GM emerges from bankruptcy, by Tom Krisher, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, July 10, 2009
Detroit—After an all-night paperwork session, the massive transfer of factories, money and intellectual property was completed about 6:30 a.m. At a press conference around 9:00 a.m., CEO Fritz Henderson is expected to announce details of the plan to make new GM profitable again.

• GM emerges from bankruptcy after 40 days, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 10, 2009
• New GM vows an end to business as usual, by Sharon Terlep, Wall Street Journal, July 10, 2009 (Subscription)
• With good assets sold, "New GM" exits bankruptcy, by Kevin Krolicki, Reuters.com, July 10, 2009
• With sale of its good assets, GM tries for a fresh start, by Michael J. de la Merced and Nick Bunkley, New York Times, July 10, 2009
• New General Motors to fire up its engine, by Tom Krisher and Emily Fredrix, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, July 10, 2009
  Detroit—The new General Motors is about to roll off the assembly line as a leaner, greener model, maybe even a profitable one, too.

Airship firm gets lift with aid, attention at Toledo Express, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, July 10
Toledo—Ohio Airship’s Dynalifter, under construction in a hangar at Toledo Express Airport, will be 110 feet long and 20 feet high. Company officials envision sky freighters much larger to haul tons of cargo to inaccessible areas. It may make its maiden voyage as soon as next month.

Hitachi to outsource TV manufacture, by Yuzo Yamaguchi and Daisuke Wakabayashi, Wall Street Journal, July 10, 2009 (Subscription)
Tokyo—Coming off the worst annual loss in company history, Hitachi Ltd. said it is changing course and turning to contract manufacturers to produce its televisions in the U.S. and Europe as part of a cost-cutting effort to turn around fortunes at its loss-making TV business.

This week's earnings Reports:

• Alcoa posts 2nd quarter loss of $454 million on weak demand, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 8, 2009
• A. Schulman profits up; continues cost reductions, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, July 9, 2009

Road cleared for GM to leave bankruptcy, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 9, 2009
Detroit—On Thursday, a judge's order allowing GM to sell most of its assets to a new company went into effect, despite a last-minute appeal by plaintiffs in a product liability case.

• Opinion: GM gets a second chance, by Paul Ingrassia, Wall Street Journal, July 9, 2009 (Subscription)
• Sale of GM assets moves closer to completion, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, July 9, 2009
• New GM plans to go lean, green, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, July 9, 2009

Six suitors, including TRW, eyed Delphi, by Soyoung Kim and Megan Davies, Reuters.com, July 9, 2009
Detroit/New York—At least six potential suitors including TRW Automotive Holdings have considered bidding for Delphi Corp, as the deadline for offers on the assets of the bankrupt auto parts maker approached, sources briefed on the matter said on Thursday.

Chart Industries to build repair center in Nevada, Crain's Cleveland Business, July 9, 2009
Garfield Heights, Ohio—Chart Industries Inc., a maker of equipment used in the production, storage and end use of hydrocarbon and industrial gases, said it plans to build an equipment repair center in Reno, Nev., to better serve customers in the western United States.

Report: Honda plans new crossover to to be built in Ohio, by Dan Gearino, Columbus Dispatch, July 9, 2009
Columbus—Citing an anonymous source, auto industry publication Automotive News reports Honda will launch a new crossover vehicle based on the Accord, and will build it at the East Liberty assembly plant.

• Honda joins wagon-van fray with Accord Crosstour, by Mark Rechtin, Automotive News, July 7, 2009 (registration may be required)

Early-stage investments increase nearly 50% in Ohio, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, July 9, 2009
Columbus—A study by the Center for Entrepreneurship at Ohio State University found a nearly 50 percent increase in venture capital investment in seed and early-stage companies in the state from 2007 to 2008, while national levels declined 20 percent.

3 tech firms in area each get grants of $50,000, Toledo Blade, July 9, 2009
Toledo—The Regional Growth Partnership's Rocket Ventures venture capital fund awarded $50k grants to DenDroCo LLC, Nextronex Energy Systems LLC, and Third Millennium Metals LLC.

Investors in former Ford plant hire lawyer, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, July 8, 2009
Toledo—Investors in the failed bid to restart Ford Motor Corp.'s former Maumee Stamping Plant are trying to find out what happened to their money. Maumee Authority Stamping was evicted from the 800,000-square-foot facility on May 27

Chrysler delays restart of Liberty, Nitro work, Toledo Blade, July 8, 2009
Toledo—Hourly and skilled trades workers at Chrysler Group LLC’s idled Toledo factory that makes Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro vehicles will not head back to work this morning as planned, but will instead report back to work July 27, union officials said.

Alcoa gets set to ride a recovery, by Robert Guy Matthews, Wall Street Journal, July 8, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—Alcoa Inc., which is expected to report a quarterly loss Wednesday amid a slump in global aluminum demand, is positioning itself for an eventual economic rebound by investing in markets it thinks are ripest for recovery.

Delays on Boeing's 787 Dreamliner keep Ohio suppliers waiting, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 8, 2009
Cleveland—As Boeing Co. encounters one delay after another getting its 787 Dreamliner passenger jet to market and airlines cancel orders, Ohio suppliers that were counting on millions in revenue find themselves waiting impatiently for the project to take off.

Ford sales up as GM, Chrysler struggle, by G. Patrick Kelley, Canton Repository, July 8, 2009
Canton, Ohio—Ford attributes the better performance to the quality of its products rather than gains from disgruntled former customers of the bankrupt companies, but local dealers say the bankruptcies are playing a role.

