Resources for manufacturing

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.

Reliability Reduces Waste of Time, Talent and Resources

2012-02-06T08:45:11-06:00

Waste is seen in many different forms in manufacturing. Some of these wastes include physical, time and talent.

Physical waste is anything that is left over from the process that has to be discarded, recycled or sold. For every process, there is an expected amount of waste that is unavoidable. However, the waste that we will focus on is the excess waste that is produced because of equipment or process reliability issues. There are many processes that are a one-shot process, where if it is interrupted during the process, all of the materials become waste.

Time waste also directly relates to equipment and process reliability. Any time that the system is down for unplanned maintenance, that means there is extra time required to make up the work, idle manpower and manpower required to correct the deficiency. In many cases, the extra time required to make up the work falls into overtime or extra shifts.

Talent waste is the use of time and education to repair or cor

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

Solving Maintenance Problems with Mobile Collaboration

2012-01-25T08:41:27-06:00

Time is money. For companies with operations spread across the globe, delays in equipment maintenance issues or production line problems can kill the bottom line. If the most skilled engineer is located in New York or Detroit and the most important machinery is in Mexico or China, costs mount quickly when decisions are delayed. Typically, the expert (or a whole team of experts) would board a plane to go and try to solve the problem, causing further delays and incurring expensive travel costs. With mobile collaboration, no one leaves their desk, let alone the country.

Secure Mobile Video

The standard form of video collaboration facilitates face-to-face meetings in video-conferencing boardrooms. However, for manufacturers, the heart of their business is often the plant floor —

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Automotive industry pursuing new technology, techniques

2011-04-05T09:44:06-05:00

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

Ceramic bearings designed for the food processing industry

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

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

Philadelphia area manufacturing activity continues to expand

2011-01-21T08:41:36-06:00

Results from January's Business Outlook Survey suggest that the Philadelphia regional manufacturing activity continues to expand. The diffusion index of current activity edged down slightly to 19.3 in January from a revised reading of 20.8 in December. In the special questions, firms were asked about the factors that are influencing their hiring plans.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Former ThedaCare CEO on learning from manufacturing leaders

2011-01-20T08:57:28-06:00

Dr. John Toussaint, former CEO of ThedaCare, talks about how he learned from and was mentored by leaders from industry.

Nissan launches utility van at Mississippi plant

2011-01-20T08:55:10-06:00

Nissan North America's manufacturing plant in Canton, Miss., is adding one more vehicle to its production line, a utility van that will be an innovative addition to the global automaker's award-winning fleet.

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.

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.

GM names Stephens as its new global chief technology officer

2011-01-19T13:37:26-06:00

In a move to bring greater focus and urgency to developing leading edge technology for all General Motors vehicles, the company on January 19 named Thomas G. Stephens its new global chief technology officer (CTO).

Best practices for strategic talent management in manufacturing organizations

2011-01-19T09:57:47-06:00

Increasingly CEOs, boards and other executives are asking human resources leaders to help achieve corporate goals by addressing a number of talent management challenges. Within the manufacturing sector, many organizations have implemented programs such as the ISO 9001 quality management system in an effort to drive profitability and competitiveness. ISO standards require organizations to be able to identify skill sets and competencies for each job in order to maintain certification.

ASQ World Conference focuses on new role of quality

2011-01-19T08:14:12-06:00

The new role of quality: Tomorrow’s applications of proven quality tools is the theme of ASQ’s 2011 World Conference on Quality and Improvement, May 16-18, 2011, in Pittsburgh. Conference registration is available here. The conference content seeks to re-examine the role that quality can play in the face of today’s challenges. It also provides an array of networking opportunities and further education on the latest industry trends, as well as insight into how quality makes a global impact.

Deere to invest $100 million to build tractor factory in India

2011-01-19T07:50:53-06:00

Deere & Company said January 19 that it will increase its capacity to build agricultural tractors in India. Deere said the action will better position the company to pursue the considerable growth projected for the Indian tractor market.

Bull's-eye: How darts are manufactured

2011-01-19T07:48:05-06:00

Ever wonder how darts are manufactured? Find out by checking out this video from the Discovery Channel's "How It's Made" television series.

Ford commits to keeping jobs in Missouri

2011-01-19T07:38:26-06:00

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon joined Ford executives and suppliers on Tuesday, January 18 at a press conference announcing a new vehicle production line that will be coming to Ford's Claycomo plant in Kansas City once the Ford Escape production moves to Kentucky. Missouri gave its commitment to the industry last year when it passed the Manufacturing Jobs Act, which was key in Ford's decision to stay in the state.

Boehringer Ingelheim to purchase Amgen facility in Fremont, Calif.

