Auto-supplier workshop scheduled in Toledo, Toledo Blade, April 9, 2010
Toledo—The Ohio Department of Development announced workshops Thursday for Ohio’s auto suppliers, including one on April 27 in Toledo.

O-I to host Strickland, outline R&D spending, Toledo Blade, April 9, 2010
Perrysburg, Ohio—Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland is to visit the world headquarters of Owens-Illinois Inc. in Perrysburg on Monday afternoon as part of a company announcement about its plans for additional investments in research and development locally.

This Week's Toyota Headlines:

• Toyota official: 'We need to come clean,' AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 7, 2010
• Toyota insists electronics don't cause acceleration, McClatchy Tribune News Service via Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 7, 2010
• Toyota boosts incentives as vulnerability in court grows, Toledo Blade, April 7, 2010
• Toyota waited months to tell U.S. about sticking accelerator fixes it gave to dealers in Europe, by Ken Thomas and Larry Margasak, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 6, 2010
  
• LaHood says Feds could find more Toyota safety lapses, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 6, 2010
• Toyota faces legal dilemma as well as record fine, by Ken Thomas, AP via Google News, April 6, 2010
• Government to seek $16 million penalty over Toyota recalls, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 5, 2010
• It's business as usual for Toyota at auto show, by Micheline Maynard, New York Times via Akron Beacon Journal, April 4, 2010

This Week's Earnings Reports:

• GM generates cash last year, by Jeff Green and David Welch, Bloomberg News via Akron Beacon Journal, April 8, 2010
• GM posts $4.3 billion loss in July-December period, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, April 8, 2010
• GM says it plans to pay off government loans by June, AP via Toledo Blade, April 8, 2010
• RPM International reports significantly lower loss for fiscal third quarter, by Scott Suttell, Crain's Cleveland Business, April 8, 2010
• Medina-based RPM not deterred by loss; poised for strong growth, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, April 9, 2010
• RPM board declares quarterly dividend, by Joel Hammond, Crain's Cleveland Business, April 6, 2010
• RTI taking charge due to health care change, Warren Tribune Chronicle, April 6, 2010
• Brush Engineered Materials raises outlook for first quarter, full year, Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 5, 2010
• Energy Focus loss narrows in fourth quarter, by Shaheen Samavati, Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 2, 2010
• Eaton Corp. to take $25 million charge related to health care bill's passage, Crain's Cleveland Business, April 1, 2010
• A. Schulman reports smaller second-quarter loss on higher sales, Crain's Cleveland Business, April 1, 2010
• GM March sales up 21 pct as incentives draw buyers, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, April 1, 2010

Delphi plant new owners have no immediate plans, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune Chronicle, April 8, 2010
Cortland, Ohio—A representative of Sardello Inc., an Aliquippa, Pa., company that remanufactures diesel engines and components for the railroad and marine industries, says because demand is not increasing yet, the company doesn't have immediate plans for the former Delphi Corp. plant in Cortland.

Timken Co. closing Canton bearings plant, ending 57 jobs, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 8, 2010
Canton, Ohio—Timken Co. said today it will close an 82-year-old Gambrinus Bearing plant in Canton, nearly six years after it announced plans to end work there and at two other bearings factories nearby.

• Timken officially closing Gambrinus Bearing production, by Edd Pritchard, Canton Repository, April 8, 2010

GE leads U.S. wind market but faces more competition, by Paul Glader, Wall Street Journal, April 8, 2010 (Subscription)
New York—General Electric Co. installed more wind turbine capacity than rivals in the U.S. last year, but faces new competition from Asian companies, according to a report from the Washington, D.C.-based American Wind Energy Association.

U. of Akron creates chair in corrosion and reliability engineering, by Shannon Mortland, Crain's Cleveland Business, April 8, 2010
Akron—Under the position, Akron will expand its research and technology demonstration projects in its Corrosion and Reliability Engineering program, which will be launched next fall as the first of its kind in the country.

UAW sues GM over health care, staff and wire reports, Warren Tribune Chronicle, April 8, 2010
Detroit—The United Auto Workers union has sued General Motors Corp., saying the automaker owes it $450 million for retiree health care related to a 2007 settlement in the bankruptcy of Delphi Corp., GM's former parts division.

