In this episode of MBT’s Manufacturing Newswire, we’ll discuss manufacturing hubs in the U.S., as well as the latest word on horse meat.
We’ll also talk automation trends, and take a look at the first ever wheel driven track system for pickup trucks.
Check out the full interview with "PC" Romano, board chairman of CSIA and CEO of Avid Solutions, here.
Boss-Napping
In what is a distant fantasy for most people has become reality in France this month as two Goodyear Dunlop Tires France bosses were held captive by workers and spent the night inside a factory in northern France. The plant, which Goodyear has tried to sell or shutter for five years, has become an emblem of France's labor issues.
When boss-napping failed, the workers sued parent-company Goodyear in a U.S. court to block the shutdown, but the case was dismissed last week because the lawsuit failed to prove its claims of contract violations or wrongful interference.
Manufacturing Hubs
President Obama is following through on a year-old promise to set up hubs around the country as magnets for high-tech manufacturing. He brought his pitch to North Carolina last week, using the occasion to announce that the southern state is the first of three recipients of these new manufacturing innovation hubs.
The president said that a consortium of 18 businesses and six universities led by North Carolina State University will spearhead the effort. The aim is to better focus on developing next-generation power electronics with the president dedicating $200 million to get the hubs up and running.
Horse Meat
It looks like Americans won’t get their horse meat afterall. The resumption of commercial horse slaughter in the U.S. was blocked by a budget measure that withholds money for required federal inspections of the slaughtering process. The measure stops the Agriculture Department from spending money for inspections necessary for slaughterhouses to ship horse meat interstate and eventually export it to overseas consumers.
The last domestic horse slaughterhouses closed in 2007, a year after Congress initially withheld inspection funding. After federal money was restored in 2011, plants in New Mexico, Missouri and Iowa began trying to start horse slaughtering.
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Face to Face
According to the Control System Integrators Association, or CSIA, automation is driving increased factory productivity as manufacturers have improved their existing facilities by rebuilding and replacing older control systems.
“PC” Romano, board chairman of CSIA and CEO of Avid Solutions, is here to talk about the automation trends you should be aware of.
To see PC’s full response to this question, please visit the video section of mbtmag.com.
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Automotive News
Well it’s Auto-palooza time again, better known as the Detroit Auto Show. GM’s new CEO, Mary Barra, kicked off the show and introduced GMs new truck lineup, including the new GMC Canyon.
Concept cars from Kia, Audi and Volkswagen stirred up buzz at the Detroit Auto Show. Toyota got in on the action too with its FT-1, which could become the new Toyota Supra. But for now, you can only drive the FT-1 in a video games since the real one has no engine.
Ford is at it again and unveiled a more fuel-efficient F-150 with a body built almost entirely out of aluminum. The lighter material shaves as much as 700 pounds off the 5,000-pound truck, a revolutionary change for a vehicle known for its heft and an industry still heavily reliant on steel. The key question for Ford is: Will customers embrace such a radical change?
Clip of the Week
And now for our clip of the week. It’s that time of year when much of the nation is dealing with snow and polar vortexes, so meet Track N Go, the first ever wheel driven track system for pickup trucks.
A: After 15 years of experience in snow machine and all kinds of track conversion kits, AD Boivin Design Inc. of Quebec Canada, has developed this product for industrial and personal applications.
In only 15 minutes you can install all 4 TRACKS '' N '' GO. Giving adults an excuse to call in sick and enjoy the snow.
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