2011-01-19T07:34:39-06:00

Amgen Inc. and Boehringer Ingelheim on January 19 announced they have signed an agreement under which Boehringer Ingelheim will acquire Amgen's rights in and substantially all assets at Amgen's Fremont, Calif., development and manufacturing facility.

Tour of Vance & Hines manufacturing plant

2011-01-18T14:09:28-06:00

The great guys at Vance & Hines invited us to Brownsburg, Ind., to shoot video for an episode for PSM Racer TV. This is a behind-the-scenes tour of their manufacturing plant that builds exhaust systems for their own race bikes as well as consumers.

Alcoa, CPI agree to develop aluminum, energy projects

2011-01-18T14:07:20-06:00

Alcoa and the China Power Investment Corporation (CPI) will collaborate on a broad range of aluminum and energy projects representing more than $7.5 billion of potential investment over the coming years, under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the companies on January 18.

Ford commits to invest $400 million, retain jobs in Kansas City

2011-01-18T14:01:17-06:00

Ford Motor Company on January 18 announced a further commitment to U.S. manufacturing with plans to build a new vehicle at its Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri after Ford Escape production moves to Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant and retooling of the Kansas City facility is complete.

Chrysler celebrates production launch at Windsor Assembly Plant

2011-01-18T13:59:23-06:00

Joined by Chrysler Group CEO Sergio Marchionne, government officials and CAW leadership, employees at the Windsor Assembly Plant (WAP) on January 18 celebrated the launch of production of the new 2011 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country. The vehicles are two of the 16 new or significantly refreshed products the company debuted last year.

FDA obtains permanent injunction against Deltex Pharmaceuticals

2011-01-18T13:55:25-06:00

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on January 18 announced that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas entered a consent decree of permanent injunction against Deltex Pharmaceuticals Inc., of Rosenberg, Texas, its president, Kabir Ahmed, and vice president, Mohidur R. Khan.

Chart: Producer prices by month since December 2001

2011-01-18T13:51:41-06:00

On an unadjusted basis, prices for finished goods advanced 4.0 percent in 2010 after climbing 4.3 percent in 2009.

NAM: Excessive government regulations have harmed economic growth

2011-01-18T10:40:42-06:00

National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) senior vice president for government relations and policy Aric Newhouse issued the following statement on January 18 regarding President Obama’s executive order to review federal regulations harming economic growth:

Virginia lost fewer manufacturing jobs over the past 12 months

2011-01-18T10:13:20-06:00

Industrial employment in Virginia fell 2.2 percent over the past 12 months according to the 2011 Virginia Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News Inc. MNI reports Virginia lost 7,707 industrial jobs between October 2009 and October 2010, about a third of the loss MNI reported over the 2008-2009 survey period.

How NTN manufactures ball bearings

2011-01-18T09:13:22-06:00

Ever wonder how NTN manufactures its ball bearings? Find out by checking out this video from the Discovery Channel's "How It's Made" television series.

Conditions for New York manufacturers improved in January

2011-01-18T08:52:26-06:00

The Empire State Manufacturing Survey, released January 18 by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, indicates that conditions for New York manufacturers improved in January. The general business conditions index rose 2 points to 11.9. The new orders index moved up 10 points to 12.4, and the shipments index surged 18 points to 25.4. After a sharp decline last month, the inventories index rose above zero. Employment indexes also climbed into positive territory. Both the prices paid and prices received indexes rose, pointing to an acceleration in both input prices and selling prices. Future indexes conveyed a high level of optimism, with the future general business conditions index advancing to a level not seen since early 2010, while future price indexes climbed to multiyear highs.

Rockwell Automation to acquire process control and automation systems integrator

2011-01-18T08:49:01-06:00

Rockwell Automation Inc. on January 18 announced it has agreed to purchase Hiprom, a leading process control and automation systems integrator headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Strong performance in 2010 readies Airbus for another busy year

2011-01-18T08:38:38-06:00

Airbus is heading into an active 2011 as the company targets key milestones that include the startup of final assembly for its new-generation A350 XWB jetliner, the initiation of A400M military airlifter series production, the beginning of deliveries for A330 Multi Role Tanker Transports, and a possible decision on further ramp-ups in the A320 Family’s production rate.

Boeing sets 787 first delivery for third quarter

2011-01-18T08:36:44-06:00

Boeing announced January 18 that it expects delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner in the third quarter of this year. The new delivery date reflects the impact of an in-flight incident during testing last November and includes the time required to produce, install and test updated software and new electrical power distribution panels in the flight test and production airplanes.

