Dometic Expands US RV Refrigerator Factory.
New Elkhart facility will lead to 240 more jobs.
ELKHART — Dometic LLC, an international manufacturer of recreational vehicle accessories, announced Tuesday morning it will expand its manufacturing operations at plants in Elkhart and LaGrange, creating more than 350 combined jobs by 2012.
Gov. Mitch Daniels joined company officials in making the announcement.
The company, which makes accessories ranging from air conditioners to sanitation systems for the RV market, will invest a combined $10 million to increase production capacity at its Elkhart and LaGrange manufacturing operations, according to a news release.
That includes more than $6.8 million to move its refrigerator manufacturing operations from Sweden to Elkhart, creating 241 new jobs, and $3 million to move production from a plant in Mexico, which was lost to a fire in April, to Dometic's LaGrange facility, where it will increase manufacturing capacity of retractable RV awnings, creating 116 new jobs.
"We've never had a doubt. RVs will be back. Elkhart will be back, and will resume its place as a major center of economic strength for our state," Daniels said Tuesday morning.
The company currently employs 60 associates at its Elkhart operations and plans to begin hiring assembly, welding, maintenance and management associates immediately as the facility is prepared for production launch later in the fall, according to the news release...
About the Handmade Toy Alliance
The Handmade Toy Alliance
represents small toymakers, children's product manufacturers, and independent retailers whose businesses cannot survive without repairing the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). We are lobbying for meaningful reform of the CPSIA to aid small businesses caught in a snarl of unintended consequences. We need meaningful, common sense reform to preserve the heart and soul of small batch specialty toys and children's products.
formerly Tin Woodsman Pewter
In February of 2010 we re-branded ourselves as Crosby & Taylor. Once our Stoneware Collection began to take off, we realized that we needed a new name that would allow us to grow and expand in many directions.We no longer see ourselves as only a pewter company – but as designers, producers and purveyors of timeless goods – some made of pewter, some made of stoneware, and some made of materials we have yet to discover!
The name, Crosby & Taylor, pays respect to my ancestors, who were Cape Cod-based merchant sea captains. They sailed to the Orient and back countless times in the 1800’s. We no longer need to sail to faraway ports to bring back beautiful treasures. We can make them ourselves right here in Oregon!
Cloth diapers? You must be kidding, Right?!! Sometimes that’s the response I get along
with a funny look. Cloth diapering has come far since we were wearing them (no more rubber covers that smell).
Today, cloth diapers are quite stylish! Yes, they take a little more effort than aimlessly tossing out a disposable but knowing cloth is healthier for baby and our environment is all that personally mattered to us. Cloth diapers contain no questionable chemicals, are reusable, eco-friendly (biodegradable), natural, breathable (less diaper rash, if any), comfortable, convenient, economical, and we can’t forget the cuteness factor of seeing a little one toddling around in cloth!
Donated by TIDBIT-COUTURE
100% USA made.
Why Organic?
Why should you buy organic vs. conventional cotton?
There are so many reasons that you probably never knew, we’d like to let you in on some real facts and give you some insight into the organic industry and why it’s the natural choice for you and your baby.
Organic Cotton is the cloth of the future! Organic cotton is not only better for our bodies but better for our environment. It makes a world of difference in the health and comfort of our babies, especially those with allergies, asthma, or multiple chemical sensitivities. Your baby can enjoy the purest softness, comfort and strength of cotton while diminishing the harm to our environment because what is toxic to you, is 15 times more toxic to a baby.
The amount of pesticides used in the U.S. to grow conventional cotton is an obscene amount; one third of a pound of chemicals is used to grow enough cotton for one t-shirt. Not only do these synthetic pesticides pollute our air, water and soil, but they jeopardize our future. The conventional cotton farming takes an astonishing amount of the responsibility for contaminating our planet by using a full quarter of the pesticides worldwide. People are consuming foods that contain cottonseed oil which is extracted from the seeds of a cotton plant that has been sprayed with some of the most toxic pesticides. Twenty thousand deaths can be accredited to poisoning by farming pesticides; three million people suffer from chronic health problems reported by The World Health Organization. We know it’s alarming!
