Industry News

Electrivert Introduces Manufacturing System Analysis

2012-02-09T10:26:54-06:00

Electrivert Inc. recently introduced a new cabling and termination (C.A.T.) scan process to help customers achieve increased efficiency, reliability and serviceability.

The four-phase process is an in-depth analysis of a company's machines, systems and processes that identifies opportunities for improvements in the following key areas:

Cabling selection and consolidation
Connector selection and consolidation for a more modular design
Streamlined build processes
Reduced manufacturing and installation costs
Increased reliability
Greater serviceability
Modifications to meet UL and NFPA regulations

"The Electrivert C.A.T. scan enables us to help our customers streamline their designs, reduce costs and improve overall efficiencies," said Jody Williquette, Electrivert’s business development manager. "Our services identify ways to improv

HELLA to Build to New Plant in Mexico

2012-02-07T11:09:01-06:00

HELLA Lighting plans to break ground on a new 215,000-square-foot facility to produce automotive headlamps and rear lighting systems in Irapuato, Mexico, later this spring.

Located in the state of Guanajuato, the new plant is scheduled to open in June 2013 with an annual capacity of approximately 1.2 million headlamps and 1.5 million rear combination lamps. HELLA plans to invest more than $97 million in the new facility.

The company also is expanding its facilities in Guadalajara, Mexico. A new 9,000-square-foot design and development center for lighting technology is expected to open this March. In addition, HELLA is scheduled to complete a 15,000-square-foot expansion of its Guadalajara manufacturing complex in June.

The new manufacturing facilities will increase HELLA's annual production capacity in the Americas for headlamps from 3.7 million to 4.9 million. Production capacity for rear combination lamps will grow from 2.5 million to 4 million.

Volkswagen to Add 200 Jobs at Tennessee Facility

2012-02-02T08:28:33-06:00

Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga Operations, LLC recently announced the company is creating 200 new jobs at its Tennessee manufacturing facility. The positions are needed as Volkswagen Chattanooga increases production capacity from 31 to 35 cars per hour. The new jobs will be integrated into Volkswagen's current two-shift operation and filled by full-time Volkswagen employees.

"We have had good success hiring local people who can work together as a team to build our cars safely and with the highest quality," said Hans-Herbert Jagla, executive vice president of human resources, Volkswagen Group of America, Chattanooga Operations, LLC. "Now, we are excited to have 200 more people join our team."

The Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga currently employs more than 2,500 people, about 2,000 by Volkswagen and additional 500 by Aerotek, the company's staffing partner.

"These 200 new positions are all full-time Volkswagen jobs,&quo

Daimler Adds 1,100 Jobs at North Carolina Plant

2012-01-31T09:50:29-06:00

Daimler Trucks North America has announced the addition of a second shift and plans to ramp up production at its Freightliner Truck manufacturing plant in Cleveland, N.C., creating more than 1,100 new jobs by the end of 2012. The additional workers represent a 72 percent increase in personnel at the plant and will include approximately 1,072 shop employees and an additional 29 engineering and support positions to facilitate increased production.

A majority of the positions will be filled with recalled workers who were laid off in 2009.The ramp-up will nearly double the daily production rates at the Cleveland plant by October 2012. The increase in production capacity and hiring comes in response to demand growth, which has created backorders as long as six months for the Freightliner Cascadia model.

The Cleveland plant currently employs approximately 1,400 shop employees and 72 engineers, managers and support staff. As the largest Freightliner Trucks manufacturing plant i

Briggs and Stratton to Consolidate Facilities

2012-01-27T16:45:09-06:00

Briggs and Stratton Corporation has announced that it will move existing manufacturing from its Newbern, Tenn., facility to its McDonough, Ga., facility. The company will also close its Czech Republic plant, shifting production to its Murray, Ky., facility. In addition, Briggs and Stratton will continue reducing capacity by reconfiguring and idling certain assets at its Poplar Bluff, Mo., facility.

These changes will result in the closing of the company’s facility in Newbern Tenn., affecting approximately 240 regular employees and 450 temporary employees. Additionally, the closing of the Czech Republic facility will affect approximately 77 regular employees. The company does not anticipate significant employment changes at its Poplar Bluff, Mo., facility.

“The actions announced today to consolidate our manufacturing footprint further will better align our production capacity to the markets we serve,” said Briggs and Stratton CEO Todd Teske. &ldqu

Ultrasound World VIII to be Held in Florida

2012-01-26T08:46:59-06:00

Ultrasound World, a forum for ultrasound technology, has been scheduled for May 14-17, 2012, at the Clearwater Hilton in Clearwater Beach, Fla. Entering its eighth year, Ultrasound World has grown into one of the top conferences for reliability and energy conservation. This year’s program will feature presentations and short courses by users of ultrasound technology and will cover a wide range of topics for condition monitoring and energy conservation.

Among the presentations offered include “No More Equipment Failures! Can You Say That?” by Todd Fraser of Procter and Gamble, who will describe how his department dramatically reduced bearing failure incidents using ultrasound technology. The short course “Clean, Green and Reliable” will explain how equipment reliability delivers low-cost, energy-efficient assets at plants around the world. Other important topics, such as effective energy conservation practices and detecting and a

Colfax Corporation Acquires ESAB

2012-01-24T08:24:25-06:00

Colfax Corporation recently acquired Charter International, owner of ESAB Welding and Cutting Products.

Located in Ireland, Charter International was the parent company of ESAB, a global leader in the welding products industry, and Howden, a manufacturer of heavy-duty air and gas handling equipment.

“We are very excited about this acquisition,” said Andrew Masterman, president and CEO of ESAB North America. “Colfax Corporation is a leading manufacturing company with a proven operating system – the Colfax Business System – and is solidly focused on customer needs and the development of strong brands. This is a perfect fit for ESAB, as we are a world-class leader in the welding industry – a position we have attained by building strong partnerships with our customers and by creating a brand that is trusted worldwide.”

ESAB employs more than 8,500 people worldwide and is one of the top manufacturers in the welding industry

Case IH Plant Receives Energy Efficiency Certification

2012-01-20T08:33:21-06:00

The Case IH tractor plant in Racine, Wis., was recently accredited with ISO 50001 certification for energy management. The certification is intended to provide organizations with the framework for integrating energy practices into their management procedures.

To achieve ISO 50001 certification, the Racine tractor plant was audited by a third-party firm, UL-DQS, which recommended the plant to the American National Accreditation Board (ANAB). Under its current energy management system, the plant will continue to improve its energy efficiency and has formalized its process, tools, roles and responsibilities to ensure the system’s sustainability.

