MANUFACTURING : View Posts

NEW YORK & BESTWIG, Germany –Lightweight, high-performance metals leader Alcoa (NYSE: AA) today announced that it has completed the acquisition of privately held TITAL. Alcoa closed the transaction, which was announced on December 15, 2014, after receiving all of the required global regulatory approvals.

TITAL is a leading manufacturer of titanium and aluminum structural castings for aircraft engines and airframes. This acquisition strengthens Alcoa’s ability to capture growing demand for advanced aircraft engine components, in particular, those made of titanium. TITAL establishes titanium casting capabilities in Europe for Alcoa, and expands the Company’s aluminum casting capacity. Additionally, TITAL’s strong connections to European engine and aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, SNECMA, and Rolls-Royce, will enhance Alcoa’s customer relationships in the region and beyond.

“We are combining two leading, innovation-driven businesses to continue increasing Alcoa’s highly differentiated content on the world’s best-selling airplanes and jet engines,” said Olivier Jarrault, Executive Vice President and Alcoa Group President, Engineered Products and Solutions. “This transaction supports our strategy of creating a more profitable future by growing our value-add businesses. Through these efforts, Alcoa will continue delivering greater sustainable value for our customers, employees and shareholders.”

With TITAL, Alcoa is well positioned to capitalize on strong demand growth in the commercial aerospace sector. Alcoa sees a current 8-year production order book at 2014 delivery rates. Almost 70 percent of TITAL’s revenues are expected to come from commercial aerospace sales in 2019. Further, its titanium revenues are expected to increase by 70 percent over the next five years as manufacturers of next-generation jet engines look to titanium solutions for engine structural components. In 2014, TITAL generated revenues of approximately €77 million (approximately US$100 million), more than half of which came from titanium products.

Alcoa is implementing a robust integration plan to support TITAL’s growth and to further improve productivity, primarily driven by procurement, internal metal supply, manufacturing optimization and leveraging Alcoa’s global shared services. TITAL’s business is being integrated into Alcoa’s Engineered Products and Solutions (EPS) segment.

Alcoa Aerospace
Alcoa has been aggressively growing its aerospace business as part of the Company’s broader transformation. In 2014, Alcoa completed the acquisition of global jet engine component leader Firth Rixson. This was the first of two announced acquisitions, including the TITAL transaction. Alcoa also announced investments to expand jet engine parts production in Indiana and Virginia, opened the world’s largest aluminum-lithium facility in Indiana, and in Michigan, plans to expand its coatings capabilities for jet engine components. In addition, the Company announced plans to install advanced aerospace plate manufacturing capabilities in Iowa. It also announced in 2014 supply deals exceeding $2 billion with Boeing and Pratt & Whitney, which included the world’s first forging for an aluminum fan blade for Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower® jet engines. The PurePower engine will be used to power some of the world’s highest volume aircraft, including the next-generation Airbus A320neo.

Alcoa’s aerospace business holds the number one global position in aluminum forgings and extrusions, jet engine airfoils and fastening systems and is a leading supplier of structural castings made of titanium, aluminum and nickel-based superalloys and aluminum sheet and plate. It also holds the number one global position in seamless rolled jet engine rings, engineered from nickel-based superalloys and titanium, and is one of the world’s leading suppliers of vacuum melted superalloys used to make aerospace, industrial gas turbine, oil and gas products and structural components for landing gear applications. It also has entered into a highly specialized segment of jet engine forgings that require isothermal forging technology.

About Alcoa
A global leader in lightweight metals technology, engineering and manufacturing, Alcoa innovates multi-material solutions that advance our world. Our technologies enhance transportation, from automotive and commercial transport to air and space travel, and improve industrial and consumer electronics products. We enable smart buildings, sustainable food and beverage packaging, high-performance defense vehicles across air, land and sea, deeper oil and gas drilling and more efficient power generation. We pioneered the aluminum industry over 125 years ago, and today, our approximately 59,000 people in 30 countries deliver value-add products made of titanium, nickel and aluminum, and produce best-in-class bauxite, alumina and primary aluminum products. For more information, visit www.alcoa.com, follow @Alcoa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Alcoa and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Alcoa.

WASHINGTON – To kick off national Engineers Week, The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW) and Project Lead The Way (PLTW) announced a significant partnership to increase K-12 students’ access to high-quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education programs. Through a $400,000 commitment, Dow will fund PLTW programs in 17 schools in Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. These 17 schools enroll more than 14,000 students, and about half of these students are minority students.

Dow’s support of PLTW furthers the Company’s commitment to building the workforce of tomorrow in the communities where its employees live and work. Through PLTW’s hands-on, activity-based K-12 programs, students become engaged in STEM fields while developing critical thinking, problem solving, and collaboration skills – skills identified as crucial by today’s employers.

“STEM-based careers fuel innovation at Dow. We are proud to partner with Project Lead The Way to bring curriculum into our communities’ classrooms that will support teachers by giving them the tools they need to teach STEM subjects, and get students excited about pursuing STEM careers,” said Rob Vallentine, director of Corporate Citizenship at Dow. “The students of today represent the future of this country’s economic prosperity, and Dow is committed to supporting the STEM workforce of tomorrow in our communities.”

The U.S. Department of Commerce estimates 1.2 million unfilled STEM jobs by 2018 as a result of a lack of qualified, trained workers. Coincidentally, STEM jobs are expected to grow by 17 percent, nearly double the rate of jobs in other sectors. Expanding access to STEM education for underrepresented minority students is also of great interest as only 10 percent of U.S. scientists and engineers come from underrepresented minority groups.

“The United States is facing a significant skills gap, and Dow is taking action to fill that gap. They are leading by example,” said PLTW President and CEO Dr. Vince Bertram. “Not only are they creating skilled jobs in our economy, but they are helping to develop the workforce to fill those jobs. We are grateful for Dow’s support of Project Lead The Way, which is giving students across the country access to high-quality educational opportunities.”

Through its STEMtheGAP™ initiatives, Dow’s STEM mission is to build the workforce of tomorrow by supporting teachers, motivating student achievement, developing careers, and collaborating with communities to transform STEM education into a driver for innovation, manufacturing, and economic prosperity. In support of this mission, the Dow partnership is supporting three elementary schools, six middle schools, and eight high schools to bring PLTW programs to their students.

In addition to funding PLTW programs, Dow employees will also engage with teachers and students in PLTW classrooms through the Company’s STEM Ambassadors program. These trained STEM Ambassadors aim to support teachers and inspire students by providing real life examples to make challenging concepts easier to understand, while incorporating a strong focus on sharing exciting opportunities available through pursuing STEM careers.

Dow is funding PLTW programs at the following schools in four key Dow communities:

Guion Creek Middle School – Indianapolis, Indiana
Lincoln Middle School – Indianapolis, Indiana
New Augusta Academy North – Indianapolis, Indiana
Bay City Central High School – Bay City, Michigan
Handy Middle School – Bay City, Michigan
Freeland Middle School – Freeland, Michigan
Freeland High School – Freeland, Michigan
Bullock Creek High School – Midland, Michigan
Bullock Creek Middle School – Midland, Michigan
Emerson site (Ralph Waldo Emerson, Clara Barton and Abraham Lincoln Elementary Schools) – Levittown, Pennsylvania
Buchanan site (James Buchanan, George Washington and John Fitch Elementary Schools) – Levittown, Pennsylvania
Devine site (Mary W. Devine, Lafayette, and Maple Shade Elementary Schools) – Levittown, Pennsylvania
Plaquemine High School – Plaquemine, Louisiana
East St. John High School – Reserve, Louisiana
East St. John Elementary – Laplace, Louisiana
Port Allen High School – Port Allen, Louisiana
Brusly High School – Brusly, Louisiana
These 17 schools join more than 6,500 schools in the 50 states and the District of Columbia currently offering PLTW programs in engineering, biomedical science, and computer science. In addition to STEM curricula, PLTW also provides professional development to each teacher who instructs a PLTW course. Since 1997, PLTW has trained more than 19,000 teachers in its hands-on, project-based approach.

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company is driving innovations that extract value from the intersection of chemical, physical and biological sciences to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, clean energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow’s integrated, market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 180 countries and in high-growth sectors such as packaging, electronics, water, coatings and agriculture. In 2014, Dow had annual sales of more than $58 billion and employed approximately 53,000 people worldwide. The Company’s more than 6,000 products are manufactured at 201 sites in 35 countries across the globe. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

More information about Dow’s commitment to promoting STEM education can be found at www.dow.com/company/citizenship/stem.htm.

About PLTW
Project Lead The Way (PLTW) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and the nation’s leading provider of K-12 STEM programs. PLTW’s world-class, activity-, project-, and problem-based curriculum and high-quality teacher professional development model, combined with an engaged network of educators and corporate partners, help students develop the skills needed to succeed in our global economy. More than 6,500 elementary, middle, and high schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia are currently offering PLTW courses to their students. For more information, visit www.pltw.org.

SHANGHAI— —By 2025 China’s gas market will be 2.5 times bigger than it is today. When GE (NYSE: GE) was chosen to deliver technology to support this growth, it was made clear only exceptional products would suffice.

