June 23, 2017 at 7:28 p.m.

Beumer gets grade from chamber

Business Roundup

State Rep. Greg Beumer (R-Modoc) has received a 97 percent score from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce for his votes in the most recent session of the Indiana General Assembly.

The chamber measured votes it considered “pro-jobs” or “pro-economy.”

Among the issues considered were long-term road funding, replacement of ISTEP and expansion of pre-kindergarten programs for low-income families.

Beumer’s three-year aggregate score from the chamber is 90 percent.



Ardagh sued

The parent company of glass container plants in Dunkirk and Winchester is being sued by a rival that claims proprietary information was “intentionally and systematically misappropriated,” The Irish Independent reported this week.

Ardagh Group is being sued by a company called Saxco International, which is based in Pennsylvania but is owned by a Texas private equity firm called The Sterling Group.

The lawsuit contends that Saxco employees who left the smaller company to join Ardagh misappropriated confidential information on their way out.

Ardagh has declined to comment on the suit but is expected to fight it in court.



Calls it quits

McDonald’s is ending its ties to the International Olympic Committee three years early, news services reported this week.

The company will leave the top sponsorship program immediately. It’s been a top-tier sponsor since 1996. The company is also dropping its 40-year sponsorship of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

“In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, we understand that McDonald’s is looking to focus on different business priorities,” an IOC official said in a prepared statement.



Earns award

American Electric Power, parent company of Indiana Michigan Power, has earned the Edison Award for an innovative transmission design first used near Fort Wayne.

The Breakthrough Overhead Line Design can increase capacity and efficiency in existing rights-of-way with structures that are nearly 50 feet shorter and more compact than conventional 345-kilowatt transmission tower designs while delivering up to 60 percent more power in the same right of way.

The award was from the Edison Electric Institute. AEP has won more Edison Awards than any other company, a total of seven.



Watching chickens

Tyson Foods Inc., parent company of Tyson Mexican Original in Portland, announced this week it will be making improvements in monitoring the welfare of chickens being raised by its suppliers.

Mercy For Animals, which has targeted Tyson’s practices in the past, commends the move.

To help monitor live bird handling, the company has rolled out the industry’s largest third-party remote video auditing program in the U.S., covering 33 poultry plants. Video from cameras in Tyson Foods’ chicken plants is analyzed by trained off-site auditors and data feedback is provided daily, weekly and monthly to plant management.

Tyson is launching a pilot project to assess on-farm catching of birds for transport to processing facilities. Video will be audited and analyzed for adherence to humane treatment of animals, allowing immediate follow-up if any concerns are identified, the company said.

“Ensuring the well-being of the animals in our care is a core part of our broader sustainability journey and these initiatives are the latest examples of our leadership in this important area,” Justin Whitmore, chief sustainability officer for Tyson Foods, said in a prepared statement. “We’re also piloting other potential innovations as we become the world’s most sustainable producer of protein.”



Clothing buy

Wal-Mart this week announced it is buying the online men’s clothing firm Bonobos for $310 million. It’s the latest in a series of moves by the giant retailer into online clothing sales.

In the past year, Wal-Mart has acquired ModCloth, ShoeBuy.com and outdoor gear retailer Moosejaw.



Craft glass

Ardagh Group announced this week that it is expanding its BuyOurBottles.com site for craft food and beverage companies.

The BOB site was introduced in response to the demand for specialty foods and craft beers, allowing those producers to order glass containers in smaller runs. The BOB for food platform will offer a 12-ounce ring neck sauce bottle, a 16-ounce mayo jar, a 16-ounce mason jar, a 17-ounce barbecue sauce bottle, a 26-ounce mason jar and a 32-ounce mayo jar. All will be available in 12-pack cases. In 2012, the company launched BOB for beer, making it the first website to offer craft brewers the ability to purchase beer bottles online in pallet quantities, direct from the manufacturer.



PORTLAND WEATHER

Events

November

SU
MO
TU
WE
TH
FR
SA
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
SUN
MON
TUE
WED
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
27 28 29 30 31 1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30

To Submit an Event Sign in first

Today's Events

No calendar events have been scheduled for today.

250 X 250 AD