Manufacturing news
February 2007
ARC Announces Collaborative Production Management Market in Europe to Hit $1.6 Billion by 2011
Dedham, Massachusetts; February 28, 2007: The European Collaborative Production Management (CPM) software market is in flux. Over the next five years, the market is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.7%. In 2006, the CPM software and service market was worth $889.6 million and is forecasted to exceed $1.6 billion by 2011 according to a new ARC Advisory Group study.
28 Feb 2007 13:48
Dow for sale to India's largest company?
Forbes is reporting that Reliance Industries, India's largest company, is reportedly seeking $2 billion in bank financing to develop a gas field off India's coast, and may be positioning itself to acquire Dow, the petrochemical giant.
28 Feb 2007 13:52
NAM applauds new Toyota plant as "Proof that manufacturing in America is good for business"
WASHINGTON, D.C, February 28, 2007 – National Association of Manufacturers President John Engler today welcomed the announcement by Toyota North America that it is planning to construct a new $1.3 billion assembly plant in Tupelo, Mississippi. The new facility is expected to come on line in 2010. It will be the eighth Toyota assembly plant in the U.S.
28 Feb 2007 13:57
One million pirated movies, CDs seized in Guatemala
Guatemala City, 28th February 2007 – More than one million counterfeit discs containing pirate music and films were seized by police in a major street operation in downtown Guatemala City it was revealed today.
28 Feb 2007 13:55
Pavilion earns Environmental Business Journal IT Merit Award
AUSTIN, Texas—February 27, 2007—Pavilion Technologies, a world leader in model-based software, today announced that it has received a Business Achievement Award in the Information Technology (IT) Merit category from the Environmental Business Journal (EBJ). This award recognizes Pavilion’s Real-time Environmental Management (REM) application success in 2006 as an innovative new solution for helping manufacturing companies achieve plant environmental performance.
28 Feb 2007 13:41
ABB to provide controls for new $1 billion generating unit at Cleco's Rodemacher Station
Wickliffe, Ohio, February 26, 2007 - ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has been selected to supply Cleco Power's new $1 billion, 660-megawatt generating unit at the company's Rodemacher Power Station site near Boyce, La, with burner management, boiler controls, and BOP controls for its two 330 MW circulating fluidized bed boilers. ABB is looking forward to working with Engineering and Procurement Contractor, Shaw, Stone and Webster during the execution of this project.
27 Feb 2007 13:02
Airline, auto industries: Pension Protection Act leaves door open to bankrupties, mass payouts
Legacy costs, the common term for worker pension and healthcare benefits negotiated in past collective bargaining agreements, are rising at a rapid pace - driven by weak projected returns on pension portfolios, strong growth in healthcare costs and aging baby boomers tipping the scale between the number of workers supporting each retiree.
27 Feb 2007 17:57
Best Practices: Managing Supply-Based Risk, Globally
With accelerated adoption of global sourcing strategies, managing far-flung supplier relationships is becoming a major challenge. Keeping tabs on local suppliers is complicated enough, but factor in different business cultures, time zones, laws and languages and many manufacturers feel like they are doing business in the dark.
27 Feb 2007 15:53
Campbell Resources announces the sale of its Eastmain Mine property
Montréal, February 27, 2007 - Campbell Resources Inc. (TSX: CCH, OTC Bulletin Board: CBLRF) ("Campbell") announces that its wholly-owned subsidiary MSV Resources Inc. has sold its Eastmain Mine Property to Eastmain Resources Inc.
27 Feb 2007 17:27
Coal liquefaction offers environmental benefits, cost savings, and energy security, finds thinktank
Phoenix, AZ – February 6, 2007 – Energy Business Reports publishes a new report on "Commercialization of Coal-to-Liquids Technology" examining how the use of coal liquification technologies may help America wean itself of foreign oil imports. CTL fuel is already in use elsewhere, like South Africa, where it meets 30 percent of transportation fuel needs.
27 Feb 2007 15:14
Impact of REACH on US exporters of manufactured goods to the EU
EU regulations are more stringent and more numerous than US regulations, and US manufacturers who don't consider themselves chemical companies will find themselves widely affected by REACH. Dr. Louis Wyness of TSG Europe, a UK-based regulatory services consultancy, explains.
27 Feb 2007 17:12
Kronos releases Kronos for Manufacturing
"Business is business," you may think, so why would a manufacturer require a different time and attendance application than a real estate office?
