Williams: Obama to see Valley successes, by David Skolnick, Youngstown Vindicator, May 14, 2010
Youngstown, Ohio—“Youngstown is the right place for President Obama to visit to talk about jobs and the economy,” said U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Avon. “The Mahoning Valley has been home to some encouraging signs of economic recovery over the last few months.”

GE lawyers call proposed Cleveland lighting agreement with Chinese company 'bad for city', by Mark Gillispie, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 14, 2010
Cleveland—GE is trying to persuade the City Council to reject legislation that would give Sunpu-Opto the exclusive right to sell Cleveland millions of dollars in LED lights for 10 years in exchange for building its U.S. headquarters in the city.

Ford says growth to carry into 2011, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, May 14, 2010
Wilmington, Del.—Mr. Mulally told shareholders an improving economy will help the automaker this year and next. The release of new products this year, such as the Focus subcompact in the United States, will give Ford a boost.

Toledo area lost 22,000 jobs in manufacturing from 2001-09, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, May 14, 2010
Toledo—George Zeller, an analyst who specializes in Ohio employment statistics, said the losses in the Toledo area in the previous decade weren't the worst in the state. Steve Weathers, president and chief executive officer of the Regional Growth Partnership, said Mr. Zeller's research points to the need for a more broad-based local economy.

Denman union searching for buyer, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune-Chronicle, May 14, 2010
Warren, Ohio—The 92-year-old tire company in Braceville ended production in February due to lack of financing. It filed for bankruptcy in March and is headed for Chapter 7 liquidation if no buyer emerges.

Idled GM workers face relocation dilemma, by Grace Wyler, Youngstown Vindicator, May 14, 2010
Lordstown, Ohio—Workers from GM’s idle plants in Janesville, Wis.; Pontiac, Mich.; Spring Hill, Tenn.; and Mansfield, Ohio, have been asked to relocate to the GM Lordstown complex. About 1,200 additional workers will be needed for the plant's third shift, which will start next month in preparation for the July launch of the Chevrolet Cruze.

Industrial output rises strongly, fueling recovery, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 14, 2010
Washington—Factories -- the single biggest slice of industrial activity -- ratcheted up production by a brisk 1 percent for the second straight month, the Federal Reserve reported.

Hope fades for Russian steel mill in southern Ohio, AP via Newark Advocate, May 14, 2010
Columbus—Amanda Wurst, spokeswoman for Gov. Ted Strickland, said Thursday the state has not heard from Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works for some time. The governor said last week that it was unlikely the company would proceed unless circumstances changed.

This week's earnings reports:

• Hickok Inc. reports smaller second-quarter loss, Crain's Cleveland Business, May 13, 2010
• Sifco Industries Inc. reports sharp drop in second-quarter earnings, by , Crain's Cleveland Business, May 13, 2010
• Toyota reports $1.2 billion quarterly profit as sales recover, by Yuri Kageyama, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, May 11, 2010
  
• TransDigm Group posts lower second-quarter earnings, but ups guidance, Crain's Cleveland Business, May 10, 2010
  

O-I heralds lightest-ever North American wine bottle, by , Toledo Blade, May 13, 2010
Toledo—Owens-Illinois Inc. said Wednesday it is making the “lightest-ever North American wine bottle” weighing 27 percent less than similar bottles.

Outlook on steel industry upbeat, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune-Chronicle, May 13, 2010
Youngstown, Ohio—Rising demand and pricing for steel products make Ohio a "hotbed" for new steel production, Chris Davis of Steel Business Briefing told a group of community and steel leaders at the downtown Museum of Industry and Labor.

• Signs point to steel recovery, by Grace Wyler, Youngstown Vindicator, May 13, 2010
  

Worker killed in industrial accident in Cleveland, by , Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 13, 2010
Cleveland—Marcus Goss, 51, of Cleveland, died at MetroHealth Medical Center shortly after he was struck in the head by a moving machine part at Ferrous Metal Processing's Memphis Ave. plant.

Aleris exits bankruptcy, by Shaheen Samavati, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 13, 2010
Beachwood, Ohio—The bankruptcy plan will turn majority control of the company over to three investment firms: Oaktree Capital Management, Apollo Management and Sankaty Advisors. Once the reorganization plan is complete, Aleris will emerge virtually debt free.

