Ford workers at Brook Park plants approve contract changes, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 23, 2009
Cleveland—Workers at Ford's Brook Park engine complex have approved changes to their union contract. Ford has promised to build a new engine in Brook Park if UAW members nationwide agree to the changes.

• Ford, UAW see opposition to contract changes, AP via Toledo Blade, October 22, 2009

Akron company wins mercury research grant, Akron Beacon Journal, October 23, 2009
Akron—E3 Materials LLC in Akron is getting a $149,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to research and develop how to reduce levels of mercury and other harmful heavy-metal discharges.

GM downplays report on Cruze, Youngstown Vindicator, October 23, 2009
Youngstown, Ohio—A media report about a 44-mpg target for the Chevrolet Cruze is speculative, a Chevrolet spokesman said.

This Week's Earnings Reports

• Myers Industries loses $5.3 million in third quarter, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 22, 2009
• Parker Hannifin posts lower first-quarter earnings, but raises full-year guidance, Crain's Cleveland Business, October 20, 2009
• Sherwin-Williams reports earnings drop, by Shaheen Samavati, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 20, 2009
• Applied Industrial Technologies' first-quarter profit falls by half, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 20, 2009
• Parker Hannifin's profit declines 71 percent in first quarter, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 20, 2009
• A. Schulman Inc. loses $7.9 million in fourth quarter, $2.8 million for year, by Robert Schoenberger, , Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 19, 2009
• Eaton Corp.'s profit falls 39 percent, stock rises, by Robert Schoenberger, , Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 19, 2009

Fed survey: housing, manufacturing drive recovery, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 22, 2009
Washington—Improvements in housing and manufacturing are driving the early stages of the U.S. economic recovery, according to a Federal Reserve survey released Wednesday.

• Cleveland Fed finds pockets of growth in fragile economy, Akron Beacon Journal, October 22, 2009
• Leading economic indicators rise again in September, by Tali Arbel, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, October 22, 2009
• U.S. manufacturing productivity jumps, by Sara Murray, Wall Street Journal, October 23, 2009 (Subscription)

IBC Solar to leave Cleveland for San Francisco, by John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 22, 2009
Cleveland—IBC Solar, Inc., the U.S. subsidiary of Germany's oldest solar vendor, is relocating from Cleveland to San Francisco. The company has maintained its one-person U.S. headquarters here since February 2008.

Solar Trust of America steps up effort to secure financing for solar plants

India's Reva plans to build electric car in Syracuse, N.Y., source says, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 22, 2009
Syracuse, N.Y.—The Reva Electric Car Co., headquartered in Bangalore, India, will work with Bannon Automotive to assemble a three-door plug-in hatchback, the NXR, at a site in the Syracuse area.

Editorial: Energy Star label must mean what it says to consumers and taxpayers, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 22, 2009
Cleveland—Poor management of the U.S. EPA's Enegery Star program has allowed manufacturers to certify products as deserving of the high-efficiency designation that actually aren't. The Dept. of Energy and the EPA signed a memo of understanding last month to have an independent lab evaluate Energy Star products, but no deadline has been set.

Wind power fuels debate in 2 counties, by Erik Shilling, Mansfield News Journal, October 22, 2009
Shelby, Ohio—Gary Energetics, a Colorado alternative energy firm, has signed contracts for wind turbines with 112 property owners in rural Shelby and northern Crawford County. Construction is expected to begin in 2010, but some neighbors are not happy about it.

The auto bailout: How we did it, by Steven Rattner, Fortune, October 21, 2009
Washington—In a feature article, Steven Rattner, who led the Obama administration's auto task force, gives a first-person account of the team's shock at the state of the finances and management at GM and Chrysler and details the intense negotiations that took place to bring the two automakers in and out of bankruptcy in record time.

• Former auto task force chief bullish on GM, Chrysler, AP via Canton Repository, October 22, 2009
• Auto task force leader says GM, Chrysler's handling of finances 'stunningly poor' before bailout, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 21, 2009
• Steven Rattner: Why we had to get rid of GM's CEO, Fortune, October 21, 2009

Business spending looks up, by Timothy Aeppel, Cari Tuna and Justin LaHart, Wall Street Journal, October 21, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—Reporting on results for the latest quarter, bulldozer maker Caterpillar Inc. and hydraulic-parts maker Parker Hannifin Corp. on Tuesday joined a chorus of companies that are saying the worst of the recession is past and customers are buying anew rather than simply drawing down inventories.

