DETROIT—A former UAW associate director has pleaded guilty to misusing money from Fiat Chrysler that was intended to train blue-collar workers. Virdell King pleaded guilty Tuesday to one felony count of conspiracy to violate the Labor Management Relations Act. Under a plea agreement, she faces up to 16 months in prison and restitution payments of up to $15,000.
OPELIKA, AL—Medical device manufacturer Baxter has completed a $270 million expansion project that has increased the size of its assembly plant here by more than double. The project will also more than double that number the facility’s workforce to more than 350.
KILDEER, IL—Plante Moran and the Reshoring Initiative are jointly conducting a national survey to provide insights into how much manufacturers offshore, what drives them to offshore, and what U.S. policy changes would motivate them to reshore.
HARRISBURG, PA—Americans say they love U.S.-made goods. They are less enthusiastic, however, about paying a premium for them. A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found 70 percent of Americans think it is “very important” or “somewhat important” to buy U.S.-made products. Despite that sentiment, 37 percent said they would refuse to pay more for U.S.-made goods vs. imports. Twenty six percent said they would only pay up to 5 percent more to buy American, and 21 percent capped the premium at 10 percent.
DAGENHAM, UK—Ford Motor Co.’s engine assembly plant here is a surprising haven for 50 species of birds, protected voles, and a rare ladybug. Employees from the plant help to maintain and improve the habitat surround the factory by keeping waterways clear, restocking fish supplies, and planting more than 10,500 trees over the past 20 years.
NORTH CHARLESTON, SC—A practice designed to boost production at Boeing Co.’s 787 Dreamliner factories in North Charleston, SC, and Everett, WA, has been so successful that it’s spreading to the aerospace giant’s other divisions. Called “champion times,” the practice measures the amount of time it takes Boeing workers to complete tasks at each stage of a Dreamliner’s assembly. The lowest total after all of the hours worked have been tallied is considered a champion time.
PORTLAND, TN—Automotive supplier U.S. Tsubaki Automotive will spend approximately $35.8 million over the next five years to expand its assembly plant here. The project is expected to create 70 new jobs.
CHICAGO—Ford Motor Co. has agreed to pay up to $10.1 million to settle a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment at its Chicago assembly plant in Hegewisch and its Chicago stamping plant in Chicago Heights.
EAST LANSING, MI—Researchers at Michigan State University have developed a new adhesive that will enable manufacturers to join multiple materials. The adhesive adapts to different surface properties, works at different material temperatures, and allows bonded parts to be separated for recycling.
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