Honda still top ranked environmental carmaker

While Japanese automakers continue to make the most environment-friendly vehicles, one American company, Ford Motor Co., is making headway with its fuel-efficient sports utility vehicles, the Union of Concerned Scientists said Wednesday.

In the group’s second environmental ranking of the six largest automotive companies, Ford was the only manufacturer to rise, from fifth to fourth. Honda, Toyota and Nissan remained the top three, with Honda the clear front-runner, and DaimlerChrysler ranked as the worst polluter.

The report says Ford is on track to meet its goal, announced two years ago, to boost the fuel economy of its sport utility vehicles, like the 2002 Ford Escape pictured above, by 25 percent by the 2005 model year. General Motors Corp. responded by pledging to keep the fuel economy of its light truck fleet better than Ford’s, but the report says GM trails by one-tenth of a mile per gallon.

Utility

Trader charged with manipulating gas prices

A former El Paso Corp. trader was indicted Wednesday on charges he reported dozens of false transactions to a publication widely used to calculate the index price of natural gas.

The fake trades, reported in November 2001, allegedly affected the gas market the following month.

Todd Geiger, a 38-year-old former vice president of El Paso Corp., was arrested Tuesday and charged with wire fraud and reporting false trade information.

He was released Wednesday on $250,000 bond.

Meatpacking

Tyson to cut jobs

Tyson Foods said Wednesday that it planned to eliminate about 500 jobs nationwide as it integrates the operations of meatpacker IBP, which it acquired last year.

Tyson spokesman Ed Nicholson said all of the company’s operations are being considered for job cuts, but no specific plants or positions are targeted. He said the Arkansas-based company will try to cut already-vacant positions and eliminate jobs as people retire. The cuts should take place over the next two years.

Tyson operates five IBP facilities in Kansas, including beef processing plants in Emporia and Garden City.

Manufacturing

Astaris names new CEO

Astaris LLC announced Wednesday that Paul L. Howes will become the new president and chief executive for the company that produces phosphorus-based products.

Howes, who will join the company Monday, has been the vice president and general manager of the packaging division of Flint Ink, and he previously worked for BFGoodrich Specialty Chemicals.

He succeeds Jerry Sibley, who left the position after forming Astaris from the competing business units of FMC Corp. and Solutia Inc. Astaris operates a production facility in North Lawrence.