Portland Forge parent posts loss

Allegheny Technologies Inc., parent company of Portland Forge, reported a loss from continuing operations of $28.4 million for the third quarter on sales of $972 million.
For the nine months that ended Sept. 30, the company reported a loss from continuing operations of $15 million on sales of $3.13 billion.
“Challenging conditions continued in the third quarter 2013, and we expect business conditions to remain challenging through the remainder of 2013,” said Rich Harshman, chairman, president of chief executive officer of the company in a prepared statement.
“Long-term market trends and fundamentals remain strong in the commercial aerospace, oil and gas, medical and automotive markets,” he said. “However, short-term challenges continue in some of these global markets.”
Harshman added, “The debate about the U.S. debt ceiling and other fiscal policy issues continues to create uncertainties that negatively impact short-term consumer and business confidence.”

Tyson donates
Tyson Foods Inc., parent company of Tyson Mexican Original in Portland, has announced a donation of $100,000 to Siouxland Freedom Park in South Sioux City, Neb., and  $50,000 to aid farmers and ranchers hurt by a winter storm earlier this month in South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana.

Sales down
Sales for the first nine months of 2013 were down 3 percent for Saint-Gobain, the parent company of Verallia, which has a plant in Dunkirk.
The company’s packaging sector, which includes Verallia North America, saw sales down 1.4 percent for the first nine months. But the company noted that sales in the third quarter were up 1.8 percent when compared to the third quarter of 2012.
Sales for the business sector remained “upbeat,” the company reported, with sales volumes stabilizing.
The company reported it hopes to show a “robust balance sheet” by the end of 2013 with the completion of the sale of Verallia North America to Ardagh Group.
That transaction was set in motion in January but was held up by objections from the Federal Trade Commission amid concerns that the deal would eliminate competition. Ardagh announced a plan in September that would shed some of the Verallia plants — but not the Dunkirk plant — in order to win FTC approval.
As of now, the transaction is still pending.

Highest rating
A Place to Grow Childcare in Pennville has received Indiana’s highest quality rating from Paths to Quality, a statewide system which monitors the quality of child care and early education programs.
Donna Skinner operates the licensed family child care center. She has two licensed sites, side by side, that are both rated level four in Pennville. Skinner’s daughter, Kenci Grayson, is the lead provider of the second site.
Skinner has been caring for young children in Pennville for 15 years. Both Skinner and Grayson have received national accreditation.

Budd plans
E. Roy Budd, president and chief executive officer of Energize-ECI Inc., has announced that he’ll be leaving the regional economic development partnership on March 1 but will then serve full-time as the president and CEO of the East Central Regional Planning District.
Budd’s wife, JoAnn Gora, recently announced her plans to retire as president of Ball State University.

Earnings up
Franklin Electric Co. Inc. reported third quarter earnings of 51 cents per share this week, an increase of 11 percent over the same quarter of 2012.
Third quarter sales were $249.8 million, up 5 percent from 2012.

Enrollment workshop
Ivy Tech’s Cowan Road Campus in Muncie is offering an enrollment express workshop on Fridays, Nov. 8, 15, and 22, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the North Instructional Building in the student affairs office.
The workshops, which do not require an appointment, are intended to aid prospective students as they complete the application process.

New PR manager
Maureen M. Walby has been named public relations manager of Lifestream Services, the local aging and disability resource center based in Yorktown.
Walby holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ball State University and currently serves as pastor of Letts and Westport United Methodist Churches. She was the 2013 recipient of Lifestream’s Champion Award for service to seniors in east central Indiana.

Martin to retire
Daryl Martin, executive director of Swiss Village, will retire in October 2014.
He has served as executive director since 1988.
Martin said the decision to retire next year did not come lightly.
“I can assure you that my decision was not made quickly,” he said. “I make this decision now, believing that in God’s providence this is the right time for both Swiss Village and myself to make this transaction.”
The board of directors will begin the search for a new executive director soon.

Training class
Blackford County will  launch its first training class for its Regional Advanced Manufacturing Program on Nov. 12 at the Blackford County WorkOne Center, 1301 N. High St., Hartford City.
Classes will last four weeks, four days per week, and eight hours a day. The training has been designed by several local employers.
Those successfully completing the class will receive job interviews with the participating employers. It is open to Blackford County residents.

New officers
New officers and board members have been elected by State of the Heart Hospice, which has offices in Portland as well as Coldwater and Greenville, Ohio.
Mike Rieman was named president, Diane Swallow as secretary and Tracy Haines as treasurer.
New board members include Jo Newman of Portland, Al Groth of Winchester, and Darby Wehrley of St. Henry.[[In-content Ad]]