The Lead
Sports Seem OK For Many With Heart-Zapping Device
May 21, 2013 | by Lauran Neergaard, AP Medical Writer | Comments
A registry tracked 372 people who stuck with competitive sports after having a defibrillator surgically implanted to guard against dangerous irregular heartbeats — and found that the lifesaving device worked when needed despite the physical exertion.
United Restarts 787 Flights After Grounding
May 21, 2013 8:14 am | by Joshua Freed, Associated Press | Comments
The failure of Boeing's newest, flashiest and most important plane embarrassed the company and...
Chinese Rice Contaminated With Cadmium
May 21, 2013 8:22 am | Comments
An official notice Tuesday said mills in Hunan province's Youxian county were ordered to suspend...
Firm To Appeal Nuclear Plant Whistleblower Case
May 21, 2013 8:04 am | by Roxana Hegeman, Associated Press | Comments
The Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found Enercon Services...
Advanced Technical Finishing Invests $10 Million In Huntsville Facility
May 21, 2013 3:29 pm | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | CommentsAdvanced Technical Finishing, the Huntsville, Ala.-based surface treatment resource for components in a variety of industries — aerospace, defense, medical and transportation — is adding 16,000 square feet to the current facility with a $10 million investment.
Equipment Lease Finance Industry Confidence Improves In May
May 21, 2013 2:10 pm | by The Equipment Leasing & Finance Foundation | CommentsWhen asked to assess their business conditions over the next four months, 9.7 percent of executives responding said they believe business conditions will improve over the next four months, up from 6.3 percent in April. 87.1 percent of respondents believe business conditions will remain the same over the next four months, up from 84.4 percent in April.
Germany's SAP To Recruit Tech Staff With Autism
May 21, 2013 1:37 pm | CommentsGerman software giant SAP AG said Tuesday it plans to recruit people with autism to take make full use of their talents to process information. Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by difficulties in communicating, emotional detachment and rigid or repetitive behavior.
France: Drug Company On Trial, Suspected In Deaths
May 21, 2013 12:28 pm | CommentsA French drug company and its founder are on trial on charges of misleading the public about a diabetes drug marketed as a weight loss method and suspected in hundreds of deaths. But after years of delays in one of France's biggest recent health scandals, the proceedings could still be pushed back further.
Hershey Tapping Into 'Milk Candy' Market In China
May 21, 2013 12:19 pm | CommentsThe new product marks Hershey's latest push to expand its presence in China, where the potential for sales growth is far greater than in developed countries such as the U.S. But the company has plenty of catching up to do with just 2.2 percent of the country's chocolate market, according to Euromonitor International.
Ericsson Closes Down Cable Production, Cuts Jobs
May 21, 2013 12:16 pm | CommentsWireless equipment maker Ericsson AB says it will close down its telecom cable manufacturing operation and cut around 350 jobs in Sweden. Ericsson said Tuesday it has given notice to 318 workers in the city of Hudiksvall in Sweden and has started negotiations with unions to cut another 36 positions in Stockholm.
Kohler To Pay $9.6M In Patent Suit
May 21, 2013 12:05 pm | CommentsJurors in U.S. District Court in Boston last week found Kohler willfully infringed on the patents issued in 2008 and 2010. They are owned by an affiliate of the Westerbeke Corp., which accused Kohler of infringing on both patents with several models of its low carbon monoxide marine generators.
Microsoft Reveals Xbox One
May 21, 2013 12:03 pm | by Derrik J. Lang, AP Entertainment Writer | CommentsFor the past two years, Microsoft has led the gaming industry in console sales with the Xbox 360. In April alone, consumers spent $208 million on Xbox hardware, software and accessories, more than rival consoles from Nintendo and Sony, according to market research firm NPD Group.
GM Investing $44.5 Million In Mich. Plant, Hiring 200
May 21, 2013 10:55 am | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | CommentsLansing, Mich.-based General Motors today announced a $44.5 million investment for its Lansing Grand River Assembly plant, which currently manufactures the Cadillac ATS and CTS. With the investment, the company will build a 400,000 square-foot Logistics Optimization Center and hire 200 additional employees.
