Chrysler to restart 7 assembly plants, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 18, 2009
Detroit—Chrysler Group LLC plans to restart seven assembly plants—including the Wrangler plant in Toledo—at the end of June after silencing all of its factories during its six-week stay in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

• Chrysler sets plant restart for June 29; Wrangler work to resume, Toledo Blade, June 18, 2009

Ford CEO says regulation often hurts innovation, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 18, 2009
Detroit—Ford Motor Co. CEO Alan Mulally said government regulation in many ways has hurt innovation among businesses and manufacturers in the United States. He was speaking during a panel discussion held at The National Summit in Detroit.

• GM CEO says early Chapter 11 exit possible, AP via Toledo Blade, June 18, 2009

Bill boosting FDA oversight of food wins panel approval, by Jane Zhang, Wall Street Journal, June 18, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday approved legislation that would give the Food and Drug Administration significantly more funding and power to police food safety.

Rising diesel costs crimp truckers, manufacturers, by Ana Campoy, Wall Street Journal, June 18, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—Diesel prices are rising again after having fallen below those of gasoline in recent weeks, piling more financial pressure on recession-stricken manufacturers and truckers.

Earnings Reports:

• Smucker profit more than doubles, gives strong view, by Kerry E. Grace, Wall Street Journal, June 18, 2009

• New reports point to economy stabilizing, AP via Toledo Blade, June 17, 2009

Sen. Brown proposes loan program for manufacturers, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, June 17, 2009
Cleveland—The Investments for Manufacturing Progress and Clean Technology Act of 2009, or IMPACT, would set up a $30-billion, two-year revolving loan fund aimed at companies now tied to auto manufacturing. Sen. Brown estimates the bill would generate 680,000 new manufacturing jobs directly, supporting a total of about 2 million jobs, during the next five years.

• Sen. Brown seeks loans to assist auto parts firms, Toledo Blade, June 18, 2009
• Brown pushes for clean energy bill, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, June 18, 2009

Eaton appoints president for Europe, Middle East and Africa region, Crain's Cleveland Business, June 17, 2009
Cleveland—Eaton. Corp. named Yannis P. Tsavalas president of its Europe, Middle East and Africa region. He succeeds Jean-Pierre Lacombe who is retiring.

Newell Rubbermaid to lay off 135 in Macedonia, by Betty Lin-Fisher, Akron Beacon Journal, June 17, 2009
Macedonia, Ohio—Newell Rubbermaid will be laying off 135 employees beginning in August at its Macedonia plant, which makes Graco children's car seats.

MAGNET wins Managing Automation 2009 Progressive Manufacturing and Innovation Mastery awards, PR Newswire, June 17, 2009
Cleveland—MAGNET won the awards for developing the anti-leak toilet flapper, Siphon Flush, for American Innovative Products. The product eliminates water leakage in toilets.

Survey shows signs of life for metal-forming companies, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, June 16, 2009
Independence, Ohio— In its monthly survey of 154 member companies in the United States and Canada, the Independence-based Precision Metalforming Association found that customers were paying a little quicker, members thought prospects were slightly brighter, and there were signs that layoffs just might have leveled off.

Myers Motors in Tallmadge gets financial boost with new NmG electric car, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 16, 2009
Tallmadge, Ohio—JumpStart Inc. is investing $250,000 in Tallmadge-based Myers Motors to help the company finish design and engineering work on a two-seat version of its NmG (no more gas) vehicle.

• Electric vehicle sparks interest, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, June 16, 2009

Steelworkers, Bridgestone to begin contract talks, Akron Beacon Journal, June 16, 2009
Louisville, Ky.—The United Steelworkers and Bridgestone Americas open contract talks Wednesday in Louisville, Ky. The union represents 146 workers in Akron and 2,740 at three other ''master contract'' plants and factories outside the master contract.

Republic Engineered Products-American Axle lawsuit could be settled this week, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 16, 2009
Cleveland—A Michigan judge could rule as soon as Wednesday on a case between Canton steel company Republic Engineered Products and American Axle & Manufacturing, a major automotive supplier.

