Facilities and Operations
Coca-Cola Opens Myanmar Bottling Plant
June 4, 2013 4:45 am | by Yadana Htun, Associated Press | News | CommentsCoca-Cola began bottling its famous soft drink in Myanmar on Tuesday as part of a planned five-year, $200 million investment after having no local production for more than 60 years. The return of Coca Cola is emblematic of the opportunities U.S. companies see in Myanmar as it builds a free market economy after decades of military rule.
Gauge Of U.S. Manufacturing Sinks
June 3, 2013 11:17 am | by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsA measure of U.S. manufacturing fell in May to its lowest level since June 2009 as slumping overseas economies and a pullback in business spending reduced new orders and production. The Institute for Supply Management says its index of manufacturing activity fell to 49 last month, down from 50.7 in April.
Tesla Promises To Add Charging Stations
May 31, 2013 7:29 am | News | CommentsThe company said Thursday that by the end of next month, it will triple the number of charging stations it runs from the current eight, and the number will go to around 100 in the coming year, putting stations within reach of almost the entire populations of both countries.
Texas Plant To Make First U.S.-Assembled Smartphones
May 30, 2013 8:02 am | by Will Weissert, Associated Press | News | CommentsCellphone pioneer Motorola announced Wednesday that it's opening a Texas manufacturing facility that will create 2,000 jobs and produce its new flagship device, Moto X, the first smartphone ever assembled in the U.S. The company has already begun hiring for the Fort Worth plant.
Amway Building $81M Facility In Michigan
May 30, 2013 7:59 am | News | CommentsAmway Corp. is building an $81 million manufacturing and warehouse facility near the company's headquarters in West Michigan. The direct-sales giant on Wednesday announced the official start of construction of the 317,000-square-foot facility near its headquarters in Kent County's Ada Township.
Hitachi Automotive Expanding Its Operations In Ga.
May 29, 2013 11:04 am | News | CommentsThe expansion will require an additional 290,000-square-foot facility adjacent to its current two buildings, Gov. Nathan Deal said in a written statement. The company's current facility, formerly Unisia of Georgia Corp., was established in Monroe —about 45 miles east of downtown Atlanta — in 1996.
Kansas Officials Break Ground On NBAF Project
May 28, 2013 1:36 pm | by John Milburn, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe lab, slated to conduct research on dangerous animal diseases, will replace an aging facility on Plum Island, N.Y. State officials expect the lab to create more than 300 new jobs averaging more than $75,000 in salary and benefits. Ground was broken Tuesday under cloudy skies on the lab's central utility plant, which will provide a self-contained power supply to the lab.
Odor Complaints Persist At Wisconsin Plant
May 28, 2013 12:34 pm | News | CommentsNew complaints about the odor coming from a Green Bay area plant that processes animal fats and food waste has some Brown County supervisors pushing harder to punish the owners if the matter isn't addressed soon. Supervisor Patrick Evans says the county has provided plenty of time for Sanimax to fix the odor problems.
South Korea Idles 2 Nuke Plants After Cable Tests Faked
May 28, 2013 8:36 am | by Youkyung Lee, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsSouth Korea's trade and energy ministry said Tuesday a company contracted to conduct tests fabricated the results for cables that failed to meet international standards for capacity to withstand changes in voltage and pressure. It warned that the plant shutdowns would result in summer power shortages.
Stricken Japan Nuke Plant Struggles To Keep Staff
May 24, 2013 8:28 am | by Yuri Kageyama, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsKeeping the meltdown-stricken Fukushima nuclear plant in northeastern Japan in stable condition requires a cast of thousands. Increasingly the plant's operator is struggling to find enough workers, a trend that many expect to worsen and hamper progress in the decades-long effort to safely decommission it.
Fisher-Price Moving, Eliminating About 100 NY Jobs
May 23, 2013 9:09 pm | News | CommentsThe majority of jobs will be reassigned to Mattel's El Segundo, Calif., headquarters, and workers have been offered relocation packages, but an unspecified number of employees received layoff notices, said Fisher-Price, the maker of Little People and Power Wheels.
Dover To Spin Off Communications Businesses
May 23, 2013 9:28 am | News | CommentsEquipment maker Dover Corp. said Thursday that its board has approved a plan to spin off some of its communication technologies businesses into a new publicly traded company. The new company will be known as Knowles Corp. and products will include acoustic components such as microphones, speakers, receivers and transducers. It also will produce communication infrastructure components, Dover said.