EPA moves to regulate smokestack greenhouse gases, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 13, 2010
Washington—The pollution rule will take effect in January, when industrial facilities that already obtain Clean Air Act permits for other pollutants will be required to obtain permits for greenhouse gases, if they increase those emissions by at least 75,000 tons per year.

• EPA finalizing emissions rule that would lessen impact on small businesses, by Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post, May 14, 2010
  

Heinz reduces ketchup's salt, hopes buyers won't be saucy, by Teresa F. Lindeman, Block News Alliance via Toledo Blade, May 13, 2010
Pittsburgh—Pittsburgh-based H.J. Heinz Co. is messing around with the recipe for its flagship product, reducing the sodium content in a move that the company described as the first "significant" change in the nation's dominant brand of the tomato-based condiment in nearly 40 years.

Ford profitable earlier than anticipated, by Stephen Manning and Dee-Ann Durbin, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, May 13, 2010
Washington—Thanks to well-reviewed cars and trucks, aggressive cost-cutting and goodwill from consumers for avoiding a taxpayer bailout, Ford Motor Co. has posted four straight profitable quarters. It has also more than doubled its stock price from below $5 last May, and seized market share from rivals such as GM and Toyota.

• Ford CEO says 2010 will be 'solidly' profitable, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 13, 2010

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown seeks more money for Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credits, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, May 12, 2010
Washington—U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown wants the federal government to shell out more money for its Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credits, also known as the 48C program. “Some 70% of the components of clean energy systems are made outside of the U.S. So, if we don't act, we'll replace our dependence on foreign oil with dependence on foreign solar and foreign wind power” equipment, Sen. Brown said.

Gulf spill a boon for local company that helps make oil booms, by Benjamin Duer, Canton Repository, May 12, 2010
Tuscarawas Twp., Ohio—Chances are, if any oil boom contains the Gulf Coast oil spill, local manufacturer Miller Weldmaster played a role in it. Due to the oil spill, Miller Weldmaster has increased production of its smaller, versatile, T300 seam machine to meet demand for oil booms. In seven days, since May 4, the company has built 15.

Local company on list of 100 fast-growing urban firms, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, May 12, 2010
Toledo—Rogar International Inc., which does business as Hansen Machine & Tool Co., was 83rd on the list that was compiled by the Boston-based Initiative for a Competitive Inner City and Bloomberg BusinessWeek magazine.

Step2 recalling 2.5 million Push Around and Whisper Ride Buggies, by Janet Cho, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 12, 2010
Streetsboro, Ohio—Toy maker Step2 Co. is recalling 2.5 million Push Around and Whisper Ride Buggies because a yellow knob that holds the parent's handle to the back of the plastic car can detach, potentially posing a danger to small children.

B&W launch planned, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, May 12, 2010
Barberton, Ohio—Babcock & Wilcox Power Generation Group could be its own publicly traded company by the end of June. Executives with McDermott International, the Houston-based corporate parent, expects to complete the spinoff by June 30.

Denman trustee urges liquidation, Youngstown Vindicator, May 12, 2010
Leavittsburg, Ohio—The trustee for Denman Tire filed a motion Tuesday asking the U.S. Bankruptcy Court here to approve liquidation of about $1.35 million of the company’s assets.

• Prospects fade for reviving Denman Tire, by Dan O'Brien, Youngstown Business Journal, May 12, 2010

GM might gain advantage in labor costs, analyst says, by Dee-Ann Durbin, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, May 12, 2010
Detroit—After years of paying workers more than their foreign rivals, Detroit's automakers are now paying the same as foreign companies and could even achieve a labor cost advantage in the next few years, an economist with the Center for Automotive Research said.

Steris to build $11 million facility, add 300 jobs, by Angela Townsend, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 11, 2010
Mentor, Ohio—Steris Corp. chief executive Walt Rosebrough on Tuesday announced the company's plans to build an $11 million facility in Mentor and add 300 jobs there over the next three years.

3 area firms awarded grants totaling $270,000, Toledo Blade, May 11, 2010
Toledo—The Ohio Controlling Board on Monday approved grants to three area companies, North Star BlueScope Steel LLC ($175,000), Sanoh America Inc ($60,000) and Diehl Food Ingredients Inc. ($35,000).

