Plant Operations/Management

Fiat CEO: Europe Car Problem Needs Europe Solution

September 27, 2012 2:04 pm | by Sarah DiLorenzo, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

Sergio Marchionne thinks Europe's carmakers can only survive if they reduce their enormous overcapacity together, rather than retreating behind national borders to find piecemeal solutions. Marchionne wants the European Union to coordinate continent-wide restructuring because when individual countries get involved, they only save plants on their home turf and end up injecting money to prop up hometown companies.

Spirit AeroSystems, Union Seek Lawsuit Dismissal

September 26, 2012 2:10 pm | by Roxana Hegeman, Associated Press | News | Comments

Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc. and its unions asked a federal court Tuesday to dismiss the workers' claims against the Wichita aircraft maker, agreeing there is not enough evidence to support the class-action lawsuit it faces over pension benefits.

Ford Offers Buyouts To Workers In Europe

September 26, 2012 10:27 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer | News | Comments

Ford Motor Co. said Tuesday it plans to cut several hundred salaried workers in Europe as part of a larger restructuring in the money-losing region. The company is offering voluntary buyout programs in Germany, the U.K. and the rest of Europe. It's also cutting temporary salaried positions and some outsourced services.

BlackBerry Maker Plants Seeds For Comeback Attempt

September 26, 2012 10:23 am | by Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer | News | Comments

Research In Motion CEO Thorsten Heins is promising to restore the BlackBerry phone's stature as a trailblazing device even as many investors fret about its potential demise. Heins took the stage Tuesday at a conference for mobile applications developers to rally support for the upcoming release of BlackBerry 10, a new operating system that Research In Motion Ltd. is touting as its salvation.

Troubled BlackBerry Maker Sees Africa Potential

September 25, 2012 2:08 pm | by Jon Gambrell, Associated Press | News | Comments

The mobile phones made by RIM hold the dominant market share in both Nigeria and South Africa, two of the biggest economies on the African continent. Now opening an office in Nigeria, RIM hopes to hold onto that African advantage as its sales in Western nations tumble, company officials say.

Fiat Plans To Refocus Italian Plants On Exports

September 24, 2012 10:08 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Italian 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.

10 Common Project Management Mistakes

September 24, 2012 8:16 am | by Paul Glover, Founder, The Glover Group | Articles | Comments

Project management typically has five stages. Some project managers make mistakes during one or more of those stages, which can sabotage the chance of a successful outcome and have disastrous results for everyone involved. Here are two of the most common mistakes — and ways to avoid them — during each of the five stages. Which ones have you made?

Tesla To Open 10 New Stores Over Next Few Months

September 21, 2012 1:22 pm | News | Comments

The 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.

Siemens To Lay Off 615

September 19, 2012 1:27 pm | News | Comments

A wind energy equipment manufacturer says it will lay off 615 workers in Iowa, Kansas and Florida in part because Congress has not renewed a tax credit for wind energy. Siemens Energy Inc. says it told workers the news Tuesday at plants in Fort Madison, Iowa; Hutchinson, Kan., and Orlando, Fla.

Canadian Auto Union Makes Progress With GM

September 19, 2012 9:31 am | by Rob Gillies, Associated Press | News | Comments

The head of the Canadian Auto Workers said late Tuesday there has been significant progress toward a new labor deal with General Motors and said the Detroit automaker is waiting for a counter-proposal from the union. CAW President Ken Lewenza said they will make the offer Wednesday. He also said they've made progress with Chrysler, but not as much as they've made with GM.

Energizer Plans To Cut Jobs, Lower Spending

September 18, 2012 2:05 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Energizer Holdings Inc., which makes batteries, flashlights, and other consumer products, plans to cut jobs and lower its overhead spending as part of its efforts to reduce costs and improve its financials. The St. Louis company's stock rose $6.40, or 9.4 percent, to $74.32 in morning trading on Tuesday. The shares have traded in a 52-week range of $62.98 to $80.36.

ArcelorMittal To Spend $50M Upgrading PA Plant

September 18, 2012 10:08 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

ArcelorMittal says it will spend $50 million to upgrade and restart a coke plant near Pittsburgh, adding more than 100 jobs in the process. Plant manager Paul Champagne says the Luxembourg-based metals company will modernize the pollution-control equipment at the plant, and make other improvements so the plant in Monessen will be safer and more competitive.

Does Your Product Have A Lasting Story?

September 18, 2012 8:16 am | by Jim Signorelli | Blogs | Comments

A brand has one layer, a brand story has two. Both have outer layers consisting of functional benefits or the results that can be achieved by using a given product. However, the brand story has an additional inner layer that gives it distance and longevity. The brand story's inner layer is more than just air. It's made up of very real values and beliefs.

