A News Digest summary. Read the entire newsletter online here.

Quaker Chemical and Houghton International to Combine. The agreement to combine the two companies is a highly complementary transaction, and will allow the new company to better serve a wide range of industries that rely on metalworking. Combined, the two companies had over $1.5 billion in revenue in 2016.
Quaker Chemical Corporation | PRNewswire | 04.05.2017

Manufacturing in US Kept Expanding at Robust Pace in March. Optimism from members of the National Association of Manufacturers is at a 20 year high as the manufacturing industry continues to expand. While the growth rate of the industry decreased slightly, the industry is still growing at a rapid rate. 
Vince Golle | Bloomberg | 04.03.2017

US Car Demand Collapse Jeopardizes Trump's Auto Factory Push. Consumer demand for sedans has dropped while demand for SUVs has risen. US car manufacturers saw record sales in 2016 as well, but market has shifted since then.The incentives to build new plants may not be enticing enough at this time. 
David Welch and Jamie Butters | Bloomberg | 04.03.2017

Predicting the limits of friction: Team looks at properties of material. Material scientists at Sandia National Laboratories working to predict the limits of friction behavior of metals based on material properties.
Sandia National Laboratories | Phys.org | 04.05.2017

Coweta’s German-style apprentice program visited by apprentices from Germany. The program, which specializes in technical training, gives students an opportunity to take an apprenticeship in 10th grade and learn manufacturing on site. This program is an innovative solution to bring in young workers. 
Colton Campbell | Newnan Times-Herald | 03.30.2017