In The Headlines 2 654815e1c800e

In the Headlines: Investigation finds lack of preventive maintenance to blame for explosion

Nov. 5, 2023
Plus, 2 workers suffer amputation accidents in an 11-day time span.

The manufacturing industry is in a perpetual state of change. New technologies, policies, regulations, and company initiatives keep altering the role and perception of manufacturing in America. Every day, there’s a new plant, industry acquisition, research report, or law, and staying up to date on the latest information can prove difficult. Here’s what’s happening this week, in case you missed it. 

Soybean processor to build $500 million plant in Ohio
The new facility will feature integrated crushing, edible oil refining, and lecithin production and packaging capabilities.

Toyota invests an additional $8 billion into battery manufacturing plant in North Carolina
The investment will be used to add eight additional battery electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) production lines.

Poultry processing facilities found to be violating child labor laws
In the facilities, minors used knives to debone and cut poultry. These children were also working longer and at times not permitted by the law.

Eaton breaks ground on $100 million expansion of Texas facility
The new 200,000-square-foot expansion, which will generate 200 new jobs for the surrounding area, will also free up capacity at its largest Wisconsin manufacturing facility.

Foundry fined $234K after 2 workers suffer finger amputations just 11 days apart
The foundry was cited for a total of two repeat and six serious violations.

Gulfstream completes $150 million expansion of Georgia manufacturing facility
The plant, which produces the Gulfstream G400, Gulfstream G500 and Gulfstream G600, was expanded by 142,000 square feet.

REMADE spends $19.6 million to fund 14 projects to help U.S. industry shift toward a circular economy
The projects are designed to help America meet its energy, environmental, and economic goals and help the nation transition to a circular economy.

Canadian Solar invests $800 million to build solar PV cell facility in Indiana
The plant will have an annual output of 5 GW which is about 20,000 high-power modules per day.

Lack of preventative maintenance to blame for explosion that injured 3 workers
The investigation determined that the explosion suppression system of a bucket elevator, which did not receive proper maintenance, was non-functional and in a state of disrepair.

RTX to build $33 million manufacturing facility in Arkansas
RXT will partner with Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to invest $33 million into the project and generate 30 new jobs for the surrounding area.

About the Author

Alexis Gajewski | Senior Content Strategist

Alexis Gajewski has over 15 years of experience in the maintenance, reliability, operations, and manufacturing space. She joined Plant Services in 2008 and works to bring readers the news, insight, and information they need to make the right decisions for their plants. Alexis also authors “The Lighter Side of Manufacturing,” a blog that highlights the fun and innovative advances in the industrial sector. 

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