Manufacturing & Technology News articles from October 2003

Manufacturing & Technology News archives from October 2003

Inside the debate over outsourcing information technology service jobs.(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... U.S. industry is being driven to outsource high-tech service and software jobs to cheap locations overseas, but federal and state governments dare not do so. The issue is a growing political hot potato as more highly educated and well paid IT...

Small manufacturers bear the brunt of structural economic change.(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... Small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies had a rough year last year, according to the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center. In a financial survey of more than 400 firms, the MMTC's Performance Benchmarking Service found that 44.3...

Textile industry goes ballistic over Commerce Department analysis.
October 17, 2003... A new Commerce Department report highlighting the Bush administration's efforts on behalf of the textile industry has further enraged the beleaguered industry. The "Administration's Efforts on Textile Issues," a report sent by the Department...

Stop worrying about manufacturing jobs and China, says Heritage Foundation.(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... The precipitous decline in manufacturing jobs has nothing to do with the shift of production to China or the value of the Chinese yuan, say two analysts with the conservative Heritage Foundation. The Bush team should not pressure China to...

Maquiladora production drops by 30 percent.(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... Mexico's maquiladora industry is in severe decline and changes by the Mexican government are required in order to re-ignite the economy of the border region between the United States and Mexico, says the General Accounting Office. Since late...

Europeans create a 'virtual' NIH.(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... The European Commission is trying to help the European pharmaceutical industry better compete with the United States. To address the fragmented nature of the industry, the EC has proposed creating a "virtual" institutes of health. "The...

China's auto market in high gear.(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... China's auto market is growing faster than any other in the world. Car sales in China increased by 82 percent during the first six months of this year to 842,800 units, according to Michael Dunne of Beijing-based Automotive Resources Asia. By...

Stanford adds to its coffers.(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... Stanford's endowment generated an 8.8 percent return for the 12 months ending June 30, well beyond the performance of the S&P 500 stock index, according to the Stanford Management Co. Over the past 10 years, Stanford's endowment has achieved an...

New NAM chairman: imagine no U.S. automobile industry.(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... The aluminum industry has a big stake in the future of the manufacturing sector the new chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers told the annual meeting of the Aluminum Association at the Kiawah Island Resort in South Carolina on...

How the Defense Dept. views China.(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... United States industry might be enamored with China and its bounty of cheap labor, low taxes and competitive advantages, but the Pentagon is not. "While seeing opportunity and benefit in interactions with the United States--primarily in terms...

World aerospace industry is one big happy family, says Honeywell executive.(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... The United States and European aerospace industries are not locked in a competitive struggle, says Bob Johnson, president and CEO of Honeywell Aerospace. Boeing and Airbus might be vying for new orders, but both companies are purchasing an...

Steel: monitoring developments in the domestic industry and steel-consuming industries: competitive conditions with respect to steel safeguard measures.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... STELL: MONITORING DEVELOPMENTS IN THE DOMESTIC INDUSTRY AND STEEL-CONSUMING INDUSTRIES: COMPETITIVE CONDITIONS WITH RESPECT TO STEEL SAFEGUARD MEASURES are two highly anticipated reports from the U.S. International Trade Commission describing...

Reexamining the core premise of the manufacturing extension partnership program.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... REEXAMINING THE CORE PREMISE OF THE MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, from the National Academy of Public Administration, says the MEP program "remains viable as it is fulfilling its mission by leveraging both public and private...

The furniture industry, (case goods) the future of the industry, United States versus China.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... THE FURNITURE INDUSTRY (CASE GOODS) THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY, UNITED STATES VERSUS CHINA, says the U.S. furniture industry must prepare for a further onslaught of cheap Chinese goods. As more factories close in the Southeast, state...

Wood pallet suppliers' reaction to online reverse auctions.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... WOOD PALLET SUPPLIERS' REACTION TO ONLINE REVERSE AUCTIONS finds that pallet suppliers do not realize the benefits claimed by online reverse auction service providers. The net savings generated by online reverse auctions for wood pallets are...

