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February 28, 2005
ConProTec Inc. and Pixel Bridge Launch New Website
ConProTec Inc., the leading distributor of two-component adhesive dispensing systems in North America, recently launched a new website as part of its continuous improvement efforts. ConProTec partnered with Pixel Bridge Inc, a Boston-based Internet consulting firm, to design and develop the site.
Salem, NH (PRWEB) February 28, 2005 -- ConProTec Inc., the leading distributor of two-component adhesive dispensing systems in North America, recently launched a new website as part of its continuous improvement efforts. ConProTec partnered with Pixel Bridge Inc, a Boston-based Internet consulting firm, to design and develop the site.
“Our new website helps us with three key business initiatives,” says David Kirsch, Sales & Marketing Manager at ConProTec. “First, it helps us to clearly differentiate our company and products from the competition. Second, it is an effective lead generation tool. Last, the new website automates labor-intensive activities such as literature fulfillment and keeps our employees focused on more valuable tasks.”
The overhauled ConProTec.com features a graphically rich presentation of the company’s products, a user-friendly “free samples” shopping cart, a part locator functionality, a full library of literature, and a detailed history of the company and its leadership.
"ConProTec is the global leader in adhesive dispensing systems and the company’s new website reflects that position," says Tim Bourgeois, CEO of Pixel Bridge. "We're very pleased with the quality of the new website and look forward to working with ConProTec to help them use the Internet throughout the organization for competitive advantage.”
About Pixel Bridge Inc.
Pixel Bridge Inc is a specialty provider of Internet-centric business solutions. The firm helps clients use the Web to improve marketing, sales, and operations by leveraging a service delivery model that combines strategy, technology, and creative expertise. Headquartered in Boston, Pixel Bridge provides solutions to small and mid-sized organizations such as Mac-Gray Corporation, Ecko Unlimited, and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, as well as business units of Fortune 1000 companies, including Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA) and ITW (NYSE: ITW). For more information contact Pixel Bridge at 617-542-5587 or visit www.pixelbridge.com
About ConProTec Inc.
ConProTec Inc. is an engineering-based company focused on developing innovative products to aid in the mixing and dispensing of two-component adhesives. ConProTec manufactures the complete line of MIXPAC hand-held cartridge dispensing systems and STATOMIX static mixers, which includes plastic disposable mixers, stainless steel and plastic/steel in-line mixers and luer lock fittings with needles for special applications. For more information call 603-893-2727 or visit www.conprotec.com
Contacts:
Pixel Bridge
Andrea Deck
Tel: 617- 542-5587
ConProTec Inc.
Jeannie Bellizzi
Gray & Rice Public Relations
617-367-0100 x100
Posted by Industrial at 10:58 PM | Comments (0)
Entrepreneur "Devours" Kristin Zhivago's Business Growth Book, "Rivers of Revenue"
"I devoured your book like a Thanksgiving dinner," wrote David Jackson, a remodeler in Kentucky, in an email to Kristin Zhivago, the author of "Rivers of Revenue." David said he was "really tired of the magic wands, deception, outright lies, misdirection, analysis, statistics, blanket sales pitches, and self-supporting circular rhetoric" that he normally finds. He had been looking for a "marketing and sales strategy that works." He found it, in the pages of "Rivers of Revenue."
Jamestown, RI (PRWEB) February 28, 2005 -- After reading Kristin Zhivago’s book, "Rivers of Revenue," David Jackson sent the author an email, comparing the business growth book to a culinary experience.
“I devoured your book like a Thanksgiving dinner,” he wrote. “Swelled and content from the meal of information, I slept easily. Already today I have returned to it, snacking on paragraphs, phrases, and examples. I will continue to do so for quite some time."
David Jackson is president of David Jackson Remodeling, a full-service remodeling company in south central Kentucky. David Jackson bought "Rivers of Revenue" because he was looking for something “outside the circus of marketing:," which he describes as "magic wands, deception, outright lies, misdirection, analysis, statistics, blanket sales pitches, and self-supporting circular rhetoric.” He found what he wanted in Kristin Zhivago's breakthrough book. He says “Rivers of Revenue” has given him “336 pages of intelligent, usable, realistic, pertinent information.”
“David’s situation is typical of many business owners now,” says Kristin Zhivago. “They are upright, professional people who are good at what they do. They don’t want to resort to manipulation or cheap selling tricks to get new customers, nor do they want to spend all their time cold-calling or learning about marketing.”
As David says, “I do not want to be burdened with continuously learning new marketing ‘techniques.’ I want to find the one that works and then I will work the heck out of it.”
“I wrote ‘Rivers of Revenue’ to help entrepreneurs like David,” Zhivago says. “In the course of helping hundreds of business owners and corporate leaders increase their sales, I have developed, tested, and perfected a method that works, regardless of the product or service being sold or the size of the company.
"I can make this promise," Zhivago says, "because the method depends on the true source of all marketing knowledge: the very people you’re selling to. They know what they want, and how they want to be sold to. This book explains how to unlock that information and put it to use, reverse-engineering their buying process so you can manufacture sales in quantity.”
The book's author, revenue coach Kristin Zhivago, is known as an expert on customer behavior. For 35 years, Zhivago has been helping company owners increase their revenues in the world's toughest, fastest-moving markets. As a monthly columnist and contributor to business publications since 1985, she has authored hundreds of articles and is a worldwide speaker on the subject of successful and ethical revenue generation. She is also the editor of the Revenue Journal, a webletter for company owners and leaders (http://www.revenuejournal.com).
David Jackson has over 25 years of remodeling experience. (Those looking for an experienced remodeler in Kentucky can reach him at 270-487-9807)
With an average five-star review rating on Amazon.com, Rivers of Revenue is published by Smokin’ Donut Books and is currently available at http://www.RiversOfRevenueBook.com and Amazon.com. The hardcover book retails for $24.95 and is 336 pages. ISBN #0974917915. For more information or to schedule an interview with Kristin Zhivago, contact Smokin’ Donut Books at 877-474-8738
Posted by Industrial at 10:57 PM | Comments (0)
Green Seal to Certify Cleaning Services
Green Seal certification will enable cleaning companies to validate and market their green procedures and protocols based on meaningful criteria, and capitalize on the growing demand for green products and services.
Washington DC (PRWEB) February 28, 2005 -- Cleaning companies committed to a green cleaning program will soon be able to apply to become Green Seal certified, according to Arthur Weissman, President and CEO of Washington DC-based Green Seal.
"It will be a Green Seal Standard for cleaning services as opposed to products," said Weissman. "It was driven largely by requests from the BSC and residential cleaning industry seeking guidance and validation for their green cleaning programs."
Upon completion of the standard, estimated to be within 6-9 months of obtaining the necessary funding, cleaning services, both commercial and residential, which apply for certification and meet the standard will be able to get "Green Seal Certified".
"This certification will enable these cleaning companies to validate and market their green procedures and protocols based on meaningful criteria, and capitalize on the growing demand for green products and services," said Weissman.
The benefits don't stop there. According to Weissman: "An environmental standard for cleaning services will have a number of other beneficial outcomes." For example, it will:
Provide a benchmark for service providers to use to green their offering;
Provide criteria for institutional purchasers to use in specifications;
Provide the basis for a certification program for purchasers, both institutional and residential;
Complete the suite of Green Seal environmental standards in the janitorial/custodial area;
Drive the market to greener cleaning services, including the chemicals, products, and equipment used.
Green Seal is seeking five sponsors to provide the funding necessary for developing and finalizing the standard's environmental criteria. Initial sponsors will contribute $10,000 each toward development of the standard.
"In appropriate places in Green Seal's marketing and communications materials and vehicles, sponsors will be identified as having contributed to the development of this standard. In addition, all sponsors will be designated as lifetime members of the Green Seal Environmental Partners Program. Sponsors will also be able to reference their contributions in their marketing materials as well as in corporate environmental or annual reports. Lastly, funding in support of this standard can be considered a tax-deductible contribution," said Weissman. Like all other stakeholders in Green Seal's open process of standard development, sponsors will have the opportunity to provide input on the standard.
Initial sponsors will be sought from among a variety of sectors of the cleaning industry, but, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, cleaning service companies, which could be certified under the standard, will not be able to sponsor the standard.
