The Leading Source for Manufacturing News & Insight
IMS: U.S. Medicine Spending Shows Rare Dip In 2012
May 9, 2013 1:43 pm | News | CommentsA new report from the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics states the total spent was down 3.5 percent to $325.8 billion last year. That's partly because patients benefited from a surge of new, inexpensive generic versions of widely used drugs for chronic conditions, such as Lipitor for high cholesterol.
'Monkeemobile' Designer Dean Jeffries Dies
May 9, 2013 1:30 pm | News | CommentsA celebrated car customizer who painted James Dean's Porsche and made the "Monkeemobile" for "The Monkees" TV show has died. Dean Jeffries was 80. He created the "Black Beauty" for the 1960s show "The Green Hornet" and built the Monkeemobile in just 10 days. He also built movie vehicles, including a moon buggy for the James Bond film "Diamonds Are Forever."
Lawsuit: Merck Discriminates Against Women
May 9, 2013 1:25 pm | News | CommentsA Merck & Co. sales representative is suing the drugmaker for at least $100 million, saying Merck doesn't give women equal opportunities for advancement and punishes employees for taking maternity leave. Kelli Smith, who has worked at Merck since 2004, says in the lawsuit that the company's sales plans create incentives to discriminate against women.
Retailers Report Modest Gains For April
May 9, 2013 1:20 pm | by Anne D'Innocenzio, AP Retail Writer | News | CommentsAmericans spent briskly during the early spring months in the latest sign that they're encouraged by the economic recovery. Falling gas prices, a rallying stock market and gains in the job market all fueled Americans' shopping habits even as cold weather tempered their desire to buy spring fashions.
Tesla Model S Gets Consumer Reports' Top Score
May 9, 2013 1:18 pm | by Tom Krisher, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThe Tesla Motors Inc. Model S electric car has tied an older Lexus for the highest score ever recorded in Consumer Reports magazine's automotive testing. The Model S, which starts at $62,400 after a federal tax credit, scored 99 points on a scale of 100 in the magazine's battery of tests.
U.S. Wholesale Stockpiles Rise In March
May 9, 2013 1:15 pm | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWholesale businesses stepped up their restocking of supplies in March, but their sales fell sharply. The Commerce Department said Thursday that stockpiles held by wholesalers rose 0.4 percent in March compared with February, when they had fallen 0.3 percent.
Explosion-Proof LED Headlamp For Hazard Areas
May 9, 2013 1:14 pm | Products | CommentsLarson Electronics has added a Class 1 and Class 2 Division 1 explosion-proof LED headlamp to its lineup. The company says the EHL-LED-7W-50-HR lamp has been designed for use in hazardous areas, with a wider operating temperature range, brighter light, and drop-proof durability.
New Plastics Research Promises Lighter, More Cost-Effective Production
May 9, 2013 12:17 pm | by The Centre for Industrial Application of Microcellular Plastics (CIAMP), University of Toronto | News | CommentsThe Centre for Industrial Application of Microcellular Plastics (CIAMP) officially opened May 2, bringing with it the promise of lighter, stronger and more cost effective plastic materials for the automotive and construction industries. Located in Mississauga, CIAMP is a state-of-the-art research and development centre with industry-scale facilities for developing innovative, commercially viable plastic foaming and composite technologies.
R&D/Leverage Becomes First Mold Maker To Receive 'Made in the USA' Certification
May 9, 2013 12:13 pm | by R&D/Leverage | News | CommentsR&D/Leverage is the first U.S. mold maker and Structural Brand Development Company to be certified "Made in the USA®," according to Robert Schiavone, Global Marketing Director for the company, which is the full-service plastic product solutions company that created the "Idea, to Mold" business model.
Japanese Auto Parts Maker To Add Jobs In N.C.
May 9, 2013 10:57 am | News | CommentsA Japanese auto parts manufacturer plans to add more assembly lines and hire another 200 workers at an existing North Carolina factory by the end of 2016.Gov. Pat McCrory's office said Wednesday that ASMO North America's Greenville plant already employs more than 530 people who produce parts for front wipers and for radiator fan motors.
