News Archive

Manufacturing news

January 2007

Cat Lift Trucks announces new stand-up end controlBoeing Concludes Purchase of C-Map to Grow Jeppesen Marine Business

The Boeing Company today announced it has concluded its purchase of C-Map, a leading provider of digital maritime cartography, data services and other navigational information. C-Map will become a part of Jeppesen's marine division. Jeppesen is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Boeing Commercial Aviation Services.
31 Jan 2007 14:38

Guest column: Four ways to effectively manage health benefits costs

Manufacturers continue to face mounting health benefit expenses – and many feel there is little they can do to manage them. Although there is no single answer, many manufacturers combine the following solutions to provide quality health benefits to their employees while controlling costs.
31 Jan 2007 13:54

Guest column: Printed Electronics - the Giants Get Involved

Printed electronics often involves simple things such as printed conductive patterns to counter the pollution, unreliability, bulk, weight and cost of wires, solder and etched patterns.
31 Jan 2007 13:24

Honeywell acquires PAS advanced process controls business

PAS, a leading global supplier of software products and consulting services for the process industries, announced today that it has sold its highly-regarded Advanced Control & Optimization (APC&O) business to Honeywell International. The transaction includes the linear and non-linear controls and optimization technologies, as well as all related customer contracts and personnel.
31 Jan 2007 13:38

Saudi Arabia to cut oil output

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is planning a 158,000 BPD cut in oil production, effective February 1.
31 Jan 2007 14:45

Schneider National, Inc. Wins 2006 INFORMS Prize

Schneider National, Inc., a premier provider of transportation, logistics and intermodal services, today announced it has been named the winner of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences' (INFORMS®) annual INFORMS Prize.
31 Jan 2007 13:27

Small biz owners testify on how manufacturers strengthen economy, middle class

Testifying today before the House Committee on Education and Labor, National Association of Manufacturers board member Kellie Johnson, President of ACE Clearwater Enterprises (based in Torrance, CA), emphasized the important role manufacturers are playing in strengthening the middle class by providing high paying jobs and good benefits.
31 Jan 2007 17:08

WallStreet Journal: USAF to update tankers but limit bids

According to a WSJ story, the The US Air Force is finalizing the bidding process to replace its of its Cold War-era fleet of aerial-refueling tankers.
31 Jan 2007 13:32

Wherenet opens ASEAN HQ in Shanghai

WhereNet Corp., a Zebra Technologies company and provider of wireless solutions for tracking and managing enterprise assets, announced today the opening of its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Shanghai in response to growing market demand.
31 Jan 2007 13:35

A Robust 2006 for the Pharmaceutical-Biotech Industry Bodes Well for Strong Project Starts in 2007

Market watcher Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas) foresees a robust 2007 for new projects in the pharmaceutical vertical. When considering reported Pharmaceutical-Biotech capital project spending for any given year, it is important to analyze what became of the projects after they are first reported.
30 Jan 2007 14:36

Global congress calls for greater effort, resources in combating counterfeiting & piracy

Top government officials, business leaders, and international law enforcement officials together hailed the increased level of international cooperation in combating counterfeiting and piracy. They called for an even greater marshalling of efforts and resources to counter the escalation in this illicit trade which threatens consumer health and safety and undermines economic development. This came at a high-level international gathering of public and private sector organizations hosted by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva on January 30 and 31, 2007.
30 Jan 2007 14:47

ISCEA and Conquest Business Media entered in to a Strategic Partnership to Promote The Manufacturer LIVE 2007

ISCEA announced today that it has entered in to strategic partnership with Conquest Business Media to promote The Manufacturer LIVE 2007 Conference. This event will take place at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers in Chicago, IL on May 30th and 31st, 2007.
30 Jan 2007 14:57

Ketera And Hyperion announce partnership to deliver operational BI Capabilities

Ketera, the leading provider of On-Demand Spend Management solutions, and Hyperion, a global leader in Business Performance Management (BPM) software, hass announced they have signed an OEM partnership agreement to deliver operational business intelligence (BI) capabilities to customers.
30 Jan 2007 14:19

SAP claims record-speed adoption of mySAP ERP

In what the ERP giant calls "a powerful demonstration of its ability to easily and successfully deliver the value of enterprise service-oriented architecture (enterprise SOA) to customers," SAP AG has announced that more than 1,000 customers are live on mySAP™ ERP 2005, the latest release of SAP's enterprise resource planning (ERP) application.
30 Jan 2007 14:40

Appointments: New Brasstech president

For newly appointed Brasstech, Inc. President, Ronald “Ron” Foy, signing on with a Masco Corporation-owned company is like a return home. That’s because the veteran executive has a history with Masco that spans a decade. Foy sat at the helm of Masco companies’ Baldwin Brass and Bath Unlimited earlier in his career and says he’s thankful to be back with another of the mega-corporation’s companies.
29 Jan 2007 17:54

Boeing Delivers Next-Generation 737 to China United Airlines

The Boeing Company Wednesday delivered a Next-Generation 737-800 to China United Airlines Company Limited, marking the first delivery of a new 737 to the airline.
29 Jan 2007 20:48

