Severstal boss visits Warren, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, July 17, 2009
Warren, Ohio—Gregory Mason, president and chief executive officer of Severstal North America Inc., visited the idled Severstal Warren mill Thursday, but the appearance was routine, a company spokeswoman said.

ThyssenKrupp closes doors; 200 lose jobs, by Chandra Niklewski, Findlay Courier, July 17, 2009
Fostoria, Ohio—ThyssenKrupp's 2008 announcement that it would close its Fostoria plant takes effect at the end of this month, and most employees worked their last shifts on Thursday.

Perrysburg packaging manufacturer sues Mexican plant manager, by Gary T. Pakulski, Toledo Blade, July 17, 2009
Perrysburg, Ohio—Rexam Healthcare Packaging Inc. filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Toledo alleging that a former manager of its plant in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, used the plant's facilities and resources to manufacture and ship products for an El Paso-Texas-based company he co-owned with his wife.

Terms emerge for new Delphi deal; auction set for Tuesday, by Michael J. de la Merced, New York Times, July 17, 2009
New York—Delphi’s nearly four-year trip in bankruptcy appears close to an end, as the beleaguered auto parts maker finalized terms of a deal it has struck with its lenders and onetime parent General Motors over a new plan to emerge from Chapter 11.

• Delphi lenders planning credit bid, Warren Tribune Chronicle, July 17, 2009

GM's Lutz makes another u-turn, by Sharon Terlep, Wall Street Journal, July 17, 2009 (Subscription)
Detroit—General Motors Co. marketing chief Bob Lutz reversed course Thursday, saying the company wouldn't keep the Pontiac G8 sedan in its model line by turning it into a Chevrolet after all.

Earnings Reports:

• GE's net income falls 47% on finance woes, by Kerry Grace Benn, Wall Street Journal, July 17, 2009 (Subscription)

Dutch paint maker AkzoNobel is trying to paint a new image for Glidden, by Shaheen Samavati, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 16, 2009
Strongsville, Ohio—Since acquiring Glidden less than two years ago, European paint maker AkzoNobel has poured tens of millions of dollars into strengthening the brand that was born in Cleveland in 1875.

Democrats drop key part of bill to assist unions, by Steven Greenhouse, New York Times, July 16, 2009
Washington—The so-called card-check provision—which senators decided to scrap to help secure a filibuster-proof 60 votes—would have required employers to recognize a union as soon as a majority of workers signed cards saying they wanted a union. In its place, several Senate and labor officials said, the revised bill would require shorter unionization campaigns and faster elections.

State assures funds for entrepreneur initiatives, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, July 16, 2009
Toledo—The Ohio Department of Development and Toledo's Regional Growth Partnership laid out its grant programs for the coming year to more than 250 people, including those with developed products going to market and others hunting for a job.

Owens Corning plans furloughs at Newark, Ohio plant, Toledo Blade, July 16, 2009
Toledo—Blaming slow sales due to the recession, Owens Corning announced it will suspend production at its insulation plant in Newark, Ohio, five separate weeks through the end of the year, idling 500 of the plant's 600 employees.

U.S. in a tight spot on trade, by Bob Davis and Greg Hitt, Wall Street Journal, July 16, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—In a bid to revive support for free trade within the U.S., the Obama administration plans to press foreign nations to increase imports of U.S. agriculture and manufacturing—but not to push so hard as to ignite a protectionist backlash.

Invest in employees now, by Mary Ann Pacelli, Senior Consultant, MAGNET, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 15, 2009
Cleveland—In every organization, people are the biggest component of costs and the source of the most important competencies. So it is crucial to develop the ability to get the right people with the right skills into the right jobs in a cost effective way to be able to adjust and respond to the changes in the economy. All learning programs must have strategic links to business goals.

Harry E. Figgie Jr. dies at 85; built Fortune 500 company, by Grant Segall, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 15, 2009
Hunting Valley, Ohio—Harry E. Figgie Jr., who died early Tuesday at age 85, built a Fortune 500 company with dramatic ups and downs. The demanding, wisecracking, risk-taking entrepreneur and best-selling author put together Figgie International, which grossed up to $1.5 billion per year.