"We expect the fund-raising will be completed within a month or two since there is strong interest from the industry," said Allen Rathey, president of InstructionLink/JanTrain, Inc., the company Green Seal has chosen to assist with fundraising and initial marketing of the standard. "Green Seal has the expertise and a process in place to accomplish this program cost-effectively."
Companies desiring to sponsor the Green Seal Environmental Standard for Green Cleaning Services should contact Allen Rathey at 208-938-3137
For technical questions specific to standard development, contact:
Arthur B. Weissman, Ph.D.
President and CEO
Green Seal, Inc.
1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 827
Washington, D.C., 20036 USA
tel. +1 202-872-6400
fax +1 202-872-4324
Green Seal
Green Seal is an independent, non-profit organization that strives to achieve a healthier and cleaner environment by identifying and promoting products and services that cause less toxic pollution and waste, conserve resources and habitats, and minimize global warming and ozone depletion. Green Seal has no financial interest in the products or services that it certifies or recommends nor in any manufacturer or company. Green Seal's evaluations are based on state-of-the-art science and information using internationally recognized methods and procedures. Thus, Green Seal provides credible, objective, and unbiased information whose only purpose is to direct the purchaser to environmentally responsible products and services.
Green Seal provides the current "gold standard" for green cleaning product certification. The GS-37 standard (institutional cleaners), for example, has been recommended by the federal government for adoption by all federal agencies. Many states and municipalities have also adopted Green Seal product standards.
www.greenseal.org
Allen P. Rathey
President
InstructionLink/JanTrain, Inc.
13998 West Hartford Dr.
Boise, ID 83713
Voice 1 (208) 938-3137
Fax 1 (208) 938-3138
Mobile 1 (208) 724-1508
Posted by Industrial at 10:54 PM | Comments (0)
Construction Experts Lead Management Symposium at Georgia Tech
During “The Business of Successful Contracting” conference, Atlanta, April 5-6, 2005, experts from Greenway Consulting, AGC, FMI and leading construction companies will share stories from the trenches. Mid-level managers, senior PMs and executives of growing companies are invited to attend the workshop to explore current management challenges facing the industry.
(PRWEB) February 28, 2005 -- On April 5-6, 2005, Hoyt Lowder, Vice-President of FMI Corp., will be one of several high-profile speakers kicking off Georgia Tech’s second annual Senior Executive Business Education Series for Contractors : “The Business of Successful Contracting.” held in Atlanta .Lowder will join a panel including AGC’s Chief Economist, Ken Simonson and Jim Cramer, Chairman/CEO of Greenway Consulting to discuss the issues and challenges facing an industry that has begun to re-configure itself in response to technological change and demands for rapid delivery and better value.
During the two-day program for general and trade contractors, experts from Ernst & Young, The Beck Group, Kraft Construction Company, Holder Construction, and Wachovia Insurance Services will share stories from the trenches with mid-level managers, senior project managers and executives of growing companies. They will discuss best practices in the areas of project management, finance management, human resources, marketing and business development, information technology, and risk management.
For more information visit our website at: www.coa.gatech.edu/bc/sebe or contact Ife Jinadu at 404-385-3541
The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the nation's top research universities, distinguished by its commitment to improving the human condition through advanced science and technology. Georgia Tech consistently ranks among U.S. News & World Report's top ten public universities in the United States. In a world that increasingly turns to technology for solutions, Georgia Tech is using innovative teaching and advanced research to define the technological university of the 21st century.
Posted by Industrial at 10:53 PM | Comments (0)
Advanced Features Released In OnSite CRM 2.4 For Homebuilders
O2 Interactive raises the bar in homebuilder customer management systems with their release of version 2.4 of OnSite CRM. OnSite CRM provides a full life-cycle of customer management with new workflow management, document approval, and interactive home product placement integrated in a single application.
SAN DIEGO, CA (PRWEB) February 28, 2005 -- OnSite CRM provides homebuilders an integrated tool to manage the sales and service process of the homebuyer. OnSite CRM has advance capabilities including automatically accepting builder web-based leads, integrated e-mail and fax, interactive site plan maps and option selection, and extensive service request and work order management. Version 2.4 has introduced new ways to manage interactions with buyers and third-party vendors.
OnSite CRM’s workflow manager allows the homebuilder to define unique business rules that can range from automatically defining follow-up reminders in it’s integrated calendar when a new service request is entered to sending a message to third-party partners when a buyer’s flooring appointment has changed.
OnSite CRM’s document approval system provides homebuilders the ability to send any generate report or contract to another user for approval and suggested changes. Easy monitoring and alerts provide both the sender and receiver of the document a central method for maintaining the document approval cycle.
OnSite CRM’s interactive product placement gives the options sales staff and homebuyer the ability to drag products (e.g. light fixtures, plugs, network access points) within the buyer’s floor plan and maintain buyer notes. This enables the sales staff, buyer, and contractor to work off the same electrical plan reducing errors and increases customer satisfaction.
About O2 Interactive
O2 Interactive is a leading provider of customer management solutions for the home building industry. The 10 year old company helps home builders and design centers manage their customers more efficiently through on-line software solutions. O2 Interactive is recognized for creating easy-to-use software application for their clients. For more information, visit www.o2interactive.com
Contact:
Shelly Stinchcomb
o2 interactive
Voice: (858) 335-5006
FAX: (858) 712-8963
www.o2interactive.com
Posted by Industrial at 10:51 PM | Comments (0)
February 27, 2005
AGC/ASPE Announce April Estimating Academy
St Louis - April 8 & 9 , academy for construction estimating professionals.
(PRWEB) February 27, 2005 -- St. Louis will be the site of the first ever Estimating Academy co-hosted by the Education Committee of the Associated General Contractors, and the Education Board of the American Society of Professional Estimators.
ASPE an educational fraternal non for profit organization is the largest trade association for construction estimating professionals in the USA, while the AGC is the largest construction trade association in the United States.
On April 8th for a full day and a half day on the 9th, the two construction associations will offer 6 important training sessions for estimators of all trades and skills. Meals and break refreshments are included.
All construction estimating professionals are welcome.
Courses/Instructors:
1) Chief Estimator Skill Sets
- Doyle Phillips CPE & Chairman ASPE Education Board
- Robert George CPE & President ASPE 2004-05
2) Negotiating Skills for Estimators
- Dan Davenport CPE
3) Ensuring Estimating Accuracy
- Dexter Murphy CPE & ASPE Education Board
4) Technology Tools for the Estimator
- Kevin Miller PhD & ASPE Education Board
5) Using the Estimate as a Project Management Tool
- Frank Young CPE & ASPE Education Board
6) Scheduling for Estimators
- Ron Covarrubias, E & ASPE Education Board
Registration fee is $395 for ASPE and AGC members and $495 for non members.
A very special rate at the St Louis Airport Marriott has been arranged for this event.
[http://marriott.com/property/propertypage.mi?marshaCode=STLAP]
SEATING IS VERY LIMITED- reserve today.
For information send an email to: INFO@ ASPEnational.org
Information is available at www.aspenational.org
Posted by Industrial at 09:18 PM | Comments (0)
Turning Real Estate Notes into Cash
Do you or your clients need quick cash? Do you or they own notes or structured settlements? Learn how to turn them all into quick cash. By Russ Dalbey, CEO and founder of Winning in the Cash Flow Business.
(PRWEB) February 27, 2005 -- There is a wide variety of privately held (and usually privately originated) debt and other cash flow instruments that are actively bought and sold. Operating somewhat like secondary markets in the banking and institutional lending arenas, the private cash flow market provides cash flow asset holders several huge advantages not often obtainable through traditional funding pipelines - including flexibility, availability, and softer underwriting requirements.
For professional advisors representing holders of these cash flow instruments, awareness of these advantages, and a basic grasp of the possibilities, provides the opportunity to fulfill the most important service they have to offer their clients - solutions.
Seller-financed transactions have existed for decades - and potential buyers for these seller-originated cash flow debt instruments have existed right alongside. Essentially taking root in the private real estate note arena some 60 years ago, the private cash flow industry has gradually grown to encompass a wide spectrum of diversified debt instruments throughout the past few decades - as more and more participants continue to explore, and underwrite, potentially profitable financial niches.
