Quality in the News by InTouch http://www.intouch-quality.com/news.php http://www.intouch-quality.com Tue, 04 May 2010, 03:00:00 EST Tue, 04 May 2010, 03:00:00 EST weekly 2 2009-02-19T17:46:20-08:00 The FDA discovery in mid-April of high API concentrations, substandard inactive ingredients and particle contamination in Children's Tylenol and other products has led to the shutdown of J&J's McNeil Consumer Healthcare manufacturing facility in Fort Washington, PA. The shutdown and related product recall marks a continuing slide by Johnson & Johnson to GMP-violation depths formerly reserved for offshore generics makers... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/242/2010-05-03/J&J's-McNeil-Shuts-Down-Plant-in-Another-Tylenol-Recall-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/242/2010-05-03/J&J's-McNeil-Shuts-Down-Plant-in-Another-Tylenol-Recall-/index.html Australia is moving towards another skills shortage with some of the country's major infrastructure projects already being affected, according to findings in the Clarius Skills Index issued today. Demand exceeded supply in a number of employment categories during the March quarter, with metalworkers the most sought after... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/241/2010-04-19/Demand-for-Skilled-Workers-on-Rise/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/241/2010-04-19/Demand-for-Skilled-Workers-on-Rise/index.html Apple Inc. delayed by a month the international debut of its iPad tablet computer after shipping more than 500,000 of the devices in a week and underestimating how quickly they would sell in the U.S. Less than a week after Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs said the company was building iPads “as fast as we can,” Apple said in a statement that demand is “far higher” than it predicted. Apple... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/240/2010-04-14/Apple-Delays-IPad’s-Overseas-Debut,-Misreads-Demand-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/240/2010-04-14/Apple-Delays-IPad’s-Overseas-Debut,-Misreads-Demand-/index.html While supplier audits are not new, many companies have conducted more of them in recent years as they sourced more from suppliers in low-cost regions and because of last year's economic downturn, which challenged the financial solvency... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/239/2010-04-08/Supplier-Audits-Dig-Deeper/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/239/2010-04-08/Supplier-Audits-Dig-Deeper/index.html This year will be an important year for the electric vehicle industry as car makers look to develop and launch viable battery-powered transportation solutions. While hybrid gas/electric vehicles have been around for some time, the availability of fully electric passenger vehicles is now just becoming viable for the commercial vehicle market. Many expect rapid growth of this market segment as the green movement continues to accelerate. Management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. came out with new research in January... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/238/2010-04-07/What-Automotive-Needs-Right-Now:-Quality-Control,-Manufacturing-Efficiency/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/238/2010-04-07/What-Automotive-Needs-Right-Now:-Quality-Control,-Manufacturing-Efficiency/index.html A good many companies now use the current economic situation for both cost reductions on the shop floor and for improvements of manufactured product quality. For example, Siplace™ equipment will be increasingly employed for the automated placement of relays and connectors in bigger sizes. These components, delivered in stick magazines, have to be supplied into the placement machines through special feeder mechanisms... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/237/2010-03-23/When-board-assembly-has-to-be-optimized-in-cost-and-quality:-Efficient-stick-feeder-solutions-for-Siplace™-equipment-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/237/2010-03-23/When-board-assembly-has-to-be-optimized-in-cost-and-quality:-Efficient-stick-feeder-solutions-for-Siplace™-equipment-/index.html It seems the ghost of recalls has started haunting the car giant Honda all over again. According to latest reports, the company said that it will have to recall approximately 410,000 small trucks and minivans belonging to the Element and Odyssey series. It appears that the break system in the vehicles can make stopping a problem for the drivers... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/236/2010-03-17/Honda-Haunted-by-Recall-Ghost-Again,-More-Than-400,000-Cars-Recalled-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/236/2010-03-17/Honda-Haunted-by-Recall-Ghost-Again,-More-Than-400,000-Cars-Recalled-/index.html Blizzards on the East Coast and harsh weather in other parts of the U.S. probably slowed factory production in February, marking a temporary setback in the recovery, economists said before reports today. Manufacturers this month will probably make up for the disruptions as companies strive to stabilize inventories and exports climb, even as the outlook for homebuilders remains dim as foreclosures mount. Analysts anticipate Federal Reserve policy makers meeting tomorrow will reiterate a pledge to keep interest rates low to keep the economy growing... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/235/2010-03-15/Production-in-U.S.-Was-Probably-Unchanged-as-Storms-Shut-Plants/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/235/2010-03-15/Production-in-U.S.-Was-Probably-Unchanged-as-Storms-Shut-Plants/index.html China's central bank said Friday a stronger yuan offers no help for solving the Sino-U.S. trade imbalance problem, and China opposes politicizing yuan's appreciation. Su Ning, vice governor of the People's Bank of China, made the comments a day after U.S. President Barack Obama told the U.S. Export-Import Bank's annual conference that a more market-oriented exchange rate of yuan... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/234/2010-03-12/China-Tells-Obama-Stronger-Yuan-No-Help-to-Fill-Trade-Gap-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/234/2010-03-12/China-Tells-Obama-Stronger-Yuan-No-Help-to-Fill-Trade-Gap-/index.html Toyota's recall of more than 6 million vehicles is a hot topic of discussion in business circles these days. The recalls are for defects that have been associated with 52 fatalities so far. By and large, industry and business experts have lambasted Toyota's managers, criticized the National Transportation Safety Board and made dark prognostications about... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/233/2010-03-11/Why-Toyota-will-be-all-right:-brand-insulation/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/233/2010-03-11/Why-Toyota-will-be-all-right:-brand-insulation/index.html Montreal, PQ: A food additive found in literally thousands of food products could be subject to the largest ever food recall in North America, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The claim was carried this morning in a report by the Montreal Gazette. A batch of flavor enhancer manufactured by Basic Food Flavors... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/232/2010-03-09/Salmonella-Flavor-Enhancer-Recall-Could-Be-Largest-in-History/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/232/2010-03-09/Salmonella-Flavor-Enhancer-Recall-Could-Be-Largest-in-History/index.html The government has summoned the Kenya Bureau of Standards and oil importers to a meeting on Monday next week to sort out the controversy over a multi-million oil inspection tender. This emerged even as the Industrialisation... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/231/2010-03-08/Kenya-Moves-to-End-Oil-Inspection-Charges-Row/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/231/2010-03-08/Kenya-Moves-to-End-Oil-Inspection-Charges-Row/index.html Here’s a question that popped up today during a panel discussion on the "Next Era of Food Safety” at the Atlantic Food Summit at the Newseum: Does the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have the authority to demand a recall when peanut butter or bagged spinach or jalapenos (or pick your favorite contaminated product) is deemed... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/229/2010-03-04/How-Well-Do-You-Know-the-FDA/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/229/2010-03-04/How-Well-Do-You-Know-the-FDA/index.html U.S. Sen. David Vitter has called for federal officials to do a more thorough review of the deaths of several people who lived in homes that contained smelly, possibly toxic Chinese drywall. Federal officials at the Consumer Product Safety Commission said they have investigated and found no link between the drywall and the deaths of eight people... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/230/2010-03-04/La.-Senator:-Deaths-Linked-to-Chinese-Drywall/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/230/2010-03-04/La.-Senator:-Deaths-Linked-to-Chinese-Drywall/index.html Toyota’s recall of 8.5m cars, trucks and sports utility vehicles in recent months has shocked Japan, home of manufacturing innovations such as the kaizen philosophy of continuous improvement and “total quality management”. But while there is little evidence that Japan has got worse... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/228/2010-03-02/Japanese-Fret-Over-Quality-Of-Manufacturing/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/228/2010-03-02/Japanese-Fret-Over-Quality-Of-Manufacturing/index.html Apple seems to be having supplier problems. Last week Wintek, one of Apple s suppliers, was reported to have been using a chemical, n-hexane, which had poisoned 49 workers. This week there is an issue with suppliers who use child labor to make Apple products. Either of these problems could impact any company that uses suppliers in areas where... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/227/2010-03-01/Apple-and-the-Ethical-Business-Problems-of-Child-Labor-and-Other-Unsavory-Practices-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/227/2010-03-01/Apple-and-the-Ethical-Business-Problems-of-Child-Labor-and-Other-Unsavory-Practices-/index.html Toyota Motor Corp.'s current mess is not the safety-related recall of a defective product. The mess is how the auto maker has mishandled the investigation and publicized its defect and the related recalls. Humans, and human creations such as companies, are fallible. The "relentless pursuit of perfection" (Lexus' tagline) is possible, but attaining perfection all of the time is not. Every car maker... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/226/2010-02-24/What-Got-Toyota-Into-This-Mess/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/226/2010-02-24/What-Got-Toyota-Into-This-Mess/index.html To protectionists and Sinophobes, the news of China recently surpassing Germany to become the world’s largest exporter represents yet another nail in the coffin for manufacturing in “[insert Western country]”. But China’s exports include Apple’s ubiquitous iPods and countless other products designed in the West. More than a reflection of China’s growing economic might, this is testament... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/225/2010-02-23/We-Gain-From-Trade-With-China/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/225/2010-02-23/We-Gain-From-Trade-With-China/index.html "Since the TVs work as designed, there's nothing to fix." That answer comes from Bob Perry, Senior VP of Panasonic Consumer Electronics Company, in reply to a follow-up question CNET asked in response to the company's February 3 statement addressing reports about the company's plasma TVs losing their deep black levels over time... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/224/2010-02-09/Panasonic-Does-Not-Plan-Fix-For-Reported-Black-Level-Increases/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/224/2010-02-09/Panasonic-Does-Not-Plan-Fix-For-Reported-Black-Level-Increases/index.html In the ever-changing world of consumer products, “bio” is gearing up to be the new buzzword (or prefix – take your pick) of the decade. More and more products are hitting the shelves that are made of bio-based materials and/or are biodegradable. Simultaneously, confusion and questions about what to do with these products are rising at the... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/222/2010-02-08/What-Bio-Really-Means/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/222/2010-02-08/What-Bio-Really-Means/index.html Among the questions still swirling around Apple Inc.'s new iPad is whether the tablet computing device will boost the memory-chip market this year as much as many in the industry hope. If the iPad creates the buzz that the iPhone and iPod did several years ago, leading rival companies to launch similar products to compete, that could be... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/223/2010-02-08/Chip-Firms-Hope-for-iPad-Boost-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/223/2010-02-08/Chip-Firms-Hope-for-iPad-Boost-/index.html U.S. border inspectors nationwide will soon start using a new computer system to identify risky food and medicine from abroad, the head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday. The project follows recalls of tainted toothpaste, pet food, seafood and other products from China, as well as a contaminated blood thinner blamed for dozens of deaths in 2008. About 20 million of shipments of food, medicine, medical devices and cosmetics are expected to arrive at U.S. ports this year, FDA... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/220/2010-02-04/US-Effort-Will-Check-For-Risky-Food,-Drug-Imports/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/220/2010-02-04/US-Effort-Will-Check-For-Risky-Food,-Drug-Imports/index.html Pulling suitcases and hefting heavy bags on their shoulders, millions of Chinese workers are boarding trains to head home for the Lunar New Year -- a holiday that triggers the world's biggest annual migration of people. This year some may not come back from the holiday, which begins Feb. 14, a growing worry for factory owners... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/221/2010-02-04/China-Migrant-Workers-May-not-Return-From-Holiday/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/221/2010-02-04/China-Migrant-Workers-May-not-Return-From-Holiday/index.html This Huffpo repost is by Richard Seireeni Brand, Architect, and author of - The Gort Cloud: The Invisible Force Powering Today’s Most Visible Green Brands. Seventh Generation may be the market leader in eco-friendly household cleaning products and is unquestionably dedicated to environmental and social responsibility, but... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/219/2010-02-03/Drivers-of-Preference:-Why-Consumers-Will-Buy-Green/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/219/2010-02-03/Drivers-of-Preference:-Why-Consumers-Will-Buy-Green/index.html It seems like the answer to saving our rainforests is a 10.2 ounce machine that holds up to 15,000 electronic books without a single piece of paper expended in the process. The Amazon Kindle pioneered the world of e-literature back in the summer of 2009 and gave readers the ability to download books from an online store called “Whispernet.” Kindle gave the impression that it would rid the world of cumbersome books so trees everywhere would rejoice. With a rechargeable... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/217/2010-02-02/The-Dark-Truth-Behind-The-Kindle/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/217/2010-02-02/The-Dark-Truth-Behind-The-Kindle/index.html With the nation slowly recovering from the worst economic sucker punch in more than 50 years, consumers are finding they need to be ever more vigilant in protecting themselves from businesses that may not have their best interest at heart. Be it in banking, credit services, utilities, insurance, or any number of other industries, ethically questionable practices -- and the legal loopholes that make them possible -- continue to anger and frustrate Americans on both sides of the political divide... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/218/2010-02-02/Explosion-of-"Fringe-Financial-Services"-Underscores-Need-for-Strong-Consumer-Protection-Agency/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/218/2010-02-02/Explosion-of-"Fringe-Financial-Services"-Underscores-Need-for-Strong-Consumer-Protection-Agency/index.html Toyota Motor Corp.'s massive recall comes at a time when Japanese manufacturers across the board, known for their attention to detail and craftsmanship, are facing a sharp spike in customer complaints, accident reports and product recalls at home. The number of incidents rose dramatically after the introduction of a new law in 2007 requiring Japanese companies for the first time to report all... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/216/2010-01-29/Questions-Grow-on-Japanese-Manufacturing-Quality-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/216/2010-01-29/Questions-Grow-on-Japanese-Manufacturing-Quality-/index.html The debut on Wednesday of Apple's long-awaited tablet sent the company's stock on a wild ride. Apple shares fell 4% immediately after CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the Apple iPad, a touch-screen tablet computer that runs apps from the iTunes store and boasts a 10-hour battery life. But shares recovered a little over an hour later and rose 1% after Jobs announced that prices would start at $499. The volume of trading was more than three times the normal daily average, reaching 61 million versus the typical daily... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/215/2010-01-27/Apple-IPad-Sends-Stock-Down---Then-Up/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/215/2010-01-27/Apple-IPad-Sends-Stock-Down---Then-Up/index.html Millions of needles used in ports implanted under the skin of chronically ill patients are being voluntarily recalled, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday. More than 2 million Huber needles, manufactured by Nipro Medical Corp. in Japan and distributed by Exelint International Corp., headquartered in Los Angeles, California, are affected. Huber needles... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/214/2010-01-26/FDA-Recalls-More-Than-2-Million-Needles-Used-in-Port-Implants/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/214/2010-01-26/FDA-Recalls-More-Than-2-Million-Needles-Used-in-Port-Implants/index.html The Internet is abuzz with talk about the next BIG thing. Really big. Really, really, really big. The announcement of Apple's tablet device which is expected to happen on Wednesday, January 27th. With the amount of hype this event and device is getting - I mean really, it's Apple, coming out with a brand spanking new, second-try-at-something-awesome... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/213/2010-01-25/What-Does-Apple's-Tablet-Really-Mean-for-Our-Society/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/213/2010-01-25/What-Does-Apple's-Tablet-Really-Mean-for-Our-Society/index.html Developing countries led by China and India will supplant the American consumer as the source of “natural growth” for the global economy, according to Paul Sheard of Nomura Securities International Inc. There will be “less exuberant and robust consumption than we had in the past few years” in the U.S. because the American... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/212/2010-01-24/Nomura’s-Sheard-Says-China-to-Pick-Up-Slack-of-U.S.-Consumer/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/212/2010-01-24/Nomura’s-Sheard-Says-China-to-Pick-Up-Slack-of-U.S.-Consumer/index.html As China celebrates GDP success, Hu Yinan, Li Jing and Wang Shanshan look at the dilemmas and struggles facing one of the world's largest economies. Li Boren digs coal for a living. He has three brothers; two work alongside him... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/211/2010-01-22/Growing-Costs/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/211/2010-01-22/Growing-Costs/index.html China announced Thursday that its gross domestic product in fourth quarter 2009 grew by 10.7 percent year-on-year, up from a revised growth rate of 9.1 percent in the third quarter. China’s economy is surging forward even as many other nations, including the United States, are still trying to punch through the global recession... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/210/2010-01-20/China-on-Path-to-Become-Second-Largest-Economy-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/210/2010-01-20/China-on-Path-to-Become-Second-Largest-Economy-/index.html The China-ASEAN Framework Agreement on Comprehensive Cooperation went into effect with the New Year. It was drawn up in 2002 but delayed so countries and business firms could prepare and adjust to the new arrangements. The agreement has been widely reported as one of “free trade” between China and the six original ASEAN members, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/209/2010-01-19/Exclusive:-The-Chinese-Version-of-‘Free-Trade-Imperialism’/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/209/2010-01-19/Exclusive:-The-Chinese-Version-of-‘Free-Trade-Imperialism’/index.html A report by the 21st Century Business Herald picked up by Bloomberg reveals that 2,000 Wintek Corp. workers went on strike damaging facilities and vehicles in protest for not receiving a promised bonus for the year 2009. Citing the 21st Century Business Herald, Bloomberg informs that, “Workers went on strike at a touch-screen supplier for Apple Inc.’s iPhone in China’s eastern city of Suzhou on Jan. 15.” The 21st Century Business Herald reportedly obtained a statement from the high-tech zone home to the factory... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/208/2010-01-18/iPhone-Part-Suppliers-Go-On-Strike/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/208/2010-01-18/iPhone-Part-Suppliers-Go-On-Strike/index.html In the new India, lots of people have made millions on stocks, real estate, technology, diamonds or any number of booming industries. Few, however, have been able to acquire class. Too many of the recently rich, desperate to flash their new-found wealth, are on a crazy splurging spree. Yet with all the money they have acquired, only a few have been able to cultivate a discerning taste in what they purchase... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/207/2010-01-17/Money-Shouts,-Wealth-Whispers-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/207/2010-01-17/Money-Shouts,-Wealth-Whispers-/index.html A migrant worker faces hospital bills of more than 40,000 yuan for the loss of his kidney after allegedly being stabbed while trying to claim 70 yuan for labor work at Shougang Group, Beijing's largest iron and steel company. Gao Zhiqiang, 28, is now out of surgery with a slight fever at the in-patient department of Chaoyang hospital, according to Gao's wife yesterday... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/206/2010-01-15/Man-claims-stabbed-when-seeking-salary/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/206/2010-01-15/Man-claims-stabbed-when-seeking-salary/index.html Google Inc.'s challenge to Beijing is not a first: Levi Strauss & Co. 17 years ago walked away from China. Today, Levi's brand jeans are produced in China, and in Beijing last November the company opened its 501st store in the country. What happened in between? In 1993, the iconic San Francisco maker of dungarees declared it would end relationships with contractors in China because of what it called that country's "pervasive violation of human rights... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/205/2010-01-14/Levi's-Faced-Earlier-Challenge-in-China-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/205/2010-01-14/Levi's-Faced-Earlier-Challenge-in-China-/index.html Forget the Old World animal ethics of Europe. Canada is taking its seal hunt where the money is - to China. Despite all the hubbub about the European Union's sanctions on the seal hunt, Europe is a relatively small market for Canadian seal products. But China is a big buyer, with greater potential and none of the uproar about animal rights that has made the seal industry a pariah in the Western world. That's why Fisheries Minister Gail Shea and executives from five Canadian seal-industry... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/203/2010-01-12/Facing-Backlash-in-Europe,-Canada-Hunts-for-New-Seal-Market-in-China-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/203/2010-01-12/Facing-Backlash-in-Europe,-Canada-Hunts-for-New-Seal-Market-in-China-/index.html They may look pretty, but test results show certain pieces of children’s jewelry contain alarming levels of the heavy metal cadmium. Jeff Weidenhamer, Chemistry Professor, Ashland University: “Cadmium, compared to lead, is more toxic. It’s a known carcinogen. It is highly toxic to adults and to children. There’s recent research indicating that... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/204/2010-01-12/-High-Levels-of-Toxic-Metal-Found-in-Some-Children’s-Jewelry-from-China/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/204/2010-01-12/-High-Levels-of-Toxic-Metal-Found-in-Some-Children’s-Jewelry-from-China/index.html Tainted toothpaste, drugged catfish, lead-painted Elmos, poison pet food. Scandals involving Chinese-made products have ordinary people here worried that a bad reputation threatens to derail their status as No. 1 exporter in the world. So what to do? Call in Madison Avenue. "Made in China, made with the world" is the theme of an ad... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/201/2010-01-09/New-ad-campaign-touts-'made-in-China'/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/201/2010-01-09/New-ad-campaign-touts-'made-in-China'/index.html You might not be designing or manufacturing childrenswear, but if you are shipping in or just distributing childrenswear and it is found to contain lead, then you have a huge liability. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has stated it clearly in its Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA): It is the children’s apparel importer—not the manufacturer—that is solely responsible for any lead-content recalls... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/200/2010-01-08/Children's-Apparel:-How-Can-You-Be-Protected-if-You-Are-Caught-Lead-Handed/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/200/2010-01-08/Children's-Apparel:-How-Can-You-Be-Protected-if-You-Are-Caught-Lead-Handed/index.html Cisco Systems is struggling to keep up with demand for core networking products as orders from businesses unexpectedly picked up in the last quarter of 2009 and into 2010. “Similar to what is happening in the industry we are seeing some product lead time extensions stemming from supplier constraints based upon their labor and other... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/202/2010-01-08/Cisco-Struggling-with-Product-Shortages/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/202/2010-01-08/Cisco-Struggling-with-Product-Shortages/index.html The infant car seat that was supposed to protect a baby girl ended up harming her and leaving her "permanently disfigured," a Butler County couple claims in a lawsuit filed in Common Pleas Court. "She will be scarred forever," says Dana Luther, a Cincinnati attorney who filed the suit against Graco Children's Products Inc. and its parent company, Newell Rubbermaid Inc., of Atlanta... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/199/2010-01-06/Suit:-Infant-Car-Seat-Damaged-Skin/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/199/2010-01-06/Suit:-Infant-Car-Seat-Damaged-Skin/index.html The Longaberger basket company is laying off 125 manufacturing workers at the end of the week and outsourcing its packing and shipping services to another firm, which will eliminate another 100 jobs. This news comes less than four months after the nation's largest basket maker temporarily recalled 50 workers to help fulfill orders for its popular new National Football League- and collegiate-themed baskets during its busy holiday season... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/197/2010-01-05/Longaberger-Basket-Company-to-Cut-100-Jobs,-Lay-Off-125-Others/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/197/2010-01-05/Longaberger-Basket-Company-to-Cut-100-Jobs,-Lay-Off-125-Others/index.html China admits some wayward manufacturers have dealt a blow to its image abroad but vows to press for stringent quality control measures even as it looks up to bolstering its trade ties with Kenya and other developing nations. “I don’t think Chinese... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/196/2010-01-04/China-Steps-Up-Control-of-Export-Goods-Quality-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/196/2010-01-04/China-Steps-Up-Control-of-Export-Goods-Quality-/index.html The legal back-and-forth between Nokia and Apple over patents, and who might be abusing them, continued Tuesday as Nokia lodged a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission. In its complaint to the USITC, the Finnish company alleges that Apple infringes seven Nokia patents "in virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/195/2009-12-29/Nokia-Hits-Apple-with-Latest-Patent-Complaint/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/195/2009-12-29/Nokia-Hits-Apple-with-Latest-Patent-Complaint/index.html Approximately 34 people were laid off from Topre America on January 16, which brings the overall total to 63 workers laid off from the Cullman plant including 2008. Approximately 285 employees remain at the automotive component manufacturer. The downsizing was forced by the sluggish economic conditions, especially related to... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/194/2009-12-27/Year-in-review:-Unemployment-rises,-economy-declines/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/194/2009-12-27/Year-in-review:-Unemployment-rises,-economy-declines/index.html Americans direct their ire at the Internal Revenue Service during tax season and might critique the Transportation Security Administration while passing through airport security. This time of year, however, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is the agency drawing additional scrutiny as holiday shoppers buy toys and other household... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/193/2009-12-25/Consumer-panel-has-much-on-its-plate/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/193/2009-12-25/Consumer-panel-has-much-on-its-plate/index.html As part of a global campaign to improve overseas opinions on Chinese-made products, a 30-second advertisement aimed at promoting the "Made in China" brand made its debut on the Cable News Network (CNN) on Nov 23, 2009. The government-sponsored television ad - showing a fashion model working a camera, an executive awaiting... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/191/2009-12-24/A-30-Second-Justification-Spot/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/191/2009-12-24/A-30-Second-Justification-Spot/index.html More than many countries, Vietnam has been buffeted by the ups and downs of globalization. A relatively new player in the global economy, it benefited from a flood of Western capital and interest in the 1990s and early this decade, only to... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/192/2009-12-24/Vietnam-Is-Refining-Its-Role-on-the-Global-Stage-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/192/2009-12-24/Vietnam-Is-Refining-Its-Role-on-the-Global-Stage-/index.html NEI, a provider of application platforms, appliances and deployment services for software developers, OEMs and service providers worldwide, has announced that its quality management system in Canton, Mass., has achieved TL9000 certification, aligning with its Plano, Texas, facility under one common standard. In doing so, NEI said it... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/190/2009-12-22/NEI's-TL9000-Certification-Improves-Quality-Management-System/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/190/2009-12-22/NEI's-TL9000-Certification-Improves-Quality-Management-System/index.html The rumor-and-blame mill roared within hours of the announcement that Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. would close its Frenchtown pulp mill at year’s end. Some blamed President Barack Obama. Republican underlings blamed Montana Sen. Max Baucus and the health care bill. Others went after environmentalists and the U.S. Forest Service... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/188/2009-12-20/Frenchtown-Pulp-Mill-Victim-of-Global-Supply-and-Demand/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/188/2009-12-20/Frenchtown-Pulp-Mill-Victim-of-Global-Supply-and-Demand/index.html Increasingly, local and state governments are adopting "zero waste" goals to counter the real dangers of climate change and worldwide resource depletion. But what does "zero waste" mean? Simply put, it means nothing goes to landfill. From China to Italy, and even in California, there is a vigorous debate raging on which road to take to zero waste. Fortunately, when you consider the big picture, the right course... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/189/2009-12-20/Viewpoints:-Don't-Talk-Trash-–-Compost,-Recycle,-Create-Jobs-Instead/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/189/2009-12-20/Viewpoints:-Don't-Talk-Trash-–-Compost,-Recycle,-Create-Jobs-Instead/index.html The largest city on the small but prosperous island of Taiwan, Taipei, along with the rest of the island, is a thriving centre of business with a complicated history. Long claimed by Japan, the island has been under the government of the Republic of China since the end of World War II. Just off the coast of mainland China, Taiwan has embraced democracy and grown into an impressive industrial city with much to offer to the travelling executive. Although the bulk of the island’s industry is in... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/187/2009-12-18/A-Business-Traveller’s-guide-to...Taipei/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/187/2009-12-18/A-Business-Traveller’s-guide-to...Taipei/index.html My daughter returned to college in New York this fall. During the summer she kept many of her belongings in an off-campus storage facility. Everything was secured with a new "Made in China to U.S. quality specifications" lock from a well-known U.S. company. When we went to retrieve her stuff at the beginning of the semester, the lock wouldn't open. Though we couldn't detect anything wrong with it... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/186/2009-12-17/Confronting-China's-Quality-Gap/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/186/2009-12-17/Confronting-China's-Quality-Gap/index.html Although some Chinese exporters have seen a fledgling market recovery, they should prepare for a long-term struggle as trade pressure grows, says Wu Tiejun, assistant mayor of Qingdao City, one of China's export power houses. "Chinese export enterprises are facing growing trade frictions and expectations of a yuan appreciation," Wu says. Chinese products with a total value exceeding 11.68 billion U.S. dollars have been subject of 101 trade remedy investigations launched by 19 countries and... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/185/2009-12-14/Export-engine-warms-up,-time-needed-for-recovery--/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/185/2009-12-14/Export-engine-warms-up,-time-needed-for-recovery--/index.html Google (GOOG) announced on its mobile blog Saturday what dozens of staffers had already leaked: the company has given employees around the world free handsets running its Android mobile operating system. The idea, according to the official report, is to have Google's own people test various advanced features and offer feedback to the company's designers — a process known in the business as "dogfooding" (as in "eating your own dogfood")... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/184/2009-12-13/Nine-ways-of-looking-at-a-Google-phone/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/184/2009-12-13/Nine-ways-of-looking-at-a-Google-phone/index.html Parents are crowding into stores this holiday season, searching for toys that will prompt smiles, cheers and hugs from their kids. But parents also need to keep in mind that there are potentially dangerous toys on store shelves, so they must use judgment and common sense with every purchase. "There are still some items that fall through the cracks," said Liz Hitchcock, a public health advocate for U.S. PIRG, who wrote this year's Trouble in Toyland report for the non-profit consumer protection group. "Consumers buying toys should be careful of what they buy... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/183/2009-12-10/When-It-Comes-to-Toys,-Shop-Smart,-Shop-Safe/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/183/2009-12-10/When-It-Comes-to-Toys,-Shop-Smart,-Shop-Safe/index.html Ford Motor Co. is talking to its partners in China about changing the structure of the three-way Changan Ford Mazda venture in the world's hottest car market, Joe Hinrichs, Ford's new president for Asia Pacific and Africa, told the Free Press Monday. He also said that Ford, a latecomer to the Chinese market, aims to significantly boost... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/182/2009-12-08/Ford-wants-more-of-the-Chinese-market,-looks-at-changing-structure-of-Changan-Ford-Mazda-venture/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/182/2009-12-08/Ford-wants-more-of-the-Chinese-market,-looks-at-changing-structure-of-Changan-Ford-Mazda-venture/index.html Plagued by recalls of toxic toys, poison pet food and other products, and facing rising trade barriers for its exports, China is taking a page from the American corporate playbook. It has hired a Madison Avenue ad agency to help burnish its image.In what is believed to be Beijing's first global ad campaign, a television commercial now airing on CNN... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/181/2009-12-07/China-turns-to-Madison-Avenue-for-an-image-makeover/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/181/2009-12-07/China-turns-to-Madison-Avenue-for-an-image-makeover/index.html Liberal senators are attempting to amend new legislation on consumer product safety after lobbying by toy companies that fear it could damage their business. A Senate committee examining the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act, Bill C-6, this week proposed amendments that critics say would create significant delays and substantially limit the government's ability to remove... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/180/2009-12-03/Toy-makers'-pleas-turn-tide-on-safety-bill-in-Senate-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/180/2009-12-03/Toy-makers'-pleas-turn-tide-on-safety-bill-in-Senate-/index.html This is the second part in a three-part series exploring how to reduce your company's toxic footprint by reducing and eliminating the "worst of the worst" toxic chemicals and promoting use of "best of the best" green ones. Part one of this series is focused on corporate commitment: "How Companies Are Committing to Reduce Toxic Footprints." And part three will address the ways companies disclose their toxics footprint and engage in shaping public policy on the issue. For background... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/179/2009-12-02/Getting-a-Grip-on-Your-Company's-Toxic-Footprint/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/179/2009-12-02/Getting-a-Grip-on-Your-Company's-Toxic-Footprint/index.html Guangdong, China's major toy manufacturing province, saw a slump in toy exports in October amid increasing costs, said the provincial customs Tuesday. The toy export volume of Guangdong dropped by 13.3 percent to 670 million U.S. dollars in October. The province's overall toy export volume in the first 10 months amounted to... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/178/2009-11-24/Toy-exports-slump-with-higher-costs-in-S-China--/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/178/2009-11-24/Toy-exports-slump-with-higher-costs-in-S-China--/index.html Founders Lexy Funk and Vahap Avsar were better at retailing than manufacturing. So they researched and tested Chinese plants and decided to outsource. Entrepreneur: Lexy Funk, 39. Background: New York City native Funk met her partner, Turkish-born Vahap Avsar, at an artists-in-residence program in upstate New York. A year... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/177/2009-11-20/Why-Brooklyn-Industries-Manufactures-in-China/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/177/2009-11-20/Why-Brooklyn-Industries-Manufactures-in-China/index.html China’s battery and electric car manufacturer BYD Co. announced its plan yesterday to build China’s largest vehicle-testing center with investment of 1.5 billion yuan ($219.7 million), China Daily reported. This move is aimed to lift its vehicle quality and R&D capability. The auto-testing... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/176/2009-11-17/BYD-to-build-China’s-biggest-auto-testing-center/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/176/2009-11-17/BYD-to-build-China’s-biggest-auto-testing-center/index.html “SOME of the best-loved technology on the planet” is how Apple describes its products when recruiting new employees. It’s a fair description. But the love that consumers send Apple’s way could flag if the company puts into place new advertising technology it has developed. In an application filed last year and made public last month by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Apple is seeking a patent for technology that displays advertising on almost anything that has... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/175/2009-11-14/Apple-Wouldn’t-Risk-Its-Cool-Over-a-Gimmick,-Would-It/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/175/2009-11-14/Apple-Wouldn’t-Risk-Its-Cool-Over-a-Gimmick,-Would-It/index.html SOUTH Australian authorities have yet to ban a baby stroller responsible for amputating the fingers of toddlers overseas. One million strollers made by British firm Maclaren were recalled in the U.S. yesterday. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said: "Consumers should stop using the products immediately unless otherwise instructed." The move follows authorities receiving 15 reports of children placing fingers in the stroller's hinge mechanism and 12 reports of fingertip amputation... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/173/2009-11-11/Call-to-Ban-Dangerous-Baby-Stroller/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/173/2009-11-11/Call-to-Ban-Dangerous-Baby-Stroller/index.html For the geekerati, it was a Pentagon Papers moment. Last week, the anonymous "total transparency" site Wikileaks unveiled a new cache of classified documents -- memos revealing the top-secret terms of a proposed international treaty, the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, being negotiated by the world's biggest content-creating regions. "The leaks confirm everything that we feared about the secret ACTA negotiations," wrote Gwen Hinze of the Electronic Frontier Foundation in a grim... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/174/2009-11-11/Knock-it-off:-Global-treaty-against-media-piracy-won't-work-in-Asia/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/174/2009-11-11/Knock-it-off:-Global-treaty-against-media-piracy-won't-work-in-Asia/index.html An Indian newspaper recently reported that Ford Motors of the USA recalled 4.5 million cars due to a faulty electrical switch. Many social scientists and business ethics preachers may be wondering why such recalls are not made in India. A product recall is a request under the consumer protection laws to return to the maker, a batch or an entire production run of a product, usually over safety concerns or design defects or labeling errors. It is different from the usual warranty issued for each product... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/171/2009-11-09/Corporate-Ethics-of-Recall-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/171/2009-11-09/Corporate-Ethics-of-Recall-/index.html Nokia, the world’s largest cellphone manufacturer, on Monday announced a recall of some 14 million faulty cellphone chargers. The problem? The plastic outer casing on the chargers can separate, exposing the internals (read: shocky parts). How can you tell if your ringtone-spewing-candybar’s charger could jolt you? Nokia says... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/172/2009-11-09/Nokia-Charger-Recall:-What-You-Need-to-Know-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/172/2009-11-09/Nokia-Charger-Recall:-What-You-Need-to-Know-/index.html Longo Brothers Fruit Markets Inc. Web site notes that "attention to quality, freshness and goodness" is very much a Longo's family tradition. Executives at the Mississauga, Ont.-based grocery retail chain say to live up to this goal, all its stores need to be stocked with fresh produce, in the right quantities, in response to constantly changing customer demands. But the scope of that mandate, they say... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/169/2009-11-05/Longo's-says-new-product-recall-program-brings-many-business-benefits/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/169/2009-11-05/Longo's-says-new-product-recall-program-brings-many-business-benefits/index.html Consumer's Union put 19 products under the microscope to test for levels of the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA. What it found was a wide range of results -- little or no BPA in some juice boxes and infant formula packaged in paper, but what Consumer's Union considered high levels in a number of canned goods, including Del Monte green beans and Progresso Vegetable Soup. "Our studies show that BPA... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/170/2009-11-04/BPA-Dangers-in-Your-Pantry/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/170/2009-11-04/BPA-Dangers-in-Your-Pantry/index.html Two years after the so-called tainted Chinese toys and pet food scare, another Chinese manufactured product is causing safety concerns in the United States. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said last week that it had received about 1,900 complaints from U.S. homeowners who claimed that Chinese drywall had made them... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/168/2009-11-03/Chinese-drywall-causes-safety-concerns-in-U.S.,-yet-with-no-solid-evidence-of-being-unsafe/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/168/2009-11-03/Chinese-drywall-causes-safety-concerns-in-U.S.,-yet-with-no-solid-evidence-of-being-unsafe/index.html Every Halloween we worry about a child being hit by a car, being hospitalized for hypothermia, being treated for a possible poisoning, or some other event that turns a fun celebration into a negative occurrence. Prevention and preparation are key for making an event safe and memorable. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/167/2009-10-29/Tips-and-Tricks-for-a-Safe-Halloween/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/167/2009-10-29/Tips-and-Tricks-for-a-Safe-Halloween/index.html Product quality officials from China and the US have met in Beijing for their third joint Product Safety Summit. The two sides have pledged to continue to cooperate in this field. On Monday, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and China's Administration... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/165/2009-10-27/China,-US-to-boost-quality-control-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/165/2009-10-27/China,-US-to-boost-quality-control-/index.html The Home Fashion Products Association has sent an alert noting the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a policy outlining its current guidance on testing and certification of children’s products for compliance with lead content limits. A copy of the statement of policy can be found on the “what’s new” section of the CPSIA website at http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html#bytopic. The policy... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/166/2009-10-27/Consumer-Safety-Commission-clarifies-policy-on-lead-in-children’s-products/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/166/2009-10-27/Consumer-Safety-Commission-clarifies-policy-on-lead-in-children’s-products/index.html The CPSC warning advises consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. About 19, 600 rechargeable batteries sold with portable DVD/CD/MP3 players are invloved in thsi recall. Coby Electronics Corp., of Lake Success N.Y imported the batteries from China. The rechargeable batteries can overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/164/2009-10-26/Coby-Electronics-recalls-some-rechargeable-batteries/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/164/2009-10-26/Coby-Electronics-recalls-some-rechargeable-batteries/index.html Electronics packaging solutions are developed on many levels, from the board architecture all the way up to the mechanical enclosure. The individual elements that compose these solutions need to work together so that the device can pass compliance tests. While designing printed circuit boards for new electronic devices, engineers should consider electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/163/2009-10-22/Shielding-Materials-Help-Prevent-Last-Minute-Test-Failures/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/163/2009-10-22/Shielding-Materials-Help-Prevent-Last-Minute-Test-Failures/index.html U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson is urging Florida lawmakers to find out whether leftover federal funds could be used to help homeowners with tainted Chinese drywall. In a letter sent late Friday to state House and Senate leaders, the Florida Democrat asks lawmakers to adopt a program like one in Louisiana that sets aside $5 million in Community Development Block Grants to help homeowners... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/161/2009-10-19/Nelson-seeks-funds-to-replace-drywall/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/161/2009-10-19/Nelson-seeks-funds-to-replace-drywall/index.html The Energy Star program, run by the government, is supposed to bestow a seal of approval on consumer products that use less energy than competing models. But it has a number of flaws, as laid out in a new report released by the inspector general of the Energy Department, which administers the program with the Environmental Protection Agency. As I reported today in The New York Times, one concern is that manufacturers are allowed test the energy consumption of the products themselves... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/162/2009-10-19/Report-on-Energy-Star-Lays-Out-Flaws,-Highlighting-Compact-Fluorescents/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/162/2009-10-19/Report-on-Energy-Star-Lays-Out-Flaws,-Highlighting-Compact-Fluorescents/index.html Mattel Inc. and its Fisher-Price subsidiary have agreed to settle a consumer lawsuit for what could total more than $50 million over the 2007 recall of millions of toys made in China that were found to contain high levels of lead. The proposed class action settlement, filed in Los Angeles on Tuesday, will resolve 22 suits filed against Mattel and Fisher-Price and major retailers on behalf of millions of families who purchased or received the defective toys as gifts before they were later recalled or withdrawn... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/159/2009-10-15/Mattel-lead-settlement-could-add-up-to-$50M-plus/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/159/2009-10-15/Mattel-lead-settlement-could-add-up-to-$50M-plus/index.html In a business as competitive as the coatings industry, controlling costs is always a critical component in purchasing decisions. However, there is a growing recognition that along with controlling costs, purchasing can also play a role in facilitating knowledge transfer between suppliers and new product development. Buyers need to be on the lookout for suppliers that are actively looking to engage in deeper relationships. Michael Dutt, global sourcing manager at Wickliffe, Ohio-based Lubrizol... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/160/2009-10-15/Purchasing-bridges-communications-gaps-in-the-coatings-supply-chain/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/160/2009-10-15/Purchasing-bridges-communications-gaps-in-the-coatings-supply-chain/index.html SIXTY years ago when the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) swept into power in China, the Western world was more concerned about containing China, especially when communism was sweeping through South-East Asia. An isolated China then had little economic impact on a world embroiled in a cold war. As China celebrates its 60th anniversary under the CCP rule with dazzling displays... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/156/2009-10-12/China-–-from-containment-to-engagement/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/156/2009-10-12/China-–-from-containment-to-engagement/index.html Apple's policy of offering almost no refunds for applications purchased from its App Store may have implications for business users beyond the waste of a few dollars, according to In-Stat analyst Allen Nogee. He said the policy may be a yellow flag that applications are being poorly tested and more likely to carry malware. Apple's... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/158/2009-10-12/No-Refunds-for-App-Store-May-Mean-Quality-Problems/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/158/2009-10-12/No-Refunds-for-App-Store-May-Mean-Quality-Problems/index.html DeVilbiss Air Power Co. has reissued a 2006 voluntary recall of about 700,000 power washers and air compressors, as the Tennessee company continues to receive reports of consumers being injured when the tires burst, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said. There now have been 100 injury reports, including cuts and fractures on fingers and hands, as well as damage to property and vehicles, the commission said. The defective tires... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/154/2009-10-09/Consumers-urged-to-stop-using-pressure-washers/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/154/2009-10-09/Consumers-urged-to-stop-using-pressure-washers/index.html The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly narrowed in August as exports climbed to the highest level of the year and oil imports plunged. The gap fell 3.6 percent to $30.7 billion from a revised $31.9 billion in July, the Commerce Department said today in Washington. The 0.2 percent increase in demand for American- made goods abroad would... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/155/2009-10-09/U.S.-Economy:-Trade-Gap-Unexpectedly-Shrank-in-August/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/155/2009-10-09/U.S.-Economy:-Trade-Gap-Unexpectedly-Shrank-in-August/index.html Members of Congress summoned officials from four federal agencies investigating tainted Chinese drywall to Capitol Hill Wednesday for a closed-door meeting amid growing concern that action is not coming swiftly enough to help thousands of affected homeowners. A battery of scientific testing originally scheduled to start being released later... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/152/2009-09-24/Quicker-pace-urged-in-tackling-drywall/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/152/2009-09-24/Quicker-pace-urged-in-tackling-drywall/index.html The new Phasor CV/DM from GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies is the first phased array inspection device for corrosion spot identification in the marketplace. Corrosion spots are small, isolated areas where corrosion has reduced a pipe’s wall thickness and can compromise its ability to safely... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/153/2009-09-24/GE-:-First-phased-array-corrosion-inspection-solution/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/153/2009-09-24/GE-:-First-phased-array-corrosion-inspection-solution/index.html Hooded Sweat shirts. Name of product: Children’s Hooded Fleece Sweat shirts Units: About 2,300. Distributor: La Jolla Sport USA of Irvine, Calif. Hazard: The recalled sweat shirts have a drawstring through the hood, which can pose a strangulation hazard to children. In February 1996, CPSC issued guidelines to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on the neck and waist drawstrings in upper garments, such as jackets or sweat shirts... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/151/2009-09-21/Product-Recalls---Where-to-go,-what-to-do/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/151/2009-09-21/Product-Recalls---Where-to-go,-what-to-do/index.html Born of the Great Depression, it was a glossy, color-saturated line of cups, bowls and plates meant to affordably brighten lives and dinner tables. Seven decades later, Fiesta dinnerware is still designed to send a subtle message of optimism, but it's no longer quite so cheap. Yet Fiesta's enduring popularity and strong sales even as consumers... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/150/2009-09-20/Last-U.S.-dinnerware-manufacturers-struggle/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/150/2009-09-20/Last-U.S.-dinnerware-manufacturers-struggle/index.html Buying items at local secondhand stores may save a buck, but consumers should also educate themselves about the latest product recalls to avoid potentially dangerous purchases. In Onslow County, some secondhand stores are more diligent about recalled items than others. At Goodwill stores, like the one in Jacksonville, employees are constantly updated with information on the latest product recalls issued... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/149/2009-09-18/Protecting-consumers-saving-a-buck/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/149/2009-09-18/Protecting-consumers-saving-a-buck/index.html The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following products. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030904/USCSCLOGO). Name of Product: Children's Shoes... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/147/2009-09-17/Clarks(R)-Children's-Shoes-Recalled-by-C-&-J-Clark-America-Due-to-Choking-Hazard/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/147/2009-09-17/Clarks(R)-Children's-Shoes-Recalled-by-C-&-J-Clark-America-Due-to-Choking-Hazard/index.html This recall involves the Duraflame Insta-match utility lighter. The handle of the lighter is either clear, red, blue, or yellow. The Health Canada advisory says the lighter has a black tip, a red on/off trigger, and the Duraflame logo printed on the handle. The recalled lighters can be identified by UPC 041137007814. Testing by Health Canada has revealed that the lighters have unsafe burning characteristics, posing a burn hazard to users. For example, the flame is too high and the lighter continues to burn... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/146/2009-09-16/Product-recall-Duraflame-Insta-match-Utility-Lighter/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/146/2009-09-16/Product-recall-Duraflame-Insta-match-Utility-Lighter/index.html Some tennis balls for dogs, chew toys for cats and women’s plastic handbags were among the common household items found to contain lead and other toxic chemicals in recent tests, a nonprofit environmental group reported on Wednesday. The Ecology Center, a group based in Michigan, announced that it had expanded its online... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/148/2009-09-16/Environmental-Group-Reveals-Toxic-Chemicals-in-a-Range-of-Consumer-Items-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/148/2009-09-16/Environmental-Group-Reveals-Toxic-Chemicals-in-a-Range-of-Consumer-Items-/index.html Scarcity of natural resources will leave the consumer industry exposed to higher and more volatile pricing in little more than a decade. By 2020 it is estimated there will be one billion more consumers worldwide, resulting in a fundamental consumption imbalance with demand for natural resources outstripping supply. “Sustainability for Tomorrow’s Consumer... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/145/2009-09-15/Consumer-product-firms-risk-reduced-profitability:-report/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/145/2009-09-15/Consumer-product-firms-risk-reduced-profitability:-report/index.html There's nothing illegal about the children's games, books, toys and various household items Tori Lucida is selling in the front yard of her Tremont Avenue home on this picture-perfect Saturday morning. "Santa Claus brought too much for Christmas," the Willowbrook mother of two says with a welcome smile. "The toys are brand new. Some have never... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/144/2009-09-13/Yard-sale-crackdown-aimed-at-faulty-items/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/144/2009-09-13/Yard-sale-crackdown-aimed-at-faulty-items/index.html The CPSC recalled 500 IKEA KARLSTAD sofa beds due to a federal mattress flammability standard violation. Pennsylvania product liability lawyers-IKEA international home furnishings manufacturer recalls Karlstad sofa beds for fire hazard. Conshohocken, PA–IKEA Home Furnishings has participated in a voluntary recall of approximately 500 units of sofa beds. IKEA is a furniture distributor... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/143/2009-09-12/Product-Defect-News:-IKEA-sofa-beds-recalled/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/143/2009-09-12/Product-Defect-News:-IKEA-sofa-beds-recalled/index.html As a parent, keeping your child out of harm's way is an utmost priority. So, how can you trust that your child is safe from the hidden dangers - ranging from faulty cribs to recalled products - that lurk in and out of the home? "Many parents have expressed concern about the prevalence of recalled children's products," said Susan Baustian, director of the Once Upon A Child brand. "But, they should know that the Consumer Product Safety Commission... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/142/2009-09-11/Children's-Retailer-Shows-Commitment-to-Product-Safety-in-Honor-of-Baby-Safety-Month/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/142/2009-09-11/Children's-Retailer-Shows-Commitment-to-Product-Safety-in-Honor-of-Baby-Safety-Month/index.html Now that your son is too big for his crib and your daughter has moved from Polly Pocket to Bratz dolls, a garage sale seems like a logical way to clear out the closets. But according to a new federal law, you're breaking the law if any of those clothes, toys or other children's products have been recalled. The law went into effect in August 2008, but many people operating garage sales were not aware... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/141/2009-09-10/Is-your-garage-sale-breaking-the-law/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/141/2009-09-10/Is-your-garage-sale-breaking-the-law/index.html The wide-eyed boy approaches the shelf with awe and admiration, his heart literally in his mouth as he scans the toys on offer in the shop. Then he hungrily darts around, soaking in all the contents on the shelves. Eugene Kambo grabs a glittering red race car nicely wrapped in a transparent material and confronts his father with pleading eyes. The father dutifully pays Sh100 the cost of the toy... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/139/2009-09-09/Parents-beware:-Toxic-toys-in-circulation/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/139/2009-09-09/Parents-beware:-Toxic-toys-in-circulation/index.html The 3rd Biennial United States – China Consumer Product Safety Summit between the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and its counterpart agency, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ), will be held in Wuxi, Jinhua... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/140/2009-09-09/3rd-U.S.-China-Consumer-Product-Safety-Summit-Coming-Next-Month/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/140/2009-09-09/3rd-U.S.-China-Consumer-Product-Safety-Summit-Coming-Next-Month/index.html For an already-struggling car maker such as Toyota, the recall of nearly 700,000 cars in one of its few growing markets was a painful blow. Toyota Motor Corp.'s recall last month of its Chinese-made Camry, Corolla, Yaris and Vios models, because of faulty electronic window switches that could overheat and short circuit, was the car maker's largest-ever recall in the country. But for those who monitor quality in the Chinese manufacturing industry, the great surprise... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/138/2009-09-07/In-China,-quality-control-is-still-a-work-in-progress-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/138/2009-09-07/In-China,-quality-control-is-still-a-work-in-progress-/index.html With the lights turned down low and a James Bond movie playing on a top-of-the-range widescreen television, this might seem like an ideal evening in. But there are actually 10 televisions lined up, and Casino Royale is just one of a series of short clips including footage of snooker and steam trains being played to a panel of specialist viewers. Welcome to the TV torture chamber - a lab... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/137/2009-09-06/What-happens-in-a-product-testing-lab/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/137/2009-09-06/What-happens-in-a-product-testing-lab/index.html Before you sit back and pop in a movie at home for a relaxing Labor Day weekend, you might want to check out this week's list of faulty products. Overheating DVD players and breaking chairs are among some of the items manufacturers are recalling. The DVD players, sold at Walmart stores, have caused fires and property damage. The chairs by OfficeMax Inc., meanwhile, have caused at least 15 reports of injuries so far. Here's a list of the items manufacturers recalled... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/136/2009-09-04/Recalls-This-Week:-Chairs,-DVD-Players,-Cookies-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/136/2009-09-04/Recalls-This-Week:-Chairs,-DVD-Players,-Cookies-/index.html Earlier this summer I bought a new gas barbecue grill at Lowe’s. I had used it only a handful of times when one morning before coffee, as I blankly stared at the Star-Ledger, I noticed just above the masthead a line of print announcing a recall of Blue Ember barbecue grills. I went to the Blue Ember Web site as instructed, wrote down the long list... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/134/2009-09-03/Legal-Life:-Watching-Out-for-the-Consumer/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/134/2009-09-03/Legal-Life:-Watching-Out-for-the-Consumer/index.html OfficeMax Inc. and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are recalling about 216,000 OfficeMax Task Chairs because the back and base post of the chairs can break and cause users to fall. The commission said that OfficeMax received about 35 reports of chair backs or posts breaking, including 15 reports of injuries involving lacerations, muscle strains, contusions and concussions. he recall involves OfficeMax Task Chairs with model numbers OM182... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/133/2009-09-01/OfficeMax-recalls-rolling-chairs-that-can-collapse-during-use/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/133/2009-09-01/OfficeMax-recalls-rolling-chairs-that-can-collapse-during-use/index.html A faulty seatbelt has prompted the recall of about 41,000 Baby Jogger City Mini strollers, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and stroller maker Baby Jogger. The seatbelt buckle on the stroller can break or unlatch, allowing a child or infant to fall out, the commission said on its website. The agency has asked parents to stop using the strollers immediately. The City Mini strollers were sold nationwide in children's stores, department stores... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/132/2009-08-30/Baby-Jogger-strollers-recall-is-caused-by-faulty-seatbelts/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/132/2009-08-30/Baby-Jogger-strollers-recall-is-caused-by-faulty-seatbelts/index.html It was a bad week for major appliances with refrigerators and electric ranges recalled by the tens of thousands. In the food group there was some bad cheese and mellons, and in clothing, children's hoodies. The recalls for the week include: PRODUCT: Maytag, Magic Chef, Performa by Maytag and Crosley brand refrigerators, manufactured in... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/131/2009-08-28/Recalls-This-Week:-Appliances,-Sofas-and-Hoodies-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/131/2009-08-28/Recalls-This-Week:-Appliances,-Sofas-and-Hoodies-/index.html Cash for clunkers is over, but Toys R Us Inc. is offering parents cash for cribs. After several high-profile recalls of children's products drew low consumer response, executives at the toy giant decided to offer a trade-in program to help rid homes of unsafe items, said Jerry Storch, chairman and chief executive of Toys R Us. During the Great Trade-In event, which begins Friday, all Babies R Us and Toys R Us stores nationwide will accept returns of... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/130/2009-08-26/Toys-R-Us-trade-in-offer-triggered-by-safety-recalls/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/130/2009-08-26/Toys-R-Us-trade-in-offer-triggered-by-safety-recalls/index.html The impact of a Chinese lead poisoning scandal spread to another two provinces on Tuesday, threatening further cuts in supply from the world's top producer of the metal. [ID:nSP447110] Following are some details on major lead poisoning incidents and the associated health risks. * CHINA: -- Chinese state media said on August 20 the number of children found with excess lead in their blood near the Wugang Manganese Smelting Plant in Hunan province reached 1,354. The Xinhua news agency reported close to 70... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/129/2009-08-25/FACTBOX-Lead-poisoning---a-growing-risk/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/129/2009-08-25/FACTBOX-Lead-poisoning---a-growing-risk/index.html Hospitals considering new construction are faced with a dilemma: The price to build might be just about right, but the timing could be all wrong. Earlier this year, the use of substandard building materials in construction-boom states such as Florida and Louisiana made national headlines, after tainted drywall damaged homes and, in comes cases, led to adverse health effects on homeowners... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/128/2009-08-24/A-material-world/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/128/2009-08-24/A-material-world/index.html Exploding iPhones are so earlier this week, people. The new scary consumer electronics product that might explode and kill you and your family is the cheap Durabrand DVD player exclusive to Wal-Mart. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of the device, saying the players can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers. The players retail for less than $30... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/127/2009-08-21/Wal-Mart-recalls-fiery-DVD-players/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/127/2009-08-21/Wal-Mart-recalls-fiery-DVD-players/index.html Yesterday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced recalls for three bike-related products. Two of those three — a child trailer and a cyclocross bike — are popular items in Portland. The CPSC announced a voluntary recall of about 2,700 2009 “d’lite ST” and “Solo ST” child trailers (both were made in the Phillipines) sold by Eugene-based Burley Design. The hazard is the axle... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/126/2009-08-20/Burley-trailers,-Felt-cyclocross-bikes-on-CPSC-recall-list/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/126/2009-08-20/Burley-trailers,-Felt-cyclocross-bikes-on-CPSC-recall-list/index.html U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson said in a media release Tuesday he pressed Chinese officials in recent trips there to cooperate more fully in investigations of defective high-sulfur drywall that was made in China and is ruining homes in the United States. Nelson’s remarks came immediately before a separate journey to China this week by a delegation of the... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/125/2009-08-19/Nelson-seeks-China-cooperation-on-drywall/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/125/2009-08-19/Nelson-seeks-China-cooperation-on-drywall/index.html New requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) aimed at making children's products safer and increasing consumer confidence in the marketplace are now in effect. To that end, the Consumer Product Safety Commission is launching a program that it says will educate domestic and overseas manufacturers, importers, and distributors of children's products and other... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/123/2009-08-18/Tougher-Safety-Requirements-For-Children's-Products-Now-In-Effect/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/123/2009-08-18/Tougher-Safety-Requirements-For-Children's-Products-Now-In-Effect/index.html Do you remember a couple of years ago when there was a massive recall of toys made in China because of lead issues? Well, the Consumer Product Safety Commission vowed to do something about it, and those rules are now in place. They cut the acceptable level of lead in children's products in half. Acceptable lead levels from 600 parts per million to 300. So, anything above that amount is unlawful for... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/122/2009-08-17/Lead-rules-change-for-kids-toys-and-products/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/122/2009-08-17/Lead-rules-change-for-kids-toys-and-products/index.html As executive director for the Tamarack Foundation, I promote our state's fine art and craft and those who make these items by hand throughout West Virginia. I value their exceptional work because of my personal interest and my passion inspires me to help them. Six years into leading this effort, I now see the work of our state's creative residents in a different way. I focus as much on what they must... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/121/2009-08-16/Artisans-Understand-the-Challenge-of-Manufacturing/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/121/2009-08-16/Artisans-Understand-the-Challenge-of-Manufacturing/index.html Despite the growing number of imports, the government's product safety agency has no access to certain customs information that could help prevent the sale of unsafe products, congressional investigators say. A report released Friday by the Government Accountability Office, Congress' investigative arm, looks at the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is responsible for ensuring consumer products don't pose health or safety risks. Since 2002, the commission has asked the Customs and... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/120/2009-08-15/Consumer-agency-is-blocked-from-some-import-data/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/120/2009-08-15/Consumer-agency-is-blocked-from-some-import-data/index.html Little Tikes Co. is recalling about 1.6 million toys because of a choking hazard, a government agency said Thursday. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of Little Tikes Workshop Sets and Trucks after it received a report that an 11-month-old boy was hospitalized after getting a plastic nail lodged in his throat. The boy made a full recovery, the release said. Little Tikes, based in Hudson, Ohio, said the plastic nail is about 3-1/4 inches long... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/119/2009-08-13/Little-Tikes-recalls-1.6-million-toys/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/119/2009-08-13/Little-Tikes-recalls-1.6-million-toys/index.html The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission plans to visit China later this month as part of its investigation into problems with drywall manufactured there, the agency announced Tuesday. “We have asked to visit several sites that we believe to be of interest,” the agency said in a status update report submitted to Congress. The visit is scheduled to begin Aug. 17... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/113/2009-08-11/Consumer-safety-representatives-to-visit-China-in-drywall-investigation/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/113/2009-08-11/Consumer-safety-representatives-to-visit-China-in-drywall-investigation/index.html More than 300 children from a county in northwestern China need treatment for lead poisoning that their parents blame on a nearby metal smelter, the official China Daily reported on Monday. China's pollution and lax product safety standards have long been a source of tension and unrest when parents or residents of pollution hotspots -- dubbed "cancer villages" because of high rates of the disease -- feel their worries are being ignored. "Both of my children took physical examinations that showed the lead... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/111/2009-08-10/Lead-poisoning-hits-300-children-near-China-factory/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/111/2009-08-10/Lead-poisoning-hits-300-children-near-China-factory/index.html China's largest overseas consumer product show is happening right here in Las Vegas this week. The China Brand Show is where hundreds of top Chinese manufacturers show off their latest products. On Monday, some of China's top dignitaries spoke during the show. The Chinese government played a big part in organizing this year's event... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/112/2009-08-10/Chinese-trying-to-change-product-perception-at-Vegas-trade-show/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/112/2009-08-10/Chinese-trying-to-change-product-perception-at-Vegas-trade-show/index.html A single consumer products safety law in the US has accounted for more than a 10th of revenue growth at Intertek, the testing group, since the new year, according to Wolfhart Hauser, chief executive. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, passed after a 2007 wave of Chinese product recalls in which Mattel withdrew more than 20m toys because of feared lead paint contamination, went into force in February this year. Mr Hauser said that the law on its own accounted for about a third of... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/107/2009-08-04/Intertek-gets-boost-from-US-safety-law-aimed-at-China/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/107/2009-08-04/Intertek-gets-boost-from-US-safety-law-aimed-at-China/index.html In 10 days, manufacturers of children’s products must begin complying with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The intent of the act is to keep lead away from children by banning all but minute levels of the metal, which can cause irreversible brain damage, from toys and other products. In order to help do that, the new law mandates tracking labels that provide the name of the company as well as the city and country where the product was made. In addition, batch and lot numbers must be included on the label... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/108/2009-08-04/Protecting-kids:-Safety-focus-of-new-product-label-rules/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/108/2009-08-04/Protecting-kids:-Safety-focus-of-new-product-label-rules/index.html Black & Decker Inc. has reissued a recall of its Grasshog string trimmer/edger, as the company continues to receive reports of pieces of the product coming loose and flying off, injuring users, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said. The GH1000 Grasshog XP stringer trimmers were sold at major home improvement centers and hardware stores from November 2005 through January 2007 for about $70. They were made in China. The company first pulled 202,000 of the product for repairs in July 2007... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/109/2009-08-04/Black-&-Decker-reissues-string-trimmer-recall-as-injury-reports-continue/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/109/2009-08-04/Black-&-Decker-reissues-string-trimmer-recall-as-injury-reports-continue/index.html Domestications, of Weehawken, New Jersey just issued a recall for about 780 of its Domestications Bed Steps, which were manufactured in China and imported by Hanover Direct Inc., of Weehawken, New Jersey, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced. The Domestications Bed Steps were recalled because the bed steps can break during use, posing a fall hazard to consumers. To date, Domestications received 14 reports of the bed steps breaking or cracking during use. Four of those... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/106/2009-07-31/Domestications-Recalls-Bed-Steps-Due-to-Fall-Hazard/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/106/2009-07-31/Domestications-Recalls-Bed-Steps-Due-to-Fall-Hazard/index.html U.S. regulators announced plans Thursday to set up a Beijing office to help ensure Chinese exports are safe for Americans following a slew of recalls involving everything from pet food to children's toys. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission was seeking to establish a permanent presence overseas for the first time to better cooperate with Chinese regulators and companies so the country's products are up to U.S. standards, the agency's chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum said... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/105/2009-07-30/US-seeks-China-office-to-ensure-export-safety/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/105/2009-07-30/US-seeks-China-office-to-ensure-export-safety/index.html If you're going to make a dent in toy safety, your first stop has to be China. An estimated nine out of 10 toys sold in the U.S. comes from that nation's factories. For Inez Tenenbaum, who President Obama appointed as the new chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, dealing with toy manufacturing in Asia is a long way from her native South Carolina -- where she spent most of her career as a lawyer, politician and education official. But that's where she is today... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/104/2009-07-29/New-CPSC-chief-speaks-softly,-but-carries-a-big-stick---in-China/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/104/2009-07-29/New-CPSC-chief-speaks-softly,-but-carries-a-big-stick---in-China/index.html Lyne Yi International has recalled about 600 “Reflections of Magic” Hanging Mirrors imported by the Bradford Exchange Ltd., of Niles, Illinois. The recall has been issued because the metal plate used for hanging the mirror can become detached and cause the mirror to fall, posing an impact or laceration hazard to consumers, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced. To date, 10 reports were received of metal plate detachment from the mirrors while hanging on the wall. One consumer... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/102/2009-07-27/Reflections-of-Magic-Mirrors-Recalled-Due-to-Impact,-Laceration-Hazards/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/102/2009-07-27/Reflections-of-Magic-Mirrors-Recalled-Due-to-Impact,-Laceration-Hazards/index.html Some 30,000 angry Chinese workers staged a riot at a steel factory in China that resulted in its boss getting beaten to death, underscoring just how quickly economic problems can stoke social unrest. The workers were protesting the sale of state-owned Tonghua Iron & Steel in Jilin province to a private group which they feared would lead to... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/103/2009-07-27/Rioting-Chinese-Steel-Workers-Kill-Boss-Over-Layoffs/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/103/2009-07-27/Rioting-Chinese-Steel-Workers-Kill-Boss-Over-Layoffs/index.html Go ahead. Check the tag on your shirt. The bottom of your coffee mug. The nearest child's toy lying around. You might find these three familiar words: "Made in China." Products manufactured and imported from Eastern countries - China and India are among the biggest players - continue to hold a strong place in the American economy... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/101/2009-07-26/Made-in-______/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/101/2009-07-26/Made-in-______/index.html Before you fire up the grill for a barbecue dinner, you might want to check out this week's list of recalled items. A Tennessee company is recalling its grills because of a fire hazard posed by the gas tank's proximity to the firebox. There have already been 161 incidents reported, including nine injuries. One of those incidents involved temporary hearing loss... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/100/2009-07-24/Recalls-This-Week:-Grills,-Elliptical-Machines-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/100/2009-07-24/Recalls-This-Week:-Grills,-Elliptical-Machines-/index.html A Chinese worker leapt to his death after allegedly being beaten by security guards for mislaying a top-secret prototype of the latest Apple iPhone. Sun Danyong, 25, had been responsible for sending 16 of the fourth-generation mobile phones... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/98/2009-07-23/Chinese-factory-worker-commits-suicide-after-losing-prototype-iPhone/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/98/2009-07-23/Chinese-factory-worker-commits-suicide-after-losing-prototype-iPhone/index.html Thane International, the California company that last week recalled hundreds of thousands of steam cleaners following reports of them shocking or burning consumers, now is voluntarily pulling 48,000 exercise gliders for poorly written instructions that could lead to assembly defects. Both products were made in China and sold through Thane's website or TV infomercials. The cleaners also were available at retail stores. The instructions that come with Thane's Orbitrek Elite and Orbitrek Magnetic elliptical... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/99/2009-07-23/Infomercial-retailer-recalls-second-Chinese-made-product-within-a-week/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/99/2009-07-23/Infomercial-retailer-recalls-second-Chinese-made-product-within-a-week/index.html One of the nation's top safety officials is putting manufacturers on notice: Comply with new rules aimed at keeping children's products safe, or face the potential of big fines. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said Tuesday that her agency will get new enforcement tools next month — and she plans to use them in order to protect consumers, especially children. Come Aug. 14, the maximum civil penalty the agency could impose for violations increases significantly, from $1.8 million... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/96/2009-07-21/AP-Interview:-Product-safety-chief-warns-industry/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/96/2009-07-21/AP-Interview:-Product-safety-chief-warns-industry/index.html The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act has had some unintended consequences for small businesses that cater to parents. The law, meant to protect children from harmful products in toys and clothes, is increasing costs for some small-business owners and driving others out of business, since every fabric in a piece of clothing and every component in a toy... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/93/2009-07-20/Kid-safety-law-proves-costly-for-small-firms/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/93/2009-07-20/Kid-safety-law-proves-costly-for-small-firms/index.html An American subsidiary of the Chinese electronics and appliances giant Haier Group was assessed a $587,500 penalty for failing to promptly disclose that it knew wires were breaking in its fans, posing a risk of fire, thus delaying its recall. Haier America Trading Llc. agreed to pay the fine to settle allegations that they collected information about 14 incidents -- including an injury -- between May 2004 and October 2004, but didn't report to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission until December of that year... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/95/2009-07-20/Chinese-company-fined-$600K-for-not-disclosing-product-danger,-delaying-recall/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/95/2009-07-20/Chinese-company-fined-$600K-for-not-disclosing-product-danger,-delaying-recall/index.html Chinese manufacturers made more than half of the goods that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled last year, but few of them paid any price for producing defective wares. The long list of faulty products included Chinese-made highchairs whose seat backs failed, steam cleaners that burned their users, bikes whose front-wheel forks broke, saunas that overheated, illuminated exit signs that stopped working when commercial power failed, dune buggies whose seat belts broke on impact and coffee makers... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/91/2009-07-18/Chinese-makers-of-bad-products-rarely-pay-a-price/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/91/2009-07-18/Chinese-makers-of-bad-products-rarely-pay-a-price/index.html The publication Media reported Thursday that China is revisiting previously delayed plans to launch a public relations campaign promoting products made in China. If so, that’s almost a year since the campaign ran up against a nasty surprise from China’s dairy industry. China and ad agency DDB were nearing a launch of the campaign last fall to... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/89/2009-07-16/A-“Made-in-China”-Campaign-Returns/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/89/2009-07-16/A-“Made-in-China”-Campaign-Returns/index.html Like it or not, for most major shoe manufacturers, China is the place to be. Pretty much whatever you need to make shoes--from factories with trained and available labor, to the largest concentration of leather tanneries on earth, to component suppliers of the mundane and the exotic--you can find in Guangzhou Province... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/87/2009-07-15/Building-the-Right-Model-for-Business-in-China-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/87/2009-07-15/Building-the-Right-Model-for-Business-in-China-/index.html The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/86/2009-07-14/Rossignol-Recalls-Cross-Country-Boots-Due-to-Fall-Hazard/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/86/2009-07-14/Rossignol-Recalls-Cross-Country-Boots-Due-to-Fall-Hazard/index.html Workers in foreign factories that supply Wal-Mart can't blame the company for their alleged sweatshop conditions, despite the retail giant's code of conduct that's supposed to hold its contractors to decent labor standards, a federal appeals... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/85/2009-07-13/Wal-Mart-not-responsible-for-factory-conditions/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/85/2009-07-13/Wal-Mart-not-responsible-for-factory-conditions/index.html Chicago area residents alerted-1 million Kolcraft children’s play yards may cause injuries. Chicago, The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) http://www.cpsc.gov/ announced the recall of at least one million Kolcraft, and Kolcraft licensed brand playpens on July 8, 2009. Kolcraft products are widely perceived by parents and caretakers as a safe product for unattended children. The recall reportedly involves China-made play yards distributed... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/84/2009-07-12/Illinois-product-liability-Kolcraft-recalls-1-million-defective-kiddie-play-yards/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/84/2009-07-12/Illinois-product-liability-Kolcraft-recalls-1-million-defective-kiddie-play-yards/index.html IF China is the world’s factory, we may all be in trouble. Given the manufacturing scandals in recent years, such as the recall of made-in-China toys and last year’s melamine-in-milk health crisis, who can blame us for believing that Chinese factory owners have no qualms choosing profit over product quality and safety... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/83/2009-07-11/Dealing-with-China’s-tactics/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/83/2009-07-11/Dealing-with-China’s-tactics/index.html A question for anyone who’s planning a yard sale this summer: Are you having a safe sale? A consumer-product safety law signed last year makes it illegal to sell recalled products—and that applies to goods sold at yard sales, as well as flea markets and Internet sites like Craigslist. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is charged with enforcing the law, is urging... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/82/2009-07-09/Seller,-Beware:-the-New-Yard-Sale-Rules-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/82/2009-07-09/Seller,-Beware:-the-New-Yard-Sale-Rules-/index.html The Consumer Product Safety Commission is expected on Wednesday to announce a recall of one million Kolcraft play yards, raising questions anew over the safety of products widely perceived as safe for unattended children. The expected recall of the portable playpens, some of which include changing tables or bassinets, follows hundreds of complaints... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/81/2009-07-08/Play-Yard-Recall-Revives-Child-Safety-Issues-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/81/2009-07-08/Play-Yard-Recall-Revives-Child-Safety-Issues-/index.html Even though "buy American" and "buy Chinese" mandated elements of each nations' respective stimulus program are capturing more attention of late than product quality scandals, you can be sure that China is still very much at the center of quality concern for many organizations doing business in the region. Now, whether or not this is more of a PR issue... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/80/2009-07-07/China's-PR-Quality-Problem/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/80/2009-07-07/China's-PR-Quality-Problem/index.html The final years of the U.S. housing boom and a disastrous series of Gulf Coast hurricanes created a golden opportunity for Chinese drywall manufacturers. With domestic suppliers unable to keep up with demand, imports of Chinese drywall to the U.S. jumped 17-fold in 2006 from the year before. That imported drywall is now at the center of complaints... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/79/2009-07-06/Chinese-drywall-linked-to-problems-in-U.S.-homes/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/79/2009-07-06/Chinese-drywall-linked-to-problems-in-U.S.-homes/index.html Abu Dhabi: An unregistered product for the treatment of asthma and other respiratory problems was found by the Health Authority Abu Dhabi inspection team to be sold in various outlets across Abu Dhabi. The product, known as Asthmina Syrup Natural, contains ephedra, also known as ma haung, an ancient Chinese herb traditionally used to treat asthma, colds, congestion and coughs. The herb was originally... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/78/2009-07-04/Inspectors-find-product-containing-banned-herb-on-sale-in-Abu-Dhabi/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/78/2009-07-04/Inspectors-find-product-containing-banned-herb-on-sale-in-Abu-Dhabi/index.html Food safety starts at the beginning of the food supply chain;. from farm to fork, all food and agriculture companies are at risk to food safety. “As a food and agricultural financier in Asia, Rabobank emphasises sustainability-oriented banking and sees a shared responsibility in promoting food safety along the whole food value chain,” said Robert Jan van Zadelhoff, Head of Rabobank Asia... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/77/2009-07-03/Food-Safety-in-China-From-Farm-to-Fork./index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/77/2009-07-03/Food-Safety-in-China-From-Farm-to-Fork./index.html Welcome to the finger detachment holiday, when emergency rooms are full of people (mostly young people) with fireworks injuries. I always figured these were accidents of carelessness, but a recent Consumer Product Safety Commission Report changed my mind; it reported that half of the imported fireworks shipments it checked contained faulty fireworks... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/75/2009-07-02/Defective-fireworks-more-common-that-you-know/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/75/2009-07-02/Defective-fireworks-more-common-that-you-know/index.html Federal safety regulators have announced two large recalls of children's products, including one involving four million water toys, for serious safety hazards on the eve of the Fourth of July holiday weekend. The inflatable baby floats - shaped like turtles, ducks, power boats and other figures - have been voluntarily pulled by distributor Aqua-Leisure Industries after 31 reports of the seats tearing and dropping youngsters into the water, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said. No injuries have been reported... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/76/2009-07-02/Simplicity-cribs,-inflatable-floats-pulled-for-safety-hazards/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/76/2009-07-02/Simplicity-cribs,-inflatable-floats-pulled-for-safety-hazards/index.html Beijing may retaliate against India’s recent decision to extend an import ban on Chinese dairy products, the Times of India reported Wednesday. ”If India insists on this decision, China will respond to the safety and quality of imported products from India,” the Indian daily quoted from a letter sent by the Chinese quality control bureau to the Indian embassy in Beijing... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/73/2009-07-01/China,-India-Spar-over-Trade-Bans-of-Dairy-Products,-Cell-Phones,-and-Toys/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/73/2009-07-01/China,-India-Spar-over-Trade-Bans-of-Dairy-Products,-Cell-Phones,-and-Toys/index.html When access to China became a reality, international enterprises with famous brands lined up to take advantage of the resources and market China had to offer. Doing business in and with China allowed many of these companies to expand their businesses and increase their profits to unprecedented... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/72/2009-06-30/Coping-with-'Made-in-China'-Scandals/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/72/2009-06-30/Coping-with-'Made-in-China'-Scandals/index.html Chinese manufacturers made more than half of the goods that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled last year, but few of them paid any price for producing defective wares. The long list of faulty products included Chinese-made highchairs whose seat backs failed, steam cleaners that burned their users, bikes whose front-wheel forks broke... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/71/2009-06-29/Chinese-makers-of-shoddy-goods-rarely-face-U.S.-sanctions/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/71/2009-06-29/Chinese-makers-of-shoddy-goods-rarely-face-U.S.-sanctions/index.html AS CANADA continues to deal with a recession, some entrepreneurs are rethinking the price-value relationship. As sales drop off because customers become wary of spending, it is important to resist the urge to cut prices. Price cutting works in some markets, but it doesn’t work in all. It is important to understand your customer’s view of price and how value is measured before you start playing with the numbers... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/70/2009-06-28/Establishing-real-value-in-the-marketplace-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/70/2009-06-28/Establishing-real-value-in-the-marketplace-/index.html Health Canada has recalled all Ronson Multi-Purpose Utility Lighters because two of the brands posed a fire hazard, Health Canada said Friday in a news release. Four lighters are affected by the recall: • Wind Resistant Lighter model number 1010, UPC 059136511010. • Wind Resistant Kit model number 1058, UPC 059136511058. • Multi-Flex Utility Lighter model number... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/68/2009-06-26/Health-Canada-slaps-recall-on-Ronson-utility-lighters/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/68/2009-06-26/Health-Canada-slaps-recall-on-Ronson-utility-lighters/index.html As another food recall hits the news, I have to ask: How many businesses can afford to lose $25 million during a recession? That was the estimated annual revenue of Peanut Corp. of America. It went bankrupt in January after its peanuts were linked to... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/69/2009-06-26/Ensuring-quality-is-cheaper-than-the-alternative/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/69/2009-06-26/Ensuring-quality-is-cheaper-than-the-alternative/index.html Ten years and $2.5 billion in research have found no cures from alternative medicine. Yet these mostly unproven treatments are now mainstream and used by more than a third of all Americans. This is the third in an Associated Press series examining their use and potential risks. Lead in ginkgo pills. Arsenic in herbals. Bugs in a baby's colic and teething syrup. Toxic metals and parasites are part of nature, and all of these have been found in "natural" products and dietary supplements in recent years... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/67/2009-06-24/UNPROVEN-REMEDIES:-Tests-show-many-supplements-have-quality-problems/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/67/2009-06-24/UNPROVEN-REMEDIES:-Tests-show-many-supplements-have-quality-problems/index.html Investigating officers are baffled by the huge influx of spurious Chinese products into the Indian market with "Made in India" label of late. Popular brands are the ones which are falling prey to such violation of intellectual property rights, say industry sources. Factors like easy access to manufacturers of fake products in China and availability of... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/66/2009-06-23/Faked-in-China-Indian'-goods-hit-mkt-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/66/2009-06-23/Faked-in-China-Indian'-goods-hit-mkt-/index.html A sea change in food safety regulation is on the way. By the end of the year, Congress will pass legislation that brings the first major overhaul of the nation's food safety laws in more than 70 years. The action was prompted by a series of foodborne disease outbreaks as well as tainted imports from China, which laid bare the gaps in U.S. food safety laws. There is broad consensus on the need for such reform and surprising... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/65/2009-06-22/Major-Overhaul-of-Food-Safety-Rules-Coming/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/65/2009-06-22/Major-Overhaul-of-Food-Safety-Rules-Coming/index.html Here's what people really want to know: Are chemicals in household products a health risk for me or my kids? The inability to get an answer to that question drives consumers crazy. Today's column won't answer it conclusively either, but we can at least provide some insight into the debate over toxics in consumer products... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/64/2009-06-21/Be-wary,-not-alarmist,-about-chemicals-in-household-products/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/64/2009-06-21/Be-wary,-not-alarmist,-about-chemicals-in-household-products/index.html Lead in ginkgo pills. Arsenic in herbals. Bugs in a baby's colic and teething syrup. Toxic metals and parasites are part of nature, and all of these have been found in "natural" products and dietary supplements in recent years. Set aside the issue of whether vitamin and herbal supplements do any good. Are they safe? Is what's on the label really what's in the bottle? Tests by researchers and private labs suggest the answer sometimes is no. One quarter of supplements tested by an independent company over the past decade... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/63/2009-06-20/For-supplements,-quality-control-is-no-sure-thing/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/63/2009-06-20/For-supplements,-quality-control-is-no-sure-thing/index.html Tens of thousands of Epic Threads and Greendog Hooded Sweatshirts sold by Macy’s are being recalled for strangulation hazard, said the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The sweatshirts have a drawstring sewn at the base... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/62/2009-06-18/Macy’s-Recalls-Children’s-Hooded-Sweatshirts-For-Strangulation-Hazard/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/62/2009-06-18/Macy’s-Recalls-Children’s-Hooded-Sweatshirts-For-Strangulation-Hazard/index.html A Nevada couple and the company they owned have pleaded guilty to selling a plastic compound as a pet food ingredient that lead to a nationwide recall of pet food and the deaths of thousands of animals. Stephen Miller, 56, his wife, Sally Qing Miller, both of Las Vegas, NV, and their company ChemNutra, Inc., pleaded guilty Tuesday - in U.S. federal court at Kansas City, MO - to substituting melamine for... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/61/2009-06-17/Couple,-Company-Plead-Guilty-To-Importing-Tainted-Pet-Food-Ingredient/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/61/2009-06-17/Couple,-Company-Plead-Guilty-To-Importing-Tainted-Pet-Food-Ingredient/index.html I have been practicing law long enough to have seen my share of product recall disasters. The most recent was a situation involving a food company client. Our client had contracted out with another company for the manufacturing of a particular processed food product. The food product was determined to be tainted with very low levels of a potentially harmful... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/60/2009-06-16/Defective-Product-Recalls-In-China.-What's-That/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/60/2009-06-16/Defective-Product-Recalls-In-China.-What's-That/index.html While many believe that growth in consumer spending out of China can do the heavy lifting for the global economy and help ease the pain the U.S. is experiencing, economists at Scotia Capital warns that it could actually hurt the U.S. economy, while providing a boost to Canada. Chinese consumption has been strong in recent years, with consumers accounting for about 38% of GDP in 2008, or US$1.66-trillion in spending. As China’s middle class grows, spending... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/59/2009-06-15/Chinese-consumer-growth-could-hurt-U.S./index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/59/2009-06-15/Chinese-consumer-growth-could-hurt-U.S./index.html External aid forms about 50% of ADP of Bangladesh, constituting more than 2% of GDP leading to strong presence of donors in the country. Significant portion of aid goes to health, education, infrastructure, and social sectors. The fact remains is that we need further and diversified support that would accelerate growth, since still about half the population... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/58/2009-06-14/Our-Relations-with-China---Unexplored-Potentials/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/58/2009-06-14/Our-Relations-with-China---Unexplored-Potentials/index.html Speaking at the NLGD Festival of Games in Utrecht, Netherlands, Sean Kauppinen said that industry analysts predict revenues for the global game business would reach $57 billion in 2009. Providing what organizers called a global view of the games industry – from space – the founder of the International Digital Entertainment Agency said that this $57 billion number doesn’t take into account serious games or social games. Kauppinen also stated that the big game publishers haven’t been signing as many large deals with... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/57/2009-06-12/Kauppinen:-Apple-Needs-Quality-Control/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/57/2009-06-12/Kauppinen:-Apple-Needs-Quality-Control/index.html China's consumer and factory-gate prices continued to fall in May and the government sounded guarded on when prices might rebound. But economists said deflation pressures are subsiding in China. China's consumer price index fell 1.4% in May from a year earlier, the fourth straight month of drops, National Bureau of Statistics data... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/56/2009-06-11/China's-Consumer-Prices-Fall-Again,-but-Pace-Slows-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/56/2009-06-11/China's-Consumer-Prices-Fall-Again,-but-Pace-Slows-/index.html From shoes to electronics to kitchen appliances, that ubiquitous stamp, "Made in China," has become a symbol of the times. In the last decade, annual U.S. imports from China have grown from about $81 billion to last year's $338 billion. Everything, it seems, comes from the Middle Kingdom. But as it turns out, "Made in China" is a bit of a misnomer... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/55/2009-06-10/The-myth-of-"Made-in-China"/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/55/2009-06-10/The-myth-of-"Made-in-China"/index.html Earlier this year, the toy industry knew it had a big problem: tough new product-safety rules barreling down the regulatory turnpike, and most toy businesses too small to manage compliance with those rules well. So, like the band of heroes in Pixar’s animated film “Toy Story,” the businesses united to answer a common challenge. Their solution was... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/53/2009-06-09/Toy-Story:-Industry-Mounts-Compliance-Campaign/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/53/2009-06-09/Toy-Story:-Industry-Mounts-Compliance-Campaign/index.html According to the internal handbook of the Chinese communist government, China's legal system is defined as its exclusive tool to safeguard one-party rule. This week, to make this clearer to potential troublemakers, Beijing asked courts across the country to help curb rising workers' protests. The Supreme People's Court in Beijing asked courts at all levels to focus on dealing with the sharp upsurge of "mass incidents"... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/54/2009-06-09/China-Tells-Courts:-Curb-Protests/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/54/2009-06-09/China-Tells-Courts:-Curb-Protests/index.html It’s long been accepted wisdom that Korea’s steelmakers, shipbuilders and other infrastructure-related companies would benefit heavily from greater economic growth in China. Indeed, such companies have long been major gainers on the market whenever China has released confidence-boosting positive data. But things are changing, as infrastructure growth slows... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/52/2009-06-08/China’s-shift-to-consumer-goods-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/52/2009-06-08/China’s-shift-to-consumer-goods-/index.html Lead in ginkgo pills. Arsenic in herbals. Bugs in a baby's colic and teething syrup. Toxic metals and parasites are part of nature, and all of these have been found in "natural" products and dietary supplements in recent years. Set aside the issue of whether vitamin and herbal supplements do any good. Are they safe? Is what's on the label really what's in the bottle? Tests by researchers and private labs suggest the answer sometimes is no... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/51/2009-06-05/Tests-show-many-supplements-have-quality-problems-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/51/2009-06-05/Tests-show-many-supplements-have-quality-problems-/index.html Thousands of everyday products and materials containing radioactive metals are surfacing across the United States and around the world. Common kitchen cheese graters, reclining chairs, women's handbags and tableware manufactured with contaminated metals have been identified, some after having been in circulation for as long as a decade. So have fencing wire and fence posts, shovel blades, elevator buttons, airline parts and steel used in construction. A Scripps Howard News Service investigation has found that... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/50/2009-06-03/Recycled-radioactive-metal-contaminates-consumer-products/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/50/2009-06-03/Recycled-radioactive-metal-contaminates-consumer-products/index.html Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner’s trip to Asia has been heralded as a sales trip aimed at convincing the Chinese to keep buying U.S. Treasuries and thereby finance U.S. deficits. Such headlines are, in my humble opinion, an insult to the Chinese. Over and... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/48/2009-06-02/Geithner-&-China:-Who-Are-You-Fooling/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/48/2009-06-02/Geithner-&-China:-Who-Are-You-Fooling/index.html Stung by consumer backlash and stiffer penalties for piracy, counterfeiting and contamination, China is working hard to overcome its reputation for poor quality. Scandals involving contaminated food and drugs, and toys tainted by lead paint, have made quality a Chinese government priority. Although the government is building stronger regulatory agencies and writing tougher standards, spotty enforcement means quality will need to be addressed both by Chinese suppliers and foreign buyers. The challenge... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/49/2009-06-02/Raising-the-Bar:-Can-China-Meet-the-Quality-Challenge/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/49/2009-06-02/Raising-the-Bar:-Can-China-Meet-the-Quality-Challenge/index.html Last October, the Star ran an investigative report by David Bruser on toxic toys being sold in the Greater Toronto area. One of every four products purchased had high levels of lead, including some that were labelled lead-free. One necklace clasp tested at 150 times the limit. The investigation found that there were only 46 inspectors monitoring stores for all of Canada. Of those, 13 were in Ontario – 11 in Toronto and only two to protect the millions of Ontarians outside the GTA. An importer who travels to Asia four times... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/47/2009-06-01/How-to-keep-unsafe-products-off-store-shelves/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/47/2009-06-01/How-to-keep-unsafe-products-off-store-shelves/index.html Sonoco Products Co. isn't a household name, but its packages are in millions of shoppers' pantries worldwide. The 110-year-old, $4.1 billion packaging giant manufactures everything from Pringles canisters to Febreeze bottles to industrial products, such as paperboard tubes and cable reels. Sonoco has 300 facilities in 35 countries, including about six in the Charlotte area. Despite its size, Sonoco has felt the recession's pinch. The company had 17,500 employees at the end of last year, down from... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/46/2009-05-31/Packaging-giant-shifts-to-consumers/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/46/2009-05-31/Packaging-giant-shifts-to-consumers/index.html It was a David and Goliath battle from the beginning: a small American photo paper distributor suing the largest national photosensitive materials manufacturer in China. Only this time, David may come up short. In 2006, California-based Royal Marketing Inc. made a deal to distribute photographic paper made by China Lucky Film Corp. It wasn't long before Royal Marketing's customers started to complain that the paper was junk, and the company's vice president, Farshid Ourian, learned it did not meet U.S. quality standards... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/45/2009-05-28/The-Price-of-Cheap:-When-China's-Products-Fail,-Americans-Suffer/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/45/2009-05-28/The-Price-of-Cheap:-When-China's-Products-Fail,-Americans-Suffer/index.html India’s policies for the software sector and China’s promotion of special economic zones (SEZs) for the manufacturing sector suggest that well-designed and sector-specific government policies can overcome weaknesses in investment climate and allow developing countries to compete globally in new fields, according to a study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private lending arm of the World Bank... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/44/2009-05-27/India,-China-show-how-to-compete-globally:-IFC/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/44/2009-05-27/India,-China-show-how-to-compete-globally:-IFC/index.html Small manufacturers pleaded with Congress for relief from a law that made millions of dollars’ worth of products illegal in February because they might contain excessive levels of lead and industrial compounds known as phthalates. Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act in August 2008 in response to the discovery of high lead content... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/43/2009-05-25/Product-safety-law-too-costly,-manufacturers-say/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/43/2009-05-25/Product-safety-law-too-costly,-manufacturers-say/index.html Local businesses could prosper by heeding war strategies outlined in a Chinese book published in sixth century B.C., an Elon University professor contends. He plans to make his case on May 28 at Braswell Memorial Library. Linxian “Lin” Wu, an adjunct professor in the university’s master’s of business administration program and co-founder of the North Carolina-Chinese... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/42/2009-05-24/Wartime-manual-offers-alternative-for-businesses-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/42/2009-05-24/Wartime-manual-offers-alternative-for-businesses-/index.html As part of International Trade Month (and International Trade Week, May 18-22), the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) has been ramping up efforts to educate Congress about the importance of opening new markets and expanding access to existing markets for U.S. beef trade. Trade supports millions of U.S. jobs and is vital to the economic livelihood of U.S. cattle producers. In fact, exporting cuts like liver and short ribs--which are underutilized in the U.S.--can add between $20-25 to the price... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/41/2009-05-22/NCBA:-May-is-International-Trade-Month!/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/41/2009-05-22/NCBA:-May-is-International-Trade-Month!/index.html NORFOLK, Va. - A local drywall distributor is taking drastic steps to clear his name and warehouse. This all comes just one day after Norfolk City Council voted unanimously to ban Chinese Drywall from building projects. 10 On Your Side brought this issue to light in our investigation into... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/39/2009-05-21/Chinese-drywall-thrown-in-landfill/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/39/2009-05-21/Chinese-drywall-thrown-in-landfill/index.html Apple may have found itself in the middle of another labor dispute in Asia. Wintek, a manufacturer of flat-panel displays that often supplies parts to Apple, has been accused by local labor groups of exploiting workers in its Taiwanese and Chinese factories. The groups are now putting pressure on Apple... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/40/2009-05-21/Apple-in-the-middle-of-another-sweatshop-labor-dispute/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/40/2009-05-21/Apple-in-the-middle-of-another-sweatshop-labor-dispute/index.html Sherri and Ira Rojhani stopped paying the mortgage on their 2-year-old South Florida home in April, victims not of a troubled economy, but, they say, of drywall from China that they believe is making them sick. They join a growing list of homeowners in 13 states who face foreclosure or the prospect of paying both their mortgage and rent on alternate housing... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/38/2009-05-20/Chinese-drywall-hits-health,-wallets,-homeowners-say/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/38/2009-05-20/Chinese-drywall-hits-health,-wallets,-homeowners-say/index.html China's "recovery trend has already consolidated," an official from China's top economic planning body said Monday. But the golden age for Chinese exporters is undoubtedly over. Xu Lin, head of the fiscal and financial department of the National Development and Reform Commission, addressed some economists' concerns that the country risks... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/37/2009-05-18/Beijing:-You-Can-Bet-On-China's-Recovery/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/37/2009-05-18/Beijing:-You-Can-Bet-On-China's-Recovery/index.html Engagement between Beijing and Washington operates on many levels but none is more critical than a regularized mechanism for strategic discussion by the top officials in economics and foreign policy. While Presidential summitry is extremely valuable, it is too infrequent and too brief to... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/36/2009-05-16/The-U.S.-China-Strategic-and-Economic-Dialogue:-Continuity-and-Change-in-Obama’s-China-Policy/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/36/2009-05-16/The-U.S.-China-Strategic-and-Economic-Dialogue:-Continuity-and-Change-in-Obama’s-China-Policy/index.html Foreign direct investment in China fell for a seventh month from a year earlier as companies cut spending to weather the world’s worst financial crisis since World War II. Investment dropped 22.5 percent to $5.89 billion in April, the commerce ministry said at a briefing in Beijing today. That compares with a 9.5 percent decline in March. For the first four months... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/35/2009-05-15/Foreign-Direct-Investment-in-China-Tumbles-on-Crisis-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/35/2009-05-15/Foreign-Direct-Investment-in-China-Tumbles-on-Crisis-/index.html The Acting Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that a lease has been signed to expand and modernize the agency’s testing facilities. The new facility, located off the “I-270 Technology Corridor” in Rockville, Md., will enhance CPSC’s efforts to protect the public from dangerous consumer products... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/34/2009-05-13/New-Modern-Facility-for-Consumer-Product-Testing-and-Evaluation/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/34/2009-05-13/New-Modern-Facility-for-Consumer-Product-Testing-and-Evaluation/index.html China's exports slumped for the sixth straight month amid warnings that weak overseas demand was hindering a recovery, even as government spending helped boost factory investment. The 22.6 percent drop in exports in April from a year earlier, to $91.9 billion, was bigger than March's 17 percent drop and larger than forecasts. It suggests China's trade sector has seen scant relief from the prolonged drought in demand brought on by the global downturn... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/33/2009-05-12/China's-exports-sink,-but-factory-investment-rises/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/33/2009-05-12/China's-exports-sink,-but-factory-investment-rises/index.html The United Steelworkers’ (USW) trade petition with the U.S. International Trade Commission seeking to limit imports of consumer tires from China is a “Catch 22” situation for independent tire dealers and other purveyors of tires. On the one hand, it seems clear the swell of consumer tires coming from China has contributed to the closing of four U.S. tire plants and the reduction of more than 4,400 jobs in the past five years. Another 2,400 workers will be let go later this year when two more announced plant closings take place... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/32/2009-05-11/Cut-China-tire-imports---Tough-call/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/32/2009-05-11/Cut-China-tire-imports---Tough-call/index.html Purple triangular containers have been spotted hanging from trees in various locations. Perhaps you have seen one in your neck of the woods too. These purple containers are traps for the emerald ash borer, a new pest in the area. This small, metallic green beetle has caused the death of millions of ash trees in Michigan and surrounding states and provinces... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/31/2009-05-10/Counties-target-damaging-insect/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/31/2009-05-10/Counties-target-damaging-insect/index.html In 2006, Forbes magazine named Shi Zhengrong, a little-known Chinese scientist, one of the world's billionaires. Three years later, his company, Suntech Power Holdings Ltd, is worth an estimated 6 billion U.S. dollars and stands as the world's fourth largest producer of solar panels. It is no coincidence that China is home to one of the world's leading solar energy companies. Recent legislation like the country's landmark 2005 Renewable Energy Law has contributed to China's rapid success in emerging renewable energy markets... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/30/2009-05-09/The-green-dawn-in-U.S.-China-relations-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/30/2009-05-09/The-green-dawn-in-U.S.-China-relations-/index.html DOMESTIC manufacturers of steel products are asking the government to take proactive measures that will help them survive the foreseen heightening of steel import surge from China, as Beijing started implementing its 13-percent to 17-percent export rebates program for Chinese steel makers. The Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI) said the local producers... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/29/2009-05-07/Makers-of-steel-products-fear-surge-of-cheap-China-imports/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/29/2009-05-07/Makers-of-steel-products-fear-surge-of-cheap-China-imports/index.html European Union policy makers will meet their Chinese counterparts on Thursday and Friday for the second round of the talks designed to help revive battered trade negotiations. But these talks, dubbed the "High Level Economic and Trade Dialogue Mechanism," won't deliver much if China and the EU are not prepared to get real and put the emphasis on... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/27/2009-05-06/Mending-EU-China-Trade-Ties-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/27/2009-05-06/Mending-EU-China-Trade-Ties-/index.html WASHINGTON—Action Products, Ocala, Fla., is recalling approximately 2,900 units of its Curiosity Kits branded Abalone and Venetian Carnevale necklace craft kits over high levels of lead. The lobster clasps in both craft kits contain high levels of lead, according to the US Consumer Products Safety Commission. The Abalone Necklace’s pendant also contains high levels of lead. No injuries have been reported related to the kits involved in the recall... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/28/2009-05-06/Curiosity-Kits-jewelry-sets-recalled-for-lead/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/28/2009-05-06/Curiosity-Kits-jewelry-sets-recalled-for-lead/index.html U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says there’s no scientific reason for Russia to ban U.S. pork from certain states. But despite that and assurances from the World Health Organization, Russia and several other nations have expanded their blockage of imports. The ban, now including beef, pork and poultry from California, Kansas, Texas, New York and Ohio... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/26/2009-04-28/Import-ban-expanded-to-more-states,-more-products/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/26/2009-04-28/Import-ban-expanded-to-more-states,-more-products/index.html China's enactment of a new Labor Contract Law two years ago was widely hailed as a great leap forward for workers. The country has long been synonymous with cheap and sometimes exploited labor. But the statute gave employees a range of benefits and protections that, while common in Western countries, were new for China. Few could have foreseen how quickly the law would be tested. The global economic crisis has led to lower demand for Chinese exports, and that in turn has resulted in the closure... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/25/2009-04-25/Companies-Considering-Layoffs-in-China-Must-Coordinate-With-Government/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/25/2009-04-25/Companies-Considering-Layoffs-in-China-Must-Coordinate-With-Government/index.html In his new book, Poorly Made in China: An Insider's Account of the Tactics Behind China's Production Game, Paul Midler attempts to explain why some Chinese-made products suffer from poor quality. Part of the problem, he says, is rooted in miscommunication and misunderstandings between American companies and the Chinese manufacturers they are buying from. I recently E-mailed with Midler, a businessman... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/24/2009-04-23/Explaining-China's-Quality-Control-Problems/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/24/2009-04-23/Explaining-China's-Quality-Control-Problems/index.html Partly due to pent-up demand from cautious consumers, the United States will be one of the first countries to set the pace when the economy begins to recover in late 2009, according to a new report. The report, issued Tuesday by IHS Global Insight economists Nariman Behravesh and Sara Johnson, suggests that the pace of economic decline experienced since late 2007 is expected to moderate... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/23/2009-04-22/Economists:-U.S.,-China-will-lead-global-recovery/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/23/2009-04-22/Economists:-U.S.,-China-will-lead-global-recovery/index.html EU product safety standards are continuing to improve, Consumer Affairs Commissioner Meglena Kuneva said yesterday (20 April), presenting a report which showed that record numbers of dangerous goods were withdrawn from European shelves last year, mostly of Chinese origin. The number of dangerous products withdrawn from EU markets rose by 16% in 2008... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/21/2009-04-21/More-dangerous-goods-withdrawn-from-EU-shelves--/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/21/2009-04-21/More-dangerous-goods-withdrawn-from-EU-shelves--/index.html You've flown all the way to China to sign a big deal that will help your company weather the current economic recession. You're the top man in your department and you are well rested and feel at the top of your game when you meet their executive team. You know that hierarchy is important to the Chinese so you speak directly to the director, a woman, while you shake her hand. You touch her shoulder as you pull back to guide her to the table. You're telling them about your trip as you casually pass out your business cards... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/22/2009-04-21/Business-Mistakes:-11-Cultural-Faux-Pas-You-Should-Never-Make-in-China/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/22/2009-04-21/Business-Mistakes:-11-Cultural-Faux-Pas-You-Should-Never-Make-in-China/index.html TBB Global Logistics and One World Sourcing have allied to offer clients expanded global sourcing and supply chain services focused on Asia, combining global supply chain management capabilities with factory management and production capabilities. Under the alliance, clients of the two companies will be able take advantage of sourcing capabilities in Asian countries... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/20/2009-04-20/Providers-Ally-to-Combine-Asian-Factory-Management-with-Global-Logistics-Capabilities-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/20/2009-04-20/Providers-Ally-to-Combine-Asian-Factory-Management-with-Global-Logistics-Capabilities-/index.html It’s safe to say most folks know homegrown is the best, but we get some confirmation from a recent situation having to do with imported goods. U.S. health officials are pointing fingers of blame at Chinese manufacturers of drywall, a key ingredient in new-home construction... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/19/2009-04-19/Devil-is-in-the-details/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/19/2009-04-19/Devil-is-in-the-details/index.html Somali pirates who brazenly attacked container ships in the Indian Ocean have garnered a lot of recent attention. But for companies that source products from Chinese manufacturing partners, there are even greater and longer-term business risks due to pirating attacks on companies' intellectual property and supply chains... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/17/2009-04-17/Pirates-to-Worry-You:-Chinese-Manufacturing-Partners/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/17/2009-04-17/Pirates-to-Worry-You:-Chinese-Manufacturing-Partners/index.html Chinese manufacturers to implement tighter controls on the manufacturing process. New regulations issued by the Ministry of Health designed at unifying standards of food and consumer goods manufacturing, are expected to create considerable opportunities for suppliers of packaging technology... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/18/2009-04-17/Packaging-a-priority-under-China’s-new-safety-regulations/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/18/2009-04-17/Packaging-a-priority-under-China’s-new-safety-regulations/index.html Rate of annual growth falling 29%; customers to purchase 213 billion sq meters of material in 2013, says new Freedonia Group study. World demand for corrugated boxes is forecast to increase 3.4 percent per year to 213 billion square meters in 2013, in line with real (inflation-adjusted) gains in GDP. This compares to an annual growth rate of 4.8 percent in the 2003-2008 time period—a 29-percent decline in the rate of yearly increase.... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/16/2009-04-12/World-corrugated-box-demand-tempered-by-global-recession/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/16/2009-04-12/World-corrugated-box-demand-tempered-by-global-recession/index.html Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has asked two federal agencies to help the state perform indoor air-quality tests in homes filled with drywall imported from China. The materials are suspected of emitting noxious sulfur compounds that corrode copper wires and household appliances... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/15/2009-04-10/Drywall-Concerns-Spread-to-Louisiana-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/15/2009-04-10/Drywall-Concerns-Spread-to-Louisiana-/index.html In the midst of a national recession, the United States government has decided to end its contract with an American-based condom manufacturer and switch to a foreign supplier.Though the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) previously had an agreement with Alatech Healthcare Products.... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/14/2009-04-07/Condom-manufacturing-moves-overseas/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/14/2009-04-07/Condom-manufacturing-moves-overseas/index.html A man seeking about $660 in unpaid wages walked into an office building in the northwestern Chinese city of Urumqi on Thursday and detonated a bomb, killing himself and injuring two employees, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Police said 42-year-old Han Washun arrived at the downtown building housing the Xinjiang Beixin Road and Bridge Construction Co. around 1 p.m... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/13/2009-04-03/Chinese-worker-blows-himself-up-over-unpaid-wage-claim-/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/13/2009-04-03/Chinese-worker-blows-himself-up-over-unpaid-wage-claim-/index.html More than 30 reports of exploding vacuum cleaners prompted a recall Thursday by Electrolux, which is pulling hundreds of thousands of cordless stick vacuums sold in Oregon and other states. Electrolux Home Care Products Inc., based in Bloomington, Ill., said two people suffered minor injuries, including swollen hands and irritated eyes, when the battery in the handheld units exploded.... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/12/2009-03-27/Electrolux-recalls-cordless-vacuums-because-they-explode/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/12/2009-03-27/Electrolux-recalls-cordless-vacuums-because-they-explode/index.html Fisher-Price Recalls About 24,000 3-in-1 High Chairs; One Child Reportedly Injured When Seat Detached Fisher-Price is recalling about 24,000 of its 3-in-1 High Chair to Boosters, which convert from a high chair to a toddler booster seat, because of a fall risk. http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/11/2009-03-25/Fall-Risk-Prompts-High-Chair-Recall/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/11/2009-03-25/Fall-Risk-Prompts-High-Chair-Recall/index.html Real estate agent Felix Martinez thought he'd found his dream house when he bought the 3,500-square-foot beauty in Homestead, Fla., two years ago. Then, he says, his large-screen TV mysteriously failed. Next, the air conditioner went. His bath towels smelled like rotten eggs... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/9/2009-03-17/Drywall-from-China-blamed-for-problems-in-homes/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/9/2009-03-17/Drywall-from-China-blamed-for-problems-in-homes/index.html Consumer representatives view a strength test of wooden furniture in the test center of Anhui Bureau of Quality and Techinical Supervision in Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, March 12, 2009. A total of 30 consumer representatives chosen from numerous applicants... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/8/2009-03-13/-Quality-control-processes-meet-the-public-in-east-China/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/8/2009-03-13/-Quality-control-processes-meet-the-public-in-east-China/index.html New lead regulations may make toys safer for children under 12, but some local businesses are feeling the pain of far-reaching rules. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was passed by Congress in late 2008 and went into effect Feb. 10 this year. According to the new rules, products intended for children under age 13 cannot have any accessible parts with lead content higher than 600 parts per million... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/6/2009-02-22/Lead-rules-a-headache-for-some-local-businesses/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/6/2009-02-22/Lead-rules-a-headache-for-some-local-businesses/index.html A new federal law that claims to protect children from lead is leaving business owners across the country, and right here in our backyards, scratching their heads. The Consumer Product Safety Commission officially banned toys with lead on Feb. 10. The ban extends to ATVs and motorcycles for youth riders.Even though those products feature lead in the paint on the frames — and other components out of the reach of young riders — dealerships across the country have been banned from selling the products to youngsters or their parents. http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/7/2009-02-21/Law-aimed-at-protecting-kids-is-hurting-business/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/7/2009-02-21/Law-aimed-at-protecting-kids-is-hurting-business/index.html President Obama has it right when he recently declared, "We can't send a protectionist message." Michigan needs to send a message to the world--- we are open to business and investment. Let's invite the Chinese leaders to Michigan. That's right, let's invite President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao to see the splendor of our state and take a few billion dollars of our products back to China... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/4/2009-02-14/A-Chinese-connection-could-boost-Michigan/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/4/2009-02-14/A-Chinese-connection-could-boost-Michigan/index.html Guangdong Province, China's key production base and export hub, hopes to strike a relative increase in exports and 8.5 percent of GDP growth this year amid the global economic meltdown. Huang Huahua, governor of Guangdong, announced the economic goals while delivering a work report of the provincial government at the local people's congress that opened here Friday... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/5/2009-02-13/China's-largest-manufacturing-base-lowers-economic-targets/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/5/2009-02-13/China's-largest-manufacturing-base-lowers-economic-targets/index.html The CPSC staff updated on Tuesday guidelines for the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) banning phthalate and lead in products intended for children under the age of 12. If you make and/or sell any items that might end up in children's hands, it is worth familiarizing yourself with these new regulations. Etsy and eBay have been following these issues and getting involved since their users are heavily impacted by the testing requirements. Due to growing pressure... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/3/2009-02-12/Revised-CPSIA-Guide-Affects-Online-Sellers-and-Crafters/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/3/2009-02-12/Revised-CPSIA-Guide-Affects-Online-Sellers-and-Crafters/index.html More than $1 million in counterfeit merchandise was seized Saturday at the Coastal Carolina Flea Market in Ladson, including 60,000 CDs, 3,000 DVDs and 700 pairs of shoes, officials said Monday. The counterfeit merchandise included handbags, wallets, headbands, belts and various clothing items. Companies misrepresented were Chanel, Coach, Coogi, Disney, Ed Hardy, Gucci, John Deere, Lacoste, Louis Vuitton, the Motion Picture Association of America, NASCAR and the National Basketball Association, according to the office of... http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/2/2009-01-31/$1M-in-counterfeit-goods-seized/index.html http://www.intouch-quality.com/news/2/2009-01-31/$1M-in-counterfeit-goods-seized/index.html