Dassault Systèmes Customer, ITER, to Speak at DaratechPLANT 2007 Conference

Dassault Systèmes, a world leader in 3D and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions, has announced that one of its customers, ITER, as well as one of DS’s industry solutions directors, will speak at the DaratechPLANT 2007 conference Jan. 29-31 in Houston.
29 Jan 2007 21:22

Federal-Mogul Standardizes On PTC Windchill

PTC today announced that Federal-Mogul Corporation, a global supplier of automotive components, systems and modules for original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket, has adopted Windchill PDMLink, and Windchill ProjectLink for strategic product lifecycle management (PLM).
29 Jan 2007 17:24

HP offers SOA from SAP services

HP today announced that it will offer new services to support an enterprise service-oriented architecture (Enterprise SOA) blueprint from SAP, helping customers achieve better integration and alignment of people, information and business processes across business and technology.
29 Jan 2007 19:46

India's service economy must plan for Phase 2, says Deloitte

A new Deloitte white paper suggests people, infrastructure, and technological innovation will make all the difference.
29 Jan 2007 19:36

King of Thailand receives WIPO's first Global Leaders Award

The King of Thailand, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, will be the recipient of the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Global Leaders Award, in recognition of his remarkable contribution to intellectual property both as an inventor and as an active proponent of intellectual property as a tool for development.
29 Jan 2007 20:11

Sandvik to acquire US producer of diamond-based materials

Sandvik Tooling has reached an agreement with the American private equity company Littlejohn & Co., LLC to acquire Diamond Innovations Inc., US, formerly the Superabrasives Division of General Electric. The acquisition is expected to be completed during the first quarter of 2007.
29 Jan 2007 18:04

The Global Economy in 2007: A Smooth Landing

The global economy is headed for a smooth landing in 2007, with real GDP growth moderating to 3.3% from 3.9% in 2006, says industry thinktank Global Insights..
29 Jan 2007 20:55

The Hershey Company and Lotte announce China joint venture

The Hershey Company, the Pennsylvania-based chocolate and confectionery manufacturer, and Lotte Confectionery Co., LTD., Korea's leading confectionery and ice cream manufacturer, today announced a manufacturing joint venture in China that will produce Hershey and Lotte products for the market in China.
29 Jan 2007 18:01

Supply-Chain Council, APQC, IBM aim to standardize supply chain metrics

How do you measure supply chain success? That depends on a whole passel of subjective judgments, including the patience of the procurement officer: one may shrug at a late delivery, while another demands a rolling head from its supplier. The Supply Chain Council is attempting to create objective and standardized measures, which it detailed in this release.
26 Jan 2007 13:22

BMW Named “Energy Partner of the Year” by EPA

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) named BMW Manufacturing Co. LLC, and partner Dürr Systems, Inc., as joint recipients of the Landfill Methane Outreach Program (LMOP) “Energy Partner of the Year” award. The award was presented at today’s 10th Annual LMOP Conference and Project Expo in Baltimore.
25 Jan 2007 15:50

Ford - record losses in 2006

Ford Motor Company has reported a 2006 full-year net loss of $12.7 billion, or $6.79 per share. In 2005, the company reported net income of $1.4 billion, or 77 cents per share.
25 Jan 2007 20:14

GE to Acquire Abbott’s in vitro and Point-of-Care Diagnostics Businesses for $8.13 Billion

General Electric Company and Abbott, a global leader in medical diagnostic instruments and tests, announced today that they have entered into a definitive agreement for GE to acquire Abbott’s primary in vitro diagnostics businesses and Abbott Point-of-Care diagnostics business (formerly known as i-STAT) for $8.13 billion in cash. Abbott’s Molecular Diagnostics and Diabetes Care businesses are not part of the transaction and will remain part of Abbott.
25 Jan 2007 20:30

iPhone not a smart phone

Apple's iPhone was the talk of the town after its January 9 launch. Industry observers were by and large impressed with the new device, praising its user interface, innovation, and seamless integration.
25 Jan 2007 19:41

It's official - Siemens to acquire UGS

Siemens moves to expand its industrial software portfolio through a definitive agreement to acquire UGS Corp., Texas, USA, a worldwide leading provider of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software and services.
25 Jan 2007 16:00

Nautilus goes to Washington

Fitness maker Nautilus, Inc. has announced plans to relocate its Louisville, Colo.-based product development facility to the company headquarters in Vancouver, Wash.
25 Jan 2007 19:47

Optimism Rebounds Among Industrial Manufacturers, PricewaterhouseCoopers Survey Finds

Despite Expected Increase in Investments, Slower Growth is Planned, Hiring Levels Off.
25 Jan 2007 15:58

Servigistics Service Parts Pricing Solution Granted U.S. Patent for Advanced Pricing Methodology

Servigistics, the leading strategic service management solutions provider, announced that its pricing solution has been granted a U.S. Patent for its advanced "Method for Performing Market-Adapted Price Planning" (MAPS), which incorporates market dynamics, not just cost, when formulating price decisions for service parts.
25 Jan 2007 22:47

Sun to go Intel Inside

Sun Microsystems has signed an agreement with Intel Corp. to buy Intel chips for use in Sun server systems.
25 Jan 2007 20:26

