IT for Manufacturing Executives
Advanced Batteries Act As Recovery Test Case
September 13, 2010 4:38 am | by Ken Thomas, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — The first wave of mass-produced advanced batteries funded by the Obama administration's economic recovery program is starting to roll off assembly lines, setting the stage for new hybrid and electric vehicles. So how will consumers respond? Fending off criticism of the $787 billion stimulus program, the administration has cited the battery industry as one of the success stories.
Inventories Surge By Largest Amount In Two Years
September 13, 2010 4:36 am | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Inventories held by wholesalers surged in July by the largest amount in two years while sales rebounded after two straight declines. The Commerce Department said Friday that wholesale inventories rose 1.3 percent in July, the best performance since July 2008 and triple the increase economists had expected.
Google Search Accelerates With 'Instant' Results
September 13, 2010 4:35 am | by Michael Liedtke, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google Inc. stepped on its Internet search accelerator Wednesday by adding a feature that displays results as soon as people begin typing their requests. The change, called "Google Instant," is the closest the 12-year-old company has come yet to realizing its founders' ambition to build a search engine that reads its users' minds.
Obama: Economic Recovery Has Been 'Painfully Slow'
September 13, 2010 4:33 am | by Darlene Superville and Tom Raum, Associated Press Writers | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama insisted Friday that the U.S. economy is digging itself out of the deepest recession in decades but conceded that "progress has been painfully slow" and many voters in November's elections may blame him. Facing a rising jobless rate, Obama told a White House news conference: "For all the progress we've made, we're not there yet.
Keep A Watchful Eye On Quality Assurance
September 10, 2010 12:10 pm | Articles | CommentsQuality assurance needs to go beyond measuring failure to maximize value to a business enterprise . The adage “You can't manage what you don't measure” certainly applies to the Quality Management System (QMS). Keeping a watchful eye on QMS performance metrics is essential for any compliance sustainability strategy.
Skilled Workers Face A Sobering Reality
September 10, 2010 11:33 am | Articles | CommentsEven when the job market picks up, skilled workers will be left behind because the United States economy continues to shift from one driven by manufacturing to one fueled by service industries. NEW YORK (AP) -- American workers faced a sobering reality as they celebrated the U.
The 'Beach Bot' Saves Lives
September 10, 2010 9:37 am | Videos | CommentsThis unconventional, yet useful, "beach bot" device allows lifeguards to reach distressed swimmers faster, which could mean the difference between life and death. While the robot is still in a prototype stage, it has the potential to be outfitted with a number of accessories to tailor it to specific environments, including the military.
Manufacturing: The True Economic Link
September 10, 2010 5:05 am | by Mike Collins, Author, Saving American Manufacturing | Articles | CommentsThe decline of America’s manufacturing base will affect all other sectors of the economy, many service jobs, and eventually reduce the overall growth of GDP. Wealth is created in only three ways: agriculture and fishing, mining, and manufacturing. Beyond these three activities it can be argued that all other forms of economic activities transfer wealth, but don’t create it.
True Sustainability Is No Fad
September 10, 2010 5:04 am | Articles | CommentsSustainability is not just about the messaging you deliver to the world, it’s all about what you do to help ensure your business will thrive and be increasingly sustainable in the future. IMPO, Manufacturing Business Technology's sister, publication, recently sat down with Lisa Morden, the global sustainability leader for Kimberly-Clark Professional.
United Steelworkers Union Blasts China's Trade Practices
September 10, 2010 4:29 am | by Martin Crutsinger, AP Economics Writer | News | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — A major U.S. union is asking the Obama administration to crack down on various Chinese trade practices that it says are robbing American workers of jobs in the burgeoning field of clean energy such as solar and wind power. The United Steelworkers union on Thursday filed a 5,800-page petition with the administration contending that China's central and provincial governments are giving Chinese companies unfair advantages over American firms through the use of government subsidies that are prohibited under global trade rules.
Analysts Expect Apple's iPad Sales Pace To Double
September 10, 2010 4:26 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK, (Kyodo) — Apple Inc. may sell as many as 28 million units of its popular iPad multimedia tablet computer worldwide in 2011, according to a forecast by an analyst with Swiss banking giant UBS AG. Apple sold 3.27 million units of the iPad globally during the April-June quarter after launching it in early April in the United States.
U.S. Investigators Widen HP Kickback Probe
September 10, 2010 4:25 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — U.S. investigators have widened their probe of alleged kickbacks paid to Russian authorities by employees of a Hewlett-Packard Co. subsidiary in Germany. Authorities in Russia, Germany and the U.S. have been looking into alleged bribes totaling $11 million paid to secure a $44.
Ford: Auto Production To See Modest Gain This Year
September 10, 2010 4:23 am | News | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Ford expects global auto production to increase 5 to 10 percent this year over 2009 levels, a modest gain that reflects the still-weak economy. "The business environment is challenging but we do expect global growth to continue going forward," Ford Americas President Mark Fields said Thursday at the Credit Suisse Automotive and Transportation Conference in New York.
NetApp And Sun Microsystems Settle Patent Dispute
September 10, 2010 4:21 am | News | CommentsSUNNYVALE, Calif. (AP) — NetApp Inc. and Sun Microsystems, which was acquired by Oracle Corp. last year, have agreed to settle a three-year-old patent lawsuit. The companies, which both provide data storage equipment for corporate customers, released few details about their agreement.
Nokia Dumps CEO, Turns To Microsoft Exec
September 10, 2010 4:20 am | by Matti Huuhtanen, Associated Press Writer | News | CommentsHELSINKI (AP) — Nokia Corp. is replacing CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo with top Microsoft executive Stephen Elop as the world's top handset maker aims to regain lost ground in the fiercely competitive smartphone market. Elop, head of Microsoft's business division, has held top posts at Juniper Networks Inc.
