Manufacturing news
July 2006
Jergens, Inc. Wins Ohio Governor’s “E” Award for Excellence in Exporting
Jergens, Inc. has been named named a winner of the 2006 Governor’s Excellence in Exporting Award (“E” Award).
31 Jul 2006 19:17
U.S. Commerce Department to Lead Trade Mission to India
The U.S. Department of Commerce is inviting companies in all industry sectors to participate in a U.S. trade mission to India in late November and early December 2006.
31 Jul 2006 19:13
Catalyst earns ITAR registration
North Carolina based contract manufacturer Catalyst Manufacturing Services has been approved by the United States Department of State, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, for ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) accreditation.
28 Jul 2006 15:27
Halal certification for Tom’s of Maine
Tom’s of Maine has joined a select few personal care manufacturers to be recognized with Halal certification.
28 Jul 2006 15:08
CAFTA one year later – Nicaragua says “Think us before China”
“We figured we may see a little upsurge” since final ratification this February, “but it has been a little tsunami of companies coming in, with $230 million in projects confirmed since April.”
26 Jul 2006 16:53
IT: HP to buy Mercury for end-to-end utility
Hewlett-Packard will pay $4.5 billion to buy Mercury Interactive, the IT management software and services company.
26 Jul 2006 16:07
Loss deepens, but revenue rises at GM
General motors has announced a net loss of $3.18 billion for Q2 2006, although revenue lept 12 percent, and shares rose 4 percent in premarket trading.
26 Jul 2006 14:52
Mittal Steel gains 92 percent of Arcelor
Mittal Steel, the world's biggest steel producer, announced on July 26 that it controls 91.88% of European steel maker Arcelor. This following Mittal's 25-billion-euro takeover bid, and according to an Agence-France Presse story.
26 Jul 2006 14:41
Startup unveils first "performance electric vehicle"
San Calos, Calif. startup Tesla Motors has unveiled what it calls the "high-performance electric vehicle," claiming that its Tesla Roadster achieves 0-60 mph in four seconds. Tesla Motors claims equivalencies of 1 cent per mile, or 135 mpg.
26 Jul 2006 15:16
US manufacturers bully on global, laggards on localization
Hyundai got it right, when it entered the Indian market. It adjusted its design so Indian women wearing traditional saris could get in and out of the cars easily.
26 Jul 2006 16:26
AIA and global partners announce global ethics initiative
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) of America and four international partners in the International Coordinating Council of Aerospace Industries Associations – Brazil, Canada, Europe, and Japan – have announced plans to establish a new initiative of regular consultations on aerospace business ethics at a meeting at the Farnborough International Airshow.
20 Jul 2006 16:29
Ford launches production of hydrogen engines
Ford is claiming to be the first manufacturer of a hydrogen-fueled auto engine - a V10.
20 Jul 2006 16:51
Geomagic expands presence in China:
As the Chinese manufacturing base expands, so too do the support activities of software and service providers. Geomagic, supplier of digital shape sampling and processing (DSSP) software and services, is the latest to announce the opening of a wholly owned subsidiary in Shanghai.
20 Jul 2006 11:11
NAC: OK for MG in OK?
While our indigenous auto industry continues to suffer, foreign owned automakers are still expanding in the US.
20 Jul 2006 17:43
Psion Teklogix wins global DoD contract
Psion Teklogix, the mobile computing and wireless data collection provider, has won a $1.8 million worldwide contract from the United States Defense Distribution Center (DDC).
20 Jul 2006 16:39
Best in class measure more often
Manufacturing performance correlates directly with frequency of measurement, according to recent research.
18 Jul 2006 11:38
Boeing - weight, schedule struggles, but claim still on target
Boeing, at the Farnborough International Airshow, has announced a few scheduling challenges, according to a CNN Money story.
17 Jul 2006 16:51
Cars drag industry down
The Wall Street Journal, quoting the US Commerce Department, remarked a slight shift in retail sales of .1 percent in June, after a .1 percent rise in May.
17 Jul 2006 21:36
International Paper closes promising RFID unit
International Paper has closed Asurys, its RFID business unit.
17 Jul 2006 21:52
IT: What’s behind the auto-parts IT gap?
Deloitte Consulting and the Original Equipment Suppliers Association (OESA) have surveyed auto parts suppliers, and found that they spend 56 percent less on information technology (IT) than their manufacturing peers. Is IT simply less a priority for automotive?
17 Jul 2006 15:07
Reckitt Benckiser freshens up product development
With new product launches representing almost 40 percent of net revenues over the last three years, Reckitt Benckiser, one of the world's largest household cleaning products manufacturers, has opted for an enterprise-wide platform for new product development with the implementation of Sopheon's Accolade portfolio and process management system.
13 Jul 2006 10:45
Flatscreen maker reports heavy losses
Flat-screen maker LG Philips, makers of flat-panel screens for TVs and computers, is reporting a $339 million loss for the second quarter, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
11 Jul 2006 22:22
GM/Chrysler/BMW produce new hybrid system
Two of the Big Three, and BMW, have formed an "axis" to produce a new hybrid system for trucks and SUVs.
11 Jul 2006 22:29
Thinktank: RFID item-level tagging on rise
RFID thinktank IDTechEx reports that item-level tagging - once thought impossible, as tag costs seem to have bottomed out - is happening faster than most realize.
11 Jul 2006 22:38
Boeing overtakes Airbus
US aircraft maker Boeing has overtaken European rival Airbus in the number of new orders for planes, after several years trailing in its slipstream. Boeing has won about 450 orders for its aircraft so far this year, with Airbus struggling at around 150.
07 Jul 2006 13:58
US investment group acquires German machinery giant
Madison Capital Partners, a Chicago-based investment group which specializes in industrial manufacturing investments, has acquired Mannesman Plastics Machinery AG, the world’s largest manufacturer of machinery for the production of plastics and rubber and the market leader in injection molding machines.
07 Jul 2006 12:06
GM/Nissan/Renault talks heat up
Speculation about a global automotive alliance that would shake up the sectors supply chains as never before continued today.
05 Jul 2006 22:39
DaimlerChrysler to import Smart Cars - no US plants
DaimlerChrysler has announced it will sell the two-seat Smart Car in the US in early 2008, but will not open manufacturing plants in the US.
03 Jul 2006 13:05
J&J buys Pfizer consumer products
Johnson & Johnson will acquire Pfizer's consumer-products division for $16.6 billion, chiefly in cash.
03 Jul 2006 12:53