B&W promotes Canton man, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, November 7, 2008
Barberton, Ohio—Richard L. Killion is the new president and chief operating officer of Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group, an operating group of McDermott's Virginia-based Babcock & Wilcox Co.

ArcelorMittal expands production cutback to more than 30 percent; new plans don't affect Cleveland, by Sarah Hollander, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 6, 2008
Cleveland—Mark Granakis, president of USW Local 979, said Cleveland's production won't be affected by Arcelor Mittal's plans to cut global steel production by 30 percent worldwide.

Related stories:

• ArcelorMittal to step up output cuts, by Alex MacDonald, Wall Street Journal, November 5, 2008 (Subscription)
• ArcelorMittal plans more production cutbacks, by Sarah Hollander, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 5, 2008

Dana to cut more jobs, close plants as loss widens, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 6, 2008
Toledo—Dana Holding Corp. said today it will close up to 10 plants and cut 2,000 more employees than originally planned as the auto parts maker's net loss widened in the third quarter.

Cres Cor manufactures a win, by Brandon C. Baker, Northern Ohio News-Herald, November 6, 2008
Mentor, Ohio—The Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth network named Cres Cor, a Mentor-based manufacturer of stainless steel and aluminum mobile kitchen equipment, a winner of its annual Competitiveness Challenge.

Upcoming Event: Cleveland Engineering Society’s Leadership Breakfast Series, Tuesday, Nov. 18, 7:30-9:30 a.m., Sammy’s University Club (formerly Myers University Club), 3813 Euclid Ave. Sunniva R. Collins, Ph.D., senior research fellow at Swagelok Company, will speak about “Low Temperature Carburization of Stainless Steels: The Swagelok SAT12 Process."

This Week's Earnings Reports:

• Babcock parent's earnings are down, Akron Beacon Journal, November 6, 2008
• Chart Industries 3Q profit rises, AP via Forbes.com, October 31. 2008
• Dean Foods' third-quarter profit, forecasts fall short of analysts' estimates, Akron Beacon Journal, November 5, 2008
  (Dallas-based Dean is the parent of Reiter Dairy operations in Akron and Barberton)
• [Dean Foods] Reiter Dairy parent's profit rises sixfold on lower milk costs, Bloomberg News via Akron Beacon Journal, November 4, 2008
• Diebold 3Q earnings up 65 percent, AP via Forbes.com, October 30. 2008
• Ferro Corp. Q3 profit declines, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 5, 2008
• Goodyear 3Q earnings off from big sale gain in '07, AP via Canton Repository, November 3, 2008
• Goodyear's third-quarter profit falls, but beats expectations, Akron Beacon Journal, November 3, 2008
• Lubrizol maintains 2008 adjusted profit outlook, AP via Forbes.com, October 30. 2008
• Olympic Steel 3Q profit jumps as steel prices rise, AP via Forbes.com, October 30. 2008
• PolyOne Corp.Q3 sales rise; earnings decline on special charges, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 5, 2008
• Preformed Line Products reports higher third-quarter results, PR Newswire, November 3, 2008
• Steris Q2 earnings surge, RTT News.com, October 30. 2008

'The Tech Belt Initiative' to link Cleveland, Youngstown, Pittsburgh to share gains, dollars, by Tom Breckenridge, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 5, 2008
Cleveland—Chambers of commerce in Cleveland, Youngstown and Pittsburgh have announced "The Tech Belt Initiative" to draw more federal and private dollars to tech-based development along a 134-mile corridor.

Parker keeps buying, even as credit dries up, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 5, 2008
Cleveland—So far this year, though, Parker Hannifin Corp., one of Cleveland's biggest companies, has burned through as much as $1 billion in credit buying up companies around the world.

Broad manufacturing-activity index plummets, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 4, 2008
Washington—The Institute for Supply Management said Monday that its latest manufacturing index tanked 4.6 points to 38.9, one month after September's staggering 6.4-point drop. The widely watched index reached its lowest level in 26 years.

Related stories:

• Factory activity slid in October, by Deborah Lynn Blumberg and Maya Jackson Randall, Wall Street Journal, November 3, 2008 (Subscription)
• Factory orders drop more than expected, by Christopher S. Rugaber, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, November 4, 2008

SBA-backed loans dry up at crucial time for businesses, by Kelly K. Spors, Raymund Flandez and Phred Dvorak, Wall Street Journal, November 4, 2008 (Subscription)
New York—When entrepreneurs can't get conventional loans, they traditionally turn to loans backed by the Small Business Administration. But in recent months SBA lending also has dried up substantially.

General Motors sales plummet 45%; Ford, Toyota, Honda and others all lose, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 3, 2008
Detroit—"In my 27 years in the industry, I've never seen a month like this," General Motors sales vice president Mark LaNeve said Monday after announcing that the company's October sales fell 45 percent compared with October 2007.

