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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
GM Aims New Chevy Cruze Diesel At VW Jetta
May 24, 2013 10:02 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThe marketing people at Chevrolet make no secret of the goal for the new diesel version of the Chevrolet Cruze: Take sales from Volkswagen. In fact, they're rolling out the car in 13 markets where VW sells the most diesel versions of its Jetta, another compact.
U.S. Durable Goods Orders Rise In April
May 24, 2013 10:01 am | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsU.S. orders for long-lasting manufactured goods rebounded in April, buoyed by more demand for aircraft and stronger business investment. The gains suggest economic growth may be holding steady this spring. Orders for durable goods, items expected to last at least three years, rose 3.3 percent last month from March, the Commerce Department said Friday.
France Won't Force Companies To Cap Executive Pay
May 24, 2013 9:58 am | by Sarah DiLorenzo, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsThe French government is trying to woo executives and entrepreneurs, amid concerns that it has antagonized the businesses needed to reinvigorate the economy. Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici announced Friday that the government no longer plans to push for a law to cap executive salaries in the private sector.
VW Plant Reaches Production Milestone
May 24, 2013 9:56 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsVolkswagen has reached another production milestone at its assembly plant in Chattanooga, Tenn. The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports that the 250,000th Passat midsize sedan has rolled off the assembly line. The milestone announced Thursday comes barely more than two years since production began at the Tennessee plant.
Shuttered NM Plant Resumes Making Peanut Butter
May 24, 2013 9:54 am | by Jeri Clausing, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe eastern New Mexico peanut butter plant that was shuttered eight months ago after a salmonella outbreak is back in production, and company officials say their coveted natural and organic butters could be back on store shelves within a month.
Three Ways an Industrial Puller Will Boost Productivity in Your Plant
May 23, 2013 4:36 pm | by Industrial Pulley Puller | White PapersHow much downtime does the equipment in your plant spend per week as maintenance technicians work to remove frozen, rusted, or stuck pulleys, bearings, and sprockets from shafts? From the shipyard to the paper mill to the mines, removing frozen objects from shafts can be one of the biggest—and most unnecessary—time wastes that maintenance teams face. Small-scale, hand tool-based removal methods such as torches and crowbars are at best risky and time-consuming, and often require the efforts of multiple maintenance workers to get the job done. An industrial puller, rugged-built for years of service in the plant and providing literally tons of force, solves this problem by allowing the same job to be done by just one person in much less time, saving you hours, labor, and ultimately cost.
Tesla Repays DOE Loan Nine Years Early
May 23, 2013 12:16 pm | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsTesla Motors, which makes a highly acclaimed $70,000 electric car, has paid off a startup loan from the U.S. government nine years early. The Palo Alto, Calif., company said it wired in a $451.8 million payment to the government on Wednesday. The money, coupled with two prior payments, paid off a $465 million loan Tesla got from the Department of Energy loan in 2010 to foster development of advanced-technology vehicles.
Ford To End Auto Production In Australia In 2016
May 23, 2013 12:14 pm | by Kristen Gelineau, Associated Press | News | CommentsFord Motor Co. said Thursday it will close its two Australian auto plants, ending production in the country in 2016, amid soaring manufacturing costs and plummeting sales. The closure of the U.S. automaker's plants in the state of Victoria will mean the loss of 1,200 jobs and will transform the company into an import-only brand in Australia.
Chevy Spark To Be Among Lowest-Price Electric Cars
May 23, 2013 12:12 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsGeneral Motors Co. says the Spark EV subcompact will be among the lowest-priced electric cars in the U.S. The electric Spark will have a starting price of $27,495 when it goes on sale next month in California and Oregon. GM also is offering a low-mileage lease for $199 per month, with $999 due when the lease is signed.
GM Recalling Cadillac SUVs To Tighten Wheels
May 23, 2013 12:11 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsGeneral Motors Co. is recalling more than 27,000 Cadillac SUVs worldwide because the wheels can fall off. The company says the recall affects the 2013 Cadillac SRX with 18-inch wheels. Canadian safety regulators say the wheel nuts may not have been tightened enough at the factory.
Survey: China Manufacturing Contracting
May 23, 2013 12:10 pm | by Joe McDonald, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsA survey shows China's manufacturing contracted this month, adding to signs a fragile recovery in the world's No. 2 economy is slowing. HSBC Corp. said Thursday the preliminary version of its monthly purchasing managers index fell to a seven-month low of 49.6 from April's 50.4 on a 100-point scale. Numbers below 50 show a contraction.
Fire Marshal's Office: Panel Had Blast Site Access
May 23, 2013 12:08 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe State Fire Marshal's Office says a federal safety panel's investigators had access to the site of a Texas fertilizer plant blast that killed 15 people and injured about 200 others. The chairman of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board had asked for congressional help in obtaining evidence under the control of the state agency and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Driving Out Costs Using Manufacturing Project Management
May 23, 2013 10:51 am | by Manufacturing Business Technology | Videos | CommentsProject management is particularly effective in a manufacturing environment, considering the number of variables involved such as maintenance schedules and projects, run times, and quality control. But if you're like a lot of manufacturers, project management is really a five-letter word.
What Is Cloud Computing?
May 23, 2013 8:03 am | by Dell | Videos | CommentsDell and Intel experts discuss where cloud computing began, where it is now, and what quantitative and qualitative results it can bring to your enterprise. Smaller companies generally choose to start off with a public cloud, but as they grow, they bring those functions back in-house and create their own private cloud. Watch to learn more.
Learn From "Dirty Jobs"
May 23, 2013 8:02 am | by CNN | Videos | CommentsMike Rowe discusses what he learned working at QVC, his grandfather's influence, and what "Dirty Jobs" accomplished. From selling lava lamps to hosting the hit "Dirty Jobs," Rowe talks about a necessary skill that allowed him to work in Hollywood.



