Plant Operations/Management

Fiat To Extend Plant Layoffs In Southern Italy

January 15, 2013 2:23 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Italian carmaker Fiat SpA wants to extend a temporary layoff scheme in a southern Italian plant to respond to slumping demand and to save money for future investment. Fiat, which owns Chrysler LLC, said the move is necessary to "realize the investment of around €1 billion," or $1.34B, planned for the Melfi plant. Fiat plans to produce two new SUV models there for global export beginning in late 2014.

Hostess To Sell Wonder Bread To Tastykake Maker

January 14, 2013 10:21 am | by Candice Choi, AP Food Industry Writer | News | Comments

Hostess has found a new home for its most popular breads, including the iconic Wonder bread. The bankrupt maker of Twinkies, Devil Dogs and other snack cakes said late Friday that it selected bids by rival bakery Flower Foods Inc. to buy six of its bread brands for $390 million.

Boeing To Begin Marketing Wichita Plant

January 9, 2013 10:11 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Boeing officials say they will begin actively marketing the company's Wichita defense facilities by the end of January. The company announced last year that it was closing the Wichita plant and moving work to Oklahoma, Texas and the Pacific Northwest. Boeing owns 97 buildings on 413 acres, with properties ranging from large hangars to tool sheds.

Yanmar To Build New Indonesia Plant

January 9, 2013 10:09 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Yanmar Co., a Japanese maker of agricultural equipment, engines and boats, said Wednesday it will build a new plant in Indonesia to produce diesel engine parts and other products. Yanmar said its move to set up the factory at an industrial complex in eastern Jakarta by investing roughly 7.5 billion yen is aimed at enhancing the company's cost competitiveness through overseas production.

Silicor Materials Hasn't Given Up On Mississippi

January 8, 2013 2:32 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Silicor Materials says it has not given up on locating an operation in Mississippi. Last week, Silicor's proposed project in Lowndes County failed when the company missed a deadline to put up $150,000 to secure land and incentives. Local officials said the money was refundable to ensure that Silicor start construction by June 30 of 2013.

Stockmeier Urethanes To Expand Clarksburg Plant

January 8, 2013 2:29 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Stockmeier Urethanes USA Inc. plans to expand its operations in Clarksburg. President and CEO Christian Martinkat tells The Exponent Telegram that the company is acquiring three-and-a-half to 4 acres and an office building adjacent to its plant from Thrasher Real Estate Investment LLC. The cost of the acquisition is $1.85 million.

Deal To Sell ND Pasta Plant Falls Through

January 8, 2013 10:09 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

A potential deal to sell a North Dakota pasta plant is off the table. Bektrom Foods official Bruce Satrom tells the Grand Forks Herald that the Michigan-based manufacturer has pulled its offer to buy the plant. Bektrom had been negotiating with the family of Leonard Gasparre, who died in 2011. Gasparre built the Cando plant in the mid-1980s and added a plant in Devils Lake in the 1990s.

Temple Officials To Consider Plant Demolition

January 7, 2013 2:12 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Authorities in Temple say they are hoping to rebuild an old factory into a municipal complex in about a year. Mayor Rick Ford tells The Times-Georgian that the City Council will discuss the issue Monday and potentially approve a bid for the work. The town plans on demolishing the old Sewell Manufacturing Plant.

Toyota: No Plans For New Plants In Near Future

January 7, 2013 10:11 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Toyota Motor Corp. has no plans to build new factories in the near future as the automaker will shift its focus to investing in its existing plants, company officials said Monday. The automaker's plans to build new factories in Thailand and Indonesia in 2013 will remain intact, they said.

Chevrolet Sonic Tells Story Of Detroit Comeback

January 4, 2013 2:07 pm | by Dee-Ann Durbin, Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writers | News | Comments

When the word reached the Orion Assembly Plant, it spread along the serpentine assembly line like news of a death or natural disaster: GM had filed for bankruptcy protection. But there was something that the workers didn't know: They were witnessing the opening act of one of the greatest recovery stories in American business.

Boeing On Track For Plane Maker Of The Year

January 3, 2013 2:00 pm | by Joshua Freed, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

Boeing Co. said on Thursday that it delivered 601 planes last year, putting it on track to beat European rival Airbus as the top plane maker for the year. Airbus has beaten Boeing in deliveries in recent years, but Boeing is now cranking out its new 787 and a revamped 747 after delays for both aircraft.

Asian-Led Consortium Buys Stake In ArcelorMittal

January 2, 2013 2:05 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Global steel giant ArcelorMittal will sell a 15 percent stake in one of its Canadian iron ore operations to an Asian-led consortium for $1.1 billion in cash. In the transaction announced Wednesday, a group led by South Korean steelmaker POSCO and China Steel Corp. will enter into a joint venture partnership that will own ArcelorMittal's Labrador Trough iron ore mining and infrastructure assets.