“This accreditation for ISO 50001 recognizes the Racine plant’s continuous improvement in energy efficiency and Case IH&rsqu

Solar Power Plant to be built on Arizona State Campus

2012-01-19T08:29:10-06:00

Salt River Project (SRP), Arizona State University (ASU) and SunPower Corporation have announced an agreement to build a 1-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant at ASU's Polytechnic campus in Mesa, Ariz. The 1-megawatt facility will be the first commercial deployment of SunPower C7 Tracker technology, a solar photovoltaic tracking system that concentrates the sun's power and is designed to achieve the lowest levelized cost of electricity for solar power plants.

SunPower will engineer and construct the plant on the southeast corner of the ASU Polytechnic campus and will operate and maintain it. Under a purchase-power agreement, SRP will buy the entire output of the solar plant from SunPower, while ASU will purchase all of the energy attributable to the plant for use at its Polytechnic campus. The plant is expected to produce energy equal to that needed to serve about 225 SRP customers' homes. It will require minimal water use and will support ASU's renewable energy

Nissan, Daimler to Produce Engines at Tennessee Plant

2012-01-16T16:17:15-06:00

Nissan and Daimler recently announced that they will produce Mercedes-Benz four-cylinder gasoline engines together at Nissan’s powertrain assembly plant in Decherd, Tenn. Production will begin in 2014, with installed capacity of 250,000 units per year.

“This is the newest milestone in our pragmatic collaboration and our most significant project outside of Europe so far,” said Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn. “Localized capacity reduces exposure to foreign exchange rates while rapidly enabling a good business development in North America – a win-win for the Alliance and Daimler.”

The collaboration marks the first production of Mercedes-Benz engines in the North America Free Trade region. The Tennessee plant’s strategic location and logistics links ensure a direct supply of engines starting in 2014 for the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, built at Daimler’s vehicle plant in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

“In the co

Alcoa to Close Tennessee Smelter

2012-01-13T08:47:19-06:00

Alcoa has announced plans to permanently close its smelter in Alcoa, Tenn., which was curtailed in 2009, along with two of the six idled potlines at its smelter in Rockdale, Texas. These closures will reduce Alcoa’s global smelting capacity of 4.5 million metric tons per year by 291,000 metric tons or about 7 percent.

Additional curtailments, which will be announced in the near future, will reduce Alcoa’s global smelting capacity by an additional 240,000 metric tons or about 5 percent.

“These are difficult but necessary steps to improve Alcoa’s competitiveness, preserve and grow shareholder value and protect jobs in the rest of the Alcoa system,” said Alcoa chairman and CEO Klaus Kleinfeld.

In addition to the curtailments, the company will accelerate actions to reduce the escalating cost of raw materials.

Kleinfeld added that Alcoa will work with all affected communities to explore ways to redeve

Chrysler to Reopen Detroit Plant, Add Jobs

2012-01-12T08:33:36-06:00

Chrysler Group LLC is strengthening its ties with the city of Detroit by adding a third crew and 1,100 new jobs at its Jefferson North Assembly Plant (JNAP), expanding the Jeep Grand Cherokee lineup to include a diesel version for North America in the city and reaffirming plans to add 150 jobs by reopening its Conner Avenue Assembly Plant for production of the SRT Viper.

Through its new commitments in the Motor City, Chrysler Group is embracing its Detroit heritage and weaving it into its future plans, which include producing fuel-efficient, environmentally clean vehicles. By adding 1,250 jobs at its two downtown Detroit manufacturing plants, Chrysler Group is demonstrating its belief in the passion, skill and dedication of the Motor City to build luxurious, high-quality, state-of-the art vehicles.

"We are pleased to have Chrysler Group acknowledge the contributions of the UAW here in the Motor City by relying on our workforce to produce two of its most acclai

GE to Build New Pennsylvania Remanufacturing Facility

2012-01-10T09:13:21-06:00

GE Transportation recently announced plans to establish a new production facility in Grove City, Pa., to meet accelerating demand for remanufacturing services. The company will invest approximately $35 million to build capacity at a new diesel engine remanufacturing plant, along with an additional $37 million in the existing plant, for a combined investment of $72 million in manufacturing in Grove City.

The new facility will be located at an existing site where GE anticipates employing up to 250 employees by early 2013, including approximately 100 current GE employees who will transfer from the current Grove City facility. Production is scheduled to begin by the end of 2012.

GE Transportation expects demand for remanufacturing services to increase significantly in coming years. This increase will be

Boeing to Close Wichita Facility

2012-01-06T08:36:44-06:00

The Boeing Company recently announced that the Boeing Defense, Space and Security (BDS) facility in Wichita, Kan., will close by the end of 2013. The facility currently employs more than 2,160 employees.

"The decision to close our Wichita facility was difficult, but ultimately was based on a thorough study of the current and future market environment and our ability to remain competitive while meeting our customers' needs with the best and most affordable solutions," said Mark Bass, vice president and general manager for BDS' Maintenance, Modifications and Upgrades division. "We recognize how this will affect the lives of the highly skilled men and women who work here, so we will do everything possible to assist our employees, their families and our community through this difficult transition."

Boeing Wichita is the base for the company's globa

AOC Earns LEED Silver Certification

2012-01-04T09:10:52-06:00

AOC LLC has earned LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for the design, construction and operation of its world headquarters in Collierville, Tenn.

LEED certification is an internationally recognized standard for green building. Factors like site sustainability, water and energy efficiency, materials, waste management, indoor environmental quality and design innovation earn points for a LEED candidate during evaluation.

AOC's LEED Silver qualifications include:

A geothermal HVAC system
Building materials with recycled or renewable content
Regionally produced construction materials and certified wood
Pollution prevention during construction
Low-emitting sealants, paints and construction materials
A reflective roof which eliminates heat buildup
Maximum use of ambient lighting
Increased ventilation and outdoor air

Patti Engineering Completes Automation Project at Inman Mills Plant

2011-12-30T08:56:44-06:00

Patti Engineering Inc. has announced the successful completion of an automation project at the Inman Mills plant in Inman, S.C., which manufactures a wide variety of yarns and fabrics. This is the sixth textile manufacturing facility Patti Engineering has modernized with custom-designed automation technology.

Inman Mills purchased a pre-owned Autoflow system (conveyors, motors and control panels), including an obsolete electrical-control system. Inman hired Patti Engineering to design and install a state-of-the-art electrical-control system.

The latest PC hardware, Phoenix Contact’s Steeplechase Visual Logic Controller (VLC) and Iconics Graphical User Interface (GUI) software were used to build a fully integrated electrical-control system. In addition to the design and installation, Patti

Tremco Wins 5 Excellence in Design Awards

2011-12-29T10:51:17-06:00

Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance recently announced that it has won five 2011 RoofPoint Excellence in Design Awards.

