YORII, Japan—Honda has developed a more ecological painting technology that moves from a four-coat, three-bake process to a three-coat, two-bake water-based process.

BOWLING GREEN, KY—GM’s Corvette assembly plant here is one of 54 facilities to meet a voluntary energy-reduction challenge set by the Environmental Protection Agency, cutting its energy intensity by 26 percent in less than one year.

CHANGWON, South Korea—GM will add a three-megawatt solar installation on the roof of its assembly plant here. The array will cut carbon emissions at the plant by 2,400 metric tons a year.

With the election over and the economy picking up steam, manufacturers are poised to reinvest in their assembly plants.

DEARBORN, MI—The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $292,000 to the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) to create university-based programs that will help local manufacturers conserve energy.

LONDON—GlaxoSmithKline has launched a program to recycle used inhalers.

NORTH PORTLAND, OR—Solar panel manufacturer SoloPower will celebrate the grand opening of its $340 million assembly plant here today. The facility will employ 90 people by the end of the year.

HENDERSON, NC—Semprius Inc. will open its first solar panel assembly plant here this month, creating some 250 jobs.

ALBUQUERQUE, NM—McCune Solar Works is in the final stages of negotiations to assume operations of the former Schott Solar assembly plant here. McCune plans to resume production at the plant next year, employing 130.