Admirer leads cheers for Akron, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, October 19, 2007
Akron—At yesterday's Akron Roundtable, Howard Gudell, a former economic development director for Cleveland, shared the many reasons he predicted more than a decade ago that Akron and Summit County ''would be the economic development beacon in Ohio, leading the way in innovation, accomplishment and progressive political leadership.'' Gudell, now a partner with SGI Global Business Advisors, shared a long list of positives he says Akron isn't celebrating enough.

Webinar will address advanced energy business opportunities, OMA Announcement, October 18, 2007
Columbus—On Wednesday, Oct. 24, the Ohio Manufacturers' Association will host a webinar about business opportunities created by advanced energy portfolio standards. David J. Rosenberg, Market Development Leader for GE Energy will be the presenter. For more information and to register, e-mail scombs@ohiomfg.org.

National science and technology group selects Cleveland as location for 2008 annual conference, NorTech, October 18, 2007
Cleveland—After a competitive search, the State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI), a national organization for technology-based economic development, selected The InterContinental Hotel Cleveland as the location for its next annual conference in October 2008. The conference draws more than 350 business leaders and entrepreneurs from across the country to learn from the nation's leading thinkers and practitioners in technology-based economic development.

Two Williams County firms of Chase Brass are sold, Toledo Blade, October 19, 2007
Clayton, Mo.—Olin Corp. announced the sale of its metals division to KPS Capital Partners LP for $400 million. The sale includes two western Ohio firms: Chase Brass & Copper Co. in Montpelier and Bryan Metals in Bryan. The deal, which includes three other operations, will create a new KPS subsidiary, Global Brass and Copper Holdings Inc.

Nine objections reported to Dana bankruptcy plan, Toledo Blade, October 17, 2007
Toledo—Bankrupt Dana Corp. received nine objections to approval of its disclosure statement explaining its plan to emerge from Chapter 11 by year’s end.

AK Steel, retirees settle suit, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, October  9, 2007
Cincinnati—AK Steel Holding Corp. shed about half of its $2.1 billion legacy health care cost by transferring health care obligations for about 4,600 retirees to a Voluntary Employees Beneficiary Association trust, or VEBA.

Northeast Ohio economy shows slowing growth, Akron Beacon Journal, October 18, 2007
Washington—The Federal Reserve Board's "Beige Book" report reveals the region's economy grew slowly and manufacturers reported production was flat or decreasing since the last report in August. However, auto assemblers in the four-state fourth district region reported significant production increases as factories resumed operations after model-changeover retooling. Most manufacturers said they were planning capital expenditures.

Business magazine rates Northeast Ohio in the top ten "logistics-friendly" MSAs, Expansion Management, October 2007
New York—Penton Media's Expansion Management magazine released its 2007 Logistics Quotient rankings identifying the country's most logistics-friendly Metropolitan Statistical Areas. The Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor region received an overall 98 percentile ranking, placing it in the top ten. Expansion Management serves companies actively looking to expand or relocate their facilities.

Complete article: 2007 Logistics Quotient: America's most logistics-friendly cities, by Bill King, Expansion Management, October 2007

Chart of five-star logistics MLAs (PDF, 75k)

Electric deregulation hurting Ohio economy, Fisher says, by John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 18, 2007
Columbus—Testifying before the state Senate Energy and Public Utility Committee, Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher said Ohio's seven-year experiment in electric deregulation is damaging the state's economy. The committee is in its third week of hearings on Gov. Ted Strickland's comprehensive energy policy bill.

Sustainability a topic at Bioneers-Cleveland seminar, by Peter Krouse, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 18, 2007
Cleveland—Great Lakes Bioneers-Cleveland, will host a series of talks and seminars Friday through Sunday at Cleveland State University. The conference will combine local presentations with those beamed in by satellite from the national Bioneers convention in San Rafael, Calif.

Timken to expand services capacity in two states, Canton Repository, October 18, 2007
Canton—The Timken Co. will spend nearly $6 million to expand its industrial bearings services capacity. The company will open a new service center in South Carolina in 2008 and will expand an Indiana facility.

Oct. 30 Northeast Ohio Regional Leadership Conference to include update on action areas, Akron Beacon Journal, October 17
Youngstown—Five hundred leaders from the 16-county region will attend the Northeast Ohio Regional Leadership Taskforce's fifth Regional Day Leadership Conference on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at the Kent State University Stark Campus. Among other presentations on the state of the region, Rob Briggs, chairman of the Fund for Our Economic Future, will provide a progress report on the Advance Northeast Ohio initiative.

Spotlight bounces to rubber industry, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, October 16, 2007
Cleveland—More than 7,000 visitors are expected to attend the Rubber Expo & International Rubber Conference opening on Thursday at the Cleveland Convention Center on Lakeside Ave. This is the first time that the exhibitor's hall will have an international pavilion, including a large China presence, and an exhibit on recycling. The event is sponsored by the Akron-based Rubber Division of the American Chemical Society.

Honda, Toyota still tops in quality, but Ford is catching up, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 16, 2007
Cleveland—Consumer Reports released its 2008 model-year reliability ratings, naming the Ford Fusion as that company's highest quality vehicle. Honda was first among automakers and its Element was the highest-rated vehicle.

