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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Another Recession Possible For Midwest
December 1, 2009 4:12 am | News | CommentsOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Rural areas in middle America are being hit particularly hard by what could be another dip into recession for the region, according to a survey of business leaders and supply managers in nine Midwest and Plains states released Tuesday. November's Business Conditions Index for the Mid-America region stood at 47.
Newsprint Plant Still Running Despite Steep Declines
December 1, 2009 3:59 am | by Ruth Jensen | News | CommentsGRENADA, Miss. (AP) — The AbitibiBowater newsprint plant in Grenada now employs 181 people — its lowest number on record — but Manager Wade Taylor says they "have been willing to do whatever is necessary to keep the plant going." Newsprint sales have been shrinking over the years, and this year was difficult, Taylor said.
Sharp Showcases New LCD Plant, 'Mother Glass'
December 1, 2009 3:50 am | News | CommentsSAKAI, Japan (AP) — Huge sheets of glass are guided by robotic arms, sliding and turning in a towering germ-free plant, the world's first making giant "10th generation" panels for flat screen TVs. Japanese electronics maker Sharp Corp.'s futuristic-looking plant doesn't have a single worker on the floor.
Boeing Completes 'Important Milestone' In 787 Hoopla
December 1, 2009 3:43 am | News | CommentsHARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Boeing Co. has completed a key test of the long-expected 787 jetliner, which an analyst called an "important sign of progress" Tuesday. The Chicago-based aerospace giant said Monday it completed the test, five months after it delayed the first test flight and said it needed to reinforce small areas near the connection of the wings and fuselage.
Mysterious Slaughterhouse Illness? Pig Brain Mist
December 1, 2009 3:34 am | by Chris Williams, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsMINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Doctors at the Mayo Clinic and government public health experts have confirmed the mysterious illnesses in 24 slaughterhouse workers in Minnesota and Indiana from 2006 to 2008 was caused by an autoimmune response to a mist of pig brain tissue. Their article was published Monday in the British medical journal Lancet Neurology.
Nokia Sues Bevy Of LCD Makers For Price Fixing
December 1, 2009 3:20 am | by Matti Huuhtanen, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsHELSINKI (AP) — Nokia Corp., the world's biggest mobile phone maker, said Tuesday it has filed suits against several leading liquid crystal display makers — including Philips, Toshiba, Sharp and Samsung — for alleged price fixing. Nokia spokesman Mark Durrant said the suits — filed last month in the United States and Britain — came amid international criminal investigations in the U.
Precision Waterjet Cutting
November 30, 2009 10:58 am | Product Releases | CommentsKoike Aronson/Ransome, Inc. (Arcade, NY) introduces the KOIKEJET waterjet cutting system, which features a precision ground ball screw drive for a smooth and accurate cutting motion, as well as laser alignment, initial height sensing, and adjustable water level control for improved cutting efficiency.
Not A Spark In Sight
November 30, 2009 10:57 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe non-sparking, non-magnetic Hand Tools from CS Unitec (Norwalk, CT) are manufactured from aluminum-bronze or copper-beryllium and meet ATEX regulations for safe use in areas where hazardous, flammable, or combustible vapors, liquids, dusts, or residues may be present.
Fast And Flexible Cabling
November 30, 2009 10:57 am | Product Releases | CommentsTURCK (Minnapolis, MN) announces new A-Size 3 and 4-pin 7/8 16UN powerfast connectors that provide up to 600 volts and 15 amps of power, providing a modular wiring system designed to handle high current applications. The cordsets are available with a tray rated, exposed run PVC flexlife cable, with or without STOOW rating, and 14 AWG wires that allow for replacing hard wiring with a robust, quick disconnect system that saves time and money.
Adjustable Angle Grinder
November 30, 2009 10:56 am | Product Releases | CommentsFEIN Power Tools (Pittsburgh, PA) has recently launched its new line of WS 14 compact angle grinder, including a feature called TipStar, which offers a switchless power option. The range of WS 14 range grinders covers the 5” to 6” grinding bandwidth. The WSG 14-70 E can be easily adjusted between 2,500 rpm and 7,000 rpm.
Improving Control Valve Performance
November 30, 2009 7:52 am | by Fabian C. Gonzalez, Flowserve Corporation | Articles | CommentsThe increasing demand on facilities to improve profitability has driven many plant managers to prioritize maintenance activities while striving to increase plant output. Historically, refineries, chemical plants and power plants have focused on achieving cost savings through capital and personnel reductions, and improving output by reducing unplanned downtime.
Microsoft Provides New Outlook On Lean IT
November 30, 2009 6:37 am | Articles | CommentsBarry-Wehmiller Companies, Inc. is a U.S. $1 billion global provider of manufacturing equipment and services. The company’s employees rely on up-to-date messaging technology to conduct business with partners and customers around the world. Barry-Wehmiller wanted to upgrade to Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007 e-mail messaging and collaboration software.
In Your Facebook
November 30, 2009 5:36 am | by by Jeff Reinke, Editorial Director, IMPO | Blogs | CommentsI like to consider myself a true connoisseur of irony. So the circumstances regarding a recent article that Product Design & Development's esteemed associate editor Meaghan Ziemba forwarded on was not lost on me. You see, she e-mailed a collection of editors an article where the author spouted on about the death of e-mail as a form of communication.
The Real 'Twelve Days' Cost Of Christmas: $87,403
November 30, 2009 4:04 am | by Dan Nephin, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsPITTSBURGH (AP) — Making one's true love happy will cost a whopping $87,403 this year, a minuscule increase from last year, according to the latest cost analysis of the items in the carol "The Twelve Days of Christmas." That's the grand total for the single partridge in a pear tree to the 12 drummers drumming, purchased repeatedly as the song suggests, according to the annual "Christmas Price Index" compiled by PNC Wealth Management.
Employers Play Dr. Mom Over Swine Flu Threats
November 30, 2009 4:00 am | News | CommentsTRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Big businesses are spending serious time and money trying to limit the swine flu pandemic's impact on operations, from bankrolling video on good hygiene to training employees to cover for co-workers with critical jobs. Companies from health insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc.
