Sussex-based Quad/Graphics Inc. announced it will close at its plant in Jonesboro, Ark., in the fourth quarter as it continues to consolidate its production work.

The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce will present a conference devoted to improving education in Milwaukee on Wednesday, March 14.

Menomonee Falls-based Magnetek Inc. reported fiscal second quarter gross profit of $10.5 million or 74 cents per share, up from $8.5 million, or 44 cents per share, in the same period a year ago.

Dispensing Dynamics International Inc. (DDI) announced it has acquired The Colman Group Inc., which does business as San Jamar-Chef Revival in Elkhorn.

ELMA Americas announced an expansion of its Optima EPS operations with the acquisition of Stantron broadcast cabinets and APW Mayville datacenter cabinets from Mayville Products Corp. of Mayville, Wis.

Electronic Technologies International (ETI), through its Fort Atkinson-based subsidiary American Cable & Harness LLC (ACH), has acquired the assets of CMK Enterprises, Inc. and Calmer Industries LLC of Eagle, Wis.

The Northwestern Mutual Foundation announced nearly $700,000 in grants to 14 Milwaukee-area nonprofits that provide job training, business development and access to crucial community resources.

The Marquette University College of Business Administration’s Center for Supply Chain Management and the Wisconsin Procurement Institute on Tuesday, March 27, will present a two-part, daylong series of presentations and panel discussions focusing on how Wisconsin and northern Illinois firms can tap into federal contract opportunities.

The recent joint celebration between company management and union labor at Master Lock Company’s Milwaukee plant harkened back to a previous generation. Read more in a Milwaukee Biz Blog by BizTimes executive editor Steve Jagler.

Manufacturing resources

As the debate on the mining bill raged, we all heard the hyper political language about the environmental harm that would result from any iron ore mine. It was very difficult for me to sit back and watch. I was ever hopeful that calmer heads would prevail considering the $1.5 billion investment and the thousands of resulting jobs that the state could have welcomed while the environment is protected.

A panel of Milwaukee's most prominent commercial real estate executives discussed the results of a survey of commercial realtors who were asked what development projects in southeastern Wisconsin should be the highest priority for public and private investment in order to maximize the return for the community. The panel discussed the top 10 projects named by survey respondents. The panelists included: James Barry III, president of Cassidy Turley Barry; Gary Grunau, president of Grucon Group LLC; Mike Mervis, vice president of Zilber Ltd; and Barry Mandel, president of Mandel Group Inc.