Made In The USA Back In Style For Small Businesses
May 23, 2013 8:04 am | by Joyce M. Rosenberg, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsReverie is one of a growing number of small businesses that are chipping away at the decades-old trend of manufacturing overseas. They're doing what's known as reshoring, moving production back to U.S. factories as labor costs grow in countries like China and India and shipping also becomes more expensive.
Ford To End Auto Production In Australia
May 22, 2013 10:03 pm | by Kristen Gelineau, Associated Press | News | CommentsThe closure of the U.S. automaker's plants in the state of Victoria will mean the loss of 1,200 jobs and will transform the company into an import-only brand in Australia. Ford began making cars in Australia in 1925 and is the third largest auto manufacturer in the country.
U.S. Auto Factories Cutting Back On Summer Downtime
May 22, 2013 7:43 am | by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP Auto Writer | News | CommentsThe three Detroit carmakers traditionally shut factories for 14 days around July 4 to do maintenance and change the machinery for new models. But they don't have that luxury this year. U.S. demand for new cars and trucks has been strong, up 7 percent through April, led by soaring demand for full-size pickup trucks.
Ericsson Closes Down Cable Production, Cuts Jobs
May 21, 2013 12:16 pm | News | 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.
Silicon Valley-Area Hub Becomes Factory Town
May 20, 2013 8:28 am | by Martha Mendoza, AP National Writer | News | CommentsFrom Tesla Motors, making cutting-edge cars, to Solaria, making solar panels, manufacturers are drawn to Fremont by incentives including a five-year waiver on business taxes, an expedited regulatory process, proximity to Silicon Valley firms and a skilled labor force.
4-month Strike At Peugeot Citroen Plant Ends
May 17, 2013 11:27 am | News | CommentsA four-month strike at a car factory north of Paris has come to an end, although the workers say they will still fight a plan to close the plant. PSA Peugeot Citroen said Friday that it had signed an agreement with the CGT union to end the strike, which started in January. The CGT called the strike "suspended."
The Ten Commandments Of Industrial Ethernet
May 17, 2013 8:02 am | by Mike Fahrion, Director of Product Management, B&B Electronics | Articles | CommentsA Wi-Fi-enabled computer can connect to multiple networks at the same time. Your employees can give a hacker a pathway into your internal network simply by powering up a laptop. Imagine the mess an eco-terrorist could make if he didn’t like the look of your smokestack.
Authorities: Crime Not Ruled Out In Texas Blast
May 17, 2013 7:49 am | by Nomaan Merchant, Associated Press | News | CommentsInvestigators working in the remnants of an exploded Texas fertilizer plant sifted by hand through untold kernels of corn, moved tons of debris and conducted more than 400 interviews, while searching for the missing piece to solve what many officials compared to an extraordinary puzzle.
The Hidden Cost Of Summer Heat
May 16, 2013 2:29 pm | by Megan Browning, Big Ass Fans | Articles | CommentsUncomfortable working conditions lead to heat-related illnesses and decreased productivity, which negatively affect the bottom line of the business. When working conditions become distracting and debilitating to workers, personal comfort must be addressed to regain lost productivity.
Koch Nitrogen Building Plant In Oklahoma
May 16, 2013 8:05 am | News | CommentsKoch, based in Wichita, Kan., said it plans to invest about $1 billion in the project, with construction slated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2014 and the plant to become operational in 2016. The company said the project will increase fertilizer production by more than 1 million tons per year.
2 Companies To Expand Operations In Puerto Rico
May 16, 2013 7:57 am | News | CommentsOne of the largest eye care companies in the U.S. is expanding its operations in Puerto Rico. Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla says CooperVision will invest $250 million to build 15 new production lines, a project that will create some 350 new jobs. The company currently employs 1,600 workers at a plant in the southern town of Juana Diaz.
Manufacturing Revival Radio: Big Ass Fans — Keeping Cool While Saving Energy
May 14, 2013 2:22 pm | by Manufacturing Revival Radio | Podcasts | CommentsToday we had the pleasure of speaking with two individuals that are helping keep America’s work force comfortable. We welcomed to the show James DeSmet and Christian Taber, Director of Engineering and Operations Senior Applications Engineer (respectively) of Big Ass Fans.
Honda To Produce New Acura NSX In Central Ohio
May 14, 2013 11:12 am | by Lisa Cornwell, Associated Press | News | CommentsHonda's new version of its Acura NSX sports car will be produced at a new plant inside one of the automaker's former facilities in central Ohio, Honda said Tuesday. The new $70 million plant, called the Performance Manufacturing Center, will be inside the former North American Logistics facility and adjacent to Honda's existing factory in Marysville.
