Posted: 21 Oct 2009 03:08 PM PDT

LINCOLN, Neb., Oct. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Reactive belt is snow bound - GoodyearÂ® GatorbackÂ® Sport carbon-fiber CVT belt helps prevent "hour-glass" wear in snowmobiles and is built in specific sizes to match individual sleds.

As outdoor enthusiasts gear-up for winter, one equipment upgrade will help them get out into the cold - and back.

New Goodyear Engineered Products Gatorback Sport snowmobile belts use reactive carbon-fiber technology and top-side cogs for a tough, flexible belt providing increased resistance to flex fatigue and "hour-glass" or sidewall wear - two issues that could potentially strand a rider miles from home in the cold.

Designed after the Gatorback Sport ATV belt, the continuous variable transmission (CVT) belt uses carbon-fiber reinforcement to add stiffness across the width of the belt. The carbon-fiber reinforcement gives the sidewall superior wear resistance and ensures that the belt stays in contact with the pulleys.

"Threadlike strands of carbon fiber are strong, flexible, and light-weight," said Loren Danhauer, chief belt engineer for Veyance Technologies, the exclusive manufacturer of Goodyear Engineered Products. "The design for the snow belt was derived from the automotive Gatorback belt used in all NASCAR race cars."

Apart from increased stiffness across the belt, Danhauer said that the rubber-carbon-fiber compound allows for natural slip and abrasion resistance. During strenuous use, the fibers rise to the surface of the compound allowing slip without sacrificing belt wear. After the strenuous activity ceases, the surface fibers are wiped away, allowing the belt to provide quick and clear throttle response for more power precisely when it's needed.

The snow belt's top-side cogs differentiate it from the Gatorback Sport ATV belt, acting to relieve tension and increase the belt's flexibility. Meanwhile, patented Goodyear Flexten cord inside the belt provides stability to transmit horsepower while reducing stretch over the belt's life.

Pushed to the extremes during independent testing, the Gatorback Sport snow belt underwent rigorous uphill climb, rapid acceleration and tandem riding tests.

Veyance Technologies, Inc. is the exclusive manufacturer of Goodyear Engineered Products worldwide. In addition to aftermarket power sport products, Veyance markets Goodyear-branded air springs, automotive belts and hoses, conveyor belts and services, industrial and hydraulic hose, power transmission products, rubber track and molded products. GOODYEARÂ® and GATORBACKÂ® trademarks are used by Veyance Technologies under license from The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. For more information go to http://www.goodyearep.com/.

SOURCE Veyance Technologies, Inc.
.content>
© PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved

This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

Honda Issues 2009 North American Environmental Report - CNBC

Posted: 20 Oct 2009 05:58 AM PDT

TORRANCE, Calif., Oct 20, 2009 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- American Honda Motor Co., Inc., today released its fifth annual report on the company's environmental performance in North America. To help reduce the environmental impact of its environmental reporting activities, the company is releasing this year's report in electronic format only, and it has also launched a micro-site highlighting key elements of the report for stakeholders, consumers, and other audiences with an interest in Honda's environmental activities in the region. To view or download the complete report, go to the Environmental Report Web site or journalists can go to Honda's online media newsroom.

The 2009 North American Environmental Report covers the company's operations during the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009 (FY2009) and utilizes a lifecycle assessment (LCA) model to report on the environmental impact of Honda's R&D, manufacturing and sales activities in the North America region, encompassing the United States, Canada and Mexico. The report looks at the environmental performance of the company's automobile, powersports, and power equipment products, its 16 major manufacturing plants operating in North America in FY2009, and the corporate activities of 15 Honda group companies in the region.

The report also includes a detailed review of the various technology approaches that Honda is taking in its efforts to address the issue of global climate change as perhaps the most serious and far-reaching environmental issue facing society today.

"Despite the incredible challenges that our industry has faced over the past year, Honda remains committed to minimizing the environmental impact of its operations in North America," said Tetsuo Iwamura, chief operating officer of Honda's North American Regional Operation. "In fiscal year 2009, we took a number of significant steps to advance our environmental performance in both our products and production operations, including the introduction of the all-new Insight hybrid as the most affordable gasoline-electric car in North America, and the opening of two new zero-waste-to-landfill production facilities." Following are highlights of the 2009 report: Global Climate Change -- Honda is working toward the achievement of voluntary targets for the reduction of CO2 emissions from its products and manufacturing operations on a global basis by 2010.

