10-day ride boosts electric motorcycles, AP via Toledo Blade, October 30, 2009
Washington—Brammo Inc., an Oregon-based company that makes electric motorcycles, sent two riders on a 10-day odyssey from Detroit to Washington to attract media and government attention. The company's chief engineer rode more than 700 miles from Michigan in 45-mile increments—the distance the motorcycle can travel on one charge.

Debt refinance lifts Libbey, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, October 30, 2009
Toledo—Shares of Toledo glassware maker Libbey Inc. shot up yesterday after the company announced it had reached a refinancing agreement to remove $80.4 million of debt and delay when it will have to begin paying it back. The deal will give Merrill Lynch 22 percent of Libbey's overall stock.

U.S. third-quarter labor costs rise 0.4% as wage growth stalls, by Courtney Schlisserman, Bloomberg.com, October 30, 2009
Washington—Even as other parts of the economy show signs of stabilizing, rising unemployment may keep overall wages and benefits subdued and weigh on consumer spending.

This Week's Earnings Reports:

• Lincoln Electric reports third-quarter profit of $12.8 million, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 30, 2009
• Lincoln Electric Holdings sees third-quarter sales, profits fall, Crain's Cleveland Business, October 30, 2009
• Libbey Inc. reports profit, loss in sales, Toledo Blade, October 29, 2009
• Cliffs Natural Resources posts lower third-quarter profit, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 29, 2009
• Timken Q3 loss improves on Q2 results, Akron Beacon Journal, October 29, 2009
• Timken Co. reports third-quarter loss vs. year-earlier profit, Crain's Cleveland Business, October 29, 2009
• Olympic Steel reports sharp drop in third-quarter profits, Crain's Cleveland Business, October 29, 2009
• OC, O-I report rise in profits despite drop in sales, Toledo Blade, October 29, 2009
• First Solar’s revenue is below expectations, Toledo Blade, October 29, 2009
• ArcelorMittal returns to profit, BBC News, October 28, 2009\
• Goodyear reports sharply higher third-quarter profit on lower sales, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 28, 2009
• US Steel, AK Steel post weaker third quarter results, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 27, 2009
• FirstEnergy earnings drop by half in third quarter, by Shaheen Samavati, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 27, 2009

Obama EPA adviser on Great Lakes says climate change will dictate restoration efforts, by Michael Scott, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 29, 2009
Cleveland—Cameron Davis, Great Lakes 'czar' for the Obama administration, was in town at the Great Lakes Science Center for a final public hearing of the federal task force on oceans and the Great Lakes.

Yorkville mill restart no help to Warren plant, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, October 29, 2009
Warren, Ohio—Severstal North America Inc.'s expected restart of a mill in Yorkville doesn't mean workers at the Severstal Warren mill will be returning to work anytime soon, the local union leader said Wednesday.

Akron-area union leaders join forces, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, October 29, 2009
Akron—The people leading many Akron-area union locals held the second of what they hope will be regular quarterly networking get-togethers on Wednesday. More than 40 people discussed continued job losses and tough contract negotiations with public and private employers.

U.S. economy grows in third quarter, signaling end of recession, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 29, 2009
Washington—The economy grew at a 3.5 percent pace in the third quarter, the Commerce Department said today—the best showing in two years, fueled by government-supported spending on cars and homes.

GM to buy slice of Delphi, source says, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, October 29, 2009
General Motors Co. will announce later this week that it will draw from its government funding to pay the cost of buying a chunk of troubled parts supplier Delphi Corp., a person briefed on the company’s finances said Wednesday.

• GM to draw government funds for Delphi costs, source says, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 28, 2009.

Opinion: Politicians butt in at bailed-out GM, by Neil King Jr., Wall Street Journal, October 29, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—Companies in hock to Washington now have the equivalent of 535 new board members—100 U.S. senators and 435 House members. For example, under Congressional pressure, GM has given reprieves to 70 dealerships nationwide.

Chrysler's 5-year plan, by Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press via Akron Beacon Journal, October 29, 2009
Detroit—Details of what Italian automaker Fiat will say next week about its plans for Chrysler are unknown, but it's already clear Fiat is more sincere about sharing its technology and engineering capability than Mercedes-Benz ever was during DaimlerChrysler's brief and blighted existence.

The trouble with China's trade retaliation, by Hana R. Alberts, Forbes.com, October 29, 2009
Hong Kong—The author speculates that the Chinese Ministry of Commerce is investigating the U.S. steel and auto industries (among others) under its anti-dumping law to build up pressure on the Obama administration which imposed a 35% duty on Chinese tires in September.