Steris Corp. receives FDA clearance for next-generation sterilant system, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, April 7, 2010
Mentor, Ohio—In a big win for the company, Steris Corp. has received the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval to sell a product designed to replace its flagship System 1 processor, which is used to clean endoscopes and other medical equipment. Now Steris is preparing to ramp up production at the Mentor plant on Hopkins Road that previously built System 1.

Hugo Boss, union reopen negotiations Thursday, by Olivera Perkins, Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 7, 2010
Brooklyn, Ohio—When Hugo Boss and the union return to the bargaining table Thursday, the union says they have two goals: keeping the plant open and avoiding a nearly $5 per hour wage cut.

• Hugo Boss, Workers United union to meet again April 21, by Olivera Perkins, Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 8, 2010
• Strickland, Glover join workers' rally at Hugo Boss factory, by Bill Rice, WCPN IdeaStream, April 7, 2010

Data Central: Lorain, Mentor, Barberton are home to the highest percentage of manufacturing workers locally, by Rich Exner, Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 7, 2010
Cleveland—Manufacturing jobs, though they have declined, still account for one in five jobs among residents of several Greater Cleveland cities. Here are the Census Bureau's latest estimates for Ohio cities with more than 20,000 residents.

Bridgestone plans to move Findlay jobs to Upper plant, by Lou Wilin, Findlay Courier, April 7, 2010
Findlay, Ohio—Bridgestone APM, manufacturer of vibration-isolating rubber and foam for cars, will move most of its Findlay employees to its Upper Sandusky operations by August 2011, the company reported Tuesday.

Three automakers unveil partnership, Reuters via New York Times, April 7, 2010
Brussels/Tokyo—Renault, Nissan and Daimler said they would swap stakes and jointly develop cars in a tie-up that could lead to combined savings of $5.35 billion over five years.

Jeep plants under one manager, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, April 6, 2010
Toledo—Mauro Pino, formerly director of a Sicilian auto plant destined to close at the end of 2011 started a new job Monday overseeing operations at Chrysler Group LLC's two vehicle assembly plants in north Toledo. Mr. Pino's appointment is the first time Chrysler has put one person in charge of both the Toledo North Assembly Plant, which makes the Jeep Liberty and Dodge Nitro, and the Wrangler plant.

$5 billion more sought for companies that make clean energy equipment, by John Nolan, Dayton Daily News, April 6, 2010
Columbus—U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Gov. Ted Strickland are urging Congress to expand a manufacturing tax credit available to companies that make equipment used to generate clean energy.

U.S. cities seek to woo Chinese investment, by Kathy Chen, Wall Street Journal, April 6, 2010 (Subscription)
College Park, Md.—Chinese companies are increasingly looking to invest in the U.S., and state and local governments are scrambling to win a share of the money. In Maryland, officials are betting on an international incubator at the University of Maryland here in College Park. Seven of 11 companies approved so far to open offices are from China, and director Kai Duh says more Chinese investors are in talks to come.

Cleveland State launches Center for STEMM Education, by Shannon Mortland, Crain's Cleveland Business, April 5, 2010
Cleveland—Cleveland State University has launched the Center for STEMM Education to serve as a home for science, technology, engineering, math, medical and teacher preparation activities.

Special Report: Family Businesses, Crain's Cleveland Business, April 5, 2010 (Subscription)
Cleveland—Crain's featured nine of Northeast Ohio's family business in this week's special section. Manufacturers featured include: Astro Manufacturing and Design Inc., Recharge Power, Great Lakes Cheese Co., Malley's Chocolates, A.I. Root Co., The Taylor Cos., and Kichler Lighting. These company profiles will be available to nonsubscribers one week after publication.

California company puts in bid for Hugo Boss plant, by Olivera Perkins, Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 5, 2010
Cleveland—JCH International Apparel Inc. of San Jose, which markets its own men's clothing, has previously sourced product off-shore. But the union doesn't view it as a realistic option for keeping the plant from closing.

GM to use brake safety measure worldwide, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 5, 2010
Detroit—The announcement Monday comes as federal regulators consider making the technology mandatory on new cars and trucks after Toyota's big problems with vehicles that can speed out of control.

How GM's Parma Metal Center bucked an industry trend, by Robert Schoenberger, Cleveland Plain Dealer, April 4, 2010
Parma, Ohio—Even as Chrysler prepares to close its stamping plant in Twinsburg, a similar General Motors plant in Parma is thriving. Good labor-management relations, a transition to manufacturing smaller parts and GM investment in new equipment are credited with the plant's viability.