GE’s Power Conversion business was selected by China Machinery International Engineering Design & Research Institute (CMIE) to provide the 50 MVA VFD systems for a high power motor test bench for various types of motors in the range of 3-40 MW with highly sophisticated testing configurations and features. The motor test bench has been successfully applied to test 18-megawatt (MW) motors supplied by Shanghai Electric Machinery Co., Ltd (SEMC) for the West-East Gas Pipeline (WEPP) project, one of the largest infrastructure projects in China transporting natural gas fuel from Xinjiang to the Yangtze River Delta.

The motor test bench can be viewed as a “universal” test bench due to the wide power range (3-40 MW) of motors it can test for various types and a diverse range of configurations and operation modes.

“Seeing GE’s test bench demo which is in line with our requirements successfully and smoothly running in operation has given us enormous confidence in GE and confirmed that it can provide a quality solution that is customized, efficient and reliable in the face of tough demands. Indeed, GE’s MV7tst IGCT drive system has demonstrated superb robustness and control functionality to fulfill our most demanding requirements.” said Mr. Yuan Kainan, the project leader from CMIE. “With such nationwide implications riding on the success of this project, we’ve found a partner in GE that has the capabilities to support mission-critical projects.”

The test bench delivered by GE is packed full of technology innovations. Five patents related to the drive system have been filed. The MV7tst IGCT VFD system delivered for the motor test bench contains two high-density 27-MVA VFD line-ups. Each VFD line-up provides 9-level (line-to-line) high power quality output with GE patented modulation and control strategy that takes full advantage of power processing capability of power semiconductors in all operating conditions. The two VFD line-ups can be used for dual machine pump-back test configuration, or can be paralleled to test single high power motor load.

By offering a solution that answers all of CMIE’s strict requirements, GE has helped to test its motors in a more efficient and cost-effective way. The comprehensive report after the test has been completed also helps optimize future motor commissioning and system integration, saving further operational costs.

“We’re pleased that we have been able to demonstrate to the CMIE that we can solve the highest technical challenge in the field and provide world-class system engineering capability with strong system project execution capability.” said Richard Zhang, Global Technology Leader, GE Power Conversion. “By successfully providing one of the world’s most sophisticated motor test benches, which encompasses all the necessary testing scenarios, GE’s Power Conversion business is playing a vital role in enabling the swift and efficient development of the latest phase of the West-East Gas Pipeline project.”

“We are pleased that GE’s Power Conversion business delivered within 10 months. The ultra-quick delivery time for such a sophisticated test bench is a strong testimony of GE’s ability to deliver system solutions and our execution capability.” added by Mr. Yuan from CMIE.

About GE Power Conversion
GE’s Power Conversion business applies the science and systems of power conversion to help drive the electrification of the world’s energy infrastructure by designing and delivering advanced motor, drive and control technologies that evolve today’s industrial processes for a cleaner, more productive future. Serving specialized sectors such as energy, marine, oil and gas, renewables and industry, through customized solutions and advanced technologies, GE Power Conversion partners with customers to maximize efficiency. To learn more, please visit: www.gepowerconversion.com.
Follow GE’s Power Conversion business on Twitter @GE_PowerConvers and on LinkedIn.

About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ge.com.

The start of 2015 saw a modest growth acceleration in the eurozone manufacturing sector. The final seasonally adjusted Eurozone Manufacturing PMI® posted in line with the earlier flash estimate of 51.0 and slightly above December’s print of 50.6.

Improvements in business conditions were seen in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Ireland during January, with solid growth again signalled for the latter three. Moreover, growth strengthened in Spain and the Netherlands. The manufacturing downturns in France, Italy, Austria and Greece continued at the start of the year. The rates of contraction in France and Italy eased to near-stabilisation, but Austria and Greece registered steepening downturns.

Manufacturing production rose at the fastest pace for six months in January, underpinned by a mild increase in new order volumes and work on existing contracts. Concurrent growth of production and new business was registered in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Ireland.

Italy saw a slight gain in output for the first time since September 2014, and the rate of decline in France eased to the weakest in the current eight-month sequence of contraction. However, the continuing slump in new orders to both nations may act as an ongoing headwind in coming months. Output and new orders also declined in both Austria and Greece. Eurozone manufacturers are facing a duel constraint of weak domestic demand and subdued export performance. The final quarter of last year and the start of 2015 have seen some of the weakest gains in new export business* since the recovery in foreign order inflows began in July 2013. Germany, France, Austria and Greece all reported declines in January, almost offsetting the solid gains seen elsewhere.

Eurozone manufacturing employment rose for the fifth successive month in January. The rate of jobs growth was in line with December’s eight-month high, but remained tepid nonetheless. Workforce numbers rose solidly in Spain and Ireland, while
modest gains were signalled in Italy and the Netherlands. Jobs growth eased to near-stagnation in Germany and Greece, while further losses were highlighted in France and Austria.

The recent sharp declines in international oil prices drove average input costs down at the fastest pace for five-and-a-half years. The steepest reductions in purchase prices were signalled in the Netherlands (fastest since May 2009) Germany (fastest since July 2009), Austria and France (steepest in 30 months in both cases).

The trends in average purchase prices in Italy, Spain, Ireland and Greece also moved back into deflationary territory in January, following increases in December. Lower cost pressures were partly reflected in average selling prices, as output charges fell for the fifth month running and to the greatest extent in over one-and-a-half years. However, the rate of decline in selling prices was substantially less marked than that signalled for input costs. None of the nations covered
by the survey reported an increase in selling prices.

Comment:
Chris Williamson, Chief Economist at Markit said: “Eurozone manufacturing showed signs of pulling out of the doldrums at the start of the year, but the rate of expansion remained disappointingly meagre, vindicating the ECB’s decision to take drastic action to revive the economy.

“The ECB’s ‘bazooka’ of full-scale quantitative easing should boost the euro area economy via improved business and consumer confidence and the weakening of the euro. The currency’s fall should benefit exporting manufacture costs also freeing up more consumer income to spend on goods.

“The survey also brought encouraging news that there are pockets of robust growth in Ireland, Spain and the Netherlands.
“However, Germany, France and Italy are more or less stagnating, and the economic situation in Greece has deteriorated, with its manufacturing sector contracting at the fastest rate for over a year as both exports and home demand fell during
January.

“There is also a real possibility that the impact of the ECB stimulus could be compromised by uncertainty and instability arising from the unfolding political situation in Greece, which remains a major risk to the economic outlook for the region.
“Deflationary pressures also intensified, with average prices charged by manufacturers dropping at the fastest rate since mid-2013, falling in all countries, albeit linked mainly to producers often passing on lower oil prices.”

About Markit
Markit is a leading global diversified provider of financial information services. We provide products that enhance transparency, reduce risk and improve operational efficiency. Our customers include banks, hedge funds, asset managers, central banks, regulators, auditors, fund administrators and insurance companies. Founded in 2003, we employ over 3,000 people in 10 countries. Markit shares are listed on NASDAQ under the symbol “MRKT”. For more information, please see www.markit.com.

About PMI
Purchasing Managers’ Index® (PMI®) surveys are now available for 32 countries and also for key regions including the Eurozone. They are the most closely-watched business surveys in the world, favoured by central banks, financial markets and business decision makers for their ability to provide up-to-date, accurate and often unique monthly indicators of economic trends. To learn more go to www.markit.com/economics.

ROLLE, Switzerland, – Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) has signed a Joint Business Development Plan (JBDP) to continue to grow its relationship as an oils and fat supplier for Unilever (NYSE: UN) in Europe, North America and Africa.

The JBDP defines the long-term strategy and goals for the relationship and provides a clear framework for how ADM and Unilever will work together to achieve those objectives. It also sets measurable goals around volume, new product development, growth, innovation and sustainability.

The JDBP will help advance existing cooperation between the two companies, such as the ADM/Unilever Soybean Sustainability Program in the United States, through which ADM sources and processes sustainable soy beans and supplies Unilever with oil for Hellmann’s Mayonnaise; and ADM and Unilever’s partnership with LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) in Europe, which promotes sustainable agricultural practices at the farm level to produce sustainable rapeseed oil for Unilever’s Flora spreads, as well as for Hellmann’s UK. The JDBP will also strengthen ADM’s existing European sustainability initiatives, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, enhancing the company’s supply chain to provide Unilever with more sustainably-produced oils and fats products.

“ADM’s end-to-end value chain allows us control of our product flow in ways that few in the industry can offer,” said Matt Jansen, ADM senior vice president and president, Oilseeds. “Strengthening our existing partnership with Unilever will allow us to build upon those capabilities and leverage our unique supply chain to continue to provide high-quality, sustainable ingredients and innovative solutions to Unilever and their customers.”

“Programs like the ADM/Unilever Soybean Sustainability Program and our joint partnership with LEAF are great examples of how we can creatively work together to deliver unique solutions for sustainable sourcing, and the JBDP will help advance that type of innovation between our companies,” said Amit Mohta, VP Procurement Commodities, Unilever. “We look forward to continuing to grow and expand our partnership with ADM.”