-- Honda is taking a portfolio approach to reducing CO2 emissions from its products, including advances to gasoline engine efficiency, expanded use of hybrid technology, deployment of advanced alternatives including natural gas- and hydrogen-powered vehicles, and new methods of alternative-energy production and distribution.

Honda and Acura Automobiles -- American Honda's U.S. corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) for model year 2008 rose to 30.3 mpg, up 3.8% from the model year 2001 baseline.

-- Honda is working to reduce the use of substances considered harmful to people and the environment and is applying the most stringent global regulatory requirements, where technically feasible, to all of its Honda and Acura products worldwide.

Powersports Products -- All model year 2008 Honda motorcycles and ATVs met California and U.S.

federal regulatory requirements for exhaust emissions.

Power Equipment and Marine Products -- Honda's full-line of general-purpose engines met U.S. EPA exhaust emissions standards, while all Honda outboard marine engines sold in FY2009 were certified below 2008 California exhaust emissions standards -- 65% below (cleaner than) what is required by the U.S. EPA.

Manufacturing -- New Plants: Honda began operations at two new North American manufacturing*(1) facilities in FY2009, expanding the company's ability to produce fuel-efficient Honda and Acura vehicles in a more environmentally responsible manner. Both are zero-waste-to-landfill operations.

-- Production Efficiency: Despite ongoing efforts to improve the efficiency of production operations, Honda experienced an increase in per-unit measures of C02 emissions, energy consumption and water use in FY2009, due in large measure to the global economic downturn, which led to reduced capacity utilization and production efficiency.

-- Energy: per-unit energy consumed in automobile production rose 13.2% to 6.7 gigajoules (GJ), up from 6.2 GJ in FY2008, which was the lowest level in eight years.

-- CO2 Emissions: average per-unit CO2 emissions(2) from automobile production of 747 kilograms rose 5.4% from the previous fiscal year, which was the lowest level in eight years.

-- Waste: total waste to landfills for all production activity was reduced 82.7% from FY2001 levels, substantially exceeding Honda's target of a 70% reduction.

The company is targeting near-zero (less than 1%) waste to landfills for all plants in North America by FY2012.

-- Water: per-unit water consumption for automobile production rose 14.3%, to 800 gallons.

-- Air Emissions: emissions of volatile organic compounds from auto body painting (accounting for roughly 60% of all manufacturing-related VOC emissions) were down 2.5% from the previous fiscal year to 15.3 grams/m(2), exceeding Honda's target of 20 grams/m(2).

Product Distribution -- CO2 emissions from the distribution of automobiles in North America were reduced 1,392 metric tons though the expanded use of more fuel-efficient Auto-Max rail cars.

Sales and Service -- Honda implemented 47 projects in FY2009 to reduce packaging used in shipping Honda and Acura service parts, removing an estimated 970,000 pounds of wood and 653,000 pounds of plastic from the waste stream.

Product Recycling (End of Life) -- Every Honda and Acura automobile sold in North America in FY2009 achieved a 90% or higher level of design recyclability(3), helping to reduce inputs to the waste stream from a vehicle's disposal at the end of its useful life.

Green Building -- Honda Aircraft Company, Inc.'s headquarters in Greensboro, NC, joined five other Honda facilities in North America that have attained Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Additional information on Honda's environmental performance outside of North America can be found in Honda Motor Company's Environmental Report, with a focus on the company's activities in Japan -- available at world.honda.com.

Honda Web site: http://www.honda.com Honda Environmental Report: http://corporate.honda.com/environment/2009-report Honda Multimedia Newsroom: http://www.hondanews.com Honda on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/honda Honda on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/alicia_at_honda Honda on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/hondanews (1) Honda and Acura products are produced using domestic and globally sourced parts (2) CO2 emissions from the consumption of electricity and natural gas, representing about 96% of total direct CO2 emissions from Honda's North American manufacturing operations.

(3) Vehicle recyclability calculated using Honda's own internal methods, based on ISO standard 22628, titled "Road Vehicle Recyclability and Recoverability Calculation Method." Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6077247&lang=en.