V&M Star names plant manager, by Grace Wyler, Youngstown Vindicator, May 11, 2010
Youngstown, Ohio—V&M Star has appointed a plant manager for its new pipe mill here, as the company begins to move forward on its $650 million expansion. Ken Johnson, manager of the existing plant, has been named the general manager of the new fine-quality pipe mill, V&M Star announced Monday.

Bridgestone reaffirms Akron commitment, by Jim Mackinnon, Akron Beacon Journal, May 11, 2010
Akron—Gary Garfield, the new top executive of Bridgestone Americas Inc. says the Nashville-based tire company is committed to Akron and its legacy with Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.

Workers must gain if autos recover, UAW official says, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 11, 2010
Detroit—UAW Vice President Bob King, the man expected to become the next president of the United Auto Workers says workers should share in the profits if the auto industry recovers. But he also wants to make sure Detroit automakers stay competitive.

U.S. launches new Toyota probe, by Josh Mitchell and Yoshio Takahashi, Wall Street Journal, May 11, 2010 (Subscription)
Washington—U.S. regulators launched a new investigation of Toyota Motor Corp. on Monday, focusing on whether the company failed to report steering defects in certain models.

Real Time Economics Blog: Optimism rises among small business owners, by Kathleen Madigan, Wall Street Journal, May 11, 2010 (Subscription)
New York—The NFIB's Small Business Optimism Index increased 3.8 points in April, as sales expectations picked up among small-business owners.

White House calls on companies to curb marketing of unhealthy foods to kids, by Janet Adamy, Wall Street Journal, May 11, 2010 (Subscription)
Washington—The White House is calling on food makers to curb marketing of unhealthy foods to children, part of a broad assault against childhood obesity.

Congress to tackle environmental toxins in revision of 1976 federal chemical regulations, by Michael Scott, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 11, 2010
Washington—Congress is poised to rewrite a three-decade-old federal law regulating chemicals -- even as health, medical and environmental leaders debate a new government report strongly linking environmental exposures to cancer.

Federal rule tilts to favor unions, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, May 11, 2010
Washington—The new rule would recognize a union if a simple majority of workers who cast ballots approve organizing. The previous rule required a majority of the entire work force to favor unionizing. That meant workers choosing not to vote at all were effectively counted as ''no'' votes.

Toyota vows more openness on defects, AP via Toledo Blade, May 11, 2010
Toyota City, Japan—At a wide-ranging news conference held at Toyota headquarters here, Mr. Toyoda pledged that the Japanese carmaker was "sharing information across regions on a more timely basis," adding, "This is contributing to quick action."

Bun, muffin producer to expand in Norwalk, by Larry P. Vellequette, Toledo Blade, May 11, 2010
Norwalk, Ohio—New Horizons Acquisition Co. plans to break ground next month on a 20,000-square-foot expansion of its facilities in Norwalk that promises to add more than two dozen jobs to one of the state's hardest-hit economies. The company's facility is 56,000 square feet and produces more than 45,600 buns an hour.

Sherwin-Williams' technology patently unique, by Dan Shingler, Crain's Cleveland Business, May 10, 2010 (Subscription)
Cleveland—With about 30 new patents a year coming out of its Breen Technology Center on the east bank of the Cuyahoga River in downtown Cleveland, Sherwin-Williams Co. increasingly uses innovation to distinguish itself in the ultra-competitive paint and coatings market.

Tax credits fuel growth at med device firms, by Chuck Soder, Crain's Cleveland Business, May 10, 2010 (Subscription)
Cleveland—Three medical device makers, Steris Corp. and U.S. Endoscopy, both of Mentor, and Theken Spine LLC of Akron, were among a handful of Northeast Ohio companies that received state tax credits over the past few weeks. They received a total of $4.67 million in job creation tax credits, which apply to increases in their payrolls, as well as other incentives awarded to encourage big expansions planned at each company.

Editorial: State lawmakers must continue push to attract renewable power companies, Akron Beacon Journal, May 10, 2010
Akron—Ohio lawmakers moved the state forward two years ago when they set a standard for the use of renewable energy. They required that renewable energy contribute 12 percent of the state's electricity by 2025. Now they must take an additional step ahead. They must update the state tax code, inviting developers of alternative energy sources to set up shop in Ohio.