About Unilever
Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries. We work with 174,000 colleagues around the world and generated annual sales of €49.8 billion in 2013. Over half of our company’s footprint is in the faster growing developing and emerging markets (57% in 2013). Working to create a better future every day, we help people feel good, look good and get more out of life. Our portfolio includes some of the world’s best known brands, 14 of which – Knorr, Persil / Omo, Dove, Sunsilk, Hellmann’s, Surf, Lipton, Rexona / Sure, Wall’s ice cream, Lux, Flora / Becel, Rama / Blue Band, Magnum and Axe / Lynx – now generate a turnover of €1 billion or more.

Our ambition is to double the size of our business, whilst reducing our overall environmental footprint (including sourcing, consumer use and disposal) and increasing our positive social impact. We are committed to helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being, sourcing all our agricultural raw materials sustainably by 2020, and decoupling our growth from our environmental impact. Supporting our three big goals, we have defined nine commitments, underpinned by targets encompassing social, environmental and economic areas. See more on the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan at www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/.

Unilever has been ranked number one in their sector in the 2014 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. included in the FTSE4Good Index Series and attained a top environmental score of 5, leading to inclusion in the FTSE4Good Environmental Leaders Europe 40 Index. Unilever has been named sector leader of the CDP’s Forests programme for three consecutive years, and in 2014 led the list of Global Corporate Sustainability Leaders in the GlobeScan/SustainAbility annual survey – for the fourth year running. In 2014 Unilever was named in LinkedIn’s Top 3 most sought-after employers in all sectors for the second year running, and also LinkedIn’s No. 1 most sought-after FMCG employer worldwide.

About ADM
For more than a century, the people of Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) have transformed crops into products that serve the vital needs of a growing world. Today, we’re one of the world’s largest agricultural processors and food ingredient providers, with more than 33,000 employees serving customers in more than 140 countries. With a global value chain that includes more than 470 crop procurement locations, 285 ingredient manufacturing facilities, 40 innovation centers and the world’s premier crop transportation network, we connect the harvest to the home, making products for food, animal feed, chemical and energy uses. Learn more at www.adm.com.

NEW YORK & BESTWIG, Germany—Lightweight, high-performance metals leader Alcoa (NYSE:AA) today announced plans to further expand its global aerospace business through a definitive agreement to acquire privately held TITAL. The acquisition will strengthen Alcoa’s global position to capture increasing demand for advanced jet engine components made of titanium.

Germany-based TITAL is a leader in titanium and aluminum structural castings for aircraft engines and airframes. Its revenues from titanium are expected to increase by 70 percent over the next five years as manufacturers of next-generation jet engines look to titanium solutions for engine structural components. Titanium can withstand extreme high heat and pressure, and is a lighter weight alternative to steel, providing increased energy efficiency and improved performance. These engines are used on large commercial aircraft, including wide- and narrow-body airplanes. Engines for narrow-body aircraft are among the top selling jet engines in the world.

“This acquisition is the next step in building a powerful aerospace growth engine,” said Klaus Kleinfeld, Alcoa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “As a fast-growing innovator, TITAL will increase our share of highly differentiated content on the world’s best-selling jet engines. The company’s talent and customer relationships will boost Alcoa’s expanding global aerospace leadership as we meet the future needs of our customers. We have the highest respect for our future colleagues and look forward to welcoming them wholeheartedly into the global Alcoa family.”

Philipp Schack, CEO of TITAL said, “Alcoa is widely recognized for its innovation and manufacturing expertise, which is fully in line with TITAL’s philosophy. We look forward to joining the Alcoa family, and to combining our world-class technologies and processes. Alcoa was and is our desired partner. We are glad to join this impressive company at an exciting time.”

Transaction benefits

This transaction will further position Alcoa to capitalize on strong growth in the commercial aerospace sector. Alcoa projects a compounded annual commercial jet growth rate of 7 percent through 2019 and sees a current 9-year production order book at 2013 delivery rates. Almost 70 percent of TITAL’s revenues are expected to come from commercial aerospace sales in 2019. In 2013, the company generated revenues of approximately €71 million (US$96 million), more than half of which came from titanium products.

The acquisition will establish titanium casting capabilities in Europe for Alcoa, while expanding its aluminum casting capacity. TITAL’s strong connections to European engine and aircraft manufacturers such as Airbus, SNECMA, and Rolls-Royce, will enhance Alcoa’s customer relationships in the region, and beyond.

TITAL’s engineers are known and highly respected experts in manufacturing advanced, single-piece components, often delivered ready for the customer to install, which lower weight and reduce complexity. These products, such as engine gearboxes, nacelles and fan frames, are used on current and next-generation jet engines and airframes. TITAL will add capabilities in casting titanium airframe structures, such as titanium castings for pylons. Pylons mount engines onto airframes and are a highly-engineered part because they must bear the load of the engine and its thrust.

In addition, TITAL is a leader in process technology. It employs advanced techniques needed to manage titanium’s reactive properties, including cold hearth melting and centrifugal and gravity casting. Its teams also use 3D-printed prototypes, enabling customers to test designs and bring a finished product to market faster.

TITAL employs more than 650 people, primarily in Bestwig, Germany.

The transaction, which has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, remains subject to customary closing conditions and receipt of required regulatory approvals. Alcoa expects to obtain all required regulatory clearances and close the transaction in the first quarter of 2015.

Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Alcoa Aerospace
Alcoa has been aggressively growing its aerospace business as part of the Company’s broader transformation. In November, Alcoa completed the acquisition of global jet engine component leader Firth Rixson, announced in June. This was the first of two announced acquisitions in 2014, including the TITAL transaction. Earlier this year, Alcoa announced investments to expand jet engine parts production in Indiana and Virginia, opened the world’s largest aluminum-lithium facility in Indiana, and in Michigan, plans to expand its coatings capabilities for jet engine components. In addition, the Company announced plans to install advanced aerospace plate manufacturing capabilities in Iowa. It also announced more than $2 billion in supply deals with Boeing and Pratt & Whitney, which included the world’s first forging for an aluminum fan blade for Pratt & Whitney’s PurePower® jet engines. The PurePower engine will be used to power some of the world’s highest volume aircraft, including the next-generation Airbus A320neo.

Alcoa’s aerospace business holds the number one global position in aluminum forgings and extrusions, jet engine airfoils and fastening systems and is a leading supplier of structural castings made of titanium, aluminum and nickel-based superalloys and aluminum sheet and plate. It also holds the number one global position in seamless rolled jet engine rings, engineered from nickel-based superalloys and titanium, and is one of the world’s leading suppliers of vacuum melted superalloys used to make aerospace, industrial gas turbine, oil and gas products and structural components for landing gear applications. It also has entered into a highly specialized segment of jet engine forgings that require isothermal forging technology.

About Alcoa
A global leader in lightweight metals technology, engineering and manufacturing, Alcoa innovates multi-material solutions that advance our world. Our technologies enhance transportation, from automotive and commercial transport to air and space travel, and improve industrial and consumer electronics products. We enable smart buildings, sustainable food and beverage packaging, high-performance defense vehicles across air, land and sea, deeper oil and gas drilling and more efficient power generation. We pioneered the aluminum industry over 125 years ago, and today, our approximately 62,000 people in 30 countries deliver value-add products made of titanium, nickel and aluminum, and produce best-in-class bauxite, alumina and primary aluminum products. For more information, visit www.alcoa.com, follow @Alcoa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Alcoa and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Alcoa.

About TITAL
TITAL supplies industry leading companies around the world primarily in the field of aerospace and defense systems with sophisticated aluminum and titanium investment casting products using the lost wax process. TITAL was founded in 1974 and in 2006 the management took over the company. Today the company employs about 650 people with 2013 revenue of about €71 million or $96 million.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia & NEW YORK- -The Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) and lightweight metals leader Alcoa (NYSE:AA) today announced that the alumina refinery at their joint venture aluminum complex in Saudi Arabia has successfully produced its first alumina from Saudi Arabian bauxite. The alumina refinery at Ras Al Khair is the first ever refinery to be constructed and operated in the region.

The milestone marks the commencement of the final link in the supply chain of this fully integrated aluminum facility. The alumina refinery will refine Saudi Arabian bauxite, supplied from Ma’aden Aluminium’s mine at Al Ba’itha and transported by 600 km rail to Ras Al Khair. The alumina from this refinery will feed into the Ma’aden Aluminium Smelter which produces the aluminum needed for the Ma’aden Aluminium Rolling Mill. This fully integrated chain delivers operational efficiency and creates the most competitive aluminum complex in the world.

Once fully operational the refinery will produce 1.8 million mtpy of alumina. The alumina will be transported by conveyor to the adjacent smelter to produce 740,000 mtpy of high quality aluminum products for customers in the Gulf region and in international markets.

“We are building a minerals and metals industry in Saudi Arabia that maximizes the value of the nation’s mineral resources; contributes to sustainable economic diversification and shareholder value; provides high value job opportunities for Saudis and a reliable supply of quality products to our global customers. This milestone marks a significant moment for our industry in Saudi Arabia and the broader GCC region,” said Khalid Mudaifer, President and CEO of Ma’aden.

