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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
The Gassier Side Of Paper Manufacturing
November 11, 2009 10:36 am | Articles | CommentsSometimes we forget about the — ahem — gassier side of paper manufacturing. But creating paper from recycled sources, instead of virgin fibers, can spare us all from a whole lot of methane. Have any comments or questions about our Thursday video editions of IMPO Insider? Or do you have a video you'd like to see featured in one of our deployments? Email me at Joel.
The Ups And Downs Of 'Coal Country'
November 11, 2009 10:30 am | Articles | CommentsIt's undeniable: coal mining is a dirty but absolutely necessary business. In this trailer from the documentary " Coal Country ," we can get a glimpse into the endless battles between anti-coal activists, residents, and the workers that make our modern lifestyles possible. The results are explosive and powerful.
ABB Robots Waltzing With Fanta Cans
November 11, 2009 10:19 am | Articles | CommentsABB industrial robots are known for their stellar motion control, but this is a little bit crazy. Check out how the company has pushed their previous Fanta test to a whole new level. It's like a high school dance — no touching allowed! Have any comments or questions about our Thursday video editions of IMPO Insider? Or do you have a video you'd like to see featured in one of our deployments? Email me at Joel.
TIME's Best Invention Of 2009: NASA's Ares I Rocket
November 11, 2009 9:36 am | Articles | CommentsTIME Magazine has pegged the Ares I rocket, NASA's newest endeavor into space travel, as the greatest invention of 2009. Although the rocket is not yet ready to carry humans back to the moon and all the way to Mars, the October 28 launch proved that the upgraded system is on its way to being the next best hope in stellar travel.
AK Steel Makes Ohioan Animals Happy
November 11, 2009 5:52 am | News | CommentsWEST CHESTER, Ohio /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — AK Steel's ( NYSE: AKS ) Coshocton, Ohio Works has received "Wildlife at Work" certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring and enhancing wildlife habitat. The certification recognizes the company for its ongoing environmental restoration efforts at the plant.
Do You Like Your Chips Green?
November 11, 2009 5:25 am | Articles | CommentsKettle Foods, based in Beloit, Wis., has used precast concrete walls, wind turbines, and native prairie grasses to help make the greenest food manufacturing plant in the U.S. See why Kettle chose to place such an emphasis on sustainability, and how they're reaping the benefits. Have any comments or questions about our Thursday video editions of IMPO Insider? Or do you have a video you'd like to see featured in one of our deployments? Email me at Joel.
Lockheed Martin Makes Stuff Blow Up Even Better
November 11, 2009 4:47 am | News | CommentsORLANDO, Fla. — The Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT ) Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER) successfully completed its sixth flight demonstration in a recent test at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The JASSM-ER program is now six for six flight test successes. "JASSM-ER's test successes are a result of a dedicated team effort," said Col.
Ford To Use Straw-Reinforced Plastic In 2010 Flex
November 11, 2009 4:14 am | News | CommentsFord Motor Company (NYSE: F ), working with academic researchers and one of its suppliers, is the first automaker to develop and use environmentally friendly wheat straw-reinforced plastic in a vehicle. The first application of the natural fiber-based plastic that contains 20 percent wheat straw bio-filler is on the 2010 Ford Flex's third-row interior storage bins.
Oshkosh Corp. Receives $438m Army Contract
November 11, 2009 4:05 am | News | CommentsOSHKOSH, Wis. (AP) — Oshkosh Corp. ( NYSE:OSK ) said Wednesday the U.S. Army ordered another 1,000 all-terrain vehicles that feature mine resistant ambush protection, an order worth $438 million. The order from the Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command is the fifth such award Oshkosh has received to supply the so-called M-ATVs, which seat four passengers plus one gunner and weigh 25,000 pounds.
Chrysler Adding 1,000-Strong Temporary Shift
November 11, 2009 4:02 am | News | CommentsBELVIDERE, Ill. (AP) — Chrysler Group LLC has announced a temporary second shift will start Nov. 17 in a move to boost production of the Dodge Caliber by 10,000 units by the end of the year. Initial plans by Chrysler was to add the shift in October. The company postponed the move because of supplier shortages.
Retirees 'Living In Hell' After Coal Ash Spill
November 11, 2009 3:55 am | by Bill Poovey, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsKINGSTON, Tenn. (AP) — Ten months after millions of cubic yards of coal ash spilled from a Tennessee Valley Authority dam, Gary Topmiller and his wife, Pam, said they are trapped in their home across the Emory River from the site and "living in hell." A retired millwright, Topmiller said Tuesday they are battling health problems and the TVA won't fairly compensate them so they can move from their 3-year-old house on the river and rebuild.
GM Chief Engineerer 'Really Happy' To Keep Opel
November 11, 2009 3:51 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsDETROIT (AP) — When General Motors Co.'s board halted the sale of the company's European car business last week, no one was happier than the automaker's chief engineer. Engineers with the Ruesselsheim, Germany-based Opel have designed the basics of GM's new compact and midsize cars that are sold across the globe, and they do much of the company's research on safety and electric vehicles.
BPA Leads To Sexual Problems In Chinese Workers
November 11, 2009 3:43 am | by Malcolm Ritter, AP Science Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Male factory workers in China who got very high doses of a chemical that's been widely used in hard plastic bottles had high rates of sexual problems, researchers reported Wednesday. Heavy exposure to BPA, or bisphenol A, on the job was linked to impotence and lower sexual desire and satisfaction, according to the study, which adds to concerns about BPA's effects on most consumers.
GM Committed To Paying Back Taxpayer Loans
November 11, 2009 3:36 am | by Dan Strumpf, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — General Motors Co. remains committed to repaying its billions of dollars in government loans, though it's too soon to say when that will happen, the automaker's chairman said Tuesday. "Can GM pay back its loans? You bet," Ed Whitacre said during an address at Texas Lutheran University in Seguin, Texas.
World Bank: U.S. Unemployment To Hold Back Economy
November 11, 2009 3:30 am | by Alex Kennedy, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsSINGAPORE (AP) — Stubbornly high joblessness threatens to trigger loan defaults and drag on consumption next year, hobbling a U.S. economy struggling to rebound from recession, World Bank President Robert Zoellick said Wednesday. Zoellick warned that the U.S. unemployment rate, which jumped to a 26-year high of 10.