U.S. plastics industry trade through 2002.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... U.S. PLASTICS INDUSTRY TRADE THROUGH 2002 finds that the U.S. plastics industry amassed a $14-billion trade deficit in contained plastics products in 2002, with more than half of deficit with China. U.S. imports of plastics increased by 43.6...

The China threat to world textile and apparel trade.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... THE CHINA THREAT TO WORLD TEXTILE AND APPAREL TRADE from the American Textile Manufacturers Institute says China has taken control of 53 percent of the U.S. market for apparel products recently removed from quota controls. "If China is not...

Economic contributions of the automobile industry to the U.S. economy.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY TO THE U.S. ECONOMY from the Center for Automotive Research says the automobile industry "drives the U.S. economy on many different levels." Total auto industry and related employment equals...

Vehicle weight, fatality risk and crash compatibility of model year 1991-1999 passenger cars and light trucks.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... VEHICLE WEIGHT, FATALITY RISK AND CRASH COMPATIBILITY OF MODEL YEAR 1991-1999 PASSENGER CARS AND LIGHT TRUCKS says that as cars, vans, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles become lighter there is an increased risk of fatalities in crashes....

The 2003 annual urban mobility report.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... THE 2003 ANNUAL URBAN MOBILITY REPORT from the Texas Transportation Institute finds that the value of the time and gasoline costs of Americans sitting in traffic rose to $69.5 billion in 2001. Americans wasted 3.5 billion hours and 5.7 billion...

Fuel cells for portable power: markets, manufacturer and cost.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... FUEL CELLS FOR PORTABLE POWER: MARKETS, MANUFACTURER AND COST says the fuel cell industry still isn't manufacturing fuel cells, "and that cost reductions are needed in all areas." But the potential is huge. The 186-page free report describes...

Basic research needs for the hydrogen economy.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... BASIC RESEARCH NEEDS FOR THE HYDROGEN ECONOMY, from the Argonne National Laboratory, says there is still a large gap between current knowledge and the technology that is required to create a hydrogen economy. The 175-page study is available at...

The future of nuclear power.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... THE FUTURE OF NUCLEAR POWER, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, says nuclear power still has major hurdles to overcome in order to be considered as a viable electrical generating option. Nevertheless, with worldwide electricity...

Electricity sector framework for the future.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... ELECTRICITY SECTOR FRAMEWORK FOR THE FUTURE, a report from the Electric Power Research Institute's board of directors, says the electric utility industry is at a "critical juncture" and needs to undergo a technological, regulatory and...

The facts about modern manufacturing.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... THE FACTS ABOUT MODERN MANUFACTURING from the National Association of Manufacturers is an excellent overview of manufacturing's role in the U.S. economy. It finds that exports recorded their largest drop in 50 years; more than 2.7 million...

Securing the future: regional and national programs to support the semiconductor industry.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... SECURING THE FUTURE: REGIONAL AND NATIONAL PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRY says the U.S. risks losing, the semiconductor industry to countries that are pursuing far more aggressive government subsidy programs. The National...

Securing America's future: the case for a strong manufacturing base.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... SECURING AMERICA'S FUTURE: THE CASE FOR A STRONG MANUFACTURING BASE, a study conducted for the National Association of Manufacturers by noted economist Joel Popkin, says that unless the manufacturing sector is restored to health, Americans will...

Mending manufacturing: reversing poor policy decisions is the only way to end current crisis.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... MENDING MANUFACTURING: REVERSING POOR POLICY DECISIONS IS THE ONLY WAY TO END CURRENT CRISIS, from the Economic Policy Institute, says the "rapid decline of U.S. manufacturing was a policy-induced crisis that warrants policy solutions." Those...

A growth and innovation agenda for manufacturing.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... A GROWTH AND INNOVATION AGENDA FOR MANUFACTURING, developed by the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center and the Right Place Program, says the federal and state governments must put in place policies to encourage the development of...