“As the lowest cost aluminum complex in the world, the Ma’aden Alcoa joint venture is an important plank of Alcoa’s strategy to create a globally competitive commodity business,” said Klaus Kleinfeld, Alcoa Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “The first alumina milestone is another demonstration of our disciplined execution as we transform Alcoa to create sustainable shareholder value.”

About the Ma’aden Alcoa joint venture
In its initial phases, the joint venture will develop a fully integrated industrial complex which will become the world’s preeminent primary aluminum, alumina and aluminum products, with access and proximity to growing world markets. The complex comprises:

A bauxite mine with an initial capacity of 4,000,000 metric tons per year
An alumina refinery with an initial capacity of 1,800,000 metric tons per year
An aluminum smelter with an initial capacity of 740,000 metric tons per year
The rolling mill, with initial capacity of 380,000 metric tons per year.

About Ma’aden
Ma’aden is a leading mining and metals company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a diverse portfolio of mineral assets at various stages of development including exploration, development and production. Ma’aden has a broad commodity focus spanning gold, phosphate, aluminum, magnesia, low-grade bauxite, industrial minerals, and is continually assessing opportunities to enter into new commodities that demonstrate strong long-term fundamentals and opportunities for growth. Ma’aden’s objective is to become a world class diversified mining and minerals company, and to enhance overall value for its shareholders. Its mission is to be a profitable, publicly owned, international mining company, while maintaining the utmost concern for human resources, health, safety, environmental and social issues. For more information please visit. www.maaden.com.sa.

About Alcoa
A global leader in lightweight metals technology, engineering and manufacturing, Alcoa innovates multi-material solutions that advance our world. Our technologies enhance transportation, from automotive and commercial transport to air and space travel, and improve industrial and consumer electronics products. We enable smart buildings, sustainable food and beverage packaging, high-performance defense vehicles across air, land and sea, deeper oil and gas drilling and more efficient power generation. We pioneered the aluminum industry over 125 years ago, and today, our approximately 62,000 people in 30 countries deliver value-add products made of titanium, nickel and aluminum, and produce best-in-class bauxite, alumina and primary aluminum products. For more information, visit www.alcoa.com, follow @Alcoa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Alcoa and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Alcoa.

London & Rotterdam – Unilever today announced the purchase of the Camay brand globally and the Zest brand outside of North America and the Caribbean from The Procter & Gamble Company. The brands had a turnover of $225 million in the last fiscal year. The transaction, for an undisclosed amount, is expected to close during the first half of 2015 subject to necessary regulatory approvals.

The deal also includes the sale of Procter & Gamble’s bar soap manufacturing facility in Mexico. The plant employs approximately 170 people who will transfer to Unilever at the completion of the deal.

“We are excited about the acquisition of the Zest and Camay brands. They represent an excellent strategic fit for us and will further strengthen our global position in skin cleansing. The brands will benefit from our innovation and R&D capabilities. They will make us one of the market leaders in skin cleansing in Mexico, a priority market for Unilever and one of the largest markets in the world,” said Alan Jope, President of Unilever Personal Care.

Philadelphia, PA – Larger beverage containers have always been popular among consumers in Brazil, where there is a social culture of pouring drinks from shared containers rather than each individual having their own single serving. In recent years, brands have seen the use of multi-serve containers expanding to other occasions, including sporting events and music festivals. To meet the needs of this growing trend in consumption, CROWN Embalagens Metálicas da Amazônia S.A. (Crown Brazil), a joint venture of Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK) (Crown) (www.crowncork.com) and Évora S.A. of Porto Alegre, Brazil, is now offering a 550ml beverage can that drink brands can use to leverage this culture of sharing and engage new consumers.

The new beverage can is already proving very popular. For consumers, the larger volume format allows them to more easily share their favorite beverage with friends and family; while for those who prefer to consume the drink on their own, the container is still easy to hold as it retains the same diameter as a traditional 350ml beverage can. The diameter of the can also benefits brands as well – the standard size enables it to be paired with Crown’s full range of beverage ends and allows drink manufacturers to serve the needs of a broader consumer base without requiring any investment in new filling and seaming equipment.

“Crown is a leader in the market when it comes to anticipating new trends and meeting changing consumer preferences for new beverage can formats,” states Djalma Novaes, President of CROWN Embalagens Metálicas da Amazônia S.A. “The 550ml can size is a perfect example of how we were able to partner with brands to bring innovative new options to the Brazilian market.”

Since standard ends are compatible with the 550ml can, brands can choose to use regular ends or employ more innovative solutions, such as Crown’s SuperEnd® beverage end, which reduces metal use by 10%, or the company’s groundbreaking 360 End™, which allows the entire lid of the can to be removed, turning it into a drinking cup. Additional decoration, such as coloring or laser etching, can also be applied to the can tabs themselves, offering unique design options for brands seeking to engage consumers with special promotions or targeted messaging.

With the recent opening of a third beverage can line in Cabreúva, Crown Brazil now produces the 550ml format in three of its four can production plants across the country. In addition to the new size, Crown Brazil also manufactures 269ml, 310ml, 355ml and 425ml sleek style cans as well as standard 350ml and 473ml cans, offering a total of seven different sizes to beverage brands in Brazil.

About Crown Holdings, Inc.
Crown Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading supplier of packaging products to consumer marketing companies around the world. World headquarters are located in Philadelphia, PA. For more information, visit www.crowncork.com.

For more information, contact:

In South America: Djalma Novaes, President, CROWN Embalagens Metálicas da Amazônia S.A.; Tel: 55 11 4529 1006; Email: djalma.novaes@crowncork.com.br

In the United States: Ron Skotleski, Director of Marketing; Tel: 1 (215) 718-1303 Email: ron.skotleski@crowncork.com

In Europe: Caroline Archer, Marketing & Key Account Director; Tel: 33 1 49 18 40 43; Email: caroline.archer@eur.crowncork.com

In Asia: Janet Swee, CROWN Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd; Tel: 65 6229-4829; Email: Janet.SWEE@crowncork.com.sg

DES PLAINES, Ill., — UOP LLC, a Honeywell (NYSE: HON) company, announced today that UOP C3 Oleflex™ process technology started up and has been successfully operating in Russia, producing high-quality propylene to help meet the global supply shortage of the valuable plastics building block.

Russia’s OOO Tobolsk-Polymer facility, which became the largest Oleflex production unit in the world, is meeting design capacity of 510,000 metric tons annually (MTA) of propylene at its facility in Western Siberia.

“Petrochemical makers are installing additional propylene capacity to meet growing demand and to make up for the shortage of propylene production from traditional refining and petrochemical sources,” said Pete Piotrowski, senior vice president and general manager of UOP’s Process Technology and Equipment business unit. “Oleflex has been a leading technology for converting propane to propylene for more than 20 years, and the start-up of the first Oleflex unit in Russia demonstrates both the need for more propylene capacity in the country, as well as the value of the technology.”

Global propylene demand is growing at about 4 to 5 percent per year. Russia is expected to be a large contributor to propylene production due to the country’s diversification into the petrochemicals sector, which has seen substantial investment in the polyethylene and polypropylene industries, according to GlobalData.

“We licensed UOP Oleflex technology because it perfectly fits our feedstock profile, it is in line with our strategic goals to invest in propylene derivatives, particularly in polypropylene, and because Oleflex is more competitive than most other technologies available on the market,” said Sergey Komyshan, SIBUR’s Managing Director – Head of Basic Polymers Division. “We are one of the region’s largest polypropylene producers, and are in the top quartile of the most efficient polypropylene production facilities globally in terms of cash costs. UOP Oleflex technology is well-aligned with our goals to sustain continued growth and market success.”

The C3 Oleflex process uses catalytic dehydrogenation to convert propane to propylene. Compared with competing processes, UOP’s C3 Oleflex technology provides the lowest cash cost of production, the highest return on investment and the smallest environmental footprint. This superior performance is characterized by low capital cost, high propylene yields, low energy and water consumption, and use of a fully recyclable platinum alumina-based catalyst system. In addition to the C3 Oleflex process, UOP also licenses its C4 Oleflex technology, a butane dehydrogenation process to convert isobutane to isobutylene.

OOO Tobolsk-Polymer, a subsidiary of SIBUR Holding JSC, produces a wide range of high-quality polypropylene used to manufacture goods in Russia and abroad. The facility is located in Tobolsk in the Tymen region of Russia.

UOP LLC (www.uop.com) is a leading international supplier and licensor of process technology, catalysts, adsorbents, equipment, and consulting services to the petroleum refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries. UOP is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, Inc. and is part of Honeywell’s Performance Materials and Technologies strategic business group, which also includes Honeywell Process Solutions, a pioneer in automation control, instrumentation and services for the oil and gas, refining, petrochemical, chemical and other industries.

Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.

At a meeting of the President’s Export Council (PEC), President Obama will announce nearly $400 million to help improve the competitiveness of American businesses and workers by spurring new manufacturing innovations and giving America workers additional opportunities to improve and expand their skill sets for middleclass jobs.

