Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems sells fan drive/clutch business, Crain's Cleveland Business, January 15, 2010
Elyria, Ohio—Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems said the sale to Kit Masters Inc. of Perham, Minn., will allow the company to increase its focus on providing fuel savings and emission-reducing technologies for diesel-powered commercial vehicles.

Toledo-area BP-Husky plant plans $400M upgrade, by Jon Chavez, Toledo Blade, January 15, 2010
Toledo—BP-Husky Refining LLC said yesterday that it will invest $400 million in its suburban Toledo refinery to install equipment used to convert low octane gasoline into higher octane fuel.

• Husky Energy increases output at Lima refinery, Toledo Blade, January 15, 2010

Venture capitalist at UT to scout biomedical firms, by Gary T. Pakulski, Toledo Blade, January 15, 2010
Toledo—INetworks Advisors Inc., a venture capital fund based in Pittsburgh, is trying to establish a $100-million BioOpportunity Fund to make investments in promising start ups. The company is opening an office at the Univ. of Toledo's new Laboratory Incubation Center.

Editorial: Going with the wind, Akron Beacon Journal, January 15, 2010
Akron—Here is a chance for the public sector to play an indispensable role in laying the groundwork for a stronger Ohio, providing the necessary incentives, benchmarks and policies to reshape the power industry.

Ottawa factory to reopen, Findlay Courier, January 15, 2010
Ottawa, Ohio—Whirlpool Corp. on Monday will resume freezer production at the former W.C. Wood factory, employing 125 people, Whirlpool External Communications Director Jill Saletta said Thursday.

Battery maker will produce Fisker car batteries at Detroit-area plant, by Alex P. Kellogg and Mara Lemos Stein, Wall Street Journal, January 15, 2010 (Subscription)
New York—Massachusetts-based A123 Systems Inc., recipient of a $249-million DoE grant, said it will produce batteries for electric cars made by Fisker Automotive Inc. by expanding a battery-assembly plant in Livonia, Mich.

GM to halt Hummer production Tuesday pending sale, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 13, 2010
Jackson, Miss.—General Motors Co. will halt Hummer production next week at its Louisiana plant until sale of the brand to a Chinese company is completed

This Week's Earnings Reports

• Alcoa sales slide though net loss shrinks, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2010

First Energy awarding grants to region's port authorities, by Rick Armon, Akron Beacon Journal, January 14, 2010
Akron—FirstEnergy Corp. will hand out $7.5 million to port authorities in Akron, Cleveland and Toledo to support economic development projects.

Bankruptcy judge approves sale of Michael Day Enterprises, by Frank Esposito, Plastics News via Crain's Cleveland Business, January 14, 2010
Wadsworth, Ohio— U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge in Akron has approved the sale of compounder and recycler Michael Day Enterprises Inc. to Italian plastics maker Radici Group for $5.7 million.

Italian autoworkers call strike against Fiat, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 14, 2010
Milan, Italy—The Italian metalworkers union boss Antonino Regazzi said Thursday that all 80,000 Fiat workers have been mobilized to shut down Italian plants for four hours on Feb. 3 to protest plans to end auto production at the Termini Imerese plant in Sicily next year.

Karder Machine Co. president plans $30-million turbine plant, by Bob Downing, Akron Beacon Journal, January 13, 2010
Akron—Michael S. Karder, president of family-run Karder Machine Co. and a financial adviser, plans to build a $30 million plant in Akron to manufacture and assemble giant three-bladed wind turbines. Karda is pulling together the financing from private and public sources.

Ford could add overtime shifts at Avon Lake van plant next month, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 13, 2010
Avon Lake, Ohio—Tim Donovan, president of the United Auto Workers Local 2000 at the commercial van plant, confirmed today that Ford has tentatively scheduled six Friday shifts for late February and all of March.

