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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Ind. Attorney General Sues Recycler For Safety Violations
December 22, 2009 3:26 am | CommentsELKHART, Ind. (AP) — Indiana's attorney general is suing a northern Indiana lumber recycling plant with a history of environmental and worker-safety violations. The lawsuit filed Monday in Elkhart County seeks preliminary and permanent injunctions to halt open dumping of wood wastes at VIM Recycling Inc.
Small Calif. Town Haunted By Pollutants, Birth Defects
December 21, 2009 11:14 am | by Noaki Schwartz, Associated Press Writer | CommentsKETTLEMAN CITY, Calif. (AP) — Maricela Mares-Alatorre was well aware of the industrial and agricultural pollutants that surrounded her as she grew up in this tiny farm town just three miles from the largest toxic waste dump in the West. Her parents had founded People for Clean Air and Water two decades ago to successfully fight a proposed incinerator at the dump.
Ford Offers Buyouts To Its 41,000 Hourly Workers
December 21, 2009 11:04 am | by Tom Krishner, AP Auto Writer | CommentsDETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co. has offered buyout or retirement incentive packages to all of its 41,000 U.S. hourly workers as it tries to further reduce its factory work force. Ford, the healthiest of Detroit's three automakers and the only one to avoid government aid and bankruptcy protection, still has more workers than it needs to produce cars and trucks at current sales levels, said company spokesman Mark Truby.
Panasonic Absorbs Sanyo For Solar Panel Technology
December 21, 2009 4:03 am | CommentsTOKYO (AP) — Panasonic Corp. said Monday that it had taken majority control of Sanyo Electric Co., officially forming one of the world's largest electronics makers. Panasonic said it had converted preferred shares to give it a 50.27 percent stake in Sanyo. It acquired the shares in a previously announced $4.
A Dim Future For Mitsubishi's Arkansas Turbine Plant
December 21, 2009 3:58 am | CommentsLITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — The fate of a promised wind-turbine factory with 400 jobs near Fort Smith remains uncertain after a decision in a patent fight between two conglomerates was delayed until next month. Hoping to grab a larger share of the growing U.S.wind-power industry, Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas Inc.
Spyker Cars Tosses In Last-Ditch Bid To Save Saab
December 21, 2009 3:40 am | by Malin Rising, Associated Press Writer | CommentsSTOCKHOLM (AP) — In a final attempt to rescue Saab Automobile AB, Dutch auto maker Spyker Cars on Sunday submitted a new offer to buy the Swedish brand from General Motors Co. Spyker said it has submitted a new 11-point proposal to GM, addressing the issues that made talks collapse earlier this week.
Judge To Hear Pratt & Whitney Jobs Lawsuit
December 21, 2009 3:39 am | CommentsHARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A federal judge will begin hearing arguments in a lawsuit challenging jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney's plans to move 1,000 jobs out of Connecticut. U.S. District Judge Janet Hall is set to take up the lawsuit filed by the International Association of Machinists on Monday.
Bucyrus To Buy Terex Mining For $1.3 Billion
December 21, 2009 3:39 am | CommentsSOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wis. (AP) — Bucyrus International Inc. said it will buy Terex Corp.'s mining equipment division for $1.3 billion in cash, adding complementary services to its business and broadening its geographic reach. The Terex unit makes hydraulic excavators, electric drive mining trucks, track and rotary blasthole drills and highwall mining systems.
Copenhagen: U.S.-China Climate Negotations Get Hot
December 18, 2009 3:56 am | by Michael Casey & Seth Borenstein, Associated Press Writers | CommentsCOPENHAGEN (AP) — President Barack Obama and other world leaders took stalled climate talks into their own hands Friday, holding an emergency meeting to come up with a political agreement to salvage a conference marked by deep divisions between rich and poor countries. But neither Obama nor Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao offered any new commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions as they addressed the U.
Honda Scaling Back North American Production
December 18, 2009 3:46 am | CommentsTORONTO (CP) — Honda Motor Co. Ltd., tempering some of the optimism wafting through the North American auto industry, will scale back production at three of its plants in January, including trimming output of Civic compacts at its plant in Alliston, Ont., the Globe and Mail newspaper reports.
Recalled Simplicity Crib Deaths Rise To 11
December 18, 2009 3:39 am | by Christine Simmons, Associated Press Writer | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Despite several recalls and warnings, the number of reported baby deaths linked to defective Simplicity cribs has risen to 11. The most recent death occurred in September when a 7-month-old child from Princeton, Ky., became entrapped in the crib when a part of it broke, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday.
CPSC Delays Ruling On Toy Lead Limits
December 18, 2009 3:36 am | by Jennifer C. Kerr, Associated Press Writer | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Makers of toys and other children's products won a reprieve Thursday from federal regulators trying to implement legislation Congress passed more than a year ago after a holiday season marred by scores of lead-tainted toy recalls. The Consumer Product Safety Commission voted to delay for another year — until February 2011 — the certification and independent third-party testing rules on the amount of lead allowed in children's products.
NY GM Plant To End 'Big Block' V-8 Production
December 18, 2009 3:23 am | CommentsTONAWANDA, N.Y. (AP) — General Motors' Buffalo-area engine plant is marking the end of the line for a class of V-8 engine that's been produced there for 50 years. On Friday, the Tonawanda (ton-uh-WAN-duh) plant will stop production of the latest variation of the "big block" V-8 engines.
GM Shuts Down Saab After Sale Collapses
December 18, 2009 3:10 am | CommentsDETROIT (AP) — General Motors Co. will wind down Saab after talks to sell the brand to Dutch carmaker Spyker Cars collapsed. GM says issues arose during the sale talks that could not be resolved. GM says it will continue to honor Saabcustomer warranties. GM previously tried to sell the brand to Koenigsegg Group AB, but the Swedish carmaker withdrew from the talks last month.
PMMI's 'Powerful Show' Of Processing And Packaging
December 17, 2009 4:45 am | CommentsArlington, Va. — Several new features at next October’s PACK EXPO International 2010 (October 31-November 3; McCormick Place, Chicago, IL) will make it easy for packagers and processors from around the globe to enhance operational excellence across the production line, speed new product commercialization and grow brand sales.


