Made In America: Jason International appoints new CEO

Editor’s note: Each Sunday, Talk Business & Politics provides “Made In America,” a round-up of state and global manufacturing news.

JASON INTERNATIONAL APPOINTS NEW CEO: Jason International Inc. has promoted Paulo Jacuzzi to the position of CEO, following the resignation of former company President Matt Peterson Nov. 30. Peterson served in the top position for seven months. Longtime company founder CEO and President Remo Jacuzzi stepped aside from his duties in April. The privately-held North Little Rock company designs and manufactures an entire line of high-end whirlpools and combination hydrotherapy bath products, as well as faucets, shower kits and other bath accessories.

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU RE-ELECTS VEACH, HILLMAN TO TOP POSTS: Randy Veach and Rich Hillman will continue as president and vice president, respectively, of Arkansas Farm Bureau following their re-election Friday. Delegates also re-elected seven board members during the final day of the organization’s 81st annual convention at the Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Little Rock.

Veach, of Manila, begins an eighth term as president. He is Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 10th president since its creation in 1935. A third-generation Mississippi County farmer, Veach raises cotton, soybeans, rice, wheat, corn and milo in and around the community of Lost Cane near Manila. Hillman hails from Carlisle (Lonoke Co.) and will also begin his eighth term as vice president. He is a sixth-generation farmer whose main crops are
rice, soybeans and wheat.

PAPER, FORESTRY PRODUCTS TO SEE INCREMENTAL GROWTH ON MORE HOUSING STARTS IN 2016: Increasing housing starts and higher consumer spending will drive anticipated operating income growth for the global paper and forest products industry of 1%-3% in 2016, underpinning the current stable outlook for the sector for the next 12 months, Moody’s Investors Service said in a report published last week. However, the outlook for the Printing and Writing Paper segment is negative as digital alternatives continue to curb paper demand.

The outlook for the Paper Packaging and Tissue segment will be stable with operating earnings forecast to grow by 0%-4% on the back of increased packaging demand, driven by a modest economic uptick, stable food consumption, and tissue demand, driven by population growth and improving hygiene standards. Moody’s report, titled “Paper and Forest Products – Global”, is available here.

DAIMLER TRUCKS ANNOUNCES $375 MILLION INVESTMENT TO BRING NEW MEDIUM DUTY ENGINE TO U.S.: Daimler Trucks recently announced it plans to invest $375 million to enable production of the new DD5 and DD8 medium duty engines at Detroit brand headquarters and manufacturing facility in Redford, Mich. The new DD5 and DD8 lines will add approximately 160 new jobs to the Detroit headquarters facility, Daimler officials said.

The new engines were developed for environmental, economy and performance by Daimler’s global powertrain engineering team. The engines will be initially built and shipped from Daimler’s powertrain facility in Mannheim, Germany with industrialization at the Detroit facility in 2018.

For sale in limited quantities, the Detroit DD5 medium-duty engine will be available in 2016 on the Freightliner M2 product line with extensive availability in 2018 for Freightliner, Western Star, Thomas Built Buses, and Freightliner Custom Chassis Corporation vehicles.