The pros and cons of pursuing free trade agreements.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... THE PROS AND CONS OF PURSUING FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS, a report from the Congressional Budget Office, says the agreements the United States has signed over the past 27 years have had little impact on the nation's trade deficit. Like NAFTA, the...

World trade organization: standard of review and impact of trade rulings.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION: STANDARD OF REVIEW AND IMPACT OF TRADE RULINGS, a report from the General Accounting Office, says the United States is challenged more than any other country or region on its trade policies. The United States has acted...

The national association of wholesale-distributors 2004 economic forecast.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... THE National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors2004 ECONOMIC FORECAST predicts solid growth for the industry. Overall revenues for wholesaler-distributors across 18 industries are forecast to rise 5.6 percent next year, outpacing projected...

Best manufacturing practices.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... BEST MANUFACTURING PRACTICES Survey report on the University of New Orleans College of Engineering is available at http://www.bmpcoe.org.

Corporate governance and climate change: making the connection.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Investor Responsibility Research Center)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND CLIMATE CHANGE: MAKING THE CONNECTION, a report from the Investor Responsibility Research Center, says that "most of America's biggest carbon dioxide-emitting companies, including ChevronTexaco, ExxonMobil, General...

The latest findings on national air quality: 2002 status and trends.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... THE LATEST FINDINGS ON NATIONAL AIR QUALITY: 2002 STATUS AND TRENDS from the Environmental Protection Agency finds that U.S. air quality is showing "steady and significant" improvements. Since 1970, emissions of the six principal air pollutants...

U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from energy sources.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... U.S. CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS FROM ENERGY SOURCES, a report from the Energy Information Administration, says greenhouse gas emissions increased by 1.6 percent last year in the United States, equal to the average annual rate recorded since 1990....

Natural gas: our current situation.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... NATURAL GAS: OUR CURRENT SITUATION, a report from House Speaker Dennis Hastert's "Task Force for Affordable Natural Gas," says the U.S. natural gas supply chain "is near the breaking point," despite an abundant supply of gas. Gas prices that...

Transformation and transition: DARPA's role in fostering an emerging revolution in military affairs.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... TRANSFORMATION AND TRANSITION: DARPA's Role IN FOSTERING AN EMERGING REVOLUTION IN MILITARY AFFAIRS says that the Pentagon R&D agency has successfully changed the nature of warfare. The agency has developed stealth, standoff precision strike...

The long-term implications of current defense plans: summary update for fiscal year 2004.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... THE LONG-TERM IMPLICATIONS OF CURRENT DEFENSE PLANS: SUMMARY UPDATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2004 from the Congressional Budget Office says DOD's budget will go up, up, up over the next 20 years. Before supplemental appropriations are included, DOD's...

The impact of academic research on industrial performance.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... THE IMPACT OF ACADEMIC RESEARCH ON INDUSTRIAL PERFORMANCE, a report from the National Academy of Sciences, says the linkages between academia and industry needs to be expanded. The report investigates the links between research universities and...

Science and technology for army homeland security.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY FOR ARMY HOMELAND SECURITY says the Army should invest in sensors and command and control technologies, but that its S&T investments "need not be unique," according to the National Research Council's Board on Army Science...

The NIH roadmap for medical research.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... THE NIH ROADMAP FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH describes the agency's R&D plans and includes projects aimed at improving the physical sciences. The roadmap is located at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov.

The flow of federal funds to the states.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... THE FLOW OF FEDERAL FUNDS TO THE STATES finds that the majority of states in the Northeast/Midwest region of the country contribute more in taxes to the federal government than they receive back in federal spending. "In the Northeast as a...

Opportunities for USDA and industry to implement challenging aspects of the new country of origin labeling laws.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... OPPORTUNITIES FOR USDA AND INDUSTRY TO IMPLEMENT CHALLENGING ASPECTS OF THE NEW COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING LAWS says most countries that would be affected by the law already have their own country-of origin labeling requirements. Most European...

