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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Sweep Up With Magnets
February 16, 2010 6:26 am | Product Releases | CommentsMaster Magnetics, Inc. (Castle Rock, CO) has introduced a few additions to their line of magnetic sweepers. The permanent magnet assemblies range from 12” to 96” in width, making them ideal for quick removal of hazardous scrap metal debris from warehouses, loading docks, and manufacturing areas.
Toyota Idles Two Assembly Plants
February 16, 2010 5:11 am | by Ken Thomas,Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Toyota says it plans to idle production at two assembly plants while it grapples with massive recalls in the United States. Toyota spokesman Mike Goss says a plant in San Antonio, Texas, has scheduled production breaks for the weeks of March 15 and April 12.
Chrysler Supplier Doubles Up, Ready To Hire 65 Workers
February 16, 2010 4:03 am | News | CommentsKENDALLVILLE, Ind. (AP) — A northeastern Indiana auto parts plant plans to hire 65 workers in the coming months as it starts a contract with Chrysler. Creative Liquid Coatings Inc. manager Stephen Geist told Kendallville officials that the company is buying robots and other equipment for the new production line.
Complaints Of Sudden Acceleration Deaths Rise To 34
February 16, 2010 3:47 am | by Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Complaints of deaths connected to sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles have surged in recent weeks, with the alleged death toll reaching 34 since 2000, according to new consumer data gathered by the government. Complaints to a database maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the popular Toyota Prius hybrid grew by nearly 1,000 in just over a week.
LG Hausys Expands In Georgia, Adds 80 Jobs
February 16, 2010 3:37 am | News | CommentsADAIRSVILLE, Ga. (AP) — Gov. Sonny Perdue says surface countertop manufacturer LG Hausys America Inc. will expand its operations in Adairsville, creating up to 80 new jobs. The expansion is planned next to the company's existing facilities in Gordon County in northwest Georgia. The governor's office says the new plant will cover about 95,000 square feet and will require an investment of about $50 million.
Spanish Turbine-Maker Announces Milwaukee Plant
February 16, 2010 3:36 am | News | CommentsMILWAUKEE (AP) — A Spanish manufacturer of wind-turbine generators will build its first American manufacturing plant in Milwaukee. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett made the announcement involving Ingeteam during his annual State of the City address Monday. The Zamudio, Spain-based company will locate its North American headquarters and manufacturing facility in the Menomonee Valley.
Temp Workers No Longer Predictor Of Recovery
February 16, 2010 3:33 am | by Jeannine Aversa, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — It's not the signal it used to be. When employers hire temporary staff after a recession, it's long been seen as a sign they'll soon hire permanent workers. Not these days. Companies have hired more temps for four straight months. Yet they remain reluctant to make permanent hires because of doubts about the recovery's durability.
Obama Provides $8.3 Billion Loan For Nuclear Plant
February 16, 2010 3:30 am | by Darlene Superville, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS | News | CommentsWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama will announce a guarantee of $8.3 billion (C6.1 billion) in loans for the first new U.S. nuclear power plant in nearly three decades, underscoring the administration's efforts to reduce dependence on foreign oil. Obama was to make remarks Tuesday after touring a jobs centre in Maryland.
Disaster Planning And Response For Food Processors
February 16, 2010 3:26 am | by Wayne Yon, Stephen Blackwell, Daniel Coto & Melvin N. Kramer, EHA Consulting Group, Inc. | Articles | CommentsDisaster: the word alone congers images of your facility in the worst possible condition; people not understanding what happened, not knowing how to respond to the event or what to tell the media, if anything, and more. But it doesn't have to be that way if you have an emergency plan in place.
Why Foreign Corporations Struggle In America
February 12, 2010 8:43 am | by Jeff Klingberg, President & CEO, Fluid Power Technologies | Articles | CommentsA recent LinkedIn post asked for experiences from foreign national corporations who have had trouble introducing their products and services to the North American market. From our experience in this area, foreign national corporations typically encounter the following issues: Send a foreign national to open the operation just because someone believes there is a large untapped market in North America, but no research is done and no plan is formulated before coming.
Safety Needs A Backup
February 12, 2010 7:16 am | Product Releases | CommentsSIS-TECH (Houston, TX) announces the DIAMOND-SIS automated independent backup (AIB), a standalone safety instrumented system that backs up current process control trip logic and meets the requirements of IEC 61511. The AIB is available in single, dual, and triplicated channel configurations with on-line diagnostics, testing, and maintenance capabilities.
You Hold The Power
February 12, 2010 7:15 am | Product Releases | CommentsThe Edison power distribution line from AutomationDirect (Cumming, GA) now includes the HPB-series open-style power distribution blocks as a convenient way to manage power distribution needs. The distribution blocks are manufactured with tin-plated aluminum connectors suitable for copper conductions, helping maintain a high SCCR rating of 200kA.
Get The Nastiest Of Drain Clogs
February 12, 2010 7:15 am | Product Releases | CommentsRIDGID (Elyria, OH) introduces the Auto-Clean drain cleaning machine for cleaning drain blockages in pipes from ¾” to 1½” in diameter. The machine features a dual-direction AUTOFEED technology, which advances and retrieves the drain-cleaning cable with the push of a lever.
Industrial Vacuuming With A Pulse
February 12, 2010 7:13 am | Product Releases | CommentsCamfil Farr Air Pollution Control (APC, Jonesboro, AR) has introduced a new pulse-cleaned industrial vacuum that reduces clogs to prevent problems that result from a loss of suction during cleaning. The FarrVac operates without compressed air and may be used for everyday cleanup.
Pick Wisely
February 12, 2010 6:50 am | Product Releases | CommentsTRI-TRONICS, Inc. (Tampa, FL) has introduced the SMARTEYE ColorWise Sensor that solves most difficult color applications at higher speeds than color cameras or other sensors. The ColorWise is ideal for intricate color sorting or inspection problems, such as high-speed packaging and production lines.


