FirstEnergy to convert coal-fired plant to burn grass, wood pellets, by John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 1, 2009
Cleveland—FirstEnergy Corp. will convert a 54-year-old coal-fired power plant on the Ohio River to burn grass and wood pellets by 2012. Fast-growing, bio-engineered cottonwood trees and grasses will be grown in Ohio and pressed into pellets in a new factory built by Renafuel LLC, a subsidiary of Cleveland-based Cliffs Natural Resources, Inc. Construction will begin next year and the pellets will gradually replace coal over the following two years.

Goodyear aviation unit celebrates 100th birthday, Akron Beacon Journal, April 1, 2009
Akron—Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s aviation business unit is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year by looking back at products developed over the decades and by introducing new tires for the segment.

U.S. factory contraction slows a tad in March: ISM, Reuters.com, April 1, 2009
New York—U.S. factory activity shrank in March, though at a slower pace than the previous month, suggesting the sector remains a drag on the economy, according to the Institute for Supply Management. However, reports of relatively strong new orders are a hopeful sign.

• Manufacturing index shows contraction in March, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 1, 2009

Downsizing a nnouncements from around the region this week:

• Brush Engineered Materials to cut 5% more jobs, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 31, 2009\
• Ameri-Kart factory in Fostoria to close, 50 jobs lost, Toledo Blade, April 1, 2009
• Adrian auto tube plant to close, taking 120 jobs, Toledo Blade, April 1, 2009
• Parker Hannifin lays off about 20 employees from Cleveland headquarters, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 28, 2009
  
• Shiloh Industries files notice of layoffs, job cuts, by Michelle Jarboe, Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 28, 2009
  
• Rockwell Automation (ROK) plans layoffs in Northeast Ohio, globally, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 28, 2009
• Myers Industries to close Fostoria plant, Crain's Cleveland Business, March 27, 2009 (Subscription)
• Mansfield GM plant to lose 190 by April 1, Mansfield News Journal, March 27, 2009

GM, Chrysler race deadlines to hold off bankruptcy, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 31, 2009
Detroit— Fritz Henderson, the new CEO of General Motors Corp., said the company probably will close more than the five factories it promised to shutter in its February restructuring plan filed with the government. More buyout and early retirement offers are likely.

• New GM CEO says more plants could close, by Kimberly S. Johnson and Tom Krisher, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, March 31, 2009
• GM's new CEO says bankruptcy is 'more probable', AP via Toledo Blade, March 31, 2009
• Auto plan stirs local worries, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, March 31, 2009

Editorial: Industry ultimatum, Toledo Blade, March 31, 2009
Toledo—President Obama sounded the right note of urgency yesterday when he announced his administration's intention to force a speedy determination on the future of General Motors and Chrysler, which since December have depended on government loans to stay afloat. The President's plan gives Chrysler and General Motors a fighting chance, and puts everyone involved on notice that they have to get very real, very fast.

Editorial: Signal that time is running out should focus GM, Chrysler, Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 31, 2009
Cleveland—Obama is right to give GM and Chrysler a little more time to restructure. That said, these deadlines should help everyone in Detroit focus on what needs to be done.

N.E. Ohio Labor Economy Summit is April 24, Akron Beacon Journal, March 31, 2009
Cleveland—The Northeast Ohio Labor Economy Summit at Cleveland State University on April 24 will bring together leaders from business, labor, education, government and economic-development groups to discuss how Northeast Ohio can stay competitive.

Honda offers buyouts, slashes pay in North America, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 31, 2009
Columbus—Honda Motor Co. is offering voluntary buyouts, cutting workers' pay and imposing 13 non-production days at its North American plants to reduce its production this summer by 62,000 vehicles.

GM CEO Wagoner forced out as part of gov't plan, by Tom Krisher and Dan Strumpf, AP via Yahoo News, March 30, 2009
Detroit—GM Chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner, a 32-year GM veteran, stepped down effective immediately, the company said in a statement early Monday. He was replaced as CEO by Fritz Henderson, the company's vice chairman and chief operating officer.

