Content about Japan

While security of supply is important, there are many more factors involved in selecting strategic suppliers, says George F. Brown, Jr.

Caterpillar Inc. has selected Athens, Georgia as the location for a new facility to build small tractors and mini hydraulic excavators, bringing production back from Japan to the United States.

Best known as the home town of the rock band REM, Athens will soon be home to a state-of-the-art, one-million-square-foot facility expected to employ 1,400 people, with a potential of 2,800 extra jobs in the supply chain in the United States.

The total investment for opening the new facility is expected to be around $200 million.

Coca-Cola today reported Q4 and full year 2011 results meeting or exceeding its long term growth plans across its product range and territorial reach.

"Today, I am pleased to share that The Coca-Cola Company continues its momentum toward realizing our 2020 Vision, with stronger brands, clear strategies and well-focused execution to drive further growth,” said Muhtar Kent, chairman and chief executive officer.

Since its inauguration in 2008, investment holding company Foulath has established its position as one of the most comprehensive steel producers in the Middle East, and has developed a unique business model that it is now transferring to Egypt and Oman. Ben Sansom reports.

When the Gulf United Steel Holding Company, Foulath, was formed in Bahrain in June 2008 its aim was to strengthen and develop the steel industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and to create stability and security of supply of steel products to the construction industry.

With a new beneficiation plant coming online, Assmang Manganese is preparing to double its production and become one of the biggest manganese mines in Africa, as Jane McCallion reports.

Formed in 1935 and listed on the Johannesburg Stock exchange the following year, Assmang Manganese Limited specialises in the mining of manganese, iron ores and chrome. The company, which is owned jointly by African Rainbow Minerals Limited and Assore Limited, operates mines in the Kalahari manganese field in the Northern Cape province.

Bob Gannicott, Chairman and CEO of Harry Winston Diamond Corporation, and Frédéric de Narp, CEO of the luxury brand Harry Winston Inc, talk about a unique business model, the expansion of an exclusive brand, and about living up to its founder’s commitment to giving back.

Despite the debt crisis in Europe, unrest in the Middle East and the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, leading US companies are turning in unexpectedly encouraging results.

A blitz of fresh quarterly results has hit news desks in the last few days, many of which are surprisingly good.

Toyota has announced that it expects its North American vehicle production levels to return to 100 percent in September.

Production is recovering earlier than originally anticipated following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Eight of the company’s 12 North American-built models returned to 100 percent production on 6 June.

“After September we will focus on making-up lost production as much as possible,” said Steve St. Angelo, executive vice president of Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing, North America.

John Shook, Chairman and CEO of the Lean Enterprise Institute, says we need to rethink the way we manage our supply chains after the earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Henry Ford could get the customer any type of Model T as long as it was black, but the Ford Motor Company now finds itself in the strange position of being able to supply vehicles in any color except (metallic) black as a result of the catastrophe in Japan.

Toyota has announced plans to reduce production in its North American plants as a result of part shortages from Japan, where production has been hit by the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami.

The company said production would be suspended at its North American vehicle plants on April 15, 18, 21 and 25 (although the Georgetown, Kentucky plant will continue to assemble vehicles on April 21st). Most of the company’s North American engine and component plants will follow the same schedule.

Toyota Motor Corporation has said that some interruptions to production in North America are likely in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, although it was too early to predict their location or duration.

Toyota has 13 vehicle and engine plants in North America, which have continued to run normally until now, apart from overtime being discontinued.

Nuclear energy still has an important role to play in the United States’ energy portfolio, according to US Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

The news will go some way to reassuring uranium miners and energy corporations that the US is not about to do a U-turn on nuclear energy, but Chu, perhaps understandably, was rather cautious in his endorsement.