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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
China's Manufacturing Expands For Ninth Month
January 4, 2010 3:53 am | News | CommentsBEIJING (AP) — China's manufacturing expanded in December for a ninth straight month as government stimulus spending boosted domestic demand and foreign sales rose, according to a survey released Monday. The HSBC China Manufacturing PMI rose to 56.1 from November's 55.7 on a 100-point scale where numbers above 50 show activity expanding.
Kraft vs. Nestle Bidding War Over Cadbury Looms
January 4, 2010 3:50 am | News | CommentsLONDON (AP) — Speculation of a bidding war for British candy maker Cadbury PLC mounted on Monday after Swiss food group Nestle agreed to sell off its majority stake in eyecare unit Alcon and announced a smaller-than-anticipated share buyback program. Analysts suggested that Nestle could be clearing its decks in preparation to counter a hostile 9.
Cities, States Get Tough On Tax Breaks For New Jobs
January 4, 2010 3:46 am | by Don Babwin, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsCHICAGO (AP) — Cash-strapped communities have a message for corporations that promised jobs in return for tax breaks: A deal's a deal. As the recession drags on, municipalities struggling to fix roads, fund schools and pay bills increasingly are rescinding tax abatements to companies that don't hire enough workers, lay them off or close up shop.
Novartis Pays $38.5 Billion To Swallow Up Alcon
January 4, 2010 3:41 am | News | CommentsBASEL, Switzerland (AP) — Drug maker Novartis AG said Monday it plans to take over Alcon Inc. by paying $38.5 billion for the 77 percent stake it does not already own in a deal that would make it one of the biggest players in the global market for eye-care products. The Swiss pharmaceutical company will purchase Nestle SA's 52 percent stake for $28 billion before carrying out a merger with Alcon that would give it control of the remaining 23 percent held by minority shareholders.
Hydraulic Bending To-Go
December 23, 2009 7:24 am | Product Releases | CommentsDake (Grand Haven, MI) has released the VH200, a vertical hydraulic cylinder capable of bending tubing up to a 2” diameter. At 60 pounds, the unit it portable and can be operated in the field, with either a manual pump or an air-operated pump. The VH200 is furnished with one of three standard dies, for either a 6” or 7” radius, and 12 additional dies are available.
Learn Who's In And Who's Out
December 23, 2009 7:23 am | Product Releases | CommentsKaba Access Control (Winston-Salem, NC) now offers the new LearnLok feature to its E-Plex PROX-based 5700 electric locks, in addition to the E5770 and E3700 series. The LearnLok feature simplifies programming of up to 300 user credentials (HID PROX cards, fobs, etc.) per door by “learning” them at the lock reader.
Smart'-er Industrial Vending
December 23, 2009 7:23 am | Product Releases | CommentsFastenal (Winona, MN) offers a solution to industrial vending with the SmartStore, which is managed by the customer’s local Fastenal store team and stocked with the products they use most. Installation requires only electricity and Internet access, according to the company. Advantages of industrial vending include: Reduction in consumption by tracking employee usage and setting limits.
High-Speed Die Grinders
December 23, 2009 7:22 am | Product Releases | CommentsDynabrade, Inc. (Clarence, NY) is introducing a series of air-powered Die Grinders, which feature high-quality steel housings. The grinders are available in either .5 or .6 hp air motors and use a rubber grip housing to insulate the operator from vibration and cold air transmission.
Occam’s Razor, Resharpened
December 23, 2009 6:18 am | by Mike Rainone, co-founder of PCDworks | Articles | CommentsThe Franciscan Friar William of Occam said it best about 700 years ago in the form of the principle of parsimony, which we now know as Occam’s Razor. William said, “entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem,” which for you non-Latin speakers (and who is a Latin speaker these days?) means: “Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity.
Boiling Up A Pot Of Conservation
December 23, 2009 6:17 am | Articles | CommentsAs part of its compliance with a PepsiCo corporate mandate on resource conservation, the Quaker Oats Bridgeview Division food manufacturing plant has installed two Miura Boiler LX200 gas-fired steam boilers to reduce fuel and water consumption, increase energy efficiency, and cut emissions.
Forget The Hybrid, Let's Start Composting
December 22, 2009 11:14 am | Articles | CommentsVertal, a British composting company, has introduced some of the most innovative technology when it comes to turning our organic waste — you know, that steak you couldn't quite finish last weekend — into energy. Unlike other technologies, the process is entirely self-heated, so the company does not have to use any energy in the composting process, which is called autothermal thermophilic aerobic digestion.
Hackers: Criminals Or Just Unemployed?
December 22, 2009 11:05 am | Articles | CommentsHackers can bring down government agencies, hijack websites, and snoop on private information. But sometimes, they're just looking for a job. At the U.S. Cyber Challenge, hackers battle each other in a multi-faceted battle — they have to exploit other systems while protecting their own. The contest isn't just about being able to hack into another system, but rather finding these intelligent and tech-savvy youth constructive and non-exploitative outlets for their hacking skills.
Making Candy Canes... As Hard As Steel
December 22, 2009 10:43 am | Articles | CommentsLike most anything else eaten during the holidays, most of us don't know where candy canes come from, or how they're made. Turns out it's not all that different from making steel. Just more... sweet. If you're having trouble watching this video, try downloading the latest version of Flash Player or contacting your IT department.
How An Engineer Puts Up Christmas Lights
December 22, 2009 10:35 am | Articles | CommentsChristmas lights are a trademark of the season, but some homeowners take the tradition a little further than others. While some settle for a single dim string on the bush beside their front door, others opt for something more luminescent. See what happens when a database engineer from Middletown, OH gets into the holiday spirit.
'Greening' Building-Sized Christmas Lights
December 22, 2009 10:25 am | Articles | CommentsEvery year, Hong Kong lights up for the holidays. That is, they decorate their high-rise buildings in millions lights, all in dazzling displays and patterns. For years, the bulbs were a drain on the city's electrical supply, until the designers began to switch to energy-efficient, long-lasting LED lights.
