Equipment

Navistar International Corp. said Monday that it has acquired Continental Manufacturing Co., a manufacturer of concrete mixer trucks.

TMW Systems last week acquired Innovative Computing Corp., combining two of the best-known names in the marketplace and expanding the reach of the largest provider of fleet-management software.

Cummins Inc. plans to temporarily cut about 400 jobs at a plant in western New York state starting in January because of expected lower demand for the heavy-duty engines produced there, Bloomberg reported.

Navistar International Corp. said Wednesday that one of its affiliates will create a joint venture with U.K.-based Modec Ltd. to build Class 2 and 3 all-electric commercial trucks in the United States for sale to North, Central and South American markets.

TMW Systems has acquired fellow trucking software provider Innovative Computing Corp., the companies announced Tuesday.

Westport Innovations said it will supply Swedish truck maker Volvo Group with components for heavy-duty natural gas engines.

Representatives of several high-tech firms said they already are marketing, or soon will offer, systems designed to prevent motorists from texting and talking on cell phones while driving their vehicles.

The heavy-duty U.S. truck fleet contracted slightly in the third quarter, shrinking back to its size in the first quarter of 2009, but used-truck sales volumes strengthened in the quarter, according to a Nov. 17 report by R.L. Polk.

Navistar Inc., which said it has spent $600 million to develop its 2010 exhaust gas recirculation engine, said the company is losing sales of next year’s model because federal regulators “helped create the false impression” among customers that only urea-based after-treatment systems would meet 2010 federal emissions standards.

A Chrysler LLC executive said the company is establishing the Ram name as a separate brand apart from Dodge and may add a Class 8 truck to its portfolio.