The Leading Source for Industrial Maintenance News
FREE Email Newsletter
Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Inside Chinese Firm's Deal To Buy Smithfield Foods
May 30, 2013 12:06 pm | by CBS News | Videos | CommentsSmithfield Foods, the world's largest pork producer, is being bought by Shuanghui. The price: almost $5 billion. If approved, it will be the largest takeover of an American company by a Chinese buyer. This is the latest in a string of American companies being purchased by China. So why this company—and why now?
Brooks Expands Global Reach With New Middle East Sales Office
May 30, 2013 11:26 am | by Brooks Instrument | News | CommentsBrooks Instrument, a world-leading provider of advanced flow, pressure, vacuum, level and vapor delivery solutions, has opened a new sales office in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia, to support its expanding customer base in the Middle East. The new facility, which officially opened March 9, offers the full line of Brooks products with a focus on thermal mass flow and variable area flow instrumentation.
Superhydrophobic, Oleophobic Coating
May 30, 2013 8:04 am | by Ted | Videos | CommentsUltra-Ever Dry is a superhydrophobic (water) and oleophobic (hydrocarbons) coating that will completely repel almost any liquid. Ultra-Ever Dry uses proprietary nanotechnology to coat an object and create a barrier of air on its surface. UltraTech was asked to demonstrate Ultra-Ever Dry at the 2013 TED Conference.
From Many Colors Comes One
May 30, 2013 8:03 am | by KYDEXsheet | Videos | CommentsMatching a color sounds simple. But what do you do when a customer shows you a tableau of colors to translate into one? KYDEX Global Creative David Scott and Color Development Specialist John English show both the creative and technical process in action.
Building A Home With A 3D Printer
May 30, 2013 8:02 am | by AssociatedPress | Videos | CommentsThe relatively new technology known as '3D printing' has already been used to make prosthetic legs. Now, architects claim they'll soon be able to build a whole house using a 3D printer. The technology is still relatively new, but it's already being used in the medical world and in the arts.
Flying Car For The Masses Set For Take-Off
May 30, 2013 8:01 am | by ReutersVideo | Videos | CommentsNew England aviation company Terrafugia has unveiled its latest conceptual version of a flying car. Unlike its current flying car, which is designed for pilots, the new design incorporates autonomous functionality, a move the company says will open up the skies to everybody. Reuters' Ben Gruber has more.
OECD: Europe Remains Threat To World Economy
May 29, 2013 2:18 pm | by Greg Keller, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe recession in Europe risks hurting the world's economic recovery, a leading international body warned Wednesday. In its half-yearly update, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said that protracted economic weakness in Europe "could evolve into stagnation with negative implications for the global economy."
Amway Building $81M Facility In Michigan
May 29, 2013 2:17 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsAmway Corp. is building an $81 million manufacturing and warehouse facility near the company's headquarters in West Michigan. The direct-sales giant on Wednesday announced the official start of construction of the 317,000-square-foot facility near its headquarters in Kent County's Ada Township.
Unemployment Rates Fall In Nearly All U.S. Cities
May 29, 2013 2:16 pm | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsUnemployment rates fell in almost all large U.S. cities in April, helped by stronger hiring. The gains show the job market is improving throughout the country. The Labor Department said Wednesday that unemployment rates declined in 344 of the 372 largest metro areas. Rates rose in just 17 cities and were unchanged in 11.
EU Greenhouse Gas Emissions Lowest To Date
May 29, 2013 2:14 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe EU's environmental agency says the 27-nation bloc's greenhouse emissions in 2011 were the lowest since it began monitoring them in 1990. The European Environment Agency says greenhouse gas emissions dropped 3.3 percent compared to 2010, and were 18.4 percent below 1990 levels. It cited a milder winter in 2011 as the main reason for the drop.
Wind Tower Company To Employ 250 In SD
May 29, 2013 2:12 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsA Canada-based wind tower manufacturer that is setting up shop in the southeastern South Dakota city of Brandon says it hopes to start production this summer. Marmen Inc. is moving into a facility built by a U.S.-based wind tower company that never used it, and also expanding the plant.
Hitachi Automotive To Expand GA Operations
May 29, 2013 2:10 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsHitachi Automotive Systems Americas Inc. is set to expand its operations in Georgia's Walton County, creating 250 new jobs and investing $80 million, state officials announced Tuesday. The expansion will require an additional 290,000-square-foot facility adjacent to its current two buildings, Gov. Nathan Deal said in a written statement.
China Factory Contraction Signals Fragile Recovery
May 29, 2013 1:47 pm | by Reuters | Videos | CommentsChina's economy, the third largest economy in the world, shows fresh signs of faltering, with an advance reading of manufacturing output shrinking for the first time in seven months. That may worry trading partners--but not its leaders.
Wal-Mart To Pay $81.6M For Illegal Waste Disposal
May 29, 2013 10:07 am | by Greg Risling, Paul Elias, Associated Press | News | CommentsEnding an environmental investigation that lasted nearly a decade, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has pleaded guilty to improperly disposing of pesticides, fertilizer and other hazardous products and will pay a fine of $81.6 million. The company entered the guilty plea in federal court in San Francisco Tuesday to misdemeanor counts of violating the Clean Water Act and a law regulating pesticides.
Kobe Steel To Close Kobe Blast Furnace
May 29, 2013 10:05 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsKobe Steel Ltd. said Wednesday it will close a blast furnace at its iron mill in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, and increase utilization ratios at two other blast furnaces in the same prefecture. The company said it will consider building a thermal power generation plant at the premises of the furnace to be closed in order to expand its power supply business.
