Walmart, Suppliers and Government Officials Accelerate Job Growth

Commitments to Inject $70 Million into Factory Growth and Add More Than 1,000 U.S. Jobs Highlight Event

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 22, 2013 - Nearly 1,500 government officials and suppliers convened today at the Walmart U.S. Manufacturing Summit to advance American renewal in manufacturing and help rebuild opportunities for America's middle class. The summit at the Orlando Convention Center underscored Walmart's commitment to buy an additional $50 billion in U.S.-made products over the next 10 years and featured announcements from suppliers that, combined, are expected to infuse more than$70 million into factory growth and create more than 1,000 domestic jobs.

"Jump-starting the manufacturing industry and rebuilding the middle class requires a national effort by companies, industry leaders, lawmakers and others," said Bill Simon, president and CEO of Walmart U.S. "Together, we can help spark a revitalization of U.S.-based manufacturing, using new technology and new innovations to make production in the United States affordable and feasible."

The summit brought together representatives from across industries – including 500 supplier companies, 32 state governments, major retail industry leaders and other retailers. Governors and state officials had the opportunity to speak directly with hundreds of manufacturers who are ready to create jobs in their local communities. For supplier companies, Walmart's summit provided an opportunity to present potential projects and learn about the resources available in different states.

"At the Department of Commerce, we are leading the Administration's efforts to support American manufacturing and expand our exports," said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. "I applaud Walmart for convening this summit and all of the participating companies for the commitment they've made to expand their manufacturing activities in our country. Right now, companies in America are making and selling products around the world at an all-time record pace, and the incentives to make things here and hire American workers is only getting stronger. A summit like this one, which brings multiple organizations from the public and private sectors together, is exactly the type of cooperation that's needed to grow businesses, create jobs and keep America competitive."

As the economics of manufacturing are shifting and goods are increasingly being produced closer to where they are consumed, the numbers work to manufacture more in America.

GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt said, "GE and Walmart understand how to bring together the best people and the best technologies to make the world work better. Today's announcement builds on the history of collaboration between GE and Walmart, and reinforces our belief that manufacturing is a competitive advantage, allowing U.S. companies to compete and win in every corner of the world."

Supplier Commitments:

During the summit, suppliers and manufacturers discussed opportunities to create jobs, restore communities and drive economic growth. Multiple companies announced domestic manufacturing investments, including the following:

• GE is creating 150 jobs through a $30 million investment to produce domestically made GE Energy Efficient Soft White bulbs that will be sold exclusively at U.S.-based Walmart stores.
• 
  
• No nonsense^®, one of the most recognizable legwear brands in America, made by Kayser-Roth Corporation, announced today a sock initiative with Walmart that will add more than 100 new jobs at Kayser-Roth and additional jobs in local industries in North Carolina. No nonsense^® will be expanding its Made in the USA Program by investing up to $28 million in its existing production facilities located in North Carolina.
• 
  
• Element Electronics Corp. plans to open a new flat screen TV factory in Winnsboro, S.C.Production is scheduled to begin in December 2013 and the aggressive project will target up to 500 jobs.
• 
  
• Renfro, a North Carolina based, multi-national legwear company specializing in the design, manufacture and sale of all kinds of socks is expanding its capacities over the next two years inCleveland, Tenn., and Fort Payne, Ala., by investing an additional $14 million and creating an additional 195 manufacturing jobs.
• 
  
• Chobani, maker of America's No. 1 selling Greek Yogurt, invested $450 million to open its Twin Falls, Idaho, plant last December. The plant employs more than 1,000 people and is the largest yogurt manufacturing facility in the world.
• 
  
• Hampton Products International has been analyzing re-shoring production over the last five years and recently invested $5 million in a new Shell Lake, Wis., facility to begin production of Wright Products ® screen and storm door hardware. The company plans additional capital investments in 2014 at that site that over time are expected to add an additional 150 jobs.

"Many of us want to move forward, but it can be difficult for any one retailer, supplier or local government to know where to start," concluded Simon. "At the summit, we are building a network of support for domestic manufacturing. In the room, we have the capital, the expertise, the ideas, and, most importantly, the will."

