The Consumer Goods Forum, an industry association of retailers, manufacturers and service providers, welcomes the announcement by the U.S. government at the Rio Plus 20 Conference to "forge a private-public partnership to support a concerted international effort to reduce deforestation by promoting sustainable supply chains."

It's common practice for companies to view cold-chain management systems for pharmaceutical and bio-technology products as point solutions, whether related to packaging, training or carrier services, says Gary M. Hutchinson, president of Modality Solutions. Integration of all those elements, however, results in a "much more holistic system," he says. "You maintain product quality all the way from manufacturer to point of use. Until you integrate it into one system, you're not tackling it properly."

The American Association of Port Authorities says delays in setting technical specifications for Transportation Worker Identification Credential card scanners could force ports to shoulder extra costs.

Driven in part by the global financial crisis, foreign intelligence services, corporations and computer hackers have stepped up efforts to steal technology and trade secrets from American companies, the FBI's top spy hunter told Congress.

Labelmaster, a manufacturer and distributor of products for complying with rules for the handling of hazardous materials, has released a GHS (Globally Harmonized System) Product Guide, to help companies meet the newly revised Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Pushing the limits of an aging infrastructure, U.S. manufacturers face a future of increasing costs and instability unless new technologies and new investments can rejuvenate the system.