Production Logistics
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Daily industrial news and top headlines for plant and maintenance managers
Chrysler Considers Production Boost At IN Plants
December 18, 2012 10:13 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsChrysler Group is planning to potentially add 400 jobs at three existing central Indiana factories while also starting up a new plant nearby with perhaps 850 workers. The Kokomo City Council voted Monday night to approve property tax breaks requested by Chrysler for $212 million in new equipment for its factories in the city.
Solazyme Shares Soar On Production News
December 14, 2012 1:59 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsSolazyme Inc.'s shares soared Friday after the company, which makes renewable oils and bio-products, said that it has reached commercial-scale production at a plant in Iowa. Solazyme, based in South San Francisco, Calif., said it is initially targeting annual production of 20,000 metric tons of oil starting in early 2014 at the ADM facility, with targeted expansion to 100,000 metric tons.
No Margin For Error
December 14, 2012 8:05 am | Articles | CommentsDead Sea Works Ltd.’s vacuum conveying system was engineered to operate flawlessly 24/7 in Israel’s harsh corrosive Dead Sea environment. Golick had to ensure that the equipment could withstand constant operation in the harsh desert environment, was user friendly, and could interact flawlessly with the hydroscopic nature of the product. The solution was a semi-custom engineered vacuum conveying system.
Panasonic Starts Solar Panel Production In Malaysia
December 13, 2012 10:36 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsPanasonic Corp. started manufacturing solar panels Thursday at a newly built plant in Malaysia, boosting the global production capacity of its cutting-edge solar batteries to 900 megawatts per year from the current 600 megawatts. The factory is the electronics giant's first overseas base for handling the entire battery production process, from making wafers to cells and panels.
Japanese Automakers' China Output Tumbles
November 29, 2012 2:11 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsChinese vehicle production from Toyota and other major Japanese automakers tumbled in October amid a territorial dispute between the two Asian powers that led to boycotts of Japanese products in China. Toyota Motor Corp. said Thursday that its Chinese output plunged 61 percent to 30,591 vehicles, its third straight monthly decline.
Achieve Excellence And Make Better Decisions In 2013
November 20, 2012 8:07 am | by Mark Humphlett, Director, Infor | Blogs | CommentsBy automating and streamlining processes from department to department or person to person, you create a holistic, integrated decision-making environment, where you can make proactive operational decisions at every level of your business.
Manufacturing In Philly, New York Regions Shrinks
November 15, 2012 2:26 pm | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsManufacturing shrank in the Philadelphia and New York regions this month, reflecting damage from Superstorm Sandy that disrupted area factories. The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia said that its index of regional manufacturing activity declined to -10.7, a five-month low.
Kodak Reaches Deal To Borrow $793M
November 13, 2012 10:22 am | by Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsStruggling photo pioneer Eastman Kodak Co. said Monday that it has reached an agreement to borrow $793 million, an important step in letting it leave bankruptcy protection in the first half of next year. The deal is contingent on Kodak being able to sell its patent portfolio for at least $500 million.
Choose Your Weapons!
November 9, 2012 8:08 am | by Alan Nicol, Executive Member, AlanNicolSolutions | Blogs | CommentsThe right improvement methodology for you is the one that will defeat your greatest enemy. Most of us can name at least a generous handful of different improvement methodologies that have stayed for a while or come and gone quickly. With so much of a fad phenomenon in the improvement methodology track record, how do we choose one to adopt for our own needs?
Adapting For The “Chronologically Gifted” Worker
November 8, 2012 5:17 pm | by Rachel Leisemann Immel, Associate Editor, IMPO | Articles | CommentsJosh Kerst, vice president of Humantech, debunks common myths about the older workers in the industry, and offers key changes that manufacturers can make to embrace a safe and productive older workforce. “The workforce is getting more chronologically gifted,” says Josh Kerst, vice president of Humantech, an ergonomics and workplace improvement company.
Hurricane Sandy Central
November 1, 2012 1:57 pm | News | CommentsHurricane Sandy has, without a doubt, already caused an enormous toll on human life and businesses alike. As with all major events, it is important to track the road to recovery. This is where, for the time being, IMPO will compile news about Hurricane Sandy, its aftermath, and how that will affect American manufacturing. This will be consistently updated as more news arrives, so check back often.
