Economic Development

Milwaukee private equity firm Mason Wells announced its portfolio company, NEX Performance Films Inc. has acquired Charter Films Inc.

Wastebuilt Environmental Solutions LLC has acquired Stepp Equipment Company in Menomonee Falls.

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A prominent coalition of professional economic forecasters is predicting more modest growth in 2013, but they expect the rate of growth to accelerate later in the year.

Wisconsin businesses reported better trends in 2012, with more than 50 percent of businesses reporting increased sales, according to The First Business Economic Survey for Dane County, Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties and the northeast region of Wisconsin.

Milwaukee-based RCB Awards has acquired Artistic Engraving of West Allis and Premier Awards of Fort Atkinson.

A three-year old consent order between WaterStone Bank SSB, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Waterstone Financial Inc., holding company of WaterStone Bank, and regulators has been terminated after the Wauwatosa financial institution satisfied requirements to return to profitability.

Due to potential increases in U.S. Federal income tax rates on dividends in 2013, the board decided to accelerate the cash dividends that would normally have been paid in March and June of the company's current fiscal year which ends June 30, 2013.

Milwaukee-based Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc. and Axis Capital, the investment banking subsidiary of Axis Bank, one of the leading private sector banks in India, announced a strategic alliance for investment banking services, with an initial focus on cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A) between India and Europe, and India and the United States.

Mequon-based Charter Manufacturing Company announced it has acquired Dura-Bar and Dura-Bar Metal Services as part of its stock purchase of Illinois-based Wells Manufacturing Company.