The National Retail Federation (NRF) partnered with Walmart to host the event and drive this initiative forward among its members.

"Retailers have a strong role to play in creating more jobs and manufacturing in America. We can give manufacturers the confidence they need to invest in the infrastructure they need to make this possible. We're proud to partner with Walmart in this effort," said Matthew Shay, President and CEO of the National Retail Federation. "The discussions helped to define the economic opportunity that can be driven by more U.S. manufacturing, provided details on working with government and offered examples of how suppliers are successfully increasing domestic manufacturing."

Walmart to Offer Special Layaway Option this Christmas

Families Can Shop Their Wish Lists Early and Pay Later

BENTONVILLE, Ark.- To help families deliver a big Christmas this year, Walmart announced today that it will offer a Christmas layaway program for two of the season's most popular gift categories, electronics and toys. Available at all stores nationwide, the program will kick off on Oct. 17 and run through Dec. 16, with plenty of time for the gifts to take their rightful place under the Christmas tree.

Walmart announced the news to its nearly 9 million Facebook fans, many whom have expressed their desire for Walmart's layaway service. Customers have indicated that they are most interested in layaway for toys and electronics, and that during the holidays is when they need layaway the most.

"We're always looking for ways to ease budget strain for our customers, and we know this holiday season in particular brings with it additional financial pressure," said Duncan Mac Naughton, chief merchandising officer, Walmart. "Our layaway program for Christmas, along with our every day low prices and great variety of gifts, will provide a worry-free way for our customers to fulfill their families' Christmas wish lists."

Walmart's Christmas layaway program will enable customers to make payments when they want and for how much they want on the hottest Christmas gifts. Toy and electronic gifts with a retail price of $15 or more will be eligible*, including dozens of toys on Rollback to $15 starting Sept. 12, such as Leapfrog Scribble and Write, Disney Princess Toddler Doll, Transformers 3 Mechtech and select Lego playsets. Other great gifts at an every day low price included in the Christmas layaway program are bicycles, HDTVs, and video games.

"Our customers told us they want a hassle-free layaway option during the holiday season," said Mac Naughton. "With our Christmas layaway program, they can focus on what's important to them during the Christmas season instead of stressing over mandated payments or how to tuck money away for gifts."

Layaway payments can be made at any register. Putting an item on layaway and picking up layaway orders is done at the Walmart.com counter in the majority of stores.  Pick up hours are 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. local time.  Layaway orders and pick up will not be accepted on the day after Thanksgiving.

American Red Cross and Walmart Foundation Partner to Help Military and Their Families Reconnect on the Homefront

Walmart eyeing families of US Army and behind this they want to grab big retail customers


WASHINGTON - The American Red Cross today launched a new program to assist service members returning home from deployment.

Designed to help service men and women and their families successfully manage the transition from the field back into the routine of home life, the Coming Home Series presented by Walmart is a free, confidential set of small-group facilitated sessions designed to help foster positive reconnections between family members and help service members reintegrate into civilian life. The Walmart Foundation awarded a $500,000 grant in support of the program and is the lead sponsor.

"Transitioning back home after a deployment can be hard, and many service members have experienced challenges readjusting into life with their families, their jobs and their communities," said Sherri Brown, Senior Vice President for Service to the Armed Forces. "Through the generosity of Walmart, this new program will help ease that transition."

The Coming Home Series, which will be offered by Red Cross chapters throughout the country, covers a number of topics that service members and their families have found relevant to their experience as they transition back home, including managing anger, supporting children, building communication, reconnecting with others, recognizing Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and other topics critical to reunion adjustment.

"We're proud of our nation's heroes and are grateful for their service and sacrifice," said retired Army Brigadier General Gary Profit, the Senior Director of Military Programs for Walmart.  "We recognize that sometimes those sacrifices mean that their hardship doesn't end once they're back on the homefront.  We want to play a role in addressing unmet needs in the military community, so we're proud to team with the American Red Cross, especially on the Coming Home Series.  We believe this will help bridge the gap that sometimes exists between the battlefield and the backyard."

