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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Apple Supplier Halts China Factory After Violence
September 24, 2012 10:13 am | by Joe McDonald, AP Business Writer | CommentsThe company that makes Apple's iPhones suspended production at a factory in China on Monday after a brawl by as many as 2,000 employees at a dormitory injured 40 people. The fight, the cause of which was under investigation, erupted Sunday night at a privately managed dormitory near a Foxconn Technology Group factory in the northern city of Taiyuan, the company and Chinese police said.
Canadian Ford Workers Accept Contract
September 24, 2012 10:11 am | by Rob Gillies, Associated Press | CommentsCanadian auto workers at Ford have voted to accept the new contract that their union leadership negotiated last week, the union said Sunday. The Canadian Auto Workers union said 82 percent of its Ford members accepted the four-year deal. The union did not indicate how many of its 4,500 workers at Ford cast ballots.
Toyota Plans Expanded Range Of Hybrids
September 24, 2012 10:09 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | CommentsToyota Motor Corp. is boosting its green vehicle lineup, with plans for 21 new hybrids in the next three years, a new electric car later this year and a fuel cell vehicle by 2015 in response to growing demand for fuel efficient and environmentally friendly driving.
Fiat Plans To Refocus Italian Plants On Exports
September 24, 2012 10:08 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsItalian carmaker Fiat has restated its commitment to remain in Italy and says it will refocus its Italian plants on exports. Fiat, which controls U.S. carmaker Chrysler, made the assurances Saturday after CEO Sergio Marchionne met with Premier Mario Monti amid growing concerns that the crisis would force plant closures.
Sharp's Job Cuts To Reach 10,000
September 24, 2012 10:06 am | by The Associated Press | CommentsSharp Corp. is considering selling its TV assembly plant in Malaysia to its Taiwanese business partner Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., sources close to the issue said Saturday. As the Malaysian plant has around 2,000 workers, the job cuts by the cash-strapped Osaka-based company will total around 10,000, including already announced workforce reductions.
Audit Suggests GA Food Manufacturers Not Testing
September 24, 2012 10:05 am | by Ray Henry, Associated Press | CommentsFood manufacturers in Georgia may be dodging a first-of-its-kind law requiring that they inform state food inspectors when their products test positive for contamination, according to an audit of the state's food inspection service. An audit released this summer offers a combination of anecdotal and statistical evidence suggesting the so-called "red flag law" was not strictly followed after it was implemented in 2010.
U.S. Navy Awards BIW $38M Contract Modification
September 21, 2012 1:31 pm | CommentsThe U.S. Navy has awarded a contract modification to Bath Iron Works worth up to $38 million for work on a class of Navy destroyers. Republican U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine said Thursday that the award allows the General Dynamics Corp. unit to provide engineering services in detail design and construction for the DDG-1000 warships.
NYC Chooses Nissan NVs For New Taxi Fleet
September 21, 2012 1:24 pm | CommentsNew York City's future yellow taxi has been chosen. It'll be a fleet of Nissan NV200s with skylights and electronic charging plugs, plus retractable steps that make entering and exiting easier. The new model was approved Thursday by the Taxi and Limousine Commission with a 5-2 vote.
Tesla To Open 10 New Stores Over Next Few Months
September 21, 2012 1:22 pm | CommentsThe first of the new stores was set to open Friday in Garden City, N.Y. The location is expected to include interactive displays and design studios where customers can design their own Tesla Model S sedan on a large touchscreen and then view it on an 85-inch video wall.
Chrysler Factory Running, Day After Fatal Stabbing
September 21, 2012 1:19 pm | CommentsThe assembly line is running again at a Chrysler factory in Detroit, one day after an employee fatally stabbed his co-worker in view of their colleagues. Production restarted Friday at the Jefferson North plant that employs about 3,100 workers on two shifts.
Taiwan Firm Fined $500M For LCD Price Fixing
September 21, 2012 1:16 pm | by Paul Elias, Associated Press | CommentsA Taiwanese company was fined $500 million Thursday and its former president and executive vice president were each sentenced to three years in prison for their leading roles in a global LCD screen price-fixing conspiracy. The sentences handed down Thursday are among the harshest penalties ever given in an antitrust criminal case.
Senate Probe: Microsoft, HP Trying To Avoid Taxes
September 21, 2012 1:13 pm | by Alan Fram, Associated Press | CommentsMicrosoft Corp., the Hewlett-Packard Co. and other multinational corporations have avoided billions in U.S. taxes by shifting profits offshore and taking advantage of weak, ambiguous sections of the tax code, Senate investigators said Thursday.
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.