• China to impose antidumping duties on adipic acid imports, Dow Jones Newswires via Wall Street Journal, October 30, 2009 (Subscription)

Chinese banks to fund $1.5 billion Texas wind farm, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 29, 2009
New York—The announcement Thursday shows how much China's own wind industry has burgeoned and comes two days after U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu told lawmakers that the U.S. was falling behind China and others in alternative energy investment.

• Chinese-made turbines to fill U.S. wind farm, by Rebecca Smith, Wall Street Journal, October 30, 2009 (Subscription)
• Lone Star, Meet Red Star: China's $1.5-billion wind-power deal in Texas, by Keith Johnson, Environmental Capital blog, Wall Street Journal, October 30, 2009 (Subscription)

Airbus to hold procurement conference in Brook Park on Dec. 7, by Stephen Koff, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 28, 2009
Washington—European aircraft builder Airbus SAS says it wants to expand its supplier base in Ohio, so it will hold a procurement conference at the Ohio Aerospace Institute on Dec. 7. The institute says there are more than 600 direct aerospace suppliers in Ohio employing 186,000.

• Ex-DHL hub future site for jet suppliers? by Mike Boyer, Cincinnati Enquirer, October 28, 2009
  Cincinnati—An effort to boost aircraft maker Airbus SAS's extensive supplier base in Ohio could land at the Wilmington Air Park early next year, if efforts to get DHL to turnover ownership of the 2,200-acre facility are successful by then.

Strong growth is ahead, economist says, but slow recovery for Ohio, by Gary T. Pakulski, Toledo Blade, October 28, 2009
Toledo—The U.S. economy likely will enter a period of strong growth in coming months, but the picture is less clear for northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, economist Ken Mayland said at a Toledo Club breakfast yesterday. Mayland is president of ClearView Economics LLC in Pepper Pike, Ohio.

Auto-parts plant's expansion creates 124 more jobs, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, October 28, 2009
North Toledo, Ohio—Magna Exteriors and Interiors, a division of Canadian-based auto supply giant Magna International Inc., is undergoing the expansion of its 177,000-square-foot Toledo Engineered Automotive Modular Systems facility in the North Cross Industrial Park to allow the plant to handle additional work.

Hendrickson will shed 189 jobs in Canton, Marilyn Miller, Akron Beacon Journal, October 28, 2009
Canton—Hendrickson International Trailer Suspension Systems officials blame the closing on a downturn in business and the need to consolidate operations. A company official said the manufacturing work will be farmed out to the other plants.

Thomas & Betts Corp. closing plant and laying off 117, by Olivera Perkins, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 28, 2009
Cleveland—Thomas & Betts Corp. is closing its operations on Harvard Avenue in Cleveland and permanently laying off 117 employees who work there.

GM's Henderson calls government cutting his pay 'fair', AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 28, 2009
Washington—General Motors Co. CEO Fritz Henderson said Wednesday that government-imposed cuts to his own salary, and the pay of other executives at seven companies that received taxpayer money, were "fair" and "thoughtful," adding that the changes were "tough, but the situation is tough."

Optimism rises among manufacturers; Supply chain seen as critical to recovery, Material Handling Management, October 28, 2009
New York—U.S. industrial manufacturers expect a turnaround over the next 12 months, according to the latest edition of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Manufacturing Barometer report.

GM seen posting sales gain, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 28, 2009
Detroit—General Motors Co. is likely to post its first year-over-year monthly sales gain in 21 months when automakers report sales figures on Tuesday, a top GM sales analyst said Wednesday.

Chrysler line includes Alfa Romeo SUV and subcompact 500, by Nelson D. Schwartz, New York Times, October 28, 2009
New York—Next week, Chrysler will unveil its new product line in Detroit, which will include the Fiat 500, the chic urban subcompact that has attracted a wide following in Europe. In addition to unveiling Chrysler's lineup, Marchionne and other executives will discuss the company's engineering and manufacturing plans and its financial goals.

Ford prefers China's Geely bid for Volvo, BBC News, October 28, 2009
Detroit—Ford has announced that a consortium led by China's Zhejian Geely is its preferred bidder for its Swedish car subsidiary Volvo.

DOE grants jump-start the Smart Grid toward a still undefined future, by Peter Behr, ClimateWire via New York Times, October 28, 2009
New York—There seemed to be no quarrel that yesterday's Energy Department grants will accelerate revolutionary changes in the ways electricity is generated and managed by utilities and their consumers.