Feds: NYU Researchers Took Bribes From Chinese Co.
May 21, 2013 8:20 am | CommentsThe researchers' work involves MRI technology. It's funded by the National Institutes of Health. They're accused of providing nonpublic information about the technology to a medical company in China and a research institution supported by the Chinese government.
GM Giving Paid Internships To 110 HS Students
May 21, 2013 8:10 am | CommentsGeneral Motors is kicking the tires on a unique new internship program for Detroit-area high school students. GM has hired 110 students for paid summer internships, the automaker said Monday in announcing the formation of the GM Student Corps, a program that combines service, education and mentoring.
Panel: Apple Uses Firms Outside U.S. To Avoid Taxes
May 21, 2013 7:47 am | by Marcy Gordon, AP Business Writer | CommentsThe strategies Apple uses are legal, and many other multinational corporations use similar tax techniques to avoid paying U.S. income taxes on profits they reap overseas. But the report found that Apple uses a unique twist, and lawmakers are raising questions about loopholes in the U.S. tax code.
Walmart Pushing For More U.S.-Made Products
May 21, 2013 7:40 am | by Chuck Bartels, Associated Press | CommentsWalmart Senior Vice President Michelle Gloeckler said promoting in-state vendors will improve sales and help the world's largest retailer sell more U.S.-made products. Presently, 44 Arkansas suppliers produce 73 brands and 1,700 items for Walmart, according to the company.
Economists Predict Increase In Consumer Spending
May 20, 2013 2:01 pm | CommentsThe economists predict that the U.S. economy will grow 2.4 percent this year and 3 percent next year. That's unchanged from their forecast in February. But they are more bullish on consumer spending and housing than they were three months ago, in part because of a more positive view about unemployment.
Judge Gives Final Approval To A123 Bankruptcy Plan
May 20, 2013 1:59 pm | by Randall Chase, AP Business Writer | CommentsA Delaware bankruptcy judge has given final approval to the reorganization plan of failed battery maker A123 Systems Inc., which was the recipient of a $249 million Department of Energy grant. Monday's court hearing resolved minor outstanding issues following the sale of most of the company's assets to the U.S. arm of Wanxiang Group Corp. for nearly $257 million.
Marine Who Dumped Toxins Felt Illness Was Payback
May 20, 2013 1:55 pm | by Allen G. Breed, AP National Writer | CommentsAs a young Marine electronics technician at Camp Lejeune in the mid-1970s, the Massachusetts man figured he'd dumped hundreds of gallons of toxic solvents onto the ground. It would be decades before he realized that he had unknowingly contributed to the worst drinking water contamination in the country's history.
Ex-Saab Execs Arrested On Accounting Charges
May 20, 2013 1:46 pm | CommentsProsecutor Olof Sahlgren says the three are "suspected of aggravated attempts to avoid tax controls" by allegedly falsifying parts of Saab's accounts between 2010 and 2011 — a crime that carries a sentence of up to four years in prison.
Special K Churns Out Products In Brand Evolution
May 20, 2013 1:44 pm | by Candice Choi, AP Food Industry Writer | CommentsThe new line, which promises to fill people up with 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, reflects Special K's push to move in step with evolving trends. Until now, Special K products largely gave dieters low-calorie imitations of their fantasy foods.
Royalty Pharma Increases Bid For Elan
May 20, 2013 1:40 pm | CommentsRoyalty Pharma is raising its offer to buy Elan on the condition that shareholders reject the Irish drugmaker's push to refocus its business through a string of recently announced deals. Royalty says it will pay $12.50 in cash for each share of Elan Corp. PLC. That adds up to a total value of about $7.5 billion.
Survey: 12-Month High In English Manufacturing SME Confidence
May 20, 2013 12:59 pm | by Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) | CommentsGrowth prospects amongst English manufacturing SMEs is at a twelve month high according to the latest Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) Barometer, which reveals nearly two thirds (64 percent) of companies questioned are expecting to increase sales over the next six months.