Niles plant will close next year, by Don Shilling, Youngstown Vindicator, July 24, 2009
Niles, Ohio—General Electric said Thursday that it will enter into bargaining with union officials in Niles to determine if there is a way to save the Mahoning Glass Plant. The talks will last up to 60 days.

• GE looks to close Niles glass factory and end production of incandescent bulbs, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 24, 2009
• GE moves green jobs to China, by Mike Elk, Huffington Post, July 24, 2009
  Washington—By 2014, Americans will only be able to purchase more energy efficient CFL light bulbs. However, GE has located all of its facilities for high-efficiency light bulbs to China and has told the union representing the workers that they have no intention to locate compact flourescent facilities in the United States.

Survey shows uptick for metalforming companies, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, July 24, 2009
Independence, Ohio—Benders, stampers and machiners of metal are becoming increasingly optimistic about their near-term prospects, according to Independence-based Precision Metalforming Association. "The July data confirms that a bottom has been reached for many members and their expectations for the next three months are the most positive that we have seen in a year,” said association president Bill Gaskin

Ford picks Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max tires for its 2010 Fusion S, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 24, 2009
Cleveland—Ford Motor Co. said it has settled on Akron-based Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.'s new energy-efficient 16-inch Assurance Fuel Max tire as original equipment on its 2010 Fusion S vehicle.

Turnaround experts picked for GM board, by John D. Stoll, Wall Street Journal, July 24, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—The Treasury Department completed its makeover of General Motors Co.'s board, naming five new directors with backgrounds in the telecommunications and private-equity industries.

Ford navigates path to profitability, by Matthew Dolan and Jeff Bennett, Wall Street Journal, July 24, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—Ford Motor Co. returned to profitability in the second quarter and showed signs of stabilizing as the company continued to win customers from its Detroit competitors.

This week's earnings reports:

• Invacare earnings improve in second quarter, by Scott Suttell, Crain's Cleveland Business, July 23, 2009
• Myers Industries swings to a loss, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, July 23, 2009
• Myers reports loss for quarter, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, July 24, 2009
• OurPet's Co. swings to a profit, by Scott Suttell, Crain's Cleveland Business, July 24, 2009
• Debt reduction pushes Ford to $2.3B 2Q profit, AP via Toledo Blade, July 23, 2009
• Fiat swings to loss but sees pickup for rest of year, by Gilles Castonguay, Wall Street Journal, July 22, 2009 (Subscription)
• GM global sales fall, AP via Warren Tribune Chronicle, July 22, 2009
• AK Steel reports a loss of $48 million in 2Q; but 6.6% production increase in June, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 22, 2009
• Eaton's second-quarter earnings tumble, forecast cut, by Thomas J. Sheeran, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, July 21, 2009
• Eaton posts 2nd-quarter profit despite 32 percent sales decline, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 21, 2009
• Sherwin-Williams profits slip, but beat expectations, by Scott Suttell, Crain's Cleveland Business, July 21, 2009
• Sherwin-Williams reports profits down by 7%, by Shaheen Samavati, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 21, 2009

VW says it plans merger with Porsche, AP via Toledo Blade, July 23, 2009
Stuttgart, Germany—Volkswagen AG turned the tables Thursday on Porsche, saying it plans to put the luxury sports car maker under its umbrella through a merger while preserving the brand's autonomy.

Delphi gets $6.2 billion bailout of pensions, by Melanie Trottman, Mike Spector and John D. Stoll, Wall Street Journal, July 23, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. agreed to take on $6.2 billion in pension liabilities from bankrupt auto supplier Delphi Corp., putting in place a key piece in the bailout of the car industry but renewing pressure on a government agency facing huge burdens as more companies fail.

WTO rule for U.S. in China trade spat, AP via Wall Street Journal, July 23, 2009 (Subscription)
Geneva, Switzerland—The U.S. largely prevailed in a trade dispute with China over restrictions on the sale there of American CDs, DVDs, books and computer software, two officials familiar with the ruling said.

