Top Story

• Saint-Gobain plant in N.Y. to focus on employees, customers
  Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics in Granville, N.Y., plans to enhance training of current employees and focus on its customers this year, according to this interview with plant manager Chris Klesse and marketing manager Geoff King. "We really need to reinforce the fact that we have to listen to our customers. If we get arrogant, we are not going to be successful or competitive," said King. The company also plans to maximize the use of its equipment and monitor market conditions this year. The Post-Star (Glens Falls, N.Y.) (2/16)     

Industry Buzz

• Mo. lawn care firms switch to propane to fuel equipment
  Converting lawn equipment to use propane has gained traction among commercial lawn care companies in Missouri, according to this article. Propane helps save on fuel and maintenance expenses, said Dustin Leighty, owner of Master Trimmers. Propane-powered mowers can also help businesses compete with others at LEED sites where more eco-friendly equipment is required, said Jason Daugherty, co-owner of JWX Turf and Erosion. Springfield News-Leader (Mo.) (tiered subscription model) (2/17)     

• Riding mower is rehabbed by 3 students
  Three power technology students have brought new life to a worn-out riding mower at the Limestone County Career Technical Center in Alabama. The old machine looks brand new with a black steering wheel, a gray-cushioned seat and a navy blue paint job complete with orange stripes. The News Courier (Athens, Ala.) (2/17)     

• Generators, garden products take the stage at Conn. county event
  Generators and garden seeds are among the "green products" featured at the Fairfield County Home Show in Connecticut. Tower Generator President Chris Atiyeh said the growing demand for generators after Hurricane Irene led him to join the event and reach out to customers. Christine Segalas, owner of Homegrown Harvest, offers soil and vegetable seeds to encourage residents to grow edible plants in their landscape. Greenwich Time (Conn.) (2/17)     

• 3 tools to use to trim pampas grass
  The Columbia County News-Times (Evans, Ga.) (2/17)     

Economic Indicators

• New U.S. indicators are expected to point upward
  A new indicator for the U.S. economy this week is expected to reveal continued strength in the housing market as measured by home construction. Meanwhile, a business-outlook gauge is projected to turn modestly positive this month from negative last month. MarketWatch (2/17)     

• U.S. consumer confidence holds steady
  A January survey of U.S. consumer confidence revealed no improvement from December, despite the absence of imminent "fiscal cliff" worries. "People have tended to be cautious about the economy for a long time. We haven't seen much change in that sentiment for a while," said Matt Towson, a spokesman for the Discover U.S. Spending Monitor survey. New York Post (2/18)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by OPEI SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Husqvarna will invest in chainsaw production, posts Q4 loss (Reuters)

• Need to mow the lawn more quickly? Try a V-8 ride-on mower (Stuff (New Zealand))

• Excel Industries to increase production of zero-turn riding mowers (GreenIndustryPros.com)

• Massive snowblower reduces snow buildup at Norway airport (CNN)

• OPEI warns customers to avoid E15 fuel for lawn equipment (PopularMechanics.com)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

Inside & Out

• Focus on pleasing most profitable customers to grow
  Create a narrow customer focus to grow your business faster, advises Karl Stark and Bill Stewart. Find the most profitable customers, the ones who pay more and cost less to serve, and cater to their needs. Also, identify your company's unique strengths and choose projects that target those best customers. Inc. online (free registration)/Herding Gazelles blog (2/14)     

Policy Update

• Obama targets $1.5 trillion in tax boosts, spending cuts
  President Barack Obama's plan to avoid upcoming automatic cuts amounts to $1.5 trillion in higher taxes and budget cutbacks, the White House says. Separately, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that if the automatic cuts take effect March 1, it will lower U.S. GDP growth this year by 0.6% and cost the economy 750,000 jobs. Bloomberg (2/18)     

• Obama works on backup plan for immigration reform
  President Barack Obama is drafting a backup proposal for U.S. immigration reform in case bipartisan negotiations in Congress over such a bill collapses, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough said. Under Obama's draft plan, it would take about eight years for an illegal immigrant to become a legal permanent resident of the U.S. Reuters (2/17), USA Today (2/17)     

OPEI News

• Outdoor Power Report -- A quarterly update for OPEI members
  OPEI's quarterly summary of issues and activities is now available. Read the report.     

SmartQuote

You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration." --James Allen, British author