2003 state small business profiles.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... 2003 STATE SMALL BUSINESS PROFILES from the Small Business Administration says that 75 percent of all new jobs are created by small businesses in the United States. Small businesses represent more than 99 percent of all American businesses. The...

Mixed review on federal agency compliance with executive order 13272.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... MIXED REVIEW ON FEDERAL AGENCY COMPLIANCE WITH EXECUTIVE ORDER 13272, a report from the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, finds that the federal government is only beginning to consider the impact of proposed regulations on...

Keeping America competitive: how a talent shortage threatens U.S. manufacturing.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
October 17, 2003... KEEPING AMERICA COMPETITIVE: HOW A TALFNT SHORTAGE THREATENS U.S. MANUFACTURING, a report from the National Association of Manufacturers and Deloitte & Touche, says that "it may seem contradictory at a time when manufacturing has lost jobs...

Education and training for the information technology workforce.(Reports, Competitive Intelligence, Strategic Analysis)(Brief Article)
October 17, 2003... EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR THE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY WORKFORCE, a 225-page report from the, Commerce Department, tries to "lay out the landscape" of the complex system of training and education that exists in the United States. The report...

FreeMarkets tells its customers to source virtually everything from overseas suppliers: outsourcing trend has only just begun.(Industry Overview)
October 3, 2003... U.S. diversified manufacturing companies are on the verge of substantially increasing the amount of purchases they will make from low-cost labor countries, according to FreeMarkets, the online bidding company. In a survey of 16 large...

President's Science Council says future health of technology sector is in jeopardy.(Industry Overview)
October 3, 2003... The Presidential Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) has finished the first phase of a study that finds the health of the U.S. high tech industry is in rapid decline. With manufacturing leaving the country, the United States...

The U.S. military 'owns the night' on the battlefield, but not for long, says industry pioneer.(Industry Overview)
October 3, 2003... The United States military has become almost entirely dependent on foreign sources of materials, components and production equipment used for the manufacture of night-vision infrared devices, says the U.S. inventor of the mercury cadmium...

U.S. industrial giant creates coalition to save manufacturing: Wilbur Ross opens a policy shop in D.C.(Wilbur Ross)(Free Trade For America Coalition)
October 3, 2003... One of the country's most successful and well known industrial turnaround specialists has taken it upon himself to create a coalition aimed at changing trade laws and preserving the U.S. industrial base. Wilbur Ross, chairman of WL Ross & Co.,...

NAM to formally pursue China currency complaint with a Section 301 filing.(Industry Overview)
October 3, 2003... The speed with which the Chinese currency manipulation issue has vaulted into Washington politics has "astounded" National Association of Manufacturers president Jerry Jasinowski. There has been a "sea change in terms of the dialogue about...

Sen. Lieberman develops manufacturing agenda.
October 3, 2003... Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) has issued a policy document on legislative proposals to restore U.S. manufacturing. "Our manufacturing sector is hemorrhaging jobs at a dismaying rate," writes Lieberman, and the...

California's business environment goes from best to worst in five years.(Industry Overview)
October 3, 2003... California is not a very good place to run a business any more, according to an analysis commissioned by the California Manufacturers & Technology Association. "Just five years ago in 1998, the business climate in California shone like a star,"...

Founder of new Manufacturing Coalition says established trade associations are failing on the job.(Joe Smith)
October 3, 2003... Driven by a cry of desperation from small- and medium-sized manufacturers, the publisher of Machining magazine has created a new lobbying organization called the Manufacturing Coalition. The non-profit coalition currently has 1,000 members...

Small manufacturers press their case in Washington, but leave feeling ignored.(Industry Overview)
October 3, 2003... The manufacturing community is fast becoming a political force, due to growing agitation over the decline of manufacturing jobs and a tepid response from Washington policymakers who are blamed for creating the crisis. Most of the...