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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
ConAgra Fined For Deadly Slim Jim Explosion
December 2, 2009 3:29 am | by Emergy P. Dalesio, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsDecember 2, 2009 RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Workplace inspectors cited ConAgra Foods Inc. and a contractor for dozens of serious safety violations in the June explosion at a Slim Jim plant that killed four people, the state Labor Department said Tuesday. Most of the citations against ConAgra Foods and Energy Systems Analysts Inc.
Harley Workers To Vote Between Job Cuts Or No Jobs
December 2, 2009 3:25 am | News | CommentsDecember 2, 2009 HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Workers at the Harley-Davidson plant in south-central Pennsylvania are poised to vote on whether to accept a labor contract that could keep the plant there. However, the contract up for a vote Wednesday also would pave the way for deep job cuts at the York plant.
Daimler AG: Mercedes Benz, Meet Alabama
December 2, 2009 3:21 am | by George Frey, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsDecember 2, 2009 FRANKFURT (AP) — German carmaker Daimler AG said Wednesday it will move some of its Mercedes Benz C-Class car production to its Tuscaloosa, Ala., plant to take advantage of a growing market, lower production costs and to avoid currency fluctuations. Daimler said production of the new generation of the C-Class should start there in 2014.
Northrop Abandoning $35b DOD Tanker Battle
December 2, 2009 3:15 am | by Joshua Freed, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsDecember 2, 2009 Northrop Grumman Corp. said on Tuesday it won't bid on a huge contract to make a new Air Force tanker plane unless the Defense Department changes the rules. Northrop has been tussling for years with Boeing Co. over a contract worth at least $35 billion to build 179 new Air Force tankers.
To Be Honest, I'm Lying
December 1, 2009 9:39 am | by by Anna Wells, Editor, IMPO | Blogs | CommentsDecember 2, 2009 Recently, opinion columnist Stanley Fish asked his New York Times readers to weigh in on their least favorite popular phrases— And the Winner: ‘No Problem’ —things people found to be overused, latently offensive, or just simply redundant.
Weld Anywhere
December 1, 2009 6:21 am | Product Releases | CommentsGoff’s Enterprises (Pewaukee, WI) have designed a portable Weld/Grind Cell that features Goff’s weld/spark resistant curtain material, made for demanding industrial environments. The cell is ideal for a welding or grinding process that has just been added to the production line, or when your welding needs must be portable.
Marking Lasers Fit Old Workflows
December 1, 2009 6:20 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe TruMark 5020, a new fiber laser marker from TRUMPF (Farmington, CT), is ideal for applications on metals and plastics with high speed and excellent edge quality requirements. The 5020’s dynamic scanner module is able to convert pulse frequencies of up to 1 MHz into a correspondingly high processing speed.
Magnetic Drilling With Safety In Mind
December 1, 2009 6:19 am | Product Releases | CommentsHougen Manufacturing (Flint, MI) has launched a new line of portable magnetic drills, upgrading the long-standing HMD914 with a lightweight body and an ergonomic handle. In addition, the HMD914S features a swivel base drill-to-magnet coupling that provides versatility and precise positioning, which makes it ideal for challenging fabrication or jobs involving horizontal or overhead drilling.
Compact, Precise Rototic Welders
December 1, 2009 6:19 am | Product Releases | CommentsMotoman’s (Dayton, OH) new 6-axis MA1400 “Master Arc” welding robot significantly increases uptime by integrating the torch into the upper arm, and is available in floor-, wall-, or ceiling-mounted configurations. The MA1400 is ideal for high-density layouts with multiple robots working in close proximity due to its integrated cabling, which reduces interference and cable wear.
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.
