Manufacturers in the industrial machinery and equipment sector are increasingly seeking new strategies that will enable them to take advantage of improved market conditions.

The capital-intensive, cyclical nature of industrial machinery and equipment (IME) means that any contraction of expenditure hits the industry hard. When activity picks up in an upturn, usually starting from construction and transportation equipment, followed by capital-goods equipment, it is often very different from the activity of the previous cycle.

The Kanoo Group is one of the largest and most diversified businesses in the Middle East. Deputy chairman Mishal Hamad Kanoo talks about the joint ventures and family values.

Some companies grow by spreading their wings; but one South African company is continuing to focus on the original business sector it started with.

Industrial gases and equipment supplier Air Products has announced it is to build an energy-from-waste plant in Teesside, UK.

The Tees Valley plant, located at the New Energy and Technology Business Park near Billingham, Teesside, will be the first of its kind in the UK, and will use advanced gasification energy-from-waste (EfW) technology.

The plant will be the largest of its kind anywhere in the world, with an approximate capacity of 50MW.

Osisko Mining Corporation has reported record monthly gold production of 37,780 ounces in the month of July.

A record monthly mill throughput of 1.3 million tonnes was also achieved, along with record average daily throughput (based on 31 days of operation) of 41,935 tonnes per day.

“We are now beginning to see significant improvement in daily throughput and gold production from the Canadian Malartic mill,” said Sean Roosen, president and chief executive officer.

Nestlé has opened two new production sites in South Africa to support the growth of its business in the region.

The two facilities will enable the company to manufacture Milo and Cheerios breakfast cereals, and Maggi noodles, for the first time in South Africa. The majority of ingredients and packaging materials will be sourced from local farmers and suppliers, the company said.

NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity touched down on Mars last night after an eight-and-a half-month flight from the Cape Canaveral Air Station in Florida.

Larger than previous rovers, the compact-car-sized vehicle was lowered to the Martian surface by a sky crane mounted on a delivery vehicle that hovered over the landing site on retro rockets.

John J. Capela offers expert advice on how to cash in on the expanding global marketplace by becoming a successful exporter.

The global marketplace is a rapidly changing field. International business is growing as a direct result of changes in technology, expanding economies, and international trade agreements. In fact, in 2010 alone, the United States imported $1.3 trillion and exported $1.277 trillion in goods.

Hospital leaders need to reach out to quality and safety leaders in other industries, including aviation and manufacturing, says Mark Graban.