On-the-job deaths vex steel industry, by Kris Maher and Robert Guy Matthews, Wall Street Journal, July 25, 2008 (Subscription)
National Report—At a time when steel mills in the U.S. are running flat out to meet increasing demand, the steel industry is trying to unravel the causes of on-the-job accidents that resulted in more deaths in the first half of 2008 than in recent full years. Union officials and steel-company executives say 15 U.S. workers died in the first half in steel-mill accidents.

Cleveland-Cliffs becomes a target; firm could go from buyer to being bought, by Matthew Karnitschnig and Jenny Strasburg, Wall Street Journal, July 25, 2008 (Subscription)
Cleveland—Cleveland-Cliffs' largest shareholder, Phil Falcone of Harbinger Capital, is pushing for the iron-ore producer to take advantage of the global steel boom and put itself up for sale. But any takeover offer could run into resistance from another key camp—Cleveland-Cliffs management.

State offers low-interest loan to troubled Norwalk Furniture, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 24, 2008
Norwalk, Ohio—The State of Ohio stepped up today and offered Norwalk Furniture Corp. a low-interest $2 million loan to help investors buy the company and restore most idled workers to their jobs.

Related story: State offers Norwalk Furniture loan; restart contingent on Comerica's OK, Toledo Blade, July 25, 2008

Steelworkers strike Thomas Steel Strip citing health care concerns, by Christopher Kromer, Warren Tribune Chronicle, July 25, 2008
Warren Township, Ohio—bout 260 members of United Steelworkers Local 3523 completed a safe shutdown of the Thomas Steel Strip Corp. plant on Delaware Avenue before walking off the job around 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning. They have been working without a new labor contract since last summer.

Energy prices hurting Myers' sales, Akron Beacon Journal, July 25, 2008
Akron—Myers Industries Inc. reported slightly higher net income for the second quarter on lower revenue Thursday, but said higher energy prices are driving up costs as well as sapping sales.

Cleveland Clinic spin off gets $600,000 from investors, by Mary Vanac, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 24, 2008
Cleveland—An Oregon-based biomedical startup company that developed a mechanical system to clear drainage catheters has been promised $600,000, mostly from Northeast Ohio investors. Clear Catheter Systems will use the money to move to Cleveland and hire its first employees here.

Ford loses $8.7 billion, announces new products, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 24, 2008
Detroit—Ford's president and CEO announced it is accelerating developing new products based on successful European and Asian models. SUV and truck plants in Wayne, Mich., Louisville, Ky. and Mexico will be converted to manufacture small vehicles.

Global demand for agricultural equipment will hit $112 billion by 2012, Adrienne Selko, Industry Week, July 24, 2008
Cleveland—The Freedonia Group, an industry market research firm, forecasts world demand for agriculture equipment will rise 3.8% per year through 2012 to $112 billion. Growth will be driven by accelerating mechanization of the agricultural sectors in China and India.

Upcoming Events:

Regional WIND Supply Chain Workshop, July 30, Case Western Reserve University, 8:00 am, sponsored by Great Lakes WIND Network, Nortech and CWRU. Information and registration.

Northeast Ohio Logistics Conference & Golf Open, August 18, Firestone Country Club, NEOTEC—Northeast Ohio Trade & Economic Consortium. Information and registration.

Ohio recognized for economic development, by Tom Breckenridge, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 23, 2008
Cleveland—Area Development magazine has bestowed its Silver Shovel award on Ohio. The magazine highlighted PCC Airfoils' new manufacturing facility for aircraft engine turbines in Painesville. Area Development’s annual Gold and Silver Shovel awards honor states that have generated top job-creation and investment projects across the nation.

Norwalk pursues options to reopen furniture plant, by Tom Troy, Toledo Blade, July 23, 2008
Norwalk, Ohio—As elected officials swung into motion to try to save the temporarily closed Norwalk Furniture Corp. factory, employees and local officials yesterday blamed a faltering economy and foreign competitors.

