Plug Power Inc. has formed Plug Power Capital Inc., a capital-financial arm that will offer the program known as GenFund, to provide customers with access to third-party leases.

Free-market capitalism says that the only purpose of business is to create shareholder value and that the unfettered market can regulate itself. In the last 30 years, that definition changed to, "the only purpose of business is to create shareholder value measured by short-term results and with little or no regulation."

Maker's Row, provider of a service that enables brands to locate manufacturers for the creation of products in the U.S., has launched a "Made in America" online store.

HighJump Software Inc. has acquired Wesupply, a U.K.-based provider of supplier-enablement and business-to-business integration tools for multiple industries, including retail, building, consumer packaged goods, energy and manufacturing.

Douglas Schoch, vice president of Siemens Capital Co. LLC, describes the changes he's seen in the field of supply-chain finance in recent years. He also talks about the keys to successful implementation of a supply-chain financing program.

A survey of more than 750 U.S. manufacturers shows continued optimism about revenues and employment as well as increasing demand for flexibility and responsiveness in supply chains. Moreover, confidence in growing revenues extends into 2016.