Berkshire News Briefs - 9/19/15

BNSF Pressures Congress to Extend 2015 Rail Safety Deadline (Bloomberg)

BNSF Railway Co., the railroad owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., is ratcheting up pressure on Congress to postpone a deadline for installing a safety system by the end of the year, saying it would probably have to halt freight and passenger traffic if the requirement isn’t delayed.

Congress mandated in 2008 that U.S. railroads install what’s known as positive train control, which can automatically stop a train to avoid a collision, by the end of 2015. But the major railroads have said they’re still years away from fully implementing it. Safety regulations trump BNSF’s obligation as a common carrier to haul freight for customers, BNSF said in a letter sent to Senate commerce committee chairman Wednesday. [...]

NetJets Pilots Ask for Better Pay for Flying Millionaires (Vanity Fair)

[...] At six other airports—Columbus, Dallas, Scottsdale, Seattle-Tacoma, Van Nuys, and Palm Beach International—700 of their colleagues did the same. The pilots, who all work for the fractional jet-ownership company, picketed as part of a more than two-year-long labor dispute. The roughly 3,000 pilots who fly for the company have been working without a contract since 2013. Their union, the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots, and NetJets blew past their self-imposed September 3 deadline for a tentative agreement.

The bristle, of course, has been over pay and benefits. The pilots’ union said salaries are not high enough and the company’s proposed changes to benefits would put them on the hook for more health-care costs. NetJets said in a statement that on economic issues, the two sides are still a long way apart. [...]

Smaller panels have benefited Berkshire Hathaway (Intelligent Insurer)

The trend of buyers rationalising their reinsurance programmes—using fewer, bigger players with a broader reach—has benefited Berkshire Hathaway, Manfred Seitz, managing director of international reinsurance at Berkshire Hathaway, told Monte Carlo Today.

“As larger insurers have become ever more sophisticated in their programmes, it has meant opportunities for us because we are often a starting point for companies that want to structure these large, complex programmes,” he said. [...]

Kraft Heinz Pushes Retirees to Health Exchanges to Cut Costs (Bloomberg)

Kraft Heinz Co., which counts Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. as its largest shareholder, is pushing some of its retirees to health exchanges as the company cuts expenses. [...]

3G Capital, which combined H.J. Heinz and Kraft Foods Group Inc. with Buffett’s backing, has been cutting jobs and office expenses to boost profits. As of Jan. 1, Kraft Heinz will offer medical and prescription coverage through the individual marketplace for retirees age 65 and older. Coverage options including dental and vision plans will be available through the private Towers Watson OneExchange. [...]

International Dairy Queen Opens First Location in Poland (BusinessWire)

The Dairy Queen® system, part of Berkshire Hathaway, has opened a new DQ® Treat store at Wola Park Mall in Warszawa, Poland. The opening of this location in Poland represents the 28th country outside of the U.S. and Canada with a DQ brand presence.

Sparrow 4 Sp. Z.O.O. has entered into a long-term franchise agreement with International Dairy Queen and plans to develop 26 DQ Grill & Chill® restaurants and DQ Treat stores throughout Poland over the next five years. [...]

Shaw Industries to invest $45 million, create 50 jobs at S.C. plant (Dalton Daily Citizen)

Dalton-based Shaw Industries has announced it is investing at least $45 million in its Lexington County, S.C., carpet fiber plant for additional capacity for both nylon and polyester production. The investment will create more than 50 new jobs. [...]

The plant’s new polyester extrusion operations will include the use of recycled plastic beverage bottles, expanding Shaw’s use of the material. On average, Shaw recycles three billion plastic drink bottles annually at its Clear Path Recycling facility in Fayetteville, N.C., a joint-venture with DAK Americas. Fiber made from that recycled plastic is used in Shaw’s ClearTouch residential carpet products. This keeps a significant volume of waste out of the landfill and saves 1.9 trillion BTUs of energy each year, enough energy to power more than 51,000 U.S. homes a year [...]

Clayton builds disc golf course for all (Daily Times)

An 18-hole disc golf course at Clayton Homes headquarters in Alcoa will be open to the public through a unique private-public partnership. [...]

The disc golf course was the idea of Clayton Homes President and CEO Kevin Clayton, who plays the game, said David Jordan, vice president of corporate services for Clayton.

“We’ve got a large campus here — over 240 acres — and we thought it would be a good opportunity to do something nice so our employees could enjoy it,” Jordan said, noting Clayton’s wellness program. [...]

When I Die, My Entire Fortune Will Be Donated To Charity, Except The $40 Billion I Will Have Buried With Me (The Onion)

I’ve been incredibly fortunate throughout my life. Not only have I had a long and successful career and been blessed with a beautiful family, but I’ve also had the opportunity to give back, which has been a reward beyond measure. And as I get older and begin to put my affairs in order, I want to reaffirm my commitment to advancing the causes I care so much about. Which is why, when I die, I plan to donate my fortune to charity, minus the $40 billion I will have buried with me. [...]