AUBURN HILLS - Plex Systems, Inc., providers of Plex Online ERP software for the manufacturing enterprise, announced an agenda for its upcoming annual user conference, PowerPlex 2009, that will give manufacturers the tools and information they need to drive efficiency, productivity and profitable growth. The event, which is themed Manufacturing a Profit, brings together leaders
ROCHESTER HILLS �?? While the long term future for solar energy is bright, short term the global economic meltdown has even caught up with Energy Conversion Devices, which said Monday it will lay off 70 people at its solar panel production plat at the older of its two Auburn Hills factories. Energy Conversion also said
ROCHESTER HILLS - Energy Conversion Devices' shares plummeted 23.2 percent in trading on Tuesday, after the solar-equipment maker warned investors that its third-quarter earnings would fall short of earlier projections amid a weakening economic environment. The company, which issued its warning after the markets closed on Monday, announced that it would cut 70 positions, issue
LANSING - Construction of high-speed Detroit-Lansing and Detroit-Ann Arbor rail lines, using hydrogen batteries in conjunction with a technology used on only a few rail systems around the world, will be studied by a bipartisan task force announced on Monday. The proposed $2.3 billion elevated rail line would not use government funding for its construction,
LANSING - Who Michigan voters want to pick for governor in 19 months appears to be pretty open, but a new poll out Friday shows Republican primary voters favor Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, while Democratic primary voters like Lt. Governor John Cherry. The poll, conducted by Marketing Research Group for Inside Michigan Politics,
LANSING - Already this year there have been a number of calls for Michigan to revamp its overall tax system, but major proposals to change the tax system are thus far lacking. There is one significant proposal, though, that has started working its way through legislators and interest groups: scrap the already hated Michigan Business
TROY - Automation Alley on Monday announced that it has launched its new job board, which includes the ability for job seekers to submit an online application and resume directly to the employer. "Our previous job board was outdated and it was time to implement an improved system," said Jennifer Bowden, business services liaison at
NEW YORK - Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, a new website called IrishCentral was launched, which provides news, info and a sense of community for people of Irish heritage around the world. It has received an undisclosed amount of funding from an interesting group of investors, including Don Keough, chairman of Allen &
LANSING - A 12-bill package dubbed by proponents as the "Hire Michigan First" plan because it targets economic development incentives to businesses hiring Michigan residents was passed by a mostly bipartisan House on Thursday. However, main objections to the bills by Republicans remained, namely that the bills don't require state construction done by unionized workers
LANSING - With the recent changes in electric regulation that included requirements for renewable power and energy efficiency and with Gov. Jennifer Granholm's recent directive that all options be explored before issuing permits for new coal-fired generation, Michigan is poised to attract renewable power production facilities that will export that equipment at least regionally, Energy,