President George W. Bush and Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans announced the winners of the 2001 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

Shipments of industrial laser equipment and systems for North America and U.S. exports were down 13% for the second quarter of 2001 when compared to the same quarter of last year, according to the Laser Systems Product Group of The Association for Manufacturing Technology.

Consumers are less satisfied with major manufactured goods this year than they were in 2000, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) produced by the University of Michigan Business School.

Faro Technologies Inc. (Lake Mary, FL) has signed a worldwide preferred supplier agreement with Vought Aircraft Industries Inc.

The Boeing Co. (Chicago) and TecSec Inc. (Vienna, VA) have formed a strategic relationship that includes a $10 million equity in-vestment by Boeing.

The L.S. Starrett Co. (Athol, MA) has rolled out the Starrett Equipment Finance program. The equipment-leasing program allows customers to defray their initial investment.

General Motors Corp. (Detroit) has named Mark Hogan, currently the president of e-GM, to the position of group vice president of advanced vehicle development.

The L.S. Starrett Co. (Athol, MA) has launched Starrett Calibration Services, a subsidiary to provide calibration of precision tools and gages.

Manufacturing workers in nonsupervisory roles are making more money this year than last.

General Motors Corp. (Detroit) is recalling 1.9 million passenger vehicles because of a potential problem in the steering column.