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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Northrop Grumman Cutting 642 Miss. Workers
August 25, 2010 4:42 am | CommentsPASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) — Northrop Grumman Corp. plans to lay off 642 workers at its Pascagoula shipyard by the end of the year, the company said. The first 292 affected workers were notified Wednesday under a federal law requiring 60 days notice of layoffs that affect 500 or more people. The company told The Mississippi Press that the layoffs are due to the cyclical nature of shipbuilding, including the timing of contracts.
July A Bleak Month For Manufactured Goods
August 25, 2010 4:41 am | by Daniel Wagner, AP Business Writer | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Companies cut back on their investments in equipment and machines last month as the economic recovery lost momentum. Overall orders for big-ticket manufactured goods increased 0.3 percent in July, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. But that was only because of a 76 percent jump in demand for commercial aircraft.
Company Apologizes For Ammonia Leak, Restarts Operations
August 25, 2010 4:36 am | CommentsTHEODORE, Ala. (AP) — A refrigeration company says it's sorry for the ammonia leak that sent dozens of people to hospitals around Mobile. Millard Refrigerated Services issued a statement late Tuesday apologizing to people who reported medical problems or experienced discomfort because of the leak at its plant in Theodore along an industrial canal.
Wyo. Plant Turns Sugar Cane Waste Into Biofuel
August 25, 2010 4:35 am | by Bob Moen, Associated Press Writer | CommentsCHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming is a long way from places where sugar cane is grown, but a test plant in the northeast part of the state will soon be turning sugar cane waste into biofuel. KL Energy Corp., based in Rapid City, S.D., and Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras announced an agreement Tuesday to produce cellulosic ethanol from sugar cane bagasse, the waste created when sugar cane is processed into sugar.
RV-Maker Reopens Ind. Plant For Luxury Trailers
August 25, 2010 4:34 am | CommentsSYRACUSE, Ind. (AP) — A recreational vehicle company says it has bought a closed factory in northern Indiana where it plans to start building a new line of luxury trailers in the coming months. Thor Industries subsidiary Redwood RV announced Tuesday its purchase of the factory in Syracuse that was formerly owned by Ameri-Camp RV, which shut down in 2008.
Plug-In Hybrids: The Next Sane Step In 'Green' Cars?
August 24, 2010 5:02 am | by Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — David Sandalow starts his five-mile commute each day by unplugging an orange extension cord connecting his Toyota Prius hybrid to an outlet in his brick carport. His Prius, which was converted two years ago to allow him to recharge the battery from an electric outlet, gets more than 80 miles per gallon and lets him drive 30 miles on a single charge.
Coca-Cola Starts $33 Million Northampton Expansion
August 24, 2010 4:45 am | CommentsNORTHAMPTON, Mass. (AP) — A Coca-Cola Co. bottling plant in Northampton expects to add about 40 permanent jobs by the time a 16,000-square-foot expansion is completed. The $33 million project announced Monday will allow the plant to produce more bottled and cartoned juices in addition to the Vitamin Water and Powerade it already bottles at the site.
NHTSA Beefs Up Investigation Into Stalling Toyotas
August 24, 2010 4:42 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | CommentsTOKYO (AP) — The U.S. government has beefed up its investigation into Toyota's Corolla and Matrix vehicles because of a possible engine defect that might cause them to stall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement that it was raising its preliminary evaluation to a more serious scrutiny called an engineering analysis to look into the problems that could cause the engine to stall, not start or to shift gear harshly.
Ammonia Leak At Chicken Plant Puts 120 In Hospital
August 24, 2010 4:41 am | by Melissa Nelson, Associated Press Writer | CommentsTHEODORE, Ala. (AP) — An ammonia leak at a coastal Alabama chicken distribution plant sent more than 120 people to the hospital on Monday, including four patients in intensive care, and forced residents to hide in their homes while warning sirens blared. At least 29 people were admitted to Mobile-area hospitals, including the four in intensive care.
CSB Slams Xcel For 'Troubling' Handling Of Safety
August 24, 2010 4:39 am | by P. Solomon Banda, Associated Press Writer | CommentsDENVER (AP) — The U.S. Chemical Safety Board slammed Xcel Energy Inc. on Monday for the company's handling of the aftermath of a tunnel fire that killed five workers at a hydroelectric plant, as well as for a host of "troubling episodes." The board cited the electric and gas utility's failure to cooperate in the agency's probe, and said that investigators had to turn to the the U.
Biden: U.S. Automakers Will Thrive Despite Economy
August 24, 2010 4:38 am | by John Seewer, Associated Press Writer | CommentsTOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden said Monday that U.S. automakers will thrive in the coming years despite the economic challenges still facing the industry. Addressing auto workers, Biden painted a rosy picture of an industry that only a year ago was facing questions about whether it could survive and still is struggling to sell cars and other vehicles.
Stock Market Rises On Corporate Matchmaking
August 23, 2010 4:58 am | by Stephen Bernard, AP Business Writer | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose modestly Monday as investors tentatively moved back into the market after a fresh round of merger and acquisition activity. There are no major economic reports due out Monday that could provide insight into the pace of recovery, so traders are turning their attention to corporate news.
HP Outbids Dell For Online Storage Company
August 23, 2010 4:41 am | CommentsPALO ALTO, Calif. (AP) — Hewlett-Packard Co. is bidding $1.5 billion for data storage provider 3Par Inc., just a week after rival Dell Inc. agreed to acquire the company for $1.13 billion. HP and Dell have been looking to expand beyond personal computers over the past few years in a search for bigger profits.
Taiwanese CEO Barred From Leaving U.S. During Probe
August 23, 2010 4:39 am | CommentsTAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The chief executive of a leading Taiwanese LCD screen maker has been barred from leaving the U.S. during a U.S. Justice Department probe into alleged price-fixing, the company said. Hsinchu-based AU Optronics Corp. said in a statement filed Saturday with Taiwan's Stock Exchange that a U.
Paper Mill Closure Hurts Countless Small Businesses
August 23, 2010 4:38 am | by Allison T. Williams, Associated Press Writer | CommentsISLE OF WIGHT, Va. (AP) — By 6:15 a.m. most days, Fred's Restaurant once hopped with International Paper workers stopping for a cup of coffee or breakfast before heading on to work the day shift at the paper mill. "People used to sit in the parking lot and wait for me to unlock the doors at 6 a.
