Oil prices have continued to fall, dropping below $68/barrel just weeks after reaching a four year high in early October. Prices have dropped 12 percent from earlier this month, when the price of oil reached its highest level in years and some industry experts were discussing the serious potential for prices to exceed $100/barrel.  According […]

Officials in Florida believe nearly all power will be restored to the panhandle by early November, one month after the area was ravaged by Hurricane Michael. According to reports, utility providers believe they can return power to the homes of all customers whose homes are still properly equipped.  The estimate includes areas like Mexico Beach, […]

Logistical issues can add an additional layer of difficulty to the already challenging task of managing and maintaining a commercial fleet.    Fleet managers already face the daunting task of keeping a huge number of vehicles in top form on a tight budget.  The fact that those vehicles are rarely in one place for long […]

By Steve King, STLE CLS A great way to improve your lubrication program for Heavy Duty or Industrial Plants is through performing an independent lubrication assessment. Many companies specialize in performing these assessments but customers are usually left with an unrealistic and/or cost prohibitive report that many times goes nowhere. Not to mention the large […]

Car dealerships in Florida and New Jersey are suing Mazda of America over its new dealership bonus program, which they claim gives some dealers a pricing advantage while hurting others. A Tampa area Mazda dealership had initially filed suit in August, claiming the Mazda Brand Experience Program 2.0 violates the Robinson-Patman Act.  The New Jersey […]

Scientists in Singapore have created a pair of robots that can work in unison to 3D print concrete building structures. According to reports, the robots were created by scientists at Nanyang Technological University.  They can be programmed using a computer and use a technique called “swarm printing” to create designs without crashing into each other.  […]

A ban on the sale of gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol during the summer months has been lifted, allowing the fuel to be sold year-round. According to reports, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will publish a rule allowing high ethanol “E 15” blends to be sold during the summer.  Sale of E 15 had […]

The American Iron and Steel Institute have reported a decrease in steel imports this year, with declines continuing in the month of September. According to reports, imports have fallen 10.6 percent in 2018, with permit applications in September falling 7.6 percent over the previous month.  Through the first nine months of the year, the U.S. […]

A new study by skill assessment provider Scientific Management Techniques shows an increase in manufacturing skill assessment scores in 2018. According to reports, this would mark the first time since 2000 where scores will have increased in two of the last three years.  This comes at a time when many companies are finding skilled labor […]

A British advertising watchdog has censured Nissan over claims made by the automaker regarding the charging  speed of batteries in its all-electric leaf models. According to reports, the United Kingdom’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) censured the Japanese automaker for claiming the Leaf’s battery could charge to 80 percent of its capacity in 40 to 60 […]