Severstal, coke plant gear up for restart, by Dan O'Brien, Youngstown Business Journal, January 13, 2010
Warren, Ohio—A spokesman for the United Steelworkers of America in Pittsburgh yesterday confirmed that OAO Severstal Warren and ArcelorMittal’s coke manufacturing plant would restart some of their operations in about three months.

• Severstal talks continue, by John Goodall, Warren Tribune Chronicle, January 13, 2010
• USW: Severstal-Warren mill to restart soon, by Don Shilling, Youngstown Vindicator, January 13, 2010

GM Lordstown shut down in March discussed, Warren Tribune Chronicle, January 13, 2010
Lordstown, Ohio—The General Motors Corp. Lordstown Complex workers have been told of the possible one-week shut down in mid-March.

• Slow sales likely to close Lordstown GM plant for a week, by Don Shilling, Youngstown Vindicator, January 13, 2010

Back to the future: GM bets on trucks, by Sharon Terlep, Wall Street Journal, January 13, 2010 (Subscription)
New York—General Motors Co. has freed up cash to fund a major update of its full-size pickups, a bet that consumers and businesses will resume buying trucks after a long lull in sales.

Grants to create 25 jobs, retain 546 in Clyde, Toledo Blade, January 12, 2010
Columbus, Ohio—The State Controlling Board Monday approved grants for Revere Plastics Systems LLC and the city of Clyde, Ohio, to assist with an $8.5 million plant expansion project.

Ferro Corp. unit awarded $1 million Third Frontier grant, Crain's Cleveland Business, January 12, 2010
Cleveland—The Ohio Dept. of Development awarded $1 million to Ferro Corp.'s Ferro Electronic Materials unit, a supplier of materials for producing photovoltaic solar cells, to develop advanced durability sealing systems for solar cells.

Parker Hannifin division announces "inverter system" project in Chile, Crain's Cleveland Business, January 12, 2010
Cleveland—Parker Hannifin Corp.'s SSD Drives Division participated in a project to install a 12-megawatt energy storage system at a substation in the Atacama Desert, Chile.

American Greetings urged not to leave Ohio by Gov. Ted Strickland, others, by Janet Cho, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2010
Brooklyn, Ohio—Gov. Ted Strickland and other state officials visited American Greetings Corp. Chairman Morry Weiss, Chief Executive Zev Weiss and other company executives on Monday morning to urge them to stay in Northeast Ohio.

Pierre's Ice Cream cuts 11 jobs as part of reorganization, by Janet Cho, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2010
Cleveland—After these cuts, Pierre's will employ 85 people at its manufacturing facility, warehouse and corporate offices at 6200 Euclid Ave.

Gov. Strickland, Sen. Brown tout worker retraining, hiring program, by Crain's Cleveland Business, January 11, 2010
Cleveland—Gov. Ted Strickland and Sen. Sherrod Brown were in Cleveland Monday to praise Project HIRE, which will spend $8 million throughout Ohio to help dislocated workers with training and job-finding assistance.

Industries ready to ride the wind, by Bob Downing, Akron Beacon Journal, January 11, 2010
Akron—If wind power really takes off, the state is poised to enjoy a big economic impact through its wind-power suppliers. The ABJ reviews the current state of the wind energy industry in the state in this special feature.

• Turbine manufacturer cranks into gear, by Bob Downing, Akron Beacon Journal, January 11, 2010
• Air of hope whirls in, by Bob Downing, Akron Beacon Journal, January 11, 2010
• Bowling Green wind farm might grow, by Bob Downing, Akron Beacon Journal, January 10, 2010

Increase in electric cars to mean jobs for Toledo area, Toledo Blade, January 11, 2010
Defiance, Ohio—GM's Defiance Powertrain Foundry is among the plants in the automotive heartland that will have a hand in producing the Volt.

Clean-energy tax credits to include Monroe firm, Toledo Blade, January 11, 2010
Monroe, Ohio—Ventower Industries is to receive $2.5 million in tax credits to help it become a full-service manufacturer and supplier of wind turbine towers for industrial-scale use.

