WisBusiness: Sign up now for free delivery of Thursday Trends

Below is an excerpt from the most recent edition of WisBusiness Thursday Trends. The full version of this weekly look at the state of Wisconsin business is now available for free to anyone who signs up for the Thursday Trends mailing list. The full product includes several items in each of the rising, mixed and falling categories plus a look at upcoming business events across the state.

To get the full version of Thursday Trends in your inbox every week, sign up now for the free mailing list. (If the preceding link does not work for you, simply send an e-mail to trends@wisbusiness.com with “Subscribe to trends” in the subject line.)

WisBusiness also publishes a summary of state business news sent to paid subscribers every weekday.

Sign up for a free two-week trial of WisBusiness subscriber products.


RISING

Case-New Holland: The manager of CNH’s Mount Pleasant plant says the current pace of production for Case IH Magnum and T-8000 New Holland tractors would break the previous plant record set in 2008. The company is in the midst of hiring 150 new workers to begin a second tractor production shift late next month, which would bring the total workforce to 750 — up from 350 just a few years ago. Officials attribute the higher demand to increased commodity prices, as well as greater demand for corn-based ethanol as the price of oil soars.

MIXED

Johnson Controls: The Milwaukee company reports a 29 percent increase in quarterly earnings after double-digit increases in sales in each of its main business divisions. But company officials say the impact of the earthquake in Japan and subsequent tsunami will impact its third quarter earnings. While the full impact won’t begin to be known until automakers begin to report their earnings, the disruptions in auto production caused by the disaster would shrink earnings in Johnson Controls’ next report, the company said.

FALLING

Hoffmaster: After members of the United Steelworkers Local 2-169 reject the latest offer from the Oshkosh-based firm, the company says it’s prepared to continue operations in the event of a strike. Hoffmaster, which makes disposable tabletop products, alleges that the union — which comprises 400 of its employees — backed away from a tentative agreement and authorized a strike. The union has consistently opposed efforts to transition to 24-hour production at the Oshkosh plant.