The series, developed in cooperation with military experts, has been piloted in 8 different locations across the country. It will be available to members of all branches of the Armed Forces, as well as National Guard, Reserves, veterans and their families.

For three years, the Red Cross has assisted military families during the deployment cycle with its course Coping with Deployments: Psychological First Aid for Military Families. This is a national-level course specifically designed to assist spouses, parents, siblings and significant others across all signs of service.
"We've seen just how helpful Coping With Deployments has been to individuals whose loved ones are deployed," Brown said. "We have heard from those families that they are seeking similar assistance when they come home, and we believe the Coming Home Series will help."

The Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces program provides assistance to more than 2 million service members as well as many of the nation's 24 million veterans and their families, wherever they reside. In addition to the Coping with Deployments course and the new Coming Home series, the Red Cross provides emergency communications linking service members with their families during time of crisis; comfort and care in military and veterans medical facilities; access to financial assistance in partnership with the military aid societies; information and referral and assistance to veterans.

Our View :  This is game plan of Walmart to make new customers.We should be alert against such tact.

Walmart Selects Johnson Controls as Sole Source Provider for Automotive Batteries

MILWAUKEE, Feb. 3 - Johnson Controls, Inc., announced today it has been selected by Walmart to be the sole source provider of its Automotive, Marine, Powersport and Lawn and Garden battery requirements for its stores in the United States and Puerto Rico.


"Johnson Controls' superior quality, consistent service, partnership in reducing consumer returns, and category leadership were key factors for selecting Johnson Controls as our sole source provider," said a Walmart representative.


Johnson Controls has been a Walmart supplier for more than 25 years. The company received Walmart's Supplier of the Year for Automotive this past year.


"We are honored to receive this expanded business from Walmart," said Allen Martin, vice president and general manager Americas for the Power Solutions business of Johnson Controls. "We are committed to providing Walmart the highest level of quality and service, demonstrating the value we bring to all our customers in the United States and globally."


About Johnson Controls


Johnson Controls is the global leader that brings ingenuity to the places where people live, work and travel. By integrating technologies, products and services, we create smart environments that redefine the relationships between people and their surroundings. Our team of 130,000 employees creates a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world through our products and services for more than 200 million vehicles, 12 million homes and one million commercial buildings. Our commitment to sustainability drives our environmental stewardship, good corporate citizenship in our workplaces and communities, and the products and services we provide to customers.

Walmart Announces New Exclusive Miley Cyrus CD 'The Time of Our Lives' to Release Aug. 31

Album's new single 'Party In The USA' debuts at #2 on Billboard Hot 100


BENTONVILLE, Ark., - Walmart (NYSE:WMT) announced plans today to offer the new Miley Cyrus album, "The Time of Our Lives" on Hollywood Records, releasing Aug. 31, 2009, exclusively at Walmart stores and Walmart.com. "The Time of Our Lives," which will retail for $8, has seven tracks - including the new single "Party In The USA," which debuted this week at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 following three consecutive weeks as the # 1 most added song at Top 40 Radio. The song is currently the most downloaded MP3 on Walmart.com.

Fans can pre-order "The Time of Our Lives" CD on Walmart.com for only $8, and the digital album for only $7. Those who pre-order the MP3 digital album on Walmart.com get the new radio single instantly.

Tracks on the new album include:

1. The Time of Our Lives
2. Party In The USA
3. Obsessed
4. When I Look At You
5. Talk Is Cheap
6. Kicking And Screaming

7. Before The Storm (duet with Jonas Brothers Live)



Cyrus is currently filming the Nicolas Sparks drama "The Last Song" and will embark on a 45-city North American tour beginning in September.

In addition, Miley Cyrus and designer Max Azria of apparel house BCBGMAXAZRIAGROUP, Inc. have teamed up to create Miley Cyrus & Max Azria, a new apparel line which launched this month exclusively in Walmart stores and online at Walmart.com. Walmart is also the sponsor of the Miley Cyrus North American Tour.