Alternative Cash Flows
Driven by small, independent cash flow professionals at the local level, the brokerage side of the industry has fueled the growth of investors purchasing alternative cash flows. As networking in the secondary market has grown and become somewhat more structured, a developing investor’s interest in purchasing non-debt related forms of cash flow instruments has been kindled as well. We have seen such esoteric cash flow instruments as annuity agreements, structured settlements, viaticals, lottery awards and similar prize entitlements, pension benefits, royalty agreements, deferred casino winnings, deferred sports contracts, and more, all joining the parade of purchasable cash flows.
Approximately 60 identifiable debt and cash flow instruments - including the non-debt-related instruments above and others such as commercial receivables, business notes, medical receivables, automobile, marine and aviation paper, equipment leasing contracts, timeshares, government contract payments, retail installment contracts, manufactured housing paper, and the granddaddy of them all, real estate notes - are all actively bought and sold in private secondary markets.
Liquidity
The ability to tap into the liquidity that these cash flow instruments represent creates a buffet of possible options for sellers, and their advisors, to access funds quickly. In addition, being aware of the various options available in the private secondary cash flow markets can assist in both forward planning and mitigating situations where liquidity may not be a primary issue, such as avoiding excessive taxation and other forms of transactional friction, estate planning, family law issues, partnership dissolutions, portfolio building, and even asset protection under the right circumstances. Listing your real estate notes at our web site can result in your getting a buyer within 72 hours, closing the deal and getting your money in 3 to 4 weeks.
Visit: http://www.dlppages.com/RealEstateNotes.htm
I have demonstrated some of these techniques in previous issues, as they relate to private real estate paper. The same concepts often apply across the whole spectrum of cash flow instruments and can frequently make a huge difference in solving a problem for your clients, whether they are doctors, debtors, investors, business owners, business buyers, developers, contractors, retirees, beneficiaries, devisees, or divorcees! And, as our secondary markets have grown and adapted, we have begun to see some crossover with traditional lending markets. With growing frequency, bank and mortgage company paper assets (including both performing and nonperforming portfolios) are being marketed through our services. And, we are seeing increasing numbers of loan origination packages coming through the door, particularly for the larger and more difficult to close lending transactions, including commercial, development, and residential related hard money and construction funding deals.
The crossover of these alternative cash flows trading into the private cash flow industry has allowed professional cash flow brokers to expand their product lines and greatly diversify the scope of solutions they may be able to bring to you and your clients' situations - either as direct investors or as conduits to other viable funding sources who specialize in funding the type of transaction involved.
As a cash flow professional, I have the basic due diligence information gathering and evaluation skills to help create and present packages to a wide variety of cash flow buyers and investors. And what I can't answer, I can usually find out through my networking resources. Don't hesitate to contact me to explore the possible range of solutions we might be able to come up with together, when the situation arises for one of your clients. And please feel free to visit our website if you would like to find out more about the benefits I might be able to offer your clients. http://www.dlppages.com/RealEstateNotes.htm
Also visit our 40 page index on buying Real Estate Notes and other related information at: http://www.dlppages.com/RealEstateNotes-index.htm
Posted by Industrial at 08:20 PM | Comments (0)
February 26, 2005
WireTracks Announces Rockler as Authorized WireTracks Reseller
WireTracks LLC is pleased to announce Rockler as an official WireTracks reseller.
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) February 26, 2005 -- WireTracks LLC is pleased to announce Rockler as an official WireTracks reseller. “Rockler is a great company that caters to the experienced woodworker and do-it-yourselfer,” explains Bruce Gutman, president of WireTracks. “We are excited to have them on board and look forward to a long and successful relationship.”
All WireTracks products are available through Rockler now. For more information, customers should visit their local Rockler store, view their latest Rockler catalog, or take their web browser to www.rockler.com.
WireTracks manufactures home infrastructure products through which wiring for new technologies can be added at any time in the future. For more information about WireTracks, visit www.wiretracks.com
Rockler is a woodworking and hardware reseller that started with mail order in 1954 and has since expanded to retail locations and online sales. They have 35 stores throughout the United States and a catalog that reaches millions.
Posted by Industrial at 08:14 PM | Comments (0)
February 25, 2005
Title 24 Service Provider Creates Buzz in the California Residential Building Community
OnlineTitle24.com positioning them self as the leader in the niche market of providing California required Energy Efficiency Standards reports.
(PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- Catering to residential architects, builders, designers, and homeowners throughout California. OnlineTitle24.com prides their service on having the perfect combination of lowest price and fastest service (24 hours for most services) in the industry. They offer a flat rate of $99 for their Title 24 Energy Report the lowest in the industry for full service. In an interview last week the company’s spokesperson explained, “When we decided to launch the website to expand our local service, we researched the competition and saw that everyone was charging by the square footage.
While that is standard for the building industry, we decided that it seemed ridiculous for the work we do. The difference in doing a Title 24 Report on a 1500 square foot house vs. a 2,000 square foot house is about 10 minutes of our time, we couldn’t justify charging an additional $100+ for 10 minutes of work.
While this might not sit well with the competition, OnlineTitle24.com’s focus is growing satisfied customers. “We will make up our profits in volume, we are getting referrals like crazy, and business is up 250% this quarter. We just did a job on a 9,000 square ft Mansion in Southern CA and guess what; we still only charged them $99. We saved that customer at least 800% compared to our competitors”, said a spokesperson from OnlineTitle24.com
Their customers are split 50/50 professional builders, architects and DIY Homeowners who are trying to save costs on their already over budget remodel. The company is looking at expanding their Energy Compliance service into other states by mid 2005
Posted by Industrial at 08:13 PM | Comments (0)
Atkins Uses E-Learning from SkillSoft to Create Bespoke Courses
Atkins - the world’s third largest consulting engineering and architectural group - is using e-learning to create bespoke Health & Safety, HR and systems courses and to deliver generic training in desktop IT skills.
(PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- Rather than taking the option to use its existing learning management system (LMS) Atkins elected to reduce its in-house support costs by having the courses - from SkillSoft - delivered via the supplier’s in-built learning management platform (SkillPort). As well as hosting the generic e-learning content, SkillPort will run an online mentoring service; provide pre and post assessment and test preps; facilitate the in-house creation of Atkins-specific e-learning; and enable access to content provided by specialist external suppliers such as Blue Slate.
“We opted for SkillSoft because they demonstrated a clear understanding of our needs and took time to get to know our business,” said Barry Smith, Service Delivery Manager at Atkins. “The pre-sales support that we received was of a very high standard and gave us confidence in their ability to deliver.
“The SkillPort product meets all of our requirements to deliver top quality training, globally, at a time that fits into our employees’ workloads. Our staff can access the system from the office, on the road or even from home.
“We are confident that we have made a wise choice – we have seen usage rates rocket; we get excellent support; and we can quickly upload new courses to meet the ever changing needs of the business.”
One of the biggest benefits for Atkins is the ability they now have to build their own in-house content using SkillSoft’s Course Customisation Toolkit (CCT). The CCT is proving to be a hugely cost-effective way for the company’s own training experts to respond immediately to the strategic needs of the business by creating company-specific e-learning content. This is being used to develop e-learning to deal with industry compliance issues and Health & Safety as well as to address the specific needs of a division or even a particular project.
Typically, Atkins can now build a bespoke course from scratch and make it available online within less than five days.
Approximately 160 SkillSoft courses have already been made available to 10,000 UK employees. The early feedback from users is so encouraging that Atkins is now looking at adding generic business skills content and rolling the e-learning out to Hong Kong, the Middle East and the US.
# # #
Contact: Louise Jaggs, TextOnTap
t: +44(0)1242 257770 m: +44(0)7712 011246
f: +44(0)1242 257771 w: http://www.textontap.com
About Atkins – www.atkinsglobal.com
Atkins plans, designs and enables the delivery of complex infrastructure and buildings for clients in the public and private sectors across the world. Atkins is the largest multi-disciplinary consultancy in Europe; the largest engineering consultancy in the UK; and the seventh largest design firm in the world.
About SkillSoft – www.skillsoft.com
SkillSoft is a leading provider of comprehensive e-learning content and technology products for business and IT professionals within the Global 2000. SkillSoft’s multi-modal learning solutions support and enhance the speed and effectiveness of both formal and informal learning processes and integrate SkillSoft's in-depth content resources, learning management platform, virtual classroom technology and support services.