Related story: Banking giant Comerica to decide Norwalk Furniture's fate, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 23, 2008

U.S. lawmakers hope to approve Great Lakes compact, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 23, 2008
Washington—Lawmakers from several states surrounding the Great Lakes say they're hopeful Congress will approve a compact this year to prevent the diversion of water from the lakes. The compact was sent to Congress after all eight states in the region approved it.

Car maker Mini plans to bring electric models to US, The Guardian, July 23, 2008
Birmingham, Mich.—Jim McDowell, vice-president of Mini USA, said parent company BMW plans to launch its first electric vehicles in the US in 2009 and will develop a diesel engine that gets at least 50 mpg that meets the strict emission standards of California. In the first half of 2008, U.S. Mini sales soared 33.9%, to 26,400 cars.

GM, utilities plug in on electric cars; Partners to pave way for new vehicles, by Tom Krisher, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 23, 2008
San Jose, Calif.—General Motors Corp. has joined with more than 30 utility companies across the United States to help work out electricity issues that will crop up when it rolls out new electric vehicles in a little more than two years. Ohio's FirstEnergy Corp. and American Electric Power are taking part in the study.

Related story: GM, Ford in contrast in plug-in readiness, Toledo Blade, July 23, 2008

U.S. rushes to change workplace toxin rules, by Carol D. Leonnig, Washington Post, July 23, 2008
Washington—Political appointees at the Department of Labor are moving with unusual speed to push through in the final months of the Bush administration a rule making it tougher to regulate workers' on-the-job exposure to chemicals and toxins.

Autos face more woes, Ghosn says, by Neal E. Boudette and Matthew Dolan, Wall Street Journal, July 23, 2008 (Subscription)
Franklin, Tenn.—Nissan Motor Co. Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said the auto industry is entering a global slowdown, now that European auto sales are starting to decline and sales growth in China is moderating. Mr. Ghosn said the global slump could prompt auto makers to seek more alliances or possibly mergers.

Editorial: New owner of WCI Steel promises exciting future, Youngstown Vindicator, July 22, 2008
Youngstown—OAO Severstal of Russia has earned editorial recognition and support for pledging to spend millions of dollars to upgrade its Warren facility (formerly WCI Steel) — over and above the $140 million it paid for the company. It appears the Russians are committed to doing all they can to ensure that their North American operations do not suffer setbacks due to a lack of skilled workers or antiquated equipment.

National study applauds Youngstown’s progress, by David Skolnick, Youngstown Vindicator, July 22, 2008
Youngstown—A national study on how to revitalize smaller industrial cities praises Youngstown, particularly for its Youngstown 2010 redevelopment plan and for the success of the city’s high-tech area on West Federal Street. Oakland, Calif.-based PolicyLinkjust released the report, called “To Be Strong Again: Renewing the Promise in Smaller Industrial Cities,” (PDF, 5.2M).

Second-quarter NAM/Industry week index shows manufacturers less optimistic; lowest confidence level in history of survey, National Association of Manufacturers, July 22, 2008
Washington—Confidence among large manufacturers eroded in the second quarter of 2008, according to a survey conducted jointly by the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and Industry Week magazine. 37% of respondents said the U.S. economy would go through recession in 2008, 25% said it would not, 38% said "maybe." View the full report.

PMA monthly Business Conditions survey reveals positive outlook for next three months, Precision Metalforming Association, July 22, 2008
Cleveland—According to the July 2008 Precision Metalforming Association (PMA) Business Conditions Report, metalforming companies expect a slight improvement in business conditions and incoming orders in the next three months. The monthly report samples 150 metalforming companies in the United States and Canada.

Timken expects record earnings in 2008, by G. Patrick Kelley, Canton Repository, July 22, 2008
Canton—The Timken Co. raised its second-quarter earnings estimates by as much as 30 percent. "We continue to build momentum as we shift the company's profile toward attractive global industrial market sectors where demand remains at historically high levels," said President and CEO James W. Griffith in a statement.

