Industry Insight

The Wall Street Journal reports that investment in the facilities will top $1.1 billion.
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The U.S. Air Force awarded a $65.9 million contract to Boeing Co. for 2,701 joint direct attack munition tailkits.   Read More...

Attune Foods, a San Francisco-based natural and organic cereals company, has been acquired by Post Foods. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.   Read More...

Ford Motor Co., which turned in one of its most profitable years ever in North America in 2012, said it plans to hire 2,200 salaried workers in 2013, primarily in product development, manufacturing and information technology.   Read More...

With 1,000 or so job applications already on file, the leadership team of a startup that wants to assemble “green” delivery vans in Hazelwood understands the first question many have about Emerald Automotive: When will the hiring begin?   Read More...

LMI Aerospace Inc. plans to spend $4.3 million over the next five years to expand its corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities in St. Charles and add 100 jobs to the existing 300 there.   Read More...

A leading provider of components, assemblies and engineering services to the aerospace, defense and technology industries plans to expand its corporate headquarters and manufacturing facilities in St. Charles, Gov. Jay Nixon announced today.   Read More...

3M agreed to acquire advanced ceramics maker Ceradyne in a deal that values the company at $847 million, a move that will complement 3M's businesses in transportation, energy markets and defense.

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Honeywell agreed to buy a 70% stake in Thomas Russell, a technology and equipment provider for natural gas processing and treating, for $525 million as the company looks to broaden its offerings in the shale and natural gas markets.   Read More...

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The midsize Canyon joins production plans at Wentzville, where GM is investing $380 million to build that pickup and an all-new Colorado. GMC officials would not say when the Canyon will be available to customers.   Read More...

A major manufacturer that produces die casts for a variety of industries is expanding its local operations and making a significant investment in Missouri, Gov. Jay Nixon announced today.   Read More...

A Laclede County company that manufactures boats and pontoons is expanding its local operations, Gov. Jay Nixon announced today.   Read More...

WireCo World Group lassoed an international manufacturer of synthetic ropes in a purchase valued at $177 million, the Kansas City Business Journal reports. Kansas City-based WireCo completed its purchase of Lankhorst Ropes on Thursday. Lankhorst makes synthetic ropes used in the marine, fishing and offshore-drilling markets and employs more than 1,300 people in facilities in the Netherlands, Portugal and Brazil. The deal give WireCo about 4,400 employees worldwide, including about 135 at its headquarters.   Read More...

The price of automotive lithium ion batteries is expected to fall dramatically by the end of the decade and even further by 2025, according to a McKinsey Research study released today.   Read More...

Ford Motor Co.’s Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo ranks as the top-producing U.S. factory, according to a report in Automobile Magazine.   Read More...

Ralcorp Holdings Inc. has completed the acquisition of Gelit S.r.l., an Italian producer of private-brand, frozen ready made meals that has annual sales of $45 million, Ralcorp officials said. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ralcorp anticipates the transaction will provide $0.05 of GAAP accretion and $0.07 of cash accretion to adjusted diluted earnings per share in the first 12 months of ownership, excluding one-time costs.   Read More...

St. Louis-based cable maker Belden Inc. has agreed to buy Miranda Technologies Inc. of Canada for an all-cash offer of CA$17 per share, or about US$357 million. The acquisition will increase the percentage of Belden's revenue from networking and connectivity products to 36 percent from 30 percent, the company said. Miranda's board has agreed to recommend its shareholders accept the offer. Miranda, based in Montreal, Quebec, provides hardware and software for broadcast infrastructure, including solutions.   Read More...

Monsanto Co. said today that it has agreed to buy Precision Planting Inc., a planting technology developer, in a deal worth up to $250 million.   Read More...

Ralcorp Holdings Inc. officials said today that it has completed an acquisition of Petri Baking Products Inc., a producer of private-brand soft-style and crunchy cookies. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Petri Baking Products is based in Silver Creek, N.Y., and it employs more than 240 people. St. Louis-based food company Ralcorp Holdings (NYSE: RAH), led by President and CEO Kevin Hunt, reported fiscal 2011 sales of $4.7 billion.   Read More...