Posted by Industrial at 08:11 PM | Comments (0)
Vandgard Wins Contract to Supply Anti-Climb Barrier To Canadian Embassy in Haiti
The Canadian Embassy have chosen Vandgard's Rotating Anti-Climb Guard to defend their new premises in the centre of the city. Virtually impossible to climb over, Vandgard's unique rotating design is effective without intent to harm.
(PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- Vandgard has won a contract to supply its rotating anti-climb security barrier, with Defensor alarm system by Geoquip, to the Canadian Embassy in Port au Prince, Haiti. It is to be installed along the entire perimeter wall of the Canadian Embassy’s new premises in the centre of the city to defend the grounds against intruders.
Virtually impossible to climb over, Vandgard's unique design is effective without intent to harm. A series of curved vanes, each revolving freely around a central shaft, create an unstable barrier which moves if anyone attempts to climb over it. Unlike Razor Wire, it is not a trap. It has no impaling spike and the vanes are curved away from vertical to protect against falling accidents.
In this application, the central shaft of the Vandgard barrier being used at the Canadian Embassy is also fitted with the Defensor alarm system, supplied by Geoquip Limited. This activates an alarm in the Embassy’s security control room should anyone attempt to move or tamper with the barrier.
The system's unique safety angle is one of its most powerful benefits. It is used with equal confidence in schools and children's play areas as it is at government buildings and other high security establishments, and in commercial and industrial premises throughout the UK and Europe.
Posted by Industrial at 08:10 PM | Comments (0)
New Jersey Home Builder Committed to Meeting the Needs of a Wide Range of Customers
In new home markets spanning the central New Jersey region, neighborhoods built by Kara Homes offer families the opportunity to live in style.
(PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- Zudi Karagjozi, President and founder of Kara Homes, is positioned for the challenges of today's home building market.
In 1999, Kara Homes in East Brunswick NJ built and sold six single-family homes generated $1.3 million in revenues. In 2000, the company had revenues of $7.6 million on $14 million in home sales. In 2001, revenues reached $34 million on $105 million in sales, and last few years sales have doubled to $217 million and revenues more than tripled, reaching $103 million.
In 2002, Builder Magazine, the national industry publication, named Kara as the fastest-growing home-building company in the country. Mr.Karagjozi,43, appeared on the magazine's cover, posed jauntily on the hood of a red Formula One race car.
Mr.Karagjozi concedes he is riding the housing boom of the last few years and that could change. But he asserts his real strength of the company lies in its products "high quality, stylish homes for the great suburban middle class."
Kara has built single-family homes and two-unit town houses in subdivisions all over New Jersey, from Hunterdon County to Barnegat and Sea Bright on the New Jersey shore, and is moved into "older active adult" market in the state, Mr.Karagjozi said.
Kara'S homes, which come in 10 different town-house designs and 9 single-family designs,are priced from $250,000 to $550,000
Mr.Karagjozi said his own boyhood was spent in a very urban environment of Woodhaven, Queens, and he remembers going with his parents shopping for homes in the suburbs every weekend for several years.
Later, after high school, he worked for a time at his parents' small residential real estate agency in Hollis, Queens.
He did not start building houses until 1995, after he had spent time becoming a musician, working as a commodities broker to build a financial stake, and then buying and selling buildings-residential, commercial, and retail-in the Bronx and New Jersey.
"It was all part of my training," said Mr.Karagjozi, who speaks with the kind of hyped-up energy common among rock stars and real estate sales people. "I understand what the masses want, and why shouldn't they have it?"
The first subdivision project in which Mr.Karagjozi took a significant role was in which he was a minority partner with Matzel & Mumford, one of the state's big home builders and now a part of K.Hovnanian Homes.
The development, High pointe at Old Bridge, was named "Community of the Year" by the New Jersey Builders Association in 1994. But Mr.Karagjozi who was involved in lengthy litigation with Matzel & Mumford over his revenue share on that project, recalls that period as an "awesomely painful" time in his life.
"When that period was finally ended, I got Kara Homes in gear, using the strategies i knew would work and setting goals i thought we could achieve if we strived," he said.
So far Kara has been built from the ground up, so to speak, not by acquiring other home-building companies and to expand beyond New Jersey.
The Kara television commercials that are being put together by a Madison Avenue advertising firm are part of a promotional campaign aimed at hitting his lofty sales goals.
With aggressive print, billboard, and radio advertising, he said, the company sold 50 percent of homes in a community before beginning construction and he intends that pattern to continue.
When you combine Kara's quality construction with the beautiful settings of New Jersey surrounding our homes, you will see why our new homes represent the finest in contemporary living. And if there should ever come a time when you would like to sell your home, you will find that a Kara home brings some of the highest sale values on the NJ market. The website is www.karahomes.com
Posted by Industrial at 08:09 PM | Comments (0)
GMA Announces Sales and Marketing For Pal Publications
We are proud to announce a Sales and Marketing relationship with Pal Publications.
(PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- Pal Publications and GMA have signed a multi year contract.
GMA will provided Pal with Sales and Marketing support and become the Sales and Marketing arm of PAL. GMA is charged with developing the Marketing and Sales strategy and the execution of it.
About GMA Marketing, Inc.
GMA Marketing, Inc. (GMA) provides a broad range of services to our clients. We are a combination of Licensing Agent/Broker/Manufacturer Representative/Importer and Marketing Firm.
Founded, in 1997 as a marketing agency, GMA concentrated on account specific marketing programs. GMA has evolved in conjunction with the dynamic changes in the buyer-seller relationship, and has expanded its services to include Licensing Agent, Manufacturer’s Representative, Broker, Importer, e-commerce consultant, etc., to complement our traditional sales and marketing services.
GMA has partnered with many national consumer packaged goods companies, and developed and implemented thousands of strategic plans to provide customized in-store programs for key retailers in food, drug, discount, department store, home center and other distribution channels.
GMA other licensing programs are Alexander Julian At Home Products at Lowes Home Centers, Bellagio Curtains at EXPO, a division of Home Depot and William W. Stubbs one of the Top 100 Interior Designers in the world according to Architectural Digest.
About Pal Publications:
Pal is the #1 provider of on-the-job reference material specifically designed for the skilled trades (maintenance personnel, contractors, service technicians, engineers, etc.). They offer an extensive library of handy, pocket-sized books addressing specific building/maintenance needs (i.e.- electrical, HVAC, plumbing etc.)
Their current library of Pocket Pals includes 9 books, with new titles being added periodically. They also publish exam guides/training manuals used for trade certification by various industries.
Pal is owned by the Smith Family, which previously owned the Smith Pie Company.
Posted by Industrial at 08:07 PM | Comments (0)
NiteLites - Landscape Lighting – Announces New Accounting & Operations Manager Holly Nevels
NiteLites an industry leader in the low voltage outdoor landscape lighting field specializing in both residential and commercial installations announces the addition of Holly Nevels as Accounting & Operations Manager.
(PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- NiteLites an industry leader in the low voltage outdoor landscape lighting field specializing in both residential and commercial installations announces a new accounting and operations manager, Holly Nevels. Mrs. Nevels comes to NiteLites, Inc. with a strong background in cash flow management. She also brings a wide variety of skills that will be vital to the growing business.
President and CEO Thomas Frederick said the company is “experiencing dramatic growth.” In order to keep up with the ever expanding business, the world headquarters was recently expanded, remodeled, and upgraded. The company has recently added more personnel and more office space while getting a whole new look. The company debuted its new look at its recent Spring Franchise Owners Conference held on February 19th.
NiteLites franchisees benefit from a proven system of selling, designing, installing, and maintaining outdoor illumination systems for both residential and commercial properties. NiteLites franchisees have access to a superior line of products made of solid brass, copper, and stainless steel. NiteLites customers appreciate the unique comprehensiveness of our services and the extensive warranties we provide.
NiteLites continually strives to elevate standards of quality, safety, and professionalism in the industry. NiteLites products and systems provide the best of both worlds- the latest cutting edge technology as well as a solid history of providing first rate service to each of our clients.