Hardinge Inc. To Acquire Forkardt Operations
May 9, 2013 10:54 am | News | CommentsElmira, N.Y.-based Hardinge Inc. has announced that it will acquire Forkardt from Illinois Tool Works in a $34 million transaction of cash and debt that is expected to be completed today. Hardinge officials say Forkardt’s brands include leading providers of high-precision, specialty and customized workholding devices for machine tools.
The U.S. Market & Design For Test
May 9, 2013 8:52 am | by W. Scott Fillebrown, President & CEO of ACD | Articles | CommentsBecause many high-volume printed circuit assemblies are sent outside the United States, it is challenging to test the lower volume/high turnover assemblies domestically. But this does not need to be a problem — some simple planning and the right contract manufacturer (CM) can solve this issue.
Jobless Aid Applications Fall To 323K
May 9, 2013 8:45 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsThe number of Americans who applied for unemployment benefits fell by 4,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 323,000, a fresh five-year low. The decline signals fewer layoffs and possibly more hiring. The Labor Department says the four-week average, a less volatile figure, dropped 6,250 to 336,750.
DOE: Breach At Nuclear Plant 'Unacceptable'
May 9, 2013 8:36 am | by Matthew Daly, Associated Press | News | CommentsA breach in which an 82-year-old nun and two other protesters sneaked into a Tennessee nuclear weapons plant last year is "completely unacceptable" and an "important wake-up call" for the government, the head of an agency charged with safeguarding the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile said Wednesday.
Bangladesh Fire Kills 8 As Collapse Toll Hits 948
May 9, 2013 8:01 am | by Julhas Alam, Associated Press | News | CommentsA fire in an 11-story garment factory in Bangladesh killed eight people, including a ruling-party politician and a top official in the country's powerful clothing manufacturers' trade group, as the death toll from the collapse of another garment factory building passed 900 on Thursday.
Wrigley Pulls Caffeinated Gum Off The Market
May 9, 2013 7:53 am | by Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press | News | CommentsWrigley said Wednesday that it will temporarily halt sales and marketing of Alert caffeinated gum after discussions with the FDA. President Casey Keller said the company made the move "out of respect" for the agency, which said it would investigate the health effects of added caffeine on children and adolescents.
FDA Inspection Triggers Recall By Florida Pharmacy
May 9, 2013 7:50 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsThe Food and Drug Administration warned doctors and pharmacists Wednesday to avoid drugs made by a Florida specialty pharmacy called The Compounding Shop, due to potential safety problems uncovered by health inspectors. The St. Petersburg, Fla.-based pharmacy has agreed to recall all of its sterile drugs.
Wearable Robots Getting Lighter, More Portable
May 9, 2013 7:47 am | by Carla K. Johnson, AP Medical Writer | News | CommentsStill at least a year away from the market, the 27-pound Indego is the lightest of the powered exoskeletons. It snaps together from pieces that fit into a backpack. The goal is for the user to be able to carry it on a wheelchair, put it together, strap it on and walk independently.
Enron's Skilling Could See 10-Year Sentence Cut
May 9, 2013 7:37 am | by Juan A. Lozano, Associated Press | News | CommentsConvicted ex-Enron Corp. CEO Jeffrey Skilling's more than 24-year prison sentence for his role in the once mighty energy giant's collapse could be reduced by as many as 10 years if a federal judge approves an agreement reached Wednesday between prosecutors and defense attorneys.
Detroit Adds Watches To The List Of Stuff It Makes
May 9, 2013 3:21 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsDetroit has a long history of making stuff — cars, steel, even popcorn. Now, the city is home to a manufacturing facility devoted to the production of an item not made at this scale in the U.S. for decades: Wristwatches. A Dallas-based company has set up a production line for its Shinola brand of watches in Detroit.