White House turns down auto suppliers' aid request, by Josh Mitchell, Wall Street Journal, June 16, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—The Obama administration has turned down a request by auto-parts suppliers for up to $10 billion in new aid, saying that the government shouldn't further interfere in the industry's contraction.

• Government, automaker aid keeps parts makers alive, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 15, 2009

Limited Brands, GE collaborate on cost-saving lighting for distribution centers, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 16, 2009
Cleveland—Limited Brands Inc. said today its decision to use new long-life energy-saving lighting in its Central Ohio distribution centers will save the company $775,000 a year. The more efficient plan includes fluorescent tubes which GE Consumer & Industrial's East Cleveland Nela Park facility developed.

GM sells Saab to swedish automaker Koenigsegg Automotive, by David Jolly, New York Times, June 16, 2009
New York—General Motors announced Tuesday that it had reached a tentative agreement to sell its Swedish unit, Saab Automobile, to a consortium led by the sports car maker Koenigsegg Automotive.

• GM agrees to sell Swedish Saab unit to Koenigsegg, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 16, 2009

Earnings Reports:

• La-Z-Boy stays in red for fiscal year; swings to profit for the quarter, by Gary T. Pakulski, Toledo Blade, June 16, 2009

Teamsters union rejects Smucker offer; continue day-to-day operation at Orrville plant, by Betty Lin-Fisher, Akron Beacon Journal, June 15, 2009
Orville, Ohio—A union official said J.M. Smucker Co. union members voted down the company's latest contract offer by a large majority. Membership gave the union authorization to strike, but work continues on a day-to-day basis.

Auto suppliers attempt reinvention, by Timothy Aeppel, Wall Street Journal, June 15, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—The auto-industry meltdown is forcing a transformation among automotive suppliers, which are slowly diversifying into more-promising markets such as medical devices and green energy. WSJ reporter Tim Aeppel talks to several suppliers making the transition, including Die-Matic Corp., a metal stamper based in Brooklyn Heights, Ohio.

Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford says the worst economic crisis in decades has been a wake-up call, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 15, 2009
Detroit—Kicking off a three-day National Summit, Ford Motor Co. Executive Chairman Bill Ford said the worst economic crisis in decades has been a wake-up call to the nation that its industrial base is eroding and should be rebuilt.

Cleveland manufacturing companies seek to shift to biomedical industry, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 14, 2009
Cleveland—Manufacturing experts here see the biomedical industry as a path to more area jobs and greater prosperity. For a few successful shops and factories, making parts and components that go into medical products and the machines to make and package them have provided the only glow amid the gloom.

Some employers have tough time filling positions, by Joshua S. Flesher, Warren Tribune Chronicle, June 14, 2009
Warren, Ohio—A new survey conducted by Manpower Inc. reveals the top 10 hardest positions to fill, according to employers. Machinists, engineers, skilled trades and other manufacturing jobs are putting in repeat appearances at the top of the list.

Honda faces new challenges after 50 years of importing to United States, by Dan Strumpf, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, June 14, 2009
New York—As Honda hits its 50th anniversary of doing business in the United States, new challenges confront the automaker. It will have to mount a stout defense of its turf as gas prices rise again, fuel-economy rules tighten and the market for small cars grows out of the wreckage of the Detroit Three.

• Honda says it's waiting to see what U.S. prefers, by Yuri Kageyama, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, June 14, 2009
  Tokyo—Honda is ready to offer bigger vehicles in North America should demand return for such models.

Maumee Stamping plant backers seek account of investment, by Gary T. Pakulski, Toledo Blade, June 13, 2009
Maumee, Ohio—Keith Obey, president of Maumee Authority Stamping Inc., said in a letter sent to investors that he and other former Ford workers who led the effort to revive Ford Motor Co.'s former parts-stamping plant in Maumee have "exhausted every path toward success that we know of."