The RoofPoint program from the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing (Center) is a voluntary, consensus-based green rating system developed to help building owners and designers select non-residential roof systems based on long-term energy and environmental benefits. The Excellence in Design Awards were established as a way to recognize exceptional projects that meet RoofPoint’s mission and criteria. In the inaugural year for the awards, there were 10 categories, and more than 40 entries were submitted. Tremco projects won awards in four categories, as well as an honorable mention.

In the excellence in life cycle management category, Tremco earned the award for efficient re-use of original roofing materials at the Sam Nunn Federal Center in Atlanta, Ga.

Tremco’s winning entry in the excellence in innovation category w

Crown Equipment Earns Recognition from National Safety Council

2011-12-22T09:31:30-06:00

Crown Equipment Corporation recently announced that eight of its facilities have received lift-truck operator awards from the National Safety Council for outstanding safety practices. The award recognizes forklift operators for operator excellence in lift-truck operations by operating lift-truck fleets without recordable or lost-time injuries. The seven manufacturing facilities and one distribution center are all located in Ohio and support Crown’s global business.

This is not the first time Crown and its facilities have been recognized by the National Safety Council. In 2010, the company received an Occupational Excellence Achievement Award for its achievements and implementation of effective safety programs and initiatives. In that same year, the company’s manufacturing facility in Greencastle, Ind., was recognized for achieving 1 million consecutive man-hours (10 years) without a lost-time injury.

“At Crown Equipment, we take great pride in safety ex

Jacobs Awarded Honeywell Contract for Baton Rouge Plant

2011-12-20T09:04:50-06:00

Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. was recently awarded a contract from Honeywell to provide engineering services for the expansion of its Baton Rouge, La., manufacturing facility. Jacobs will execute the work from its offices in Mount Laurel, N.J.

The expansion enables the Baton Rouge facility, which is one of the leading refrigerant suppliers in the United States, to produce Honeywell's new low-global-warming-potential (GWP) blowing agent and propellant (HFO-1234ze) on a commercial scale. Production of HFO-1234ze is scheduled to begin in late 2013.

"We are pleased Honeywell selected Jacobs to be part of this cutting-edge project, especially since the investment will use next-generation technology to improve the energy efficiency for a multitude of applications," stated Jacobs vice president Bob Pragada.

Jacobs is one of the world's largest and most

Lockheed Martin Awarded Operations and Maintenance Contract

2011-12-16T10:50:19-06:00

Lockheed Martin has been awarded work by the U.S. Army's Product Manager, Joint-Automatic Identification Technology organization to provide operations and maintenance for the Radio Frequency In-Transit Visibility (RF-ITV) system. If all options are exercised over the course of five years, the contract is valued at $126 million.

RF-ITV sites exist worldwide in support of combatant commands and must be maintained at optimal levels of operational readiness to support joint forces. Through RF-ITV technology, the system provides last-known locations and in-the-container visibility for shipments that have active RF tags attached to pallets, containers or equipment.

"With the government's and Lockheed Martin's focus on affordability, the RF-ITV system is critical to manage military shipments such as cargo, supplies and unit movement," said DeEtte Gray, Lockheed Martin IS&GS-Defense vice president for enterprise IT solutions. "The Lockheed Martin t

NMHG Facility Named Top Plant

2011-12-15T09:06:17-06:00

NACCO Materials Handling Group (NMHG) Inc.’s Berea, Ky., manufacturing facility has been honored with Plant Engineering’s 2011 Top Plant Award. The award recognizes manufacturing facilities in North America that achieve outstanding operational results through application of engineering disciplines.

"The NMHG Berea facility is elated to receive this accolade," said John Gardiner, NMHG’s vice-president of manufacturing. "Our motto not only at the Berea plant but throughout all of our manufacturing facilities is that our workforce is our strongest asset. In order to empower our associates, we encourage open communication. The free-flow of communication in a cross-functional environment promotes innovation, which helps us reach common goals."

"NMHG Berea has an excellent record of safety, energy management and community involvement," said Bob Vavra, Plant Engineering’s editor and content m

Nice-Pak/PDI Converts Manufacturing Plant to ‘Zero Landfill’

2011-12-13T09:27:30-06:00

Nice-Pak/PDI has announced the transformation of its Orangeburg, N.Y., manufacturing plant into a "zero landfill" facility. The wet-wipe manufacturing plant now sends more than 2,000 tons of non-recyclable waste per year to a waste-to-energy facility in Peekskill, N.Y., where it provides fuel for electricity generation.

"Over the past several years, we have worked hard to maximize our in-plant recycling rate," said Adam Lurie, vice president of operations at Orangeburg. "Now we are using the small percentage of waste that is non-recyclable to produce cleaner electricity. Every year, this eliminates approximately 250,000 cubic feet of landfill, replaces 10 railcars of coal that would otherwise be burned to generate that same electricity and reduces greenhouse gas production by 1,967 metric tons of CO2-e (carbon-dioxide equivalent). That's like removing 380

Honeywell Adsorbents Used to Remove Radiation at Japanese Nuclear Plant

2011-12-09T09:52:36-06:00

UOP LLC, a Honeywell company, recently announced that its adsorbent ion-exchange products are successfully being used by Toshiba Corporation and Shaw Global Services LLC for the cleanup of radiation-contaminated water at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan.

The Simplified Active Water Retrieve and Recovery System (SARRY) is utilizing UOP IONSIV Ion Exchangers to remove and reduce radioactive materials in the contaminated wastewater. The wastewater at Fukushima Daiichi was contaminated after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan earlier this year.

"Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by this disaster," said Mike Millard, vice president and general manager of Catalysts, Adsorbents and Specialties for Honeywell's UOP. "Honeywell's UOP is proud that our advanced ion-exchange products are successfully supporting the efforts to tre

Corporate Culture Cited as Root Cause of Mine Disaster

2011-12-08T13:28:53-06:00

The U.S. Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) recently announced that it has imposed a fine of more than $10 million following its investigation into the April 2010 explosion at the Upper Big Branch-South Mine, which was operated by Performance Coal Co., a subsidiary of Massey Energy Co.

The explosion killed 29 miners and injured two, making it the worst U.S. coal mining disaster in 40 years. A report concluded that Massey's corporate culture was the root cause of the tragedy. MSHA has issued Massey and PCC 369 citations and orders.

"The tragic explosion at Upper Big Branch left dozens of families without husbands, fathers, brothers and sons," said Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "I made a pledge to the families of those we lost and the entire mining community to conduct the most complete and thorough investigation possible in order to find the cause of this disaster. The results of the investigation lead to the con

Caterpillar to Expand Operations in India

2011-12-06T08:34:10-06:00

Caterpillar Inc. has announced that it will build a new state-of-the-art $150-million engine manufacturing facility in India that will produce Perkins-branded 4000 Series engines. The company will also invest an additional $62 million in its off-highway truck manufacturing facility in Chennai. The new investment to expand truck capacity in Chennai is in addition to a $108-million investment for Chennai that Caterpillar announced last year. These new investments are part of the company’s goal to be the industry leader in India.