UAW vies to be central player in GM-Chrysler deal, by John D. Stoll and Jeff Bennett, Wall Street Journal, November 3, 2008 (Subscription)
New York—The United Auto Workers union has so far said relatively little about a merger of General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC, but now appears set to emerge as a key player in the fate of any deal.

A. Schulman praised for reaction to market swing, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, November 3, 2008 (Subscription)
Akron—Analysts are applauding A. Schulman CEO Joseph Gingo's approach to restructuring in reaction to slumping auto sales. The plans will result in job losses at its Northwest Ohio automotive operations. But employment will increase in its plastics business based in Northeast Ohio.

Rough road ahead, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, November 3, 2008 (Subscription)
Cleveland—The battered U.S. auto industry finds itself on its roughest road ever. And, like it or not, all of Northeast Ohio is along for the bone-rattling ride, as a critical economic sector—the region's automotive supply industry—straps in and braces for a possible crash.

CWRU-based fuel cell developer HydroGen files for Chap. 11, by Chuck Soder, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 3, 2008
Cleveland—HydroGen LLC, which employed 61 people in May, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and is seeking a buyer. The company's board cut three top executives and replaced its former CEO, John Freeh, with Scot Schechter in October. In September, it shut down its pilot fuel cell system at Ashta Chemicals Inc.'s chlor-alkali plant in Ashtabula.

Timken extends aerospace aftermarket product portfolio, press release, November 3, 2008
Canton, Ohio—The Timken Company announced it has acquired the assets of EXTEX Ltd., a leading designer and marketer of high-quality replacement engine parts for the aerospace aftermarket.

Concord Steel extension expired Friday, Warren Tribune Chronicle, November 3, 2008
Warren, Ohio—After working without a contract since Aug. 31, Concord Steel of Ohio Inc., employees said this morning they found themselves locked out of the Buena Vista NE plant.

KSU course aims to help businesses, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, November 3, 2008
Kent, Ohio—Saving money by matching your company's real needs with cost-efficient solutions is one of the goals of a new spring semester class to be offered by Kent State University's College of Technology. The course will be open to business owners and the general public.

ArcelorMittal idles blast furnaces at Cleveland steel plant, to offer voluntary layoffs, by Sarah Hollander, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 1, 2008
Cleveland—Steelmaking is on hold temporarily at the ArcelorMittal plant in Cleveland. Both blast furnaces were idled this week in response to a drop in business.

Lincoln Electric names two new company officers, PR Newswire via International Business Times, October 29, 2008
Cleveland—Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc. announced the election of Steven B. Hedlund as vice president, strategy and business development, and Earl L. Ward as vice president, mergers, acquisitions and investor relations.

Auto industry girds for another weak month, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, November 1, 2008
New York—The auto industry is preparing to report yet another month of rapidly slowing sales — possibly the worst in decades — as the same toxic combination of the credit crunch and the careening economy continue to keep consumers away from dealerships.

Stalemate continues at American Standard, Youngstown Vindicator, November 1, 2008
Salem, Ohio—The management representatives of American Standard Brands said they are disappointed that a meeting between officials of the United Steelworkers of America, Local 1538, and its membership on Wednesday did not change anything.

Shearer's Foods captures award by MAGNET for competitiveness, Akron Beacon Journal, November 1. 2008
Akron—Stark County's Shearer's Foods is among the winners in the second annual Competitiveness Challenge competition, hosted by MAGNET, the Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network. Other winners include Mentor-based Cres Cor, Cleveland-based Swiger Coil Systems and Solon-based Swagelok.

Ford rethinks truck pullback, by Matthew Dolan and Sharon Terlep, Wall Street Journal, November 1, 2008 (Subscription)
Detroit—Ford Motor Co. cut truck production too deeply this summer in reaction to rising gasoline prices, the company's top sales analyst conceded, a move that is likely to contribute to a substantial loss expected for the third quarter.

J.M. Smucker Co. plans to hire 150 to 200 for Orrville headquarters, by Janet H. Cho, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 1, 2008
Orville, Ohio—Smucker needs extra workers in finance and accounting, customer service, logistics and supply chain, and marketing and information services as it continues to fold in the Folgers coffee business.

Economy shrinks; recession hits Ohio, by Kevin G. Hall, McClatchy Newspapers via Akron Beacon Journal, October 31, 2008
Washington—Moody's Economy.com said Thursday that 30 U.S. states, including Ohio, and 276 metropolitan areas, including Akron and every other major metropolitan area in the state, are in recession.

Parker buys Malaysian manufacturer, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, November 1, 2008
Cleveland—Parker Hannifin Corp. has purchased a Malaysian manufacturer of electromagnetic interference shielding and gaskets as well as thermal management products used in the manufacture of electronic devices.