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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
iPhone 5 Launch Draws Apple Fans Worldwide
September 21, 2012 9:43 am | by Kelvin Chan, AP Business Writer | CommentsIn a now familiar global ritual, Apple fans jammed shops from Sydney to Paris to pick up the tech juggernaut's latest iPhone. Eager buyers formed long lines Friday at Apple Inc. stores in Asia, Europe and North America to be the first to get their hands on the latest version of the smartphone.
Albany-Area Bridge Reopens Day After Plant Fire
September 21, 2012 9:40 am | CommentsA bridge in the Albany area has reopened to traffic after being closed for more than 24 hours because of a fire at a plastics manufacturing plant. The span carrying Route 32 over the Mohawk River reopened around 5 a.m. Friday, about 28 hours after a fire broke out at Shelter Enterprises, located along the bridge's southern end in Cohoes (kuh-HOHZ').
Honda Aims To Double Global Auto Sales In Five Years
September 21, 2012 9:39 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | CommentsHonda is aiming to double its global auto sales to more than 6 million vehicles over the next five years as the Japanese automaker gears up for ambitious growth after bouncing back from last year's disasters. The remodeled Fit subcompact, which will be rolled out globally starting next year and sold as the Jazz in some regions will also help boost growth.
Canadian Auto Union Has Deals With 2 Of Big 3
September 21, 2012 9:36 am | by Rob Gillies, Associated Press | CommentsCanadian autoworkers have reached contract deals with two of the Big Three and now are focusing in on the third — Chrysler. The Canadian Auto Workers union said late Thursday it reached a tentative deal with General Motors Co., leaving Chrysler as the only Detroit automaker that hasn't agreed to a new labor deal.
GM Recalls Midsize Cars To Fix Transmission Cables
September 21, 2012 9:35 am | CommentsGeneral Motors is recalling nearly 474,000 Chevrolet, Pontiac and Saturn cars to fix a transmission problem that can cause the cars to roll away unexpectedly. The recall affects 2007-2010 Chevrolet Malibus, Pontiac G6s and Saturn Auras in the U.S., Canada and Mexico as well as a small number of exports. All the cars have four-speed automatic transmissions.
WTO Cuts Outlook For Global Trade In 2012 And 2013
September 21, 2012 9:33 am | CommentsThe outlook for 2013 was reduced to 4.5 percent from 5.6 percent. The reason is a gloomier picture of the world economy. Figures for output and jobs in the U.S., the world's largest economy, have disappointed. Meanwhile economic indicators point to slower growth in the world's largest exporter, China.
Manufacturing In Philly Area Shrinks For Fifth Month
September 20, 2012 1:45 pm | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | CommentsManufacturing in the Philadelphia region shrank for a fifth straight month in September, suggesting demand for American-made goods has weakened. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia says its index of regional manufacturing activity had a reading of -1.9 in September. That was slightly better than the August reading of -7.1 and a July reading of -12.9.
Peugeot In Talks To Sell Bulk Of Logistics Unit
September 20, 2012 1:43 pm | CommentsFrench carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen says it's in exclusive talks to sell a controlling stake in its logistics business to Russia's national railway for €800 million ($1 billion). The carmaker says in a statement Thursday the talks with JSC Russian Railways could see the Russian firm take a 75 percent in GEFCO, one of Europe's leading automotive logistics businesses.
U.S. Demanding Harsh Penalties For Price Fixers
September 20, 2012 1:41 pm | by Paul Elias, Associated Press | CommentsThe U.S. Department of Justice is demanding that a "remorseless" Taiwanese company pay a $1 billion fine and two former top executives each serve 10 years in prison for their roles as central figures in what prosecutors called the most serious price-fixing cartel ever prosecuted by the U.S.
U.S. Unemployment Claims Fell Last Week To 382K
September 20, 2012 1:36 pm | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | CommentsThe Labor Department said Thursday that applications declined by 3,000 from the previous week, which was revised up. The four-week average, a less volatile measure, rose for the fifth straight week to 377,750, the highest level in nearly three months.
Chrysler Factory Employee Kills Co-worker, Self
September 20, 2012 1:33 pm | CommentsPolice say a Chrysler employee fatally stabbed a co-worker at a Detroit factory before killing himself at a city park. Detroit police Sgt. Alan Quinn says the male victim was stabbed about 8 a.m. Thursday. Quinn says the suspect fled the factory and was found at the Belle Isle park, where he committed suicide.
Volkswagen Passat Sales Set Annual Record
September 20, 2012 1:32 pm | CommentsVolkswagen says it has sold more Passat (Pass-AHT) midsize cars this year than any other year. The German automaker sold 77,524 Passats as of Wednesday, beating the car's old record of 77,523, set in 2001. Volkswagen's U.S. sales are up more than 32 percent through August, led by the Passat and the Jetta compact. It's the biggest sales increase of any major automaker.
FDA Urged To Set Arsenic Standards For Rice
September 19, 2012 2:12 pm | by Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press | CommentsConsumer groups are pressuring the Food and Drug Administration to set federal guidance on allowable levels of arsenic in rice, prompting the agency to study the issue and consider possible new standards. So far, FDA officials say they have found no evidence that suggests rice is unsafe to eat.
Apple Closes Above $700 For First Time
September 19, 2012 1:46 pm | by Barbara Ortutay, Associated Press | CommentsApple's stock closed above $700 for the first time on Tuesday, the day after it announced that orders for its iPhone 5 topped 2 million in the first 24 hours. Shares closed at $701.91 Tuesday, up $2.13 from Monday's close. They rose as high as $702.33 in afternoon trading Tuesday. The rally in Apple's stock price puts the company's market value at $658 billion.
Judge: Texas Firm Must Pay Disabled Workers $1.4M
September 19, 2012 1:41 pm | by Ryan J. Foley, Associated Press | CommentsA Texas company that profited for decades by supplying mentally disabled workers to an Iowa turkey plant at wages of 41 cents per hour must pay the men $1.37 million in back wages, a federal judge ruled late Tuesday. The judgment against Henry's Turkey Service of Goldthwaite, Texas is the third of more than $1 million against the company.
