GAINESVILLE, GA— Kubota Manufacturing of America Corp. plans to invest $140 million to build a new assembly plant here, adding 500 workers to the 3,000 it already employs in the region.

RACINE, WI—Unionized workers of tractor manufacturer CNH Industrial are striking after contract negotiations between the company and the union, United Auto Workers, broke down.

MOLINE, IL—United Auto Workers union members appear to be heading closer to a strike Oct. 12 after rejecting a contract offer from Deere & Co. over the weekend that would have given at least 5 percent raises to staff that build John Deere tractors and other equipment.

MOLINE, IL—Deere & Co. is using artificial intelligence and machine vision to detect and fix porosity defects in welds on its tractors.

LIVERMORE, CA—Monarch Tractor has unveiled what it claims is “the world’s first fully electric, driver optional, smart tractor integrated on a single platform.”

The notion of making products close to where you sell them may be coming back into vogue among manufacturers worldwide, but it’s nothing new to Japanese tractor manufacturer Kubota. The company started manufacturing here in 1988, and it has continued to invest heavily in its U.S. presence ever since.