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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Kicking The Fossil Fuel Habit
March 31, 2010 6:51 am | Articles | CommentsTom Rand — the engineer, venture capitalist, and self-appointed “philosopher” — thinks the world has every technology and resource it needs to break the bonds of fossil fuels. Why is that so important? Regardless of your stance on global warming, these green technologies can help any manufacturing facility save money.
GM, DOE Partner On Jatropha Biofuel Research
March 31, 2010 4:48 am | News | CommentsDETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. will spend the next five years working with federal authorities to study whether oil from a weed can become a sustainable source for biodiesel, the automotive company said Tuesday. The partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy will study whether the jatropha plant can be a dependable biofuel crop.
Body Parts Found At Medical Waste Company
March 31, 2010 4:39 am | by Maria Sudekum Fisher, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Officials in Kansas have been trying to identify several body parts, including six heads, found in a truck at a medical waste company. The body parts were found last week in 12 large red plastic tubs inside a delivery truck at Stericycle Inc., a company that disposes of medical waste.
Feds Investigate Boston Scientific Defibrillator Recall
March 31, 2010 4:34 am | by Tom Murphy, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsNATICK, Mass. (AP) — Investors shrugged off a report Tuesday that medical device maker Boston Scientific could face a fresh wave of regulatory problems thanks to a product recall investigation. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission are looking into the recent recall of defibrillators.
Nissan Electric 'Leaf' To Cost $25,000 In U.S.
March 31, 2010 4:31 am | by Dan Strumpf and Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writers | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Nissan's new electric car will cost just over $25,000 when it goes on sale in the U.S. in December, aiming to bring gasoline-free technology within reach of mainstream drivers. The Leaf, a four-door hatchback, will have a base price of $32,780, but it's eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles.
Ford Enters Luxury Hybrid Market With Lincoln MKZ
March 31, 2010 4:28 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsDETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. will become a player in the small market for luxury hybrids this fall when it launches its first Lincoln hybrid, a gas-electric version of the 2011 Lincoln MKZ. Ford says the hybrid MKZ — to be introduced Wednesday at the New York International Auto Show — will be the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan on the market, getting an estimated 41 miles per gallon in city driving.
Toyota's March Sales Jump 35 Percent
March 31, 2010 4:12 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (Kyodo) — Toyota Motor Corp's U.S. sales rocketed about 35 percent in March from a year before after Japan's top automaker offered sharp discounts to lure back consumers after massive recalls, U.S. media reported Tuesday. The forecast was provided by Jim Lentz, president of Toyota Motor Sales U.
Nine Arrested For Drug Use At N.C. Goodyear Plant
March 31, 2010 4:08 am | News | CommentsFAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Sheriff's deputies have arrested nine employees at a North Carolina tire plant on drug charges after an undercover investigation prompted by employees' concerns. The Fayetteville Observer reported Wednesday that agents posing as Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.
Finding Those Golden Production Nuggets
March 30, 2010 9:49 am | by Herb Lichtenberg, Senior VP Practice Director for Production | Articles | CommentsWhistles are blowing, phones are ringing and people are scrambling all over the factory floor. There has just been a major equipment breakdown and it looks like it will take days to fix and get the plant running again. Just think of the lost production, the late orders and the unhappy customers.
OSHA Head Supports Major Reform Legislation
March 30, 2010 9:46 am | by Eric J. Conn and James A. Lastowka, McDermott Will & Emery LLP | Articles | CommentsOn March 16, 2010, the Assistant Secretary of Labor for the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Dr. David Michaels, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Subcommittee on Workforce Protections, in support of a major piece of OSHA reform legislation making its way through the U.
From Harleys To Your Plant
March 30, 2010 7:57 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Hawg Buddy and Cycle Buddy folding tools sets from the Bondhus Corporation (Monticello, MN) were developed for working specifically on Harley Davidson motorcycles, but can be used in industrial environments as well. The Hawg Buddy tools are finished with chrome plating, while the Cycle Buddy is finished with 14K gold plating.
Getting The Oil Under Control
March 30, 2010 7:57 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe OILMISER Technology from JLM Systems Limited (Richmond, BC, Canda) can turn an old oil room into a fully-functioning work area. The Oil Storage & Dispensing System requires an oil-free, pressure-regulated air supply, and covers the basics for best practices in oil maintenance: fluid handling, air quality, oil sampling, and oil cleanliness.
Solvent-Free Roofing
March 30, 2010 7:56 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Garland Company, Inc (Cleveland, OH) announces its cold-applied Green-Lock Membrane Adhesive. Green-Lock is an asphalt-modified polyether adhesive that is stimulated by the moisture in the air and cures in only one to five days, and has been approved for use as a flood coat in cold-applied modified bitumen roofing applications.
Seeing Through Fire
March 30, 2010 7:55 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Lenox Instrument Company (Trevose, PA) announces its new FireSight Thermal Imaging Camera System designed specifically to provide real-time monitoring and non-contact temperature measurement through combustion flames. The FireSight can transmit temperature information from 110,000 individual temperature ports via a high-speed digital connection.
Laid Off Workers Win Appeal Over 'English-Only' Plant
March 30, 2010 5:04 am | News | CommentsFresno, Calif. (AP) — A Federal appeals court has ordered a new trial for nearly two dozen women who were laid off from a Fresno plant for failing to get a perfect score on an English-only skills test. The workers had sued NIBCO Inc., an Indiana-based irrigation systems manufacturer, in 1999.