NiteLites Franchise Systems, Inc., world headquarters is located in Franklin, Ohio. For more information please visit us on the web at www.nitelites.com or call 866-NITELITES
Posted by Industrial at 08:06 PM | Comments (0)
NiteLites Announces David Thoma promoted to Corporate Trainer and Technical Consultant
NiteLites an industry leader in the low voltage outdoor landscape lighting field specializing in both residential and commercial installations announces the promotion of David Thoma to Corporate Trainer and Technical Consultant.
(PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- NiteLites an industry leader in the low voltage outdoor landscape lighting field specializing in both residential and commercial installations announces the promotion of David Thoma to Corporate Trainer and Technical Consultant.
NiteLites Franchises benefit from a proven system of selling, designing, installing, and maintaining outdoor illumination systems for both residential and commercial properties. NiteLites Franchises have access to a superior line of products made of solid brass, copper, and stainless steel. NiteLites customers appreciate the unique comprehensiveness of our services and the extensive warranties we provide.
NiteLites continually strives to elevate standards of quality, safety, and professionalism in the industry. NiteLites products and systems provide the best of both worlds- the latest cutting edge technology as well as a solid history of providing first rate service to each of our clients.
All of our NiteLites franchisees benefit from our growing reputation for offering affordable excellence with our array of high value guaranteed products. Because of the high quality and reliability of our lighting systems, our franchisees' continue to grow in relation to the amount of time and energy they invest.
NiteLites Franchise Systems, Inc., world headquarters, located in Franklin, Ohio specializes in the manufacturing, sales, design, installation, and life time maintenance of top quality low voltage lighting for both residential and commercial applications. NiteLites proprietary line of copper and brass fixtures provide an inviting application of light on any project.
For more information please visit us on the web at www.nitelites.com or call 866-NITELITES
Posted by Industrial at 08:04 PM | Comments (0)
NiteLites Landscape Lighting – Announces Ryan Lewis promoted to Technical Consultant
NiteLites an industry leader in the low voltage outdoor landscape lighting field specializing in both residential and commercial installations announces the promotion of Ryan Lewis to Technical Consultant and Field Supervisor.
(PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- NiteLites an industry leader in the low voltage outdoor landscape lighting field specializing in both residential and commercial installations announces the promotion of Ryan Lewis to Technical Consultant and Field Supervisor.
NiteLites Franchise Systems, Inc.’s world headquarters, located in Franklin, Ohio, specializes in the manufacturing, sales, design, installation, and life time maintenance of top quality low voltage lighting for both residential and commercial applications.
While NiteLites continually elevates the standards of quality, safety, and professionalism in the industry, their products and systems provide the best technology as well as a solid history of providing first rate service to every client.
To learn more about the franchise opportunities available through NiteLites Franchise Systems, Inc., visit their web site at www.nitelites.com. If you are interested in exceptional outdoor lighting and would like a free night time demonstration, please call 1-866-NITELITES
Posted by Industrial at 08:03 PM | Comments (0)
ImproveNet Expands Online Service Offerings
ImproveNet, Inc. Offers New Home Improvement Trade Categories, Advertising Solution and Service Provider Directory
Scottsdale, AZ (PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- ImproveNet, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: IMPV), a leading home improvement network of choice for consumers, home improvement service providers and manufacturers, announced the expansion of its home improvement service offerings to include several new home improvement trade categories, an advertising and online home improvement product news delivery solution, and a service provider directory. These new offerings are key building blocks in ImproveNet’s on-going business expansion and commitment to be the home improvement network of choice for consumers, home improvement service providers and manufacturers.
ImproveNet now offers nearly 60 home improvement trade categories for homeowners to select from when submitting a home improvement project service request online at www.ImproveNet.com, such as kitchen and bathroom remodeling, roofing, attics and basements. Seven new trade categories have been added to this list and two preexisting categories have been renamed to enhance the matching process between specialized service providers with customer service requests. ImproveNet also expanded their service offerings to include AdServePRO™, an advertising outlet for providers of home improvement materials and services as well as 1-800-Contractor (SM), an Internet and telephone directory service with a customer rating system of service providers. These new offerings focus on meeting the needs of the home improvement market.
"These new and expanded service offerings have strengthened ImproveNet’s position in the market by adding solid building blocks to continue successful execution of our vision to be the nations dominant home improvement network offering the highest quality, most comprehensive and most pervasive services to attract, match and develop the best service providers and most well-informed customers anywhere,“ said Jeffrey Rassas, ImproveNet CEO.
New trade categories that have been added include: American Disabilities Act (ADA) Retrofitting to accommodate America’s growing population of seniors; Home Entertainment, Home Networking and Design-Build Services for home amenities such as home theaters and smart homes. In addition, Window Fashions to encompass all window coverings such as blinds, shutters and draperies; and Water Damage Repair, Mold Removal and Radon Gas Testing to aid in the present task of home maintenance. ImproveNet has added these trades to meet both the growing and changing needs of America’s homeowners.
Some preexisting trade categories that were renamed to better clarify the job types include Garages/Outbuildings trade, which has been divided into Garages/Carports and Outbuilding/Storage Sheds and the Floor Covering trade, which has been renamed Flooring and encompasses most any type of flooring on the market today.
The new advertising solution, AdServePRO™, connects businesses searching to promote their products and services to consumers and service provider’s ready-to-buy home products or building materials.1-800-Contractor (SM), ImproveNet’s newly introduced service provider directory has proven to be a valuable new resource designed to take the guesswork out of hiring trustworthy home improvement professionals. It allows homeowners to make informed decisions after visiting the website at www.1-800-Contractor.com or making a quick phone call to 1-800-Contractor (1-800-266-8722). When a project is complete, the homeowner is then able to provide feedback about their project at 1-800-Contractor.com. This gives the customer the opportunity to play a key part in strengthening the quality of the resource to benefit members using the service in the future. This ‘phone-to-web integration’ also rewards service providers for ‘going the extra mile for their customers’ by providing a reliable stream of referrals positioned to enhance their business.
About ImproveNet
ImproveNet, Inc. is the home improvement network of choice for customers, home improvement service providers and manufacturers, offering the most reliable referral-matching service and comprehensive solutions anywhere. The ImproveNet® TrueMatch™ platform automatically connects homeowners to screened contractors, architects, designers and builders available in their area. Through ImproveNet’s website and 1-800-Contractor, ImproveNet has been connecting homeowners to screened and system-rated contractors for over eight years. ImproveNet.com offers thousands of pages filled with management tools, product showcases, visualizers, expert advice, and active message boards, providing its customers and associates with instant access to the nearly $500B home improvement marketplace. The ImproveNet AdServePRO™ service delivers the latest industry news on product and services. ImproveNet has an expanded network of industry-leading affiliates and professional associates. For further information, contact ImproveNet, Inc. toll free at (888) 777-2212 or visit www.ImproveNet.com
"Safe Harbor" statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking" statements that involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any results, performances or achievements express or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties, include, but are not limited to the statements made regarding ImproveNet’s trade categories, advertising solution AdServePRO™, and directory 1-800-Contractor™ and the success or acceptance of such product and service offerings, competitiveness in the marketplace of these product and services offerings, the effectiveness of management’s strategy, and other risks detailed in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings on Form 10-KSB and Form 10-QSB. Undue reference should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements.
Posted by Industrial at 08:01 PM | Comments (0)
Core Construction Services of Arizona Receives Three 'Excellence in Construction' Awards
'Excellence in Construction' Awards from American Subcontractors Association (ASA)
These prestigious awards set the standard for professionalism, work ethics, innovation and performance in the field of construction.
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) February 25, 2005 -- Core Construction Services of Arizona, Inc. has received three ‘Excellence in Construction’ awards from American Subcontractors Association (ASA). The three winners include: Dennis Montague, VP of Construction Services for "Innovator of the Year Award", Mark Murphy, Project Manager - "Finalist Award for Project Manager of the Year", and Rick Sharp, Project Superintendent - "Finalist Award for Superintendent of the Year".
These prestigious awards set the standard for professionalism, work ethics, innovation and performance in the field of construction. Rick Sharp’s award as finalist for “Superintendent of the Year” honors him for the quality work he advocates on behalf of the subcontracting industry. Rick has been Superintendent on multiple successful projects including Dodge Theater, Bank One Ball Park, and the recently completed Raymond Kellis High School that was completed a whole semester early.