There are many harmful chemicals that people do not know about. Twelve of these chemicals are known as persistent organic pollutants or POPs, they are the most hazardous of all man-made products or wastes that cause deaths, birth defects and diseases among humans and animals. They are so dangerous that 120 nations agreed at a United Nations Environment Programme conference to outlaw them. Of the 151 signatories to the convention 98 states have ratified it; sadly the United States and Russia have not yet done so. There are three of those chemicals used in cotton manufacturing.
The biggest problem starts right in the cotton fields. The pesticides and chemicals used to spray conventional cotton crops creep into the air and soil, the ground water eventually then spreads to farms creating long-standing health threats to farmers, laborers and the community.
Many people believe that we should not ingest pesticides into our bodies, but haven’t figured out that we shouldn’t put them on our bodies either. What many people don’t know about conventional cotton is that besides being grown with tons of chemicals that it is then subjected to abundant chemical baths and treatments when the fabric is loomed and prepared for cutting. Furthermore, cotton is usually dyed and these dyes can contain heavy metals.
By choosing to wear and buy organic cotton baby clothing we are spreading the word thru our family and to our friends and helping to raise global knowledge about the benefits of choosing to go organic. Let’s take back what is rightfully ours and do our small part to save our planet.
When searchin for organic or healthier ways of living look for words like: eco friendly, green, eco conscious, environmentally friendly, carbon footprint, sustainable living, organic and many more are popping up.
Donated by MY GOODNESS DUDS
100% USA made.
Why Bamboo?
Why Do We Use Bamboo?
Soft on You ... Easy on the Earth!
The fabric manufactured by BAMBOOSA, here in South Carolina, has remarkable characteristics:
•Soft and Comfortable
Softer than the softest cotton, Bamboosa's fabric has a natural sheen to the surface and feels similar to cashmere. Our fabric absorbs water 3-4 times better than cotton, keeping skin comfortable, rather than sticky, in hot weather. The fabrics made by Bamboosa stay cooler in hot temperatures and warmer in cold temperatures.
•Protective and Hygienic
Bamboosa's apparel is thermal regulating, odor resistant, anti-static and will keep you cooler and drier in the heat of summer ... and warmer in cold temperatures.
Bamboosa'a fabrics also have natural UV protection. In April of 2005, we sent out our Purely Natural 100% bamboo jersey to the Suncare Research Laboratories in Winston Salem, N.C. for UV Protection testing. The UPF label rate is 15. The fabric scored 18.3 on the UPF scale with 94.15% UVA block and 93.17% UVB block.
The UPF system was created specially for sun protective fabrics. UPF measurements of fabrics are generally tested by spectrophotometer equipment and are not tested using human subjects. The UPF rate indicates how much of the sun's UV radiation is absorbed by the fabric.
The advantage of the UPF standard is that both UVB and UVA are measured.
•Sustainable and Organically Grown
Bamboo, a renewable resource, is grown without using pesticides or chemical fertilizers. At Bamboosa, we choose to not use any bleach on our fabrics before dye. We offer many Purely Natural products without any dye at all.
Bamboo is one of the world's most prolific and fastest-growing plants, and is able to reach maturity in about four years, compared to the typical 25 to 70 years for commercial tree species in the U.S. Though most people are generally familiar with this beautiful and graceful plant, the average person is usually astounded when learning that there are more than 1000 documented uses of bamboo.
Bamboo is nature's most sustainable resource and is naturally regenerative. Bamboo is actually a tropical grass, with an extensive root system that sends out an average of four to six new shoots per year, naturally replenishing itself and growing to heights of 60 feet or more. Some bamboo species grow up to 4 feet per day and can be harvested every 3 to 4 years.
In Asia, bamboo has been used in the traditional hand-made production of paper for centuries. Now, through modern manufacturing processes, bamboo pulp is capable of producing viscose from bamboo for use in yarn and fabric. Certain species of bamboo have the tensile strength equivalent to that of steel.
Bamboo is planted and grown on family-owned farms that have been in agricultural use for generations. None of the fiber comes from tropical forests. Over 2.5 billion people work with or depend on bamboo as a natural resource.
Donated by BAMBOOSA
100% USA made.