Northeast Ohio's industrial past could play key role in its clean-technology future, report says, by Tom Breckenridge, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 10, 2010
Cleveland—Companies strong in Northeast Ohio's industrial past could see growth in the region's clean-technology future, the latest report from Team NEO says.

• Region poised to tap into cleantech, by Katie Byard, Akron Beacon Journal, May 10, 2010

NASA Glenn to spend $16 million upgrading key cooling equipment at its icing research tunnel, by Tom Breckenridge, Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 10, 2010
Cleveland—NASA Glenn to spend $16 million upgrading key cooling equipment at its icing research tunnel

Ferro Corp. to close plant in Holland, take $13 million in charges, Crain's Cleveland Business, May 10, 2010
Cleveland—Ferro Corp has announced that it will close its plant in Uden, Holland, in an action that will result in about $13 million in charges against earnings in 2010.

Detroit automakers paying same as foreign rivals, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 10, 2010
Detroit—After years of paying their U.S. manufacturing workers more than their foreign rivals, Detroit's automakers are now paying the same amount as foreign companies and could even achieve a labor cost advantage in the next few years, an economist with the Center for Automotive Research said Monday.

Ex-Auto czar says Chrysler, GM exceed expectations, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 10, 2010
Detroit—The U.S. government could get back $40 billion of its $50 billion investment in General Motors Co., and the difference will have been well spent because it prevented mass job losses and at least a regional depression in the Midwest, the former head of the autos task force said Monday.

Toyota waited months to issue '05 steering recall, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 10, 2010
Miami—Toyota waited nearly a year in 2005 to recall trucks and SUVs in the United States with defective steering rods, despite issuing a similar recall in Japan and receiving dozens of reports from American motorists about rods that snapped without warning, an Associated Press investigation has found.

Chrysler CEO: Automaker beating its expectations, AP via Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 10, 2010
Detroit—CEO Sergio Marchionne told industry analysts Monday that if the company continues to perform at its present rate it will "blow the lid off" its previous guidance, but he said he was not yet ready to revise that forecast.

U.S. official says more fines for Toyota possible, by Jay Alabaster, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, May 10, 2010
Toyota, Japan—U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, speaking at Toyota's headquarters, said he was pleased with measures Toyota Motor Corp. has taken to improve its communication with U.S. regulators, but was waiting to see if they are effective.

Chinese automaker BYD Co. sets up shop in L.A., by Alan Ohnsman, AP via Akron Beacon Journal, May 10, 2010
Los Angeles—BYD Co., the Chinese auto and battery maker backed by investor Warren Buffett, is locating its North American headquarters in downtown Los Angeles as the company prepares to sell electric cars in the U.S.

Where did your food come from? Industry wants you to know, by Georgina Gustin, McClatchy-Tribune News Service via Cleveland Plain Dealer, May 9, 2010
St. Louis, Mo.—As the food industry works on implementing traceability, its efforts have also produced the latest food marketing tool. Last year, Frito-Lay Inc. launched a "chip tracker" that allows anyone who buys a bag of Lay's potato chips to learn where the potato chips inside were made, and Driscoll's, the California-based berry grower, started sticking labels on products that allowed customers to track fruit back to the farm

Delphi on the rebound, by Larry Ringler, Warren Tribune-Chronicle, May 9, 2010
Champion, Ohio—Since the auto supplier's exit last October after four grueling years in Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Delphi Packard is counting on its patent-producing corp of engineers at Champion and five other tech centers worldwide to keep it in the forefront of an auto industry that's moving away from strictly oil-based fuel to hybrid or total electrical power.

Pipe maker holds grand opening at former Sharon Tube Co. facility, Warren Tribune-Chronicle, May 8, 2010
Brookfield, Ohio—TMK IPSCO signed a lease on the building in February after receiving a tax credit worth approximately $872,000 from the Ohio Tax Credit Authority. The building will house Ultra Premium Oilfield Services, which plans to produce up to 100,000 tons of threaded pipe annually.

NorTech receives $300,000 federal grant, Warren Tribune-Chronicle, May 8, 2010
Cleveland—NorTech, a regional nonprofit economic development organization and catalyst for growing technology industries in northeast Ohio, received a $300,000 grant from the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce.