Cliffs Natural Resources raises its bid for Canadian chrome deposits, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 11, 2009
Cleveland—In its ongoing bidding war with a Canadian rival, Cliffs Natural Resources has offered $228 million to shareholders of Freewest Resources, a Canadian company that has discovered huge chrome deposits that Cliffs wants to mine.

Parker Hannifin sells hydraulic hybrid systems to Florida communities, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 11, 2009
Cleveland—Parker Hannifin Corp. has sold 11 of its hydraulic hybrid truck systems to Miami, Miami-Dade County and Hialeah in Florida. The communities plan to use the hybrid systems in garbage trucks.

More top-management changes made at General Motors, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, December 11, 2009
Detroit—GM said Wednesday that James Campbell will now lead Chevrolet, the company’s largest and most important brand. Campbell replaces Brent Dewar, who will retire April 1.

GM delays European restructuring plan to January, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 11, 2009
Frankfurt, Germany—GM Europe chief executive Nick Reilly said the European restructuring will be one of the largest, most complex industrial reorganizations in years, affecting plants and thousands of people and their families.

Ohio auto manufacturing caught between the high wages and low skills of other countries, by Dan Bobkoff, WCPN, December 10, 2009
Cleveland—WCPN reports on the Cleveland Council on World Affairs' forum on the future of the auto industry, which was held Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009.

Exports up for 6th straight month, boost recovery, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 10, 2009
Washington—Heavy equipment maker Caterpillar Inc. has predicted that its sales will rise next year, reflecting in part greater demand from China and other Asian markets.

Guardian Automotive Products plant lays off 60 employees, Bucyrus Telegraph Forum via Findlay Courier, December 10, 2009
Upper Sandusky, Ohio—Plant Manager Neale Yeomans said the layoffs are a result of the economic downturn. There are 200 employees left working in three shifts in anticipation of a future rebound in business.

J.M. Smucker to shut Uncrustables factory, by Janet Cho, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 10, 2009
Orrville, Ohio—J.M. Smucker Co. is closing its Uncrustables sandwich factory in West Fargo, N.D., at the end of April as part of previously announced plans to consolidate operations at another manufacturing plant in Scottsville, Ky.

GM, Chrysler used bailout funds for daily costs, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 10, 2009
Washington—General Motors and Chrysler have used the majority of their bailout funds for day-to-day expenses such as payroll costs and payments to suppliers, a government watchdog has found.

NASA explores medical advances in Akron, by Cheryl Powell, Akron Beacon Journal, December 10, 2009
Akron—Summa's Institute for Minimally Invasive Therapeutics is interested in developing products and procedures that could have applications in space, said Summa Akron City Hospital Department of Surgery Chair Dr. William F. Fallon.

Motor Trend names Ram Heavy Duty truck of the year, Toledo Blade, December 10, 2009
New York—The 2010 Ram Heavy Duty was named Motor Trend magazine's truck of the year on Thursday, beating out contenders from Ford and Toyota in the closely watched competition.

American Sugar expansion plan would nearly double Cleveland plant's size, by Michelle Jarboe, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 9, 2009
Cleveland—American Sugar Refining Inc., a manufacturing affiliate of sugar giant Domino Foods Inc., plans to spend $3 million to $8 million on an expansion of its East 65th St. plant.

Unemployment numbers don’t tell the real jobs crisis story, by Edward E. Gordon, Employee Benefit News, December 8, 2009
The author of The 2010 Meltdown:Solving the Impending Jobs Crisis, says the U.S. DoL predicts that by 2010, 62% of all U.S. jobs will require higher skill levels. He predicts the country will need 97 million workers, but only 43 million Americans will have the necessary educational qualifications.

Jeep line recognized for resale value, by Gary T. Pakulski, Toledo Blade, December 8, 2009
Toledo—The Toledo-made Wrangler and Liberty and other vehicles in the Jeep lineup have the highest projected resale value among domestic brands, Kelley Blue Book said in a new study.

Staffing at issue in Severstal labor talks, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, December 8, 2009
Warren, Ohio—Restructuring moves that would affect the work force level at the idle Severstal Warren steel mill are part of ongoing contract talks, a union leader said Monday.

• Severstal workers eligible for college, training funds, by Don Shilling, Youngstown Vindicator, December 8, 2009

GM wants to spark Volt preparations with $700 million, by Jeff Karoub, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, December 8, 2009
Detroit—General Motors said Monday it will spend $700 million at eight Michigan facilities to get its new rechargeable electric car road-ready.

• GM says it will invest $336 million in a Michigan plant that will build Volt, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 7, 2009

U.S. economy entering sluggish recovery, by Mike Schneider and Martin Crutsinger, AP via Canton Repository, December 8, 2009
Washington—Now that the Great Recession appears over, the economy looks to be entering a Rocky Recovery, in which much of the nation will continue to struggle well into 2010.

