China files complaint with World Trade Organization over U.S. tire tariffs, by Joe McDonald, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 15, 2009
Beijing—Beijing filed a World Trade Organization complaint today over new U.S. tariffs on Chinese tires. The complaint triggers a 60-day WTO process in which the two sides are to try to resolve the dispute through negotiations.

• Opinion: Could the wheels fall off fair China-US trade? by John Gong, Shanghai Daily, September 17, 2009
• Union: Tariff helps workers in Findlay, by Lou Wilin, Findlay Courier, September 15, 2009
• China moves to retaliate against U.S. tire tariff, by Keith Bradsher, New York Times, September 14, 2009
• Tire tariff fallout may be limited, by Terence Poon and Ian Johnson, Wall Street Journal, September 14, 2009 (Subscription)
• China-U.S. trade dispute has broad implications, by Keith Bradsher, New York Times, September 14, 2009
• U.S. defends tire tariffs; White House says penalties are fair, Akron Beacon Journal, September 13, 2009

Goodyear's CEO Robert Keegan says innovation is key to survival, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, September 16, 2009
Akron—Speaking at the start of the 28th Conference on Tire Science and Technology in Akron on Tuesday, Goodyear Chief Executive Officer Robert Keegan said embracing innovation helped his company survive one of the most challenging times of its existence.

GM may boost output of new models, by Sharon Terlep, Wall Street Journal, September 16, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—General Motors Co. dealers are pushing the car maker to boost availability of some of its hottest-selling models, forcing the company to reconsider production plans for 2009.

Ford unveils 2011 compact minivan, Detroit Free Press, September 16, 2009
Frankfurt—Ford unveiled a new compact minivan that will go on sale in the United States in 2011 at the auto show here Tuesday as it announced plans to build a family of 10 different vehicles based on its 2011 Focus compact.

• Fiat CEO: Fiat, Chrysler don't need another partner; 5-year plan coming in November, by Jeff Bennett and Gilles Castonguay, Wall Street Journal, September 16, 2009 (Subscription)
  
• Electric cars star at Frankfurt Auto Show, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, September 16, 2009

Industrial production better-than-expected in August, by Christopher S. Rugaber and Jeannine Aversa, AP via Warren Tribune Chronicle, September 16, 2009
Washington—The Federal Reserve said Wednesday that U.S. factories made more cars, clothing and other goods than expected in August, and inflation remained in check in the early stages of a broad economic recovery.

• Commerce Dept.: Business inventories fall in July, but sales rise, by Martin Crutsinger, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, September 15, 2009
  
• Auto sales soar in August; retail figures surpass expectations, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, September 16, 2009

Earnings:

• Lubrizol raises earnings guidance for all of 2009, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 15, 2009

Northeast Ohio to receive $12.5 million for military-related R&D, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 15, 2009
Cleveland—Three companies are slated to receive $12.5 million from the Dept. of Defense Act of 2010: American Engineering & Manufacturing Inc. of Elyria, Sherwin-Williams Co. and the University of Akron's new Center for Education and Research on Corrosion and Materials Performance.

PolymerOhio to take over Nano-Network from NorTech, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 15, 2009
Cleveland—Technology advocacy group NorTech has announced it will transition the operations of its Nano-Network initiative to PolymerOhio.

Medical-device makers clamor to avert new fees in health bill, by Alicia Mundy, Wall Street Journal, September 15, 2009
Washington—The $100 billion medical-device industry is scrambling to reverse billions of dollars in fees proposed by the Senate Finance Committee, but it faces trouble because its reluctance to offer concessions alienated some lawmakers.

Small businesses urged to prepare for disruptions from swine flu, by V. Dion Hayes, Washington Post, September 15, 2009
Washington—The Department of Homeland Security urged small businesses Monday to devise contingency plans allowing them to operate in the event a number of their employees become infected with the H1N1 virus.

Obama talks economy, jobs, health care to Lordstown GM workers, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 15, 2009
Lordstown, Ohio—Obama's speech to to the extremely friendly crowd of about 700 hit on topics that have been key political issues for the United Auto Workers for years -- keeping jobs in America, rebuilding the country's manufacturing economy and reforming health care.

• Lordstown employees enjoy chat with Obama, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, September 16, 2009
• Obama predicts turn around for GM, by Jonathan Weisman, Wall Street Journal, Washington Wire Blog, September 15, 2009
• Remarks of President Barack Obama at GM's Lordstown Assembly Plant, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 15, 2009

EPA clears Northeast Ohio, Columbus on failure to meet smog designation, by Michael Scott, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 15, 2009
Cleveland—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency approved Ohio's request to redesignate eight counties in the Cleveland area to attainment of the national health-based eight-hour outdoor air quality standard for ozone (smog). This means industry in the surround counties surrounding will now face a less cumbersome process for gaining pollution permits.

Toyota to keep nickel batteries because of price, by Alan Ohnsman, Bloomberg News via Akron Beacon Journal, September 15, 2009
New York—Toyota, the biggest seller of hybrid autos, is sticking with nickel as the preferred battery material for most of its vehicles after three years of secretly testing Prius hatchbacks with lithium-ion packs.

Senator protests sale by Diebold, by Christopher Stern, Bloomberg News via Akron Beacon Journal, September 15, 2009
Washington—Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has asked the Justice Department's antitrust division to review the sale of Diebold Inc.'s voting machine unit to Election Systems & Software Inc. Schumer said the combination would give Election Systems, of Omaha, Neb., control of 75 percent of the U.S. voting systems market.

