Parker wins $2 billion in contracts for Airbus A350, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 18, 2008
Cleveland—Parker Hannifin Corp. has won contracts to build fuel and hydraulic systems for the Airbus A350 airliner (right), projects that may elevate the Cleveland manufacturer to new prominence in the aerospace industry. Eleven regional companies have major contracts with aviation and aerospace companies including Boeing, Airbus, Sikorsky and commercial airlines.

Eaton wins second Sikorsky contract, Crains' Cleveland Business, January 18, 2008 (Subscription)
Cleveland—The Sikorsky Aircraft subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. selected Eaton Corp. to design and supply the lighted control panels and dimming controllers for the CH-53k heavy-lift helicopter, under development for the U.S. Marine Corps.

Ohio could be giant in nanotech industry, Akron Beacon Journal, January 18, 2008
Cleveland—Northeast Ohio is a leader in nanotech innovation and should collaborate with other regions in the state to make Ohio a nanotechnology leader, according to a report published this week by NorTech and Nano-Network. "The Northeast Ohio Nanotechnology Report" (PDF, 20 pages, 2M) is the result of a strategic planning exercise conducted by the NanoBusiness Alliance and funded by the Generation Foundation.

Chinese auto execs visit Toledo, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, January 17, 2008
Toledo—A delegation of executives from Chinese automaker BYD Auto Co. visited Toledo this week to meet with local economic development officials, local officials said yesterday. Todd Davies, the city of Toledo's commissioner of development, said the city is trying to encourage the Chinese company to build a plant in Toledo.

Developer unveils vision for North Canton, by Edd Pritchard, Canton Repository, January 17, 2008
Jackson Township, Ohio—Stuart Lichter, founder of Industrial Realty Group, sketched his company’s ideas for redeveloping the Hoover Co. property Wednesday at the Canton Chamber's annual dinner. Lichter told more than 250 attendees he is enthusiastic about the future of the region because Northeast Ohio has a good transportation system, is close to markets, operation costs are relatively low and the labor base is great.

Fed report shows few changes in employment, retail sales, manufacturing, Akron Beacon Journal, January 17, 2008
Cleveland—The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland's "Beige Book" report showed that the Ohio economy continued to expand over the last six weeks. Manufacturing output remained steady, though auto assembly plant production declined. While there was little change in employment levels, several manufacturing contacts said they plan to resume hiring in 2008.

High court appears willing to limit licensing fees for patent owners, by Jess Bravin, Wall Street Journal, January 17, 2008 (Subscription)
Washington—The Supreme Court yesterday seemed ready to roll back a patent holder's power to control the use of its invention after it has been sold to somebody else. The justices are hearing a case in which LG Electronics Inc. of South Korea licensed Intel Corp. to make computer chips but demanded a second royalty from companies that bought the Intel chips and used them to assemble computers. A decision in the matter of Quanta Computer Inc. v. LG Electronics is expected by July.

Related Blog: The supremes dive back into patent waters, by Peter Lattman, WSJ Blogs, January 16, 2008

Southern China shuts power capacity on coal shortage, by Wang Ying and Ying Lou, Bloomberg, January 15, 2008
Beijing and Hong Kong—China has shut down more than 6% of the power generating capacity in its southern provinces because of a coal shortage, with the region bracing for the worst electricity shortage in at least five years. The government said power generation rose more than 14% in 2007 to 3.26 billion megawatts. In 2008, electricity demand may rise 13.5% to 3.7 billion megawatt-hours.

Related stories:

• Power crunch in southern areas, by Fu Jing, China Daily, January 16, 2008
• China resorts to biodiesel projects to solve energy shortage, Xinhua, January 16, 2008
  

Henkel sells Avon facility, by Scot Allyn, Lorain Morning Journal, January 15, 2008
Avon—Phoenix-based Innovative Brands Holdings LLC announced plans to acquire Henkel Corp.'s consumer adhesives brands and its 568,000-square-foot Avon headquarters facility. A Henkel representative said the company will look for a new location in the same general region. Innovative Brands expects to close on the deal in 60 days.

Related story:

Henkel selling Duck tape brand, by Frannk Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 15, 2008
Avon, Ohio—Henkel Corp. said Monday that it is selling its Duck tape and other well-known adhesive brands as well as its offices and plant in Avon to an Innovative Brands Holdings LLC of Phoenix. No jobs will be lost and Henkel will retain its lines of industrial and professional sealing products.

Editorial: Husted's 'hybrid', Akron Beacon Journal, January 15, 2008
The chairman of the House Public Utilities Committee, confirmed that the Ohio House will take a different approach [than Gov. Strickland] to restructuring the state's electricity industry. On Thursday, House Speaker Jon Husted issued a set of ''guiding principles and goals.'' The ABJ editorial board says Ohio would benefit from having a choice, and finds Husted's proposals "intriguing."

MAGNET, NorTech hoping to incite innovation with workshops, peer meetings, by Chuck Soder, Crains' Cleveland Business, January 14, 2007 (Subscription)

Cleveland—A new program to promote innovation among Northeast Ohio manufacturers won’t be your standard lecture series, according to officials from regional economic development agencies Magnet and NorTech.

View the MAGNet/NorTech press release.

Chinese ambassador to talk trade during visit, by Jay Miller, Crains' Cleveland Business, January 14, 2008 (Subscription)
Cleveland—The Chinese ambassador to the United States will be in Cleveland on Friday, Jan. 18, meeting with local business leaders to discuss developing trade with China.

Will-Burt back on track, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, January 13, 2008
Orrville, Ohio—After taking a hit in the 2001 recession, the 90-year-old Will-Burt Co. adopted a number of strategies, including doubling its engineering budget so it could design new products and make improvements to old ones. Six years later, Will-Burt, a maker of pneumatic and mechanical telescoping masts and stadium lighting, has doubled annual revenue, grown its staff back to 300 employees and significantly strengthened its presence in England, China and Italy.

Lt. Gov. Fisher puts economic growth on priority list, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 12, 2008
Cleveland—Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher told Plain Dealer reporters that expanding and bringing in new economic opportunities is the administrative branches' highest priority. Fisher announced that the state's economic development department will release a draft strategic plan in February and finalize it in March.

Green themes fill Detroit auto show; Industry faces fuel, emissions challenges, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, January 13, 2008
Detroit—It turns out Kermit the Frog was right: It's not easy being green. In fact, it's an engineering nightmare. As auto executives from around the globe gather for the glitz and glamour of the annual North American International Auto Show that begins this week in Detroit, engineers back home are banging away, looking for a magic design that balances fuel efficiency, cost, and environmental friendliness.

U.S. ferry to Canada proposal still has support, by Jeff Helsdon, Tillsonburg (Canada) News, January 14, 2008
A local Canadian paper reports a meeting about the creation of one or more Ohio to Canada ferries was held in Lake County last Monday. Representatives of port authorities for the 90 miles ranging from west of Cleveland to Ashtabula agreed to return by February 14 empowered by their authorities to cooperate on moving the proposal forward.