27 Feb 2007 16:04
Ford foundation awards grant to Manufacturing Institute for "Business Champions"
The Ford Foundation has awarded a grant of $200,000 to The Manufacturing Institute/Center for Workforce Success (the research and education arm of the National Association of Manufacturers) for Business Champions, a task force of business leaders who seek to strengthen America’s workforce by helping community colleges prepare more people for high-skill jobs.
26 Feb 2007 22:39
Oregon company first in US to manufacture modern streetcars
The Portland, Ore., metropolitan area, well known for its extensive and award-winning transit system, is now home to the first company in the nation to manufacture modern-day street cars.
26 Feb 2007 22:36
Spare the rod, punishing suppliers doesn't work
Improvements in supplier performance are essential for a growing majority of companies that rely on their supplier base for everything from office supplies to manufactured components and customer-ready goods. Yet, a recent Supply Chain Consortium survey of 100 top retail and consumer goods companies reveals that holding suppliers accountable through punitive compliance programs is not working.
26 Feb 2007 22:51
Taking Back a Fake World: Recommendations for Combating the Spread of Global Counterfeiting and Piracy Before it’s Too Late
by Mark N. Mutterperl, Jessica Parise, and Chehrazade Chemcham, Fulbright & Jaworski LLP
Fulbright and Jaworski LLP was one of eight private entities who sponsored January's Global Congress on Combating Counterfeiting and Piracy in Geneva. The firm has successfully represented several US manufacturers in protecting their brands in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Fulbright and Jaworski have offered their recap and analysis of the Congress.
26 Feb 2007 13:11
TXU sold to private equity in record-breaking buyout
Dallas-based energy company TXU has agreed to its sale to private equity firms Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Texas Pacific Group, for $45 billion.
26 Feb 2007 22:34
UGS Celebrates Record Numbers of Patents Granted in 2006
UGS Corp., a leading global provider of product lifecycle management (PLM) software and services, today announced the awarding of a record number of software patents to UGS from the United States Patent and Trademark Office during 2006 in segments of the PLM industry ranging from computer-aided-design (CAD) to collaborative Product Data Management (cPDM).
26 Feb 2007 22:55
Bad PR: US Consumers Hold Big Business Accountable for Global Warming
Independent market research firm, The MindClick Group, has released the findings of a new study detailing consumer attitudes toward climate change: more than 60 percent of U.S. consumers hold government and big business directly accountable for global warming.
23 Feb 2007 13:51
U.S. Department of Labor awards NAAMREI $5M to develop rapid response manufacturing in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley
The U.S. Department of Labor has awarded the North American Advanced Manufacturing Research and Education Initiative (NAAMREI) more than $5M to support the region’s Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) Project, a plan to develop a rapid response manufacturing (RRM) facility and create a sustainable premier manufacturing infrastructure in South Texas’ Rio Grande Region.
23 Feb 2007 13:45
NAM applauds Philip Morris verdict, decries "Jackpot Justice"
The National Association of Manufacturers Vice President for Litigation Quentin Riegel hailed the Supreme Court ruling that alleged injuries to third parties should not be the basis for assessing punitive damages in certain cases.
21 Feb 2007 13:17
RedPrairie Corporation to Acquire GEOCOMtms
RedPrairie Corporation, a leading consumer driven optimization company, and GEOCOMtms, Inc. have jointly announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement, whereby RedPrairie will acquire GEOCOMtms.
21 Feb 2007 15:02
Wärtsilä Corporation, Trade Press Release, 21 February 2007
Wärtsilä Corporation, a leading global provider of power plants, signed an equipment supply contract for a 76 MW gas-fired power plant for Midwest Energy, Inc., an electric and gas utility serving central and western Kansas.
21 Feb 2007 13:29
Brightpoint, Dangaard Telecom to merge for wireless distribution and customized logistic services
Brightpoint, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a definitive Stock Purchase Agreement ("Definitive Agreement") for Brightpoint, Inc. to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Dangaard Telecom A/S.
20 Feb 2007 19:07
Cadillac LeBaron likely? Chrysler at close of bell
As we go to press with this edition, the speculation continues over Chrysler, which last week, announced 13,000 job cuts.