• Ohio companies awarded advanced energy stimulus grants, WCPN, January 10, 2010
• Ohio companies to get $82 million in tax credits for advanced energy projects, by John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 10, 2010

FDA pulls the plug on Steris product, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, January 11, 2010 (Subscription)
Mentor, Ohio—Up to 10% of all of Steris Corp.'s sales and even more of its profits are in danger of disappearing because its flagship product — which is made in Mentor — is now illegal in the eyes of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Third Frontier may increase entrepreneurial investments, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, January 11, 2010 (Subscription)
Cleveland— Third Frontier Commission member Rick Fearon says the program likely will put more emphasis on providing financial support for entrepreneurship-related programs in the future.

Port's plan to redo dock under microscope, by Jay Miller, Crain's Cleveland Business, January 11, 2010 (Subscription)
Cleveland—At the Dec. 18 Port Authority board meeting, director Anthony Moore tried to assure critics that the redevelopment of port land would not impinge on the livelihoods of the people and companies that rely on the port, and he pledged to listen to their concerns.

• Should the port authority be saved or dismantled? by James F. McClarty, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2010

U.S. grants $187 million for fuel efficiency research, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2010
Washington—The Obama administration announced on Monday funding for nine projects designed to significantly increase fuel efficiency in heavy trucks and passenger vehicles, with more than half the money coming from the $787 billion stimulus package.

• Energy department to offer funding for vehicle fuel-efficiency, by Siobhan Hughes, Wall Street Journal, January 11, 2010 (Subscription)
  

Ohio plants nearly half of Honda’s North American production, Dayton Daily News, January 11, 2010
Dayton, Ohio—American Honda Motor Co.’s Ohio auto plants in Marysville and East Liberty produced 463,596 cars and light trucks in 2009, or nearly half of Honda’s North American production (2,030,958), Honda announced last week.

U.S. machine tool sales climbed 16% in November, American Machinist, January 11, 2010
McClean, Va.—The latest U.S. Manufacturing Technology Consumption Report from the Association for Manufacturing Technology and the American Machine Tool Distributors' Association shows improvement in the last three months, but a 63.4% sales drop compared to the same period (January through November) in 2008.

PMA Educational Foundation introduces tool to evaluate job applicants new to metalworking industry, press release, Precision Metalforming Association, January 5, 2010
Independence, Ohio—Modular in design, the 60-item, multiple-choice Occupational Aptitude and Knowledge Assessment covers mechanical and spatial aptitudes, mathematical reasoning and measurement, communications and information, and industry understanding and behaviors.

GM brings Saab's end closer, by Christoph Rauwald and Gustav Sandstrom, Wall Street Journal, January 11, 2010 (Subscription)
Detroit—General Motors Co. hired an outside firm to begin liquidating its Swedish Saab unit, further dimming hopes of a last-minute rescue for the troubled brand.

Food makers quietly cut back on salt, by Ilan Brat and Maurice Tamman, Wall Street Journal, January 11, 2010 (Subscription)
New York—Food makers are taking a new tack in their long-running effort to sell products with less salt. Instead of offering foods labeled as low salt that few people eat, they are gradually reducing the salt from some of their most popular items—and not making a big fuss about it on the label.

Biodiesel industry awaits tax subsidy, by Philip Brasher, Gannett via Cincinnati.com, January 11, 2010
Washington—Industry officials say biodiesel plants have slowed production or shut down entirely after a $1-a-gallon tax subsidy expired Dec. 31.

My Biggest Mistake: M.O.M. Tools of Shaker Heights, by Marcia Pledger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 10, 2010
Shaker Heights, Ohio—In its regular feature. the PD interviews John Collier, president of M.O.M. Tools about his experience starting a new business to make and market a dual head punch tool for metals and plastics.

Keithley, looking for a better 2010, rescinds company-wide pay cuts, by Alison Grant, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 10, 2010
Solon, Ohio—Expecting a more robust year ahead, Keithley Instruments Inc. has rescinded company-wide pay cuts it imposed in January 2009.