• U.S. electrical grid gets $3.4 billion jolt of stimulus funding, Washington Post, October 28, 2009

U.S. goods orders rise for fourth time in six months, by Shobhana Chandra, Bloomberg News, October 28, 2009
New York—Orders for U.S. durable goods rose in September for the fourth time in the past six months, a sign factories are helping ring in an economic recovery.

• Durable-goods orders tick up, by Jeff Bater, Wall Street Journal, October 28, 2009 (Subscription)

Clothing workers rally to keep jobs, by Rick Jackson, WCPN, October 27, 2009
Brooklyn, Ohio—Leaders of the Workers United union say Hugo Boss plans to close the Brooklyn production plant—eliminating more than 320 jobs. The company has been making men’s suits under various owners for 165 years. In a later update: the company said negotiations to keep the plant open have resumed.

Great Lakes shippers say proposed EPA clean air rule would hurt them, midwest economy, by Patrick O'Donnell, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 27, 2009
Cleveland—Shipping companies across the Great Lakes are fighting a proposed rule designed to fight air pollution by limiting the type of fuel they can use on their vessels.

• Negotiators reach deal on air-pollution exemption for 13 lake freighters, by Peter Zicari, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 28, 2009
  Traverse City, Mich.—Congressional negotiators reached a deal Tuesday that would effectively exempt 13 ships that haul iron ore, coal and other freight on the Great Lakes from a proposed federal rule meant to reduce air pollution.

In down economy, port plan debate not exactly red hot, by Bill Rice, WCPN, October 27, 2009
Cleveland—WCPN reports on recent calls for a speedier, more regional approach to moving Port of Cleveland operations away from the downtown lakefront.

Business fair comes to KSU, Akron Beacon Journal, October 27, 2009
Kent, Ohio—During its annual Entrepreneurship Extravaganza Nov. 5-6, the KSU Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation will host workshops, panel discussions and speakers for three different tracks: Prepare to Launch, Launch and Acceleration.

Asians top auto reliability; Ford cars score well, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 27, 2009
Detroit—Asian automakers are still building the most reliable cars and trucks, with eight of the top 10 brands from Japanese and Korean companies, according to an annual survey by Consumer Reports.

• Ford sitting atop survey for reliability, Bloomberg News via Toledo Blade, October 28, 2009

Fisker to build hybrid cars at idled GM plant in Delaware, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 27, 2009
Wilmington, Del.—California-based luxury automaker Fisker Automotive is buying a shuttered General Motors assembly plant in Delaware for $18 million to produce plug-in hybrid electric cars. Fisker recently won approval for $528.7 million in government loans to develop plug-ins.

• Fisker to make plug-in hybrids at former GM plant, by Nick Bunkley, New York Times, October 26, 2009

Opinion: Steven Rattner account of GM, Chrysler bankruptcy too narrowly focused, by Daniel Howes, Detroit News via Akron Beacon Journal, October 27, 2009
Detroit—Former car czar Steven Rattner's narrative published in Forbes magazine this month concentrates blame in a few highly paid executives when reality is much more complicated. While Rattner justifiably hammers management, GM's board and Chrysler's past two owners, he does not mention how the president's task force assessed union culpability in the meltdown.

• The auto bailout: How we did it, by Steven Rattner, Fortune, October 21, 2009

Preformed Line Products to buy Dulmison unit of Tyco Electronics, Crain's Cleveland Business, October 26, 2009
Cleveland—Preformed Line Products signed a definitive agreement to acquire the Australia-based Dulmison business unit of Tyco Electronics Ltd. Dulmison makes pole line hardware and vibration control products for electric utilities.

Biomed firm readying surgery device, by Jay Miller, Crain's Cleveland Business, October 26, 2009 (Subscription)
Solon, Ohio—Thermedx, a young Solon biomedical products developer, is preparing to launch its first creation, a device that helps prevent dangerously low body temperature, or hypothermia, during surgery by warming and pressurizing irrigation fluids.

Ford workers in Missouri, Michigan reject changes, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 26, 2009
Detroit—Autoworkers in Missouri and Michigan overwhelmingly rejected a new contract with Ford Motor Co., a sign that the automaker and the United Auto Workers union are having trouble convincing some workers to accept changes that would lower Ford's labor costs.

Medical device lobby wins lower fee in House bill, by Martin Vaughan and Janet Adamy, Wall Street Journal, October 26, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—House lawmakers will propose a $20 billion fee on medical device makers, while Senate leaders have whittled down their plans to tax the industry to pay for the health overhaul.

