BUSINESS
March 26, 2013 | By W.J. Hennigan, This post has been corrected, as indicated below.
At a time when the aerospace industry is fretful about federal spending, defense contractor Raytheon Co. announced plans to eliminate one of its business units and slash 200 jobs. The Waltham, Mass., company did not say how those cuts will affect its 10,000 workers in California but disclosed that they will result in annual savings of about $85 million. Raytheon made the announcement as part of a larger business consolidation that aims to “achieve stronger alignment with its customers' priorities.” Under the plan, the company will go from six business units to four.
CALIFORNIA | LOCAL
March 14, 2013 | By Patrick McGreevy
California lawmakers are trying to resolve differences over competing proposals to host a research-and-testing center for drone aircraft that would be sanctioned by the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA has called for competing bids to establish six research centers throughout the country to help determine the extent to which non-military drones should be allowed in the U.S. Some officials argue that there should be one unified bid from California. Ventura County has proposed hosting a facility, while a separate proposal, floated by a group calling itself California Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Cal-UAS)
BUSINESS
December 22, 2012 | By Ronald D. White, Los Angeles Times
When a toy designer's young daughter becomes fascinated by the gel-like beads in a flower vase, there is only one conclusion to draw: "There has got to be a toy in here somewhere," says Ron Brawer, a partner in the Maya Group and a toy industry veteran. The fast-growing Torrance company has gone on to develop dozens of playthings based on those transparent polymer pellets. One of those toys, a modified water gun called the Xploderz XBlaster 200, was a finalist for the 2012 Outdoor Toy of the Year Award from the Toy Industry Assn.
OPINION
November 13, 2012
Re “ Boeing plans more cuts in region ,” Nov. 9 As a 40-year aerospace retiree, I was sad to hear of the latest decline of the Southern California aerospace industry, with Boeing cutting more facilities. The article indicates that the cuts are due to the latest reduction in military spending. However, the decline in the once extensive aerospace industry here has been going on for decades. Not surprisingly, this decline coincides with the almost total control of the California government by the Democratic Party and the bad business environment it created.
BUSINESS
September 17, 2012 | By W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times
In another wallop to Southern California's aerospace industry, defense giant Northrop Grumman Corp. said it is preparing to trim its payroll by nearly 600 workers. Responding to billions of dollars in proposed Pentagon budget cuts, Northrop confirmed it has accepted buyouts from about 590 employees in its aerospace division. Most employees participating in the voluntary buyout program, which began in July, will leave by the end of September. The rest will remain as long as Dec. 14. Photos: Northrop history in L.A. This is the latest workforce reduction at Northrop's operations in Southern California - home to the vast majority of the 21,000 employees in its aerospace division.
BUSINESS
July 18, 2012 | By W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times
Aerospace industry executives told the House Armed Services Committee that the government hasn't given them proper insight in how to prepare for proposed budget cuts threatening to hit Pentagon spending in the coming months. Under a law approved last year, $500 billion in federal spending of all kinds would be held back - "sequestered" - until Congress reaches an agreement on reducing the mounting federal deficit. Although there is much speculation about whether Congress would let those automatic cuts actually occur in January, military contractors are ringing alarms now. Robert J. Stevens, chief executive ofLockheed Martin Corp., the world's largest defense firm, told the committee Wednesday that his company is trying to prepare for the automatic cuts.