Ohio's Economy: Strickland vows end to ‘business as usual’; Innovation viewed as key to development, by Joshua Boak and Jim Tankersley, Toledo Blade, December 24, 2009
Columbus—Gov-elect Ted Strickland says he will redirect Ohio’s development spending to the roots of the state’s economic slump: a shortage of the research, ideas, and investment that lead to profitable companies and higher incomes.

MAGNET offers aid for training, Akron Beacon Journal, December 23, 2009
Cleveland—A manufacturing support group in Northeast Ohio says 35 hours of professional training in the auto-supply industry, valued at $1,000, is available for $500 during the first quarter of 2010.

American Greetings will outsource its party goods business, by Janet Cho, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 22, 2009
Brooklyn, Ohio— Eight months after selling off all of its retail stores, American Greetings Corp. has reached a deal to sell New York-based Amscan Inc. its party goods equipment, processes and inventory.

Huron considering grant for wind turbine, by Richard Payerin, Lorain Morning Journal, December 23, 2009
Huron, Ohio—Huron City Council last night agreed to consider whether to partner with an alternative energy company in accepting a federal grant for a new 100-kilowatt wind turbine at its 500 Cleveland Road W. water treatment plant.

Ford agrees Volvo sale to China's Geely, BBC News, December 23, 2009
London—Ford has agreed the terms of the sale of its Swedish business, Volvo Cars, to China's Geely. Ford said the deal will be finalized early next year ahead of completion soon after Easter.

• Ford reaches deal to sell Volvo to Chinese automaker, by David Jolly, New York Times, December 23, 2009
• Ford nears completion of Volvo sale, by Jeff Bennett and Matthew Dolan, Wall Street Journal, December 23, 2009 (Subscription)

This week's earnings reports:

• American Greetings reports $29.7 million profit for third quarter, by Janet Cho, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 23, 2009

Whirlpool to reopen Ohio freezer factory, Toledo Blade, December 22, 2009
Ottawa, Ohio—Appliance maker Whirlpool Corp. said it will reopen an Ottawa, Ohio, freezer factory next month and call back an unstated number of employees who lost their jobs at the plant last month.

Maumee firm to build furnaces for Russia, Toledo Blade, December 22, 2009
Maumee, Ohio—Surface Combustion Inc. has been contracted to make two more furnaces to destroy weapons in Russia, its second time in five years to get such work.

Cuyahoga, other big Ohio rivers cleaning up, by Bob Downing, Akron Beacon Journal, December 22, 2009
Columbus—The EPA has released a draft of the state's 2010 water-quality report. According to the report, today 93 percent of Ohio's large river miles are in full attainment of water-quality standards, compared with 79 percent in 2008. The agency is accepting public comment on the report until Feb. 8.

Grant opportunities for biomedical and medical imaging companies, NEOinc (Northeast Ohio Incubators Blog), December 22, 2009
Columbus—The Ohio Department of Development announced the release of two competitive requests for proposals (RFP) for the Ohio Third Frontier program’s 2010 fiscal year. Representatives from Ohio Third Frontier will conduct a bidder’s conference on January 5, 2010 at TechColumbus.

Truck designer from Falls to leave Ford after 21 years, Akron Beacon Journal, December 22, 2009
Akron—Cuyahoga Falls native Pat Schiavone, Ford Motor Co.'s truck design chief, is leaving the company, according to trade publication Automotive News.

Ford feature gets in Sync by upgrading its technology, by Bryce G. Hoffman, Detroit News via Akron Beacon Journal, December 22, 2009
Detroit—In January, Ford Motor Co. will unveil the latest version of its dashboard computer system called Sync at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It is expected to include a new feature that will allow the system to work with virtually any application on a motorist's cell phone or music player.

Tech center to host forum, Akron Beacon Journal, December 22, 2009
Canton, Ohio—The Defense Metals Technology Center will host its second annual Strategic Materials Conference on Feb. 1-2 at the InterContinental Hotel in Cleveland.

