Attendees hailing from all over Latin America, Europe and beyond descended on the Transamerica Expo Center in São Paulo, Brazil, May 7–9, to attend the 30th anniversary of EBRATS, the country's premier surface finishing exposition and technical conference, organized by the Associação Brasileira de Tratamentos de Superfície (ABTS).
29 May, 2009
The nation's industrial production fell 0.5% in April—the smallest amount in six months. Analysts believe this provides fresh evidence that the pace of the economy's decline is slowing.
22 May, 2009
DISA Group, a leader in molding and casting technology, has merged with Wheelabrator Group, a leader in surface preparation technology, to create a formidable metallic parts enhancement company. The two companies, each owned by Mid Europa Partners, have been granted official approval by the German Bundeskartellamt to complete their merger process.
15 May, 2009
Auto sales in the U.S. continued on their downhill roll as most manufacturers reported high, double-digit sales decreases. Industry analysts see the trend in this key bellwether economic sector as further evidence of a deepening recession.
07 May, 2009
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced plans to review its revised Definition of Solid Waste (DSW) rule, which went into effect Dec. 29, 2008. The EPA will take comments on the rule at the request of a Sierra Club petition seeking an immediate stay and repeal of the 2008 regulation. The agency will hold a public meeting on June 30, 2009, at the EPA Potomac Yards Conference Center in Arlington, Va., to consider potential revisions to the DSW rule.
07 May, 2009
Surface finishing industry members convened in Washington, D.C., April 28–30 for the 2009 Washington Forum, the annual event sponsored by the National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF) in conjunction with The Policy Group, NASF's government relations arm. Topics of discussion spanned the spectrum from the impact of existing and pending regulations on manufacturing and workplace safety, to the outlook on the overall economy under the new administration.
07 May, 2009
Weeks after the Obama Administration facilitated the ouster of former General Motors chairman and CEO Rick Wagoneer as it pressed the company to construct a roadmap to return to profitability, the government-appointed Automotive Task Force has affected another development impacting the industry: Chrysler has essentially been forced into bankruptcy protection with the goal of sealing an alliance with Italian automaker Fiat.
01 May, 2009
Senator Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) recently received the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) Award for Manufacturing Legislative Excellence—an honor that recognizes federal lawmakers whose voting records have consistently supported manufacturing in America. The event was sponsored by Dixie Industrial Finishing Co., Inc., in Tucker, Ga.
01 May, 2009