Weekend Expansions Update

$ Quatro Composites is expected to complete their new Orange City, Iowa, plant expansion by August 2007. Quatro is also moving its Poway, California-based offices to a larger facility in May to accommodate staff and R&D growth.

$ Cobasys, a battery manufacturer, confirmed the addition of 18,860 square feet to its headquarters in Orion, Michigan, to be completed by July. Cobasys is the only North American manufacturer supplying NiMH battery systems for hybrid vehicles, including the Saturn Vue Green Line and the Chevrolet Malibu hybrid.

$ VienTek, a joint venture between Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas and TPI Composites, launched plans to triple the capacity of their wind blade manufacturing operation in Juarez, Mexico. The expansion, to be completed in October, will include two plants with a total of 500,592 square feet of manufacturing space and 800 employees.

$ Air Arabia, the first low-cost airline in the Middle East and North Africa, announced today that it will construct a hotel at Sharjah Airport in Dubai. The 300-room hotel will cost $350 million AED, or over $95 million US dollars.

$ Bell Equipment, a South Africa-based earthmoving equipment manufacturer, is currently embarking on a $40 South African Rand, or about $5.5 million US dollar, upgrade of its Cape Town manufacturing and customer support facilities. The project is due to an expansion of the construction sector in Cape Town and the growth of diamond operations on the west cost of the country.