Business Expansion

Hartland, Wis. – September 29, 2026 -- Batteries Plus has signed a four-store development agreement with franchise owners Clint and Jolene Coates to expand into Lake County, Florida, with the first location opening in The Villages within the next year.

Franchisees plan four stores across Central Florida within six years

The agreement calls for four Batteries Plus locations to open across The Villages and surrounding communities north of Orlando over the next six years, according to the company. The Coates family is structuring the venture as a multi-generational business, with son Cayden Coates and son-in-law Paul Clement taking on day-to-day retail and commercial management while Clint and Jolene Coates focus on sales and development as additional stores launch.

Aachen, Germany – September 28, 2026 -- Grünenthal and DKSH Business Unit Healthcare have signed a new commercialisation agreement to bring four pain medicines, Qutenza, Vimovo, Palexia and Zomig, to eight Asia-Pacific markets: Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

DKSH takes over local regulatory filings and distribution across eight markets

Under the agreement, DKSH will seek local marketing authorisations and handle marketing, medical affairs, market access, sales and distribution for the four medicines in each of the eight markets, pending regulatory approval. Grünenthal will retain manufacturing responsibility through its global production network. Each market could gain access to up to four new medicines depending on approval timelines.

St. Petersburg, Fla. – – September 25, 2026 -- Acron Aviation has extended its Authorized Repair Center agreement with Thales Singapore by five years, establishing in-region repair and overhaul capability for its ACSS surveillance product line across Asia-Pacific.

Thales Singapore becomes sole APAC repair partner for ACSS surveillance systems

Under the renewed agreement, Thales Singapore will continue to perform repair and overhaul work on all ACSS surveillance products, including the T3CAS system. The facility previously served customers who required support from outside the Asia-Pacific region; the extension now anchors that capability locally.

Thomas Mouveaux, General Manager APAC for Aviation Global Services at Thales, said the company is the only Acron Aviation authorized repair partner for surveillance products in Asia-Pacific, citing ACSS's large regional market share in surveillance equipment.

Navi Mumbai – September 23, 2026 -- Fuel Cycle, a US-based AI-powered consumer insights and market research platform, has opened a Global Capability Center (GCC) in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, with an initial planned capacity of 50 employees and room to scale over coming quarters.

New hub targets engineering, AI and product development functions

The Navi Mumbai center will serve as a strategic hub for Engineering, AI and Product Development, working closely with teams across the US and other global markets. Fuel Cycle said it plans to invest in scaling the center, positioning it as a key part of its global product and technology organization.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – – September 21, 2026 -- VIO Med Spa has signed a three-unit development agreement to enter South Carolina for the first time, with the first Charleston-area location targeted to open in 2027. Site selection is currently underway.

Former CVS Health Executive Leads Local Development

Ted Loya, who spent more than 23 years at CVS Health in its pharmacy benefits business working with national employers, will spearhead the brand's build-out across the Charleston area. New to franchising and medical aesthetics, Loya cited VIO's established infrastructure, financial backing, and existing East Coast footprint in North Carolina and Georgia as deciding factors in bringing the brand to South Carolina.

Deal Extends Brand's East Coast Footprint

Ryan Rao, Chief Development Officer at VIO Med Spa, said the Charleston entry strengthens the company's presence in the Southeast and supports further expansion along the East Coast.

Zurich – September 19, 2026 -- ACROBiosystems has established a dedicated office within The HIVE Innovation Center on Campus Grand Parc in Villejuif, deepening its footprint in France's oncology research corridor. The move, facilitated by real estate operator Kadans Science Partner, gives the roughly 1,000-employee biotechnology group direct proximity to biotechs, hospitals, and translational research institutes clustered around Paris-Saclay.

ACROBiosystems joins a biocluster it entered as a member last year

The company became a member of the Paris-Saclay Cancer Cluster (PSCC) in 2025, and the new HIVE office is positioned to extend those regional ties. Campus Grand Parc concentrates oncology-focused clinical partners and research teams, an environment ACROBiosystems says aligns with its role supplying reagents and services across the drug development chain -- from recombinant proteins and antibodies to GMP-grade custom production.

Seattle – September 19, 2026 -- Summit Fire & Security LLC has opened eight new branch locations across Washington state and O'ahu, Hawaii, expanding its fire protection, security, and marine services footprint into two new states.

Five branches target Washington's commercial and industrial corridors

North Seattle, South Seattle, and Mount Vernon offices will cover Western Washington, serving commercial, marine, and multi-tenant clients with inspection, maintenance, monitoring, and installation of life safety systems. Pasco and Spokane branches extend coverage into Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho.

Hawaii office reaches four islands from a single O'ahu base

The new O'ahu location will provide fire protection and security services across Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, and the rest of the Hawaiian Islands, marking Summit's entry into the Pacific island market.

Dublin, Ohio – September 18, 2026 -- Little Diggers, the construction-themed indoor sandbox playspace chain, has signed more than 50 franchise locations across the U.S. and now operates six corporate-owned stores, with additional openings planned before year-end.

Franchise pipeline swells after 2025 launch

Since opening its franchising arm in 2025, the company has fielded thousands of inquiries from all 50 states and more than 85 countries. Signed or in-development locations now span 21 states, including Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. Little Diggers plans to expand into California, with location details to be announced.

Kansas City – September 17, 2026 -- KanEquip, Inc. has opened its first dealership dedicated exclusively to JCB equipment in Kansas City, expanding its footprint beyond the six existing Kansas locations that carry the brand.

KanEquip enters Kansas City after Trane's acquisition of CSTK creates market opening

The sale of Central States Thermo King (CSTK) to Trane, Inc. left a gap in local JCB support in Kansas City, which KanEquip moved to fill. The company said retaining CSTK's experienced staff, some employed since 2014, was the primary driver behind the market entry, citing their established knowledge of JCB equipment and rental-house customer relationships.