Economists react: 'A surprising decline' in orders, by Kelly Evans, Wall Street Journal, Real Economics Blog, September 25, 2009
New York— Economists react to the 2.4% decline in August orders for durable goods.

Cobalt among Clunkers favorites, Warren Tribune Chronicle, September 24, 2009
Lordstown, Ohio—The Chevrolet Cobalt finished 16th on the list of most popular vehicles in the government's Cash for Clunkers incentive program, logging 13,335 sales during the month-long campaign.

Strickland promotes manufacturing as cure to recession in D.C. visit, by Peter Urban, Gannett Washington Bureau via Newark (Ohio) Advocate, September 24, 2009
Washington—A contingent of Ohioans, led by the governor and Sen. Sherrod Brown, met Wednesday with Ron Bloom, whom President Barack Obama recently named his senior counselor for manufacturing policy. They emphasized the need to bolster manufacturing as a way out of the recession.

• Strickland, Brown discuss manufacturing strategy, by J. Arthur Hutchisonk, Willoughby News-Herald, September 24, 2009
• Brown, Strickland urge manufacturing policy, by Dan O'Brien, Youngstown Business Journal Daily, September 24, 2009

Paper makers ask for duties to be placed on China, Indonesia, Dayton Daily News, September 24, 2009
Washington—Domestic makers of coated paper — including two companies with operations in Dayton — and organized labor said Wednesday, Sept. 23, that they have asked the federal government to probe the trade practices of China and Indonesia and impose duties on some of the coated paper products they export.

• Paper is next front in China trade fight, by Kris Maher, Wall Street Journal, September 24, 2009 (Subscription)

Big hopes for minivans, by Alisa Priddle, Detroit News via Akron Beacon Journal, September 24, 2009
Auburn Hills, Mich.—Chrysler Group LLC and its new management team from Italian partner Fiat SpA have put renewed stock in the family hauler. Minivans are forecast to maintain a 3 percent to 4 percent share of the market through 2016.

With success in Australia, GM hopes Cruze does well in U.S., by Tim Higgins, Detroit Free Press via Akron Beacon Journal, September 24, 2009
Detroit—Early success of the new Holden Cruze in Australia could be a promising sign for how Chevrolet's version of the small car will do in U.S. showrooms next year.

RPM International makes acquisition in Australia, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 23, 2009
Medina, Ohio—RPM International Inc. said its Stonhard subsidiary has acquired Ascoat Contracting Pty. and Ascoat Pty., a supplier and installer of polymer flooring systems in Australia.

Myers Industries inks pact to sell two subsidiaries to Chinese company, by Mark Dodosh, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 23, 2009
Akron— Myers Industries Inc.said it has inked a letter of intent to sell most of the assets of its Buckhorm Rubber Products and Michigan Rubber Products subsidiaries to Zhongding Sealing Parts Co. of China. Myers Industries anticipates that the sale would occur before November.

GE shifts innovation strategy, by Paul Glader, Wall Street Journal, September 23, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—GE is changing the way it develops products, according to a Tuesday article in the Harvard Business Review co-authored by CEO Jeff Immelt. GE must develop products inside emerging countries that it can sell in wealthier countries. The authors call this approach "reverse innovation."

Ohio rated near bottom for business tax climate, Akron Beacon Journal, September 23, 2009
Washington—Ohio has the fourth-worst business tax environment in the country, according to the Tax Foundation's 2010 State Business Tax Climate Index released Tuesday. South Dakota has the most ''business friendly'' tax system, and New Jersey was last. (Tax Foundation Background Paper No. 59, "2010 State Business Tax Climate Index.")

Myers Motors unveiling 2-seater electric vehicle, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 23, 2009
Tallmadge, Ohio—Myers Motors plans to unveil the first two-passenger version of its three-wheeled electric vehicle today at an environmental conference in New York. The new two-seat model will cost a little less than $30,000 and be able to go 60 miles on a charge.

Ford targets India market with first small car, by Nikhil Gulati and Santanu Choudhury, Wall Street Journal, September 23, 2009 (Subscription)
New Delhi—Ford Motor Co. Wednesday unveiled the Figo—its first small car to be produced in India—as the U.S. automaker seeks to gain a foothold in the emerging South Asian car market and make the country a global production hub for small cars.

• Ford makes push to boost Asian presence, by Matthew Dolan, Norihiko Shirouzu and Eric Bellman, Wall Street Journal, September 23, 2009 (Subscription)
  Detroit, Beijing and New Delhi—Ford Motor Co. is making a major push this week in Asia—long a weak link in its global operations—as part of an ambitious strategy started three years ago by Chief Executive Alan Mulally.

National Bronze and Metals launching $23 million project in Sheffield Township, by Jordan Cravens, Lorain Morning Journal, September 23, 2009
Elyria, Ohio—A $23 million expansion to the National Bronze and Metals facility, 5311 West River Road, Sheffield Township, is anticipated to create 35 new moderate- to high-paying jobs for the area. With the 108,000-square-foot expansion, the company, which melts secondary scrap to create products, will be able to penetrate new markets.

FirstEnergy unit to complete Fremont operation's construction by end of 2010, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 22, 2009
Akron—The incomplete plant was purchased from Calpine Corp. in January 2008. Earlier, First Energy had announced the facility's completion would be delayed until 2012.

Big polluters told to report emissions, by Leslie Kaufman, New York Times, September 22, 2009
Washington—The Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday that it would require the nation’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases to start tracking their emission levels on Jan. 1 and report them to the government.