AIM Pharmakon plans to open plant in University Circle, by Tom Breckenridge, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 7, 2009
Cleveland—AIM Pharmakon, based in Centereach, N.Y., announced Monday that it will invest $2 million in a manufacturing and research-and-development facility in the University Circle area.

Cliffs Natural Resources calls for investigation of rival in fight for Freewest, by Mark Dodosh, Crain's Cleveland Business, December 7, 2009
Cleveland—Cliffs Natural Resources issued a press release addressed to Freewest Resources Canada's shareholders. Cliffs and Noront Resources are battling to takeover Freewest.

National machining group moving from D.C. to Cleveland area, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, December 7, 2009 (Subscription)
Cleveland—National Machining and Tooling Association, which says it is moving to Northeast Ohio, possibly as soon as next year. Jack Schron, CEO and owner of the Cleveland-based industrial supply company Jergens Inc. was instrumental in the move, and hopes to attract more manufacturing associations to the area.

AkzoNobel announces new line of branded paints, by Shaheen Samavati, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 7, 2009
Strongsville, Ohio—AkzoNobel, which has its U.S. headquarters in Strongsville, said Monday that it has landed a deal to produce a line of Martha Stewart-branded paints for Home Depot. The company said its manufacturing facility in Huron is one of three that is producing the new paint.

Babcock & Wilcox to spin off as publicly traded company, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, December 7, 2009
Barberton, Ohio—B&W's Houston-based parent, McDermott International, will spin off its Ohio-based subsidiary in 2010. While the change should not have a major impact on B&W's Barberton and Copley operations, the corporate headquarters will move from Virginia to Charlotte, N.C.

EPA declares carbon dioxide a health hazard, Staff and Wire Reports, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 7, 2009
Cleveland—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared carbon dioxide a health hazard Monday, paving the way for new regulation of emissions from sources such as power plants and factories -- and even cars and trucks.

• EPA declares greenhouse gases a danger, by Ian Talley, Wall Street Journal, December 8, 2009 (Subscription)
  
• EPA's carbon proposal riles industries, by Rebecca Smith and Timothy Aeppel, Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2009 (Subscription)
• Business fumes over carbon dioxide rule, by Jeffrey Ball and Charles Forelle, Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2009 (Subscription)

Small-engine makers voice worry as EPA weighs new ethanol rule, by Mark Long, Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—Small-engine-industry groups are worried their concerns about engine damage will be overlooked as the Environmental Protection Agency considers allowing as much as 15% ethanol in the nation's gasoline.

VW buys 49.9 percent stake in Porsche, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 7, 2009
Frankfurt, Germany—VW, based in Wolfsburg, had said it planned to make the purchase this week. It reiterated that it hopes to take over Porsche in full in 2011.

Chrysler recovery will be gradual, Marchionne says, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 7, 2009
Washington—CEO Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of Chrysler says the automaker's recovery will be gradual but the company is making progress following its speedy government-led bankruptcy.

• Chrysler CEO: five-year plan to increase U.S. market share to 13 percent, by Mike Ramsey, Bloomberg News via Akron Beacon Journal, December 7, 2009

GM, Ford gird for small-car showdown as consumers shun SUVs, by Matthew Dolan and Sharon Terlep, Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2009 (Subscription)
Dallas—The two companies, along with Detroit rival Chrysler Group LLC, hope to return to a market they all but abandoned to Toyota Motor Corp., Honda Motor Co. and other import brands some two decades ago. The three companies plan to unleash about a dozen compact and subcompact cars combined in the U.S. by 2012.

• Tim Lee appointed president of GM International, by Patricia Jiayi Ho, Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2009 (Subscription)
  
• Auto critic takes a seat in GM's turnaround, by John D. Stoll and Joann S. Lublin, Wall Street Journal, December 7, 2009 (Subscription)

Manufacturing areas lead surprise job comeback, by Mike Baker, AP via Yahoo News, December 6, 2009
Conover, N.C.—The Associated Press Economic Stress Index, a monthly analysis of the economic state of more than 3,100 U.S. counties, found that manufacturing counties have outperformed the national average since March.

U.S. officials see bright future for new Toledo biofuel plant, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, December 5, 2009
Toledo—U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, a recipient of the Nobel Prize in physics, said Friday the technology being developed in Toledo to convert biomatter as simple as yard waste into a clean alternative to traditional diesel fuel is likely to have broad-reaching effects on communities across the world.

GM, SAIC reshape partnership, by Norihiko Shirouzu and Patricia Jiayi Ho, Wall Street Journal, December 5, 2009 (Subscription)
Beijing—General Motors Co. announced plans Friday to cede control of its key Chinese joint venture to partner SAIC Motor Corp. alongside a push by the partners into India and other emerging markets.