A. Schulman names sales managers for China, India, Crain's Cleveland Business, December 22, 2009
Akron—As part of a push to bolster its business in Asia, A. Schulman Inc. has named Liu Hao as sales manager for China and Mannar Mannan Shanmugam as sales manager for India, effective immediately.

NorTech to help launch Warren incubator, by Dennis Larue, Youngstown Business Journal, December 22, 2009
Warren, Ohio—At a press event Monday, federal, state, regional and local officials outlined their vision of a Warren business incubator focused on the fields of “advanced energy and flexible materials.”

Commissioners OK V&M deal, by Ron Selak Jr., Warren Tribune Chronicle, December 22, 2009
Warren, Ohio—Trumbull County commissioners today will sign off on an agreement that transfers 191 acres of Girard property to Youngstown, essentially bringing an end to official local efforts to land the proposed $8.3 million V&M Star Steel expansion in the Steel City.

Athersys signs development deal with Pfizer, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, December 21, 2009
Cleveland—Madison, N.J.-based Pfizer will have responsibility for development, regulatory and commercialization and will pay Athersys tiered royalties on worldwide commercial sales of Athersys' MultiStem inflammatory bowel disease products.

After Copenhagen Summit, 'Cleantech' firms reset strategy, by Spencer Swartz and Jim Carlton, Wall Street Journal, December 21, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—Businesses that had banked on global greenhouse-gas limits to spur alternative-energy investments now are looking to national and local policies to get more wind turbines turning and nuclear-power plants humming.

Ohio Third Frontier awards nearly $20 million for high-tech research, by John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 21, 2009
Columbus—The Ohio Third Frontier Commission is pouring nearly $20 million into high-tech, energy-related research in hopes of spurring advanced manufacturing in the state.

Ford offers retirement, buyouts to factory workers, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 21, 2009
Detroit—Ford Motor Co. has offered buyout or retirement incentive packages to all of its 41,000 U.S. hourly workers as it tries to further reduce its factory work force. Ford started 2009 with 89,000 employees in North America but reduced that number to 80,200 as of Sept. 30 through attrition, buyouts and layoffs.

Spyker extends Saab offer deadline, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 21, 2009
Detroit—Dutch company Spyker Cars is giving General Motors Co. more time to consider selling it the Saab brand, keeping the fate of the Swedish automaker up in the air.

Ford has to rein in the power of its Brook Park-built EcoBoost V-6 engine, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 21, 2009
Cleveland—Ford has spent the past 18 months bragging about its Brook Park-built 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, but the turbocharged V-6 won't be able to show off its full capabilities until next year.

Nordson Corp. names Michael Hilton new president, CEO, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 21, 2009
Westlake, Ohio—Hilton will succeed Edward Campbell, who is retiring from the top positions at the dispensing equipment company after 12 years as CEO.

Preformed Line Products completes purchase of Tyco unit, by Scott Suttell, Crain's Cleveland Business, December 21, 2009
Mayfield Village, Ohio—Australia-based Dulmison business designs, manufactures and markets pole line hardware and vibration-control products for the electric utility industry and has operations in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Mexico and the United States.

New CEO of SpineMatrix brings experience in medical startups, Crain's Cleveland Business, December 21, 2009
Akron—SpineMatrix Inc., a medical technology company specializing in advanced spinal diagnostics, said it has named as its new CEO William Christy, a veteran of five medical device startups.

Region's foreign trade zones assist businesses with inventory, taxes, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, December 21, 2009
Akron—In a free trade zone, businesses can store inventory without paying duties. They can bypass busy seaport customs procedures and get a break on processing fees. ABJ highlights one of the 38 FTZ "hot spots" within Foreign Trade Zone 181, a 10-county region anchored by Summit County.

Entrepreneurs seek ways to draw out workers' ideas, by Teri Evans, Wall Street Journal, December 21, 2009 (Subscription)
New York—As more entrepreneurs turn to employees for innovation to gain even the slightest advantage in a still-sluggish economy, many are discovering the usefulness of cash incentives or other rewards to encourage workers to come forward with ideas.