Fiat Says It Must Fire 19 Workers To Rehire Others
November 1, 2012 1:38 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsItalian carmaker Fiat says it will have to fire 19 workers at its Naples factory to make room for an equal number a Rome court has ordered rehired. Fiat said Wednesday it does not have enough work at the plant, which has closed for 20 days this year due to shrinking demand, to add the workers to its force of 2,150.
Entrepreneurial Nation
October 30, 2012 8:13 am | Articles | CommentsRo Khanna spent two years as deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he worked with the country’s most influential labor leaders to rebuild the nation’s manufacturing sector and increase America’s exports. He recently discussed what manufacturers can learn from the aerospace industry, why Solyndra is not a U.S. solar manufacturing failure, and what he sees for the future of American manufacturing.
Toyota Widens Global Sales Lead Over GM In 3Q
October 26, 2012 1:59 pm | by Tom Krisher, Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writers | News | CommentsToyota has widened its global sales lead over General Motors after bouncing back from a series of natural disasters. The company said Friday it sold 7.4 million vehicles globally in the first nine months of this year — 450,000 more than General Motors. While Toyota's sales rose 28 percent in that period, GM's rose 2.5 percent, to 6.95 million cars and light-duty trucks.
Boeing Benefits From Faster Airplane Deliveries
October 25, 2012 1:52 pm | by Joshua Freed, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsBoeing is cranking out planes faster, and it's paying off. The big U.S. aerospace company is on track to meet delivery targets for the year, and on Wednesday raised its profit guidance and reported a better-than-expected profit for the third quarter.
Boeing Speeds 777 Production To 8.3 Per Month
October 23, 2012 2:25 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsBoeing Co. said Tuesday that it has begun building its 777 jet at the highest rate that it's ever made a big passenger jet, aiming to crank out more than eight planes per month. Boeing has long said it would ramp up the pace of 777 production. It's also speeding up its smaller 737 and it's new, long-haul 787.
Toyota Likely To Miss 10M-Unit Production Target
October 19, 2012 10:15 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsToyota Motor Corp. faces growing difficulties in achieving its global production target for this year of 10 million vehicles, dragged down by a sales plunge in China amid continuing anti-Japanese sentiment there due to a bilateral territorial row.
A Package Deal
October 9, 2012 3:58 pm | by Anna Wells, Executive Editor, IMPO | Articles | CommentsWhether its repetitive use injuries or regulatory compliance issues you’re trying to target, packaging equipment vendors have stepped up their game to help address manufacturing, processing, and distribution needs.
Engineering Spotlight: The Wheelift In Action
September 26, 2012 8:12 am | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | Articles | CommentsManufacturers of airliners and fighter jets alike regularly need to lift loads between 35 and 75 tons, and with an incredible degree of precision. The capability to be partially or fully automated is also a major plus when it comes to the small tolerances in assembly that can make the difference between a plane that flies and once that doesn’t.
Construct Your Own Innovation Pipeline
September 21, 2012 8:17 am | by Mike Schmidt. Associate Editor, Manufacturing Business Technology | Blogs | CommentsWhether it comes from a senior executive, a mid-level manager or new-hire, TIP allows ideas to be shared with a broad audience of potential collaborators through an online platform. Ideas move through a rate-and-review process, and the best and most promising ideas are developed further and considered for funding.
Q&A: Streamlined Packing Designs
September 13, 2012 11:15 am | Articles | CommentsBosch Packaging Systems has injected over 100 years of industry experience into their advanced packaging lines with a unique, uniform design principle. The recent fruits of their single design philosophy were formally unveiled last year. To find out more, we spoke with Detlef Gottstein, the responsible product manager from Bosch Packaging Systems, and the company’s consultant Prof. Sigmar Willnauer, an expert in Industrial Design.
Unlocking The Potential of ERP
May 3, 2011 1:11 pm | by SG Systems | White PapersMake the most of real-time production floor information by providing ERP links to the shop floor, bridging the gap between the management team and the shop floor.
