Making humvees safer

Making humvees safer

BUTLER, Pa.— A western Pennsylvania firm is helping to make humvees safer for the soldiers who drive them on the battlefield.

Ibis Tek LLC makes a special emergency escape window for humvees at its plant in East Butler.

The bullet-resistant glass includes safety pins and handles on each side of the front windows, so they can be pushed out in case the vehicle overturns or otherwise traps soldiers inside after an accident.

Army officials say 84 soldiers have been killed in humvee rollovers in Iraq and Afghanistan since October 2001.

The special glass is called a vehicle emergency escape window.

“The VEE window will save lives in situations where a quick exit is needed,” said Thomas Buckner, chief executive of the firm he founded with his brother John in 1999.

Access to contractors

YOUNGSTOWN — The Builders Association of Eastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, a five-county construction industry organization, has created an online resource to find contractors for virtually any project.

The Web site, www.TheBuildersOnline.com, provides easy access to area contractors. The site also features items relevant to those in search of a career in the construction industry. One section offers information on apprenticeship programs for bricklayers, cement masons and plasterers, glaziers, iron workers, laborers, operating engineers, plasterers, roofers, sheet metal workers and teamsters.

And, members of The Builders, who employ thousands of workers in the five-county region, have their own section to review wage rates, workers’ compensation information and training for safety.

Pittsburgh Brewing sale

PITTSBURGH — The sale of bankrupt Pittsburgh Brewing Co. could be completed this week, pending transfer of is brewery license.

Attorneys for the Connecticut group that wants to buy the brewery said the buyers are waiting for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board to approve the transfer.

Iron City Brewing, the new company that will own the brewery, hopes to close on the deal this week, said Joel Walker, an attorney for the buyer.

The buyer is an investment group led by private equity fund manager John N. Milne of Greenwich, Conn.-based Unified Growth Partners.

The brewery makes Iron City and other beers.

Bidding practices probed

PITTSBURGH — A supermarket chain’s $20 million purchase of the Le-Nature’s bottling plant is on hold while a trustee investigates allegations of improper bidding during a bankruptcy auction. Giant Eagle outbid Cadbury Schweppes Beverage Group, the beverage arm of U.K.-based Cadbury Schweppes PLC, earlier this month for the Latrobe plant.

Bankruptcy trustee R. Todd Neilson, however, is looking into allegations that Giant Eagle threatened to stop selling Cadbury Schweppes products — including 7 UP, Canada Dry and Dr Pepper — if the soft-drink maker outbid it.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge M. Bruce McCullough, who oversaw the plant auction Aug. 9, has scheduled an Aug. 30 hearing to discuss the allegations.

O’Hara Township-based Giant Eagle has 225 supermarkets and more than 125 fuel and convenience stores in western Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio and West Virginia. It plans to produce a line of soft drinks at the plant.

Recalls over lead concerns

The following recalls have been announced for products that contain high levels of lead, which is toxic if ingested by young children. No injuries have been reported.

UAbout 66,000 spinning tops and about 4,700 pails painted with Thomas & Friends, Curious George, circus scenes or solid colors. The tops and pails were manufactured in China and imported by Schylling Associates Inc.

UAbout 14,000 TOBY & ME jewelry sets, imported by TOBY N.Y.C. and made in China.

UAbout 7,900 Children’s Divine Inspiration Charm Bracelets, imported by Buy-Rite Designs Inc. and made in China.

Vindicator staff and wire reports