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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
U.S. Auto Factories Cutting Back On Summer Downtime
May 22, 2013 10:25 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThe Detroit automakers are largely forgoing the traditional two-week summer break at their factories and speeding up production to meet buyers' growing demand for new cars and trucks. Ford Motor Co. said Wednesday that 21 of its North American factories will shut for only one week this summer. That includes the Chicago plant that makes the Ford Explorer SUV and the Mexican plant that makes the Fusion sedan.
Fiat Industrial Considers Making Tax Home In U.K.
May 22, 2013 10:24 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsFiat Industrial is considering moving its tax home to Britain after it completes the merger with its U.S.-based subsidiary CNH. The possible move by the maker of heavy trucks, farm and construction vehicles would be a blow to the new Italian government of Enrico Letta, which is struggling to put public finances in order.
Ex-Ford Execs Charged In Argentine Torture Cases
May 22, 2013 10:21 am | by Michael Warren, Associated Press | News | CommentsThree former Ford Motor Co. executives were charged Tuesday with crimes against humanity for allegedly targeting Argentine union workers for kidnapping and torture after the country's 1976 military coup. All three were ordered to remain under house arrest on bail of about $142,000 each. Galarraga and Sibilla are Argentines and Muller is described in the indictment as a Czech national.
Apple Case Seen As Possible Spur To Tax Action
May 22, 2013 10:19 am | by Marcy Gordon, Peter Svensson, AP Business Writers | News | CommentsNow that tech favorite Apple Inc. has been dragged front and center into the debate over the U.S. tax code, lawmakers are hoping that the spotlight on such a high-profile company could be the catalyst for Congress to take action to close loopholes or reform the law.
Tesla Shares Pull Back After Huge Gains
May 22, 2013 10:17 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsTesla Motors fell more than 5 percent in early trading Tuesday, a brief decline amid huge gains this month after the electric car maker posted its first quarterly profit. And shares in the Palo Alto, Calif., company retook some of that lost ground by early afternoon. Tesla's stock price had jumped 74 percent between May 8, when first-quarter earnings were announced, and May 14, when it hit a 52-week high of $97.12.
Connecting The Back Office To The Plant Floor
May 22, 2013 8:05 am | by Karie Daudt, Director of Marketing, TURCK | Articles | CommentsThough industrial Ethernet has been evolving for many years, it is quickly becoming the foundation for many manufacturing applications. Industrial Ethernet provides the connectivity and communication that today’s applications demand for productivity and efficiency improvement.
Continuous Improvement: Real Improvement Or Mediocrity?
May 22, 2013 8:00 am | by Mark Latino, President, Reliability Center, Inc. | Blogs | CommentsIncremental improvements are more or less feel good measures that say to management “there was a problem and we did this to solve it.” In reality, most continuous improvements have come from technology advancements, not from employee performance advancements. Has the continuous improvement mentality caused manufacturing to settle for mediocrity?
GM To Invest $44.5M In MI Cadillac Factory
May 21, 2013 2:22 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsGeneral Motors says it will invest $44.5 million at a Lansing, Mich., factory, creating 200 new jobs. The automaker says it will build a 400,000-square-foot building next to the Lansing Grand River plant to assemble parts and put them in the right order for manufacturing.
Kohler Ordered To Pay $9.6M In Patent Suit
May 21, 2013 2:20 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Kohler Co. has been ordered in federal court to pay $9.6 million to a Massachusetts manufacturer for infringing on two of its patents for components that reduce exhaust emissions in marine generators. Jurors in U.S. District Court in Boston last week found Kohler willfully infringed on the patents issued in 2008 and 2010.
High-Tech Startup Wades Into Gun Control
May 21, 2013 2:18 pm | by Martha Mendoza, AP National Writer | News | CommentsA high-tech startup is wading into the gun control debate with a wireless controller that would allow gun owners to know when their weapon is being moved — and disable it remotely. The technology, but not an actual gun, was slated to be demonstrated Tuesday at a wireless technology conference in Las Vegas and was shown to The Associated Press in advance.
France: Drugmaker On Trial, Suspected In Deaths
May 21, 2013 2:15 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe makers of a diabetes and weight loss drug suspected in the deaths of hundreds of people went on trial Tuesday, facing charges they misled the public about the product's safety. But after years of delays in one of France's biggest recent health scandals, the proceedings could still be pushed back further.
Remington Plans $32M AR Expansion
May 21, 2013 2:14 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsRemington Arms Company LLC says it will spend $32 million to expand the company's ammunition plant in Lonoke, Ark. Remington says the expansion will include the construction of a new building. Work is expected to begin later this year and finish up by next spring.
Record Amount Of Cargo Passes Through GA Ports
May 21, 2013 2:13 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsA record 2.4 million tons of cargo moved through the state's ports in April, Georgia Ports Authority officials announced Monday. April's record is an increase of about 108,530 tons over the same time period last year. In a release, GPA officials said the state's ports also saw a 4 percent increase in container traffic and a 14.1 increase in roll on/roll off cargo in April.
Is Apple Losing Its Cool?
May 21, 2013 1:22 pm | by CNN | Videos | CommentsGoogle has released a spate of new products, but tech giant Apple still leads—today—says business reporter Rocco Pendola. Now accused of losing it's innovative edge, Pendola says Apple needs to release the next new gadget within the next year and questions whether CEO Tim Cook is the right leader for the job.
Walmart Pushing For More U.S. Product Makers
May 21, 2013 10:16 am | by Chuck Bartels, Associated Press | News | CommentsWith labor and energy costs on the rise in Asia, Walmart highlighted an effort to promote domestic goods on Monday, including products made by more than 40 Arkansas suppliers. Bentonville-based Walmart is encouraging customers to buy items made in the United States. In the company's home state, the effort includes a red, white and black placard bearing the slogan "Arkansas' Own."