Environmental Settlement is Largest in U.S. History, Industry Week, October 11, 2007
Columbus—American Electric Power agreed to a record settlement with the Department of Justice and the Environmental Protection Agency. AEP agreed to annual SO2 and NOx emissions limits for its fleet of 16 coal-fueled power plants in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. This is the single largest environmental enforcement settlement in terms of the value of injunctive relief, and will result in the largest amount of emission reduction from stationary sources, such as power plants and factories. Five AEP facilities in Ohio will be affected.

Related press release: AEP reaches settlement agreement in NSR case; Company admits no violations of law, all claims released, American Electric Power, October 9, 2007

Port, city identify locations for possible move, by Jay Miller, Crain's Cleveland Business, October 16, 2007
Cleveland—Without actually deciding that the port and its docks will move, the Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority and the city of Cleveland have announced a short list of three sites they believe are the best options for relocating the port’s receiving docks and warehouses.

Dept. of Development grants doled out to NE Ohio firms, by Shaheen Samvati, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 16, 2007
Columbus—Saint-Gobain Crystals (Troy Township, Geauga County), First Energy Corp. (Akron) and Veyance Technologies (Fairlawn) received grants from the Ohio Department of Development.

Chrysler pact spares local plant; But future work unclear, Toledo Blade staff and wire reports, Bloomberg News via Toledo Blade, October 16, 2007
Detroit—Local union leaders voted overwhelmingly yesterday to recommend approval of a tentative four-year agreement between the United Auto Workers and Chrysler LLC. The union's summary booklet indicates it got the company to reverse a decision that might have closed the Toledo Machining Plant in Perrysburg Township.

GM: Pact will result in billions in savings, by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 16, 2007
Detroit—GM's deal with the United Auto Workers will save the company more than $3 billion a year. The company released the agreement details on Monday.

Cleveland summit showcases wonders of nanotechnology, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, October 15, 2007
Cleveland—Nano-Network is co-hosting the five-day Nano App Summit, which will focus on the automotive, clean technology and defense sectors. The lineup of speakers includes representatives from Akron area companies like Goodyear, reXorce Thermionics, MemPro Ceramics, Ovation Polymers and NanoSperse.

Alcoa Cleveland Works gets $360 million contract for jet parts, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 12, 2007
Cleveland—Alcoa's Cleveland Works won a 10-year contract from Lockheed Martin Corp. to build alloy aluminum die forgings for the F-35 Joint Strike Force Fighter. The company won the deal by developing a lighter weight, one-piece part and guaranteeing to begin delivery in 26 weeks instead of more than a year. The company said it will invest $24 million in the plant and use grants from the State of Ohio to train its 1,200-person workforce in lean manufacturing and operation of high-tech inspection equipment.

Related press release: Alcoa Awarded $360 Million Contract by Lockheed Martin to Provide Aluminum Forgings on F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program, Alcoa, October 12, 2007

Related story: Alcoa Cleveland works gets $360 million contract for jet parts, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 12, 2007

Parts manufacturers feel sting of Boeing's delay, David Gaffen, Market Beat Blog, Wall Street Journal, October 13, 2007 (Subscription)
New York—Eaton and Parker Hannifin shares were dragged down by Boeing's announcement of a delay in shipment of its 787 Dreamliner.

Sen. George Voinovich says at Lordstown that he will block mileage standards bill, by Sabrina Eaton Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 10, 2007
Lordstown—Saying it could cost thousands of automotive jobs in Ohio, Sen. George Voinovich pledged Tuesday to block debate on a bill that would increase federal fuel economy standards. The bill made it through the Senate, and Voinovich is lobbying to prevent it getting through the House.

Related audio: Audio: Sen. Voinovich talks about fuel economy in cars, by Randy Roguski, Cleveland Plain Dealer

Related story: Auto industry to appeal Vermont emissions ruling, by Mike Spector, Wall Street Journal, October 14, 2007
Washington—The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers filed legal notice of its intent to appeal a decision by a Vermont judge that would have allowed the state to set its own aggressive regulations on tailpipe emissions.

Don't sell Toledo short on subject of clean energy, by Tom Henry, Toledo Blade, October 14, 2007
Toledo—Columnist Tom Henry thinks the recent feature story in Newsweek shows that Toledo officials are making the right push into the renewable energy industry.

Related stories:

The power of the sun, by Daniel McGinn, Newsweek, October 8, 2007
The article features Toledo-based Xunlight, the University of Toledo's research into solar energy and the work of the Regional Growth Partnership.

Ohioans support wind power, other renewable energy, by John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 13, 2007
Columbus—At the Senate Committee on Energy and Public Utilities hearing, the director of Environment Ohio testified that eight in 10 Ohioans support setting a renewable energy standard.

Timken Receives AISIN AW Technical Award for Work on Toyota Tundra Transmission, The Timken Company, October 9, 2007
Canton—AISIN AW Co. Ltd gave its 2006 Technical Award to The Timken Company for its support in developing the six-speed B-800 transmission used in the 2007 Toyota Tundra pickup. Timken engineers developed a special double-row drawn-cup bearing to help increase the durability of the transmission while retaining its performance characteristics.

Manufacturing output up in Ohio, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, October 10, 2007
Cleveland—Team NEO released its latest quarterly State of the Region report. Over the last 15 years, the 16-county region's economy expanded 32 percent and the manufacturing segment grew 6 percent. Although there are 92,000 fewer manufacturing employees than 15 years ago, today's workers are producing 50 percent more than their counterparts in 1992.

Related link: Full text of the Team NEO September 2007 State of the Region report. (PDF, 13 MB)