Manufacturing

For the third year in a row, manufacturers that make everything from plastics coatings and steel tubes to custom hardware and interactive kiosks hold the most spots – 15 – on Council of Small Business Executives Future 50 list for 2014.

Chicago-based MillerCoors LLC, which brews much of its beer in Milwaukee, reported it reduced water usage by 9.1 percent per barrel in 2013.

Fontarome Chemical Inc., a flavor, fragrance and pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer that had operated in St. Francis, has been cited for 23 safety and health violations—including seven willful, one repeat and 15 serious—by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The company has been placed in OSHA's Severe Violator Enforcement Program, and the citations carry proposed penalties of $449,680, the U.S. Department of Labor announced Wednesday.

Milwaukee-based Joy Global Inc., a manufacturer of mining equipment and the parent company of P&H Mining Equipment Inc., has announced its plans to establish a warehouse and distribution center operation in a 300,000-square-foot building in Oak Creek.

Sussex-based The Industrial Controls Co. has acquired the assets of Downers Grove, Ill.-based Control Masters Inc.

Menomonee Falls-based Actuant Corp. has sold its recreational vehicle business to a subsidiary of Elkhart, Ind.-based RV supplier Drew Industries for $35.5 million.

Dodgeville-based Lands’ End reported first quarter net income of $10.9 million, or 34 cents per share, up from $7.3 million, or 23 cents per share, in the first quarter of 2013.

Caterpillar Inc. will close two manufacturing plants and a distribution center in Illinois, eliminating about 170 jobs.

Chicago-based MillerCoors LLC, which brews much of its beer in Milwaukee, today reported it reduced water usage by 9.1 percent per barrel in 2013.

Menomonee Falls-based Actuant Corp. has acquired Sugar Land, Texas-based Hayes Industries Ltd. for about $31 million.