Sunday's Numbers: GM's and Ford's combined share of the U.S. auto market slips to 36 percent, by Rich Exner, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 10, 2010
Cleveland—In its regular feature, the PD spotlights the decline in U.S. auto sales from 2004 to 2009.

TheraVasc Inc. receives $500,000 in investment capital, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, January 10, 2010
Cleveland—A Cleveland-based drug development company has received $250,000 investments from both business development organization JumpStart Inc. and life sciences investment firm Portal Capital LLC of Beachwood.

Friday, January 15

• Detroit auto show wheels out dazzling electronics, by Jenny Mount, Toledo Blade, January 15, 2010

Thursday, January 14

• Carmakers have audacity to hope, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, January 14, 2010

Wednesday, January 13

• BYD showcases electric car for U.S., by Matthew Dolan, Wall Street Journal, January 13, 2010 (Subscription)
• US carmakers to give Asians competition, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, January 13, 2010
• China’s BYD making plans to expand N. American lineup, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, January 13, 2010
• Chrysler keeps low profile, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, January 13, 2010
• No diesel for Wrangler—not yet, Jeep CEO says, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, January 13, 2010
• Chrysler CEO expects 2010 to be bumpy ride, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, January 13, 2010
• Revenge could be sweet for Ohio inventor, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, January 13, 2010

Tuesday, January 12

• Further factory shutdowns possible, Chrysler CEO says, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, January 12, 2010
• Automakers plan for an electrified future, but plenty of hurdles remain, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 12, 2010
• Cadillac unveils plug-in hybrid luxury concept car, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, January 12, 2010
• Ford's Focus small, by Keith Naughton, Bloomberg News via Akron Beacon Journal, January 12, 2010
• Electric car manufacturers face regulatory, price hurdles, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 12, 2010
• Auto industry’s vital signs improve, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, January 12, 2010
• Chrysler CEO outlines plan for carmaker's survival, by Jerry Hirsch, Los Angeles Times, January 12, 2010
• Electric cars in the spotlight at Detroit auto show, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 12, 2010
• Cadillac, Subaru unveil hybrid concepts at Detroit auto show, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 12, 2010
• Marchionne upends Chrysler's ways, by Kate Linebaugh and Jeff Bennett, Wall Street Journal, January 12, 2010 (Subscription)
• Car makers may hire soon, by Sharon Terlep, Wall Street Journal, January 12, 2010 (Subscription)

Monday, January 11

• Honda shows off 2011 CR-Z sporty hybrid, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2010
• Rep. Nancy Pelosi praises auto industry's progress, defends bailouts at Detroit show, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2010
• All-electric vehicle, 2010 Triac, now in production; will debut at Detroit Auto Show, Industry Week, January 11, 2010
• Chevy Cruze ready for production in Lordstown, GM executive says, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2010
• Ford touts its small-car resurgence, by Matthew Dolan, Wall Street Journal, January 11, 2010 (Subscription)
• GM expects electric cars' range to vary greatly, by Sharon Terlep, Wall Street Journal, January 11, 2010 (Subscription)
• Detroit's life after death is no paradise, by Liam Denning, Wall Street Journal, January 11, 2010 (Subscription)
• GM says Saab decision due later this month or in February, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 12, 2010
• GM may reopen some factories to meet higher demand, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2010
• Ford puts focus on fuel efficiency, by Matthew Dolan, Wall Street Journal, January 11, 2010 (Subscription)
• Ford unveils 2011 Focus at Detroit auto show, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2010
• Ford sweeps auto awards at Detroit auto show, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 11, 2010
• Testing reveals problem in move to electric cars, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, January 11, 2010

Sunday, January 10

• Detroit Auto Show steers toward better times ahead, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, January 10, 2010
• GM to spotlight Cruze at Detroit auto show, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, January 10, 2010

• All Detroit Auto Show coverage by Automotive News