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[ FAST FACTS HAWAII ]

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Hawaii most costly state to do business

Hawaii is the most expensive state in the nation to do business, with costs 43 percent higher than the national average, according to the Milken Institute's 2005 Cost-of-Doing-Business Index.

Hawaii was also No. 1 on last year's index, the organization found. The Aloha State had the highest costs in three of five categories the Milken Institute uses for its index: taxes, electricity costs and industrial space costs.

New York ranked second in the index, with costs 30 percent more than the national average, and Massachusetts ranked third, with costs 25 percent greater than average.

Waikiki Self Storage facility opens

Silver Oaks Investments LLC yesterday announced the opening of its 1,200-unit Waikiki Self Storage facility near Ala Moana Center.

California-based Silver Oaks also owns and operates self-storage facilities on Kauai and the Big Island.

Windward Mall to offer retail carts

Windward Mall in Kaneohe is accepting applications to operate 12 retail carts throughout the mall beginning in October.

The mall asks interested merchants to contact Greg Kawakami at (808) 235-1143 or greg.kawakami@generalgrowth.com.

Association aims to fix bumpers

The Sino-Hawaii Association of Businesses and Manufacturers Inc. is partnering with a Canadian plastics company to open an automobile bumper repair facility in China.

The association and Pro Technology International Ltd. intend to repair damaged bumpers from China and Japan and export the fixed products back to Japan for distribution there. The partnership still must establish a market for repaired bumpers within China.

The two companies are negotiating with a Chinese partner to join the group.

Agilent cutting 1,300 jobs in reorg

SAN JOSE, Calif. » Dramatically narrowing its corporate focus, Agilent Technologies Inc. is shedding its chip unit and spinning off other assets as it concentrates on the test-and-measurement business at its historic core.

About 1,300 jobs will be cut in the reorganization, which will take the company back to roots that extend to the earliest days of its former parent, Hewlett-Packard Co. Agilent was spun off from HP in 2000.

Agilent is selling its semiconductor business to the buyout firms Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. and Silver Lake Partners for $2.7 billion. The division builds chips for a range of products, from mobile phones and computer mice to optical networking gear.