Mark Murphy’s award as finalist for “Project Manager of the Year” exemplifies his hard work as project manager who educates his team and strives to run a smooth operation. Murphy is known for his numerous successes working with the Arizona School Districts for the past 25 years. He has managed more than 20 educational projects along with other projects such as the Spring Training Stadium in the City of Surprise and Bank One Ball Park. His commitment to value engineering has enabled him to conquer unexpected feats such as saving the District of Tolleson over $800,000.
Dennis Montague, Vice President of Construction Services has been awarded the ultimate honor of “Innovator of the Year” for the impact he has made on the community. Montague is responsible for creating and directing a successful community ‘give back’ campaign called CORE Cares. He has enabled Core Construction to take a deliberate stand to support the community and has made waves in the industry in the way relationships are created and kept. He has been an example of exemplary skill, understanding and compassion for the whole community.
Core Construction Services of Arizona, Inc. is an award-winning general contractor and construction management firm founded in 1982, with offices in Arizona, Nevada, Florida, Texas, Illinois and Florida.
Contact:
Core Construction
Liana Harrison
Tel: 602-494-0800
www.Coreconstruct.com
This press release was issued through GroupWeb EmailWire.Com. For more information go to http://www.emailwire.com
Posted by Industrial at 07:59 PM | Comments (0)
February 24, 2005
Drummond Designs' Earns Top Award From Leading Publisher of Home Plans
Hanley Wood Honours Industry Leader at National Home Builders Association Show in Orlando
Drummond Designs' artwork earns top award from North America's leading publisher Hanley Wood
Drummondville, Quebec, Canada (PRWEB) February 24, 2005 -- Drummond Designs, a developer of architectural residential home plans, with business operations in the United States, Canada and abroad, is pleased to announce it has been awarded the top prize for best artwork in 2004 by Hanley Wood, the single largest publisher of homes plans in North America.
The Canadian-based Drummond Designs, which earned top honours based on the overall quality of its drawings, was selected from among more than 100 North American companies – large and small – that submit plans to Hanley Wood for publication on a regular basis. Hanley Wood publishes home plans in more than 60 magazines and books and 2 dedicated web sites.
“The industry-leading quality of the artwork developed by Drummond Designs is a contributor to the growing success of our magazines,” remarked Matt Higgins, Director, Plan Products.
Hanley Wood Magazines Consumer Group. “Drummond Designs’ craft systematically responds to two key elements in the feedback expressed by our readers: the artwork delivers variety and, above all, enjoyment for readers who browse through Drummond Designs’ home plans.”
Denis Chamberland, Senior Design Director for Drummond Designs, said the company is elated by the honour. “It is the result of tremendous teamwork, so this is an accolade to be shared with many talented colleagues. Not only is it a testament to the quality of our craft but it underscores Drummond Designs’ continuous efforts to develop home plans that are in sync with an ever-evolving industry,” he added.
About Drummond Designs inc.
Founded in 1973, Drummond Designs, is a privately held company with a staff of 49 employees. It also relies on some 55 collaborators, primarily specialists in developing architectural plans and related services, who work in 20 regional offices.
About Hanley Wood
Hanley Wood, LLC, is the premier media company serving housing and construction. Through five operating divisions, the company produces award-winning magazines and Web sites, marquee trade shows and events, rich data, and custom marketing solutions. The company also is North America’s leading provider of home plans.
Founded in 1976, Hanley Wood is a $200 million company owned by VS&A Communications Partners III, LP, the private-equity affiliate of media industry merchant bank Veronis Suhler Stevenson.
Posted by Industrial at 01:07 AM | Comments (0)
UAE Based Ceramic Multinational Keen On Investing in New Building Materials
FutureBuild RAK is the joint initiative taken by the Govt of Ras Al Khaimah, and one of the topmost ceramic multinationals companies of the world- RAK Ceramics, based in fast developing Ras Al Khaimah- one of the 7 Emirates of the United Arab Emirates. The objective of this joint initiative is to attract investment in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the manufacturing & logistics of high quality building materials
(PRWEB) February 24, 2005 -- FutureBuild is the joint initiative taken by the Govt of Ras Al Khaimah, and one of the topmost ceramic multinationals companies of the world- RAK Ceramics, based in fast developing Ras Al Khaimah- one of the 7 Emirates of the United Arab Emirates.
FutureBuild RAK programme has the governmental support of the Emirate, and the commercial vision and business support of an established and highly succcessful multinational like RAK Ceramics which is now a USD 300 million sales multinational with exports to over 130 countries.
The objective of this joint initiative is to attract investment in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the manufacturing & logistics of high quality building materials .
The initiative will help facilitate & support building materials / construction product companies wishing to set up a manufacturing / logistic base in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, with due consideration to following developments in the Arabian Gulf:
A booming regional Arabian Gulf Market for construction & developmental projects including the UAE.
Varied facilities & services the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is offering to investors.
The UAE is fast becoming the right manufacturing location for catering to the price competitive regional market here, and it provides a effective combination of good infrastructure rates, good quality & economical labour costs.
A local presence with a manufacturing and or logistics base helps over a long term.
RAK Ceramics may consider investing as a partner for manufacturing / marketing select products found of great potential in the regional / global markets.
Why Building Materials @ Ras Al Khaimah? - The Regional Market for Building Materials
The Gulf Construction (GCC) boom is valued at USD 50-55 BILLION
UAE accounts for USD 30 billion of the GCC boom.
About 70-75% of the projects are around Dubai & RAK is an excellent, close location for manufacturing. The Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah is also witnessing huge construction activity.
USD 2.25 billion is the budget for UAE ministries & federal institutions
Ministry of Public Works & Housing projects worth USD 1 BILLION are under progress in the UAE.
Saudi Arabia has USD 20 billion worth projects underway, and is in close proximity to RAK.
Iraq reconstruction projects of USD 2 BILLION are underway.
The programme will be under the stewardship of Dr. Khater Massaad, the C.E.O. of RAK Ceramics which was adjudged by the ITP- Arabian Business Awards as the "Company of the Year 2004."
Dr. Khater Massaad is also the Advisor to H. H. The Crown Prince & Deputy Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah.
For further action & more information about Ras Al Khaimah , please contact :
Er. Dinesh Bandiwadekar
Head - FutureBuild-RAK
P.O. BOX 4714
Ras Al Khaimah,
U.A.E. Tel: + 971 7 2445046 Fax: + 971-7 2445270
Posted by Industrial at 01:05 AM | Comments (0)
Minaean (TSXV: MIB) Announces Further Project in Northern India
Minaean International Corp. (TSX VE: MIB), the Canadian-based developer of alternative building technologies using light-gauge steel, and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Minaean Building Solutions Inc., are pleased to announce that they have been awarded through their joint venture subsidiary in New Delhi, India, the contract for the construction of a 30,055 square foot building for the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University at Rajouri, in the north Indian State of Jammu.
Vancouver, BC, Canada (PRWEB) February 24, 2005 -- Minaean International Corp. (TSX VE: MIB), the Canadian-based developer of alternative building technologies using light-gauge steel, and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Minaean Building Solutions Inc., are pleased to announce that they have been awarded through their joint venture subsidiary in New Delhi, India, the contract for the construction of a 30,055 square foot building for the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University at Rajouri, in the north Indian State of Jammu.
The construction of this project will be carried out in three phases over a period of six months. The total value of the project is approximately $475,000. It is anticipated that the satisfactory completion of this project will lead to a further order for an additional university complex to be attached to the present one. The value of this further contract would be approximately $1,000,000
“The selection of Minaean by this prestigious client is a significant addition to Minaean’s portfolio of projects in India”, says Minaean Chairman, Mr. Hari Varshney. “It is an important step in the Company’s expansion into northern India.” The award of this contract comes a month after Minaean was awarded the contract for the construction of dormitories for the highly regarded “Sri Matha Vaishno Devi” temple project in Kashmir. With Minaean’s light gauge steel panel and framing system being highly adaptable to the hilly regions due to its versatility and light weight, it is seen as a revolutionary type of construction system compared to the conventional brick and mortar system which cannot be easily used in the mountainous areas of India.