Caterpillar president Rich Lavin and Caterpillar India and ASEAN country manager Kevin Thieneman announced the new investments during an event celebrating the 40th anniversary of Caterpillar's manufacturing facility in Thiruvallur, India.

"The government of India has embarked on an aggressive plan to accelerate road construction and overall infrastructure development, and Caterpillar and our dealers are continuing to make investments

Toyota Plant Earns Environmental Excellence Award

2011-12-02T16:57:47-06:00

Toyota recently announced that its Columbus, Ind., manufacturing plant, Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg., Inc. (TIEM), was awarded the Indiana Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence in the “Five Years of Continuous Improvement” category. This marks the third time the award has been bestowed on TIEM for implementing exemplary environmental projects with measurable results.

“By seeking out and utilizing innovative environment practices, TIEM has reduced waste, saved money and contributed greatly to Indiana’s environmental protection efforts, benefiting the health and welfare of the state’s communities,” said Indiana Department of Environmental Management commissioner Thomas Easterly.

“One of TIEM’s management pr

Frito-Lay Facility Earns LEED Gold Certification

2011-11-29T13:00:38-06:00

Frito-Lay's new distribution facility in Oahu, Hawaii, has earned the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED gold certification. The 55,000-square-foot design is Hawaii's first industrial "new construction" gold site. LEED certification is awarded from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI). LEED is a nationwide program for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.

Frito-Lay’s building design incorporated LEED requirements such as energy-efficient construction. Some features of the building and construction include an energy-management system to control facility equipment, photovoltaics to generate 10 percent of the facility's electricity, parking on the roof to reduce the amou

Toyota Opens New Mississippi Plant

2011-11-22T08:27:00-06:00

Toyota recently opened a new $800-million manufacturing plant outside of Tupelo, Miss., to assemble the Corolla. As the company’s 14th North American plant, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi (TMMMS) will have the annual capacity to produce 150,000 vehicles and will employ nearly 2,000 people.

"Building vehicles where we sell them helps us be even closer to our customers," said Toyota Motor Corporation president Akio Toyoda. "The U.S. market remains a key to Toyota’s overall success, and Toyota Mississippi will play an important role for us here."

"Toyota chose Mississippi for its dedicated, talented workforce, and I know they will enjoy great success at their newest facility," said Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour. "We are proud to be the home of Toyota, and we look forward to a long and successful relationship with our newest corporate partner."

"Mississippi has provided us with a great workforce

Modal Shop Releases Portable Vibration Calibrator

2011-11-17T11:20:46-06:00

The Modal Shop’s new 9100D portable vibration calibrator promises fast and simple field calibration for various types of accelerometers, velocity transducers and proximity probes. The rugged design makes it ideal for use on the plant floor and for traveling between multiple worksites, while a simplified user interface makes calibration an intuitive process. With calibration capabilities ranging from 7 Hz to 10 kHz over an amplitude range of up to 20 g, the vibration calibrator can be a powerful and versatile calibration tool for test engineers and technicians.

Whether being used to confirm alarm trip points in the plant or to verify sensors in a lab, the simplified navigation and quick four-step calibration process make the 9100D easy to learn and operate. To ca

Kimberly-Clark Receives American Business Ethics Award

2011-11-15T11:53:02-06:00

The Foundation for Financial Service Professionals recently announced Kimberly-Clark Corporation as the large company recipient of the 2011 American Business Ethics Award (ABEA). Kimberly-Clark was recognized at a special award ceremony at its headquarters in Dallas, Texas.

“We are heartened by the many examples of strong business ethics we have had the privilege of seeing through the ABEA program,” said foundation chairman R. Clifford Berg Jr. “We hope that in honoring companies such as Kimberly-Clark that adhere to the highest ethical standards in their dealings with employees, customers and stakeholders, the ABEA provides a beacon that guides others to choose the high road in all their business practices.”

Kimberly-Clark provides essentials to enhance the health, hygiene and well-being of 1.3 billion consumers around the world every day. These products include brands such as Kleenex, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Scott and Depend. Chairman and CEO Thomas

Caterpillar and Vestas Reach Agreement on Remanufacturing Wind Turbine Components

2011-11-10T13:27:42-06:00

Caterpillar Inc. and Vestas Wind Systems have reached a 10-year global agreement to remanufacture wind turbine components.

With the agreement, Caterpillar will supply Vestas with cost-competitive remanufacturing services that will enable its components to meet the highest quality and reliability standards, while at the same time reducing the impact on the environment.

"Caterpillar is a global leader in remanufacturing, and we're excited to be providing those services to Vestas," said Greg Folley, Caterpillar vice president. "Our tradition of quality and continuous improvement will serve Vestas customers well. This agreement is also an example of Caterpillar's focus on sustainable development. By applying our technology and innovation to other products, we use our resources more efficiently, have less impact on the environment and support our customers at the same time."

Cat Reman will use its global presence and expertise to remanuf

Nalco Plant Named Louisiana SAFE Award Winner

2011-11-07T14:08:43-06:00

Nalco has announced that its plant in Garyville, La., has been honored by the Louisiana Chemical Association (LCA) with a 2011 SAFE (Serious About Fostering Excellence) Award for the facility's environmental and safety performance and community outreach efforts.

The Garyville Plant was recognized as the best in Louisiana for class two locations with 101 to 200 full-time employees. The SAFE program evaluates a plant's performance in employee safety, contractor safety, environmental efforts and "good neighbor" activities with local communities. Winners are selected from almost 100 facilities statewide.

"Health and safety, strong environmental performance and keeping our plants, products and people secure are top priorities for all LCA members," said Dan Borne, LCA president. "Chemical manufacturers work relentlessly on this because great performance every day in these critical areas is equally important to folks who live in communities wher

TPI Unveils Vibration Analyzer with RFID

2011-10-31T16:59:46-05:00

Test Products International (TPI) recently introduced a new line of condition-based monitoring instruments designed to help prevent serious safety events, decrease equipment downtime and reduce operation costs.

The Ultra is a handheld vibration analyzer that indicates problems such as imbalance, misalignment and bearing defects. With built-in RFID to identify measurement points, the Ultra offers a high-resolution spectrum and user-selectable demodulation filters.

The included C-Trend software makes it easy to store, analyze and report data for predictive maintenance. Color-coded alarms highlight problems, while trend lines show potential problems before they happen. Optional networking software is available.