SOURCE: American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

CONTACT: American Honda Motor Co., Inc Marcos Frommer, 310-781-5542 marcos_frommer@ahm.honda.com Copyright Business Wire 2009 -0- KEYWORD: United States

North America

California INDUSTRY KEYWORD: Energy

Alternative Energy

Manufacturing

Automotive Manufacturing

Alternative Vehicles/Fuels

Automotive

Performance & Special Interest

Environment SUBJECT CODE: Corporate Social Responsibility

Product/Service

Photo/Multimedia

This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Companies News - Burlington Free Press

Posted: 19 Oct 2009 11:21 AM PDT

(3 of 3)

• Kane Architecture, based in Hardwick, was the only Vermont firm to win a New England AIA award this year. Architecture firms from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont were among the winners. Patrick Kane, sole proprietor of Kane Architecture, won a merit award from the New England AIA for the Fred and Fay Haas Memorial Interfaith Chapel for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz. His brother, T. Barnabas Kane, owner of TBKA Landscape Architects in Prescott, designed the landscape.

• O-Wool organic wool fabrics from Vermont Organic Fiber Co. are the Fall/Winter '09 fabrics of choice for leading sustainable fashion designers for adults and children in the U.S., Canada and Europe, including Bodkin, Deborah Lindquist, Bahar Shahpar, Susan Woo and Whitten Grey in the U.S., Fin (Norway) and Elena Garcia (UK) in Europe, and Dagg and Stacey (Toronto) and Nixxi (Vancouver, B.C.) in Canada.

• Foodee's Pizza at the Essex Shoppes and Cinema has been selected for the 2009 Best of Essex Junction Award in the Pizza Restaurants category by the U.S. Commerce Association. The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country.

• Vermont Housing Finance Agency named its top five participating lending institutions for fiscal year 2009: Chittenden Bank, first; New England Federal Credit Union, second; Universal Mortgage Corp., third; Mortgage Financial Services, fourth; and Heritage Family Credit Union, fifth.

• For more than three years, Peabody & Smith Realty has been operating an office in St. Johnsbury in leased space at 357 Western Ave. Starting in November, they will be working from their new location at 683 Railroad Street, in a building owned by the company. Peabody & Smith Realty purchased the building this fall and has been renovating the office space for the past few weeks.

This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

At Issue - Product Design & Development

Posted: 14 Oct 2009 04:56 PM PDT

By Roger L. Lundblad, Ph.D., Lundblad Biotech

I have been pondering the issue of creativity - or more accurately the lack of creativity over the past couple of years as I have compiled several encyclopedic works.

While science tends to remain clever, there seems to be an absence of creativity in the biological sciences; physics continues to be creative and such activity may increase if the Higgs boson is not discovered. I have a very bright nephew (Ph.D. Caltech) who is now pushing ultracold (nanoKelvin) Rubidium atoms around with lasers in ways which could revolutionize the way computing is done– but while basic physics is doing well, it does not seem to be translating into creative solutions to problems of water, environment, energy storage, etc.

On the other hand, innovation runs rampant giving me a phone that can do anything easily except make a phone call.

Early in my post-doctoral studies, one of my older and wiser colleagues observed that there were two sure ways to get famous in biological sciences; one was to discover a technique which is used (and cited) extensively such as a method for the measurement of protein concentration.

Another approach is to name a process or concept such as proteomics, biomarkers, systems biology, etc; it does seem to matter that the process, concept, material, etc., may not have changed – changing my name to Dick Butkus or Brian Urlacher or Bernardo Harris is not going to change me into an NFL linebacker. There is one protein (leukocyte protein 1) which has had at least four name changes in the fifteen year. There is a James Carville quote that I could use here but won't. Changing the name of a process, product, or concept does not mean improvement.

I attended two professional meetings last year; one was concerned with biosimilars in biotechnology while the other was a large multidisciplinary meeting which used to be held in Atlantic City.

The first convinced me that biotechnology, like the motion picture industry in Tinseltown, is stuck in a creativity crisis and is developing sequels rather than new productions. I should note that I grew up close to the studios in SoCal and have lived there on occasion in the past years. I was fortunate to be there during the era of extreme creativity.

At the second meeting, I attended a lecture which briefly discussed the role of serendipity in the evolution of medicine observing that while computer-guided combinatorial chemistry has greatly increased our ability to screen potential drug candidates, it is not clear that it has improved our creativity or productivity.