About Minaean
Minaean manufactures rapid, efficient building systems using light-gauge steel. Minaean's Vesta Quik-BuildTM and Artisan Quik- BuildTM construction kits are available for houses and buildings of up to four stories. The strong, affordable, ecologically sustainable structures present a promising solution to the mass housing shortages in developing countries and disaster-stricken areas, in addition to a range of conventional applications. The shares of Minaean International Corporation (parent company) are publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "MIB" and the Berlin and Frankfurt Stock Exchanges under the symbol "NJA".
For more information, please visit www.minaean.com
Contact Information:
Peeyush Varshney, Director
Minaean International Corp.
Tel: 604.684-2181
(No.05-02-04)
Contact:
Investor Relations
The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this release.
Posted by Industrial at 01:03 AM | Comments (0)
February 23, 2005
Look at all Three Ways to Obtain Manufactured Home Financing Before You Accept a Loan
Manufactured housing is a popular alternative to “stick” built homes today. But, manufactured home financing is a little different, so be sure to know all your alternatives before you sign for a loan that may not be the best for you.
Riverside, CA (PRWEB) February 23, 2005 -- The three major loan programs for a manufactured home are: FHA, Conventional and Equity Loans. These programs are for manufactured homes on real estate you own, or will own. Not for homes in a park where you lease the land.
If the company you call can’t do your loan, you won’t often be referred to a company that can do your loan because the loans are funded from different sources that do not interact with each other. It depends on whether the home is brand new or previously lived in as to the loan program you can get.
If you buy a brand new home, sold to you by the dealer, he can offer you some loan programs, both Government and Conventional that other loan sources do not have. But, if he can’t do the loan, he probably won’t send you to a Mortgage Broker that might help you. For instance, some dealer programs don’t offer loans on marginal credit where Mortgage Brokers do.
The Mortgage Broker has programs for financing manufactured homes that are not brand new. The Broker can offer you FHA and Conventional loans just like the dealer, but only for properties that are already standing and permanently affixed to real estate that you own or will own. If FHA proposed changes pass there may even be 100% financing available for manufactured homes.
The Mortgage Broker can offer you the third type of lending as well. This is called Equity Lending. (Hard Money Loans). The loan guidelines are only concerned with the lender equity position created through the loan. They don’t consider borrower credit. See information about at Types of Credit Allowed.
Equity loans are made by individuals and offered through mortgage companies. This is one step away from borrowing from an individual. They make short term loans of three to five years. The rates are high, and the loan to value percentage is low.
For instance, if you wanted to buy a manufactured home or just move one on to property you want to buy or already own, you might need an equity loan to get the home set-up and ready to refinance. Then you could obtain a traditional type of long term loan. Please see more information at California 433 Occupancy Certificate Information
With the equity move-on-loan you would have to put at least 10% down, based on the future value of the property when the home is completed. The future value can be used because your new home will be compared with similar homes in the immediate area that are already completed and have a known value. In that sense, the value of your home is established before it is constructed. If you have equity in the land the home will be put on, the equity is counted for you, as a credit, in the lending formula.
For additional information contact: Judy Sellens at http://www.SellensLending.com
Sellens Real Estate Lending is a Southern California Based Real Estate Mortgage Broker offering Loan Programs for all types of Credit and all types of Properties.
The Company was started by Judith A. Sellens in Orange County in 1991. She has 40 years experience in real estate related fields. The Company Home Office is in Riverside California and is licensed by the California Department of Real Estate.
Judy Sellens
Mortgage Broker
951-943-8877
Posted by Industrial at 12:01 PM | Comments (0)
Ms. Mireille Wear Selected as Businesswoman of the Year 2004
(NRCC) Chairman, Tom Reynolds, announced the selection of Ms. Mireille Wear to receive the 2004 Businesswoman of the Year Award, representing the State of California. Ms. Wear's is a small business owner in San Diego, CA
Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) February 23, 2005 -- The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman, Congressman Tom Reynolds, announced the selection of California Business Leader Ms. Mireille Wear as a winner of the 2004 Businesswoman of the Year Award.
Ms. Wear will be formally recognized at an awards ceremony and luncheon held at the 2005 Congressional Tax Summit in Washington D.C. on March 14-15 to honor her accomplishments. She is invited to participate in the 2005 Tax Reform Workshop in Washington, followed by a Republican Gala Dinner with special guests President George W. Bush, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, and other Congressional Republican Leaders. Ms. Wear is an Honorary Chairman of the House Majority Trust Committee and a member of the Business Advisory Council in Washington D.C. She recently received the Ronald Reagan Gold Medal for her support of President's Reagan's ideals for an entrepreneurial America.
Ms. Wear’s response to the NRCC was, “Thank you for supporting small businesses in America and providing the opportunity and business climate for us to be able to grow and thrive. This is a time of great change and positive growth in our country. We have so much to be grateful for, especially for the freedom to pursue our dreams. Our government gives us every opportunity to reach our potential. I encourage all Americans to stand united in support of the President and our elected officials who work hard to preserve our right to free enterprise.”
Ms. Mireille Wear a graduate of California State University at Long Beach with a Bachelor Degree in Political Science and is the owner of Extreme Soundproofing, a three-year-old San Diego based small business. She is an active member of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce and Business Alliance, and proud mother of two children, Jennifer Garner and Ryan Wear.
Extreme Soundproofing makes innovative noise control solutions available to everyone via the internet. The company sells a full line of acoustical products including noise barriers, sound absorbers, acoustical wall panels and ceiling tiles. Extreme Soundproofing is DBE certified.
Extreme Soundproofing has developed a proprietary line of custom Acoustical Draperies. Recent customers have included several prominent universities. This is a testimonial to the excellent acoustical properties of the draperies, namely dampening reverberation and increasing speech intelligibility. Ms. Wear states, “We are detail conscious and very proud of the final product. These draperies help reduce noise, eliminate light, and control climate. Use of modern fabrics with French Pleat styling and a 3-ply lining makes for a very substantial and elegant Acoustical Drapery.”
Extreme Soundproofing encourages people to take an active part in preserving their peace and quiet. Although it is more difficult to retrofit an existing home for noise, it is not necessary to tear down the walls. Visit their website to learn more.
Extreme Soundproofing is growing rapidly and is seeking investment partners to help meet public demand for its products.
Contact Information:
Tel. 858-483-5500
Fax 858-777-5461
Cell 619-218-5617
Websites: www.extremesoundproofing.com and http://yahoosoundproofing.com
Posted by Industrial at 11:59 AM | Comments (0)
Spring Conference at NiteLites Franchise Systems’ World Headquarters
On February 19, 2005, NiteLites held its annual Spring Conference at its world headquarters in Franklin, Ohio. This year’s conference had the highest recorded attendance for the franchise.
(PRWEB) February 23, 2005 -- NiteLites Franchise Systems, Inc.’s world headquarters, located in Franklin, Ohio, specializes in the manufacturing, sales, design, installation, and life time maintenance of top quality low voltage lighting for both residential and commercial applications. On February 19, 2005, NiteLites held its annual Spring Conference at its world headquarters in Franklin, Ohio. This year’s conference had the highest recorded attendance for the franchise.
President and CEO Thomas Frederick said the company is “experiencing dramatic growth” since he took over the company three years ago. And now, the company has more tools and operational systems to automate each NiteLites franchise location allowing each location to better allocate their time to growing their business.
The outdoor lighting industry is also expanding according to President and CEO Thomas Frederick. “Because of the new trend known as 'cocooning' which is the tendency for people to spend more time in and around their homes, there are some forecasts that the outdoor lighting industry in America is growing with sales estimated at $1 billion annually. Our leadership in the field, paired with this market trend, has exciting possibilities. We are thrilled about the prospective business for our current and future outdoor lighting business owners.”
Frederick also said that he has hopes to add more than 25 franchised locations in 2005. Recently NiteLites Franchises, a home-based opportunity, were opened in Naples, FL, Fort Myers, FL, Columbia, SC, Augusta, GA, Aiken, SC, and St. Louis, MO, and Jacksonville, FL. The following territories are expected to be franchised and operating in the near future: Hilton Head, SC, Tampa, FL, Sarasota, FL, Chicago, IL and Wilmington, NC.