For more information, visit www.tes

UE Secures Patent for Reporting Greenhouse Gas Emissions

2011-10-27T15:30:36-05:00

UE Systems recently announced a new patented method of calculating and reporting greenhouse gas emissions in plant leaks. The emissions readings are now installed as part of the company’s Ultratrend data-management software.

“This patent adds a great deal of new value, customization and capability to the already industry-leading Ultratrend DMS,” says Doug Waetjen, Global Operations for UE Systems.

Along with providing compressed air leak information, the Ultratrend DMS can now create reports that also break down gases such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide. The greenhouse gas data measurements are based on state electricity profiles by the Energy Information Administration; Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternative Fuels; and the U.S. Department of Energy.

Traditionally, when taking a comprehensive leak detection survey, all data collected from using one of UE Systems’ digital instruments is downloaded to the

Konecranes Launches Remote Crane Maintenance Services

2011-10-25T10:50:05-05:00

Konecranes recently launched its Truconnect remote services to ensure that cranes used in industrial processes are up and running at all times. The first two products being offered are the Truview data-reporting service and the full-service package Trucare solution.

Based on remote connection between the crane and a Konecranes remote center, Truview provides customers with a realistic view of their crane’s operating conditions through continuous data collection.

“All information from the crane is automatically sent to the remote center to be further processed and finally concretized in sophisticated reports,” says Tuomo Härkönen, head of Global Technical Services. “In the remote center, we have a dedicated organization and enough resources to operate the r

National Instruments Introduces New Vibration Measurement Software

2011-10-24T11:15:44-05:00

National Instruments recently announced the latest version of its NI Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite software, which provides a comprehensive collection of analysis and signal processing tools for noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) testing, machine condition monitoring (MCM) and audio test applications. Engineers can use the suite as stand-alone software or combine it with NI hardware and NI LabVIEW system design software to simplify test system development and control. With its new vibration data-logging functionality and other enhancements, the Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite 2011 helps engineers to more easily customize and automate any MCM or NVH test or monitoring application.

"The NI Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite is an integral part of our MCM applications," said professor Jay Lee, director of the National Science Foundation's Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Intelligent Maintenance Systems at the University of Cincinnati

Toyota Announces Supplier of the Year Awards

2011-10-18T13:13:27-05:00

Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Inc. (TIEM) recently announced the winners of its annual supplier of the year award. The Quality Cost Delivery Award is bestowed to TIEM suppliers whose quality, cost and delivery exceed a 95-percent standard of excellence.

Suppliers are evaluated based on a parts quality rate, their ability to meet cost-reduction targets and on-time delivery performance. All points are awarded based on a corresponding scale for the fiscal year.

For 2011, 12 winners earned the coveted award, from more than 130 suppliers used by TIEM. This year’s winners are Aisan, Anchor Enterprises, Apex, Champion Lift Systems Inc., Commercial Fluid, Julian Electric, NTN Bearing Company of America, Okaya U.S.A Inc., Tasus Corporation, Toyoshima, Toyotomi and US Tsubaki.

"Toyota’s suppliers are a valuable extension to our business, helping us ensure that we deliver the highest quality lift trucks to our customers," said Bruce Nolt

Equipois Wins Technology Innovation Award

2011-10-18T09:15:44-05:00

Equipois Inc. has been awarded a 2011 Technology Innovation Award from the Wall Street Journal. The company won the award in the manufacturing technology category for its zeroG mechanical-arm technology.

“The Wall Street Journal’s Innovation Award is one of the highest honors that a technology company can receive,” said Eric Golden, Equipois CEO. “This recognition is a testament to the vast potential that the emerging field of exoskeletal technology offers – the ability to augment human brains, skills and talent with the stamina, safety and precision of machines.”

Equipois’s zeroG technology is a mechanical exoskeletal arm that enables workers to maneuver tools and other objects as if weightless, with unmatched freedom of motion. As a result, companies can significantly reduce workplace injuries and increase quality and productivity, with annual returns on investment that can reach 200 to 500 percent. Many of the world&r

AIMCO Receives Honda Supplier of the Year Award

2011-10-12T09:57:38-05:00

AIMCO recently announced that the company has received the “Supplier of the Year Award” from Honda. The award was given in recognition of excellence in providing services for Honda plants in Ohio and Indiana.

“Today, we are acknowledging an outstanding group of suppliers that deliver the highest possible value to our customers through their quality products and services,” said Jan Gansheimer, purchasing division senior manager at Honda of America Manufacturing Inc. “All of us at Honda appreciate their excellence at meeting the needs of their customers.”

AIMCO recently celebrated its 40th anniversary as a leading marketer and manufacturer of industrial power tools used for assembly operations. AIMCO offers a comprehensive line of electric

Georgia-Pacific Names Winner of Great American Worker Contest

2011-09-29T15:54:51-05:00

After a nationwide search to find America’s greatest and most hard-working heroes, Georgia-Pacific Professional recently named James Bennett of Harlingen, Texas, as the winner of the 2011 Brawny Industrial Great American Worker Contest.

Bennett, an engineering manager at Cardone Industries, was selected as the national winner because of his leadership in streamlining processes, educating and mentoring his co-workers and his complete dedication to his job. In addition to being named the Brawny Industrial Great American Worker, Bennett is also a winner of a new 2011 Ford F-150 truck.

The contest, which ran from January through June, called for supervisors, co-workers, family and peers to submit a short nomination about someone who excels in their workplace and demonstrates the qua

Royal Bearing Acquires GM Plant Inventory of Bearings

2011-09-01T16:35:04-05:00

Royal Bearing Inc. recently announced that it has acquired the entire inventory of unused machinery bearing spares of the General Motors transmission plant in Ypsilanti, Mich., which closed its doors at the end of 2010. Royal Bearing now has fully integrated the complete inventory purchase into its extensive bearing database.

Acquired during the four-day auction at the 5-million-square-foot Willow Run plant, which was originally constructed as a B-24 bomber manufacturing facility during World War II, were a broad range of bearings from manufacturers such as Timken, Fafnir, Sealmaster, McGill, NTN and SKF, including many precision bearings.

“We are very pleased that we were the successful bidder in the GM purchase,” said Clarence Hopkins, president of Royal Bearing Inc. “Since the GM plant is so close to our warehouse in Livonia, we were able to incorporate the bearings into our existing inventory very quickly and make them available from our Michigan br

NMHG Receives Carolina Star Award

2011-08-04T11:05:44-05:00

NACCO Materials Handling Group (NMHG), makers of Hyster and Yale lift trucks, recently received the prestigious Carolina Star Safety Award at a ceremony hosted by the North Carolina Department of Labor.