20 Feb 2007 19:27
Cimmetry and Skire partner for facilities design, construction, operations, maintenance
Cimmetry Systems, an Agile Software company and global leader in Collaborative Visualization solutions, and Skire Inc., the premier provider of Capital Program, Facility Lifecycle and Project Portfolio Management solutions, today signed a new ISV agreement extending their long-standing strategic partnership.
20 Feb 2007 19:10
ISCEA members to earn credits at Manufacturer LIVE symposium
Conquest Business Media and ISCEA Form Strategic Partnership
20 Feb 2007 15:50
MSC.Software Signs OEM Agreement with FEMUTEC GmbH
MSC.Software, the global provider of enterprise simulation solutions including simulation software and services, has announced a new OEM relationship with manufacturing specialists FEMUTEC GmbH that will focus on simulation interests in materials forming.
20 Feb 2007 18:50
NC Governor woos HondaJet, wins jobs
North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley has announced that Honda Aircraft Company Inc., a subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., will expand its Greensboro operations and build its new HondaJet at Piedmont Triad International Airport.
20 Feb 2007 19:17
Supreme Court: Philip Morris not liable
The media outlets are abuzz with a manufacturer story - the US Supreme Court has thrown out the $79.5 judgment against cigarette company Philip Morris and its parent Altria Group.
20 Feb 2007 17:00
Vodafone acquires Indian mobile wireless operator
Since he took over as CEO of Vodafone Group in 2003, Arun Sarin has tried to refocus the British mobile wireless operator toward emerging markets, as Business Week reports, looking for 12 percent growth. Hence Vodafone’s acquisitions in Turkey, South Africa and Romania.
20 Feb 2007 19:04
Honda innovates Acura MDX design using Autodesk
Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) today announced that Honda Canada engaged Autodesk AliasStudio software for the widely recognized design of the 2007 Acura MDX sports utility vehicle (SUV).
19 Feb 2007 18:15
Mid-State Chemical and Supply rebrands, changes name
Indianapolis, IN—Feb. 16, 2007—Mid-State Chemical Supply Corporation announces today it has changed its name to MS Fluid Technologies, an initiative complemented with a revised logo and new tagline ‘Solutions for Manufacturing.’ The rebranding complements MS Fluid Technologies’ current and future strategic corporate growth initiatives that include new product lines and global expansion.
19 Feb 2007 15:38
President's fast-track trade authority questioned
World Trade is reporting that lawmakers opposed to free trade are threatening to squash President Bush's request for renewal of fast-track authority, unless Bush develops a "meaningful action plan that addresses the burgeoning deficit."
19 Feb 2007 15:50
Safety thinktank analyzes proposed changes to EPA noise reduction ratings
Since 1974, the United States Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] has used the Noise Reduction Rating [NRR] as its yardstick to measure hearing protector effectiveness in reducing noise levels.
19 Feb 2007 15:54
Chrysler to cut 13,000 jobs amid restructuring
They call it the "Chrysler Group Recovery and Transformation Plan", and have issued forward-looking press statements. But amid the plans for fuel efficiency, a $3 billion investment in powertrains and strategic partnerships, there is also a reduction of 13,000 employees, and two plant closures. Thus Chrysler joins the grim parade behind Ford and GM.
14 Feb 2007 16:21
NAM unveils energy strategy, says security can be reality
The National Association of Manufacturers today unveiled a comprehensive, forward-looking energy strategy , “Energy Security for American Competitiveness,” designed to diversify the nation's energy mix and lay a foundation for meeting the nation’s energy needs in the future.
14 Feb 2007 16:30
NAM, VP Cheney, defent secret ballots "free from coercion and intimidation"
In a speech today to the National Association of Manufacturers, Vice President Dick Cheney vowed to uphold democracy in America’s workplaces by opposing “card check” legislation. “Our Administration rejects any attempt to short-circuit the rights of workers,” Cheney said. “We will defend their right to vote yes or no by secret ballot and their right to fair bargaining. H.R. 800 violates these principles, and if it is sent to the President, he will veto the bill.”
14 Feb 2007 16:24
Printed electronics are, for purposes of design and innovation, here
UK-based electronics consultancy IDTechEx has offered its analysis of the printed electronics horizon, which is closer than it looks. Its makers are finding investors and encouraging designs with paper-thin virtually weightless electronics.
14 Feb 2007 14:21
Autodesk Transforms Product Development Process with Manufacturing Solution Updates
At its World Press Day event today, Autodesk, Inc. unveiled the latest versions of its manufacturing solutions, which Autodesk says help customers redefine the product development process by experiencing their ideas before they are real.
