USA and Canada

Caterpillar is in the clear to acquire mining equipment manufacturer Bucyrus International, after approval Friday from the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (MOFCOM).

The United States Department of Justice cleared the transaction in May, and the MOFCOM clearance is the last major regulatory requirement needed for the acquisition to be completed. The deal, valued at approximately $8.8 billion (including net debt), is expected to close shortly.

Pittsburgh-based TMS International Corp, through its subsidiary Tube City IMS Corporation, has won its first contract in the Middle East and has also announced a further expansion in France.

A leading provider of outsourced industrial services to steel mills around the world, Tube City IMS has secured new contracts worth over $84 million in revenue over the life of the contracts at expected production levels.

The long-term contracts are for a variety of outsourced services at steel mills in Dunkerque, France, and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Detroit-based energy company DTE Energy is to install a photovoltaic system on the roof of a high school in Michigan as part of its $100 million SolarCurrents program.

DTE Energy and Mercy High School in Farmington Hills have signed a 20-year agreement that will provide the utility's customers with renewable solar energy.

The 400-kilowatt, $2.5 million photovoltaic system will be installed using 125,000 square feet of roof space at the high school. The solar array should be operational this fall after design and construction is completed.

NASA's DISCOVER-AQ air quality field campaign takes to the skies over the Baltimore-Washington traffic corridor and northeast Maryland on Tuesday, July 5, from 5:30 am to 1:30 pm local time.

The flight is part of a mission to enhance the capability of satellites to measure ground-level air quality from space.

As the US celebrates 235 years of independence today, there is some cause, if not to celebrate, at least to be a little less anxious about the state of the economy.

Economic activity in the manufacturing sector expanded in June for the 23rd consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 25th consecutive month, according to supply executives polled in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.

A consortium of six global technology heavyweights has emerged as the winning bidder for the remaining patents belonging to the once-great Nortel Networks Corporation.

After an extensive auction, the consortium comprising Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, Research In Motion and Sony outbid the likes of Google and Intel with a winning bid of US$4.5 billion.

Mars Chocolate North America has announced plans to build a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Topeka, Kansas.

The new facility will be the first Mars Chocolate site built in the US in 35 years.

President Obama highlighted the role of advanced manufacturing to the US economy yesterday with a visit to Alcoa’s aerospace component plant in Davenport, Iowa.

Davenport is the manufacturing hub of Alcoa's $3 billion aerospace business, producing high-tech products for all major aircraft, including the Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger plane, and Boeing's 747-8 and 777.

US sportswear and equipment supplier NIKE has reported revenues of $20.9 billion for the fiscal year ending 31 May 2011, a ten percent rise over the previous year.

Diluted earnings per share for both the quarter and full year hit record highs.

“In fiscal year 2011, we delivered exceptional results in extraordinary times,” said Mark Parker, president and CEO.

HMV Canada has been sold to British retail restructuring specialist Hilco UK for £2.05 million as part of HMV Group’s plans to reduce debt and secure its main business in the UK.

Hilco UK will also provide HMV Canada with up to C$25 million in working capital to fund the Canadian management team's plans for the continued evolution of the business.