In order to qualify for the award, the company had to pass an initial assessment to prove that its facilities are a safe, healthy and productive work environment. The six elements that constitute the Carolina Star’s SEE and ACT requirements are statistics, everyone’s commitment, employee involvement, analyze hazards, control risks and training.

As the latest recipient of the Carolina Star Safety Award, NMHG joins a select group of 135 North Carolina sites.

“NMHG would like to express our gratitude to the North Carolina Department of Labor and Pitt County

ABB Facility Sets Safety Record

2011-07-20T15:37:47-05:00

By exceeding 2.5 million hours worked without a lost-time incident at both its New Berlin, Wis., campus and Fort Smith, Ark., facility, ABB has proven that a safety culture and engaged safety teams can help improve bottom-line performance.

At the company’s New Berlin facility, the number of employees has increased to more than 100 volunteers serving on numerous safety committees. The strong emphasis on safety helped the campus become the first ABB facility in North America to achieve the OSHA VPP Star Level of performance.

DuraLabel Announces Free Printer Loaner Program

2011-07-12T13:23:49-05:00

DuraLabel has announced that it will provide a free printer for qualified customers who need repairs, cleaning or tune-ups. The benefit is increased productivity and fewer work interruptions. DuraLabel printers are used to create industrial signs and labels for applications such as general safety, arc flash, pipe marking and lockout/tagout.

Once loaners are received, machines are tested and serviced. Servicing may include updating firmware, updating print headsprings, checking print head alignment and cleaning print head, platen roller, media guides and cutter assemblies. Usually loaners are returned within a week after the original printer is returned. Whenever DuraLabel customers are without a printer and they have a critical labeling job to manage, they receive a loaner. Overnight loaners are available, too.

“Customers are usually surprised and delighted to hear about the free loaner because we’ve all become so accustomed to paying extra for help,&rdq

Toyota Industrial Equipment Receives National Safety Council Award

2011-07-06T14:58:26-05:00

Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing Inc. (TIEM) was recently awarded the Occupational Excellence Achievement Award by the National Safety Council.

The award is given to companies that have a lost-time injury rate of less than 50 percent of companies in the same business classification. The National Safety Counci

Kimberly-Clark Professional Introduces Healthy Workplace Project Award

2011-06-29T13:25:13-05:00

Kimberly-Clark Professional has announced a new awards program designed to recognize and reward companies that have made a comprehensive corporate commitment to better hand and surface hygiene in the workplace as well as to the education of its employees in the importance of "wash, wipe and sanitize" office hygiene.

The Healthy Workplace Project Award, an additional initiative of Kimberly-Clark's landmark The Healthy Workplace Project, will be awarded to companies that have demonstrated a sustained, significant effort toward breaking the cycle of germ transmission in the workplace. The award recognizes and celebrates the implementation of best practices around office hygiene initiatives as well as employee engagement and education. The announcement of the awards program was made at the 2011 Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International Conference in Washington, D.C.

"We are delighted to introduce a new awards program for companies devel

New SmartMotor Brings Combitronic Capability to Wet Environments

2011-06-28T14:14:39-05:00

Animatics’ new SM23165MT-IP SmartMotor with mil-style connectors offers IP65 ratings with the convenience of a smaller frame size for compact applications. The second in a series of harsh environment-rated products from Animatics, the SM23165MT-IP combines the quality and capabilities of the SmartMotor integrated servo in combination with an IP65 rating. The sturdy design and thicker motor casing provide protection and durability, as well as resist cable stresses, meaning a longer motor life and less down time. Now any factory process using washdown techniques or wet processing environments can benefit from the easily programmable SmartMotor and its unique features such as Combitronic communication protocol and stand-alone linear interpolation.

The IP65-rated SmartMotor not only is com

Life Cycle Engineering Launches Lean Implementation Services

2011-06-24T08:34:12-05:00

In response to requests from its clients in manufacturing and process industries, Life Cycle Engineering (LCE) has added lean implementation services to its consulting and services offerings.

A professional engineering firm with more than 30 years of experience, LCE remains at the forefront of establishing reliability excellence as the preferred approach for companies seeking to improve their performance. LCE’s “Powered by Rx” methodologies are inclusive of critical lean concepts and tools.

Bob Fei, LCE’s president, shares: “Launching a lean services group is a natural addition to our core reliability consulting practice. Lean concepts and principles have always been core to our reliability excellence implementation methodologies.”

“Over the past several years there’s been a pull from our customers to provide support and subject matter expertise for their lean implementation activities,” explains Mark Ruby,

RobotWorx Debunks Used Robot Myths

2011-06-23T12:40:13-05:00

All too often companies are reluctant to consider used industrial robots as a viable automation option, despite their lower cost. Common misconceptions of used robots paint them as slow, finicky and unsupported. However, not every used robot is created equal. Robotics integrator RobotWorx debunks the used robot myths, offering its customers reliable, high-performance and fully warrantied used robots.

“At RobotWorx we’re focused on bringing automation within reach and changing the way used robots are perceived. We take robot reconditioning and customer support very seriously,” RobotWorx President Jarrod Bichon said. “Hopefully more and more companies will give used robots a chance and take advantage of the excellent performance and affordability they offer.”

The secret behind RobotWorx’ top-quality used robots is attention to detail. Prior to reconditioning, the acquisitions team is careful to select only robots with low hours and minim

Study Confirms Accuracy of UE Leak Detectors

2011-06-21T13:56:36-05:00

UE Systems announces a major step in independently verifying the accuracy of its UE3000 leak detectors to estimate compressed air leak flows. Gary Mohr, President of UE Systems, explains, “We always felt that our leak detector did a good job estimating the size of air leaks by using our ultrasonic intensity measurement approach.”

“But to find out that Air Power USA, one of the most highly regarded and experienced compressed air consulting groups in the country, had taken it upon themselves to run head-to-head comparisons of air flow estimates made using our UE3000 system and Air Power’s own engineering- and experience-based approach was gratifying. Air Power’s study results concluded the two approaches came within 5 percent of each other in the aggregate estimate of air flows for five different air studies. Having the difference in the size estimate of any individual leak usually fall within 2 cfm is truly amazing and great news for our customers

Meltric Unveils New DSDC Series Plugs and Receptacles

2011-06-21T09:58:12-05:00

Meltric Corporation of Franklin, Wis., a manufacturer of industrial-duty electrical plugs and receptacles, has introduced a new product line for electrical equipment powered by direct currents. Meltric’s DSDC Series plugs and receptacles provide safer and more robust connections for direct-current applications up to 200 amps at 250VDC, up to 100 amps at 600 VDC or up to 30 amps at 750 VDC.