Concord Steel files for bankruptcy, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, September 15, 2009
Warren, Ohio—Concord Steel Inc. will continue producing steel counterweights for its customers after its voluntary filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday, an executive said.

State awards $20,000 to Weston feed company, Toledo Blade, September 15, 2009
Columbus—Vitakraft Sun Seed Inc., a Weston bird and animal feed manufacturer, is to receive a $20,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development to assist in its $1.3 million expansion project.

Appellate court says shortened coke plant hearings improper, Toledo Blade, September 15, 2009
Toledo—An appeals court ruling has further delayed the proposed FDS Coking Plant on the Toledo-Oregon border. The $800 million project is proposed for a 51-acre Maumee Bay tract owned by the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.

White House maps out vehicle-emissions rules, by Stephen Power and Josh Mitchell, Wall Street Journal, September 15, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—The Obama administration announced new automobile standards Tuesday aimed at improving fuel efficiency and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, saying the policy would speed the development of hybrids and other advanced-technology vehicles.

Myers Industries closing two plants to cut costs, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 14, 2009
Akron— Myers Industries Inc. said today it will close parts plants in Shelbyville, Ky., and Reidsville, N.C., by the end of the year. The company makes containers for nurseries, parts for the automobile industry and some consumer products.

• Myers Industries to close two plants as part of consolidation effort, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 14, 2009

NASA Glenn awards Mainthia Technologies $27 million contract, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 14, 2009
Cleveland—NASA Glenn Research Center has awarded Mainthia Technologies Inc. of Middleburg Heights a $27 million contract to implement and manage the center's conditioned air and exhaust systems.

Goodyear workers approve contract in Akron, by Jim Mackinnon and Jim Carney, Akron Beacon Journal, September 14, 2009
Akron—Union members at Goodyear in Akron ratified a proposed new contract Sunday. Workers now must wait until later this week to learn whether the pact is approved by other Goodyear union locals.

PolyOne turnaround has doubters changing tune, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 14, 2009 (Subscription)
Avon Lake, Ohio—Chief Financial Officer Robert Patterson said PolyOne's improvement strategy included inventory reduction, diligent application of Six Sigma management tactics and the ability to implement cost-cutting strategies adopted in 2008.

Superior Products in Cleveland buys company in Washington state, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 14, 2009
Cleveland—Superior Products Inc., a producer of compressed gas fittings, assemblies and manifold systems, has acquired Macro Technologies Inc. of Kirkland, Wash., for an undisclosed price.

Akron's BioInnovation Institute alters name, unveils hiring plans, by Shannon Mortland, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 14, 2009
Akron—The organization's new President and CEO Dr. Frank Douglas, announced the institute will create five new centers of excellence, one of which will be a Medical Device Development Center.

University of Akron breaks ground for $13 million polymer center, by Shannon Mortland, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 14, 2009
Akron—The 42,750-square-foot building will be located near the university's Polymer Engineering Academic Center and will house 10 research laboratories and a high bay area in which the university will work with companies on prototypes to fabricate materials and devices.

Study envisions NE Ohio hub for next-gen cars, by Jay Miller, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 14, 2009 (Subscription)
Cleveland—Northeast Ohio could be an important link in the supply chain for the next generation of cars and trucks, according to an about-to- be-released study sponsored by the Cleveland Foundation and FirstEnergy Corp.

Opinion: Auto industry, proceed with caution, by Brian Tucker, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 14, 2009 (Subscription)
Cleveland—Now that the American car industry seems seriously intent on making an attractive hybrid electric vehicle, what will it mean to the environment?

Government dollars serve as magnet for event attendees, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 14, 2009 (Subscription)
Cleveland—MAGNET's recent event at Lorain County Community College aimed at helping local companies secure government contracts had to be moved from a classroom to the Spitzer Conference Center when more than 100 people signed up.

Timken trains salaried employees in case of work stoppage, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 14, 2009 (Subscription)
Canton—Timken Co. is training some of its salaried employees to melt steel and do the jobs of union employees as it negotiates with the United Steelworkers union — just in case it can't reach an agreement before the current union contract expires Sept. 28 and there's a work stoppage.

Opinion: Our tie to the lakes, Toledo Blade, September 14, 2009
Toledo—Nearly lost in the turmoil over health care is another Obama Administration initiative which promises to be critically important in the long run, especially to our region: The President's quiet and steady insistence on environmentally repairing the Great Lakes. The House has already approved his request for $475 million, the Senate is likely to vote later this month. Although concern about the deficit is understandable, the Senate shouldn't reduce the President's request by a dime.

CSU researcher participates in experiment to cast metal in space, by John Mangels, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 14, 2009
Cleveland—Early next year, CSU researcher Surendra Tewari will join an international team of scientists in monitoring an International Space Station experiment on the effects of casting molten metal in a gravity-free environment.

New chief of Honda of America Manufacturing plans painstaking approach to making cars better, by Dan Gearino, Columbus Dispatch, September 13, 2009
Columbus—Hidenobu Iwata, who recently returned to central Ohio as president and CEO of Honda manufacturing in North America, said his staff has begun an intensive study of its manufacturing processes with an eye toward improvement.

Winds of change at Timken Co., by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, September 13, 2009
Canton, Ohio—The Timken Co.'s future twists and turns every day inside the large Timken Technical Center off Interstate 77 near the Akron-Canton Airport where more than 400 employees stretch the boundaries of technology.

GM's fuel-cell demo hits 1 million miles, by Carolyn Thompson, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, September 12, 2009
Buffalo, N.Y.—General Motors is now 1 million miles into its fuel-cell experiment and officials say having everyday people drive a test fleet of pollution-free cars has convinced them they are on the right track.