In 2006, Miley Cyrus landed the starring role in Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana," which instantly became a ratings blockbuster. That year, the first "Hannah Montana" CD came out on Walt Disney Records, becoming the first TV soundtrack to debut at #1 on the Billboard Top 200. The album is now certified triple-platinum.

With her triple-platinum 2007 two-disc set, "Hannah Montana 2 / Meet Miley Cyrus," Miley set the stage for her record-shattering "Best of Both Worlds" tour. She also had the #1 film in the country with the Walt Disney Pictures 3-D release, "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert." Last summer she released her platinum-certified "Breakout" album, for which she co-wrote eight of the 13 tracks. Cyrus also topped the best-seller list with the release of her first book Miles To Go.

With her starring role in the #1 Walt Disney Picture film, "Hannah Montana The Movie," Cyrus scored her fourth #1 album with the film's platinum-certified soundtrack. She is the youngest recording artist ever to claim four #1 albums on the Billboard Top 200 in less than three years.

Cyrus recently wrapped the third season of "Hannah Montana." A fourth season of the hit series will begin production in 2010.

Reliance, Walmart eyeing Malayalam film industry

Kochi, India - Another controversy is brewing in the Malayalam film industry with the MACTA Federation today alleging that Reliance, Walmart and Tatas have signed up at least three top actors, including Mamooty and Mohanlal, besides 10 reputed film directors, for their coming films.
This will destroy the industry and the directors,including Priyardarshan, Fasil, Siddiq, Joshi, Lal Jose, who broke away from the Malayalam Cine Technicians Association (MACTA) should withdraw from any agreement they have reached with the companies, Federation Treasurer, Baiju Kottarakara, told reporters here.
Three top actors -- Mamooty, Mohanlal and Dileep have taken an advance of Rs 50 lakh each, he alleged. ÒReliance is undertaking the cabling work of at least 400 theatres in the state, he said.
The directors and actors have been 'bought' by the top companies, he said, adding that they have been booked by them to direct and act in only their films for the next five years. This will hit the ordinary film industry worker and destroy the trade union movement and they should withdraw from such an agreement, he said.
Reacting to the allegation, director Siddiq, who was the first to break away from the federation, following MACTA's decision to boycott Dileep, who refused to act in a film by director Thulasidas, said attempts are being made by MACTA to 'tarnish' the reputation of directors by coming out with such 'wild allegations'.
The Federation office bearers are desperate to keep their chairs intact and so were coming out with the allegations, he said and added that neither he nor any other film directors had signed any such agreement.


'Big corporates entry will destroy Malayalam film industry'

A controversy is brewing in the Malayalam film industry, with the cine technicians association today claiming that the purported entry of corporate houses in this medium would destroy the regional cinema industry.
The Malayalam Cine Technicians Association alleged that some corporate houses have signed up at least three top actors, including Mamooty and Mohanlal, besides 10 reputed film directors, for their upcoming films.
This will destroy the Malayalam film industry and the directors including Priyardarshan, Fasil, Siddiq, Joshi, Lal Jose, who broke away from the MACTA, should withdraw from any agreement they have reached with the companies, Federation Treasurer, Baiju Kottarakara, told reporters here.
He alleged that three top actors Mamooty, Mohanlal and Dileep have taken an advance of Rs 50 lakh each.
The directors and actors have been 'bought' by the top companies, he said, adding that they have been booked by them to direct and act in only their films for the next five years. This will hit the ordinary film industry worker and destroy the trade union movement and they should withdraw from such an agreement, he said.
Reacting to the allegation, director Siddiq, who was the first to break away from the federation, following MACTA's decision to boycott Dileep, who refused to act in a film by director Thulasidas, said attempts are being made by MACTA to 'tarnish' the reputation of directors by coming out with such 'wild allegations'.
The Federation office bearers are desperate to keep their chairs intact and so were coming out with the allegations, he said and also added that neither he nor any other film directors had signed any such agreement.