• Remembrance: Harry Figgie Jr. 1923-2009, by Stephen Miller, Wall Street Journal, July 17, 2009 (Subscription)

GM, Chrysler among possible lenders to Visteon, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 15, 2009
Dover, Delaware—Fresh from bankruptcy reorganization themselves, General Motors and Chrysler Group LLC now may become bankruptcy lenders to auto parts supplier Visteon Corp.

Wal-Mart plans environmental labels for products, by Miguel Bustillo, Wall Street Journal, July 15, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is asking its thousands of suppliers to answer a set of 15 relatively simple preliminary questions that size up the consequences of their manufacturing processes in areas such as water use and carbon dioxide emissions. The company is making the move as a way to get ahead of potential U.S. environmental labeling regulation —similar requirements are already popping up in Britain and Japan.

• What "green" labels can tell us, by Jeffrey Ball, Wall Street Journal, July 16, 2009 (Subscription)

Survey points to improving U.S. factory outlook, by Alister Bull, Reuters via Yahoo News, July 15, 2009
Washington—U.S. industrial output declined at a slower pace in June and a key regional U.S. factory survey posted its strongest reading in a year this month, suggesting the recession was loosening its grip.

A Chinese upstart goes after Detroit, by Norihiko Shirouzou, Wall Street Journal, July 15, 2009 (Subscription)
Taizhou, China—Frank Zhao, a former senior engineer at Chrysler, now supervises 1,200 engineers building a new generation of vehicles for Geely Holding Group Co., one of China's top-selling brands. Geely, with a group of financial backers, is now considered a front-runner in the bidding for Ford Motor Co.'s Volvo unit

Small business faces big bite for health care, by Janet Adamy and Laura Meckler, Wall Street Journal, July 15, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled sweeping health-care legislation that would hit all but the smallest businesses with a penalty equal to 8% of payroll if they fail to provide health insurance to workers.

Shearer’s to go green at new plant, Canton Repository, July 14, 2009
Massilon, Ohio—Shearer’s Foods broke ground Tuesday for its new production facility designed with green technology and applications. The initial phase will house production and temporary staging areas in a 63,936-square-foot space at 4100 Millennium Dr. SE.

Goodyear, Steelworkers extend contract 4 weeks, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 14, 2009
Akron—Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. and the United Steelworkers of America have extended their national contract until Aug. 15. The three-year contract covering about 10,300 Steelworkers at seven Goodyear plants in the U.S. had been scheduled to expire Saturday.

Editorial: Now for the hard part, Toledo Blade, July 14, 2009
Toledo—General Motors emerged from bankruptcy in record time last week. Now comes the hard part: Competing successfully in a much smaller market with many more rivals than in the old days.

U.S. turns focus to health of auto suppliers, by Mike Spector and Josh Mitchell, Wall Street Journal, July 14, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—How newly restructued auto giants GM and Chrysler will fare could depend on how the government spends the rest of the summer managing the carnage in another sector: the vast network of auto-parts suppliers. Analysts say a disorderly consolidation of the auto-parts industry could wreak havoc on the broader economy.

B&W boilers part of oil sands project, Akron Beacon Journal, July 14, 2009
Barberton, Ohio—Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group says it will make four boilers that will be used to provide steam in the first phase of the Kearl Oil Sands Project being developed by Imperial Oil in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region, north of Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada.

Companies push for heavier trucks, by Angela Greiling Keane and Jonathan D. Salant, Bloomberg News via Akron Beacon Journal, July 14, 2009
New York—A coalition of more than 100 shippers and trade associations are joining the trucking industry in lobbying Congress to allow six-axle trucks weighing as much as 97,000 pounds on U.S. highways, over the objections of road-safety groups.