USW accuses DuPont of hypocrisy as partner in "Living Tomorrow" display

Nashville, Tennessee – January 25, 2007 - The United Steelworkers (USW), the largest industrial union in the North America, today warned persons attending the Living Tomorrow exhibition in Brussels, Belgium not to be fooled by DuPont’s “greenwashing” and attempt to demonstrate that it practices genuine environmental sustainability. DuPont is a key partner in the exhibition.
25 Jan 2007 21:31

Wood Group signs long-term maintenance agreement with Suez for 665 MW Power Plant in Sultanate of Oman

Wood Group Gas Turbine Services division, part of international energy services company, John Wood Group PLC, has been awarded a 16-year contract by subsidiaries of Suez Energy International for the maintenance of eight General Electric Frame 9E Gas Turbines located at the former Al-Rusail Power Company in the Sultanate of Oman.
25 Jan 2007 19:51

ATS expands into Mexico

Advanced Technology Services, Inc., (ATS), an industry leader in managed production equipment maintenance, industrial parts repair and innovative IT solutions, has opened its first international office in Monterrey, Mexico.
24 Jan 2007 14:39

High-Performance IT in Industrial Products - Enabling a Radical Makeover

A guest editorial from Paul Loftus, a managing partner of Accenture, Inc.
24 Jan 2007 14:09

State of the Union heavy on energy security, healthcare

The President's State of the Union address last evening touched upon eight policy initiatives, two of which directly affect US industry and employers. While the address was heavily focused on support for the Iraq war, Bush also outlined initiatives in both energy security and healthcare.
24 Jan 2007 13:45

ABB opens Asia Center for Control Systems and Products in Singapore

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has announced that it has opened a dedicated Control Systems and Products Regional Action Center (RAC) in Singapore to, as ABB describes, "serve its customers in the rapidly growing Asian market." The RAC will provide technical and training support for automation customers, as well as include regional sales support, marketing, and business development functions.
23 Jan 2007 13:29

Boeing and GE Commercial Aviation Services Announce Order for 39 Airplanes

Boeing and GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) today announced a 39-airplane order that includes 15 Boeing 777s -- a mix of seven 777-300ER (Extended Range) passenger jetliners and eight 777 Freighters -- and 24 Next-Generation 737-800s.
23 Jan 2007 15:37

FKI Logistex wins contract for 100+ cranes, maintenance

FKI Logistex is humming after a big-ticket contract for equipment leasing and maintenance.
23 Jan 2007 15:44

INTTRA Introduces online search tool for shippers, forwarders, carriers

INTTRA, the e-commerce platform for ocean shipping, has introduced OceanSchedules.com, a free online search service for shippers and forwarders designed to quickly and easily search global ocean carrier sailing schedules.
23 Jan 2007 13:57

RIM and IBM unveil enterprise-wide wireless voice and IM

Research in Motion or RIM, makers of BlackBerry devices, has argued hard for BlackBerry as an enterprise tool, and their announcement at Lotusphere 2007 in Orlando shows that they're committed.
23 Jan 2007 15:50

Airbus claiming it has fixed A380 wiring

Airbus claims it has fixed electrical problems related to its A380 superjumbo jet, Forbes is reporting.
22 Jan 2007 23:33

Autodesk Inventor of the Month achieves rapid development of specialty watercraft

Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) today announced that Marine Advanced Research, a developer of advanced technologies for seagoing vessels, has been named as the Autodesk Inventor of the Month for January 2007.
22 Jan 2007 23:42

Crown Equipment opens manufacturing, sales operations in Suzhou, China

Crown Equipment Corporation has opened both a manufacturing facility and sales operation in Suzhou, China.
22 Jan 2007 23:24

Pfizer at closing bell

A tumultuous day for Pfizer, which announced plans to cut 10,000 jobs (roughly 10% of its work force) over two years, and to close three research sites and two plants.
22 Jan 2007 23:08

Airbus orders for 2006 well behind Boeing

Airbus has confirmed 790 net orders for 2006.
19 Jan 2007 13:22

Bahrain accedes to patent cooperation treaty

Bahrain became the 136th contracting state of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) when it deposited its instrument of accession at WIPO on December 18, 2006.
19 Jan 2007 13:15

Beware: Automotive manufacturers who ignore 'green'

Beware: Automotive manufacturers who ignore 'green' will do so at their financial peril Detroit, MI., January 11, 2007 — According to commentary delivered today by Deloitte Consulting LLP at the 2007 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) Inforum Automotive Breakfast, companies are falling short in recognizing the impact of a critical business component for survival: “going green.” The transition, Deloitte Consulting says, is a vital business component for today’s automotive manufacturers in particular, to not only survive, but to thrive.
19 Jan 2007 20:42

Congress repeals oil company tax breaks

The US House of Representatives has passed legislation that repeals $7.6 billion in tax breaks.
19 Jan 2007 13:14

Freight traffic down on US railroads

Freight traffic on U.S. railroads was off during the first week of 2007 in comparison with 2006's initial week, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported today. Both weeks included the New Year holiday.
19 Jan 2007 13:18

