Ford Plant Rejected; Energizer Plants Closing; 3M Job Cuts | Today in Manufacturing Ep. 103

Also on the podcast, McDonald's becomes "Cheeseburger," how A380s are recycled, Lightyear halts production, CNH workers approve deal and chocolate companies with toxic metal problems.

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The Today in Manufacturing Podcast is brought to you by the editors from Manufacturing.net and Industrial Equipment News (IEN). In each episode, we discuss the five biggest stories in manufacturing, and the implications they have on the industry moving forward. This week:

3M to Cut About 2,500 Manufacturing Jobs Globally - @2:52

3M Chairman and CEO Mike Roman says his company has experienced rapid declines in consumer markets a a big slowdown in China due to COVID-19-related disruptions.

Union: Energizer to Close Two Wis Plants, 'Deport' Jobs - @11:00

Energizer recently told workers in Fennimore and Portage, Wisconsin that their plants will be closed within the next two years. The factories have some 600 workers on staff.

How a Company Recycles Seldom Used World’s Largest Passenger Plane - @22:02

Tarmac Aerosave has found a way to recycle the Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger plane.

Shuttered McDonald’s Restaurants Reopen with Very Generic Names - @33:08

McDonald's severed ties with Food Solutions KZ in Kazakhstan this month because of supply chain problems. Many of the restaurants reopened this week, but without the golden arches.

$3.5B Ford Plant Rejected Over China Ties - @42:46

Ford is looking to build a $3.5 billion battery plant that would create some 2,500 jobs. Michigan and Virginia were the front runners to land the deal, but then Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin ended any chance of that.

In Case You Missed It

Chocolate Companies Pressed to Remove Toxic Metals - @53:54

Consumer Reports has issued open letters to several major confectionary brands, urging them to make changes to certain dark chocolate products.

Lightyear Halts Production on Solar Car - @1:01:28

Lightyear is an automotive startup that wants to commercialize solar cards. This week the company suspended production of its Lightyear 0 solar EV, and it happened less than two months after production began.

CNH Workers Approve New Deal - @1:07:44

More than 1,000 CNH Industrial employees have been on strike since last May.

In continuing the conversation, please comment on our poll by clicking on the text below or emailing to jeff@ien.com.

Would you join, or advise an incoming non-management worker to join a union?

Why or why not?

Do you have any personal experiences that have helped form this opinion?

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