Toyota leans toward dissolving joint venture with GM, Detroit Free Press via Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 23, 2009
Detroit—Toyota is close to dissolving its New United Motors Manufacturing Inc. (NUMMI) joint venture with General Motors Co., unless Al Koch, the executive trying to sell GM's leftover assets, can persuade Toyota to buy out its American partner.

• Toyota sets talks to exit GM joint venture, by Yoshio Takahashi, Wall Street Journal, July 24, 2009 (Subscription)
  Tokyo—Despite aggressive manufacturing expansion that included new assembly plants in Ontario and Mississippi, Toyota is caught with more car-making capacity than current sales can support.

The manufacturing workforce of today and tomorrow needs the right skills, training and certifications, by Judith Crocker, Director of Training & Education, MAGNET, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 22, 2009
Cleveland—Today's advanced manufacturing jobs usually pay better and require more education and skills than 10 or 20 years ago. Recently the National Association of Manufacturers introduced a series of nationally-recognized,industry-endorsed credentials that validate an individual's skills and learning.

Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation joint venture lands $180M contract in Vietnam, Crain's Cleveland Business, July 22, 2009
Barberton, Ohio—A joint venture company of Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group Inc. has been awarded a $180 million contract to supply two, 600-megawatt boilers in Vietnam.

GM plans to boost sales by expanding Buick, Chevy, AP via Toledo Blade, July 22, 2009
Detroit—Mike DiGiovanni, GM's executive director of global market and industry analysis, said Wednesday that the Chevrolet and Buick model lineups will be expanded to pick up a lot of the lost sales from Pontiac and Saturn, the biggest sellers of the scrapped brands.

Industry pushes new iron-ore pricing plan, by Robert Guy Matthews, Wall Street Journal, July 22, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—The world's biggest miners and steelmakers are on the brink of forging a new system for setting iron-ore prices that is expected to increase the volatility of steel prices, but perhaps make the process more transparent.

GM sees global sales pick up, by Sharon Terlep, Wall Street Journal, July 22, 2009 (Subscription)
Detroit—General Motors Co. on Wednesday said that global auto sales are starting to rebound and that it is outperforming rivals in emerging markets such as China.

Youngstown praised for innovation, Warren Tribune Chronicle, July 21, 2009
Youngstown, Ohio— State and federal lawmakers are praising Youngstown's being named as one of the top 10 cities in America to start a business by Entrepreneur magazine.

TechniGraphics opens $6.3 million training facility, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, July 21, 2009
Wooster, Ohio—TechniGraphics, a digital mapping and computer-assisted design company in Wooster, is officially opening its new 26,000-square-foot production and training facility today.

Car legend will head new GM's marketing, by Mike Ramsey, Bloomberg News via Akron Beacon Journal, July 21, 2009
Detroit—General Motors Co. Vice Chairman Bob Lutz waived his plan to retire at age 77 to take on the responsibility for crafting the images for GM's four remaining brands — Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC.

Ford to sell improved EcoBoost engine, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 21, 2009
Dearborn, Mich.—At a showcase of the company's 2010 model lineup Tuesday, Ford Motor Co. officials said the company will offer its EcoBoost engine in 4-cyclinder vehicles starting next year in an effort to provide greater fuel economy to consumers without compromising on horsepower.

Economic indicators up more than expected in June, by Tali Arbel, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, July 21, 2009
New York—The U.S. index of leading economic indicators rose 0.7% in June, the third straight monthly gain, the Conference Board said Monday, signaling that a recovery is likely in the second half of the year.

• Leading indicators signal recovery likely in 2nd half, by Greg Robb, Wall Street Journal MarketWatch blog, July 22, 2009

Product safety chief puts industry on notice, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 21, 2009
Washington—Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum is putting manufacturers on notice: comply with new rules aimed at keeping children's products safe, or face the potential of big fines.

Obama auto task force warns against House of Representatives' dealer plan, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 21, 2009
Washington—The Obama administration warned Congress on Tuesday that a House-approved plan to restore shuttered General Motors and Chrysler dealerships would threaten the auto companies' bankruptcies and recovery.