NAM calls house vote on oil, natural gas, disappointing

The January 18th House vote in support of legislation to increase taxes on oil and natural gas companies “comes as a disappointment to manufacturers in America,” NAM President John Engler said. “The NAM applauds efforts to enhance our nation’s energy security. In contrast, this measure would increase energy costs and discourage investment in domestic energy infrastructure and supply.”
19 Jan 2007 12:58

Shlumberger profit zooms 71 percent

Bloomberg is reporting that fourth-quarter 2006 profits at Schlumberger Ltd., the world's largest oilfield-services provider, soared a full 71 percent.
19 Jan 2007 13:06

TPS - The Thinking Production System

Guest editorial by Dan Markovitz, TimeBack Management It's easy to spot waste on an assembly line. But what do you look for in an office?
19 Jan 2007 20:19

Keep brands close online and in control

A guest editorial in response to our January cover feature, from Adam Southam, Chairman and CEO of Reshare Corp. Counterfeiting and product diversion are the bane of every legitimate manufacturer and are on a rampant increase with the advent of the Internet.
18 Jan 2007 18:01

NAM opposes CLEAN act as unrealistic for industry

The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has made opposition to H.R. 6, the Creating Long-term Energy Alternatives for the Nation (CLEAN) Act of 2007.
18 Jan 2007 17:30

Alcoa Signs MOU With India's Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)

Innovation Council Formed to Collaborate on Research Focusing on Areas of Energy, Environment and Material Science NEW DELHI, India & NEW YORK--Alcoa announced today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with India’s Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) to partner in collaborative research projects that address critical global issues such as energy efficiency, alternative and renewable energy sources, environmental technologies as well as multi-material engineered solutions.
17 Jan 2007 19:48

Inland Northwest friendly for family-owned businesses

SPOKANE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Long a cornerstone of the U.S. economy, family-owned businesses account for as much as 90 percent of all businesses in North America by some estimates.
17 Jan 2007 14:38

Manufacturing Poised to Outpace Overall Economy for Third Consecutive Year, says NAM

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 17, 2007 – Driven by a 0.7 percent jump in manufacturing output, the Federal Reserve reported today that overall industrial production rose 0.4 percent in December. “After three consecutive monthly declines, this upturn is a hopeful indication that the recent slowdown in industrial activity may be coming to an end,” said David Huether, chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers.
17 Jan 2007 19:35

MCA Solutions Awarded Navy subcontract for service software

PHILADELPHIA (January 17, 2007) — MCA Solutions (MCA) announced today that it has been awarded a subcontract by CACI International Inc to install its Readiness Based Sparing (RBS) software application, Service Planning and Optimization (SPO™), at the U.S. Navy's inventory control point locations. As a subcontractor to CACI, MCA will provide functional and technical consulting services to assist with the integration of SPO into the Navy’s RBS Workstation to power the Navy’s RBS requirements. This project is part of the Navy’s initiative to adopt Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) software applications, and will support the U.S. Navy with their efforts to reduce costs while maintaining weapon system availability.
17 Jan 2007 17:41

More than $136 Billion in North American Industrial Project Spending Forecast for 2007

SUGAR LAND--January 17, 2007--According to Industrial Info Resources’ (Sugar Land, Texas) Project Spending Index North America industrial project spending experienced 15.3% growth in 2006 when compared to 2005, increasing from 5,450 projects valued at $144 billion in 2005 to 5,967 projects valued at $166 billion in 2006.
17 Jan 2007 14:05

Oil below $51

Oil on Tuesday dropped below $51 per barrell, marking a 19-month low. As Forbes magazine reports, the plunge resulted from Saudi Oil Minister Ali Naimi saying that further production cuts are unnecessary.
17 Jan 2007 14:12

Boeing Dreamlifter Delivers First Assemblies for 787 Dreamliner

CHARLESTON, S.C., Jan. 16, 2007 -- Boeing (NYSE: BA) yesterday delivered the first major assemblies for the all-new 787 Dreamliner to its partner Global Aeronautica in Charleston, S.C., completing the first-ever delivery cycle using the Dreamlifter, a specially modified 747-400.
16 Jan 2007 20:44

CH2M HILL wins contract to design world’s largest cement plant

DENVER, CO, January 16, 2007 - CH2M HILL, a global full-service engineering, construction, and operations firm has secured a contract from FL Smidth, Inc. (a leading supplier of cement process equipment and cement plant engineering) to provide facility and infrastructure design services for a greenfield cement manufacturing plant.
16 Jan 2007 17:40

Cott Signs Deal for Use of Production Facilities in China

Cott Beverage has signed a contract with China's Jianlibao Group, which will give Cott production rights in Jianlibao's production facility.
16 Jan 2007 21:53

Motorola Completes Acquisition of Symbol Technologies, retires “Symbol” ID

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. –- Motorola, Inc. announced at last week’s Promat show in Chicago that it has completed its acquisition of Symbol Technologies, Inc. The transaction has a total equity value of approximately $3.9 billion on a fully-diluted basis.
16 Jan 2007 17:24