JumpStart invests $350,000 in coatings company, by Peter Krouse, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 22, 2008
Cleveland—The venture development organization JumpStart Inc. said Tuesday it has invested $350,000 in MesoCoat Inc., which was formed last year to commercialize environmentally friendly nanocomposite coating materials and application technologies. MesoCoat is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Euclid-based Powdermet Inc., a metal powder maker.

Steel imports slide at Cleveland port, by Tom Breckenridge, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 22, 2008
Cleveland—While imports of foreign steel hit a 15-year low, Arcelor Mittal is set to double the steel it sends to foreign markets through the Cleveland port.

Cleveland port to emphasize regional projects, by Tom Breckenridge, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 22, 2008
Cleveland—The Cleveland-Cuyahoga County Port Authority board has adopted a first-ever, development-finance policy that places highest priority on projects that boost port-related services, manufacturing, aerospace, health care and distribution.

Ford taps European style; Small cars are to roll from three truck plants, by Matthew Dolan, Wall Street Journal, July 22, 2008 (Subscription)
Detroit—In response to escalating gas prices, Ford Motor plans to transform three North American truck plants to build small cars developed originally for European markets. Once its plants have been retooled, the U.S. auto maker would be able to use a common base to build its next generation of passenger cars, many of which originated in Europe.

Related story: Ford to retool truck lines to make cars, says report, by Tom Krisher and Dee-Ann Durbin, AP via Canton Repository, July 23, 2008

MAGNET opposes sick leave legislative initiative known as "Healthy Families Act", MAGNET press release, July 21, 2008
Cleveland—The MAGNET Board of Directors unanimously voted to oppose an initiated state ballot measure mandating paid sick leave. The measure being promoted by the Service Employees International Union is deceptively named the "Healthy Families Act." MAGNET's experts estimate the measure, if approved by voters in November, would cost manufacturers between 6% and 15%, making Ohio a less competitive place to do business.

Related stories: Coalition to fight proposed Ohio sick leave law, by Maria Gallucci, Dayton Business Journal, July 18, 2008
Columbus—Ohioans to Protect Jobs and Fair Benefits said it would wage a "vigorous grassroots campaign" throughout Ohio to defeat the proposal at the polls.

Businesses to fight sick-day proposal, by Alan Johnson, Columbus Dispatch, July 18, 2008

Related resources: The Ohio Manufacturers' Association "Ohio Paid Sick leave Mandate Resource Center." Includes audio webinars, briefing papers and other materials explaining the implications of the proposed bill.

Asbestos charge leads to fourth-quarter loss at RPM, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 21, 2008
Medina—RPM International Inc. reported a loss for its fiscal fourth quarter, which it blamed on a pre-tax charge for anticipated future asbestos costs. Excluding the asbestos charge, sales and net income reached record levels.

Norwalk Furniture idles factories; 876 out of work, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 21, 2008
Norwalk, Ohio—Banking problems lay behind a shut down of Norwalk Furniture's Huron County factory and a wood mill and other operations in Tennessee as well as to trim staff at retail stores.

Bottlenecks at the border are taking a toll on U.S.-Canada trade, by Frank Bentayou, Cleveland Plain Dealer, July 20, 2008
Cleveland—Old, overburdened bridges and the post-9/11 border security measures are putting a crimp in U.S.-Canada commerce. Henry King, who heads the United States-Canada Law Institute, warns that the shipping bottleneck penalizes the United States, the Great Lakes region and Northeast Ohio, stealing money and stifling jobs.

GM workers get glimpse of new auto; Cruze unveiling in October, by Don Shilling, Youngstown Vindicator, July 19, 2008
Lordstown, Ohio—General Motors officials showed a photo of the new Chevrolet Cruze to employees during a TV presentation this week. GM announced last week that the Cruze will be unveiled for the first time at a car show in Paris in October. The car is to be launched from the Lordstown complex in 2010, although it also will be produced elsewhere for markets outside North America.