Heating releases cookware chemicals.
Nonstick coatings on fry pans and microwave-popcorn bags can, when heated, release traces of potentially toxic perfluorinated chemicals into the air and the food being cooked, a new study suggests. Although the chemicals aren't subject to any regulatory restriction and have uncertain toxicity, the researchers conducting the study suggest...

Wage hikes to erode competitiveness.
Byline: BERNIE CAHILES-MAGKILAT Small and medium exporters foresee losing out to competitors from China and Vietnam once wage adjustments are implemented saying their prices would end up more expensive than their foreign rivals. This position was conveyed to Sergio Ortiz-Luis, Jr., president of the Philippine...

Dyson's "Dust Mite Doctor" delivers spring cleaning tips. (News Front).
* Dyson, headquartered in Malmesbury, England, produces vacuum cleaning equipment products that "work better for everyone," according to company executives. With springtime knocking at the door, Dyson's "Dust Mite Doctor," microbiologist David Sykes, offered expert advice on how to most effectively clean house and help keep the home dust-,...

New steel plant owner seeks more tariff protection.
Byline: BERNIE CAHILES MAGKILAT Just after getting tariff cover for its steel products, the Indian-owned Global Steelworks International Inc. (GSII) is again seeking for two more tariff deals with the government. This time, GSII has petitioned the Tariff Commission to use hot rolled coils as...

The food lover's Napa Valley.
Where to shop among the vines for gourmet ingredients and professional cookware Napa Valley wines and restaurants have become world-class. And so has the food-oriented shopping. It reached critical mass once the huge Marketplace at the Culinary Institute of America came in, says one chef,...

Home is where DR lives: direct response marketing is a front-runner in the consumer-driven charge to make homes cleaner and safer for families and the environment.
In the world of direct response marketing, the one-of-a-kind, make-life-easier product can be pure gold. Place the product in a long-form DRTV commercial and next thing you know, it's gone from telemarketing and Web site sales to branding on retail shelves. But those working in DR know...

Bosch: Focus on Automotive Electronics for Vehicle Safety.
TRAVEL AND LEISURE CLOSE-UP-16 April 2008-Bosch: Focus on Automotive Electronics for Vehicle Safety(C)2008 - CloseUpMedia - newsdesk@closeupmedia.com According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), vehicle-related fatalities have remained constant for nearly a decade at approximately 40,000 deaths per year. Advancements in vehicle safety,...

Customs: VCRs may now be brought into Cuba.
Effective May 1, Cuban customs officials once again will allow arriving passengers to import video cameras and other image-reproducing equipment, according to Resolution 99/2007 of the Ministry of Finance and Prices. Since July 2002, the importation of such equipment had been banned, regardless of manufacturer or country...

Cooking up brand awareness: Paul DiObilda says that the InfraWave Speed Oven is just the latest direct response/retail success story for the Black & Decker housewares brand.
"The people, brands and products shaping this industry need to bring adaptable crossover experiences to move the industry forward," explains Paul DiObilda, Miramar, Fla.-based brand manager at Applica, exclusive licensee of the Black & Decker (B&D) appliance line. "Creativity, diversity and flexibility are important characteristics for working in this...

Fagor launches line aimed at U.S. market.
Lynhurst, NJ -- Fagor S. Coop., Ltda., the Spanish domestic appliance market leader for more than 50 years, has committed to the U.S. market with its full product offering, the company has announced. As a primary contact and U.S. subsidiary, the Lynhurst, NJ-based Fagor America, Inc. announced...