Likewise, the speaker observed that while text-mining for literature searches increases our ability to screen the increasing volume of literature, it does strip out context.

One of my distinguished colleagues has observed that while electronic journals enable us to do our scholarly reading in our pajamas with a glass of wine, does not necessarily mean that we are as effective as we were twenty years ago when I would walk into the library and sit a table with colleagues sorting through the new journals which had arrived that day.

The literature is full of articles and books on creativity and innovation sometimes not distinguishing between the two activities. After consulting several dictionaries, it would seem as if innovation is the alteration of current by the introduction of something new while creativity is the action of bringing something new into existence.

While a purist could argue that only the artist or musician can be truly creative. In my own discipline, I would argue that the Watson-Crick double-helix was creative while automated amino acid analysis was innovation. Both have contributed greatly to modern biotechnology.

In several of my previous lives, I have been involved in discussions of how to improve innovation or creativity, how to teach innovation or creativity, creating the impression that innovation and or creativity can be structured and that centers for innovation can be built.

First, I want to dispense with the idea that creativity can somehow be managed – it can't! In the United States, our educational process is intended to eliminate creativity from the first experience of being told to "color inside the lines!"

Creativity happens! – The discovery of the structure of benzene by Kekule and, more recently, the discovery of the polymerase chain reaction by Kerry Mullis are other examples of creativity. So, what can we say about innovation?

Professor Markus Pohmann of Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg published a thoughtful paper on the innovation process in 2005 which I recommend. This paper contained "The Six Rules of Innovation" – the best rule (in my opinion) is that there is no general rule.

The next is that innovation requires time, effort and money but provision of same is not a guarantee. I would also agree that you can't create an "innovation organization" and provision of incentives (money, awards, etc.) is actually counterproductive.

I would argue that the most important factor in innovation is the sincere and active support of senior management such as that in the fuzzy front end approach.

There usually is a disclaimer in articles acknowledging professional relationships; mine is that I am a "fuddy-duddy" of the slide rule generation as discussed in Science (July 4, 2008).

Dr. Roger L. Lundblad is recognized as an expert in the area of protein chemistry, biotechnology manufacturing process validation, GLP laboratory compliance, product development and cGMP issues. Dr. Lundblad is the author of some 120+ publications and is also the author of best-selling books in the area of protein chemistry.

For more information visit www.lundbladbiotech.com or contact Dr. Roger Lundblad at lundbladr@bellsouth.net.

This content has passed through fivefilters.org.

This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

1. Ron Whitton - Off-Road.com

Posted: 16 Oct 2009 10:56 AM PDT

LOS ANGELES—Preparing to celebrate its 37th year as the world's foremost desert racing sanctioning body, SCORE international officially announced today its five-race schedule for the 2010 SCORE Desert Series. SCORE CEO/President Sal Fish also confirmed that Las Vegas Events has approved the sponsorship for January's SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge and that November's season-ending 43rd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 will be a peninsula race in Baja California, Mexico, starting in Baja California and finishing in Baja California Sur.

"With everything going on right now with the world economy, SCORE has decided to contain the costs of our entry fees at as close to the level of 2008 and 2009 as possible and we are excited about the prospects of a peninsula race for the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000," said Fish. "The three SCORE races annually produce over $30 million in overall economic impact for Mexico and it will be good for Baja California Sur to receive its share of this tourism influx our events bring to Baja in 2010. Being able to move the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge back a week is also a popular decision by the Laughlin Tourism Commission."

Keeping the same venues and nearly the same race weekends for its five open desert races as the past five years, the 2010 SCORE Desert Series will again feature two races in Southern Nevada and three in Mexico. After being held a week later for several years, the season-opening SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge will be moved back to its traditional dates on the Martin Luther King holiday weekend. Las Vegas Events approved the sponsorship of the 2010 event on Wednesday.

"We have incredible marketing partners on both sides of the border, the world's greatest desert racers and the world's toughest race courses, so we will make only minor changes for the 2010 SCORE season," added Fish. "Our five-race schedule in both the U.S. and Mexico offers tremendous variety for the racers, sponsors, media and fans."

"With necessary restrictions in place for spectators in the U.S. still our attendance continues to rise, but in Mexico, it's absolutely unbelievable. Our crowds for the last nine races in Baja California have averaged over 250,000, and SCORE racers are as popular in Baja California as any racing figures in the world."