Chevrolet sold one vehicle every 7.4 seconds in 2010

2011-01-18T08:35:04-06:00

Chevrolet sold 4.26 million vehicles globally in 2010, an average of one every 7.4 seconds. As a result, Chevrolet’s share of global vehicle industry sales grew by 0.35 points as the brand accounted for about 5.8 percent of all vehicles sold worldwide in 2010. Of the top five global vehicle brands, only Chevrolet grew its total market share last year.

An inside look at Mercedes-Benz plant in Germany

2011-01-17T09:05:48-06:00

This video provides a glimpse inside Mercedes-Benz's manufacturing plant in Bremen, Germany.

World productivity returns to solid growth, but future trend remains unclear

2011-01-17T09:00:18-06:00

The world economy returned to solid productivity growth in 2010, as GDP in most countries recovered strongly from the 2008-2009 financial and economic crisis, while employment lagged behind, The Conference Board reported on January 17.

Airbus celebrates its 10,000th order

2011-01-17T08:47:45-06:00

Airbus announced January 17 its 10,000th order with a firm contract from Virgin America for 60 A320s, including 30 A320neo aircraft. This is the first firm order for the A320 new engine option; therefore Virgin America becomes the launch customer for the A320neo. This formalizes and expands an initial commitment given at the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2010 with the inclusion of the A320neo as a new development in that deal. The 30 A320s will feature fuel-saving large wing tip devices called Sharklets. Virgin America has not yet announced its engine choice on the newly ordered A320s or the A320neo. Seating configuration on the aircraft will be the same as its existing A320 fleet (146-149 seats) in a two-class configuration.

Airbus attained record for aircraft deliveries in 2010

2011-01-17T08:42:44-06:00

Airbus has increased its production output for the ninth year in a row and achieved a new company record of 510 (2009: 498) commercial aircraft deliveries to 94 customers (of which 19 were new). Deliveries included 401 A320 Family aircraft, 91 A330/A340s and 18 A380s. In its military division, Airbus delivered 20 light and medium military and transport aircraft (CN235 and C295), exceeding the 2009 figure by four aircraft.

Must-see: OK Go's Rube Goldberg machine music video

2011-01-14T14:19:55-06:00

The video was filmed in a two-story warehouse in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. The "machine" was designed and built by the band OK Go, along with members of Syyn Labs over the course of several months. Way cool and fun!

GE ships 1,000th aeroderivative gas turbine

2011-01-14T14:11:10-06:00

GE on January 14 announced the shipment of its 1,000th LM6000 aeroderivative gas turbine to Black Hills Corporation as part of its Pueblo Airport Generation Station being constructed in Pueblo, Colo. GE’s 1,000 LM6000 gas turbines produced to date have accumulated 21.8 million operating hours for 260 customers in 43 countries on six different continents, including in 37 of the 50 United States.

Fed report: U.S. industrial production increased 0.8 percent in December

2011-01-14T14:04:46-06:00

Industrial production in the United States increased 0.8 percent in December after having risen 0.3 percent in November, the Federal Reserve announced on January 14. The rate of change for industrial production was revised down in November but revised up in September and October; the net effect of the revisions from July to November left the level of industrial production in November slightly higher than was previously reported. For the fourth quarter as a whole, industrial production increased at an annual rate of 2.4 percent, a slower pace than in the earlier quarters of the year. In the manufacturing sector, output moved up 0.4 percent in December with gains in both durables and nondurables. Excluding motor vehicles and parts, factory output increased 0.5 percent. The output of mines advanced 0.4 percent; the output of utilities surged 4.3 percent, as unusually cold weather boosted the demand for heating. At 94.9 percent of its 2007 average, total industrial production in December was 5.9 percent above its level of a year earlier. The capacity utilization rate for total industry rose to 76.0 percent, a rate 4.6 percentage points below its average from 1972 to 2009.

Chart: Import, export prices increase in 2010

2011-01-14T14:01:30-06:00

Preview of 2011 EASTEC convention in Massachusetts

2011-01-14T09:01:59-06:00

At EASTEC 2011, the largest annual manufacturing show on the east coast, 3,500 personnel will be on hand to showcase the latest equipment and technology at more than 500 exhibits. Attendees will learn how to apply advanced technologies, cut their carbon footprint, hold down costs, cultivate new "wallets" in the form of emerging markets, and apply lean methods.

Toyota president outlines goals, mission for 2011 and beyond

2011-01-14T08:40:21-06:00

The following "2011 New Year" message was delivered January 14 by Toyota president Akio Toyoda.

A salute to technical jargon (see if you can follow along)

2011-01-13T13:56:31-06:00

Engineers have a tendency to speak a language of their own. Understanding and translating that language can prove difficult.

With that said, here is two minutes of technical jargon heaven, thanks to our friends at Rockwell Automation. This video was created in 1997. If anyone can decipher it into a two-minute elevator speech for the common man, please let me know.

Click on the link below and enjoy.

Oregon lost fewer manufacturing jobs over past 12 months

2011-01-13T13:33:49-06:00

Industrial employment in Oregon fell 3.2 percent over the past 12 months according to the 2011 Oregon Manufacturers Directory, an industrial directory published annually by Manufacturers' News Inc. MNI reports Oregon lost 7,530 industrial jobs and 114 manufacturers between October 2009 and October 2010, less than half the loss reported by MNI over the 2008-2009 survey period.

DOL to assist workers affected by manufacturing layoffs in northeast Iowa

2011-01-13T13:25:32-06:00

The U.S. Department of Labor on January 13 announced a $775,351 National Emergency Grant to assist about 115 workers affected by layoffs at five companies in northeast Iowa.

FDA seeks to halt processing, distribution at New York juice company

2011-01-13T13:23:18-06:00

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice on January 13 filed a complaint for permanent injunction against a Jamaica, N.Y.-based beverage company to prevent it from processing and distributing juice and other products.

How Lea & Perrins makes its worcestershire sauce

2011-01-13T08:28:30-06:00

Ever wonder how Lea & Perrins manufactures its worcestershire sauce? Find out by checking out this video from the Discovery Channel's "How It's Made" television series.

Genentech Oceanside's continuous improvement journey

2011-01-13T08:25:42-06:00

This video provides a talk with Kawa Chiu, associate director of manufacturing at Genentech Oceanside, about initial, and lasting, Right First Time successes.

Dick Gephardt: Manufacturing and innovation can go together

2011-01-13T08:23:10-06:00

Champion of manufacturing and former House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt talks about the role that manufacturing must play in turning around the U.S. ship, and how workers can ready themselves for uncertainty ahead.

The role of the UAW in the 21st century

2011-01-13T07:55:26-06:00

The following is the speech given by United Auto Workers president Bob King to the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit on January 12, 2011.

How popcorn is manufactured

2011-01-12T13:07:09-06:00

Ever wonder how popcorn is manufactured? Find out by checking out this video from the Discovery Channel's "How It's Made" television series.

Steelcase to consolidate additional North American manufacturing facilities

2011-01-12T08:19:32-06:00

Steelcase Inc. on January 12 announced the planned closure of three manufacturing facilities in North America as part of its ongoing efforts to improve the fitness of its business and strengthen the company's long-term competitiveness. The company expects to move production within these facilities to other Steelcase locations in North America over the next 18 months.

Butschek selected as new head of operations at Airbus

2011-01-12T08:10:16-06:00

Günter Butschek has been appointed as executive vice president (EVP) of operations at Airbus and will take up this position on March 1. He will become a member of the Airbus executive committee and replaces Gerald Weber, who will leave Airbus after successfully completing his missions. Butschek will also become chairman of the board of management of Airbus in Germany (Airbus Operations GmbH).

How scissors are manufactured

2011-01-11T13:50:49-06:00

Ever wonder how scissors are manufactured? Find out by checking out this cool video.

Report forecasts 2011 global automotive assembly to exceed 75 million units

2011-01-11T13:47:42-06:00

On January 11, PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Autofacts announced its 2011 global light vehicle assembly forecast to exceed 75 million units, a new industry peak.

Engineers researching Team USA luge sled design

2011-01-11T13:38:18-06:00

Two engineers from Clarkson University will work to design a faster, more aerodynamic sled for the United States Luge Team, which it hopes to use at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

For ICM Controls, investing in U.S.-based manufacturing pays off

2011-01-11T09:05:11-06:00

U.S.-based manufacturers are increasingly finding themselves reacting to shifts in the global supply chain that are increasing prices and delivery lead times. Rather than rolling over and crying uncle, vertically integrated companies are playing on their strengths, which include faster times to market for new, updated, or custom-built products.

Manufacturing roundtable with manufacturing czar Ron Bloom

2011-01-11T08:53:12-06:00

Silicon Valley manufacturing CEOs, CFOs and venture capitalists hosted Ron Bloom, senior counselor to the U.S. President for manufacturing policy at the global headquarters of Applied Materials.

Boeing celebrates final assembly of 1,000th 767 aircraft

2011-01-11T07:50:00-06:00

Final assembly started January 10 on the 1,000th Boeing 767 airplane. Workers marked the milestone with a celebration at the Everett, Wash., factory.

Report: Nissan sold more than 1 million vehicles in China in 2010

2011-01-11T07:48:08-06:00

Nissan (China) Investment Company Ltd. (NCIC) on January 10 announced its sales performance including Infiniti for the whole year of 2010: altogether 1,023,638 units sold in the China market, a 35.5 percent sales growth compared to a year before. Infiniti division sales doubled with 11,513 units sold. In the year of 2010 Nissan's sales in China became the largest over those in United States and Japan.

Toyota reveals Prius family of vehicles at North American International Auto Show

2011-01-11T07:41:32-06:00

Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc. unveiled the Prius family of vehicles January 10 at the 2011 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. In addition to the current third-generation Prius and Prius Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle (PHV), the new Prius v midsize hybrid-electric vehicle and the Prius c Concept vehicle joined the iconic hybrid brand, broadening the appeal of Prius to all ages and lifestyles.

CK Technologies to build $20 million manufacturing facility in Texas

2011-01-10T14:46:29-06:00

CK Technologies LLC (CKT), a unit of Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Cascade Engineering and leading supplier to the commercial truck and bus market, on January 10 announced that it will build a manufacturing facility for interior, exterior, and functional (under-the-hood) assemblies in Brownsville, Texas. The new facility involves a capital investment in excess of $20 million and is expected to create 121 jobs during 2011.

Ford to add 7,000 U.S. workers during next two years

2011-01-10T14:43:21-06:00

Ford Motor Company on January 10 announced it will add 7,000 new hourly and salaried jobs between this year and next in the United States.

Dow outlines solutions for reviving U.S. manufacturing sector

2011-01-10T14:35:57-06:00

The Dow Chemical Company on January 10 announced the official book launch of “Make It in America: The Case for Re-Inventing the Economy.” Told through the voice of Dow chairman and chief executive officer Andrew N. Liveris, the book combines the best thinking on how to drive economic growth from Dow employees working in areas such as government affairs and public policy to legal, finance and R&D, with Liveris’ own perspectives and experience of running one of the world’s largest global companies. The result is a set of practical policy solutions and business strategies on how to reinvent and grow America’s manufacturing sector for the 21st century.

Manufacturing technology consumption up 82.7% year-to-date

2011-01-10T14:32:18-06:00

November U.S. manufacturing technology consumption totaled $318.18 million, according to AMTDA, the American Machine Tool Distributors’ Association, and AMT - The Association For Manufacturing Technology, in a report released on January 10. This total, as reported by companies participating in the USMTC program, was down 17.7 percent from October but up 81.1% when compared with the total of $175.68 million reported for November 2009. With a year-to-date total of $2,792.58 million, 2010 is up 82.7% compared with 2009.

How Trane manufacturers air conditioning units

2011-01-10T08:33:33-06:00

Ever wonder how Trane manufactures its air conditioning units? Find out by checking out this video.

Toyota launches new collaborative safety research center in Michigan

2011-01-10T08:14:31-06:00

Toyota announced January 9 that it is launching a new, advanced safety research center that will collaborate with leading North American universities, hospitals, research institutions, federal agencies and other organizations on projects aimed at reducing the number of traffic fatalities and injuries on America’s roads.

Tour of Larson-Juhl frame manufacturing plant in Wisconsin

2011-01-07T13:39:36-06:00

Take a tour of Larson-Juhl's premier custom picture frame moulding manufacturing facility, located along the shores of Lake Superior in Ashland, Wis. Learn how fine quality picture frames are created through this informative video that details each step in this interesting process. This video also shares what the Larson-Juhl Ashland team does to keep their focus on sustainable lumber procurement and product development. Through the various steps the team takes, Larson-Juhl's Ashland facility is a proud recipient of FSC, PEFC and FSC forest-friendly certifications, recognized throughout the world for responsible lumber management.

Chrysler celebrates production launch of Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger at Brampton assembly plant

2011-01-07T13:30:53-06:00

Chrysler Group LLC celebrated the launch of production on January 7 of the all-new 2011 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger as well as the 2011 Dodge Challenger at its Brampton (Ontario, Canada) Assembly Plant (BAP). The vehicles are three of the 16 new or significantly refreshed products the Company debuted last year.

As U.S. manufacturing continues growth, standards help boost economic engine

2011-01-07T13:27:21-06:00

Virtually every company doing business today is engaged in one way or another in the global manufacturing supply chain, whether as a vendor or as a user of a component produced outside of the United States. Standards are an important part of the engine driving the manufacturing industry, increasing operational efficiency, reducing regulatory compliance and procurement costs, and avoiding duplication of effort.

How racing wheelchairs are manufactured

2011-01-07T07:34:53-06:00

Ever wonder how racing wheelchairs are manufactured? Find out by checking out this video from the Discovery Channel's "How It's Made" television series.

Alcoa to restart idled U.S. smelters, fill 260 jobs

2011-01-07T07:13:55-06:00

Alcoa on January 7 announced plans to restart idled potlines at three aluminum smelters in the United States, creating approximately 260 new jobs through recall and hiring. The restarted facilities will increase Alcoa’s aluminum production by 137,000 metric tons over the course of 2011 and by 200,000 metric tons on an annual basis thereafter. The restarts allow Alcoa to take advantage of long-term, low-cost power options that will continue to move Alcoa down on the aluminum cost curve and improve overall competitiveness.

Boeing hits 2010 airplane delivery target, achieves strong order bookings

2011-01-07T06:59:20-06:00

Boeing recorded 462 commercial airplane deliveries in 2010, meeting company guidance of approximately 460 deliveries during the year. Boeing posted 530 net commercial orders for the year as air carriers transition from economic recovery to expansion. Boeing Commercial Airplanes maintains a strong order base of 3,443 unfilled orders.

GM, Argonne sign licensing deal for advanced battery chemistry

2011-01-06T13:41:51-06:00

General Motors Comapny and the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory announced January 6 they have reached a worldwide licensing agreement to use Argonne's patented composite cathode material to make advanced lithium-ion batteries that last longer between charges and can charge at higher voltages.

Raytheon facility honored as one of North America's best plants

2011-01-06T09:18:42-06:00

IndustryWeek magazine has named Raytheon Company's Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, Mass., one of its "Best Plants" for 2010.

Tour of AstroTurf manufacturing facility

2011-01-06T09:16:16-06:00

This video provides a tour of the AstroTurf manufacturing facility and shows how it produces a synthetic football field.

Manufacturing Institute announces Growth Initiative

2011-01-06T08:55:52-06:00

The Manufacturing Institute announced January 6 a new national strategy to boost manufacturing business revenue across the United States. The Growth Initiative will enable small, medium and large manufacturing companies to more effectively grow their businesses through access to world class, online business growth development skills training. Participating companies will begin to rollout carefully designed Growth Initiative Sales Campaigns, based on an affordable online training curriculum delivered through their local manufacturing associations and organizations.

NIST appoints leader for MEP and Baldrige programs

2011-01-06T08:44:31-06:00

The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced January 6 that Phillip Singerman has been appointed to the newly created position of associate director (AD) for innovation and industry services. Beginning on January 31, Singerman will lead NIST’s suite of external partnership programs, including the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership, the Technology Innovation Program and the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program.

Boeing delivered 116 commercial aircraft in Q4, 462 for 2010

2011-01-06T08:36:19-06:00

The Boeing Company announced January 6 its deliveries across its commercial and defense operations for the fourth quarter of 2010.

APQC recognizes ESI for excellence in new product development processes

2011-01-05T13:41:36-06:00

Electro Scientific Industries Inc., a supplier of innovative laser-based manufacturing solutions for the microtechnology industry, on January 5 announced that the American Productivity & Quality Center (AQPC), the international resource for benchmarks and best practices, has recognized ESI as one of five top organizations demonstrating excellence in its recently released “New Product Development: Embracing an Adaptable Process” study. AQPC selected ESI out of more than 280 participating organizations.

GE laser lab specialist examines industrial applications for high-tech products

2011-01-05T13:30:06-06:00

Robert Tait, an optical specialist in the Laser & Metrology Systems Lab at GE Global Research, will be at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. As he writes on the lab’s blog, he attends every year to see how the latest consumer technology could be leveraged for industrial applications.

GE, IBEW investing in U.S. manufacturing

2011-01-05T09:14:59-06:00

After years of attempts to remain viable in a cut-throat global manufacturing environment, the GE refrigerator plant in Bloomington, Ind. -- which employs nearly 700 members of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 2249 -- was the site of good news last fall. The factory, which was slated for closure two years ago, announced in October that it will hire 200 more workers, part of a $93 million facility upgrade to add a new line of side-by-side refrigerators that will incorporate "green" insulation and other components.

Study looks at enhancing food safety culture to reduce foodborne illness

2011-01-05T08:42:40-06:00

If providing safe food is a priority, why do large outbreaks of foodborne illness keep happening? Incidents like 2010's salmonella-in-eggs outbreak sickened more than 1,900 across the U.S. and led to the recall of 500 million eggs.

American Honda vehicle sales rose 25.5% in December, 7.6% for 2010

2011-01-05T08:40:51-06:00

American Honda Motor Company Inc. on January 4 reported December monthly new vehicle sales of 129,616, an increase of 25.5 percent on a daily selling-rate* basis. American Honda's 2010 annual vehicle sales totaled 1,230,480, an increase of 7.6 percent compared to 2009 results.

Nissan North America sales climbed 27.7% in December, 18% for 2010

2011-01-04T13:45:09-06:00

Nissan North America Inc. (NNA) on January 4 reported record December U.S. sales of 93,730 units versus 73,404 units a year earlier, an increase of 27.7 percent. Nissan Division sales were up 26.3 percent for the month, also a December best. Sales of Infiniti vehicles rose 37.3 percent over the prior year.

Toyota reports flat sales for 2010; December figures down 2%

2011-01-04T13:24:25-06:00

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) USA Inc. on January 4 reported December sales results of 177,488 units, a decrease of 2.0 percent from the same period last year, on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. On a raw volume basis, unadjusted for 27 selling days in December 2010, compared to 28 selling days in December 2009, TMS sales were down 5.5 percent for the month, compared to the same period last year.

Ford posts 19% increase in sales for 2010; December numbers up 17%

2011-01-04T13:20:55-06:00

Ford’s full-year sales totaled 1.935 million, up 19 percent vs. a year ago, marking the largest increase of any full-line manufacturer.

Chrysler's 2010 U.S. sales improved 16% vs. 2009

2011-01-04T13:17:19-06:00

Chrysler Group LLC on January 4 reported U.S. sales of 100,702, a 16 percent increase compared with sales in December 2009 (86,523 units). Chrysler Group sales of 1,085,211 units in 2010 increased 17 percent compared with 2009 sales.

General Motors vehicle sales increased 21% in 2010; December sales jumped 16%

2011-01-04T13:13:05-06:00

General Motors dealers reported 223,932 total sales in December, a 16-percent increase from a year ago for the company’s four brands, it was announced on January 4. The gain was driven by solid retail sales which were 27 percent higher than a strong December a year ago. For the calendar year, total sales for GM’s four brands increased 21 percent to 2,202,927, while retail sales rose 16 percent for the year. GM’s four brands sold 118,435 more vehicles this year than the company did with eight brands in 2009, and will gain total and retail market share for the year.

Kao Brands embarks on operational excellence journey with software platform

2011-01-04T11:16:18-06:00

GE Intelligent Platforms on January 4 announced that its Proficy Software platform has been chosen by Kao Brands of Cincinnati, Ohio, for a complex batch execution system in primary operations across its many consumer products. The company is looking toward improved quality, decreased cycle time in the process and implementation, increased versatility, testing and reduced commissioning time for its production lines.

U.S. factory orders improved 0.7% in latest report

2011-01-04T11:07:53-06:00

New orders for manufactured goods in November, up four of the last five months, increased $3.2 billion, or 0.7 percent, to $423.8 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau reported on January 4. This followed a 0.7 percent October decrease. Excluding transportation, new orders increased 2.4 percent.

How train wheels are manufactured

2011-01-04T08:44:39-06:00

Ever wonder how train wheels are manufactured? Find out by checking out this video from the Discovery Channel's "How It's Made" television series.

Kids take tour of hunting bow manufacturing plant in Wisconsin

2011-01-04T08:37:15-06:00

This video features a tour of the Mathews Inc. manufacturing plant in Sparta, Wis. Mathews is the largest grossing bow manufacturer in the world. Mathews produces lots of different compound bows. The video creators found out that Mathews has sold more than 1 million bows since 1992, when the company was started. And they spend a lot of time working to make their product better and better which is why their slogan, "catch us if you can" makes a lot of sense. We heard about how Matt McPherson, the owner of Mathews, put the company on the map with single cam technology (Solocam), which makes their bows lighter, faster, quieter and very, very accurate. That's very important stuff when you are taking a shot at a whitetail out in the woods.

Global manufacturing PMI ended 2010 at a six-month high

2011-01-03T13:53:55-06:00

At a six-month high of 55.0 in December, the JPMorgan Global Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) pointed to a robust improvement in overall operating conditions. The PMI has remained above the 50.0 no-change mark throughout the past one-and-a-half years. The average reading for the PMI in the fourth quarter of 2010 was above that in Q3 but below the six-year high reached in the second quarter.

How lawn bowling balls are manufactured

2011-01-03T13:49:47-06:00

This kind of bowling is played outdoors, not in a bowling alley. And the path to victory is not straight. Find out how these special lawn bowling balls are made.

ISM: U.S. manufacturing continues growth trend; PMI moves 0.4 points higher to 57.0

2011-01-03T09:12:22-06:00

Economic activity in the United States manufacturing sector expanded in December for the 17th consecutive month, and the overall economy grew for the 20th consecutive month, say the nation's supply executives in the Institute for Supply Management's latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business. The report was issued January 3 by Norbert J. Ore, CPSM, C.P.M., chair of the Institute for Supply Management Manufacturing Business Survey Committee.