Government to require verification of workers, by Julia Preston, New York Times, July 8, 2009
Washington— Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said by September 8, businesses that win federal contracts will be required to use a government electronic database system to verify that their employees have legal immigration status to work in the United States. Until now, E-Verify has been voluntary.

Auto supplier Lear files for Chapter 11 protection, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 8, 2009
New York—As expected, automotive-parts supplier Lear Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday after receiving support it needed from lenders and bondholders to reorganize its struggling business. The company has two seating plants, one in Warren and another in Hebron, near Columbus.

• Auto-parts maker Lear Corp. files for Chapter 11, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, July 8, 2009

T. Boone Pickens calls off massive wind farm in Texas, by Steven Mufson, Washington Post, July 8, 2009
Houston—T. Boone Pickens has temporarily shelved plans to build the world's biggest wind farm in the Texas Panhandle because of tight credit markets and low natural gas prices, and his company Mesa Power is looking for other projects that could use the $2 billion worth of wind turbines already on order.

Auto program in climate bill raises trade concerns, by Josh Mitchell, Wall Street Journal, July 8, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—The National Foreign Trade Council, a leading free trade group, warned that a provision in the House-passed climate bill could violate world-trade rules by favoring U.S. auto makers in the distribution of some $2 billion in government subsidies.

Warren City Council considers tax abatement for Reinforcement Systems Corp., by Marly Kosinski, Warren Tribune Chronicle, July 7, 2009
Warren, Ohio—Reinforcement Systems Corp., a manufacturer of custom-engineered welded wire reinforcement for concrete, is seeking a 75-percent abatement for 10 years on 16.5 acres of vacant property. The abatement could bring 65 new jobs to the city and $58,000 in annual income tax.

Cleveland Clinic doctor works to perfect implantable dialysis device, by Angela Townsend, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 7, 2009
Cleveland—Dr. William Fissell, a nephrologist who treats patients with kidney disease, has been working to perfect an implantable device that will allow patients to get more dialysis treatments while eliminating the need to be tethered to a machine.

Shiloh Industries gets terms of $95 million credit line relaxed, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 7, 2009
Cleveland—A group of banks, led by National City, has given Valley City's Shiloh Industries some breathing room on its $95 million credit line.

WindCube begins its work atop Port Clinton company, Akron Beacon Journal, July 7, 2009
Bath Township, Ohio—Green Energy Technologies unveiled its first commercially installed WindCube on the roof of the new Crown Battery Renewable Energy Center in Port Clinton on Monday.

Sauder Woodworking Co. to appeal EPA fine, Toledo Blade, July 7, 2009
Archbold, Ohio—The U.S. EPA announced it will levy a $328,334 air pollution fine against Sauder Woodworking Co. for air pollution generated by its sawdust-burning power plant. The company will challenge the complaint, saying any violations were the result of temporary equipment failures that were promptly addressed.

Toledo firm gets prime role in Michael Jackson's memorial, by J.C. Reindl, Toledo Blade, July 7, 2009
Toledo—Telepromptermirrors.com got a last-minute order for two of its products to be used at Tuesday's memorial service for the late pop star Michael Jackson. The company also produces various types of two-way mirrors in its 4,000-square-foot South Toledo facility for products such as hidden televisions and hidden cameras.

Unable to unload limping divisions, GE invests in propping them up, by Paul Glader, Wall Street Journal, July 7, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—Jim Campbell, chief executive of GE's lighting-and-appliance group, says GE Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt has told him, to "Run the business like we're going to be in it for a long time." "We've continued to invest," Mr. Campbell says.

• GE ad campaign will promote U.S. manufacturing, by Paul Glader, Wall Street Journal, July 2, 2009 (Subscription)

Product design and engineering are manufacturing careers with a bright future, by Greg Krizman, Senior Director of Marketing, MAGNET, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 6, 2009
Cleveland—Advanced manufacturing in northeast Ohio means skilled workers operating in the exciting fields of robotics, bio-science, fuel cells, new product design, engineering, electronics, and sustainability. Estimates are that there will be thousands of jobs available annually in advanced manufacturing right here in our area in the next 10 years.

Eaton Corp. to combine two groups, expand in Middle East, Crain's Cleveland Business, July 6, 2009
Cleveland—Eaton Corp. is combining its Automotive and Truck Groups into a single operating unit known as the Vehicle Group, to be led by Joseph P. Palchak. The company also announced a new joint venture in the United Arab Emirates to manufacture low-voltage switchboards and control panel assemblies for use in the Middle East power generation and industrial markets.

Foreign automakers in U.S. take different tack in slump; Firms steer clear of layoffs as they cut output, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, July 6, 2009
Toledo—Instead of long periods of layoffs, the permanent workers of foreign automakers are still collecting paychecks, albeit smaller ones in most cases. Almost all of the 16 nonunionized plants in the United States owned by foreign automakers have reduced their production in recent months, have cut or eliminated their temporary workers, and have reduced their hours.

New company goes after stimulus funds, by Marla Matzer Rose, Columbus Dispatch via Akron Beacon Journal, July 4, 2009
Columbus—Eyeing federal stimulus money set aside for transportation projects, Columbus-based Value Recovery Group has purchased a defunct manufacturer of diesel-powered passenger railcars, renamed it U.S. Railcar LLC, and is talking to the state about basing manufacturing operations in Ohio.