Facilities and Operations
OSHA: OH Plant 'Could Have Prevented' Worker Death
April 25, 2013 2:17 pm | News | CommentsA federal agency has cited an Ohio aluminum plant with eight safety violations following the death of a worker who was crushed by a hot metal rack stacked with heavy aluminum. OSHA said Extrudex Aluminum acted with knowing disregard or plain indifference to hazards at the company's plant in North Jackson in northeastern Ohio.
Anheuser-Busch Tries To Block Ohio Brewery Measure
April 25, 2013 2:06 pm | News | CommentsThe world's largest brewer is trying to stop Ohio from enacting a measure that would prohibit brewers from buying wholesale beer distributors. That provision was part of a bill that moved quickly through the Legislature last week and is now before Gov. John Kasich.
Historic Mine Shutting Down After Gold Price Drop
April 25, 2013 2:02 pm | News | CommentsU.S. Silver & Gold is shutting down its historic Drumlummon mine because it costs more to produce an ounce of gold than it's worth, the company announced. During the first three months of 2013, the mine near Marysville produced just over 2,100 ounces of gold at a cost of nearly $2,300 per ounce.
Tests Detail Pollutants At Former Ford-Owned Site
April 25, 2013 1:57 pm | News | CommentsTesting on a site formerly owned by Ford Motor Co. in suburban Detroit where chemical solvents have been found shows pollutants are more widely dispersed than initially suspected. Results were discussed Wednesday at a public meeting, and there's concern a park and area homes could be affected.
Bangladesh Collapse Factories Ignored Evacuation
April 25, 2013 10:41 am | by Al-Emrun Garjon and Julhas Alam, Associated Press | News | CommentsMore than 230 people were killed when the eight-story building splintered into a pile of concrete because factories based there ignored the order and kept more than 2,000 people working.Wednesday's disaster in the Dhaka suburb of Savar is the worst ever for Bangladesh's booming and powerful garment industry.
Inquiry Into Texas Blast Plagued By Regulatory Gap
April 25, 2013 7:59 am | by Ramit Plushnick-Masti, Associated Press | News | CommentsFederal and state officials investigating last week's deadly blast at a Central Texas fertilizer company are trying to determine whether a fire at the plant could have ignited a supply of ammonium nitrate. But how much of the highly explosive fertilizer was stored at the site is unclear because of a gap in federal regulations.
S. Korea Demands Talks With N. Korea On Closed Factory
April 25, 2013 3:19 am | by Hyung-Jin Kim, Associated Press | News | CommentsSouth Korea on Thursday warned of unspecified "grave measures" if North Korea rejects talks on a jointly run factory park shuttered for nearly a month — setting up the possible end of the last remaining major symbol of inter-Korean cooperation.
BPI To Pay EPA Fine For 2007 Waterloo Accident
April 24, 2013 1:23 pm | News | CommentsBeef Products Inc. has agreed to pay a $450,000 civil penalty to settle alleged violations of Clean Air Act regulations from a 2007 incident at a now-closed Waterloo packing plant which killed a worker and injured another. In the accident more than 1,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia was released into an area occupied by workers and two became trapped.
Hostess Plans To Reopen Georgia Baking Facility
April 24, 2013 8:07 am | News | CommentsHostess Brands, LLC has announced plans to re-launch its bakery in Columbus and plans to add about 300 jobs in the area over the next several years. The Georgia Department of Economic Development Tuesday announced the company plans to resume operations this summer and will produce a full assortment of iconic Hostess snack products — including Twinkies.
DMV Denies Tesla's Dealership Request
April 24, 2013 8:02 am | News | CommentsVirginia officials have rejected a request from electric car maker Tesla Motors to operate its own dealership at a Tysons Corner mall. State law requires manufacturers to sell cars through a dealer, unless the manufacturer can show that no dealer is available.
HELUKABEL Launches High-Flex Cleanroom Cables
April 23, 2013 4:33 pm | Product Releases | CommentsHELUKABEL has expanded its cleanroom-approved power and daa cable product portfolio with the launch of it CLEANFLEX series, which are UL/CS-approved. According to the company, they come in both shielded and unshielded power and data cables, and are suitable for continuously-flexing, cable track machinery in cleanroom applications.
Monsanto Plans $400M Expansion
April 23, 2013 2:10 pm | News | CommentsA $400 million expansion planned for the Monsanto Co.'s research center in suburban St. Louis could bring 675 new jobs to the region during the next three years, the company said Tuesday.The agricultural products company said it will add 36 new greenhouses, offices, laboratory space and "plant growth chambers."