Obama's strategy to reverse manufacturing's fall, by Louis Uchitelle, New York Times, July 21, 2009
New York—Xunming Deng, a physicist and the chairman of the Xunlight Corporation, sees himself as a beneficiary of what he describes as the Obama administration’s more flexible loan guarantees. His factory in Toledo, Ohio, with 100 employees, is in the early stages of making solar panels, and Dr. Deng is already planning to quadruple the plant’s size.

Ohio legislators seek ways to support automakers, by Jim Provance, Toledo Blade, July 20, 2009
Columbus—The Ohio House and Senate established a joint task force to study the various sectors of the auto industry. Rep. Matt Lundy (D., Avon Lake), who sponsored the resolution, says the Joint Select Committee on the Impact of the Changing Automobile Industry will spend the summer meeting and conducting hearings and product a final report for Gov. Ted Strickland and legislative leaders by Sept. 30.

Entrepreneur Norm Johnston wants Ohio to build solar fields to generate jobs, by John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 20, 2009
Toledo—Solar entrepreneur Norm Johnston says his solar field demonstration project on seven acres of the Ohio Air National Guard's airfield proves the potential of solar fields in Ohio.

GM product chief says new vehicles must be hits, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 20, 2009
Warren, Mich.—The new chief of product development for General Motors Co., Tom Stephens says gasoline will dictate what cars or trucks people buy.

Green energy employment workshop, by John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 20, 2009
Cleveland—Employment in renewable energy is the topic of a Green Energy Ohio workshop and trade show 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday Aug. 1 at Cuyahoga Community College's Corporate College, 4400 Richmond Rd, Warrensville Heights.

GM files to reject equipment leases at its Parma metal plant, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 20, 2009
Cleveland—General Motors wants to dump $293 million in equipment loans for stamping equipment in both Parma and Louisiana and assembly line equipment in Flint, Mich. None of the machines are in use at the plants.

Auto makers' firmer pricing risks denting sector's recovery, by Matthew Dolan, Wall Street Journal, July 20, 2009
New York—Firm pricing may have worked for the auto industry when a sales level of 16 million cars and trucks a year in the U.S. was considered normal; now the annual-sales rate is less than 10 million.

Made in Stark: Mid's Pasta Sauce sells millions of jars, Canton Repository, July 19, 2009
Navarre, Ohio—The Canton Repository features a profile on Stark County-based Mid's Pasta Sauce in its regular Sunday feature, "Made in Stark."

Trade schools boom with enrollees twice the age of typical student, USA Today, July 19, 2009
Murfreesboro, Tenn.—Disappearing jobs have helped drive thousands of people like Anita Ray to Tennessee's 27 state-run trade schools. Many of the newcomers at the Murfreesboro trade school are in their 40s and 50s — twice the age of the typical student there.

Chinese factories flout labor laws; threaten reputations of U.S. companies who rely on them, Bloomberg News via Akron Beacon Journal, July 19, 2009
New York—The Chinese government reported Chinese workers filed double the number of labor law violation claims last year as Chinese employers ignore recently enacted fair labor laws. The trend leaves international manufacturers open to potential consumer backlash.

Venture Plastics still growing, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, July 18, 2009
Newton, Ohio—As Venture Plastics celebrates its 40th anniversary, it is thriving on new business from customers whose suppliers have gone out of business during the recession. ''The economy is tough, but we plan to be here another 40 years,'' said Ken Groff, 72, founder and chief executive officer.

GM Lordstown to run 10-hour shifts, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, July 18, 2009
Lordstown, Ohio—The General Motors Corp. Lordstown Complex will switch to a four-day, 10-hour work schedule starting Aug. 10, a week after production resumes, plant officials announced Friday.

Controversial part of union bill dropped; 'Card check' removed to secure Senate votes, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, July 18, 2009
Washington—Organized labor is nearing a deal to salvage legislation that could aid the union movement, but it had to drop ''card check'' — a key component of the original bill that would allow workers to form a union by signing cards instead of holding a secret vote.