Smucker expands campus, by Betty Lin-Fisher, Akron Beacon Journal, October 20, 2009
Orrville, Ohio—The J.M. Smucker Co. is breaking ground for a new building this week to accommodate an additional 160 employees from its purchase last year of Folgers coffee from Procter & Gamble.

Honda top U.S. executive says newer models to bolster automaker against competition, by Tom Krisher, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, October 20, 2009
Novi, Mich.—John Mendel, Honda's top U.S. auto executive, says his company is acutely aware of the increasing competition faced by Honda's bread-and-butter models, the midsize Accord, compact Civic and CRV small crossover vehicle. He says Honda will stay ahead of the pack with new technology and by introducing models in new market segments.

• Honda reduces production waste going to landfills 80%, Waste & Recycling News, October 20, 2009
  Akron—Honda has reduced the amount of production waste heading to landfills in North America by more than 80% since fiscal year 2001, the company said. The company's latest environmental performance report that also indicates the company wants to virtually eliminate all waste heading to landfills by fiscal year 2012.

Electric cars find power in governments, by Sebastian Moffett and Norihiko Shirouzu, Wall Street Journal, October 20, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—Auto makers, trying to turn electric vehicles into a mass-market product, are still being held back by the vehicles' high cost and the difficulty of keeping them charged. They are increasingly getting help from governments, including the Chinese, U.S. and French administrations.

• Technology jump-starts future fuels, by Christina Rogers, Detroit News via Akron Beacon Journal, October 19, 2009
  Detroit—Some alternative fuel technologies are further along than others — but breakthroughs are afoot, especially with the federal government pouring billions of dollars into advancing biofuel and electric battery technology.

China set to impose new tariffs on nylon, by Victoria Ruan, Wall Street Journal, October 20, 2009 (Subscription)
Beijing—China's Ministry of Commerce said Monday it has made a preliminary ruling to impose tariffs of up to 36% on nylon 6, or polycaprolactam, from the U.S., saying the imports have damaged the domestic industry. The material is used to manufacture a variety of products, from toothbrushes to gun frames to chiffon.

Toyota unveils new hybrid-only model, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 20, 2009
Tokyo—The "Sai" sedan is Toyota's second hybrid-only model after the Prius. Toyota offers hybrid versions of other car models. The Sai gets 23 kilometers per liter, or about 54 miles per gallon, double the mileage of a comparable regular gas-engine model, according to Toyota.

15 vehicles returned under money-back program, GM says, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 20, 2009
New York—Just a tiny fraction of General Motors customers have returned their cars for refunds under the automaker's heavily advertised money-back guarantee program -- and most buyers aren't even choosing to participate in the plan, opting for a rebate instead.

More angst expected in auto supply industry, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, October 19, 2009 (Subscription)
Cleveland—Crain's interviews regionally based auto suppliers and industry observers about the prospects for the auto supply industry in the new landscape.

Eaton Corp. might have to pay billions of dollars in damages after losing an antitrust case, by Robert Schoenberger, , Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 19, 2009
Cleveland—Eaton Corp. has monopolized the market for commercial truck transmissions, a Delaware jury found last week. Now there will be a second trial to determine damages. If the competitor's $800 million claim stands, federal rules will triple that, costing Eaton $2.4 billion. The second trial has not been scheduled.

Parker Hannifin gets ARRA grant, Willoughby News Herald, October 17, 2009
Mayfield Heights, Ohio—Parker Hannifin Corp. announced it received a U.S. Dept. of Energy grant to implement a new hydraulic hybrid system into commercial delivery trucks for companies like United Parcel Service. Parker said field testing showed that it can increase mileage per gallon by 50 to 70 percent in stop-and- go applications, compared to traditional diesel powered vehicles with automatic transmissions.

Gorman-Rupp moving jobs from Canada to Mansfield, by Teri Berg, Mansfield News Journal, October 17, 2009
Mansfield, Ohio—Pump manufacturer Groman-Rupp Co. announced a restructuring that will move some jobs from the company's St. Thomas, Ontario facility to Mansfield.