DOE Seizes $21M From Electric Car Maker
April 23, 2013 7:25 am | by Matthew Daly, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Obama administration has seized $21 million from troubled automaker Fisker Automotive Inc. just weeks after the company laid off three-fourths of its workers amid continuing financial and production problems. Fisker had received $192 million in federal loans before a series of problems led U.S. officials to freeze the loan in 2011.
ABB Plans Power-One Acquisition For About $1B
April 22, 2013 8:25 am | News | CommentsThe Swiss power technology company ABB Ltd. is buying solar equipment maker Power-One Inc. for about $1 billion. The acquisition would ramp up ABB's capability to supply a key component used in solar systems. ABB will become an even larger supplier of solar inverters, which change the variable direct current output from solar panels into an alternating current.
Safety Rules Limited For Small Fertilizer Plants
April 22, 2013 8:05 am | by Jack Gillum and Ramit Plushnick-Masti, Associated Press | News | CommentsSmall fertilizer plants nationwide fall under the purview of several government agencies, each with a specific concern and none required to coordinate with others on what they have found. The small distributors — there are as many of 1,150 in Texas alone — are part of a regulatory system that focuses on large installations and industries.
Taking Manufacturing To School
April 21, 2013 8:36 pm | by Lindsey Jahn, Associated Editor, Food Manufacturing | Blogs | CommentsAn AMP Steering Committee was appointed, and in July 2012, the Committee issued a report with 16 recommendations to help AMP attain its mission. The report included five “workstreams,” or focus areas, each of which the Committee assessed and then made recommendations for improvement.
Statement From Adair Grain Inc. Regarding West Fertilizer Co. Fire and Explosion
April 19, 2013 5:23 pm | News | CommentsDonald Adair, lifelong resident of the community of West, Texas and owner of Adair Grain Inc., today issued the following statement: "This has been a terrible week for everyone in West, Texas and I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt sympathy for those affected and my appreciation for those who responded."
Boeing Slows 747 Production On Weak Demand
April 19, 2013 10:28 am | News | CommentsBoeing says it will slow down production of its superjumbo 747-8 because of weak demand. Boeing builds two of the planes every month. It's slowing that rate to one and three-quarters per month. Boeing had warned that a slowdown was possible if demand didn't improve.
Toyota To Build Lexus In Kentucky, Add 750 Jobs
April 19, 2013 10:25 am | News | CommentsToyota will start building the Lexus ES 350 at its Georgetown, Ky. plant in 2015, producing the luxury brand for the first time in the United States. The Japanese car company said Friday that the Georgetown plant will build about 50,000 of the vehicles each year, creating 750 new jobs.
Grand Design RV Plans 500 Jobs In Indiana
April 19, 2013 8:01 am | News | CommentsA new recreational vehicle manufacturer announced plans Thursday to create 500 jobs in Elkhart County by 2016 in the second major jobs announcement for the industry in northern Indiana in nine days.Gov. Mike Pence joined executives of Grand Design RV as the company announced plans to locate its headquarters and manufacturing operations in Middlebury.
Texas Requires Sprinklers, Feds Told None In Plant
April 19, 2013 7:54 am | by Ramit Plushnick-Masti, Associated Press | News | CommentsTexas Commission on Environmental Quality air permit chief Mike Wilson says the agency required sprinklers and safety barriers for the fertilizer storage and blending facility in West. The measures are required because the plant handles anhydrous ammonia, a flammable substance that can be used as a fertilizer.
VW Dropping Third Shift At Chattanooga Plant
April 18, 2013 1:45 pm | News | CommentsThe company said the plant opened by creating a new product with new suppliers and a new workforce and extra workers were brought on through a staffing supplier temporarily. Volkswagen said increased efficiency is allowing the plant to return to two daily shifts in what the company calls a workforce adjustment.
Toyota Hopes To Produce New Vehicle Model In Ky.
April 18, 2013 9:06 am | by Roger Alford, Associated Press | News | CommentsToyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky is in the running to produce an unspecified new vehicle model and add 570 permanent full-time workers at its Georgetown plant, according to details the carmaker provided to state officials to qualify for tax incentives.
Texas Plant Explosion Kills As Many As 15
April 18, 2013 8:51 am | by John L. Mone and Michael Brick, Associated Press | News | CommentsRescue workers searched rubble early Thursday for survivors of a fertilizer plant explosion in a small Texas town that killed as many as 15 people and injured more than 160 others. The blast left the factory a smoldering ruin and leveled homes and businesses for blocks in every direction.
Opel: German Plant To End Production By End 2014
April 17, 2013 12:11 pm | News | CommentsGeneral Motors' loss-making Opel division has confirmed it plans to end production at a plant in Germany by the end of 2014. Adam Opel AG said Wednesday in a statement that the Bochum plant would wind down production as part of its plan to reduce costs and turn the division around. The plant's 3,200 workers make the Zafira compact.