Aras delivers microsoft-based open source enterprise solution

LAWRENCE, MASS. – January 15, 2007 – Aras® Corporation, leading Microsoft enterprise open source software solution provider, today announced the immediate availability of the Aras Innovator® open source solution suite. The version 8 release offered exclusively on the Microsoft .NET platform includes business ready enterprise solutions along with a solution studio for customization, extension, and integration. Aras is making the free download and additional open source solution projectsavailable on its aras.com website.
15 Jan 2007 14:38

ARC Announces Collaborative Production Management for Process Manufacturing Market to Grow 12% Annually

Dedham, Massachusetts; January 15, 2007: The Collaborative Production Management Market for Process Manufacturing (CPM-P) is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 12% over the next five years. The market was slightly greater than $1.6 billion in 2006 and is forecasted to reach nearly $2.8 billion in 2011, according to a new study by the ARC Advisory Group.
15 Jan 2007 16:58

GE to Acquire Smiths Aerospace, Extending Aviation Offerings; Plans JV with Smiths Group to Build Global Detection Business

FAIRFIELD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) announced today that it agreed to purchase Smiths Aerospace, a U.K.-based supplier of integrated systems for aircraft manufacturers and components for engine builders, for $4.8 billion in cash. The deal is subject to approval by Smiths Group shareowners as well as customary regulatory reviews.
15 Jan 2007 18:54

Navy to Lockheed, "Not so fast!" on new warships

CNN is reporting that the US Navy has put the brakes on Lockheed Martin's production of two battleships.
15 Jan 2007 18:01

Design expert Ellen Cheever to close 2007 Executive Briefing Conference

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Stiles Machinery Inc. is proud to announce that Ellen Cheever will be the closing speaker at the sixth annual Executive Briefing Conference (EBC), March 14 – 16, 2007 in Dallas, Texas.
12 Jan 2007 13:43

Ford celebrates major investment in Michigan manufacturing plants

Dearborn, Mich., Jan. 9, 2007 - Ford Motor Company today announced investments totaling $866 million in six Southeastern Michigan plants.
12 Jan 2007 14:46

Kahane to Open ASQ World Conference

Milwaukee, Wis., January 3, 2007 – Adam Kahane, one of the world’s leading problem-solvers, will deliver the opening keynote speech at the American Society for Quality’s (ASQ) 2007 World Conference on Quality and Improvement, http://wcqi.asq.org, April 30-May 2, 2007, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla. Kahane will share his perspective on global business and social responsibility during his address, scheduled for 8:30 a.m., Monday, April 30.
12 Jan 2007 15:05

Northeast Ohio launches 'Dream it. Do it." campaign against worker shortage

WASHINGTON, DC, Jan. 10, 2007 – Business leaders, educators and others with an interest in the economic future of Northeast Ohio were at the launch today of Dream It. Do It., a multi-regional careers and economic development campaign aimed at attracting young people to manufacturing careers and expanding their educational and training opportunities.
12 Jan 2007 14:53

Singapore Aircraft Leasing Exercises Boeing 737 Options and Purchase Rights

SEATTLE, Jan. 08, 2007 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and Singapore Aircraft Leasing Enterprise (SALE) today announced that the lessor has exercised options and purchase rights for 20 Boeing Next-Generation 737-800s.
12 Jan 2007 15:23

The Emerging RoHS Maze

by Buck Seng Ng, Associate Director, Asia/Pacific, of Manufacturing Insights, an IDC company. This article highlights key discussions from a recent compliance with Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Regulations event in Singapore. The event, a day-long executive seminar entitled "Solutions to Compliance with Existing and Emerging RoHS Regulations Worldwide", was jointly organized by the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING) Singapore and Singapore Manufacturers' Federation (SMa), and supported by International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore). The event was held to raise the level of awareness regarding existing and emerging RoHS Regulations worldwide among manufacturers, resellers and exporters of electrical and electronic equipment/products. Speakers from high-tech manufacturers, compliance solution providers, as well as regulatory and standards bodies, provided information and insights that served as focal points for rich discussion among attendees.
12 Jan 2007 21:53

Rockwell Collins Selects HP for $175 Million Global IT Outsourcing Services Contract

PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan 10, 2007 - HP today announced that Rockwell Collins (NYSE: COL), a global leader in aviation electronics, has awarded it a seven-year, $175 million global services contract to provide industry-standard solutions for IT infrastructure management, including help desk, desk-side support and server management.
11 Jan 2007 13:53

BioKing Builds Biodiesel Equipment Manufacturing Plant in Lethbridge, Canada

‘S-GRAVENPOLDER, THE NETHERLANDS – January 9, 2007 – “BioKing” today announced that it has has decided to build a second high-quality biodiesel equipment manufacturing plant in Lethbridge, Canada... This BioKing plant, the first in Canada and overseas, will have a total of 50 employees working -- making it one of the largest of his kind in the country when operational. The plant will have the same production capacity as BioKing’s biodiesel equipment manufacturing plant in The Netherlands that produce an estimated 20 to 25 biodiesel processing units per week.
10 Jan 2007 18:26

