http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/manufacturing/ en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:32:10 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417189/posts Is Obama's Manufacturing Fix too Late?by Alan Tonelson Opinion/Analysis Will the Obama administration's new blueprint for "Revitalizing American Manufacturing" be a case of "better late than never" ... or "too little, too late"? Two weeks after the document's release, the "late" part is the only certain characteristic. After all, the ongoing economic crisis stems ultimately from chronic U.S. underproduction. Therefore, truly healthy growth (as opposed to the artificial, unsustainable, government-generated variety) won't return until the nation greatly boosts genuine wealth creation. Manufacturing dominates the segment of the economy that creates real wealth (as opposed to the paper variety to which... The Washington Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2417189/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 21:32:10 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2417046/posts First, they sold the most amount of cars in the world, then, they started cost cutting and now, Toyota are taking another big step towards becoming GM. The Charleston Daily Mail reports that the managers of Toyota’s manufacturing plant in Buffalo, West Virginia have allowed workers to distribute union literature during breaks at the plant. There’d been grumblings about unionisation for some time. Last month, some Toyota employees, (with the backing of the UAW, naturally), filed a grievance with the National Labour Relations Board’s regional office in Cincinnati. They wanted to distribute union material but were stopped by Toyota managers.... The Truth About Cars http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2417046/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:45:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412245/posts U.S. Remains Largest Manufacturer in the World by: Mark Perry December 21, 2009 According to the Federal Reserve, the value of U.S. manufacturing output in 2008 was $2.946 trillion, measured in 2000 dollars. Converted to 2008 dollars (link), that would be about $3.7 trillion, and the chart above shows how the U.S. manufacturing sector compares to the entire output, or GDP, of the top five largest economies in the world in 2008 (data): Japan ($4.9 trillion), China ($4.3T), Germany ($3.7T), U.K. ($2.7T) and Italy ($2.3T). Bottom Line: If the U.S. manufacturing sector were a separate country, it would be tied... Seeking Alpha http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2412245/posts#comment Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:41:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408836/posts The Federal Reserve Bank of Buffalo branch researches the monthly report. About 200 manufacturing CEOs around the state are surveyed. Indexes measuring new orders and shipping activity showed smaller monthly increases, both moving closer to a value of zero. The report also revealed that manufacturing employment in the state is declining... The Business Review (Albany) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2408836/posts#comment Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:35:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2404552/posts Rosenberg: The Manufacturing Collapse Has Resumed Vince Veneziani and Gus LubinDec. 10, 2009, 8:34 AM Analyst Dave Rosenberg presents a series of enlightening charts this morning that show that for the first time in 14 months, manufacturing inventories are up across the board. Rosenberg: Looking at the sector breakdown of the report, the charts below highlight the sectors that are seeing an outright inventory re-stocking at this time. In addition, what makes these sectors pop out is that they were also cited as areas of expansion in the latest Fed Beige Book. The charts focus on everything from construction to... The Business Insider http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2404552/posts#comment Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:35:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2402480/posts California: While Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger worries about rising seas, his state sinks below the waves. Don't mess with Texas, they say. But California and the nation could follow its lead. Last Wednesday, Gov. Schwarzenegger released a new report based on research compiled by the California Energy Commission claiming that by 2100 San Francisco Bay would be more bay than San Francisco, with Fisherman's Wharf and Treasure Island under the rising waters of climate change. His show-and-tell, which included a new Google Earth application the commission spent $150,000 to help develop, goes a long way toward explaining the once-Golden State's slide... Investors.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2402480/posts#comment Tue, 8 Dec 2009 01:10:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2401159/posts Workers assembling vehicles at the SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile Co production line in Liuzhou, Guangxi. GM and SAIC together operate eight joint ventures in the country. [Agencies] General Motors Co on Friday said it has set up a $100 million joint venture in Hong Kong along with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp Group (SAIC) to focus on the Asian markets. As part of this, the new venture would bring under its umbrella all the Indian operations of GM including the two vehicle manufacturing facilities, a power train unit and the nationwide distribution network. GM would also produce and sell small cars and mini-commercial... AsiaLynx.com (ChinaDaily.com) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2401159/posts#comment Sat, 5 Dec 2009 21:36:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2396979/posts Chinese aero manufacturers open up to engage export market By Reuben F Johnson 30 November 2009 Over the last month China's National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC), the state-licensed aircraft export sales monopoly, along with its industrial partner, Aviation Industries of China, have both demonstrated an unusual degree of openness in displaying data on their products. This willingness of Chinese officials to speak at length