Young professionals invited to party

The Columbia Young Professionals Alliance hosts its second annual holiday party on Wednesday.

The party begins at 6 p.m. at the Columbia Museum of Art. Admission is one unwrapped gift or a $10 donation to the Toys for Tots program. The public is invited and reservations are not required.

The alliance is a group of nine of Columbia’s leading membership organizations.

• Career fair Wednesday

Thirty-six businesses will be searching for employees Wednesday during Columbia’s largest job fair.

The fair will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Cantey Building at the State Fairgrounds. Parking costs $1, but admission is free.

The fair is sponsored by The State newspaper and the S.C. Employment Security Commission.

• SC Launch receives donation

Progress Energy of Raleigh has donated $650,000 to SC Launch.

The money was donated through a program that allows taxpayers to donate part of their taxes to a fund that invests in technology startup firms in South Carolina.

SC Launch helps startup companies by providing seed money and mentors.

• Vought behind Boeing aircraft delays

CHARLESTON — Vought Aircraft Industries Inc. continues to contribute to delays in the manufacturing of Boeing’s 787 airplanes.

Vought has farmed out some of its work to an Israeli company named Aerospace Industries Ltd., according to the Wall Street Journal.

Vought was hired to build the fuselage floor for the new aircraft. Boeing has said problems with suppliers will cause its production to run four months behind schedule.

• Manufacturer expands in Upstate

GREENVILLE — A company that makes road paving equipment will expand with a new facility in Taylors.

Calder Brothers will spend $4.9 million to buy and renovate a 120,000-square foot facility. It also recently bought Pavement Services Inc., a South Dakota company, for an undisclosed price.

The expansion and acquisition will result in 35 to 40 new jobs over the next five years.