Industry Headlines

Caterpillar Dedicates Arkansas Assembly Plant NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR—Caterpillar Inc. dedicated a $140 million road grader factory Wednesday, a facility that will employ 600 people and produce the big machines for markets around the world. MORE

Whirlpool to Build $120M Assembly Plant NASHVILLE, TN—Whirlpool will build a $120 million plant in Cleveland, TN, to assemble premium built-in cooking products. MORE

Hundreds Apply for Assembly Jobs at Mack ALLENTOWN, PA—Some 250 people applied for assembly jobs yesterday at the Mack Truck plant in Macungie Township, PA. MORE

Plant Manager Sues Truck Manufacturer

MADISON, WI—For five years Scott Sherwood enjoyed a rapid rise through the ranks at Oshkosh Corp. that included promotions to plant manager and manager of global systems manufacturing. However, when he raised concerns about racial and sexual discrimination at the company’s Oshkosh facility, he was fired, according to a $600,000 lawsuit filed last week in federal court. MORE

Embraer May Build Florida Assembly Plant JACKSONVILLE, FL—Embraer is once again looking at a assembly plant in northeast Florida near where it had once considered building a spy plane. The Jacksonville Aviation Authrority says Embraer is eyeing a vacant 40,000-square-foot hangar at Jacksonville International Airport for an undisclosed project. MORE

New Plant to Assemble Turbine Components AMARILLO, TX—Zarges Aluminum Systems is building a new $5 million, 80,000-square-foot assembly plant here. The facility will eventually employ 100 and assemble internal structures for wind turbines. MORE

Auto Supplier to Build New Assembly Plant in Kentucky HILLVIEW, KY—Tier-one automotive supplier Magna Seating of America Inc. is planning to build an assembly plant for automotive seats and seating components here. MORE

Hundreds Attend Job Fair at Chip Plant ALBANY, NY—More than 300 people attended a job fair hosted by Global Foundries for its new computer chip assembly plant here. MORE

Kyocera Will Install Solar Panels on Six Assembly Plants KYOTO, Japan—Kyocera Corp. will install its own solar power systems at six domestic plants by March 2011, generating a total of 593 kilowatts of electricity. MORE

County Spends $3.5M to Aid Boeing BELLEVILLE, MO—The St. Clair County Board on Monday night voted to spend $3.5 million to turn the warehouse at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport into a Boeing Corp. assembly plant that will create 75 new jobs by next year. MORE

Children Vandalize Indiana Assembly Plant BLOOMINGTON, IN—Three siblings tried to escape an assembly plant Saturday after they broke in, stole snacks and raced equipment inside, according to police. MORE

Ford May Extend Ontario Plant ST. THOMAS, ON—The door has opened a crack on a stay of execution for workers at Ford of Canada’s St. Thomas assembly plant. The plant is scheduled to close Aug. 31, 2011, but Ford may extend the deadline if demand continues for the plant’s vehicles. MORE

Female Engineers Play Key Roles in New Ford CHICAGO—Four female engineers played key roles in designing Ford’s new Explorer and keeping its production on schedule. MORE

More Manufacturers Bring Work Back SEATTLE—A manufacturer of hydraulic cylinders is the latest manufacturer to bring overseas operations back to the United States after expected cost savings in less expensive countries didn’t materialize. MORE

Harley Eyes KC if Union Talks Fail MILWAUKEE—Kansas City is one of the cities where Harley-Davidson could move some work if talks with its Wisconsin unions fail. MORE

GM Arlington Continues to Hum ARLINGTON, TX—GM intends to keep its Arlington truck assembly plant working long hours through the rest of the year. The facility will continue to work five-day weeks and two Saturdays a month through December. MORE

Ford to Use Wi-Fi to Load Sofware onto Cars DEARBORN, MI—Ford will use Wi-Fi to wirelessly send its Sync software to vehicles as they’re built on the assembly line. MORE

Americans Think Better of Auto Industry PRINCETON, NJ—Americans’ opinions of the automobile industry brightened considerably after reaching an all-time low last year, and now tilt more positive than negative for the first time in three years. MORE

GM to Spend $20M on Powertrain Plant BAY CITY, MI—GM will invest $20 million in its powertrain assembly plant to produce camshafts for the next generation Ecotec engine, bringing new investment at the plant to $62.5 million this year. MORE

Wind Turbines to be Made at NASA Manufacturing Plant NEW ORLEANS—Blade Dynamics will produce a new, advanced wind turbine at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility here, creating 1,500 jobs. MORE

Railcar Assembler to Add 260 Jobs PORTLAND, OR—The Greenbrier Cos. will add 260 jobs to its assembly plant here after the company landed a $130 million railcar contract. MORE

Ford Halts Fiesta Shipments Due to Part-Quality Issue DEARBORN, MI—Ford temporarily halted shipments of more than 6,000 Ford Fiestas last week after it discovered the quality of a part on the car did not meet its standards. MORE

Incentives Keep Assembler in Missouri FENTON, MO—A manufacturer of scientific instruments has decided to stay in Missouri rather than move to Florida, thanks in part to more than $1.5 million in tax credits and other incentives. Leinco Technologies will keep its 20 existing jobs and add 48 full-time positions. MORE

Union Rejects Contract at Wolf Appliance MADISON, WI—More than 200 workers Wolf Appliance Inc. here are waiting to see if the company makes good on a threat to move jobs from Wisconsin after the rejection of a labor contract. MORE

Toyota Begins Hiring for MS Plant BLUE SPRINGS, MS—Toyota has begun hiring workers for its new plant here, which had been on hold for about two years while the auto industry was struggling with the economic downturn. MORE

Mercedes Promotes Healthy Lifestyle to Assemblers BIRMINGHAM, AL—Employees at the Mercedes assembly plant here are eating better, exercising more and setting ambitious physical fitness goals as part of a new push to promote healthy living among the 2,800-member workforce. MORE

Wind Turbine Manufacturer Looks to Build Plant in PA SCRANTON, PA—A New York wind turbine development company hopes to build an assembly plant in Northeastern Pennsylvania by next year. Officials of WindTamer Corp. of Rochester, NY, were touring facilities Tuesday and planned to visit at least two other locations in the coming weeks. MORE

VW Ready to Start New Paint Shop, Hires 1,000th Worker CHATTANOOGA, TN—Volkswagen is close to turning the key to start the most complex part of its Chattanooga assembly plant—the state-of-the-art paint shop. MORE In addition, the plant has hired its 1,000th employee, or about half its full complement of 2,000. MORE

Chinese Alliance to Invest $15 Billion to Develop Electric Cars BEIJING—A national alliance of 16 state-owned enterprises has been formed to develop electric vehicles in China. Dongfeng Motors, Changan Automobile Group and FAW Group are all involved in the alliance, which has set a goal of assembling 500,000 electric vehicles in the next three years. MORE

Mack to Hire 125 ALLENTOWN, PA—Mack Trucks plans to hire 125 workers in October at its Lower Macungie assembly plant due to increased demand for freight and garbage trucks. MORE

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