Eurozone manufacturing ended 2010 on strong footing; PMI rises to 57.1

2011-01-03T08:02:35-06:00

The Markit Final Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 57.1 in December, up from the earlier flash estimate of 56.8 and its highest reading since April’s 46-month peak. The level of the PMI rose throughout the fourth quarter of 2010 and has remained above the neutral 50.0 mark for 15 months in a row.

German manufacturing sector sees sharp increase in job growth

2011-01-03T07:59:28-06:00

December data signaled another strong acceleration in German manufacturing output growth, with the rate of expansion picking up to a five-month high. Sharper rises in production and incoming new work contributed to the fastest pace of job creation in almost 15 years of data collection.

India manufacturing robust in December, but PMI fell 1.7 points to 56.7

2011-01-03T07:56:54-06:00

The seasonally adjusted HSBC Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) – a headline index designed to measure the overall health of the manufacturing sector – posted 56.7 in December, marginally lower than November’s 58.4. The latest reading pointed to a marked improvement of business conditions in the Indian manufacturing sector. While the rate of growth slowed, it remained above the long-run series average.

French industrial sector continued to expand strongly in December

2011-01-03T07:54:18-06:00

The performance of the French manufacturing sector remained strong in December. Production and new orders continued to rise at marked rates, despite some reports of disruption related to adverse weather conditions during the month. The headline Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) – a seasonally adjusted index designed to measure the performance of the manufacturing economy – posted 57.2, only marginally below November’s 10-year high of 57.9 and higher than the initial flash figure of 56.3.

Taiwan manufacturing index improves 3.0 points to 54.7

2011-01-03T07:52:23-06:00

The HSBC Taiwan Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) – a composite indicator designed to provide a single-figure snapshot of the health of the manufacturing sector. PMI readings above 50.0 signal an improvement in business conditions while readings below 50.0 indicate deterioration. The PMI posted 54.7 in December, a solid increase on November’s 51.7. The latest reading signaled an improvement in business conditions that was stronger than the long-run series average.

Brazil industrial PMI climbs above 50.0 for first time in three months

2011-01-03T07:45:12-06:00

December data pointed to a more promising end to the year for Brazilian manufacturers, as output and employment expanded at faster rates and new orders grew for the first time in five months. However, input price inflationary pressures picked up sharply.

Italian manufacturing PMI jumps 2.7 points to 54.7

2011-01-03T07:42:33-06:00

Operating conditions in Italy’s goods producing sector improved at the fastest pace since May 2007 during December. This was signaled by the seasonally adjusted Markit/ADACI Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) – a composite indicator designed to provide a single-figure snapshot of manufacturing performance – rising from 52.0 in November to 54.7. Higher production, new order volumes and increased purchasing of inputs all contributed to the improving picture in the final month of 2010. Furthermore, jobs in the sector were created at the fastest pace since April 2006.

South Korean manufacturing sector regained momentum in December

2011-01-03T07:39:19-06:00

December survey data, compiled by Markit for HSBC, indicated a solid improvement of business conditions in the South Korean manufacturing sector. The HSBC South Korea Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) posted 53.9 in December, a solid improvement on November’s 50.2. The latest reading signaled the fastest growth of the South Korean manufacturing sector in seven months, and was above the long-run series average.

Ireland manufacturing PMI rose for third consecutive month in December

2011-01-03T07:37:14-06:00

The recovery in the Ireland manufacturing sector continued in the final month of the year, with both output and new orders rising at solid rates and employment increasing. The improvements were recorded despite disruption caused by poor weather conditions.

How corn whiskey is manufactured

2011-01-03T07:21:02-06:00

Ever wonder how corn whiskey (a.k.a. moonshine) is manufactured? Find out by checking out this video from the Discovery Channel's "How It's Made" television series.

Kansas City Fed: Manufacturing activity continued at a solid pace in December

2010-12-30T13:54:11-06:00

Tenth District manufacturing activity continued at a solid pace in December, and producers were increasingly optimistic about future activity, the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City reported on December 30. Price indexes in the survey rose further, with a marked increase in raw materials prices.

Happy New Year: How champagne is manufactured

2010-12-30T13:51:42-06:00

Ever wonder how champagne is manufactured? Find out by checking out this episode of the Discovery Channel's "How Do They Do It?" television series.

Building a Times Square New Year's Eve ball

2010-12-30T13:49:09-06:00

This video takes a look at how the Times Square New Year's Eve ball was built in 2008.

Manufacturing operations and quality at Honda in America

2010-12-30T13:46:00-06:00

This video takes a look at manufacturing operations and quality at Honda's auto assembly plants in the United States.