TORONTO-Samsung C&T and Korea Electric Power Corp. plan to build a series of wind and solar power “clusters” in Ontario over the next 20 years. The $7 billion deal includes the creation of local plants to provide key components, such as blades, wind towers, solar modules and inverters. The controversial project is expected to generate more than 16,000 green energy jobs within the province. MORE
CLINTON, TN-Confluence Solar Inc. is building a 200,000-square-foot plant near Knoxville. The $200 million facility will make silicon ingots for use in solar cells. Several other manufacturers are already located in the area, making Tennessee a hotbed for solar panel manufacturing. MORE
PALMELA, PORTUGAL-Technology that was originally developed to dock spacecraft is now being applied on the assembly line at Volkswagen’s Autoeuropa factory. Operators use advanced vision systems and object recognition software to improve the way that dashboards are installed in cars such as the Eos and the Scirocco. MORE
HAWTHORNE, CA-The Boeing 747 ushered in a new way of air travel 40 years ago. Since then, more than 1,400 super jumbos have rolled off the assembly line. Some components, such as fuselage panels, are still assembled in southern California and shipped via railcar to Boeing’s plant in Everett, WA. MORE
DETROIT-Automotive assembly lines in the U.S. will begin humming again in 2010, as automakers start mass-producing a wide variety of small cars, crossovers and pickup trucks. Many companies are hiring engineers and assemblers to meet growing consumer demand. MORE
COLUMBUS, IN-Dorel Juvenile Group, a leading manufacturer of car seats and other child safety products, plans to expand its production operations in southern Indiana, creating 98 new jobs by 2013. The Canadian company plans to invest $21 million over the next three years. MORE
SACRAMENTO, CA-California hopes to strengthen its manufacturing base by allowing companies that assemble green products to be exempt from paying sales tax on their production equipment. The state is eager to attract more manufacturers of battery-powered cars, solar panels, wind turbines and other clean products. MORE
TIANJIN, CHINA-Airbus continues to ramp up production in China. Its assembly line in Tianjin will produce 26 A320 aircraft this year, more than double its output in 2009. By 2012, Airbus plans to assemble 48 aircraft per year in China. MORE
NAGOYA, JAPAN-Toyota Motor Corp. plans to double its global output of gas-electric hybrid vehicles to 1 million units in 2011. The automaker expects to add 10 new hybrid models to its lineup and increase the number of plants that assemble the fuel-efficient vehicles. MORE
WATERTOWN, MA-A123 Systems plans to hire more than 500 people this year for its two new lithium-ion battery plants under construction in Michigan. The Livonia facility is expected to open mid-2010, while the Romulus plant will open later this year. MORE
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