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Prototype Military Plane Crashes; Ford Attacks GM Trademarks; Glass Factories Close | Today in Manufacturing Ep. 29

Also on the podcast, worker blamed for natural gas blaze, pet food plant faces backlash, Mondelez workers strike, Lordstown to begin limited production and Facebook pitches VR meetings.

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The Today in Manufacturing Podcast is brought to you by the editors from Manufacturing.net and Industrial Equipment News (IEN).

In each episode, we discuss the five biggest stories in manufacturing, and the implications they have on the industry moving forward. This week:

Natural Gas Blaze Blamed on Operator Error

On February 6, 2019, an excavator operator working for Kilford Engineering was digging a trench to install fiber optic conduit in San Francisco. The mini excavator's bucket struck a PG&E gas pipe - causing a leak and igniting the natural gas main.

Pet Food Factory Reeks of 'Rotting, Dog Food-Like Excrement'

Residents in Neptune City, New Jersey are complaining about a Nylabone plant on the Jersey Shore. One resident described the odor coming from the plant as “rotting, dog food-like excrement.”

Glass Factories Close, 400 Jobs Lost

Apogee Enterprises, which manufactures architectural products used on commercial buildings, recently announced a reorganization that will close plants in Georgia and Texas. The cuts include 400 layoffs.

Ford Asks Patent Office to Rescind GM's Trademarks

According to the Detroit Free Press, Ford has filed a request with the US Trademark & Patent office, asking the agency to rescind some trademarks owned by GM, including “Cruise” and “Super Cruise.”

Prototype Military Plane Crashes Outside Moscow

A prototype of a Russian military transport plane crashed while performing a test flight, killing all three crew members on board.

In Case You Missed It

Mondelez Workers Striking at Several U.S. Nabisco Plants 

At least 200 workers at a Nabisco factory in Portland, OR are on strike following a failed deal with Mondelez. Additional strikes have formed at a plant in Richmond, VA, a sales center in Aurora, CO and a Nabisco bakery in Chicago.

Facebook VR Meetings App

Facebook is trying to pull in workplace users with a new virtual-reality meetings app called Horizon Workrooms. Workrooms lets people meet remotely in a virtual space populated by avatars. It's an app for Facebook's headset, which costs at least $300 and weighs a pound.

Lordstown Poised to Begin Limited Production

Lordstown Motors expects to begin limited production of its electric pickup truck next month, yet the future of the Ohio start-up remains hazy.

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