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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
China's Geely Close To Volvo Acquisition
March 23, 2010 5:10 am | News | CommentsSHANGHAI (AP) — Zhejiang Geely Holding Group expects to wrap up talks on buying Ford Motor Co.'s Volvo car unit by the end of this month, a spokesman for the Chinese automaker said Tuesday. "I cannot tell the exact date, but so far everything goes smoothly, and I think the contract will be signed in March," said Ren Daqing, a spokesman for Geely in Beijing.
Hugo Boss Plant Closure Spurs Hollywood Boycott
March 23, 2010 4:55 am | News | CommentsCLEVELAND (AP) — Danny Glover is meeting in Cleveland with workers at a men's suit plant whose plight became the actor's cause during the recent Academy Awards. The star of the "Lethal Weapon" movies joined with a union in urging Hollywood not to wear Hugo Boss suits to the Oscars earlier this month, to show support for the factory's 375 employees.
PA Chemical Plant Leaks... Again
March 23, 2010 4:47 am | News | CommentsJEFFERSON HILLS, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection says a chemical leak at a Marathon Petroleum Co. tank station south of Pittsburgh was the second in a month at the facility. In Monday's incident, about 4,000 gallons of an oil-based asphalt emulsion leaked from a tank at the company's Floreffe tank farm in Jefferson Hills.
Mitsubishi To Triple Electric Car Output
March 23, 2010 4:35 am | News | CommentsTOKYO (AP) — Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said Tuesday it aims to more than triple annual production of its electric car — the i-MiEV — over the next three years, anticipating robust global demand for the zero-emission vehicle. Mitsubishi will make some 9,000 i-MiEVs in the upcoming fiscal year starting April 1, some 18,000 in the following year and 30,000 in the fiscal year starting April 2012, said company spokesman Yuki Murata.
New CA Jobs Bill Favors Green Manufacturing
March 23, 2010 4:29 am | News | CommentsSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers on Monday sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger two jobs-related bills that would extend a $10,000 homebuyer's tax credit through the end of the year and give a tax break to the green-technology industry. The Senate and Assembly passed the bills with bipartisan support in hopes of promoting housing construction and making California more inviting to businesses involved in developing alternative energy.
NY Police Agree Driver Error Caused Prius Crash
March 23, 2010 4:24 am | News | CommentsHARRISON, N.Y. (AP) — A housekeeper who reported that her boss' Toyota Prius accelerated on its own and wouldn't brake as she hurtled toward a stone wall apparently had her foot on the gas pedal the entire time, according to a police investigation that concluded the driver, not the car, caused the accident.
33 Plaintiffs Dismissed In 'Popcorn Lung' Suits
March 22, 2010 5:03 am | News | CommentsJOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — Eleven plaintiffs remain in a round of lawsuits against a microwave popcorn packaging plant in Jasper. Originally, 44 plaintiffs were part of lawsuits filed in 2006 against the makers of butter flavorings used at the Jasper Popcorn Co. plant, which has operated as Gilster Mary Lee Corp.
Auto Supplier Exec Dies, Evades Criminal Charges
March 22, 2010 4:56 am | News | CommentsPHOENIX (AP) — The death of a former top executive at CSK Auto Corp. means federal prosecutors won't be able to prove criminal charges that he manipulated earnings reports at the auto parts supplier. Prosecutors filed federal court documents earlier this month that notified the court of the death of former CSK president Martin G.
Rio Tinto Case Underscores 'Worsening Environment' In China
March 22, 2010 4:48 am | News | CommentsSHANGHAI, China — An Australian executive and three Chinese officials with mining giant Rio Tinto pleaded guility to accepting bribes in a Shanghai court, lawyers said Monday in a case that has strained relations between the countries. The lawyers said Stern Hu and the three Chinese nationals — Liu Caikui, Ge Minqiang and Wang Yong — pleaded guilty but disputed the amounts they are alleged to have accepted.
GM Recalls 60,000 Vehicles In S. Korea
March 22, 2010 4:33 am | News | CommentsSEOUL, South Korea — General Motors is recalling nearly 60,000 automobiles in South Korea due to potential problems with steering wheels, fuel hoses and seats, the company's local unit and the government said Sunday. The recall of 58,696 vehicles will begin Monday and cover four models manufactured in South Korea, said Kim Byeong-soo, a spokesman for GM Daewoo Auto&Technology Co.
Shareholders Sue Toyota For Drop In Stock Prices
March 22, 2010 4:16 am | News | CommentsMIAMI (AP) — Toyota shareholders incensed over a sudden drop in the Japanese automaker's stock price are heading to court with lawsuits claiming company executives deliberately misled investors and the public about the depth of accelerator problems in millions of its vehicles. At least three proposed class-action lawsuits filed by Toyota investors say the company gave false initial assurances that the sudden acceleration problem was a simple matter of floor mats trapping gas pedals, helping prop up the stock price.
PepsiCo To Slash Sugar, Salt, Fat
March 22, 2010 4:03 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — PepsiCo Inc. plans to cut the sodium found in each serving of its key brands by one-fourth in five years. The maker of Frito-Lay chips and Pepsi drinks announced several nutrition goals on Monday at the start of a two-day investor conference. The company also set two goals for the next 10 years: to cut the average added sugar per serving by 25 percent and saturated fat per serving by 15 percent.
Thirsty For Change
March 19, 2010 6:55 am | Articles | CommentsVitality Foods Production Manager Ryan Jennings (left) and Vitality Foods General Manager Bruce Burlington (right), start up their new Clayton SigmaFire Steam Generator SFG-125M to produce 99.5% dry steam for their beverage manufacturing processes. If you’ve ever enjoyed a cup of coffee, glass of juice or a nice cool smoothie in Canada, you’ve probably got Vitality Foodservice to thank.
Batteries Get Juiced
March 19, 2010 6:26 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe C2536D, a 25 amp multi-voltage battery charger from Christie and Clore Automotive (Lenexa, KS), provides up to 25 amp charging at several voltage settings (12V/24V/32V/36V). Its heavy-duty construction is suitable for a variety of fleet, industrial, and specialty applications.
Deep Conditioning... Of Bulk Bags
March 19, 2010 6:24 am | Product Releases | CommentsMaterial Transfer (Allegan, MI) now provides application-specific bulk bag conditioning solutions for a wide range of industries. A new system utilizes hydraulically-actuated pivoting conditioning arms and a rotary lift table to safely and efficiently return solidified materials to a free-flowing state.