Blue Giant Equipment Corporation Announces U.S. Expansion

January 2, 2013 11:11 am | News | Comments

Blue Giant Equipment Corporation is pleased to announce the launch of its U.S. operation, Blue Giant Equipment LLC, which is marked by the opening of a new manufacturing facility in Greensboro, North Carolina.“We are excited to expand our presence into the United States to better serve our customers,” says Jeff Miller, Blue Giant LLC’s President.

Nissan Chief Hopes For Better Japan-China Relations

January 2, 2013 10:10 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Nissan Motor Co. President and Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn expressed hope that the recent change in leadership in both Japan and China will bring about an improvement in strained bilateral economic relations and a recovery of auto sales in China.

Bell Expanding Helicopter Production In TN

December 21, 2012 9:50 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Bell Helicopter Inc. will add a second manufacturing plant in Piney Flats, Tenn. Gov. Bill Haslam and other state officials announced Thursday that the $10.1 million investment in Sullivan County is expected to create 125 new jobs. The expanded operations will take place in a 150,000-square-foot-building Bell bought near its current facility.

Fiat Announces $1.3B Investment For New SUVs

December 20, 2012 2:13 pm | by Colleen Barry, AP Business Writer | News | Comments

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne will invest €1 billion ($1.32 billion) in the auto company's southern Italian factory to produce two SUV new models for global export. The Italian automaker hopes the investment will revive its severely underutilized plants in its home country — where new car registrations are down by 20 percent this year, compared with 7 percent in the European Union.

Peugeot, GM Unveil Joint-Venture Models

December 20, 2012 2:02 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

PSA Peugeot Citroen and GM have unveiled the first vehicles they will develop together as part of a joint venture they hope will reduce costs and re-energize their businesses. The French and American automakers said Thursday that they plan to share development for three kinds of cars: a small family van, a small multi-purpose van and a low-emissions vehicle.

GM Shifts Some Auto Production To U.S. From Canada

December 19, 2012 2:37 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

General Motors is moving production of the next version of its Camaro sports car from its Canadian operation in Oshawa, Ontario to a plant in Michigan. GM Canada said a statement Wednesday that "lower capital investment and improved production efficiencies were key factors" in the move.

Chobani Celebrates Opening Of Twin Falls Plant

December 18, 2012 10:17 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

The new Chobani yogurt plant in Twin Falls opened in grand fashion Monday, with appearances from company executives, Idaho political leaders, Olympic athletes and a marching band. After nearly a year of construction and planning, the New York-based Greek yogurt maker celebrated the opening of one of the biggest yogurt plants in the world in the heart of Idaho's milk producing region.

M'bishi Motors Completes Dutch Plant Sale For 1 Euro

December 17, 2012 2:09 pm | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said Monday that it has completed the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary that operates a plant in the Netherlands to the country's VD Leegte Beheer B.V. for one euro, in line with an agreement reached in July. The sale of Netherlands Car B.V. results in a one-off loss of some 25.1 billion yen, according to the Japanese automaker.

Electric Car Firm Never Applied For VA Incentives

December 17, 2012 10:04 am | by Bob Lewis, AP Political Writer | News | Comments

A firm headed by Democratic gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe never provided Virginia officials enough details to obtain economic development incentives, according to an AP review of state records. McAuliffe claimed that the Virginia Economic Development Partnership didn't want to bid on GreenTech Automotive's proposed plant to manufacture tiny, low-speed, all-electric two-seaters, so the project went to Mississippi.

Hershey Auction Promises Old, Odd Items

December 14, 2012 2:07 pm | by Monica Von Dobeneck, The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News | News | Comments

Think you might need a "bathtub truck," a tank on wheels that Hershey Co. employees once used to haul liquid chocolate from one part of the plant to another? Or maybe a telephone booth? The Hershey Co. has two of those for sale in an auction this weekend to get rid of the thousands of items in the old plant on East Chocolate Avenue.

Chrysler Seeks More Tax Incentives

December 14, 2012 9:58 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Chrysler Group LLC is seeking tax incentives for its transmission plant in Kokomo at the same time it's asking Tipton County officials for similar incentives on a vacant plant. Chrysler spokeswoman Jodi Tinson confirmed Friday that the automaker had asked the city to approve tax abatement, but she wouldn't discuss any further details.

China's Biggest Automaker To Build Thailand Factory

December 13, 2012 10:38 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Thai agriculture conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group said Thursday it has agreed to set up a joint venture with China's largest automaker, SAIC Motor Corp., with the aim of opening an auto factory in Thailand in the next two years. The joint venture, under the name of CP Motor Holding Co., will facilitate Thailand's ambitious efforts to become the "Detroit of Asia," said Noppadon Chiaravanont.

M'bishi Heavy To Buy Pratt & Whitney Turbine Business

December 13, 2012 10:32 am | by The Associated Press | News | Comments

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. said Thursday it will buy the small- and medium-size gas turbine business of U.S. aeroengine maker Pratt & Whitney to further strengthen its energy business. The move comes after Mitsubishi Heavy recently announced a merger of its thermal power generation business with that of Hitachi Ltd. to increase its international competitiveness.