13 Feb 2007 17:22
NLMK-DUFERCO JV MAKES A JOINT BID with Esmark to acquire Winner Steel, USA
Novolipetsk Steel (NLMK) and Duferco Group have annouced that Duferco U.S. Investment Corporation and Esmark have formed a consortium to purchase the assets of Winner Steel, based in Pennsylvania, USA. Currently the consortium has entered into a letter of intent with Winner Steel, which is subject to negotiation and execution of a definitive asset purchase agreement and other conditions.
13 Feb 2007 17:44
UK/Aussie companies want to buy Alcoa
Both BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, two UK/Australian mining companies, plan a $40 billion takeover of aluminum giant Alcoa. Plan, but neither company has yet approached Alcoa.
13 Feb 2007 13:56
US Trade Rep to Congress - please step aside
The White House needs to maintain fast-track authority if it is to compete in the global market, US Trade Representative Susan Schwab testified said yesterday.
13 Feb 2007 15:09
India's fighter jet will benefit US companies
India plans to develop a medium-combat aircraft, according to a French news agency, in a project worth $2.27 billion. Their motivation is, apparently, less for a strong military than for a strong defense manufacturing sector.
12 Feb 2007 14:25
KUKA Robotics for newly expanded university robotics center
KUKA Robotics Corporation, a leading global manufacturer of industrial robots, today announced it has been selected by Ohio Northern University (ONU) to provide robotics for its newly remodeled and expanded robotics technology center.
12 Feb 2007 16:54
Lear accepts Icahn bid, shareholders may oppose
It is a strange marriage, but debt-laden auto parts maker Lear Corp has accepted a $5.3 billion takeover bid from Carl Icahn--through his real estate firm.
12 Feb 2007 22:59
Measuring ROI pushes it higher, says Harte Hanks Aberdeen of enterprise solutions
ERP and other enterprise management applications (EMA) are supposed to drive profit and productivity upward. But few companies calculate ROI before they implement a system, and fewer still follow up to see if the system has paid for itself. The sheer act of doing so drives the success. That is Aberdeen Group's conclusion in its new report Realize the Returns from Enterprise Management Applications: Make the ROI Calculation Speak to the Financial Value of EMAs
12 Feb 2007 15:54
New BlackBerry favors enterprise
We at The Manufacturer are interested in enterprise applications, so when Research in Motion (RIM) contacted us about its BlackBerry devices for enterprise, we said "show me." If Rohm & Haas, Whirlpool and Boeing see BlackBerry as a solution, well then, perhaps the rest of industry ought to have a look.
12 Feb 2007 16:35
Tompkins Associates educates military in industry strategies
The US Department of Defense has for ten years looked to industry for ideas. The theory: if industry had to move thousands of people and tons of equipment to the other side of the earth in under a week, and at a profit, industry would figure it out.
12 Feb 2007 16:15
Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy uses PTC Pro/ENGINEER to create Lego® Mindstorms® robots for use by students across the globe
PTC, the Product Development Company, has announced that teachers working with Carnegie Mellon University's Robotic Academy used Pro/ENGINEER Schools Edition to construct Lego NXT robots as part of the Robotics Academy's international outreach.
09 Feb 2007 15:44
Europe VC funds MFG.com for global expansion
We visited MFG.com at this week's SolidWorks conference in New Orleans, and it's impressive: real RFPs waiting for takers, every hour of the day. It's impressive enough that a European venture capital giant is funding its expansion.
09 Feb 2007 15:00
Hubbell Lighting sees 75% productivity improvement with Certeon accelerated PLM
Nothing is more infuriating than a slow download or a file that takes several minutes to open. Engineers the world over know that frustration exactly. As easy as collaborative manufacturing sounds - "We can work with engineers from the other end of the earth!" - opening a complex CAD file can be deathly slow.
09 Feb 2007 13:05
Materials for Printed Electronics to Grow to $7.7 Billion by 2012, Says New Report
According to a new report from NanoMarkets, a leading industry analyst firm based here, the market for electronic inks and related substrate materials used in manufacturing printed electronics is expected to grow to $7.7 billion by 2012.
09 Feb 2007 19:20
Supply Chain Management: The Under-utilized Key to Post-merger Integration?
To achieve world-class supply chain management, companies often must reconcile conflicting missions.