Boeing Business Jets, Rockwell Collins announce EVS offering for BBJ

SEATTLE, Jan. 09, 2007 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] Business Jets and Rockwell Collins today introduced an Enhanced Vision System (EVS) offering for Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) operators. The offering will be available to BBJ customers through Boeing and Rockwell Collins service bulletins, and certification for the system is expected by early 2008.
10 Jan 2007 17:19

Cleaver-Brooks celebrates 75th by launching new brand

MILWAUKEE—January 10, 2007—As Cleaver-Brooks Inc. celebrates its 75th anniversary, the company is launching a new brand. The power of commitment captures Cleaver-Brooks' promise and service to its customers over the years. It reflects what market research has shown: that end-users, consulting engineers and industry observers view Cleaver-Brooks' primary strength as its commitment to customers and the industry.
10 Jan 2007 19:31

Hexion Specialty Chemicals Standardizes on SCC’s Zemeter Solution for Global Demand and Inventory Planning

WILMINGTON, DEL. – January 8, 2007 – Supply Chain Consultants ( www.supplychain.com ), designer and supplier of the Zemeter suite of supply chain management (SCM) software products and services, announced today that Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc. ( www.hexion.com ), the world’s largest producer of thermoset resins, has signed a global licensing agreement to standardize the company’s supply chain decision support on Zemeter. The agreement will expand Hexion’s use of Zemeter for demand planning and inventory control across the company’s supply chain.
10 Jan 2007 19:23

NAM calls administration energy plan "welcome news"

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 10, 2006 – “The Administration’s decision today expanding access to more than 11 million additional acres of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) for energy development is welcome news for the economy,” said John Engler, NAM President. “While energy prices have stabilized in recent months, due in large part to fair weather, they are still at historically high levels and continue to pose a threat to manufacturing employment.
10 Jan 2007 16:51

NAM sees continued improvement from November trade data

WASHINGTON, D.C. January 10, 2007 – The Commerce Department’s trade data released today for November 2006 showed continued improvement in U.S. manufactured goods trade, according to the National Association of Manufacturers.
10 Jan 2007 19:27

Successful cost control in a volatile electricity market: 6 fundamentals for evaluating buying

The following guest editorial from Strategic Energy, Inc. Faced with global competition and rising domestic production costs, management across all departments of the industrial business must continually scan their enterprise for cost control opportunities that will improve overall competitiveness. Such measures can affect every aspect of the business — from introducing lean production strategies to enhancing worker safety training for downtime reduction.
10 Jan 2007 18:12

Tackling talent management: the people factor in achieving high performance for the industrial products industry

A guest editorial from Paul Loftus, a managing partner of Accenture, Inc. Demand for your products is as durable as ever. But thanks to globalization you face a whole host of challenges – just as a critical shortage of skilled labor threatens your ability to outperform the competition.
10 Jan 2007 19:12

UGS and IBM to Provide Product Lifecycle Management to Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs) Worldwide

PLANO, Texas – UGS Corp., a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, today announced a new agreement with IBM to support the collaborative product data management (cPDM) requirements of small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) on a global basis.
10 Jan 2007 19:37

UGS recognized as PLM software leader in aerospace and defense, automotive and high-tech industries

PLANO, Texas – UGS Corp., a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, today announced that IT market research and advisory firm IDC has recognized UGS as the leading PLM provider for the Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and High Tech industries.
10 Jan 2007 16:36

Will Supreme Court ruling in MedImmune v. Genentech upset licensing laws?

LOS ANGELES/WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 9, 2007) – The Supreme Court’s January 9 ruling in the patent case of MedImmune v. Genentech “upsets the fundamental, real-world assumptions that people make when entering into licensing deals—namely, that the license is something on which they may actually rely,” according to Morrison & Foerster LLP patent litigator Charles Barquist.
10 Jan 2007 17:13

GM: oil prices to decline in 2007

The price of oil will drop sharply in the coming year, reaching as low as $40 a barrel due to increased production and a slowing US economy, General Motors Corp.'s top economist said on Tuesday, according to a Reuters report.
09 Jan 2007 18:11

Less than half of US workers believe in senior managers

Survey shows that senior management's ratings from their employees have dropped since 2004.
09 Jan 2007 18:48

Boeing Sets Records for Airplane Orders in 2006

Record orders posted for 737 program New program milestones also achieved in 2006 SEATTLE, Jan. 04, 2007 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] recorded 1,044 net commercial airplane orders during 2006, and for the second year in a row set a Boeing record for total orders in a single year.
05 Jan 2007 13:38

Guest editorial: Keeping global operations local

Improving operational throughput from the top floor to the shop floor drives down costs Amidst a significant shift towards globalization, North American manufacturers have had to learn to fight for survival. Compared to their counterparts around the world, they pay more for personnel, materials, and repairs, which drives up their production costs. They’ve also had to offshore and outsource in order to compete with countries like China, India and Mexico, who have less labour expenses and offer the same goods at reduced costs. Often, the end result of producing goods in foreign countries means that North American plants have to close, putting people out of work.
05 Jan 2007 15:56

Hexion Specialty Chemicals Standardizes on SCC’s Zemeter Solution for Global Demand and Inventory Planning

