CHEROKEE, AL—FreightCar America Inc. has subleased approximately 25 percent of Navistar’s assembly plant here to build various types of railcars. FreightCar expects to invest $23 million to equip the facility, which will have the capacity to build more than 7,000 railcars per year.

VERONA, VA—HVAC manufacturer McQuay International is investing more than $9 million to expand its assembly plant here. The company is expected to hire 50 additional workers.

ASHEVILLE, NC—President Barack Obama visited a truck parts assembly plant here to highlight the role of U.S. manufacturing in reviving the economy, and to follow up on his State of the Union message of strengthening the middle class.

PEOSTA, IA—Camoplast Solideal, which manufactures the undercarriage for John Deere agricultural equipment, has opened a $3.4 million expansion of its assembly plant here, creating 23 new jobs.

Fixed automation systems and conventional blind robots have a role in automated assembly, but it’s limited.

CLEVELAND—The CNH tractor assembly plant in Wichita, KS, and the Ethicon medical device assembly plant in San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, are among six U.S. factories picked as IndustryWeek’s “Best Plants.”

The hub features point-to-point technology.

MCGREGOR, TX—Behlen Manufacturing Co. will begin manufacturing farm and ranch equipment at a new assembly plant here. The facility will employ more than 50 people by the end of 2013.

WAVERLY, NE—Valmont Industries Inc. plans to spend between $3.5 million and $4.5 million to renovate an old factory here to make irrigation equipment.

ATHENS, GA—Caterpillar is accepting applications for assembly team leader and several other job openings at its new factory here.