The Leading Source for Manufacturing News & Insight
Leak Of NSA Programs Tests U.S., China Ties
June 10, 2013 1:17 pm | by Gillian Wong, Associated Press | News | CommentsChina, which has long chafed at U.S. accusations that it carries out extensive surveillance on American government and commercial operations, may now have to make a decision on how to deal with the problem presented by the 29-year-old Edward Snowden, who has come out as the source of the leaks.
Obama Observes 50th Anniversary Of Equal Pay Act
June 10, 2013 1:15 pm | by Jim Kuhnhenn, Associated Press | News | CommentsPresident Barack Obama says that 50 years after enactment of the Equal Pay Act, the nation still faces gender wage disparities that must be fixed. "This is the 21st century," he declared. "It's time to close that gap." Obama raised the issue while observing the anniversary of the law signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1963.
USMTO: Manufacturing Technology Orders Level Off For April
June 10, 2013 1:05 pm | by AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology | News | CommentsApril U.S. manufacturing technology orders totaled $372.50 million. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTO program, was down 26.6 percent from March and down 12.6 percent when compared with the total of $426.44 million reported for April 2012. With a year-to-date total of $1,650.91 million, 2013 is down 7.0 percent compared with 2012.
AstraZeneca In $560M Deal For Respiratory Firm
June 10, 2013 11:08 am | News | CommentsBritish drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC says it is to acquire Pearl Therapeutics Inc., a Redwood-City, California-based company involved in therapies for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for at least $560 million.
China Auto Sales Growth Slows In May
June 10, 2013 11:06 am | News | CommentsChina's auto sales growth decelerated further in May amid signs of weakness in its economic recovery, with Japanese automakers suffering more declines, an industry group reported Sunday. Sales growth decelerated to 9 percent over the same time last year from April's 13 percent, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.
Canadian Solar Signs Deal For Ontario Plant
June 10, 2013 11:03 am | News | CommentsCanadian Solar landed a $304.2 million contract to construct a power plant in Ontario, sending shares 6 percent higher before the opening bell Monday. Construction begins in the third quarter of 2013 and the plant, being built for Grand Renewable Solar LP, is expected to be fully operational by 2015.
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."
