USA and Canada

British entertainment legend HMV is considering the sale of its Canadian retail operation to avoid breaking the terms of its debt arrangement.

With debts in the region of $200 million, the sale of assets seems the most likely short term option. HMV is already said to be looking for a buyer for its UK book retailer Waterstones, with Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut an interested party, possibly in partnership with the bookseller’s original founder Tim Waterstone.

On this day 100 years ago, a fire broke out in Manhattan’s Triangle Shirtwaist Company, in which 146 garment workers died and many more were injured.

The fire on Saturday 25 March 1911 still remains one of the deadliest fires in the history of the United States.

Toyota Motor Corporation has said that some interruptions to production in North America are likely in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, although it was too early to predict their location or duration.

Toyota has 13 vehicle and engine plants in North America, which have continued to run normally until now, apart from overtime being discontinued.

German based photovoltaic systems and components supplier MAGE SOLAR has formally completed the transfer from limited liability company (GmbH) to stock corporation (AG). Shares will be owned 100 percent by its parent company MAGE Industries Holding AG.

"Restructuring as a stock corporation is the logical step to continue the growth strategy of MAGE SOLAR and its eight national and international subsidiaries," confirms Dr. Markus Feil, CEO of MAGE SOLAR AG.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is to enter into a supply chain distribution agreement with Sysco Corporation, according to an announcement made today.

The agreement proposes that Sygma, a Sysco subsidiary, will distribute proprietary doughnut mixes, other ingredients and supplies to Krispy Kreme franchise and company shops in the eastern United States.

Another Sysco subsidiary, IFG, will handle distribution of Krispy Kreme goods for export to the 20 foreign countries in which the company's international franchisees operate.

Owens Corning announced an investment today in a new furnace to expand production capacity at its glass reinforcements facility in Tlaxcala, Mexico.

The expansion results from increasing global demand for glass reinforcements, and is the fourth production capacity increase announced by the company’s reinforcements division in recent months. Capacity increases were also recently announced in Yuhang, China; Gous-Khroustalny, Russia; and Besana, Italy.

The latest chapter in a fascinating tale of industry diversification emerged today with the announcement by Senetek Plc of a rather unusual acquisition.

California-based Senetek is best known as a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of technologies connected with the science of healthy aging.

Motor vehicles are becoming ever more reliable, but manufacturers do suffer teething problems with new technology features, according to the 2011 US Vehicle Dependability Study released today by JD Power and Associates.

The study measures problems experienced over the past 12 months by original owners of three-year-old vehicles. Overall dependability is determined by the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles, with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

Getting ready for future competition from companies in China and other emerging markets is not an optional activity, say George F. Brown, Jr. and David G. Hartman. The day is coming when such organizations will change your business landscape.

Nuclear energy still has an important role to play in the United States’ energy portfolio, according to US Energy Secretary Steven Chu.

The news will go some way to reassuring uranium miners and energy corporations that the US is not about to do a U-turn on nuclear energy, but Chu, perhaps understandably, was rather cautious in his endorsement.