To help support new advancements in manufacturing, the President will announce more than $290 million in public-private investment for two new Manufacturing Innovation Hub Competitions. Today’s announcement fulfills the President’s 2014 State of the Union pledge to launch four new institutes this year, for a total of eight institutes launched so far, and puts the Administration past the halfway mark on the President’s original goal of creating 15 manufacturing innovation institutes supported through executive action.

In addition, the President will announce $100 million to expand apprenticeships for American workers – a proven training strategy for workers to learn the skills that employers need for American businesses to grow and thrive in a competitive global environment. Apprenticeships are also a path to the middle class – 87 percent of apprentices are employed after completing their programs and the average starting wage for apprenticeship graduates is over $50,000.

During today’s meeting, President Obama will also highlight the continued need to reform and simplify our tax code and the importance of opening up new markets abroad for American-made goods and services through tough, fair new trade agreements.

The PEC, chaired by Jim McNerney, President and CEO of Boeing and vice-chaired by Ursula Burns, Chairman and CEO of the Xerox Corporation, is the principal national advisory committee for exporting. The Council advises the President on government policies and programs that affect U.S. trade performance; promotes export expansion; and provides a forum for discussing and resolving trade-related problems among the business, industrial, agricultural, labor, and government sectors.

New Actions to Grow America’s Competitiveness for Jobs, Exports, and Investment

Announcing More Than $290 Million in Public-Private Investment Through Two New Manufacturing Innovation Hub Competitions: President Obama will launch two new competitions for manufacturing innovation institutes today—one in smart manufacturing at the Department of Energy and one in flexible hybrid electronics at the Department of Defense. Each institute will receive $70 million or more of federal investment to be matched by at least $70 million from the private sector for a total of more than $290 million in new investment.

Launching the $100 Million American Apprenticeship Grants Competition: The President will also announce that the Department of Labor is opening a competition to spur partnerships between employers, labor, training providers, and local governments to expand apprenticeships into high-growth fields like advanced manufacturing and healthcare and scale models that work. Apprenticeships are a proven path to the middle-class, as 87 percent of apprentices are employed after completing their programs with an average starting wage of over $50,000.

Exports Power American Jobs and Growth

Our long-term competitiveness for jobs, exports, and investment depends on America’s ability to lead on the cutting-edge of technology and on the skills and talent of America’s workers. Last year, the United States exported $2.3 trillion dollars of goods and services, an all-time high, and today, exports support more than 11 million American jobs across 300,000 businesses. Manufacturing, in particular, is the engine behind our exports and innovation – contributing the majority of the nation’s exports and nearly three-quarters of its private-sector R&D. And American manufacturing is more competitive than it has been in decades, growing nearly twice as fast as the economy overall and adding 764,000 jobs since February 2010. At the same time, businesses looking to move production to the United States consistently cite the skills of America’s workers, the most productive workforce in the world, as the reason for rooting jobs and investment here. Today’s announcements build on that competitive strength by investing in manufacturing innovation and upgrading the skills of American workers through the proven model of apprenticeships.

Two New Manufacturing Innovation Institute Competitions:

Manufacturing institutes serve as a regional hub, bridging the gap between applied research and product development by bringing together companies, universities and other academic and training institutions, and Federal agencies to co-invest in key technology areas that encourage investment and production in the U.S. This type of “teaching factory” provides a unique opportunity for education and training of students and workers at all levels, while providing the shared assets to help small manufacturers and other companies access the cutting-edge capabilities and equipment to design, test, and pilot new products and manufacturing processes.

Department of Defense-led Flexible Hybrid Electronics Manufacturing Innovation Institute

The Department of Defense will lead a competition for a new public-private manufacturing innovation institute in flexible hybrid electronics, combining $75 million of federal investment with $75 million or more of private investment. The modern world is filled with electronics: computers, cell phones, sensors, and literally trillions of small devices that make American lives better, if somewhat busier. The vast majority of these electronic devices are made up of boxy, rigid circuit boards. But in the world around us, most things are not flat or boxy; our bodies, the environment, the vehicles that transport us all tend to reflect an organically derived shape with plenty of curves and flexibility. Flexible hybrid electronics combine advanced materials that flex with thinned silicon chips to produce the next generation of electronic products seamlessly integrated into the things around us. These include items as diverse as comfortable, wireless medical monitors, stretchable electronics for robotics and vehicles, and smart bridges capable of alerting engineers at the first signs of trouble. For the nation’s warfighters, these new technologies will make lifesaving advances and improve mission effectiveness. For example, intelligent bandages and smart clothing will alert soldiers to first signs of injury or exhaustion; structural integrity sensors will offer real-time damage assessment for helicopters or aircraft after engagement; and small, unattended sensors will give soldiers greater situational awareness.

Department of Energy-led Smart Manufacturing Innovation Institute

A third of the nation’s energy consumption goes into manufacturing. New smart manufacturing technologies – including advanced sensors and sophisticated process controls – can dramatically improve energy efficiency in manufacturing, saving manufacturers costs and conserving the nation’s energy. The Department of Energy will lead a competition for a new public-private manufacturing innovation institute focused on smart manufacturing, including advanced sensors, control, platforms, and models for manufacturing. By combining manufacturing, digital, and energy efficiency expertise, technologies developed by the institute will give American manufacturers unprecedented, real-time control of energy use across factories and companies to increase productivity and save on energy costs. For energy intensive industries – like chemical production, solar cell manufacturing, and steelmaking – these technologies can shave 10-20% off the cost of production. The new institute will receive a federal investment of $70 million that will be matched by at least $70 million in private investments and represents a critical step in the Administration’s effort to double U.S. energy efficiency by 2030.

Interested applicants can find more information on the manufacturing innovation institute competitions at Manufacturing.gov

$100 Million American Apprenticeship Grants Competition:

Today, in conjunction with the launch of the American Apprenticeships Grants competition, Secretary of Labor Tom Perez will preside over a graduation at the Urban Technology Project, an apprenticeship program in Philadelphia, PA, whose graduates learn IT skills for careers as computer support specialists. The Department of Labor competition will use $100 million or more of H-1B funds to award approximately 25 grants to partnerships between employers, labor organizations, training providers, community colleges, local and state governments, the workforce system, non-profits and faith-based organizations that:

Launch apprenticeship models in new, high-growth fields: Many fast-growing occupations and industries with open positions such as in information technology, high-tech services, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing need the high-quality, on-the-job training provided in an apprenticeship to meet their workforce needs.

Align apprenticeships to pathways for further learning and career advancement: Apprenticeships that embed industry-recognized skills certifications or reward workplace learning with college credit provide an affordable educational pathway for those who need to earn while they learn, and apprenticeships linked to pre-apprenticeship programs can help more Americans access this training and get on an early pathway to a good career.

Scale apprenticeship models that work: Across the country, there are pockets of excellence in apprenticeship, but all too often these successful models are unknown in other regions or to other employers. These grants will build from strength and invest in innovations and strategies to scale apprenticeships – including to market the value of apprenticeships, make them more attractive to women and other Americans who have been underrepresented, increase the return on investment for workers and, or build national and regional partnerships to expand apprenticeships.

Interested applicants can find more information on the American Apprenticeship Grants Competition, resources for launching new registered apprenticeships, and a toolkit on federal funds for apprenticeship at http://www.dol.gov/apprenticeship. To access more information about the competition – please see the Grants.gov application page.

In addition, Skills for America’s Future is launching an online collaboration space for apprenticeship providers and foundation funders to connect. And the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Steering Committee, building on new apprenticeship programs launched by Dow, Siemens, and Alcoa, is launching a ‘How-to’ toolkit to help other employers launch apprenticeships.

WILMINGTON, Del., – Today, DuPont Performance Polymers and DENKA (Denki Kagaku Kogyo K.K. TSE:4061) announced they have signed a definitive agreement to sell DuPont™ Neoprene polychloroprene to Denka Performance Elastomer LLC, a new joint venture company owned 70 percent by DENKA and 30 percent by Mitsui (Mitsui & Co., Ltd. TSE:8031). The sale is expected to close in the first half of 2015 pending receipt of customary regulatory approvals. Financial terms of the deal are not being disclosed.

Neoprene, invented by DuPont in 1931, is a synthetic rubber used for many chemical and weather-resistant products such as wet suits and orthopedic braces. It also is used as a base resin in adhesives, electrical insulation and coatings. DuPont is a leading producer of Neoprene polychloroprene in North America through manufacturing operations at its Pontchartrain Works site in La Place, La. Approximately 235 employees in the United States will be included in the transaction.

“Neoprene has been an important product line within DuPont Performance Polymers and we believe it will truly thrive as part of the Denka Performance Elastomer portfolio,” said Patrick E. Lindner, president of DuPont Performance Polymers. “This agreement further enables the DuPont Performance Polymers business to focus on innovative new offerings that drive profitable growth both today and over the long term.”

“We are excited to welcome Neoprene and the employees who manage this product,” said Shinsuke Yoshitaka, DENKA president & CEO. “Chloroprene rubber is our core business and the acquisition from DuPont will largely contribute to our further sustainable growth. Also, DENKA can establish a flexible supply structure with high-quality products. Furthermore, we expect to enjoy synergies with our Research & Development and technical services, which are our strengths. I believe that these positive effects will enable us to serve the market and the customers much better.”