09 Feb 2007 21:11
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation Announces $900,000 in Youth Program Funding for 2007
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation announced today that it would commit $900,000 in 2007 to youth programs that expose students to the exciting possibilities of manufacturing and engineering careers.
09 Feb 2007 18:01
Transport experts call for new generation of ocean cargo services
Two freight transport experts have called for the creation of “fast track” ocean cargo services that can provide shippers reliable and timely delivery of Asian imports.
09 Feb 2007 18:20
WMEP wins state’s top economic development award
MADISON, Wis.– The Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) today received the state’s top economic development award from the Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA).
09 Feb 2007 14:31
Commercialization of Coal-to-Liquids Technology
Energy Business Reports has published a new report on "Commercialization of Coal-to-Liquids Technology" which examines how the use of coal liquification technologies may help America wean itself of foreign oil imports. CTL fuel is already in use elsewhere, like South Africa, where it meets 30 percent of transportation fuel needs.
08 Feb 2007 20:06
HP’s redesigned ink, toner packaging to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 37 million pounds in 2007
HP has announced that its redesigned print cartridge packaging for North America will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 37 million pounds in 2007 – the equivalent of taking 3,600 cars off the road for one year.
08 Feb 2007 20:01
Kodak cuts go deeper as the camera-maker realigns itself
Kodak has raised the number of workers it will let go from 27,000 to 30,000.
08 Feb 2007 19:52
Record year for international patent filings, US leads
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), the cornerstone of the international patent system, has since it began in 1978, seen continuous growth with a record 145,3001 applications filed in 2006, representing a 6.4 percent growth over the previous year.
08 Feb 2007 20:17
Two million miles - not even a fender bender
Con-way Freight, a less-than-truckload carrier and subsidiary of Con-way Inc., today announced that driver Steve Freitag has achieved his two millionth accident-free mile.
08 Feb 2007 19:58
Aberdeen Group: Globalization in A&D the make or break for supply chain software
The Automotive, Aerospace and (to a lesser extent) Defense industries) are undergoing massive globalization. They are in various stages of transformation from a regional/local model to a global model in which the buying, making, moving, and selling activities could happen anywhere in the world. To thrive in today’s globalized environment, AA&D companies are reexamining their supply chain processes and their supporting technology.
04 Feb 2007 19:45
Editorial: Healthcare - a winning record
By John Engler, President, National Association of Manufacturers, www.nam.org
Modern medicine isn’t always so modern.
04 Feb 2007 20:19
January Manufacturing ISM Report On Business
The Manufacturing ISM Report On Business is published monthly by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM), the largest supply management organization in the world, as well as one of the most respected. Economic activity in the manufacturing sector contracted in January following a one-month expansion, while the overall economy grew for the 63rd consecutive month, say the nation's supply executives in the latest Manufacturing ISM Report On Business.
04 Feb 2007 19:28
A Russia-Iran OPEC?
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Russian President Vladimir Putin is considering a deal with Iran for a "gas version of OPEC." Russia and Iran are, according to the journal, the first and second largest global source of natural gas.
02 Feb 2007 14:17
Aberdeen Group reports on benchmarking ERP in SMB
Aberdeen Group Vice President and Research Director Cindy Jutras has written a study of small companies and their use of ERP solutions.
02 Feb 2007 21:32
ATS: Advanced Technology Services Achieves Double Digit Growth in 2006; Plans International Expansion in 2007
Advanced Technology Services, Inc., (ATS), an industry leader in managed production equipment maintenance, industrial parts repair and innovative IT solutions, today announced the company achieved double digit growth in 2006, surpassing $135M in corporate revenue for 2006. The company continues on a sharp growth trajectory and has established itself as the leader in outsourced production maintenance.
02 Feb 2007 22:53
CanGro Foods Makes Right Outsourcing Move
After implementing a new outsourcing solution, CanGro Foods Inc.’s annual savings are estimated to exceed $1 million. Tompkins Associates provided the leading Canadian grower, processor and canner with the right solution to reduce labor requirements and costs while increasing flexibility and productivity for their newly acquired grocery brands from Kraft Canada.
02 Feb 2007 23:32
Guinness Book-worthy 2006 for ExxonMobil
Exxon's 2006 net income of $39.5 billion is the largest annual profit recorded by a US company, ever.
