Manufacturing

Smithfield Foods Inc. broke ground Thursday on a new $12 million bacon slicing plant at its Patrick Cudahy campus in Cudahy.

Franklin-based Steele Solutions Inc. this week announced that Mike Thelen has transitioned from company president to chief executive officer and chairman of the board. Co-owner Kevin O’Neill will replace Thelen as president.

The Milwaukee 7 Regional Economic Development Partnership has been selected to participate in a program to create a foreign direct investment plan for the Milwaukee region.

Milwaukee-based fireplace door manufacturer Design Specialties Inc. has been acquired by Brookfield private equity firm Blackthorne Partners Ltd. and Michael Draves.

BizTimes Media is accepting nominations for its annual Bravo! Entrepreneur and I.Q. (Innovation Quotient) Awards.

Milwaukee-based Tower Machining, a manufacturer of precision, close-tolerance machined parts and components, has appointed Scott Pease to general manager. Since Peace joined Tower Machining at its inception in early 2014, the company has seen rapid sales growth, doubled its customer base, and added three vertical mills and two turning centers.

Amazon is now hiring for more than a thousand full-time positions at its 1.1 million-square-foot fulfillment center currently under construction in Kenosha.

Muskego-based Inpro Corp. recently announced the acquisition of Hinkel Inc. Based in Monroe, N.C., Hinkel is a manufacturer of window shades and treatments, cubicle curtains, privacy systems, and decorative and specialty products. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Milwaukee-based Jason Industries Inc. has acquired the manufacturing assets and customer list of Cleveland-based industrial brush manufacturer Herold Partco Manufacturing Inc.

Franklin-based Meltric Corp., a manufacturer of electrical plugs and receptacles for industrial users, recently moved to a new 90,000-square-foot building at 4765 W. Oakwood Park Drive.