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Harley Unlikely To Land In Kentucky, Says Governor
November 20, 2009 3:28 am | News | CommentsFRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Steve Beshear has expressed doubt that Kentucky will land a Harley-Davidson manufacturing plant. The governor released a statement Thursday saying the potential for pulling off a deal with the company is "significantly diminished." The company has been looking at a site in Shelbyville for a motorcycle plant that employs 2,500 people.
Dell Sees Profits Drop 54 Percent, Slides From No. 2 Spot
November 19, 2009 10:20 am | News | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Dell Inc. says its latest quarterly profit dropped 54 percent as the company battles a slump has caused it to lose its ranking as the world's No. 2 personal computer maker. Rivals Hewlett-Packard Co. and Acer Inc. have stolen business from Dell as the company grapples with anemic spending on technology by corporations and government agencies.
Teenagers Dismiss Manufacturing, Want 'Professional' Jobs
November 19, 2009 8:21 am | News | CommentsROCKFORD, Ill., Nov. 19 /PRNewswire/ — Despite assertions from manufacturers that they will need a new breed of highly skilled workers in the years ahead and job opportunities will abound for today's youth, U.S. teenagers in large numbers want to wear white collars, not blue, when they launch their careers.
Kraft Cuts Habit Of Driving Around The World 8,500 Times
November 19, 2009 5:51 am | by Joel Hans | News | Comments, Associate Editor, IMPO Kraft, the well-known international food maker, have claimed that in the last four years they have cut more than 50 million miles and a large percentage of CO2 emissions from its manufacturing and distribution processes. In North America alone, Kraft has cut 2,000 tons of CO2 emissions by eliminating wasteful truck shipments by shipping wheat from its Ohio mill via water ways, which amounts to roughly a million miles.
From The NBA To Plant Floor
November 19, 2009 4:50 am | Articles | CommentsCharlie Bell, a member of the Milwaukee Bucks, grew up in Flint, Michigan, so he knows all about the manufacturing business. So when Tz Roznowski of Amalga Composites asked Charlie to "do his job," the basketball star couldn't help but say yes. After a hard day's work, a 6/10 review from your new boss isn't half bad.
Inside The Ford Fusion, Motortrend's 'Car Of The Year'
November 19, 2009 4:03 am | Articles | CommentsEarlier this week, Motortrend magazine named the 2010 Ford Fusion as its "car of the year," beating out more than 20 other vehicles from around the world. It's a big deal for the American automaker who has emerged from the recession stronger than ever, and bailout-free. See what makes the Ford Fusion, and in particular its hybrid model, the best car of the year.
M&Ms Just Got A Little Bit Greener
November 19, 2009 3:43 am | Articles | CommentsLast Tuesday, Mars Chocolate unveiled a 28,000-panel solar garden, which provides 20 percent of peak energy consumption at its New Jersey manufacturing plant. Are you surprised New Jersey is second in solar capacity only to California? I was. Have any comments or questions about our Thursday video editions of IMPO Insider? Or do you have a video you'd like to see featured in one of our deployments? Email me at Joel.
Instructional How To Lose Your Job
November 19, 2009 3:34 am | Videos | CommentsFull disclosure up front: remarkably, no one was hurt in this incident. And that's why forklifts have cabs. That said, this warehouse worker takes his forklift driving a little to vigorously, and has a little mishap with some shelves absolutely filled with bottles of vodka. In his defense, I don't think good steel is supposed to bend over like a twig as these shelves did.
Apple Industrial Designer: We're Cool, You're Not
November 19, 2009 3:21 am | Articles | CommentsApple computers are well-recognized around the world, despite having a small market share in comparison to the plethora of Windows-based computers from manufacturers such as Dell, HP, Sony, and countless others. So, what makes people tick when they get an iPod or a MacBook in their hands? Easy: industrial design.
Calif. Electricity-Hungry TV Ban Angers Manufacturers
November 18, 2009 9:54 am | by Samantha Young, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Power-hungry TVs will be banned from store shelves in California after state regulators Wednesday adopted a first-in-the-nation mandate to reduce electricity demand. On a unanimous vote, the California Energy Commission required all new televisions up to 58 inches to be more energy efficient, beginning in 2011.
Head Of U.S. Military Celebrates Wisconsin Trucks
November 18, 2009 6:50 am | Articles | CommentsLast week, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Wisconsin-based Oshkosh Corp. to check out the production of the company's M-ATVs, which are currently being used in Iraq and Afghanistan. Take a peek at Gates' speech to the workers who build the trucks on a daily basis, and why they're so important to the military.
GE To Develop Wearable Sensors With Federal Grant
November 18, 2009 4:29 am | News | CommentsNISKAYUNA, N.Y. (AP) — GE Global Research, the technology development arm of General Electric Co., said Tuesday it will get $2 million federal grant to develop wearable sensors that alert people to chemical weapons and diseases. Radio-frequency identification sensors are commonly used to track materials, including in baggage at airports.
Costco Axes Coca-Cola Over Pricing Disputes
November 18, 2009 4:14 am | by Emily Fredrix and Sarah Skidmore, AP Food Industry Writers | News | CommentsATLANTA (AP) — Costco customers may have to look elsewhere for Coca-Cola products now that the retailer has stopped carrying them because the pair are fighting over prices. The public squabble between one of the nation's largest wholesale club operators and the world's largest soft drink maker is likely to fizzle quickly.
GM Takes Tax Credits To Stay In Detroit
November 18, 2009 4:05 am | by Kathy Barks Hoffman, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsLANSING, Mich. (AP) — General Motors Co. is promising to keep its headquarters in Detroit in return for expanded state tax credits approved Tuesday. The Michigan Economic Growth Authority gave the go-ahead to extend tax credits the company won in June for agreeing to build a new small car at its Orion Township plant near Pontiac.
The Supercomputer That 'Thinks' Like A Cat
November 18, 2009 4:04 am | by Jordan Robertson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Scientists say they've made a breakthrough in their pursuit of computers that "think" like a living thing's brain — an effort that tests the limits of technology. Even the world's most powerful supercomputers can't replicate basic aspects of the human mind.
