Manufacturing news
August 2002
Eberspaecher builds new exhaust plant
Eberspaecher North America, Inc., a tier 1 supplier of automotive exhaust systems, began phase one of construction for its new exhaust manufacturing facility in Brighton, Michigan.
30 Aug 2002 19:41
Spectrum Astro selected by NASA to build GLAST
NASA has awarded Spectrum Astro with a $107 million contract to design and construct a 9,000 lb. spacecraft for the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) Observatory.
30 Aug 2002 19:42
Boeing strike appears imminent
Boeing, the world’s most powerful aerospace and defense group, is being challenged by a hefty competitor, its employees. Nearly 26,000 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union are on the brink of strike as they claim terms and conditions of Boeing’s most recent contract offer are unacceptable.
29 Aug 2002 20:39
US durable goods surge in July
In the largest increase since October 2001, manufacturers’ new orders climbed 8.7% in July to a seasonally adjusted $179.7 billion, after a 4.5% drop in June, according to the latest Census Bureau’s advance report on durable goods. When people wrote off the manufacturing sector 30 days ago, that was premature, said Jim Meli, Eaton Corporation’s chief economist. It is a slow, steady recovery, he said.
29 Aug 2002 20:38
Ford to open new parts distribution center
Ford Motor Company announced plans to open a new parts distribution center in July 2003 to deliver vehicle service and repair parts to dealers faster and more efficiently. The 225,000 square-foot high-velocity center will be located in Mebane, North Carolina.
28 Aug 2002 19:31
Voices ring out against Hershey sale
Hershey’s controlling trust, which holds 77% voting rights in Hershey Foods, has made motions to sell the country’s largest chocolate maker for a deal estimated at $12 billion. Many have strongly voiced opposition to the supposed deal, however, claiming that it could significantly damage the local community.
28 Aug 2002 19:30
MSCI hosts metals industry economic forum
In mid-September, the Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI) will sponsor Forecast 2003, a forum addressing the economy, metals distribution, and the outlook for major end-user markets.
27 Aug 2002 20:36
Raytheon wins $1B NPOESS contract
Raytheon won a $1 billion contract to provide polar-orbiting remote sensing capabilities and to combine existing government satellite programs for the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS)’s prime contractor TRW.
27 Aug 2002 20:35
US excludes 178 more steel tariffs
The US has excluded another 178 foreign steel products from the imposed tariffs instituted in March to assist domestic steel companies.
26 Aug 2002 21:22
Northrop Grumman to sell cruise materials
Northrop Grumman has announced plans to sell all structures and materials related to a fizzled-out cruise ship program to Norwegian Cruise Line.
23 Aug 2002 21:28
Exports rise, trade deficit drops
The Department of Commerce’s international trade report indicated that the monthly trade deficit dropped to $37.2 billion in June, down from $37.8 billion in May.
22 Aug 2002 20:57
Honeywell buys Invensys’ Sensor System
Honeywell’s Automation and Control Solutions division announced plans to purchase Invensys’ Sensor System business for $415 million cash in a deal expected to close in September 2002.
22 Aug 2002 20:58
ISM reports economic growth
The manufacturing sector experienced growth for the sixth consecutive month in July, and the overall economy grew for the ninth straight month, as stated by the Institute for Supply Management’s (ISM) report on business.
21 Aug 2002 20:42
Layoffs at a 14-month low
Only 81,000 jobs were cut in July, as compared with June’s 94,766 and July 2001’s 205,975. According to a report issued by Challenger, Gray, & Christmas, layoffs are at their lowest level in 14 months.
21 Aug 2002 20:37
Boeing signs $9.7B contract with Air Force One
The Boeing Company announced it will sign a $9.7 billion follow-on procurement contract from Air Force One for 60 C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.
20 Aug 2002 21:50
Raytheon wins $1.34M contract for next-generation wireless communications
Raytheon Company recently won a one year, $1.34 million contract by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to design, develop, and enhance spectrum utilization techniques for wireless communications.