The DSDC product line offers exclusive safety features including a dead-front safety shutter that prevents user access to live parts and a padlockable pawl that enables easy locking in the connected or disconnected mode. DSDC Series plugs and receptacles utilize solid silver-nickel contact surfaces for maximum performance and durability along with spring-loaded, butt-style conta

DuPont Launches "Dirty Work" Photo Contest

2011-06-20T08:49:47-05:00

DuPont Protection Technologies has announced the launch of the DuPont™ Tyvek® “Dirty Work” Photo Contest. This online contest showcases ways in which workers use Tyvek® garments to help keep safe and clean while performing the dirtiest jobs. Tyvek® provides breathable barrier protection and is used in a myriad of industries ranging from general maintenance to mold remediation to help protect workers from dry particles, aerosols, dirt and grime.

All people who wear Tyvek® garments on the job and are over the age of 18 are eligible to enter the contest. Entrants are asked to take an original photo of themselves in their filthiest state wearing a Tyvek® garment after completing their “dirty work,” then submit the photo to the contest website. Entrants also can submit their photos online via a mobile device. Entrants’ photos will be shown in an online gallery.

“Tyvek® offers lightweight and durable protection

Tango Mobile Offers Equipment History Documentation Through Smart Phone or Tablet Technology

2011-06-17T14:26:38-05:00

Bringing convenience and mobility to industrial maintenance, 24/7 Systems, Inc. now offers Tango™ Mobile. Tango™ software on a smart phone allows plant personnel and managers to retrieve information about plant equipment stored through Tango™ Reliability Information Management.

One problem with asset information is that the asset and its reliability information are located in distant areas. To look up or enter asset information, technicians must leave the asset and go to the computer inan office to access the information.

Tango™ QR codes can be installed on equipment by plant personnel, contractors or repair vendors.

Quickly scan a QR code with Tango™ Mobile and instantly view the following information:

Condition Monitoring History
Equipment Repair History
Equipment Design Details
Linked Documents

Cargill Receives 2011 Dayton Award

2011-05-18T09:30:10-05:00

Lubricant Market Expands to Wind Turbines

2011-05-17T09:08:35-05:00

First Oil Reprocessing Plant in New England Almost Complete

2011-05-16T08:50:44-05:00

YRC Worldwide Launches Initiatives to Reduce Emissions, Cut Costs

2011-05-13T10:30:36-05:00

Valvoline Launches New Line of Recycled Oil

2011-05-13T09:01:53-05:00

New Conveyor Lubricant Released by Ecolab

2011-05-03T08:49:47-05:00

U.S. Manufacturing Expanding Faster Than Forecast

2011-05-03T08:36:03-05:00

Oil analysis provider unveils new services

2011-04-25T15:02:37-05:00

Expanded Lubrication Oil Monitoring for Gas Compressors

2011-04-12T14:13:57-05:00

Abanaki Releases New Edition of Oil Skimmer Facts Handbook

2011-04-12T13:38:22-05:00

Husqvarna Turning to Lean Manufacturing

2011-04-08T14:10:29-05:00

Worldwide Industrial adds grease, oil and lubricants to its marketplace

2011-04-08T08:49:06-05:00

ALS Tribology opens new facility

2011-04-07T14:35:07-05:00

Mobile lubrication system now available

2011-04-07T08:35:03-05:00

Universal Lubricants set to recycle used oil for Colorado company

2011-04-06T16:59:01-05:00

Stainless steel hoist available for clean rooms

2011-04-05T16:21:55-05:00

Ashless extreme pressure additive offered for greases

2011-04-05T14:53:48-05:00

Swedish manufacturer acquires U.S. grease maker

2011-04-04T13:45:32-05:00

KANSAS CITY, MO--(Marketwire - April 4, 2011) - STRATCO, Inc. (online at: www.Stratcoinc.com), an industry leader in providing engineering design, equipment and R&D for the grease, petrochemical, asphalt, roofing and chemical industries, is excited to learn about the announcement by Sweden-based grease manufacturer, Axel Christiernsson -- one of STRATCO's recent customers -- of their mid-March acquisition of US-based grease maker, Jesco Resources, STRATCO's very first customer.

"We have had great experiences with both Axel and Jesco as valued customers over the years," said Cecilia Mancero, Vice President of International Sales at STRATCO, Inc. "Now that these companies are merging, we are excited to enhance our ongoing relationship with them, and we envision a bright, long-lasting and mutually prosperous relationship between STRATCO

University of Leeds engineer receives high honor

2011-04-01T11:31:39-05:00

Ceramic bearings designed for the food processing industry

2011-04-01T10:41:59-05:00

Manufacturing in U.S. Expands at Close to Seven-Year High

2011-04-01T10:19:43-05:00

Oil Fluctuates as U.S. Payrolls Grow, Manufacturing Gains Slow

2011-04-01T10:12:09-05:00

Survey Reveals Manufacturers' Spending Plans

2011-03-31T14:07:11-05:00

Prime Advantage has released the findings from its third annual Group CFO Survey , revealing the top financial concerns of its member companies’ CFOs in 2011. Prime Advantage is a buying group for North America-based small and midsized manufacturers, with more than 700 manufacturers as members.

Highlights of this year’s survey include:

-Nearly all respondents are planning significant capital expenditures in 2011, with 88 % indicating they will buy manufacturing equipment and 56 % planning to buy computer hardware.

-74% said the ability to use business investment tax credits is accelerating plans to invest in manufacturing equipment this year

-86 % said their customers are at least somewhat affected by the cost or availability of credit, though forty-five percent said borrowing conditions have improved since 2010

-Health i

Valvoline introduces lubricants for off-highway use

2011-03-31T10:22:16-05:00

Liquid Wrench launches new grease product line

2011-03-29T09:11:44-05:00

Recycled Oil Gets Even Greener

2011-03-29T09:02:33-05:00

Westar Energy to speak about predictive maintenance

2011-02-18T10:57:32-06:00

Mike Paulsen, a maintenance technician at Westar Energy will present a case study on using multiple predictive techologies in electric power generation at Noria's Reliable Plant 2011 Conference in Columbus, OH on April 19-21, 2011.

Catastrophic equipment failures at power generation facilities can result in costly repairs and forced outages resulting in lost revenue. These outages can damage the reputation of power providers, whose primary objective is to deliver high-quality, reliable and uninterrupted power at the lowest cost to consumers. In his case study presentation, Mike will explain how Westar Energy implemented a condition-based monitoring (CBM) program across its fleet of energy centers. He will discuss the advantages and benefits of each technology, and considerations you might contemplate if deploying a program at your site. Additionally, case histories from actual finds will be covered in detail.

