Toyota chief apologizes for massive global recalls, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 5, 2010
Tokyo—Toyota's president emerged from seclusion Friday to apologize and address criticism that the automaker mishandled a crisis over sticking gas pedals. Yet he stopped short of ordering a recall for the company's iconic Prius hybrid for braking problems.

• Dealers start fixing recalled Toyotas, while company deals with repairing its image, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 4, 2010
• Toyota probe deepens amid confusion over risk, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 3, 2010
• Ohio couple sues Toyota over recall, citing fraud, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 3, 2010
• Toyota probes take a new turn, Los Angeles Times via Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 2, 2010
• Canadians Launch Class Action Against Toyota and CTS, AFP via Industry Week, February 2, 2010
• Toyota says global expansion not to blame for recall, by Roland de Courson, AFP via Industry Week, February 2, 2010

U.S. to investigate Prius brakes, by Melanie Trottman and Josh Mitchell, Wall Street Journal, February 5, 2010 (Subscription)
Washington—Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp., in separate actions Thursday, said they are fixing software problems with electronic brakes in hybrid vehicles that prompted complaints from consumers worried the cars won't stop.

• Toyota says Prius had brake design problems, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 4, 2010
• Toyota hit by over 100 Prius brake complaints, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 3, 2010

This Week's Earnings Reports:

• Timken's loss narrows in fourth quarter, Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 2, 2010
• Steris Corp. reports higher third-quarter earnings, Crain's Cleveland Business, February 2, 2010
• Keithley Instruments reports first-quarter profit on lower sales, Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 1, 2010

Third Frontier program to fund high-tech jobs heads back to Ohio voters, by Tom Breckenridge, Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 4, 2010
Columbus—State legislators voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to place a $700 million, four-year renewal of Ohio's Third Frontier program on the May 4 ballot.

• Ohio Senate compromises, agrees to put $700 million jobs package on May ballot, by Aaron Marshall, Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 3, 2010

High hopes for clean-energy jobs, by Rebecca Smith, Wall Street Journal, February 4, 2010 (Subscription)
New York—A new study by Navigant Consulting predicts Congress could add up to 274,000 jobs to the economy by requiring that up to 25% of the nation's electricity be derived from renewable sources.

Worker productivity rises more than expected in fourth quarter, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 4, 2010
Washington—The Labor Department said today that productivity rose by a seasonally adjusted 6.2 percent in the fourth quarter, above analysts' expectations of a 6 percent rise.

Goodyear names new North American Tire president, Akron Beacon Journal, February 3, 2010
Akron—Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. this morning announced that Curt J. Andersson, 48, was named president of North American Tire, succeeding Richard Kramer, who was promoted to chief operating officer in June 2009.

Diebold cutting 250 jobs from Green headquarters, by Janet Cho, Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 3, 2010
Green, Ohio—ATM maker Diebold Inc. says that a double-digit decline in orders for its self-service machines and bank security systems across North America is forcing it to cut about 350 full-time jobs, including about 250 in Green, Canton and Jackson Township.

• Diebold to lay off 250 in Green as business remains soft, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, February 3, 2010
  

Most automakers report rise in sales, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, February 3, 2010
Detroit—Toyota's auto sales fell 16 percent in January, a month when it recalled millions of vehicles and halted sales of several models. Most other automakers reported higher sales and looked for opportunities to snatch sales from the troubled Japanese automaker.

Obama moves to boost biofuel use, McClatchy via Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 3, 2010
Washington—The Obama administration gave a boost to the corn and coal industries on Wednesday, announcing a series of moves to accelerate biofuel use and deploy so-called "clean coal" technology on power plants.

Ohio-based AtriCure pays $3.8 million to settle DOJ investigation, by Sarah Jane Tribble, Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 3, 2010
Cleveland—AtriCure Inc., a medical device manufacturer based in West Chester, Ohio, has agreed to pay the United States $3.76 million to resolve allegations that the company marketed its medical devices for a use that is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Radical shifts take hold in U.S. manufacturing, by Mark Whitehouse, Wall Street Journal, February 3, 2010 (Subscription)
New York—America's industrial base is undergoing its most radical restructuring in decades as manufacturers rethink their businesses in the wake of the recession.