20 Aug 2002 21:49
Boeing improves 757 line efficiency
Boeing has recently improved its production process by manufacturing 757s on a moving assembly line installed at its factory in Renton, Washington, a process which is said to reduce flow time and inventory levels by 30% or more.
19 Aug 2002 20:38
DOA gives $10 million for agricultural trade promotion
The Department of Agriculture (DOA) has allocated an extra $10 million to 65 agricultural trade associations to assist in the promotion of their products overseas.
19 Aug 2002 20:37
Industrial output rose in July
Industrial output for manufacturing, utility, and mining production rose by a slight 0.2% in July, according to Federal Reserve’s latest report.
16 Aug 2002 21:34
Manufacturers’ sales increased 0.3%
The Department of Commerce’s latest report indicated that sales and manufacturers’ shipments, excluding semiconductors, were estimated at $822.4 billion for the month of June, up 0.3% from May. Year to date, sales are up 1.2%.
16 Aug 2002 21:33
Flextronics to layoff 5,261 workers
Flextronics International, Ltd, a contract manufacturer, announced that it will cut another 5,261 jobs in accordance with a company overhaul, the company said during a filing with US regulators last week.
15 Aug 2002 21:50
President hosts economic forum
President Bush addressed the American people in an economic forum held in Waco, Texas this week to say that the key to a strong economic resurgence is consumer confidence, aggressive trade expansion, and accessible, affordable credit for healthy companies.
15 Aug 2002 21:50
Proctor & Gamble surpassed consensus expectations
Proctor & Gamble announced that it surpassed consensus expectations for fourth quarter and fiscal year results, and it achieved its long-term annual growth rate targets a year ahead of schedule.
14 Aug 2002 21:40
Secretary Evans leads development mission to Africa
Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans announced that he will lead a business development mission to Accra, Ghana, and Johannesburg, South Africa in November to further strengthen economic relations between the US and South Africa.
14 Aug 2002 21:42
GM reduces midsize model product line
General Motors announced that it plans to cut between five and 15 midsize car models by 2006 to decrease manufacturing and marketing costs.
13 Aug 2002 21:49
NAM says 2nd quarter results met expectations
The Labor Department’s second quarter preliminary report stated that overall non-farm productivity grew at an annual rate of 1.1%, while manufacturing productivity increased 4.9%.
13 Aug 2002 21:50
CAR study uncovers errors in suppliers’ business management process
The Center for Automotive Research (CAR)’s latest study revealed serious problems in auto suppliers’ internal processes related to quoting and managing new business opportunities and engineering changes.
12 Aug 2002 21:01
Pentagon expects TRW takeover to proceed
Northrop Grumman’s proposed purchase of TRW for $7.8 billion appears it will win regulatory clearance support, a senior Pentagon official said Thursday.
12 Aug 2002 21:00
GE Industrial to buy TRW’s NovaSensor
GE Industrial Systems, a division of General Electric Company, announced it will purchase NovaSensor, Inc., a subsidiary of TRW and a provider of high-tech products to medical, automotive, and industrial process control markets.
09 Aug 2002 21:09
Home manufacturer closes 71 facilities
Prefabricated house manufacturer Champion Enterprises, Inc. announced that it will lay off 1,500 employees, nearly 15% of its workforce, and close the doors to 71 facilities due to a decline in demand. Champion will also close 64 retail centers and seven homebuilding plants.
09 Aug 2002 21:08
Nestle to buy Chef America for $2.6B
Nestle, an international leader in food and beverage manufacture, announced that it will buy Colorado-based Chef America, the manufacturer of Hot Pockets, Lean Pockets, and Pizza Minis, for $2.6 billion.
09 Aug 2002 21:10
NAM chief economist says conditions are improving
The Labor Department’s latest report indicated that unemployment maintained a steady rate of 5.9% in July. In response, David Huether, chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), said the economy remained on a positive growth track as it entered the third quarter.
