The Leading Source for Manufacturing News & Insight
Take Control Of Your Company’s Future: The R&D Tax Credit
June 10, 2013 10:47 am | by Dean Zerbe, alliantgroup National Managing Director and former Senior Counsel to the Senate Finance Committee | Articles | CommentsHappily, the tax code rewards manufacturers who are engaged in these efforts to stay competitive with the R&D tax credit. Unhappily, far too many manufacturing companies, especially the small- and medium-sized, are failing to take advantage of the R&D tax credit.
Strong Tours Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of
June 10, 2013 10:19 am | by Cory Schaeffer, Co-Founder of Listen Technologies | Articles | CommentsI’ve been on a lot of facility tours. Some have been interesting, while others have been scattered, unorganized and uninspiring. And some have been so informative and engaging that after walking out of the building, I have found that I am not only a life-long customer and advocate of the company’s products, but my confidence has been so validated, that I have sought out and purchased stock in the company.
5 Quick Questions: Siemens’ Helmuth Ludwig
June 10, 2013 9:29 am | Articles | CommentsAlthough the company operates a diverse collection of business units in 190 countries, German-based Siemens also employs more than 60,000 people in 130 U.S. manufacturing facilities. So with this in mind, we recently sat down with Helmuth Ludwig, the CEO of Siemens’ Industry Sector in North America.
U.S. Investigates Honda Minivans For Air Bag Trouble
June 10, 2013 8:17 am | News | CommentsU.S. safety regulators are trying to figure out if Honda needs to recall some older Odyssey minivans because the air bags can inflate without a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has received six complaints about the front air bags suddenly inflating while the vans were being driven.
Environmentalists Celebrate Nuclear Plant Closing
June 10, 2013 8:15 am | by Gillian Flaccus, Associated Press | News | CommentsUsing a cane and wearing a hat reading "Peace No Nukes," 85-year-old Lyn Harris Hicks shuffled to the front gates of the San Onofre nuclear power plant on Friday to celebrate a utility company's decision to close the seaside facility for good.
Canada Threatens Tariffs Against U.S. Products
June 10, 2013 8:10 am | News | CommentsCanada warned Friday that it may impose tariffs on everything from orange juice to bread if the United States doesn't change a meat-labeling policy that Canadian beef and pork industries say is costing them more than CA$1 billion (US$979 million) a year.
American Auto Industry About To Go On Hiring Spree
June 10, 2013 7:57 am | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThe auto industry's stepped-up hiring will help sustain the nation's job growth and help fuel consumer spending. On Friday, the government said U.S. employers added 175,000 jobs in May, roughly the monthly average for the past year and a sign of the economy's resilience.
Stripped-Down Harley Rebounds From Recession
June 10, 2013 7:53 am | by M.L. Johnson, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe company made $624 million last year, the best annual profit since 2008. It also boosted profit by 30 percent in this year's first quarter, compared to the same period in 2012. With lower costs and more efficient production, analysts say Harley is in a good position to grow as the global economy improves.
Want More Time Off? Some Employers Let You Buy It
June 10, 2013 7:48 am | by Sam Hananel, Associated Press | News | CommentsA soon-to-be released survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 9 percent of employers allowed workers to cash out unused vacation time. Five percent let employees purchase additional vacation days through a payroll deduction.
Bangladesh: 7 Failed To Check Doomed Factories
June 10, 2013 7:45 am | by Farid Hossain, Associated Press | News | CommentsBangladesh has suspended seven inspectors it accuses of negligence for renewing the licenses of garment factories in a building that collapsed in April, killing more than 1,100 people, a top Labor Ministry official said Monday.
IEA: Energy Emissions Rose To Record High In 2012
June 10, 2013 7:43 am | by Karl Ritter, Associated Press | News | CommentsIn its annual World Energy Outlook report, the Paris-based IEA said top carbon polluter China saw the largest emissions growth last year, up 300 million tons, or 3.8 percent, from 2011. Still, the increase was among the lowest seen in a decade as China continues to invest in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Q&A: ISO 9001 And ISO 14001 Standard Revisions
June 7, 2013 2:26 pm | Articles | CommentsDeveloped through global consensus, International Organization for Standardization standards help to break down barriers to international trade. It just so happens that the revision cycle has fallen on some of the world’s most popular standards, with both ISO 9001 (quality) and ISO 14001 (environmental) among those currently being revised.
San Onofre Closure Will Slash Employment
June 7, 2013 2:23 pm | News | CommentsThe planned closure of San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station will involve drastic cuts in the power plant's workforce, which currently numbers 1,500. Plans announced Friday by operator Southern California Edison call for reducing the number of employees to 600 over the next few months.
PepsiCo Shoots Down Report Of SodaStream Talks
June 7, 2013 2:08 pm | News | CommentsPepsiCo is shooting down a report that the company is in talks to buy SodaStream, an Israeli company that makes at-home carbonation machines. PepsiCo Inc. spokesman Jeff Dahncke said the report in an Israeli newspaper is "completely and totally untrue."
NASA's Veteran Mars Rover Driving To New Spot
June 7, 2013 2:03 pm | News | CommentsNASA's Opportunity rover is still on the move after years on the surface of Mars. The space agency said Friday the six-wheel, solar-powered rover is driving to a new spot in Endeavour Crater after spending 20 months at a site brimming with evidence of water-altered rocks.
Royalty Pharma Raises Offer For Elan
June 7, 2013 1:58 pm | by Tom Murphy, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsShares of Elan Corp. PLC jumped Friday after Royalty Pharma once again raised its offer to buy the Irish drugmaker in an increasingly bitter takeover fight. Royalty said it will now pay $13 in cash for each Elan share, and it will give stockholders the right to receive up to an additional $2.50 per share in milestone-based payments.
GM To Lay Off 560 Workers To Retool Engine Plant
June 7, 2013 1:55 pm | News | CommentsGeneral Motors is laying off 560 workers while it retools an engine plant near Detroit to build a new motor. GM says layoffs at the Romulus, Mich., factory will start in August and run to late 2015. The company is rebuilding the inside of the factory to make a new, more efficient V-6 engine.
3G Shuffles CEOs On Completion Of Heinz Deal
June 7, 2013 1:53 pm | News | CommentsKetchup maker H.J. Heinz Co. began a new chapter on Friday. The company, which also makes baked beans, vinegar and Classico pasta sauce, said that it completed its acquisition by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital, the Brazilian investment firm that also owns Burger King.
FDA Finds Fungus In Drugs From Tennessee Pharmacy
June 7, 2013 1:45 pm | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsFederal health officials say they have found bacteria and fungus in drug vials from a Tennessee specialty pharmacy that recalled all of its injectable medicines last month.The Food and Drug Administration said in an online posting Friday that it identified the growths in two unopened vials of a steroid injection distributed by the Main Street Family Pharmacy.
AutomationDirect Adds Stainless Steel Pneumatic Fittings
June 7, 2013 12:34 pm | Product Releases | CommentsAutomationDirect has added new products to its line of NITRA pneumatic fittings designed to withstand harsh chemicals and washdown situations. The stainless steel fittings are available in NPT inch and BSPT sizes, with push-to-connect male fittings.