Made in Stark: United Architectural Metals, by G. Patrick Kelley, Canton Repository, December 20, 2009
Plain Township, Ohio—In its regular "Made in Stark" feature, the Repository profiles United Architectural Metals, which has been manufacturing custom designed glazing systems in Stark for the last three years.

Defense bill funding military technology projects across Ohio, press release, Office of Senator Sherrod Brown, December 20, 2009
Washington—Sen. Sherrod Brown announced the passage of a federal defense appropriations bill that will send $35 million to Ohio companies to develop technology for military use. Companies in Northern Ohio alone will receive around $17,520,000.

Wooster Brush keeps firm grip on innovation, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, December 20, 2009
Wooster, Ohio—Wooster Brush has been an industry innovator for a century, its engineers introducing to the market things like nylon filaments, synthetic roller covers and angled brushes that can trim a room without masking tape.

Regional Chamber executives report on China trip, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, December 20, 2009
Youngstown, Ohio—Regional Chamber officials add a prospective auto supplier to its four previously announced leads. The chamber is planning another business scouting trip in January, this one to Israel to look at technology and manufacturing possibilities.

Spyker Cars renews bid to buy Saab from GM, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, December 20, 2009
Stockholm—In a final attempt to rescue Saab Automobile AB, Dutch auto maker Spyker Cars on Sunday submitted a new offer to buy the Swedish brand from General Motors Co.

• New interest seen for Saab as it faces closure, by Steve McGrath and Sharon Terlep, Wall Street Journal, December 20, 2009 (Subscription)

Opinion: Manufacturers need access to credit, by Gov. Ted Strickland, Canton Repository, December 19, 2009
Columbus—Lines of credit are the restrictor plates on our businesses, especially small and medium-sized manufacturers. You can see that the facilities are there, the know-how is there, and the leadership is there. But our companies are slowed because an artificial impediment holds them back.

1,400 Dana Holdings IT workers must reapply for their positions, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, December 19, 2009
Toledo—Dana Holding Corp. has told as many as 1,400 information technology employees that they must reapply for their jobs early next year.

Trucking trade war hurts Ohio paper mill, by Jonathan Riskind, Columbus Dispatch via Akron Beacon Journal, December 19, 2009
Washington—A Chillicothe paper mill is losing millions of dollars in sales after becoming the unintended victim of an international trade fight sparked by the shutdown of a pilot program letting Mexican trucks operate in the United States.

Metalico buys area scrap yards, Warren Tribune Chronicle, December 19, 2009
Cranford, N.J.—Metalico Inc. announced it has completed the purchase of the operating assets of Atlas Recycling in Warren and Youngstown Iron & Metal in Youngstown.

EPA delays decision on coal ash waste disposal, reuse, Waste Recycling News, December 18, 2009
Washington—A decision on coal ash waste disposal and reuse, expected this month from the U.S. EPA, has been delayed, the federal agency said Dec. 17. A timeline was not given for when the decision would be completed.

Letters: The issue is relevant experience, not old or new staff, by Tom Lindberg, Wall Street Journal, December 18, 2009
New York—Paul Ingrassia celebrates the ousting of CEO Fritz Henderson because he was "a GM lifer" which in some obscure way disqualifies him as a senior executive. Shareholders should be concerned with the already existing inexperienced chairman and inexperienced board—all put in place by inexperienced White House auto advisers appointed by an inexperienced president.

• Op-Ed: General Motors needs a culture war, by Paul Ingrassia, Wall Street Journal, December 3, 2009

China, U.S. firms enter car-battery deal, by Patricia Jiayi Ho, Wall Street Journal, December 18, 2009 (Subscription)
Beijing—A123 Systems Inc., of Waterrown, Mass. is setting up a joint venture with SAIC Motor Corp. to develop battery systems for hybrid-electric and pure-electric passenger and commercial vehicles.