Developing a U.S. supply of strategic metals is on the agenda at Cleveland conference, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 2, 2010
Cleveland—About 100 engineers and military experts gathered in Cleveland Monday to discuss how to develop domestic sources of key materials that the country will need for its jets and tanks in the coming years as production of those basic metals continues to move overseas.

Toyota recall may prompt soul-searching, by Norihiko Shirouzu, Wall Street Journal, February 2, 2010 (Subscription)
Nagoya, Japan—In the first detailed comments by a Japanese headquarters executive since the recall and sales and production halt were announced last month, Toyota Executive Vice President Shinichi Sasaki told reporters here that the company may not have done enough to look at how parts interact with each other, and how that could cause system failures.

• Toyota puts pedal maker in spotlight with recall, by Jeff Green and Mike Ramsey, Bloomberg News via Akron Beacon Journal, February 2, 2010
• Toyota pedal fix too late to prevent backlash, AP via Toledo Blade, February 2, 2010
• VW aims for Toyota's sales crown, by Christoph Rauwald, Wall Street Journal, February 2, 2010 (Subscription)
• Toyota faces fallout over recall, by Daisuke Wakabayashi, Mariko Sanchanta and Yoshio Takahashi, Wall Street Journal, February 1, 2010 (Subscription)
• How lean manufacturing can backfire, by Daisuke Wakabayashi, Wall Street Journal, February 1, 2010 (Subscription)
• Toyota to end production halt Feb. 8, Reuters.com, February 1, 2010
• Toyota tells dealers that parts are on the way to fix pedals, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 1, 2010
• Toyota's slow awakening to a deadly problem, by Bill Vlasic, New York Times, January 31, 2010
• Toyota says new gas pedals are en route to dealers, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 30, 2010

Manufacturing Special Report: Supply chains in a tough position, by Jay Miller, Crain's Cleveland Business, February 1, 2010 (Subscription)
Cleveland—Restarting a sluggish economy won't happen overnight. Besides tight credit, it will take time for companies' supply chains to pick up speed. Crain's interviews Oya Tukel, a professor in the department of operations and supply chain management at CSU and Ronald Ballou, a professor of operations at CWRU.

• Manufacturers make it work with current resources, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, February 1, 2010 (Subscription)
• Employment conundrum, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, February 1, 2010 (Subscription)
• The interview: Susan Helper, chair of economics, CWRU Weatherhead School of Management, Crain's Cleveland Business, February 1, 2010 (Subscription)
• Banks say plenty of credit is available, but potential users aren't biting, by Arielle Kass, Crain's Cleveland Business, February 1, 2010 (Subscription)

Diebold promotes James Chen to executive vice president post, Canton Repository, February 1, 2010
Green, Ohio—Diebold has promoted James Chen to executive vice president of international operations. Chen will oversee company operations in Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa and Latin America.

Regional venture ‘superfund’ urged by Brookings Institution, by Jon Chavez, Toledo Blade, February 2, 2010
Washington—The Brookings Institution released a report called "Turning up the Heat: How Venture Capital Can Help Fuel the Economic Transformation of the Great Lakes Region," recommending Great Lakes states create a venture "superfund."

GM's plan to sell Hummer to Chinese company delayed, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 1, 2010
Detroit—General Motors Co. and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Corp. said they are extending the deadline to complete the transaction until Feb. 28 pending final approval by the Chinese government.

ISM says manufacturing sector accelerated in January, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 1, 2010
New York—Hopes that America's factories will help drive the economic recovery gained support Monday from news that manufacturing activity grew in January to its strongest point since 2004.