Italy Gov't Demands Fiat Clarify Industrial Plans

September 17, 2012 10:14 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Two Italian Cabinet ministers have demanded that carmaker Fiat, which controls Chrysler, clarify its plans for investments in Italian plants amid mounting concern over possible closures. Economic Development Minister Corrado Passera said the government isn't interfering in Fiat's decision-making but that its concern is justified, given Fiat's importance in Italy.

Pakistan Factory Owners In Deadly Blaze Get Bail

September 14, 2012 10:10 am | by Adil Jawad, Associated Press | News | Comments

A Pakistani court has granted bail to three owners of a garment factory in the southern city of Karachi where a fire this week killed 258 people, a defense lawyer said Friday. Amir Mansoob Qureshi said the judge instructed the police that the factory owners cannot be arrested for eight days under bail terms. The court also asked the owners to surrender their passports and ordered them not to leave the country, the lawyer said.

Providing The Proper Workbench, Part 2

September 14, 2012 8:20 am | by Jim Norton, Custom Products & Services, Inc. | Articles | Comments

Taking the time to detail your requirements with a qualified sales representative and reputable workstation manufacturer will pay dividends from day one. A flexible, modular design with common, interchangeable components will allow your facility to grow and change as your business expands and moves toward new markets.

Murder Charges Filed After Pakistan Factory Fire

September 13, 2012 2:13 pm | by Adil Jawad, Associated Press | News | Comments

Pakistani police registered a murder case against the owners and managers of a garment factory in the southern city of Karachi after a fire swept through the building and killed 258 people, many of whom were unable to escape because the exit doors were locked, a senior police officer said Thursday.

Making It In America

September 12, 2012 4:07 pm | by Rachel Leisemann Immel, Associate Editor, IMPO | Articles | Comments

For 89 years, Alliance Rubber Company has been manufacturing a product that, besides paper, may have more uses than any other item on earth: the rubber band. Dedicated to “holding your world together,” the company has grown into a global leader and established itself as an innovative, American manufacturer.

BAE Systems, EADS Confirm Combination Talks

September 12, 2012 2:16 pm | by Cassandra Vinograd, Associated Press | News | Comments

U.K. defense contractor BAE Systems PLC and European aerospace giant EADS NV said Wednesday they are in talks about combining their businesses into a global aerospace and defense group. The companies said that under the proposed merger, BAE Systems shareholders would own 40 percent and EADS shareholders 60 percent of the enlarged group.

Providing The Proper Workbench, Part 1

September 12, 2012 8:00 am | by Jim Norton, Custom Products & Services, Inc. | Articles | Comments

In today’s electronic assembly environments, it very important that your workstations meet the needs of the technician and the work being performed, along with the flexibility to change, add, or reconfigure as your processes change. Considering the wide variety of workbench choices available on the market, it can often be a daunting task to configure them to meet all of your requirements.

Ford Opens New Era At Flat Rock Assemly Plant, 1,200 New Jobs

September 10, 2012 10:34 am | by Ford Motor Company | News | Comments

Previously known as AutoAlliance International, Flat Rock Assembly is now under the full management control of Ford. Following the end of Mazda6 production last month, the plant will continue to produce the Mustang before adding Fusion next year. Flat Rock Assembly will be the U.S. producer of Fusion, employing 2,900 workers on both vehicle lines.

Carmaker Peugeot Pushed Off France's CAC-40 Index

September 7, 2012 2:16 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

The Paris bourse will drop PSA Peugeot Citroen from its CAC-40 index of leading French companies after a dismal year for the carmaker, the exchange operator said. It's a major blow for the company, which has been a part of the index since it was created in 1987, and is an iconic brand in France.

Judge Refuses To Toss Chinese Drywall Claims

September 7, 2012 2:12 pm | by Michael Kunzelman, Associated Press | News | Comments

A federal judge in New Orleans has refused to dismiss claims from homeowners who say a Chinese drywall manufacturer's product damaged their property. Taishan Gypsum Co. Ltd. argued that U.S. courts don't have jurisdiction over claims against the Chinese company, but U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon rejected that argument Tuesday.

Cummins Starts Hiring Freeze After Slower Sales

September 7, 2012 10:01 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Engine maker Cummins Inc. said it has instituted a global hiring freeze for at least the rest of this year with an uncertain impact on announced expansions of its Indiana operations. The move by the Columbus-based company comes after seeing a recent drop in sales in some of its markets in North America, China, and Brazil.

Honeywell Inks $735M Jet Engine Contract

September 7, 2012 9:58 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Honeywell International Inc. said Wednesday that it got a $735 million contract to provide and maintain engines for the Israel Ministry of Defense's advanced jet trainer fleet. The F124 Turbofan engines it will provide under the deal are produced by the International Turbine Engine Co., a partnership of Honeywell and the Aerospace Industrial Development Corp.