Industries

New York-based BGC Partners Inc., a global intermediary to the wholesale financial markets, recently acquired Santa Ana, Calf.-based commercial real estate advisory firm Grubb & Ellis in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

The Moderne, a 30-story residential tower under construction southwest of Juneau Avenue and Old World Third Street should provide a major boost to one of downtown Milwaukee's oldest business districts.

Southridge Mall opened in 1970 along South 76th Street in Greendale. But after 40 years, the 1.4 million-square-foot mall, the largest in Wisconsin, was showing its age and was in danger of decline. Some wondered if the mall would ultimately go the way of Northridge Mall, which opened two years after Southridge but closed in 2003.

ZBB Energy Corp. reported a fiscal third quarter net loss of $3.5 million, or 9 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $2.9 million, or 12 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Douglas Dynamics Inc., a Milwaukee-based designer and manufacturer of snow and ice control equipment for light trucks, reported a first quarter net loss of $4.3 million, or 19 cents per share, compared with a net loss of $0.8 million, or 4 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Briggs & Stratton Corp. has begun a phased rollout of placing quick response (QR) code labels on its small engines.

Menomonee Falls-based Magnetek Inc. reported first quarter net income of $6.9 million of $2.14, up from $971,000, or 30 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Milwaukee-based Rexnord Corp. completed its first quarter as a public company with net earnings of $9 million, or 12 cents per share.

Bryan Mullett has been promoted to president at Bradley Corp., a Menomonee Falls-based manufacturer of plumbing fixtures, restroom accessories and emergency equipment.