DENKA was founded in 1915 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. DENKA manufactures and distributes a wide range of chemical products, encompassing organic and inorganic materials, polymer processing, electronic materials and pharmaceuticals. Since 1962, DENKA has been manufacturing polychloroprene in its plant in Omi, Japan, using the acetylene method of polychloroprene production.

DuPont has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit www.dupont.com.

CHICAGO — GE Capital, Rail Services announced today it is delivering 875 tank cars that meet the 2015 Safety Appliance Standard to customers. GE Capital is one of the first lessors to offer tank cars that comply with the Association of American Railroads (AAR) Safety Appliance Standard S-2044 that was adopted by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) in February. All railcars manufactured after January 2015 will be required to meet this new standard.

The new Safety Appliance Standard, which includes improvements to handholds, ladder treads, sill steps and running boards, is used by railroad personnel and shippers during operations and varies by car type. The new standard is intended to make railroad procedures such as operating hand brakes and switching operations safer for employees performing these functions.

“The changes in the safety appliance standards will positively impact the industry overall,” said Joe Lattanzio, president and CEO of GE Capital, Rail Services. “Worker safety is always a top priority for all of us in the rail industry. We knew our customers would want cars with the new safety appliance standards as soon as possible.”

Gerald Chalko, senior engineer for GE Capital, Rail Services, was part of the task force that the AAR and the FRA formed to establish the new Safety Appliance Standard. ”These new standards have improved ergonomics that help to address worker safety concerns by providing more natural and stable positions for personnel,” said Chalko.

About GE Capital, Rail Services
GE Capital, Rail Services provides specialty financing with deep rail industry experience and a highly diversified equipment portfolio. A leader in the industry with over 100 years of experience, Rail Services offers a variety of railcars as well as repair and maintenance services throughout North America. For more information, visit www.gecapitalrail.com or follow us on Twitter@Rail_GECapital.

OMAHA, NE — Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A; BRK.B) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Procter and Gamble (“P&G”) whereby it will acquire the Duracell battery business from Procter & Gamble (“P&G”). Pursuant to the agreement, in exchange
for a recapitalized Duracell Company, which will include approximately $1.7 billion in cash at closing, P&G will receive shares of P&G’s common stock currently held by Berkshire Hathaway having a current value of approximately $4.7 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the
second half of 2015 and is subject to obtaining various regulatory approvals as well as certain other customary closing conditions.

“I have always been impressed by Duracell, as a consumer and as a long-term investor in P&G and Gillette,” commented Warren E. Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway chief executive officer. “Duracell is a leading global brand with top quality products, and it will fit well within Berkshire Hathaway.”

“We thank the Duracell employees for their many contributions to the business. They’ve made Duracell the global market leader in the battery category,” said A.G. Lafley, P&G chief executive officer. “I’m confident this new ownership structure will provide strong support for Duracell’s
future growth plans.”

About Berkshire
Berkshire Hathaway and its subsidiaries engage in diverse business activities including property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, utilities and energy, freight rail transportation, finance, manufacturing, retailing and services. Common stock of the company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading symbols BRK.A and BRK.B.

BRISTOL, UK, – DuPont Microcircuit Materials (DuPont) will present initial research findings about new screen printable nano-silver conductor ink developments for grids and bus lines in Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) lighting and other printed electronics applications at the ID Tech-Ex Printed Electronics Europe Conference in Berlin, Germany, from April 1-2. DuPont anticipates that, once commercialized, the new conductor materials will help enable a simpler OLED manufacturing process and provide less expensive alternatives to materials currently used, consistent with the business’ aim to expand its suite of advanced materials for printed electronics.

“We believe that advanced technology like our promising new nano-silver conductor ink developments will help enable progress in high value, rapidly growing technologies like OLED lighting,” said Kerry Adams, European marketing manager, DuPont Microcircuit Materials. “We are very excited to share our research findings and gather important feedback from industry leaders as we continue our development efforts toward commercial products.”

DuPont anticipates that new nano-silver conductor ink materials, will be commercially available next year and that these materials will be able to provide a combination of extremely high conductivity and excellent adhesion even after substrate cleaning steps. In addition it is expected that these new inks would help enable the combination of low print thickness and smooth sintered surface necessary for OLED and optoelectronic applications where deposition of subsequent layers is required. The anticipated products are currently intended for use on glass and higher performance flexible polymer substrates such as DuPont™ Kapton® polyimide films and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN). However, it is expected that second generation versions in development would be suitable for flexible OLED lighting panels constructed on lower cost substrates such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

Research findings will be presented by Dave Hui, product development scientist, DuPont Microcircuit Materials, on April 2 as part of the conference session titled, “Nano-Ag Conductors for OLEDs and other Printed Electronics Applications.”

DuPont also will exhibit at stand C02 its broad and growing array of materials for printed electronics applications including its recently expanded suite of low silver, conductive inks specifically tailored for membrane touch switch (MTS), radio-frequency identification (RFID), and wearable electronic applications. Designed to balance conductivity needs with cost concerns, the DuPont PE8XX materials leverage proprietary DuPont technology in order to deliver higher conductivity from precious metals.

DuPont Microcircuit Materials (MCM) has over 40 years of experience in the development, manufacture, sale and support of specialized thick film compositions for a variety of electronic applications in the automotive, display, photovoltaic, biomedical, industrial, military and telecommunications markets. For more information on DuPont Microcircuit Materials, visit http://mcm.dupont.com.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit http://www.dupont.com.

LUFKIN, TEXAS, — Seeking to improve and sustain its manufacturing capabilities to meet the growing demand for oil and gas production and power transmission equipment, GE Oil & Gas (NYSE: GE) today announced it plans to invest $60 million in expanding and modernizing its foundry operations in Lufkin, Texas. The Lufkin foundry produces industry-leading iron castings used to make renowned Lufkin beam pumping units and Lufkin power transmission equipment.

GE plans to demolish 30,000 square feet of its existing 515,000-square-foot facility and construct 72,000 square feet of new buildings. The company also plans to refurbish the remaining facilities at the site in Angelina County.

The facility upgrades will create a simplified production process flow, improve employee working conditions and provide GE’s customers with improved quality and delivery schedules.

The Lufkin foundry originally began operating in 1902. While there have been various upgrades to the foundry throughout its history, this proposed investment would infuse the site with modern technology and practices to reduce emissions and boost production efficiency in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

“We chose to invest in modernizing and improving our existing foundry because of the rich history and dedicated, skilled workforce associated with the Lufkin operation here in Texas,” said Jerome Luciat-Labry, president of Well Performance Services for GE Oil & Gas. “The goal is to make the facility as efficient as possible and help strengthen the competitive position of our business around the world. We are excited about continuing to support manufacturing jobs in the United States and especially here in Angelina County where Lufkin Industries began.”

“By having its own foundry, GE Oil & Gas has a strategically integrated supply chain that allows the company to more rapidly meet the needs of its customers, particularly in the fast-growing unconventional oil and gas sector,” said Luciat-Labry.

Design work for the project is expected to begin in 2014. As currently proposed and pending government approvals and permits, construction would be carried out in four phases commencing in 2016. Under that schedule, construction is expected to be complete in about three years.

The foundry manufactures gray and ductile iron castings, producing an estimated 72,000 tons of products each year. About 87 percent of the foundry’s products are used to supply GE’s own Lufkin factories while the remainder is sold externally to other customers.

The modernization of the Lufkin facility is expected to keep the foundry operating for generations to come and continue to provide jobs in the local economy.

GE’s planned $60 million investment reflects the company’s continued commitment to the Lufkin business and community. These renovations will not only improve safety and efficiency, but also will allow the foundry to continue operating for the foreseeable future.

In 2013, GE announced it completed its acquisition of Lufkin Industries for approximately $3.3 billion. The move broadened GE Oil & Gas’ artificial lift capabilities with solutions for a wider variety of well types and technology for production automation and optimization in the drilling industry. GE has invested more than $85 million in the Lufkin business globally since the acquisition.

About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ge.com.

About GE Oil & Gas
GE Oil & Gas works on the things that matter in the oil and gas industry. In collaboration with our customers, we push the boundaries of technology to bring energy to the world. From extraction to transportation to end use, we address today’s toughest challenges in order to fuel the future. Follow GE Oil & Gas on Twitter @GE_OilandGas.

U.S. manufacturing is central to the foundation of our economy, and the U.S. manufacturing sector is as competitive as it has been in decades for new jobs and investment. Since February 2010, U.S. manufacturing has added more than 700,000 jobs, the fastest pace of job growth since the 1990s.

Today, to continue to build on this momentum, the President will unveil new executive actions to strengthen U.S. advanced manufacturing, spur innovation, and continue to take steps to make the U.S. a magnet for new jobs and investment. At an event this afternoon, the President will thank the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP) Steering Committee, a working group of the President’s Council of Advisors in Science and Technology, for their efforts to develop advanced manufacturing across the U.S. The final AMP, Accelerating U.S. Advanced Manufacturing, is now available.

