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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Survey: U.S. Manufacturing Shrinks For Third Month
September 4, 2012 2:12 pm | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | CommentsU.S. factory activity shrank for the third straight month in August as new orders, production and employment all fell. The report adds to other signs that manufacturing is struggling around the globe. The Institute for Supply Management, a trade group of purchasing managers, said Tuesday its index of manufacturing activity ticked down to 49.6.
Olympic Ads Help Boost GM Sales
September 4, 2012 2:10 pm | by The Associated Press | CommentsGeneral Motors says its U.S. sales rose 10 percent last month as advertising on the Olympics and a Chevrolet money-back guarantee program drew more customers. GM rebounded from a bad July to sell almost 241,000 cars and trucks in August. Chevy brand sales were up more than 11 percent, and Chevy car sales rose 25 percent. But SUV sales tumbled in a month with rising gasoline prices.
Apple Wants More Samsung Products Added To Suit
September 4, 2012 2:08 pm | by The Associated Press | CommentsFresh off its court victory over Samsung Electronics Co., iPhone maker Apple Inc. is asking a federal court to add four more of its rival's products to the list of patent-infringing products. Apple filed documents in San Jose federal district court on Friday asking a judge to end Samsung's release of "copycat products," and urged the court to pull Samsung products released after its lawsuit was filed in April.
GM Vauxhall Plants In Britain To Close For A Week
September 4, 2012 2:07 pm | by The Associated Press | CommentsGM's Vauxhall brand will close two plants in Britain for a week starting Sept. 24 because of weak auto markets in crisis-hit Europe. The closures at Ellesmere Port and Luton will idle some 3,000 workers. Vauxhall communications director Denis Chick said Tuesday the workers would still be paid and their hours would be banked, to be worked off later.
Nation's 'Carpet Capital' Struggles To Recover
September 4, 2012 2:04 pm | by Ashley Hopkinson, Associated Press | CommentsFactories dot the highway and carpet retailers and mills line the main street through this town nestled in the north Georgia foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, making clear why Dalton was dubbed Carpet Capital of the World. Many of those businesses are shuttered now, hinting at one of the city's more dubious distinctions: The city has lost more jobs per capita in the past year than any other in the U.S.
U.S. Steel, Union Agree On Pact For 16,000 Workers
September 4, 2012 10:30 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsU.S. Steel and the United Steelworkers announced a tentative agreement Sunday on a three-year contract covering more than 16,000 workers at domestic facilities. Details of the contract were not announced. The union said members will vote after reviewing details over the next few weeks.
Chrysler Sales Rise On Demand For Pickups
September 4, 2012 10:28 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | CommentsChrysler's U.S. sales rose 14 percent in August on strong demand for Ram pickup trucks. The Ram, which had its best August in five years, helped Chrysler sell more than 148,000 vehicles last month. The results are a sign that car and truck sales will remain strong despite consumers' worries about the economy.
Hyundai Motor Union Approves Deal, Ends Strike
September 4, 2012 10:27 am | by Youkyung Lee, AP Business Writer | CommentsHyundai Motor's labor union has voted to accept a deal for increased wages and the elimination of overnight shifts, ending one of the costliest strikes ever at South Korea's largest car maker. The union, which elected a hardline leader at the end of last year, walked out on July 13, starting the first strike at Hyundai in four years.
Bernanke: With Unemployment High, Fed Can Do More
September 4, 2012 10:25 am | by Paul Wiseman, AP Economics Writer | CommentsChairman Ben Bernanke sent a clear message Friday that the Federal Reserve will do more to help the still-struggling U.S. economy. His remarks left two questions: What exactly will the Fed do? And when? Bernanke described the U.S. economy's health as "far from satisfactory" and noted that the unemployment rate, now 8.3 percent, hasn't declined since January.
Hong Kong Company Completes Purchase Of Saab
September 4, 2012 10:24 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsA Hong Kong-owned company says it has completed the acquisition of bankrupt car maker Saab and will move ahead with its business plan to make electric cars under the Swedish brand. National Electric Vehicle Sweden, or NEVS, said Monday it expects to introduce its first electric vehicle "in approximately 18 months."
Samsung To Audit All Of Its Suppliers In China
September 4, 2012 10:23 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsSamsung said it plans to examine all of its Chinese suppliers for possible violations of labor policies. Samsung Electronics Co. said it will carry out audits of 105 Chinese companies that are its exclusive suppliers this month. The move comes after Samsung's audit of a supplier, HEG Electronics, in response to an allegation it used child labor.
Thailand, ASEAN A Bright Spot For Ford Motor
August 31, 2012 11:55 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer | CommentsCar sales in China and Europe may be slowing down, but Southeast Asia is on a tear. Ford Motor Co. said Friday that industry-wide sales are up 20 percent so far this year in its ASEAN region, which is made up of Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia. That's double the pace of sales increases in China and the U.S. in July.
U.S. Factory Orders Rose 2.8 Percent In July
August 31, 2012 11:53 am | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | CommentsOrders to U.S. companies rose in July, reflecting a surge in demand for autos and commercial aircraft. But in a troubling sign of manufacturing weakness, a key orders category that tracks business investment plans fell by the largest amount in eight months.
Samsung Unveils Voice-Controlled Camera
August 31, 2012 11:52 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsSamsung has unveiled a voice-controlled camera as part of a fall lineup of consumer gadgets aimed at setting itself apart from rival Apple. The South Korean electronics giant presented the 16-megapixel Galaxy Camera at the IFA tech show in Berlin. It comes days after Samsung suffered a costly defeat in a patent dispute with Apple in the United States.
IHI, Paul Wurth To Form Blast Furnace Joint Venture
August 31, 2012 11:50 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsIHI Corp. said Friday it will establish an equally owned company with Luxembourg firm Paul Wurth S.A., the world's largest blast furnace maker, on Nov. 1 to tap growing demand for steelmaking facilities in Southeast Asia, Australia and elsewhere.