on both of these areas seems to have coincided with the 60th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) on 11 November. China's military aircraft industry has been steadily developing a line... Jane's http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2396979/posts#comment Mon, 30 Nov 2009 17:58:41 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395249/posts As Britons, we tend to think about our economy in the same way as our national sports teams. We know we should be world-beaters, but deep down suspect we're doomed to perennial disappointment...As the official statistics confirmed yesterday, ours is the only one of the world's top seven economies still stuck in recession. You might have been aware that Britain was one of the world's biggest chemical producers, thanks to companies such as GlaxoSmithkline, AstraZeneca and the thriving biotech firms that cluster around universities. You probably knew we sold plenty of Scotch and ale overseas. But did you know that... The Telegraph http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395249/posts#comment Fri, 27 Nov 2009 05:27:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391034/posts David Farr, CEO of Emerson Electric Co., said federal governmental policies are hurting U.S. manufacturing. He cited cap and trade, health care reform and labor rules as undermining the industry and its ability to expand and grow jobs domestically. He said that his company will continue to focus on growth overseas. Emerson, the maker of electrical equipment and InSinkErator garbage disposals with $20.9 billion in sales for the year ended September, will keep expanding in emerging markets, which represented 32 percent of revenue in 2009. About 36 percent of manufacturing is now in “best-cost countries” up from 21 percent in... Supply House Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2391034/posts#comment Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:26:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2389526/posts One of the few concrete signs of cooperation to emerge from this week's U.S.-China summit could boost Beijing's drive to become a global aircraft maker. President Barack Obama pledged Tuesday to push for closer technical collaboration and eventual U.S. safety approval for China's ARJ21 commuter jet. That amounts to both a symbolic and practical step to counter Beijing's growing frustration with U.S. aviation policy and U.S. restrictions on the purchase of certain technologies. The high-profile U.S. initiative is especially significant because China's own safety regulators are still a year or more away from approving the 70-to-100-passenger aircraft being developed by... Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2389526/posts#comment Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:41:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2376095/posts On Wednesday, Boeing announced it would put a second 787 assembly line in Charleston, S.C., rather than Everett, WA. Big Government Blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2376095/posts#comment Sun, 1 Nov 2009 22:38:56 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375960/posts HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- China's manufacturing expanded for the eighth straight month in October and forward-looking indicators pointed to a further pick-up underway, according to a government index released Sunday.The data adds up to a picture of an economy that's on track for acceleration in the October-to-December period, marking the third-straight quarterly pick up. The Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rose to 55.2 in October from 54.3 in September, the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said in a release. A gauge of export orders rose to 54.5 from 53.3, the sixth straight month of gains. General orders notched a similar... MarketWatch http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375960/posts#comment Sun, 1 Nov 2009 17:46:51 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375949/posts Boeing's decision to build a new airplane-assembly plant in Charleston, S.C., will change the shape of the company and dramatically alter how both the state of Washington and the Machinists union approach Boeing. Washington state must accept a future where it competes for every new Boeing airplane program, with low-wage South Carolina as a certain rival. The Machinists must accept that if Boeing doesn't like their demands, it can direct future work to its nonunion Charleston plants. A defining moment could come about 2015, when Boeing will choose where to build the successor plane to either the Renton-built 737 or... Seattle Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375949/posts#comment Sun, 1 Nov 2009 17:35:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2374629/posts Doubts are growing about whether the Ford pact with the United Auto Workers will be approved after the rank and file at two more plants overwhelmingly rejected it. Workers at a parts-making plant in Saline, Mich., voted 75 percent against the deal. Research and engineering employees in Dearborn, Mich., were even more negative, with roughly 90 percent voting against the deal. Ford’s biggest assembly plant, at Claycomo, has already voted 92 percent against the concessions, which Ford says it needs to stay competitive. Chrysler and General Motors got the conessions from the UAW, but they were going through bankruptcy, which... Kansas City Star http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2374629/posts#comment Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:15:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373256/posts CHICAGO—Boeing Co. said it would build a second final assembly line for its troubled 787 Dreamliner jet in South Carolina, a move that spurns the powerful aircraft machinists' union that had been negotiating with Boeing to locate the work at the current factory near Seattle. Boeing has been laying the groundwork for a new factory in South Carolina for months and could begin construction at a facility it owns in North Charleston, S.C., as early as Nov. 2. The factory is expected to be operational by July 2011. Boeing's decision comes after a flurry of lobbying by officials in both... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373256/posts#comment Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:12:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373200/posts Dow Jones)--Boeing Co. on Wednesday announced it would build a second final assembly line for its troubled 787 Dreamliner jet in South Carolina, a move that spurns the powerful aircraft machinists' union that had been negotiating with Boeing to locate the work at the current factory near Seattle. Boeing has been laying the groundwork for a new factory in South Carolina for months and could begin construction at a facility it owns in North Charleston, S.C., as early as Nov. 2. The factory is expected to be operational by July 2011. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373200/posts#comment Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:55:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373157/posts Just announced KING5 news, waiting for link... http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373157/posts#comment Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:03:36 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373025/posts So Boeing is threatening to jilt us (again). To run out on our nine decades of marriage with someone smarter? Better? More reliable? Nope. With someone cheaper. Take away the heat, all the union-bashing or management second-guessing as Boeing now appears ready to move a major piece of its plane-building operations to South Carolina. At the core of this breakup drama is a cold statistic: 14. As in $14. Per hour. That's the average pay of the local line workers who are building the fuselage of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner in a Charleston, S.C., plant. Average pay of a Boeing Machinist... Seattle Times http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2373025/posts#comment Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:12:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2371748/posts This a from the Tennessean, the Pravda of the South. They don't like conservatives so you need to copy and paste the link. VW is opening a plant in Chattanooga and will be hiring 1,200 for production. They started taking applications on line today and have received over 5,000 and the application period runs through November 15th. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20091027/BUSINESS01/910270331/5+000+seek+VW+jobs+on+Day+1 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2371748/posts#comment Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:07:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2370231/posts As part of the Fiat - Chrysler alliance, the Italian carmaker will bring several new models in the United States but the 500 mini car will be the only one to be sold under the Fiat badge. The car is going to be produced by Chrysler in Mexico and, according to people close to the matter, the US-based former bankrupt automaker has already required suppliers to make sure that their parts are enough for around 100,000 Fiat 500. The Fiat 500 produced in Mexico will be sold in the US, Canada and South America, Bloomberg reported, with initial production goals... Autoevolution http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2370231/posts#comment Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:46:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2367235/posts It's hard to not be spellbound by the sight of half of a new house slowly swinging across the street and gently coming to rest on a precast concrete foundation. Raise the roof line, join the two sections, add a decorative facade, tidy up the entrance and it's almost ready for occupancy, right down to the sparkling bathroom mirrors and kitchen appliances. But would you want to live in a house that arrives on two flatbed trucks? Or would you feel your home sweet home is one front step away from living in a trailer? A California businessman with Chicago... The Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2367235/posts#comment Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:36:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2367118/posts Container Trade in TEUs* 2009 Year-to-Date*TEUs: 20-foot equivalent units or 20-foot-long cargo container **Preliminary estimate   Loaded Inbound Loaded Outbound Empties Total Containers January 200,588 88,510 110,197 399,295 February 149,299 92,781 75,962 318,042 March 186,450 117,674 70,007 374,131 April 199,051 112,976 96,678 408,705 May 208,591 121,064 89,900 419,555 June 206,358 114,107 92,882 413,347 July 221,719 108,420 102,874 433,013 August 249,920 130,623 112,796 493,339 September 224,924 109,337 106,103 440,364 October November December Year-to-Date 1,846,900 995,492 857,399 3,699,791 YTD % Change -23.8% -26.3% -24.2% -24.6% Port of Long Beach http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2367118/posts#comment Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:31:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2365985/posts The 20th century was famously called “the American century”, yet its being so called occurred in an improbable way. The phrase itself was actually not used until Time publisher Henry Luce coined it in a special issue of Life magazine in 1941—by which time 40 percent of the 20th century had already passed. Moreover, 1941 was a year in which the superiority of America and of the American way of life appeared decidedly problematic. Only the year before had the United States finally exited, statistically speaking, the decade of the Great Depression. Nazi Germany’s armies occupied most of Europe, stretching... The American Interest http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2365985/posts#comment Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:04:01 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2362844/posts DES MOINES, Iowa - Office furniture and fireplace insert manufacturer HNI Corp. said Friday it plans to close a Kentucky factory to reduce costs. The company said it notified workers and union officials of its decision to close the Owensboro, Ky., office furniture factory beginning in the fourth quarter. The work will be absorbed by other factories. The closure should be completed by the end of the second quarter 2010. Chicago Tribune http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2362844/posts#comment Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:16:37 GMT