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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
The Crushing Problem Of Student Debt
March 29, 2010 5:22 am | by Mike Collins, Author, Saving American Manufacturing | Articles | CommentsThe American dream has always been about upward mobility and the mantra for the last 50 years has been “Just get a college education.” In the 1950s only 10 percent of workers had bachelor's degrees.
Edy's Adds Jobs As Consumers Demand "Comfort Food"
March 29, 2010 5:14 am | News | CommentsFORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — Making ice cream is no cake walk. Some time ago, an Edy's Grand Ice Cream job candidate was asked what he thought working at the Fort Wayne plant would be like. The description smacked of Willy Wonka. "He thought there were these huge mixing bowls with guys standing on ladders stirring the ice cream with large wooden spoons," said Gaylord Brooks, a production floor leader and 15-year veteran at the local Edy's plant.
Toyota Shares Prius Technology With Mazda
March 29, 2010 4:56 am | News | CommentsTOKYO (AP) — Toyota will provide its key hybrid technology to Mazda under a licensing agreement reached Monday, the two companies said. Toyota Motor Corp., the world's leader in hybrids, will supply Mazda Motor Corp. the key components of its hybrid system used in the top-selling Prius, the two companies said in a joint statement.
Hormel Opens $80M Plant In Iowa
March 29, 2010 4:49 am | News | CommentsAUSTIN, Minn. (AP) — Hormel Foods Corp. officially opens its new $80 million plant in Dubuque, Iowa Tuesday — the first plant the company has built from the ground up in more than a decade. The plant has been operating for a couple months, but will host a grand opening. It's already producing microwaveable meals.
Rio Tinto Sentencing "Very Harsh"
March 29, 2010 4:43 am | News | CommentsSHANGHAI, China — A Chinese court slapped four employees of mining giant Rio Tinto with jail terms of seven to 14 years on bribery and commercial secrets charges, unexpectedly harsh sentences that include a decade of imprisonment for Australian Stern Hu. The punishment for Hu was a "very tough sentence," Australia's foreign minister said after the verdict was read out Monday by the lead judge at the Shanghai People's Intermediate Court.
Employee Admits To Tainting Product Over Pay Concerns
March 29, 2010 4:25 am | News | CommentsBEIJING, March 28 (Kyodo) — A suspect caught in the poison dumpling case, which caused anxiety in Japan over the safety of foods imported from China, has admitted during questioning earlier this month that he tainted the food with pesticide, the Ministry of Public Security said Sunday.
Ford Reaches Agreement To Sell Volvo
March 29, 2010 4:17 am | News | CommentsDEARBORN, Mich., March 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Volvo Car Corporation and related assets to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Limited. The sale is expected to close in the third quarter of 2010, and is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory approvals.
The 'Price Is Right' For Economic Recovery
March 26, 2010 10:28 am | by Amanda Earing, News Editor | Articles | CommentsManufacturing.net sat down with Doug Fuehne, VP, Professional Services of PROS Pricing Software Solutions to talk about how manufacturers can improve their pricing strategies and come out ahead as the economy turns around. To get right to it, the five pricing strategies Fuehne suggests will help you come out ahead in the economic recovery: Identify underperformers.
Filtering Out Filters
March 26, 2010 9:42 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Green Filter Cleaning Machine (GFCM) from Diversi-Tech (Montreal, Canada) is designed to clean and extend the life of industrial filters, which reduces the cost of filter replacement. In addition, the GFCM helps manufacturers reduce the cost of disposal, and minimize their landfill use.
Don't Be Dense
March 26, 2010 9:41 am | Product Releases | CommentsEndress+Hauser (Greenwood, IN) now offers the Liquiphant M, a density meter that provides on-line measurements, eliminating the need for extensive and expensive off-line procedures. The Liquiphant M allows control systems to react much faster to changing process conditions.
Get A Hold Of Your Tools
March 26, 2010 9:40 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe new SINO-R from SCHUNK (Morrisville, NC) is a maintenance-free toolholder that is especially well-suited for rough milling. The holder is based on an expansion technology system, with a solid body as a pressure medium that quickly clamps the cutting tool by using a simple actuation switch.
Polish With No Spitting Required
March 26, 2010 9:40 am | Product Releases | CommentsDynabrade, Inc. (Clarence, NY) introduces the new Electric Rotary Polisher, which works on a variety of solid surfaces, including fiberglass, plastic, painted surfaces, composites, and more. The polisher features rotary motion for cutting, polishing, and buffing, along with a 180° rotating trigger handle.
Geely, Ford Could Finalize Volvo Sale Sunday
March 26, 2010 6:06 am | News | CommentsSTOCKHOLM (AP) — A spokesman for Volvo Cars says that China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group could sign a binding deal to buy the Swedish automaker from Ford Motor Co. this weekend. Geely and Ford have earlier said that they expect to pen it by the end of March. Volvo spokesman Per-Ake Froberg said Friday that the deal could be reached on Sunday, "but it's not set in stone yet.
Late 2009 Economic Growth Teases Manufacturers
March 26, 2010 5:05 am | by Jeannine Aversa, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — The burst of energy the economy showed at the end of last year isn't likely to be repeated anytime soon. The Commerce Department reported Friday that the economy grew at a 5.6 percent pace in the October-to-December quarter in its third and final estimate of economic activity during the period.
Your Brain Wants Chocolate Cake
March 26, 2010 4:55 am | by by Krystal Gabert, Associate Editor, Food Manufacturing | Blogs | CommentsWhen your eyes dart between the grilled cheese and the salad bar during your lunch break, what are you really thinking about? How do you decide between the real-fruit sorbet and the chocolate cake? We recently ran a video from CBS news , which suggests that the reasons we choose to eat what we choose to eat may be more complicated than they seem at first glance.