The SCORE Desert Series, which features 29 Pro and six Sportsman classes for cars, trucks, motorcycle and ATVs, will kick off Jan. 15-17 with the popular 16th Annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge in the Southern Nevada resort city of Laughlin on the banks of the Colorado River. The season will conclude Nov. 17-21 with the 43rd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, the granddaddy of all desert races, in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.

"The SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge is the most unique and one of the most popular desert races in the U.S. and the legendary Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 is the best known desert race in the world," added Fish, who has been at the head of SCORE since 1974. "These two races provide wonderful ways to start and finish our SCORE racing season."

The 2010 SCORE Desert Series will again start with the most unique and the shortest race of the season and finish with the oldest and most recognized desert race in the world. After starting the season in Laughlin, 90 miles south of Las Vegas, it will conclude with the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, which is always a unique and memorable special race.

Since its debut in 1995, the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge has helped establish Laughlin as a viable host for special events. Thousands of spectators join nearly 150 racers and their crews in converging on the city each year to watch the best of the best desert racers compete in a unique-format, two-day race that includes a temporary stadium surrounding the start/finish line area and the main pits.

A total of 18 different Pro and two Sportsman classes for cars and trucks are split into five groups in Laughlin, running half of the race each day. The SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge also includes a pre-race activity that is not part of any other race on the schedule—the $16,000 Laughlin Leap. The Laughlin Leap will be held under the lights for the first time on Friday evening of race week at the Laughlin Events Park. The Laughlin Tourism Commission in association with SCORE has decided that shortening the overall window of the event from four days to three is in the best interest of both the participants and the multitude of spectators that enjoy this special event each year.

Round 2 and 3 of the 2010 SCORE Desert Series will both be held in Mexico. The 24th Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 is set for March 12-14 in San Felipe, Baja California, followed by the 42nd anniversary of the vastly popular Tecate SCORE Baja 500, June 4-6, in Ensenada, Baja California.

Round 4 will be the 15th Annual SCORE Terrible's Primm 300 which will be held Sept. 10-12 in Primm, Nev., 45 miles south of Las Vegas.

SCORE officials will announce before the end of the year exactly where the 2010 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 will start and finish.

SCORE International, founded in 1973 by the late Mickey Thompson and headed by Sal Fish since 1974, continues today as the premier sanctioning body in the sport of desert racing. SCORE races feature 18 Pro and three Sportsman classes for cars and trucks in the U.S. with 11 additional Pro and three more Sportsman classes for motorcycles and ATVs competing in the races in Mexico. SCORE races in the U.S. average 150 entries while the average in Mexico, with motorcycle and ATV classes running as well as the cars and trucks is 300.

Current SCORE official annual sponsors are: BFGoodrich Tires-official tire, Volkswagen of America-official vehicle, Sunoco Race Fuels -official fuel supplier, Bilstein-official shock, Instant Mexico Auto Insurance-official Mexican auto insurance, Slime-official tire sealant and Red Bull--official energy drink. Associate sponsors are: Tecate Beer, Coca-Cola of Mexico, Las Vegas Events, Terrible Herbst Inc., Blue C Enthusiast Advertising, SignPros, P.C.I. Race Radios, McKenzie's Performance Products and Advanced Color Graphics.

The SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge is sponsored by the Laughlin Tourism Commission, the Laughlin Visitors Bureau, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Las Vegas Events.

The SCORE Terrible's Primm 300 is sponsored by Las Vegas Events, Primm Valley Resorts and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Additional associate sponsors for the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 are Fideicomiso Publico para la Promocion Turistica de Ensenada and the State Tourism Department of Baja California.

For more information regarding the series, contact SCORE at its Los Angeles headquarters 818.225.8402 or visit the official website of the SCORE Desert Series at www.score-international.com.

2010 SCORE Desert Series
Schedule of Events

Date, Event/Location

Laughlin, Nevada
March 12-14--24rd Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250
San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico
June 4-6--42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 500
Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico
Sept. 10-12--15th SCORE Terrible's Primm 300
Primm, Nevada
Nov. 17-21--43rd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000
Peninsula Run, Baja California, Mexico

This content has passed through fivefilters.org.