Avon Lake van plant used as Ford bargaining chip, by Scott Allyn, Lorain Morning Journal, October 25, 2007
Avon Lake—The future of the Ohio Assembly Plant has become a bargaining chip in negotiations between the Ford Motor Company and the United Autoworkers as they hammer out a new contract, according to the Detroit News.

Related story: Saving some Ford factories on table, by Bryce G. Hoffman, The Detroit News, October 23, 2007
If UAW compromises, plants could remain open.

Strickland campaigns for energy reforms on shop floor, by John Funk, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 24, 2007
Cleveland—As part of his campaign for energy reforms, Gov. Ted Strickland visited Advance Manufacturing Corp. on the near West side, to get a first-hand look at a company that specializes in precision drilling and cutting for 10-foot by 12-foot, 22,000-pound gear boxes for wind turbines.Ohio has no wind turbine makers, a fact the governor hopes his comprehensive energy bill will change. "I'm here to call attention to the potential that exists for Ohio when it comes to these efforts and try to convince my fellow legislators and others that this is a jobs and progress issue," Strickland said.

Chrysler pact down to final voting after detroit area wins, AP/Dow Jones Newswires via Wall Street Journal, October 25, 2007 (subscription)
Detroit—The final United Auto Workers local union is voting this Friday and Saturday. Observers say that it would take a massive no vote to sink the deal between Chrysler LLC and the UAW.

Related story: UAW turns to hard-pressed Ford, by Mike Spector and Jeffrey McCracken, Wall Street Journal, October 26, 2007 (Subscription)

Subject is small, goals are big, by Paula Schleis, Akron Beacon Journal, October 25, 2007
Cleveland—Nano-Network, the Northeast Ohio group that sponsored this week's national Nano App Summit in Cleveland, is exploring growth options and may take its mission statewide to help institutions and companies speed up the research-to-commercialization process.

Worker hasn't missed the bell in 38 years at Meter Devices Co., by G. Patrick Kelley, Canton Repository, October 25, 2007
Canton—Fifty-six-year-old Christopher Ohler has never felt guilty about taking a day off work. He’s never had to make an excuse for being late to work. That’s because he hasn’t done either in 38 years at Meter Devices Co. Meter Devices makes housing boxes and tests circuitry for commercial and industrial electric meters.

British firm eyes site in Delta for $95M plant, by Jon Chavez, Toledo Blade, October 26, 2007
Delta, Ohio—A British firm is close to a final decision on building a $95 million recycling plant at a 17-acre site close to two steel mills near Delta in Fulton County. ZincOx Resources PLC, of Surrey, England, wants to start construction on the U.S. plant, which would eventually create 50 jobs, in the first quarter of 2008.

Tecumseh to sell engine business, by Gary T. Pakulski, Toledo Blade, October 24, 2007
Tecumseh, Mich.—A private equity firm has agreed to buy Tecumseh Products Co., a company 40 miles northwest of Toledo that makes small engines and transmissions for products such as walk-behind mowers, snow blowers, and generators. The company will use the $51 million in proceeds to eliminate domestic debt that has threatened to force the firm into Chapter 11. The deal will allow the company to focus on its important compressor division.

Manufacturing still Ohio's major industry, Business Courier of Cincinnati, October 19, 2007
Evanston, Ill.—The 2008 Ohio Manufacturers Directory places Cleveland 10th in the country for manufacturing employment. Northeast Ohio accounts for the largest share of the state's manufacturing employment, with 390,063 jobs or 37% of the state.

Related link: Cleveland, Cincinnati Manufacturing Holds Top Spots Among Nation's Cities According to Industrial Directory's 12-Month Report, PR Newswire via Cleveland.com, Manufacturers News Inc., October 19, 2007

All sides of debate agree: Ohio energy prices to rise, by Dennis J. Willard, Akron Beacon Journal, October 21, 2007
Columbus—The Beacon's Columbus Bureau chief sums up a week of testimony before the Ohio Senate's hearings into Gov. Ted Strickland's proposed plan to re-regulate the $14 billion electric-utility industry in Ohio. Willard says lawmakers must find common ground on a problem that has pitted some of the state's most powerful groups against one another (utilities against manufacturers) and created unique political allies (manufacturers, labor unions and the Farm Bureau).

Shareholder seeks Schulman sale, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, October 23, 2007
Akron—Ramius Capital Group LLC, a New York-based investment firm, filed notice with the SEC that it plans to wage a proxy contest for control of plastics manufacturer A. Schulman Inc. Ultimately, Ramius plans to put the company up for sale.

Related story: New York hedge fund pushing Akron company A. Schulman Inc. to sell itself, by Peter Krouse, Cleveland Plain Dealer, October 23, 2007

Aurora company's future in lights, by Marilyn Miller, Akron Beacon Journal, October 20, 2007
Aurora—Technical Consumer Products, the Aurora-based manufacturer of compact fluorescent lamps, completed its new, 154, 000-square-foot corporate headquarters. The facility includes two stories of office space, warehousing, a distribution center, product-testing labs and customer-service call center.

As planned, GM to end 3rd shift at Lansing plant, cut 1,000 jobs, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, October 23, 2007
Detroit—The GM assembly plant in Delta Township near Lansing, Mich., will end a third shift and lay off about 1,000 workers by the end of the year. The plant makes the Buick Enclave, the Saturn Outlook and the GMC Arcadia crossovers. GM officials said demand is not slackening and the company had always regarded the third shift a temporary measure to meet initial demand for those products.

AK Steel to invest $180M to increase its production, AP via Youngstown Vindicator, October 22, 2007
West Chester, Ohio—AK Steel will invest $180 million in equipment to lower production costs and increase capacity at two specialty steel operations in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The improvements, to be completed in 2009, will boost the company's capacity to deliver grain-oriented electrical steel.