08 Aug 2002 20:33
President Bush says 2002 Trade Act puts US back at bargaining table
At the official signing of the Trade Act of 2002, President Bush vowed to put America at the forefront of international trade, and as a result, provide relief for the ailing economy.
08 Aug 2002 20:35
Bush wins trade authority
The floor on trade was finally closed for debate last week as Senate passed a long awaited bill by a vote of 64/34, granting President Bush the much-sought-after Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).
06 Aug 2002 20:51
Chrysler boosts productivity by 7.6% in one year
A focus on strategic manufacturing at Chrysler has led to a 7.6% productivity this year, according to Richard Chow-Wah, vice president of powertrain operations.
06 Aug 2002 19:34
Navy works to balance shipbuilding activities
The US Navy has awarded a $464 million contract to Bath Iron Works, a unit of General Dynamics, to build DDG 102, an Arleigh-Burke class destroyer.
06 Aug 2002 19:32
TRW joins Joint Strike Fighter supplier team
TRW has announced it will be supplying the drive system for the weapons bay doors on the US Joint Strike Fighter.
06 Aug 2002 19:32
Bath Iron Works wins $464m Navy contract
Bath Iron Works, a division of General Dynamics, was awarded a $464 million contract yesterday by the US Navy to build a DDG 102, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. Based in Bath, Maine, Bath Iron Works is the lead designer and manufacturer of the DDG 102- class destroyers.
03 Aug 2002 19:46
Economic growth weakens, unemployment grows
Contrary to analysts’ expectations, the Institute for Supply Management’s purchasing manager’s index, used to gauge overall economic health, fell to 50.2 in July, down from 56.2 in June.
03 Aug 2002 19:45
Alcoa closes US aluminum plants
The latest casualty in a suffering metals industry is Alcoa. The world’s number one aluminum firm will permanently close two idling plants and cut down output at a third.
02 Aug 2002 21:45
NAM predicts gradual manufacturing recovery
The economy grew at an annual rate of 1.1% during the second quarter, according to an advance report released Wednesday by the Department of Commerce. However, exports and investment managed to slightly offset the falling GDP during the second quarter.
02 Aug 2002 14:05
Boeing and CargoLifter to brainstorm stratospheric airship concepts
Boeing, one of the world’s largest space and defense businesses, and CargoLifter, a manufacturer and researcher of lighter-than-air vehicles, signed a contract to explore options for future stratospheric airship designs.
01 Aug 2002 21:35
SAP supplies Ford and Caterpillar and with IT solutions
SAP, a leading provider of e-business software solutions, announced a joint initiative with Ford and Caterpillar to develop a world-class service parts supply chain software solution.
01 Aug 2002 21:34
Enterprise-wide lean rollout leads to 57% floor space reduction
Measurable results from lean manufacturing are in plain view at electronics-enclosure maker Hoffman, where the company’s inventory is down far enough to have eliminated the need for a leased warehouse.
01 Aug 2002 16:35
ERP installation leads to lowered inventory
Inventory management is a serious business at Waldmann Lighting, which assembles specialized task lighting products.
01 Aug 2002 16:36
Excitement builds over 2002 Manufacturer Expo
The delegate list for Manufacturer 2002, to be held September 25 and 26 in Telford, UK, reads like a Who’s Who of the manufacturing sector, with representatives from companies such as Rolls-Royce, 3M, Aston Martin, BAE, Alcan, Bayer, Kodak, BASF, Revlon, and Land Rover signed up.
01 Aug 2002 16:33
Manufacturers perceive benefit from extranets
A recent survey of 100 manufacturers by Emercent Solutions, a technology and transaction integration firm, revealed that companies are positive about their investment in dealer extranets.
01 Aug 2002 16:31
Mixed signals
Despite encouraging signals in several areas, the economic recovery continues to struggle.
01 Aug 2002 16:35
Online purchasing, outsourcing on the rise say surveys
Use of online purchasing has increased significantly in the last three months, according to a survey of 331 companies nationwide (both manufacturing and non-manufacturing) by the Institute for Supply Management and Forrester Research.
01 Aug 2002 16:34