Ohio attracts $137 million in financing for health care startups, by Sarah Jane Tribble, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 26, 2009
Cleveland—Ohio is narrowly on track to beat long-time Midwest biomedical king Minnesota in the annual race to get more startup funding, according to a report by BioEnterprise.

Delphi gets $6.7 million for battery research in Kokomo, Indiana, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 26, 2009
Kokomo, Ind.—Delphi Automotive Systems will develop more efficient car batteries with help from a $6.7 million federal grant. The Delphi project is among 37 initiatives selected Monday by the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy program to invest in the energy sector.

Climate Primer: What to expect as the Senate tackles the energy bill, by Keith Johnson, Wall Street Journal, Environmental Capital blog, October 26, 2009 (Subscription)
Washington—The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works kicks off three days of hearings on the energy and climate bill tomorrow. The broad shape of the debate over the next few weeks will likely hinge on a couple of big issues.

Canadian Ford plant to close temporarily due to India labor dispute, by Matthew Dolan and Peter Wonacott, Wall Street Journal, October 26, 2009 (Subscription)
Detroit and New Delhi—Due to a shortage of transmission parts from a plant in Haryana state in India, Ford will shutter its Oakville, Ontario plant for five days, affecting production of the Edge SUV, the Flex, the Lincoln MKT and the Lincoln MKX.

Clean-energy technology might establish fortunes; Obama budget holding $150 billion for research, by Jordan Robertson, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, October 25, 2009
San Francisco—Silicon Valley investors are pointing to ''cleantech'' — alternative energy, more efficient power distribution and new ways to store electricity, all with minimal impact to the environment — as a candidate for the next boom.

Toledo area's first investor fair to hear bids from 15 firms, by Gary T. Pakulski, Toledo Blade, October 25, 2009
Toledo—Toledo's nonprofit Regional Growth Partnership and affiliated Rocket Ventures fund have organized the Toledo area's first-ever venture capital fair taking place Nov. 12 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Presenters—from Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania — each will get eight minutes to pitch their products to an expected dozen venture-capital funds from Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. The event is to open with a networking session from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 11. Admission is free, but exhibit space is $100.

Sunday's Numbers: a look at the Eaton Corp., by Rich Exner, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 25, 2009
Cleveland—In this regular Sunday feature, the Plain Dealer profiles Eaton Corp., one of Cleveland's largest companies which has its HQ downtown and manufacturing facilities in Northeast Ohio and around the world.

Overhaul urged for Ohio's auto industry, by Jim Provance, Toledo Blade, October 24, 2009
Columbus, Ohio—The six-member Joint Select Committee on the Impact of the Changing Automobile Industry sent its final report to Gov. Ted Strickland, calling for an auto director within the state Department of Development and for more help for parts suppliers in diversifying into other industries.

'Smart Choices' food label program to suspend operations, by William Neuman, New York Times, October 23, 2009
New York—Under pressure from state and federal authorities, the food industry on Friday started backing away from a major labeling campaign meant to highlight the nutritional benefits of hundreds of products. Two years in development, the Smart Choices logo began appearing on food packages this summer but immediately met with criticism from some nutritionists.

• Opinion: FDA's smart choice, Toledo Blade, October 25, 2009
  Toledo—It appears the cereal box check marks, meant to convince the public that sugar-laden foods are smart choices for breakfast, was the final straw for the FDA.
• Federal review prompts decision on 'Smart Choices', by Mike Hughlett, Chicago Tribune, October 24, 2009
• Smart Choices program postpones active operations, press release, Reuters.com, October 23, 2009
• FDA targets nutritional claims on food packaging, by Jane Zhang, Wall Street Journal, October 20, 2009 (Subscription)
• Food labeling program under attack for promoting questionable choices, Hartford Courtant, October 16, 2009
  Hartford, Conn.—[Connecticut] Attorney General Richard Blumenthal announced Thursday that he is investigating the food labeling program, which was developed by "scientists, nutritionists and food industry leaders," according to the Smart Choices website.

Thogus rapidly re-engineers itself, by Robert Grace, Plastics News, October 20, 2009
Avon Lake, Ohio—Matt Hlavin, third-generation president of Thogus Products considers his firm to be “a 51-year-old startup company.” Indeed, the custom injection molder has changed its stripes enough that one could argue it’s been reborn.

Brush Engineered Materials acquires Barr Associates, Crain's Cleveland Business, October 23, 2009
Mayfield Heights, Ohio—Brush Engineered Materials said its Williams Advanced Materials subsidiary has acquired privately held Barr Associates Inc. of Westford, Mass.