Cleveland's Glenn Research Center should weather NASA overhaul, by John Mangels, Cleveland Plain Dealer, February 1, 2010
Cleveland—The Glenn Research Center's decades of experience in basic areas such as aeronautics and spacecraft propulsion should help the Cleveland facility and its more than 3,400 workers and contractors weather the massive overhaul of NASA announced Monday.

• White House cancels NASA Constellation program; local impact unclear, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, February 1, 2010

Editorial: Parker should keep division in Mentor, News-Herald, February 1, 2010
Mentor, Ohio—Keeping its Gas Turbine Fuel Systems Division headquarters in Mentor would be not only an economic victory for the area but a moral one as well, sending a clear message at home and abroad that a world-leading manufacturer believes our region still has what it takes to continue that global success.

Food companies face fees under Obama budget proposal, by Jared A. Favole and Alicia Mundy, Wall Street Journal, February 1, 2010 (Subscription)
Washington—Food companies and drug makers could face more than $250 million in new fees to review applications for generic drugs, improve inspections of food facilities and cover the costs of reinspecting drug manufacturing plants, according to a proposal included in the Food and Drug Administration budget Monday by the Obama administration.

$30B in TARP funds to go to small-business lending, by Laura Petrecca, USA TODAY, February 1, 2010
Washington—President Obama will announce the latest initiative in his series of plans to spur growth, bolster hiring and free up credit for small businesses: a new $30 billion "small-business lending fund" created from TARP money. The fund would be available to community banks with assets of $10 billion or less for small-business lending.

Business groups to lead push on Third Frontier, by Jay Miller, Crain's Cleveland Business, February 1, 2010 (Subscription)
Cleveland—With both houses of the Ohio Legislature agreeing in principle to put a Third Frontier bond issue on the May 4 ballot, business groups across the state are gearing up to mount what likely will be a $3 million-plus campaign to make sure the issue passes.

• Editorial: Third Frontier is a success, Youngstown Vindicator, January 31, 2010
• Lee Fisher commentary: Third Frontier is key to nurturing Ohio recovery, Columbus Dispatch, January 31, 2010
• Ohio Venture Association supports new Third Frontier bond issue, Crain's Cleveland Business, January 29, 2010

Advanced energy agenda starts locally, by Jay Miller, Crain's Cleveland Business, February 1, 2010 (Subscription)
Highland Heights, Ohio—Gov. Ted Strickland's first visit last Wednesday in kicking off his campaign to fulfill a promise he made in Tuesday's State of the State address was to Technology Management Inc. The company us developing a solid oxide fuel cell system that cheaply generates enough electricity to power an average-size house.

Youngstown makes strides toward being technical hub, by Shaheen Samavati, Cleveland Plain Dealer, January 31, 2010
Youngstown, Ohio—The Youngstown Business Incubator has helped create more than 300 technology sector jobs in downtown with an average salary of $58,000.

Glassmaking fades in U.S. as imports cut into sales, Toledo Blade, January 31, 2010
Toledo—With the nationwide U.S. unemployment rate hovering at 10 percent, some are pressing the Obama Administration to offer protection for the nation’s glass workers by raising existing tariffs on imported glass, particularly from China, as is happening on steel and tires.

Something doesn’t smell right about foreign trade, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, January 31, 2010
Youngstown, Ohio—Richard McCormack, the editor of Manufacturing & Technology News, spoke in Youngstown last week about the sorry state of manufacturing and the threat of Chinese trade dominance.

Talks between Severstal, union begin next week, by Paul Giannamore, Herald Star, January 30, 2010
Steubenville, Ohio—At a meeting with union leaders here to discuss Severstal's Mingo Junction plant, officials said negotiations between Severstal Wheeling and the United Steelworkers union will begin next week in Pittsburgh.

Food and drink product launches declined during 2009 recession, Food Processing Magazine, January 27, 2010
New York—According to a recent review of Mintel’s Global New Product Database, the economic slump paid its toll on US food and drink manufacturers in 2009.