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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
A Clean Sweep
September 12, 2012 4:44 pm | by Lindsey Coblentz, Associate Editor, Food Manufacturing | CommentsEquipment plays an essential role in modern food production, and an effective and reliable cleaning regime is integral to maintaining optimum equipment function. Just as processing equipment continues to become more automated, so do the methods responsible for cleaning it.
Quality On The Rise
September 12, 2012 4:30 pm | CommentsFounded in 1886 by an Italian immigrant, Gonnella Baking Company can trace its roots back to a humble beginning on DeKoven Street in what is now Chicago’s famed Loop neighborhood. Still family-owned, Gonnella Baking Company now employs the family’s fourth generation. The company provides all major Chicago grocery chains with daily fresh bread deliveries, but the company’s real bread and butter is its contract baking business.
Making It In America
September 12, 2012 4:07 pm | by Rachel Leisemann Immel, Associate Editor, IMPO | CommentsFor 89 years, Alliance Rubber Company has been manufacturing a product that, besides paper, may have more uses than any other item on earth: the rubber band. Dedicated to “holding your world together,” the company has grown into a global leader and established itself as an innovative, American manufacturer.
Price Fixing and Other Horizontal Agreements
September 12, 2012 8:07 am | by Roberta F. Howell, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP | CommentsHorizontal price-fixing occurs when two or more competitors conspire to set prices, price levels, or price-related terms for their goods or services. With very limited exceptions, price-fixing is per se illegal, regardless of its reasonableness or actual effect on competition. As a result, price-fixing is serious business.
Providing The Proper Workbench, Part 1
September 12, 2012 8:00 am | by Jim Norton, Custom Products & Services, Inc. | CommentsIn today’s electronic assembly environments, it very important that your workstations meet the needs of the technician and the work being performed, along with the flexibility to change, add, or reconfigure as your processes change. Considering the wide variety of workbench choices available on the market, it can often be a daunting task to configure them to meet all of your requirements.
To Cloud Or Not?
September 11, 2012 8:08 am | by Don Lyman, CEO, Docassist | CommentsAccording to the July 2012 IDC Manufacturing Insights report, “Business Strategy: Cloud Computing in Manufacturing”, 22 percent of manufacturers worldwide have already implemented cloud-based computing systems, and an additional 45 percent of those surveyed are actively evaluating cloud deployments to replace internally-managed IT infrastructures over the next 24 months.
Pricing Issues And Federal Antitrust Law
September 11, 2012 8:07 am | by Roberta F. Howell, Partner, Foley & Lardner LLP | CommentsMention antitrust law to a small business (or even medium business) owner and expect to see eyes glaze over. But antitrust law is an area of law where ignorance is definitely not bliss. Antitrust laws are the “traffic laws for business”. Just like the rules of the road, antitrust law tells business what is lawful competition (“green lights”), what is unlawful competition (“red lights”), and what falls in between (“yellow lights”).
ISM: Manufacturing Activity Contracts Again
September 10, 2012 8:07 am | by Mike Schmidt. Associate Editor, Manufacturing Business Technology | CommentsIt’s been a tough few months for U.S. manufacturing, and it could be more of the same for at least the rest of 2012. While overall economy grew for the 39th consecutive month in August, economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted in August for the third time since July 2009, according to the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.
Small, Medium-Sized Manufacturers Project Strong Second Half 2012
September 7, 2012 9:39 am | by Prime Advantage | CommentsPrime Advantage has announced the findings of its tenth semi-annual Group Outlook Survey, revealing projections and top concerns of its member companies for the second half of 2012. The majority of surveyed manufacturers report healthy revenue projections, strong hiring, and capital spending plans. However, for a small portion of respondents these plans may see delays due to uncertainty about the results of the federal elections.
Jeff Barna Named New President, General Manager of Nilfisk-Advance U.S.
September 5, 2012 5:23 pm | by Nilfisk-Advance Group | CommentsNilfisk-Advance Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of professional floor cleaning equipment, announced that Jeff Barna has joined the company as President & General Manager of Nilfisk-Advance U.S., the company’s American headquarters located in Plymouth, Minnesota.
Big Fans Bring The Heat During Winter Months
September 5, 2012 8:14 am | by Erin Hsu, Senior Copywriter, Big Ass Fans | CommentsMany facility managers dread the costs of keeping their workforce comfortable in spacious workplaces every winter. It may seem counterintuitive, but the answer for many facilities is better known for its summer cooling power: ceiling fans. More specifically, large diameter, low speed overhead fans can save facilities on their winter heat bills, with customers reporting savings of 35 percent.
Getting On Track With Traceability
September 5, 2012 8:06 am | CommentsWith a growing focus on food safety, it is increasingly important for food manufacturers to be able to trace products effectively in the event of a recall. RedPrairie recently released a new survey uncovering traceability and recall trends and suggesting actions processors can take to stay on top of regulatory requirements.
The NEMA Premium Labeling Scheme
September 4, 2012 8:06 am | by Rob Boteler, Nidec Motor Corporation | CommentsThe original NEMA Premium labeling scheme was designed to simplify the identification and application of NEMA Premium efficient motors by end users and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Since its inception, the NEMA Premium mark has gained wide acceptance with motor buyers, utilities, and other specifying organizations.
An Efficient Approach To Instrument Calibration
September 1, 2012 8:07 am | by Don Brady, Technical Manager, GSK Global Manufacturing Supply IT | CommentsFor too long, manual calibration methods have been accepted as necessary in pharmaceutical plants. No one questions the need to calibrate process instruments where accuracy and dependability are essential for quality and safety and to satisfy regulatory requirements. But we’ve been going about calibration in a traditional way that’s a lot of work and prone to error.
Streamlining The Innovation Lifecycle
August 29, 2012 8:09 am | by Ken Rapp, Managing Director, Analytical, Development, Quality and Manufacturing, Accelrys | CommentsFor businesses that rely on scientific innovation to differentiate themselves, being first to market with a novel, more effective or attractively priced product is the Holy Grail. But as the lifecycle that transforms a good idea into a viable product grows ever more complex, the very factors critical to success are suffering.