Wind-turbine makers press for green mandates, by Russell Gold, Wall Street Journal, September 22, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—Wind-turbine makers say growth in their industry could dramatically slow unless the federal government requires more electricity come from renewable energy.

Web site profiles Ohio's bioscience companies, Akron Beacon Journal, September 22, 2009
Cleveland—BioOhio and the Global Cardiovascular Innovation Center have launched the Ohio Bioscience Resource Directory, a omprehensive online reference to Ohio companies, organizations, and research centers involved in the biosciences.

O-I aiming to collect ton of glass in a week, Toledo Blade, September 22, 2009
Toledo—The glass packaging industry has set a goal of using 50 percent recycled glass in manufacturing by 2013. It's now at about 29 percent.

Preparations for V&M Star project continue despite lack of agreement, Youngstown Vindicator, September 22, 2009
Youngstown, Ohio—On Monday, Youngstown’s board of control approved a $253,324 contract with a company to clear trees, roots, bushes and grub on 85 acres of land V&M Star Steel would need for its potential expansion.

New tariffs may benefit Cooper Tire, by Lou Wilin, Findlay Courier, September 22, 2009
Findlay, Ohio—Deutsche Bank analyst Rod Lache, in New York, said the tariffs, which take effect Saturday, have the potential to help Cooper's bottom line as the company will be able to raise tire prices.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson sets up sustainability advisory groups, by John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 22, 2009
Cleveland—Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said today he is creating two Sustainable Cleveland 2019 advisory groups to do the heavy lifting, one with a near-term focus, the other to plan for a decade.

• Cleveland takes steps to turn concept of sustainability into key economic asset, by Scott Suttell, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 22, 2009

Cardinal Fastener's president shows off behemoth bolts at White House, by Sabrina Eaton, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 22, 2009
Washington—Cardinal Fastener & Specialty Co.'s John Grabner propped a pair of his company's giant 10-pound tower bolts bolts on a White House conference table where he and other green energy company executives sat and talked for 45 minutes with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

GM bumps 3 factories to 24-hour production, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 22, 2009
Detroit—General Motors Co. will go to 24-hour operations at factories in Kansas, Michigan and Indiana to make up for production lost due to a large-scale factory consolidation announced earlier in the year.

• GM begins to restore third shifts at plants, Youngstown Vindicator, September 23, 2009
• GM to call back 2,400 factory workers, by Nick Bunkley, New York Times, September 22, 2009

Cleveland investor offers high bid for New York steel plant, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 22, 2009
Cleveland—Through his company, JP Industries Inc., Jack Jankovic submitted the highest bid in an industrial liquidation auction for Crucible Specialty Metals, U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New York City said this week.

Leading economic indicators rise in August, by Tali Arbel, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, September 21, 2009
New York—The Conference Board says its index of leading indicators rose 0.6 percent in August. This is the fifth straight month the indicators rose, a sign that the recession has ended.

Emerald Awards: Triple bottom line taking over culture at many firms, by Jay Miller, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 21, 2009 (Subscription)
Cleveland—The “triple bottom line” concept includes the impact of a company's actions on the planet and its people, as well as on an organization's profitability.

• Emerald Awards: Shearer's Foods, Brewster, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 21, 2009 (Subscription)
• Emerald Awards: The Garland Company, Cleveland, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 21, 2009 (Subscription)
• Emerald Awards: Eaton Corp., Cleveland, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 21, 2009 (Subscription)

A. Schulman to expand capacity of plant in Mexico, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 21, 2009
Akron—A. Schulman Inc. said it's expanding capacity for producing specialty engineered nylons, polyesters and high-performance alloys at its plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

• A. Schulman names GM of North American Engineered Plastics division, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 21, 2009

Ferro Corp. begins solar aluminum paste production in bigger Chinese plant, Crain's Cleveland Business, September 21, 2009
Cleveland—Ferro Corp. said its Electronic Material Systems business unit has begun production of solar aluminum paste at its expanded plant in Suzhou, China.

Rolls-Royce announces expansion of fuel cell research in North Canton, by Sabrina Eaton, Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 21, 2009
North Canton, Ohio—olls-Royce announced on Monday that it will expand its fuel cell research division in North Canton. The real growth in jobs would be in 2012 when Rolls-Royce completes its design of the utility-scale fuel cells—and if it agrees to build assembly plants in Ohio.

ArcelorMittal fires up one blast furnace in Cleveland, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Septembe 21, 2009
Cleveland—ArcelorMittal stoked up a furnace at its Cleveland steel mill Friday and resumed production over the weekend, bringing about 150 workers back from layoffs that the company ordered earlier this year.

Editorial: The state must transform its economy. The Third Frontier project has proved critical to the effort, Akron Beacon Journal, September 21, 2009
Akron—According to a recent research study, Ohioans have received an impressive return on their investment in the Ohio Third Frontier Project with $681 million in state money generating $6.6 billion in economic activity. Ohio voters soon must renew the bonding authority of the Third Frontier.

Goodyear workers approve contract, Akron Beacon Journal, September 20, 2009
Akron—Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. announced on Saturday that a new four-year master labor contract has been ratified by members of the United Steelworkers union.

Chrysler to transform Ram into 4th brand, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, September 19, 2009
Toledo—Chrysler Group LLC will create a fourth brand among its vehicle lineup, differentiating its line of Dodge Ram trucks from the rest of the Dodge brand, and reducing the amount of advertising for Jeep and Chrysler in the process.