Green Manufacturing in Ohio

This morning we were in Toledo, Ohio, meeting with Lloyd Mahaffey, Director of UAW Region 2B.  Lloyd told us about initiatives in Ohio that are aimed at generating jobs in the green manufacturing sector, and mentioned some really innovative ideas.  He talked about a landfill located adjacent to Chrysler’s Jeep plant in Toledo that is burning methane.  He envisions producing ethanol from the methane and using it to fuel Jeeps as they come of the line.  With the Jeep plant producing 300,000 Jeeps per year and filling them with 10 gallons of fuel each, that’s a lot of ethanol that would create a bunch of jobs in the neighborhood.  He also envisions using geo-thermal or wind energy to help power a plant in Maumee that is scheduled to shut down.  That technology could significantly reduce energy costs at the plant and might make the facility more desirable to potential investors. 

We also talked to Lloyd about a Ford Transmission plant in Sharonville that is producing advanced six-speeds that help save fuel.  Ford is looking to expand production, since the new transmissions are being used in so many of the company’s new and upcoming models.  Mexico offered Ford $90 million in incentives to build the transmission there. Lloyd is hoping that the newly elected officials in Ohio and Congress will step up and make an effort to attract those kinds of green manufacturing jobs by offering similar incentives.

With energy and global warming becoming increasingly important economic and political issues, we were thrilled to see a leader like Lloyd with so many innovate ideas and taking real initiative to move things forward.  And, were also pleased to see him take action by signing our pledge.