Business Notebook

Midlands Tech joining fuel cell group

Midlands Technical College on Thursday announced it will join the USC-City of Columbia Fuel Cell Collaborative. The group is a collaboration of SCRA, EngenuitySC, the University of South Carolina and the city of Columbia. Its mission is to position Columbia as a leader for fuel cell innovation and technology. Midlands Tech president Sonny White and Tom Ledbetter, executive director for the college’s business incubator, will join the collaborative’s management team to advise operations. Midlands Tech has actively participated with the Fuel Cell Collaborative’s efforts to build Columbia’s fuel cell initiative since its inception in 2006.

Omni renames Hilton Head resort

Omni Hotels & Resorts Wednesday rebranded the Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort as part of a long-term management agreement for the property. The hotel’s new name is the Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort. An $18 million renovation overhauling all 323 rooms, as well as public and meeting spaces, will take place this year and into 2013.

Highland Baking to create 200 jobs in Upstate

Highland Baking Co., a wholesale bread baking company, will invest $9.48 million in a new bread production and distribution facility in Spartanburg County that will create 196 new jobs over the next five years. The company specializes in producing custom bread products for national restaurant chains. The company will begin hiring in June and expects to open in October. For jobs, email spartanburgjobs@highlandbaking.com.

Glitches cancel two All Nippon flights

SEATTLE All Nippon Airways had to cancel two of its first long-haul Boeing 787 flights on a new route between Tokyo and Frankfurt because of software glitches. ANA spokeswoman Jean Saito says the Tokyo-based airline canceled a Jan. 26 flight out of Frankfurt due to a malfunction of the flaps system and a Monday flight out of Tokyo because of an error in the software that monitors aircraft controls. The Seattle Times reports both glitches were repaired and the planes returned to service. ANA is the launch customer for Boeing’s new twin-engine wide-body. Saito says the airline is working with Boeing to make it a better airplane. Several of the planes are under construction at Charleston’s new manufacturing plant.

More money sought for infrastructure

WASHINGTON Congress is struggling to come up with a solution to the nation’s crumbling roads, bridges and transit systems, which are at the point of hindering economic growth. The problems are numerous. Americans have been driving less due to a slow economy, reducing revenue from the gas tax that pays for transportation improvements. Cars that get better gas mileage are likely to offset any uptick in driving as the economy recovers.

Jeff Wilkinson, Kristy Eppley Rupon and The Associated Press contributed.