John Deere and Yamaha Motor Company will join forces to build a future line of off-road utility task vehicles. Such partnerships help bring the strength of both businesses to their collaborative project. In this edition of It's Just Business, we've rounded up four recent deals, including acquisitions and partnerships.

Acquisition: Beam Global has signed a definitive agreement to acquire ScoutDI, a Norwegian developer and manufacturer of drones and AI-enhanced software, for about $24 million. The acquisition is expected to close in November 2026. Beam plans to manufacture ScoutDI’s drone systems at its U.S. and European factories as well as to expand sales into industrial, government and defense markets. 

“Joining Beam is an exciting next step for ScoutDI,” said Nicolai Husteli, CEO of ScoutDI, in an October press release. “Our customers already rely on our products to inspect confined spaces that are dangerous and costly to enter, and Beam brings the U.S. manufacturing, global footprint, and energy expertise to scale that much faster.”

Acquisition: Precision Products Group (PPG), a manufacturer of engineered materials, has acquired Monadnock Non-Wovens, a Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of engineered meltblown nonwoven materials for filtration, acoustic, medical and industrial applications. The acquisition expands PPG’s Engineered Textiles division with specialty filtration and sound-dampening materials, adding to its existing portfolio of paper, tubing and woven products. 

“Innovation has always been at the heart of MNW. Our team is constantly looking for ways to create better materials that serve our customers' needs, whether that means better acoustic dampening or more effective filtration,” said James Cree, president of Monadnock Non-Wovens, in an October press release. "In PPG, the Verney family and I found a partner that shares that culture of material innovation. With PPG's resources and expertise behind us, we'll be able to accelerate that work and bring even better solutions to our customers."

Partnership: Jamison Door Company and BMP Group have broken ground on a 355,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Hagerstown, Md., to expand production capabilities and bring additional industrial door product lines together. The project represents an investment in advanced manufacturing technologies and expanded capabilities, with construction targeted for completion in 2028. 

“This new advanced manufacturing facility will bring product lines together in a one-stop shop, expand production capabilities, and support up to 250 employees. It is a powerful example of what manufacturers can do when they have the certainty to plan, invest, hire and grow,” said Stef Webb, managing vice president of government relations for the National Association of Manufacturers, in a September press release.

Partnership: John Deere and Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, have agreed to collaborate on the development of future side-by-side vehicles, combining Yamaha’s powertrain and vehicle design expertise with John Deere’s vehicle development capabilities, U.S. manufacturing operations and customer insights. The companies said they will retain their respective brands, dealer and sales channels, and customer relationships, with details about future products to be announced later. 

“This collaboration will enable us to develop differentiated products that excite customers and create meaningful value,” said Jon Chase, vice president of John Deere’s Turf and Compact Utility Business Unit, in an October press release.