Mike Pau

Caterpillar urges stronger trade relationship between U.S. and China

2011-01-21T08:37:28-06:00

Citing the global importance of continued growth in trade between the United States and China, Caterpillar Inc. on January 21 called for stronger efforts to strengthen the economic relationship between the two countries. China is one of the largest export markets for Caterpillar products made in the United States, with exports to China of more than $2 billion in the last five years.

EPA announces next steps on emissions standards for boilers, Incinerators

2011-01-21T08:31:26-06:00

On January 20, a federal District Court judge in Washington, D.C., issued an order extending by 30 days the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s deadline to issue emission standards for large and small boilers and solid waste and sewage sludge incinerators. EPA is disappointed that the extension was not longer. However, the agency will work diligently to issue these standards by this new deadline.

Winners announced for 2011 Facility of the Year Awards

2011-01-20T16:37:15-06:00

Six pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities constructed in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and the USA have been selected as Category Winners in the seventh annual Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) program sponsored by ISPE, INTERPHEX and Pharmaceutical Processing magazine. A seventh facility was selected to receive an honorable mention.

ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston facility earns LEED certification

2011-01-20T16:31:48-06:00

ConAgra Foods Lamb Weston’s Delhi, La., processing facility received its official Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification on January 20, awarded by the U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC).

Average weekly earnings of U.S. workers was $752 in fourth quarter

2011-01-20T16:28:58-06:00

Median weekly earnings of the nation's 100.1 million full-time wage and salary workers were $752 in the fourth quarter of 2010 (not seasonally adjusted), the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on January 20. This was 0.5 percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 1.3 percent in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) over the same period.

Philadelphia Fed: Manufacturers continue to see increase in business activity

2011-01-20T16:24:01-06:00

Results from the Business Outlook Survey suggest that regional manufacturing activity continues to expand in January. All of the broad indicators remained positive this month and there was an apparent pickup in new orders and employment. Increases in input prices continue to be widespread this month, and more firms reported increases in prices for their manufactured goods. The survey's broad indicators of future activity suggest that firms expect a continued expansion in activity over the next six months.

Thatcher Chemical to pay penalty and reduce air emissions

2011-01-20T15:54:09-06:00

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted compliance inspections of Thatcher Chemical’s Salt Lake City facility in February and April of 2010 to assess compliance with federal risk management program regulations. The settlement requires Thatcher to implement improved maintenance and internal auditing of equipment used to store and process hazardous chemicals, as well as improving documentation of training for employees working with these chemicals

Durasol cited for emergency response, respirator, chemical, electrical and other hazards

2011-01-20T15:52:34-06:00

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Durasol Corporation for 13 alleged serious violations of workplace health and safety standards at its Amesbury, Mass., manufacturing plant. The manufacturer of hard gum erasers faces a total of $43,800 in proposed fines.

Chart: Real earnings fall 0.4 percent in December

2011-01-20T15:49:46-06:00

Real average hourly earnings for all employees fell 0.4 percent from November to December 2010, seasonally adjusted. This decrease stems from a 0.5 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), which offset a 0.1 percent increase in average hourly earnings.

Study yields better turbine spacing for large wind farms

2011-01-20T15:48:14-06:00

Large wind farms are being built around the world as a cleaner way to generate electricity, but operators are still searching for the most efficient way to arrange the massive turbines that turn moving air into power.

Maine seafood processor enters into consent decree with FDA

2011-01-20T15:46:58-06:00

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that the Portland Shellfish Company Inc.; Jeffrey D. Holden, company president; Satyavan Singh, quality manager; and John A. Maloney, general manager, have signed a consent decree prohibiting them from distributing seafood in interstate commerce until the FDA has approved in writing the company’s Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans, sanitation program and Listeria monocytogenes (L. mono) testing program.

OSHA cites Miami firm for failing to protect employees from lead exposure

2011-01-20T15:45:45-06:00

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued citations to Lead Enterprises Inc. in Miami, Fla., alleging that the company knowingly neglected to protect employees from lead exposure. The company is being cited with 32 safety and health violations, and $307,200 in total proposed penalties.

Gates Corporation celebrates 100th anniversary

2011-01-20T08:42:18-06:00

When Charles Gates Sr. bought The Colorado Tire and Leather Company in 1911, little did he know his small shop in Denver would evolve into one of the world’s largest manufacturing enterprises.

Snap-on facility in North Carolina named one of North America's 10 best plants

2011-01-20T08:40:12-06:00

IndustryWeek magazine has selected Snap-on’s Murphy, N.C., power tools manufacturing facility as one of the top 10 plants in North America.

Johnson Controls reports record sales and earnings for Q1 2011

2011-01-20T08:38:16-06:00

For the first quarter of fiscal 2011, Johnson Controls reported record sales and earnings with double-digit improvements by all three businesses. The company also increased its estimate for full fiscal year 2011 earnings.

U.S. companies say offshoring has not cost domestic jobs

2011-01-20T08:33:18-06:00

The sixth annual study on corporations’ offshoring trends was released by the Center for International Business Education and Research’s (CIBER) Offshoring Research Network (ORN) at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and The Conference Board. The study is part of ongoing research into the effects of offshoring trends on American competitiveness and reflects the sentiments of business managers as regional economies around the world continue to recover from the global recession and economic upheaval in Europe and Asia.

General Motors appoints Barra to lead global product development

2011-01-20T08:31:10-06:00

General Motors on January 20 named Mary Barra senior vice president for global product development, to lead the design, engineering, program management and quality of vehicles for the company’s 11 brands around the world.

Nissan obtains integrated ISO14001 certification for all main facilities in Japan

2011-01-20T08:28:27-06:00

Nissan Motor Company Ltd. on January 20 announced that it had received integrated ISO14001 certification, an international standard for environmental management systems, for the company's global headquarters and all of its main facilities in Japan covering the areas of research and development, production, distribution.

Initial U.S. unemployment claims declined by 37,000 last week

2011-01-20T08:25:05-06:00

In the week ending January 15, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial unemployment claims was 404,000, a decrease of 37,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 441,000, the U.S. Department of Labor reported on January 20. The four-week moving average was 411,750, a decrease of 4,000 from the previous week's revised average of 415,750.

Nissan begins NV commercial van production at Mississippi plant

2011-01-19T13:54:39-06:00

Nissan North America Inc. (NNA) on January 19 officially launched production of its all-new 2012 Nissan NV commercial van with Job One ceremonies at its expanded Canton, Miss., assembly facility. In attendance at the ceremony were Nissan Americas chairman Carlos Tavares, Nissan manufacturing and purchasing senior vice president Bill Krueger, Nissan manufacturing Canton vice president Dan Bednarzyk, Nissan commercial vehicles vice president Joe Castelli, Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and Mississippi Development Authority executive director Gray Swoope.