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U.S. Auto Factories Cutting Back On Summer Downtime
May 22, 2013 10:25 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer | News | Comments
The Detroit automakers are largely forgoing the traditional two-week summer break at their factories and speeding up production to meet buyers' growing demand for new cars and trucks. Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday that 21 of its North American factories will shut for only one week this summer. That includes the Chicago plant that makes the Ford Explorer SUV and the Mexican plant that makes the Fusion sedan.
Connecting The Back Office To The Plant Floor
May 22, 2013 8:05 am | by Karie Daudt, Director of Marketing, TURCK | Articles | Comments
Though industrial Ethernet has been evolving for many years, it is quickly becoming the...
Continuous Improvement: Real Improvement Or Mediocrity?
May 22, 2013 8:00 am | by Mark Latino, President, Reliability Center, Inc. | Blogs | Comments
Incremental improvements are more or less feel good measures that say to management “there was a...
Is Apple Losing Its Cool?
May 21, 2013 1:22 pm | by CNN | Videos | Comments
Google has released a spate of new products, but tech giant Apple still leads—today—says...
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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
EU Leaders Discuss Fight Against Tax Evasion
May 22, 2013 2:15 pm | by Juergen Baetz, Raf Casert, Associated Press | News | CommentsEuropean Union leaders on Wednesday sought to advance their fight against tax fraud and close the loopholes for large corporations' tax avoidance schemes. European officials say tax fraud costs the 27-nation bloc an estimated 1 trillion euros ($1.3 trillion) a year at a time when much of the region is in recession and governments are forced to tighten their budgets.
Italy Seizes 1.2B Euros From Steel Family
May 22, 2013 2:13 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsMilan prosecutors have ordered the seizure of 1.2 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in assets belonging to the family that runs a troubled steel plant in southern Italy. Prosecutors allege in the order Wednesday that the real estate, stocks and other financial assets belonging to the Riva family were obtained through the misuse of funds belonging to the Ilva steel plant.
Tesla Shows Model S To Influence NC Auto Bill
May 22, 2013 2:11 pm | by Chris Kardish, Associated Press | News | CommentsNorth Carolina lawmakers and passersby stopped to take in a display of Tesla Motors' award-winning electric cars Wednesday as the company presses against a bill in the General Assembly that effectively outlaws Tesla's Internet-based sales model.
German Co., Pepsi Open NY Yogurt Plant
May 22, 2013 2:08 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsA second yogurt plant is about to open in a Genesee County business park. Sen. Charles Schumer says the Muller Quaker Dairy plant will have a grand opening on June 3. The $206 million dollar plant is a joint venture of PepsiCo and Germany's Theo Muller company.
Boeing Examining Speed-Ups On 787, 737
May 22, 2013 2:07 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsBoeing may accelerate production of two of its most popular planes — the 787 and the 737. It's already doubling 787 production, from 5 per month last year, on its way toward 10 per month by the end of this year. The efficiency of the 787, Boeing's newest plane, has made it very popular with airlines. The company has orders for more than 800 that it hasn't built yet.
Indian Guest Workers Sue Company In MS, TX
May 22, 2013 2:05 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsDozens of Indian guest workers are suing an Alabama-based marine and fabrication company, claiming it financially exploited them and forced them to live in squalid conditions after bringing them to work at Gulf Coast shipyards after Hurricane Katrina.
Apple CEO: No Plans To Move $100B Back To U.S.
May 22, 2013 1:15 pm | by NBC News | Videos | CommentsApple CEO Tim Cook states to a Senate panel Tuesday that under the current U.S. corporate tax code, he has no plans to transfer $100 billion in company profits to the U.S. from overseas. Some analysts think this might push congress to make some changes in corporate tax code.
2013 Society of Manufacturing Engineers Annual Conference
May 22, 2013 11:36 am | by Society of Manufacturing Engineers | EventsSharing information, driving innovation in manufacturing and preparing an advanced manufacturing workforce will be the focus of the 2013 Society of Manufacturing Engineers Annual Conference to be held June 2-4, 2013, at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, Md.
Safety Board: ATF Blocking Plant Blast Probe
May 22, 2013 10:27 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsFederal agents and the state fire marshal have effectively barred a federal safety panel from the site of a Texas fertilizer plant blast that killed 15 people and injured about 200 others, hampering its investigation, the panel's chairman said.
Fiat Industrial Considers Making Tax Home In U.K.
May 22, 2013 10:24 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsFiat Industrial is considering moving its tax home to Britain after it completes the merger with its U.S.-based subsidiary CNH. The possible move by the maker of heavy trucks, farm and construction vehicles would be a blow to the new Italian government of Enrico Letta, which is struggling to put public finances in order.
Ex-Ford Execs Charged In Argentine Torture Cases
May 22, 2013 10:21 am | by Michael Warren, Associated Press | News | CommentsThree former Ford Motor Co. executives were charged Tuesday with crimes against humanity for allegedly targeting Argentine union workers for kidnapping and torture after the country's 1976 military coup. All three were ordered to remain under house arrest on bail of about $142,000 each. Galarraga and Sibilla are Argentines and Muller is described in the indictment as a Czech national.
Apple Case Seen As Possible Spur To Tax Action
May 22, 2013 10:19 am | by Marcy Gordon, Peter Svensson, AP Business Writers | News | CommentsNow that tech favorite Apple Inc. has been dragged front and center into the debate over the U.S. tax code, lawmakers are hoping that the spotlight on such a high-profile company could be the catalyst for Congress to take action to close loopholes or reform the law.
Tesla Shares Pull Back After Huge Gains
May 22, 2013 10:17 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsTesla Motors fell more than 5 percent in early trading Tuesday, a brief decline amid huge gains this month after the electric car maker posted its first quarterly profit. And shares in the Palo Alto, Calif., company retook some of that lost ground by early afternoon. Tesla's stock price had jumped 74 percent between May 8, when first-quarter earnings were announced, and May 14, when it hit a 52-week high of $97.12.
GM To Invest $44.5M In MI Cadillac Factory
May 21, 2013 2:22 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsGeneral Motors says it will invest $44.5 million at a Lansing, Mich., factory, creating 200 new jobs. The automaker says it will build a 400,000-square-foot building next to the Lansing Grand River plant to assemble parts and put them in the right order for manufacturing.
Kohler Ordered To Pay $9.6M In Patent Suit
May 21, 2013 2:20 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Kohler Co. has been ordered in federal court to pay $9.6 million to a Massachusetts manufacturer for infringing on two of its patents for components that reduce exhaust emissions in marine generators. Jurors in U.S. District Court in Boston last week found Kohler willfully infringed on the patents issued in 2008 and 2010.