In response to an earlier report of the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, which began in June 2011, the President has already launched four manufacturing innovation institutes with four more on the way; invested nearly $1 billion to upgrade our community colleges to train workers for advanced manufacturing jobs; expanded investments in applied research for emerging, cross-cutting manufacturing technologies; and launched a new initiative to deploy the talent of returning veterans to in-demand jobs, including in advanced manufacturing.

The final AMP report makes recommendations addressing three key pillars that support American manufacturing: 1) enabling innovation, 2) securing the talent pipeline, and 3) improving the business climate. The executive actions announced today align with the report’s recommendations by making investments in emerging, cross-cutting manufacturing technologies, training our workforce with the skills for middle-class jobs in manufacturing, and equipping small manufacturers to adopt cutting-edge technologies.

New Executive Actions to Strengthen Advanced Manufacturing in America

Enabling Innovation:

Investing More than $300 Million in Emerging Manufacturing Technologies Critical for U.S. Competitiveness: The Departments of Defense, Energy, Agriculture and NASA are announcing more than $300 million in investments in three technologies the AMP identified as critical to U.S. competitiveness: advanced materials including composites and bio-based materials, advanced sensors for manufacturing, and digital manufacturing.

Spurring Innovation by Providing Manufacturers Access to New and Expanded State-of-the-art Facilities like those at our National labs: The National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, and NASA are taking steps to connect industry and universities on research and development and develop ‘technology testbeds’ within Federal research facilities where companies can design, prototype, and test a new product or process.

Securing the Talent Pipeline:

Expanding Effective Workforce Development Strategies through the $100 Million American Apprenticeships grant competition: This fall, the Department of Labor will launch a $100 Million American Apprenticeships Grant Competition to spur new apprenticeship models and scale effective ones in high-growth fields like advanced manufacturing. AMP members Dow, Alcoa, and Siemens have launched apprenticeship pilots and a “how-to” guide for other employers looking to use apprenticeship as a proven training strategy.

Improving the Business Climate:

Launching New Tools and a Five-Year Initial Investment to Support Innovative Small Manufacturers in the Supply Chain: Given the innovation gap faced by small manufacturers, the Department of Commerce’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which serves over 30,000 U.S. manufacturers each year, will build new capabilities at its state-based centers and pilot a competition for $130M over five years across ten states to help small manufacturers adopt new technologies and bring new products to market.

Background on New Executive Actions to Strengthen American Manufacturing Enabling Innovation

Investing Over $300 Million in Emerging Manufacturing Technologies Critical for Sustaining U.S. Competitiveness: The Departments of Defense, Energy, and Agriculture and NASA are committing to invest over $300 million in three emerging manufacturing technologies including advanced materials like composites and bio-based materials, advanced sensors, and digital manufacturing. In its recommendations, the AMP report identified these technologies as critical for lasting U.S. competitiveness in advanced manufacturing. The Administration’s research investments, matched by private sector efforts and resources, will drive advances in manufacturing high-tech materials, like new steel alloys that are twice as strong and lighter than today, new processes to eliminate reliance on foreign supplies of critical materials, cut the time to test and prototype a design by half, and replace chemicals made using oil with those made from plants harvested on American farms.

Spurring Manufacturing Innovation by Reinforcing New Partnerships between Manufacturers and Universities, National Labs, and Manufacturing Centers of Excellence: The National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy (DOE), and NASA will take new steps to support science and research capabilities that strengthen U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.

NSF will establish up to two new manufacturing centers of excellence in basic research, bringing together universities and industry to partner at the earliest stages of the manufacturing technology pipeline with a particular focus on advanced sensors for manufacturing and digital manufacturing, through its Industry and University Cooperative Research Center Program (IUCRC).
DOE will expand its efforts to provide small manufacturers with access to cutting-edge tools for technology demonstration by reaching more companies through new or expanded “technology testbeds.” An existing model for these efforts is the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility located at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, which has helped close to 150 small businesses access cutting edge manufacturing technologies and research this year alone.
NASA is expanding its efforts to engage industry and academia on advanced manufacturing topics central to the nation’s space mission through its National Center of Advanced Manufacturing, with a particular focus on manufacturing technologies that reduce the weight of materials during space flight.
Securing the Talent Pipeline

Expanding Effective Workforce Development Strategies through the $100 Million American Apprenticeships Grant Competition: AMP has highlighted apprenticeships as a highly effective strategy for manufacturing workforce development. This fall, the Department of Labor will launch a $100 Million American Apprenticeships Grant Competition to launch new apprenticeship models in high-growth fields like advanced manufacturing, align apprenticeships with pathways for further learning and career advancement, and scale apprenticeship models that work. Industry is already leading the way in exploring new models, and Dow, Alcoa, and Siemens have launched new apprenticeship pilots and developed a “how-to” guide for other employers looking to use apprenticeship as a proven training strategy.
Communicating the Value of Careers in Manufacturing to America’s Youth: This year‘s National Manufacturing Day, hosted by the Department of Commerce Manufacturing Extension Partnership and leading manufacturing industry associations, attracted more than 50,000 visitors to over 1,600 factories across the country to teach America’s youth about the good career opportunities in manufacturing, double the number of events in previous years. Next year, the Department of Commerce and its partners plan to further expand the number of Manufacturing Day events across the country and the number of people participating in Manufacturing Day. In addition, the Department of Education has begun developing a national campaign to promote the value of career and technical education. The campaign will inform educators, students, and their families of the value of promising careers and education pathways in technical fields, like advanced manufacturing.
Improving the Business Climate

Launching New Tools and a Five-Year Initial Investment to Support Innovative Small Manufacturers in the Supply Chain: The National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST MEP), using its network of more than 50 centers and relationships with over 30,000 small manufacturers each year, will deploy new tools to help small manufacturers access advanced technologies, new markets, and growth capital. As part of a national Supply Chain Innovation initiative, these tools will help connect small manufacturers with testbeds housed at national research facilities to test new technologies, helping small manufacturers bring to market novel products and processes. In addition, NIST MEP is committed to providing greater flexibility and funding to its national network of locally-based centers, to allow them to use these new tools and others to better assist small firms in adopting new technologies and innovations. As an initial investment, NIST MEP is launching a $130 million pilot competition in ten states to give centers the flexibility to adopt supply chain innovation tools and build enhanced capabilities over five years.
Building on Progress: The Administration’s Investments to Increase U.S. Competitiveness in Advanced Manufacturing

The Obama Administration has continued to make investments that directly support innovations in manufacturing, and we’ve made significant progress to date, supported by our ongoing work with AMP, making good on the President’s commitment in 2011 when he launched the AMP to create new partnerships between industry, academia, and government to spur U.S. advanced manufacturing competitiveness, including:

Reaching the halfway mark on the President’s original goal of 15 manufacturing institutes in the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation with more than $1 billion in Public-Private Investment to date supporting four manufacturing institutes open today and four more on the way.
Deploying nearly $1 billion to strengthen manufacturing curriculum at community colleges across the country to train America’s workforce through the TAA-CCCT fund, led by the Departments of Labor and Education.
Increasing Federal investments in advanced manufacturing research and development to nearly $2 billion supporting investments in major developments in advanced manufacturing, up over 34 percent from $1.4 billion in 2011.
Investing in energy efficiency to lower costs for manufacturers so that American manufactures have the opportunity and the imperative to lock in a competitive advantage in energy costs by implementing energy-saving technologies and practices.
The White House and the Department of Commerce recently released a Digital Tour of American Manufacturing, highlighting how our manufacturing sector is central to making America a magnet for good, middle-class jobs and for generating durable economic growth, both today and tomorrow.

Advanced Manufacturing Partnership Final Report

Beginning in October 2013, the AMP Steering Committee “2.0” – a council of 19 leading CEOs, labor leaders, and university presidents co-chaired by Andrew Liveris, CEO of Dow, and Dr. Rafael Reif, President of MIT – began working with the recognition that industry, academia, and government must work in partnership to revitalize our manufacturing sector. The AMP Steering Committee is a working group of the President’s Council of Advisers of Science and Technology (PCAST) and was initially launched in June 2011. The initial findings and recommendations in the AMP “1.0” report released in July 2012 have already spurred action by both the Administration and by the manufacturing community.