• U.S. forces out GM CEO Wagoner, by Neil King Jr. and John D. Stoll, Wall Street Journal, March 30, 2009 (Subscription)
• GM confirms Wagoner resignation, announces plans to change its board of directors, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 30, 2009
• White House moves dramatically on auto industry, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 30, 2009
• President Obama's prepared remarks on government plans for troubled U.S. automakers, WSJ Washington Wire Blog, Wall Street Journal, March 30, 2009
• White House questions viability of GM, Chrysler, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 30, 2009
• Obama rejects GM, Chrysler restructuring plans, by Philip Elliott, AP via Yahoo News, March 30, 2009
• More aid to Chrysler, GM irks consumers, LA Times via Youngstown Vindicator, March 30, 2009
• Auto workers, union leaders critique Obama plans, by Ben Leubsdorft, AP via NEO News Herald, March 30, 2009
• Meet GM's new CEO: Fritz Henderson, WSJ Deals Blog, March 30, 2009

Exporting help available from USCS, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, March 30, 2009
Akron—Exporting is big business in Ohio, the seventh-largest exporting state in the nation. Over the last five years, Navarre, Ohio-based Miller Weldmaster Corp. has taken advantage of services available from the U.S. Commercial Service, an agency of the federal government, to expand into markets in Chile, Russia and Japan.

Editorial: Solar solutions, Toledo Blade, March 30, 2009
Toledo—It's encouraging to see more business entrepreneurs building on the region's increasingly sunny reputation as a leader in low-cost solar panel technology. The latest to capitalize on this regional strength is a Wood County company called Willard & Kelsey Solar Group LLC.

Nanotech firms tout long-term potential, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, March 30, 2009
Cleveland—Northeast Ohio can become a major force in the nanotechnology field, even if it takes more than a microscope to see the region’s potential in the midst of the current global economic upheaval, according to local nanotech companies and experts from outside the region.

Opinion: Why card check is unconstitutional, by David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey, Wall Street Journal, March 30, 2009
New York—So far the debate about the Employee Free Choice Act of 2009 (aka "card check") has not focused on the other compelling interest at stake: the constitutionally protected right of employees to keep their opinions on controversial issues like unionization to themselves.

• Altering free choice act won’t halt labor, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, March 30, 2009

Manufacturing at a crawl, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, March 30, 2009 (Subscription)
Cleveland—Industry advocacy group Wire-Net’s latest survey reveals increased pessimism, with poor sales leading to delayed investments and layoffs

Myers Industries to streamline Material Handling Segment, Crain's Cleveland Business, March 30, 2009 (Subscription)
Akron—Myers Industries Inc. said it’s initiating what it called a “manufacturing optimization program” in the company’s Material Handling Segment

China's BYD aims to supply battery technology to U.S. European car makers, by Norihiko Shirouzu, Wall Street Journal, March 30, 2009 (Subscription)
Beijing—BYD Co., a fledgling Chinese auto maker, is in talks to supply its battery technology to other car companies in Europe and the U.S., Chairman Wang Chuanfu said in an interview.

Lawmakers omit credit auction details from emissions bill, by Ian Talley and Siobhan Hughes, Wall Street Journal, March 30, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—Leading U.S. House legislators have decided to leave out specific details on one of the most important aspects of a draft greenhouse gas bill to be unveiled next Tuesday: the percentage of carbon dioxide credits auctioned off versus given to industry.

Ohio sees money in thinking green, by John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer, March 29, 2009
Cleveland—The green parade started Tuesday when veteran oilman T. Boone Pickens and American Electric Power Chief Executive Mike Morris had a town hall meeting in Columbus.

Lawmakers, union seek Buy America support, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, March 28, 2009
Warren, Ohio—With the nation's manufacturing job base shrinking and billions in federal stimulus money about to be distributed, area union and elected leaders Friday voiced support for resolutions to encourage buying American products for stimulus projects.

Prince Aircraft Co. creates propeller for flying car, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, March 28, 2009
Whitehouse, Ohio—Prince Aircraft Co. is a 30-year-old firm that has made a big name for itself in a niche industry: designing and manufacturing custom plane propellers. Two years ago, the designers of the Terrafugia Transition sought out owner and chief designer Lonnie Prince and asked for help: their flying car design needed a propeller that could deliver sufficient power in a limited space.