02 Feb 2007 21:47
Insuring the uninsured: President Bush joins the healthcare debate
As you'll read in our February issue, President Bush's State of the Union address touched upon two agenda items key to manufacturers - energy security, and healthcare. Bush proposed a scheme to partially lift the burden of healthcare from employers. The thinktank at the WP Carey School at Arizona State University offers this analysis.
02 Feb 2007 21:41
IPCC on warming - we're kind of responsible. Maybe.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a UN committee, has released its fourth assessment on global warming, which differs little from the third assessment, which concluded that man is "very likely" responsible for global warming, in part.
02 Feb 2007 20:24
Jobless rate, payrolls both up
Payroll employment in the US rose by 111,000 in January, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 4.6 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS).
02 Feb 2007 14:10
NAM supports WTO case on China's prohibited subsidies
The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) today expressed its strong support for the Administration’s initiation of consultations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement process against China’s prohibited trade-distorting subsidies.
02 Feb 2007 17:44
Oracle Delivers on Applications Unlimited with New Release of Five Major Application Families
NEW YORK 31-JAN-2007 07:00 AM Today at its global "Applications Unlimited" event held on 6 continents over 24 hours, Oracle announced new versions of its five major product lines, with the introduction of Oracle(r) E-Business Suite Release 12, Oracle's PeopleSoft Enterprise Release 9.0, Siebel CRM 8.0, JD Edwards EnterpriseOne 8.12 and JD Edwards World A9.1.
02 Feb 2007 23:31
Smart manufacturers use the blogosphere, aren't victimized
The old rules for PR, image maintenance, and marketing are being broken down. Up until a few years ago, the standard PR news cycle for IT professionals was measured in weeks (or even months) – it mostly conformed to the publishing cycle of the trade press.
02 Feb 2007 23:22
ToolsGroup Surpasses 100th Inventory Optimization Customer in 2006
Kudos to ToolsGroup, a global provider of inventory optimization solutions, surpassed the 100th deployment of its DPM software and was identified by leading analyst firm ARC Advisory Group as the largest inventory optimization provider in the industry, measured in annual revenues.
02 Feb 2007 17:57
80% of companies dissatisfied with supply chain technology
Packaged supply chain applications are turning a corner in the automotive, aerospace and defense industries. This is according to a new benchmark report from Aberdeen, a Harte Hanks Company (NYSE:HHS), on 105 automotive, aerospace and defense industry companies.
01 Feb 2007 21:20
Cisco Systems Named Intermec Alliance Partner of the Year
Intermec Inc. presented a special Alliance Partner of the Year award to Cisco Systems at its Global Sales Summit. Cisco received the award for providing innovative wireless solutions for Intermec customers around the world.
01 Feb 2007 21:34
Energy Business Reports: Securing Energy Assets and Infrastructure
Recent terrorist activities have raised red flags about the vulnerability of our nation’s critical energy assets, including oil and gas infrastructure, transmission grids, power plants, storage, pipelines, and IT systems.
01 Feb 2007 20:05
Fludigm opens ops in Singapore
California-based Fluidigm Corporation today announced the launch of its Biomedical Product Development Center in Singapore. This is Fluidigm’s first such center outside the U.S.
01 Feb 2007 19:46
NAM vice chair urges senate committee, China must move faster on currency
Michael Campbell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Arch Chemicals, Inc., based in Norwalk, Connecticut, and Vice Chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers, today told a Senate panel that China needed to allow for greater movement in its currency or risk growing frustration and possible backlash that could damage the global economy.
01 Feb 2007 22:57
Plan to Fail if you Fail to Plan: Words to Live by for Process Manufacturers
It’s no secret that process manufacturing companies are facing some tough challenges. Consolidation, globalization, increased competition and severe economic and geo-political pressures are impeding process manufacturing companies. What has been a secret until now, however, is that there are ways for manufacturers to not only survive, but to thrive, in the face of these challenges.
01 Feb 2007 19:53
Seagate patent test case on willful infringement/due care goes to Federal Circuit Court
The Federal Circuit Court of Appeals has just agreed to hear a case of critical importance to anyone embroiled in patent litigation.
01 Feb 2007 21:12
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers Education Foundation Announces $900,000 in Youth Program Funding for 2007
The Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation announced today that it would commit $900,000 in 2007 to youth programs that expose students to the exciting possibilities of manufacturing and engineering careers.
01 Feb 2007 22:19