Over the past year, the AMP Steering Committee has harnessed the energies and expertise of over 100 manufacturing industry and academic experts to identify opportunities and policies to strengthen U.S. advanced manufacturing. The final Advanced Manufacturing Partnership report released today, Accelerating U.S. Advanced Manufacturing, AMP makes recommendations addressing three key pillars:

Enabling Innovation – Recognizing that leadership in emerging technologies anchors advanced manufacturing in the U.S. ,AMP endorses increased technology coordination and investments in three priority technology areas – advanced materials, advanced sensors for manufacturing, and digital manufacturing – calling. The report s for a full pipeline approach spanning centers of excellence in basic manufacturing research, the continued creation of the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation for final mile development of advanced technologies, and technology testbeds to spur the adoption of these technologies on factory floors.
Securing the Talent Pipeline – Manufacturers continue to need highly-skilled workers to fill open jobs on factory floors. AMP, building on its playbooks for employers and colleges to replicate proven training models, like apprenticeship, calls for further investments in the creation of a national industry-recognized, competency-based system of workforce development. And, to change the image of manufacturing, a national effort to communicate the value of careers in manufacturing to the nation’s youth.
Improving the Business Climate – For the U.S. to compete in manufacturing, we must build the environment for main street and start-up manufacturers to scale and grow. AMP calls for building new intermediary services to help small manufacturers adopt new technologies and expand into new markets and calls for a public-private investment fund to help high tech manufacturing start-ups scale from pilots and prototypes into full scale U.S. commercial production, ensuring what is invented here can be made here.
The final Advanced Manufacturing Partnership report released, Accelerating U.S. Advanced Manufacturing, is attached.

Chaired by Andrew Liveris, President, Chairman, and CEO of the Dow Chemical Company, and Rafael Reif, President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the AMP Steering Committee includes:

Wes Bush, Chairman, CEO and President, Northrop Grumman Corp.
Mark Schlissel, President, The University of Michigan
David Cote, Chairman and CEO, Honeywell
Nicholas Dirks, Chancellor, University of California, Berkeley
Kenneth Ender, President, Harper College
Leo Gerard, International President, United Steelworkers
Hon. Shirley Ann Jackson, President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Eric Kelly, President and CEO, Overland Storage
Klaus Kleinfeld, Chairman and CEO, Alcoa Inc.
Andrew Liveris, President, Chairman, and CEO, The Dow Chemical Company
Ajit Manocha, Senior Advisor, GLOBALFOUNDRIES
Douglas Oberhelman, Chairman and CEO, Caterpillar Inc.
Annette Parker, President, South Central College
G.P. “Bud” Peterson, President, Georgia Tech
Luis Proenza, President, The University of Akron
Rafael Reif, President, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Eric Spiegel, President and CEO, Siemens Corp.
Mike Splinter, Executive Chairman of the Board, Applied Materials Inc.
Christie Wong Barrett, CEO, Mac Arthur Corp.
For more information about the Advanced Manufacturing Partnership, please visit: http://www.manufacturing.gov/amp.html

CINCINNATI—The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) today expanded its sustainability goals to continue creating value with consumer-preferred brands and products while conserving resources, protecting the environment, and improving social conditions for those who need it most.

“We continue to improve the environmental sustainability of our products across all aspects of their life cycle – from manufacturing, packaging and delivery through consumer use,” said Martin Riant, P&G Executive Sponsor of Sustainability and Group President, Global Baby and Feminine & Family Care. “We are reducing the environmental footprint of our products for shoppers, our communities and the Company while still delivering the quality and performance people expect from P&G products.”

P&G is guided by 12 established Environmental Sustainability Goals toward its vision of 100% renewable energy use, 100% renewable or recycled materials for all products and packaging, and zero consumer and manufacturing waste going to landfills. Since establishing its goals in 2010, P&G has made considerable progress. There now are 70 zero-waste manufacturing sites; energy consumption, water use, C02 emissions, and truck transportation are all down significantly; use of renewable energy and the number of virgin-materials certifications are up substantially. P&G also has expanded its social sustainability work, touching and improving the lives of more than 50 million people each year through disaster relief and programs such as Children’s Safe Drinking Water and the Pampers UNICEF partnership.

Today, P&G added new goals for 2020, with emphasis on water conservation and product packaging.

Water conservation has been a long-standing P&G priority. Between 2002 and 2012, the Company reduced water use at its manufacturing plants by more than 70% per unit of production. It now is expanding its commitments to include:

Reducing water used in its manufacturing facilities by an added 20% per unit of production, with a specific focus on conservation efforts at facilities located in water-stressed regions,
Providing one billion people access to water-efficient products.
Packaging sustainability is another key priority for P&G. The Company is on track to reduce packaging by 20% per unit of production by 2020. Given this progress, P&G is raising the bar, committing to:

Doubling the use of recycled resin in plastic packaging,
Ensuring 90% of its product packaging is recyclable or that programs are in place to create the ability to recycle it.
In addition to these two expanded goals, P&G is working across its supply chain to develop the capability by 2020 to replace top petroleum-derived raw materials with renewable materials, as cost and scale permit.

“We’re committed to grow P&G’s business responsibly,” Riant said. “We want to create industry-leading value for consumers and shareholders while conserving resources, protecting the environment, and improving quality of life for those who need it most. P&G’s growth objectives and sustainability goals are mutually interdependent.”

About Procter & Gamble
P&G serves nearly five billion people around the world with its brands. The Company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Duracell®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, Wella® and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

To learn more about P&G’s Sustainability Goals click here: P&G Sustainability.

Philadelphia, PA – Crown Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CCK), a global leader in consumer packaging, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire EMPAQUE, a leading Mexican manufacturer of aluminum cans and ends, bottle caps and glass bottles for the beverage industry, from Heineken N.V., in a cash transaction valued at $1.225 billion, subject to adjustment. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including competition authority approval, and is expected to close by year end 2014 and contribute between $0.15 and $0.20 per share to Crown’s 2015 earnings before synergies, but including estimated amortization and depreciation for purchase accounting adjustments. Information regarding the expected amount and timing of synergies will be provided in due course.

According to Crown Chairman and Chief Executive Officer John W. Conway, the acquisition of EMPAQUE will significantly enhance Crown’s strategic position in beverage cans, both regionally and globally. In North America, Crown will become the second largest beverage can producer, supplying over 24 billion units annually to a balanced portfolio of beer and soft drink customers. On a worldwide basis, after closing Crown will supply over 62 billion units annually, representing 20% of all beverage cans globally. Crown will also bolster its already industry-leading geographic footprint, as over 50% of beverage can revenue will be attributable to the faster growing developing regions. Long-term supply agreements with Heineken affiliates will also provide a stable cash-flow base for the EMPAQUE business in Mexico.

With projected 2014 sales of approximately $700 million and EBITDA of approximately $150 million, EMPAQUE, headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico, currently operates two beverage can plants, a plant that manufacturers beverage can ends, aluminum closures and bottle caps, a glass bottle plant and a glass service facility in Mexico, with a total of approximately 1,500 employees.

Commenting on the transaction, Conway said, “We are excited to acquire EMPAQUE and its excellent, well-managed facilities. This transaction will allow us to expand our presence in the growing Mexican market, significantly strengthen our global beverage packaging business and deliver compelling benefits to shareholders.”

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. acted as financial advisor to Crown and provided committed financing for the transaction.

About Crown Holdings, Inc.
Crown Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is a leading supplier of packaging products to consumer marketing companies around the world. World headquarters are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.crowncork.com.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA —GE Intelligent Platforms (NYSE: GE) today announced the company’s QuickPanel+™ operator interface (OI) for the Industrial Internet now features multi-touch technology, providing the same pinch-to-zoom functionality as today’s popular consumer touchscreen devices.

Multi-touch and swipe viewing are a worldwide standard in consumer digital interfaces, so viewing system-wide details even on a 7″ display is simple with the new QuickPanel+ multi-touch functionality. Double-tapping or pinching enables the interface to be enlarged to up to 400% of its original size. Navigation between interactive schematics can be achieved by simply swiping the screen. Multi-touch and swipe also allows developers to build more intuitive HMIs by eliminating the need for a formal menu system.

QuickPanel+ integrates process control, view and an option to run an embedded data historian in a single device with the latest touchscreen technology to provide the high performance, connectivity and user experience expected in today’s increasingly connected manufacturing environments. A general purpose operator interface capable of connecting to a variety of industrial PLCs and PACs, the QuickPanel+ is designed specifically to take advantage of the Industrial Internet. The latest in touchscreen technology makes it as responsive as a tablet or smartphone, yet robust enough to withstand industrial environments and applications, even if the user is wearing gloves.

“QuickPanel+ is the first operator interface that is truly intuitive, empowering businesses to be more efficient and effective on the floor and in the field,” said Tom Craven, Product Manager for Operator Interface Solutions for GE Intelligent Platforms. “Today’s engineers and operators expect today’s technology to be available to them everywhere. QuickPanel+ was designed with the user in mind, to be crystal clear, fast, and highly responsive.”

A plug-and-play operator interface, QuickPanel+ is not only compatible with GE systems but can also be integrated with a broad range of third-party controllers and I/O to meet customer and application needs. It is available in 7″, 10″, 12″ or 15″ screen sizes, and with faster processing speeds and more memory, QuickPanel+ delivers lower total cost of ownership, speeds implementation time and time to market, and makes integration easy.

QuickPanel+ also offers a fully-functional browser and multimedia support with the Windows EC7 operating system. This functionality enhances customization of the OI to user or customer needs: Users can pull up training videos, compile reports or access other necessary information like parts inventory to work efficiently.

“With 50 billion machines connecting to the Internet in the next five years, the need for control system components that enhance performance without increasing complexity are critical,” said Craven. “Incorporating the latest in touch-screen technology for the ease of use and instant information expected in the smartphone era makes automation work better and add more value to the business.”