World’s largest producer of thermoset resins selects SCM software for demand planning, inventory control across multiple facilities WILMINGTON, DEL. – January 8, 2007 – Supply Chain Consultants, designer and supplier of the Zemeter suite of supply chain management (SCM) software products and services, announced today that Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc. , the world’s largest producer of thermoset resins, has signed a global licensing agreement to standardize the company’s supply chain decision support on Zemeter. The agreement will expand Hexion’s use of Zemeter for demand planning and inventory control across the company’s supply chain.
05 Jan 2007 14:42

Homeland Security updates credentials required at US ports

WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced the issuance of the final rule for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program, which enhances port security by checking the backgrounds of workers before they are granted unescorted access to secure areas of vessels and maritime facilities. The rule was posted publicly on TSA’s web site January 1, 2007, and has been delivered to the Federal Register for posting in the coming days.
05 Jan 2007 14:01

Intek Plastics Scores Big on Safety for NHL

HASTINGS, MINN. (January 4, 2007) – Bone rattling board collisions are an inevitable part of life in the National Hockey League. This season, however, more NHL players will skate away without serious injuries thanks to a new product from Intek Plastics, a custom plastic extruder, and Athletica, a rink systems provider.
05 Jan 2007 21:13

KUKA ROBOTICS SELECTED BY NERCON ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING, INC. TO PROVIDE ROBOTICS FOR MIXED PRODUCT PALLETIZING AND ORDER PICKING APPLICATIONS

Clinton Township, Michigan — January 4, 2007 – KUKA Robotics Corporation, a leading global manufacturer of industrial robots, today announced it has been selected by Nercon Engineering and Manufacturing, Inc. as its robotics supplier for its new mixed product palletizing and order picking systems. Nercon, of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, will use the KUKA KR 180 PA palletizing robot in its new system to load and unload mixed product from a tri-level accumulating conveyor system. The KUKA KR 40 robot will be used in the company’s new order picking cell. Both systems, which were recently showcased at PackExpo in Chicago, are designed to increase customer’s efficiency by streamlining production.
05 Jan 2007 21:18

Why not wash a germy keyboard?

It's not often we report on a product, but in the middle of cold & flu season, this one caught our eye. In a major flu epidemic, perhaps 40 percent of a workforce can be out (as each worker is afflicted, not all at once). It's hard to imagine a piece of equipment that gathers germs more than computer equipment, particularly keyboards.
05 Jan 2007 17:36

manufacturingiscool connects kids to manufacturing

DEARBORN, Mich., March 2, 2007 - With the click of a mouse, young people can get a behind-the-scenes look into the significance and fascination of manufacturing. The Web site, Manufacturing is Cool (www.manufacturingiscool.com), was re-created by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation with the goal of inspiring pre-teens and teens to pursue careers in engineering and manufacturing.
04 Jan 2007 17:59

October Surface Trade with Canada and Mexico Rose 4.5 Percent from October 2005

Pretty good sign - we're trading heavily with our North and South American neighbors, with both imports and exports on a sharp rise. Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 4.5 percent higher in October 2006 than in October 2005, according to the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), reaching $66.8 billion.
04 Jan 2007 14:33

Skills & Productivity: Do the math - US companies face shortage of technical talent

Bill Swanson shakes his head as he repeats the numbers: last year colleges and universities in China churned out 500,000 engineers, according to a National Academy of Sciences study. In comparison, the U.S. managed just 70,000 engineering graduates, far behind China or the 200,000 produced by India, a country where 65 percent of the population lacks indoor toilets.
04 Jan 2007 14:21

Aberdeen Group: Manufacturers look to IT for compliance, need to improve

BOSTON, MA – January 4, 2007 – Manufacturers and software vendors alike are more focused on compliance and traceability than ever before. However, many manufacturers are still in the beginning stages of adopting technology solutions facilitating compliance and traceability initiatives. A new benchmark report, “Compliance and Traceability in Regulated Industries,” published by Aberdeen, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE-HHS), confirmed that only 8% of manufacturers surveyed have eliminated pen and paper or manual spreadsheet processes from compliance and traceability programs. Furthermore, only 24% of manufacturers surveyed have implemented technology solutions with both production process visibility and automated traceability functionality.
03 Jan 2007 19:50

ABI Research: Managed Mobile Network Services to See Double-Digit Growth

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - January 2, 2007 - Managed network services provide a large and growing opportunity for mobile communications service providers in order to offload network operation tasks to third parties. Additionally, these services allow infrastructure vendors to secure new revenue streams, according to a new study from ABI Research that forecasts double-digit compound annual growth rates over the next five years.
03 Jan 2007 20:23

Avatech Solutions Launches Product Browser to Provide Universal Access to Manufacturing Drawings and Parts Information

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND – January 3, 2007 – Avatech Solutions, Inc. (OTCBB: AVSO.OB), the nationwide technology experts for design, engineering, and facilities management, announced today the launch of a new product developed by their Software Development Solutions Group. Avatech Product Browser works with Autodesk® Productstream(TM) to give departments that are downstream from engineering easy, visual access to product designs and maintenance drawings. Those downstream users can make quicker, more accurate decisions that can affect a product's time to market or production line maintenance.
03 Jan 2007 15:39

