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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Toyota Recalls 2.3 Million Cars For Sticky Accelerators
January 22, 2010 2:58 am | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Toyota is recalling 2.3 million U.S. vehicles to correct sticking accelerator pedals, the latest in a string of quality problems that have bedeviled the Japanese automaker. The recall includes the 2009-2010 RAV4, the 2009-2010 Corolla, the 2009-2010 Matrix, the 2005-2010 Avalon, the 2007-2010 Camry, the 2010 Highlander, the 2007-2010 Tundra and the 2008-2010 Sequioia.
InBev Worker-Exec Standoff Causes Massive Beer Shortage
January 20, 2010 3:54 am | CommentsLEUVEN, Belgium (AP) — The world's largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev SA, shut down production in its home country Wednesday in an escalation of a standoff with workers at its Belgian breweries over job cuts. Workers began blockading three AB InBev breweries two weeks ago to protest against cutting up to 263 jobs in Belgium as part of plan to reduce the company's European work force by 10 percent.
Miss. Plant Explosion Injures Three
January 20, 2010 3:42 am | CommentsGUNTOWN, Miss. (AP) — Authorities say a plant explosion in Lee County has injured three workers. Lee County Chief Deputy Sheriff John Hall says the explosion happened about 2:26 p.m. Tuesday as workers were cleaning a machine at Columbian Rope Co. in Guntown. Hall says one person was airlifted from the scene to the North Mississippi Medical Center, and another had extensive injuries.
Chinese Exec Escapes To U.S., Plans 4,000-Job Hybrid Plant
January 20, 2010 3:39 am | by Phillip Rawls, Associated Press Writer | CommentsMONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A former Chinese carmaker planning a hybrid car assembly plant in Alabama has lined up a veteran engineering and design firm while still trying to put together $1.5 billion in financing for the project. Benjamin Yeung, chairman of Hybrid Kinetic Motors Corp.
Sioux City Meatpacker To Close, Sheds 1,500 Jobs
January 20, 2010 3:33 am | CommentsSIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — Sioux City officials say the John Morrell & Co. meatpacking plant, one of the city's largest employers, will close this spring. The plant has about 1,500 workers. Sioux City Economic Development Director Marty Dougherty says Mayor Mike Hobart received the news on Tuesday from plant manager Dan Pacquin, who said the plant would close April 20.
Food Maker Boosts N.C. Community With 500 New Jobs
January 20, 2010 3:27 am | CommentsHALIFAX, N.C. (AP) — A national producer of prepared foods is expanding a North Carolina plant and plans to create 500 jobs, providing a boost to an Interstate 95 corridor that has for years struggled to lower its jobless rate. Reser's Fine Foods Inc. will create the jobs over the next five years at the Halifax Industrial Center in Halifax County.
Chrysler Recalls 2010 Models For Faulty Brakes
January 20, 2010 3:26 am | CommentsDETROIT (AP) — Chrysler Group LLC is recalling 24,177 vehicles because of a defect that could result in brake failure. the recall includes 2010 models of the Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Commander, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Liberty and 2009 and 2010 models of the Dodge Ram pickup.
Finnish Shipbuilder Wartsila To Lay Off 1,400 Worldwide
January 19, 2010 6:44 am | CommentsHELSINKI (AP) — Wartsila Corp., a leading maker of ship turbines, said Tuesday it would lay off 1,400 workers worldwide and cut production to save costs and increase competitiveness. The Finnish company said it plans to slash 570 jobs at its propellor and components manufacturing units in Netherlands, where it employs more than 1,500 people.
Always-Secretive Apple Ready To Unveil 'Latest Creation'
January 19, 2010 3:51 am | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Apple Inc. is inviting reporters to an event next week to see what it calls "our latest creation." The company e-mail Monday offered no specifics about what it would display at the invitation-only Jan. 27 event in San Francisco. But it comes amid speculation that Apple is close to unveiling a tablet-style touch-screen computer that is bigger than an iPhone but smaller than a standard laptop.
Calif. Meatpacker Recalls Swaths Of E-Coli Tainted Beef
January 19, 2010 3:42 am | CommentsMONTEBELLO, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California meat-packing firm has recalled some 864,000 pounds of ground-beef that might be contaminated with E. coli. The Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said Monday that no illnesses have been reported from the products sold by Montebello-based Huntington Meat Packing Inc.
Immigration Officials Prepare For Haitian Influx
January 19, 2010 3:38 am | by Curt Anderson, AP Legal Affairs Writer | CommentsMIAMI (AP) — U.S. authorities are readying for a potential influx of Haitians seeking to escape their earthquake-wracked nation, even though the policy for migrants remains the same: with few exceptions, they will go back. So far, fears of a mass migration have yet to materialize. However, conditions in Haiti become more dire each day and U.
Coca-Cola Moves To Ban Film Claiming Human Rights Abuses
January 19, 2010 3:32 am | by Cassandra Szklarski | CommentsTORONTO — It seems that a documentary critical of soft-drink giant Coca-Cola has left a bitter taste with the company. The multinational corporation has told a university film network planning to screen "The Coca-Cola Case" in several cities that the movie contains inaccuracies and violates a confidentiality agreement.
FDA To Big Tobacco: What's In Your Cigarettes?
January 19, 2010 3:30 am | by Michael Felberbaum, AP Tobacco Writer | CommentsRICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Food and Drug Administration is working to lift the smokescreen clouding the ingredients used in cigarettes and other tobacco products. In June, tobacco companies must tell the FDA their formulas for the first time, just as drugmakers have for decades. Manufacturers also will have to turn over any studies they've done on the effects of the ingredients.
Cadbury Agrees To $19.5b Kraft Takeover
January 19, 2010 3:18 am | by Robert Barr, Associated Press Writer | CommentsLONDON (AP) — British candy company Cadbury agreed to a fattened $19.5 billion takeover offer from U.S. food group Kraft in a deal that would create the world's biggest chocolate maker. The board of Cadbury PLC, maker of Creme Eggs and Dentyne gum, gave up a four-month fight to remain independent and on Tuesday recommended shareholders take Kraft's offer of 840 pence ($13.
Rival Pirates Have Shootout Aboard Combustible Oil Tanker
January 18, 2010 4:03 am | by Malkhadir M. Muhumed, Associated Press Writer | CommentsNAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Two rival groups of Somali pirates had a shootout just before a ransom was delivered to free a supertanker loaded with combustible crude oil, prompting the pirates onboard to call the anti-piracy force for help, a European Union naval spokesman said Monday. Helicopters dispatched from a warship ended the standoff that could have caused a catastrophic explosion aboard the Maran Centaurus, which is carrying about 2 million barrels of crude oil that was destined for the United States.
