Teamwork is high among the requirements for job candidates at two factories General Electric is opening in north Fort Worth.
GE Manufacturing Solutions, a division of GE Transportation, has already hired about 30 production workers locally to begin learning how to assemble electric drive systems for mining vehicles in the first of the GE plants to open just west of Texas Motor Speedway.The larger railroad locomotive operation is set to open this year, but the company is building a database of job applicants and will begin hiring for those positions within four to six weeks.Some experience and the ability to work as part of a team are key requirements to getting the GE jobs, said Walter Amaya, the company's top local executive."We're looking to create a great team culture ... as much as their technical expertise," Amaya told staff writer Bob Cox. "We're training and educating all of our team members and expecting them to help us run the business."GE is looking for people who have experience in assembly of complex products, machining and welding. The company will put new hires through training to make sure their skills are up-to-date and to orient them to specific tasks.To view job descriptions and apply for positions, applicants must go online to www.getjobsintexas.comGE's personnel office is gathering and reviewing the applications. "We are interviewing and building the pool of applicants and will begin contacting them in the next few weeks."Production of drive systems for mining equipment will ramp up the rest of this year, and the locomotive manufacturing will follow. By the middle of next year, Amaya said, GE expects both operations to be turning out high-quality products at a high rate.Bell wins a roundRemember that lawsuit filed this year by computer games maker Electronic Arts against Bell Helicopter? Well, now it's Bell's turn to win a round.The same federal judge who ruled in May that the lawsuit should proceed has now denied a request by Electronic Arts to dismiss the counterclaims filed by Bell.We'll cut through the legal mumbo jumbo and just say that U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup ruled that legal precedents make Bell entitled to try and prove its case that its copyrights have been infringed because Electronic Arts did not pay for permission to use images of the company's aircraft in its games.Electronic Arts had sought to dismiss Bell's claims without a trial. The company's lawsuit asks the court to declare that it does not need a license to depict aircraft similar to Bell's because they are in the public domain and subject to creative use under the First Amendment.The legal process will grind on.Believing in AmericanAmerican Airlines appears to be taking a page from Delta Air Lines' playbook in countering the merger campaign being waged by US Airways.Last week, American posted a video to its YouTube channel that featured the phrase, "I Believe in American." The three-minute video is a slickly produced shoot that features American employees and customers talking about their pride in the Fort Worth-based carrier. Much of the video looks like it was filmed in the airline's Admirals Club in Terminal D and on the tarmac at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.The video reminds us of the "Keep Delta, My Delta" campaign. In 2006, when Delta was in bankruptcy and facing a takeover bid by US Airways, the Atlanta-based carrier launched a successful public relations campaign that featured employees, community leaders and executives talking about the airline's culture. In the end, Delta's creditors committee rejected US Airways' bid.American spokesman Andrew Backover said the video is not part of a larger public relations campaign."As we move through the process of restructuring and rebuilding the new American, we continue to be awed and inspired by the commitment of our people and our customers to the future of our airline," Backover said. "Our legendary history means something to those who know us. This video was simply a way to capture those sentiments and recognize those who are putting us in a position to win again."Jardine settles disputeA few weeks ago, we told you about a legal dispute between Jardine Foods Co. and a California lender. According to a filing last week in state district court in Tarrant County, the matter has been settled.Jardine Foods and California-based Celtic Capital Corp., which Jardine had approached for a line of credit, "no longer wish to pursue any claims against each other," the filing said.Jardine Foods makes barbecue sauces, salsas and dips, and is headed by Bobby McGee, the former Tarrant County College trustee. Jardine sued Celtic after it placed a lien on the company and refused to remove it unless Jardine paid Celtic more money, even though Jardine didn't take a loan from Celtic.Jardine said in its initial filing that it would drop the suit if Celtic agreed to remove the lien. The matter threatened operations at Jardine's manufacturing plant in Buda, south of Austin.Race-themed hotelA developer wants to build a hotel and conference center in Southlake with a nod to NASCAR -- an indoor race track for electric cars.The race-themed development is proposed for 15 acres at the northwest corner of Kimball Avenue and Texas 114, Nicholas Sakelaris reported last week in the Southlake Journal.The five-story hotel would have 175 rooms, a conference center and a ballroom, and it would have 90,370 square feet. It would cater to corporations that want to use the track for team-building exercises, said Jeff Medici of C.H.O.C. Development, the developer of the project.Just like the professionals, racing teams would compete in electric cars while the crew chief watches from above and gives instructions. A pit crew challenge would allow them to change tires and make other quick changes to a stock car while being timed.The race track area would be called Turn 4, a reference to the final turn just before the finish line. Official race cars would be on display.Medici said he's in negotiations with a number of hotel companies to operate the facility, which would include a restaurant with a full bar.Sandra Baker, 817-390-7727sabaker@star-telegram.comJim Fuquay, 817-390-7552jfuquay@star-telegram.comBarry Shlachter, 817-390-7718barry@star-telegram.comHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