Big Ass Fans cool OfficeMax DC

How can you not love them? When Big Ass Fans sends us a notice, we just have to run it. Following was released earlier this morning.
03 Jan 2007 15:10

Booz Allen Hamilton releases 2007 prognostications

December 28, 2006 - As the year draws to a close, [Booz Hamilton would] like to take a few moments to reflect on industrial manufacturing in 2006 and discuss some important issues for 2007 and beyond. On balance, this has been a good year for industrial manufacturers, chiefly because of ongoing improvements in efficiency. The year had plenty of challenges, however, with sharply rising energy prices, escalating interest rates, a decline in factory utilization, and slowing economic growth, especially in the United States.
03 Jan 2007 20:38

Editorial: Putting owner-operated businesses on the path to sustainable growth

The path to sustainable growth is not an easy one. This is especially true for owner-operated businesses, which make up approximately 80% to 90% of all business enterprises in North America, according to the Family Firm Institute.
03 Jan 2007 22:08

HARTE-HANKS ABERDEEN GROUP: SMB COMPANIES PAY MORE YET STOP SHORT OF ACHIEVING FULL ERP BENEFITS

BOSTON, MA – January 3, 2007 – Small to medium size (SMB) manufacturers and the ERP vendors that serve them have explored the concept of “ERP Light” for many years. However, the search for core ERP functionality not needed by small companies produces a relatively short list. A new report published by Aberdeen, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE:HHS), confirmed small companies desire less complexity, yet they also require the same basic functions needed by larger companies. The Benchmarking ERP in SMB Report found SMB companies using a mere 6% less functionality than the average of 1,200 companies of all sizes. Metrics reported give some indication ERP is generally doing the job it was meant to do for these companies. However, on average, the business benefits fell far short of Best in Class. And lacking size and scale, they pay more per user, per functionality used and per percentage point of average performance improvement.
03 Jan 2007 20:28

IBM and Siemens Business Services to Modernize IT for the German Federal Armed Forces

Industry knows IBM and Siemens as perennial IT competitors. Likely, every manufacturer in the Fortune 1000 has engaged one or the other. This contract, to update the German military infrastructure, seems proof of the scope of the two companies' abilities.
03 Jan 2007 16:05

INVENSYS TO SUPPLY FOXBORO CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR INNOVATIVE PLASCO WASTE-TO-ENERGY PROCESSES

FOXBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, USA - January 3, 2007 - Invensys Process Systems has been selected by Plasco Energy Group to supply a mesh network-based Foxboro I/A Series (www.foxboro.com) distributed control system (DCS) to be used in Plasco's proprietary modular Plasma Gasification Process (PGP).
03 Jan 2007 19:54

Invensys, Invap renew cooperative business agreement for nuke market

FOXBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, USA - January 2, 2007 - Invensys Process Systems (Foxboro, Massachusetts, USA) and INVAP S.E. (Bariloche, Argentina) today announced that the two companies have renewed an existing cooperative business agreement for an additional three years. Under this alliance agreement, the companies will continue to work together to provide mutual customers with comprehensive, world-class product and service solutions for the design, engineering, construction, control, protection, and maintenance of nuclear facilities.
03 Jan 2007 16:16

Minding your Business

Following a guest editorial by Beth Zimmerman, founder of project management consultancy Cerebellas, Inc. One of the most essential, and difficult, questions any business must answer is, what business are we in? Many will say what they do--process electronic transactions, sell insurance, build buildings, design websites--but fail to address what they are fundamentally in business to achieve. If this sounds frighteningly similar to a mission statement, it's for good reason, since a business description defines the competitive category in which a business resides and in which it strives to fulfill its mission.
03 Jan 2007 19:59

SME Education Foundation and Project Lead the Way to Increase STEPS Academies from Three to 50 Sites in 2007 throughout the U.S.

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 29, 2006 – Middle-school students across the U.S. will be presented with positive, hands-on manufacturing experiences through exposure to exciting careers in math, science and technology at the Science, Technology & Engineering Preview Summer (STEPS) Academies. Academy sites will expand from five, which began as pilots in 2006, to a total of 50 throughout 2007. States include: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Missouri, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin.
03 Jan 2007 20:56

The immigration debate: its impact on workers, wages & employers

Published: December 27, 2006 in knowledge@Wharton Illegal immigration into the United States has sparked heated debate in Congress, roiled the two main political parties, and prompted hundreds of thousands of immigrant supporters to take to the streets recently in peaceful demonstrations nationwide.
03 Jan 2007 21:50

The Top “Green Business” Stories of 2006

Standard Renewable Energy Group has released a well-rounded list of Top “Green Business” Stories of 2006.
03 Jan 2007 21:05

World Class Manufacturing,

Guest editorial by Harald Kofler, American High Performance Seals A mid-sized maker of automatic lubrication systems couldn't get an off-the-shelf seal to last long enough in the prototype of its next generation of systems. The stiffness of the material made the seal buckle instead of yielding. None of the off-the-shelf seals had the operational life needed for the new model, which would eventually become a component in a wide range of machinery, including power presses, packaging machines, mechanical and materials handling equipment, textile machinery, food processing equipment.
03 Jan 2007 19:43

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