Honda's president stresses human side of carmaking, by Yuri Kageyama, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, July 14, 2009
Tokyo—Honda's new president promised to draw inspiration from the legacy of the company's founder to withstand hard times while pushing a strategy built around hybrid green car technology. Takanobu Ito said every model will become a hybrid over the next 20 years.

Regulatory compliance white papers aimed at manufacturing industries, Control Engineering Magazine, June 26, 2009
The Telecommunications Industry Association has published a new series of white papers to help manufacturers keep up with new laws and regulations developing around the globe, as regions, countries, provinces, states and cities introduce their own measures designed to clean up the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

To shrink a U.S. car, Chrysler goes to Poland, by Nelson D. Schwartz, New York Times, July 14, 2009
Tychy, Poland—Since Fiat effectively took over Chrysler this year, engineers from Detroit have been making monthly pilgrimages to the mammoth Fiat plant here to see something they can only envy: an auto plant that is hiring workers and earning a profit.

Climate bill splits industry coalition, by Stephen Power, Wall Street Journal, July 13, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—The U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a broad group of businesses and environmental organizations, was instrumental in building support for capping U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases. But as lawmakers add provisions to win over colleagues, some USCAP members are withholding their support.

Growth in professional, scientific and technical sector is a bright spot in Northeast Ohio economy, by Tom Breckenridge, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 13, 2009
Cleveland—In its latest quarterly snapshot of economic highlights, Team NEO notes today that the economic output from our professional, scientific and technical services sector grew 79 percent from 1993 to 2008.

• Northeast Ohio expanding twice as fast as national average, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, July 13, 2009

Visteon bonus plan stirs opposition, by Matthew Dolan, Wall Street Journal, July 13, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—Ford Motor Co. is objecting to the $80.1 million bonus package proposed by major parts supplier Visteon Corp in bankruptcy filings.

China sees Opel as global step stone, by Norihiko Shirouzou, Wall Street Journal, July 13, 2009 (Subscription)
Beijing—Beijing Automotive Industry Holding Co. said it sees a possible acquisition of Opel as a centerpiece of its effort to gain global presence and to survive a looming consolidation of China's auto industry.

Rust Belt to 'green belt', by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, July 13, 2009
Warren, Ohio—Anthony Iannucci, director of Warren Redevelopment and Planning, learned that his organization will receive $2 million in federal earmarks to add to a state commmitment of $500,000 to launch a "green" business incubator.

Rattner leaving auto task force, AP via Toledo Blade, July 13, 2009
Washington—teven Rattner, head of the Obama administration’s auto task force, is leaving that post and will be replaced by former steelworkers official Ron Bloom.

Manufacturers seeing shift in production capacity, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, July 13, 2009
Cleveland—Because of the economic slump, regional manufacturers are adopting different methods to handle underutilized equipment and machinery. Some are even profiting from the downturn by acquiring high-end equipment at bargain prices.

Ford increase will boost Brook Park plant, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, July 13, 2009
Cleveland— Ford Motor Co. is ramping up production in the third quarter, which is welcome news for employees in employees of Ford's engine plants in Brook Park and Lima, Ohio.

Region would feel effects of emissions regulations, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, July 13, 2009
Cleveland—Many manufacturing groups have come out against the "Cap and Trade" bill currently before Congress, including the Precision Metalforming Association in Independence, which represents metalworking companies in North America.

Tiffin furniture firm hit with OSHA fine, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, July 11, 2009
Tiffin, Ohio—Ameriwood Industries Inc., a manufacturer of ready-to-assemble furniture is facing fines from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration for failing to maintain a safe workplace.

Akron Polymer Systems to expand, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, July 11, 2009
Akron—Akron Polymer Systems will break ground in September or October on a new building and renovate an existing structure on city-owned land at 62 N. Summit St. The company needs the new, larger space for its laboratories and for pilot production of its innovative polymers.

GM speeds ahead, by Tom Krisher and Ken Thomas, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, July 11, 2009
Detroit—At a news conference, Chief Executive Fritz Henderson said the revamped automaker will generate cash and repay billions in government loans ahead of a 2015 deadline.