 million in the first half of 2011, with passenger numbers rising three per cent from 4.6 million to 4.7 million year-on-year.

PepsiCo has joined forces with Grupo Embotelladoras Unidas to create a nationwide beverage company in Mexico.

The joint venture will combine PepsiCo’s beverage manufacturing and distribution operations in Mexico with those of GEUSA, a subsidiary of GEUPEC. Empresas Polar, the largest food and beverage company in Venezuela and a longtime leading bottler of Pepsi-Cola products in that country, will have an equity stake in the joint venture.

UK airport operator BAA will be required to sell Stansted Airport, followed by Edinburgh or Glasgow Airport, the Competition Commission (CC) confirmed today.

The decision upholds the CC’s earlier provisional view, which was published in March.

The CC had been considering whether there were any material changes in circumstances since it published its final report on BAA in March 2009 that should give it cause to reconsider the implementation of the airport sales.

Global pallet and container pooling services supplier CHEP has secured a new contract in the US with compact industrial vehicle producer Bobcat Company.

The companies have formed a three-year partnership under which CHEP Automotive Americas will be Bobcat’s returnable packaging provider for its manufacturing operations in North Dakota.

Swiss commodities giant Glencore has announced it will acquire a 70 per cent interest in the Peruvian mine owner Marcobre.

Glencore International AG, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Glencore International Plc, will purchase the stake from Hong Kong-based copper mining company CST Mining Group for US$475 million (approximately €338 million).

Marcobre is the sole owner of the Marcona Copper Property and the Mina Justa Project, which has a resource of 413.3 million tonnes, with 0.79 per cent copper.

The deal is expected to close in October 2011.