To learn more about the franchise opportunities available through NiteLites Franchise Systems, Inc., visit their web site at www.nitelites.com or call 866-NITELITES
Posted by Industrial at 11:56 AM | Comments (0)
NiteLites - The Landscape Lighting Professionals – World Headquarters Receives New Look
NiteLites Franchise Systems, Inc.’s world headquarters, located in Franklin, Ohio, has recently undergone a major transformation. The world headquarters was recently expanded, remodeled, and upgraded.
(PRWEB) February 23, 2005 -- NiteLites is an industry leader in the low voltage outdoor landscape lighting field specializing in both residential and commercial installations. NiteLites Franchise Systems, Inc.’s world headquarters, located in Franklin, Ohio, has recently undergone a major transformation.
President and CEO Thomas Frederick said the company is “experiencing dramatic growth” since he took over the company three years ago. In order to keep up with the expanding business, the world headquarters was recently expanded, remodeled, and upgraded. The company has recently added more personnel and more office space while getting a whole new look. Many high tech systems, remote phones and computer programs, have also been installed to support the rapid expansion of the company. The changes were ready just in time for the annual Spring Conference held in Franklin, Ohio on February 19th.
In addition to the growth of the company, the outdoor lighting industry itself is expanding. According to President and CEO Thomas Frederick, “there are some forecasts that the outdoor lighting industry in America is growing with sales estimated at $1 billion annually. Our leadership in the field, paired with this market trend, has exciting possibilities. We are thrilled about the prospective business for our current and future outdoor lighting business owners.”
Frederick also said that he has hopes to add more than 25 franchised locations in 2005. Recently NiteLites Franchises, a home-based opportunity, were opened in Naples, FL, Fort Myers, FL, Columbia, SC, Augusta, GA, Aiken, SC, and St. Louis, MO, and Jacksonville, FL. The following territories are expected to be franchised and operating in the near future: Hilton Head, SC, Tampa, FL, Sarasota, FL, Chicago, IL and Wilmington, NC.
• All NiteLites Franchises benefit from their growing reputation for offering affordable excellence with an array of high value guaranteed products.
• NiteLites Franchises have access to their superior line of non-corrosive products made of solid brass, copper, and stainless steel.
• Because of the high quality and reliability of the lighting systems, NiteLites Franchises' businesses continue grow in relation to the amount of time and energy they invest.
• NiteLites’ customers appreciate the unique comprehensiveness of their services and the extensive warranties provided.
• NiteLites Franchises benefit from a proven system of selling, designing, installing, and maintaining outdoor illumination systems for both residential and commercial properties.
To learn more about the franchise opportunities available through NiteLites Franchise Systems, Inc., visit their web site at www.nitelites.com or call 866-NITELITES
Posted by Industrial at 11:54 AM | Comments (0)
February 22, 2005
HG Capital Makes Industrial Investment in Hawaii's Fastest Growing Region
HG Capital, LLC (HG), in a joint venture with Low & Archibald Real Estate Group, Inc., is pleased to announce the acquisition of 6 acres in the Kapolei Business Park for the development of approximately 106,000 square feet of new industrial condominium space in Honolulu County, on the island of Oahu.
Menlo Park, CA (PRWEB via PR Web Direct) February 22, 2004 - HG Capital, LLC (HG), in a joint venture with Low & Archibald Real Estate Group, Inc., is pleased to announce the acquisition of 6 acres in the Kapolei Business Park for the development of approximately 106,000 square feet of new industrial condominium space in Honolulu County, on the island of Oahu. HG Capital invested 85% of the contributed equity in the $18 million project. The remainder of the project’s capitalization came from developer co-investment and a construction loan from Fremont Investment and Loan.
Kapolei is a 32,000-acre master-planned city on the island of Oahu, and is the fastest growing region in Hawaii. The Kapolei Business Park is approximately 20 miles west of downtown Honolulu, and adjacent to the Kalaeloa/Barbers Point Harbor and the James Campbell Industrial Park. Due to the region’s strong growth and the overall shortage of available industrial-zoned land in Hawaii, the Honolulu submarket has an exceptionally low vacancy rate of approximately 1.7% for industrial space.
Designed to meet the growing space demand from small to mid-size businesses, the project consists of the construction of ten light industrial buildings totaling approximately 106,000 square feet. The buildings are divisible into 37 individual condominium units that will be sold to owner-users or private investors.
About HG Capital, LLC
HG Capital, LLC (HG) is a real estate investment group that provides joint venture equity capital to real estate owners and developers for value-added and opportunistic real estate projects in the western United States. HG makes principal investments from its discretionary management of the HG Capital private equity funds. HG manages over $100 million of equity capital and has invested in over $1 billion worth of projects since 1995. With offices in Menlo Park and Newport Beach, California, HG has established a successful track record based upon its highly responsive and entrepreneurial approach to real estate investing.
About Low & Archibald Real Estate Group
Low & Archibald Real Estate Group (LAREG) is a Newport Beach-based developer of quality industrial properties in the western United States. The company specializes in the development of for-sale office and industrial condominiums and buildings in the diversified markets of Southern California.
Contact: Greg Alden
HG Capital, LLC
(650) 322-3400 ext. 202
Posted by Industrial at 09:08 AM | Comments (0)
RICS Delivers New Global Website Using WebtraffIQ's Web Analytics
Web analytics agency WebtraffIQ http://www.webtraffiq.com, has been retained to monitor The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) newly delivered global website http://www.rics.org
London, UK (PRWEB) February 22, 2005 -- Web analytics agency WebtraffIQ http://www.webtraffiq.com, has been retained to monitor The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) newly delivered global website http://www.rics.org
RICS first signed up with WebtraffIQ in April 2002, and has signed them for another year. WebtraffIQ was chosen, based on the ability to integrate its web analytics suite into RICS new Microsoft Platform when it delivered its revamped website.
All data and analysis from the last three years has been retained. This proves extremely useful in comparing the performance, navigational trends and member interaction patterns between new and old websites, and also helped with the new design layout.
Marcos Richardson, European Director at WebtraffIQ comments, “Having a good and successful relationship over the past three years made WebtraffIQ a clear choice when the decision was made to choose a web traffic analyzer for 2005. Further to this WebtraffIQ was able to quickly integrate and develop its systems capabilities to be compatible with the new RICS Microsoft server platform (MIS).
Organizations that don’t offer e-commerce services such as RICS find that an online presence increases their global brand exposure and customer business interactions. This is underpinned by good user-centered design including usability, accessibility, ease of navigation and targeted marketing initiatives. To this avail; being able to see where, when and how visitors interact and transact using web analytics is crucial for business and marketing programs.
Cara McDonagh Head of New Media at RICS states, “We have over 100,000 members spread across 120 countries. The importance of understanding how our users access information and services and interact with the organization online is essential to providing a better offering to our audiences wherever they are based. WebtraffIQ is helping us achieve this goal.”
WebtraffIQ has developed several unique applications that provide important information for website designers, developers and marketers. WebtraffIQ Alerts is one such application, useful for the launch of new websites including design and web development platforms.
Stephen Mitchell, who manages web analytics at RICS New Media comments, “When maintaining such a large website, WebtraffIQ Alerts is useful because it can alert us by SMS and email to any pages that are not loading, or if there are broken links on each page for example. If any problems arise, our designers and developers are on-hand to systematically fix the problems.”
“We are very pleased to be retained by RICS for another year and will continue to give them a dedicated service. We are also excited about our successful integration with the RICS Microsoft platforms. In essence this means we now have another important platform to build our services upon, demonstrating that WebtraffIQ is flexible in working with emerging and evolving technology to accommodate clients’ complex bespoke and/or rudimentary requirements, “concludes Richardson.
Posted by Industrial at 09:07 AM | Comments (0)
Haverford, Pa. Main Line Philly Home prices Soar to new records
Peter Clement, Realtor since 1978, and owner of Main Line Philly Homes, reports that the average family home price in Gladwyne, Pa., an upscale suburb of Philadelphia, soared to $1,117,236 in 2004. This news and buyer/seller info can be found on www.MainLinePhillyHomes.com which was just launched. The Main Line Philadelphia Real Estate website features area homes and estates for sale as well as condos and luxury properties for sale in Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Gladwyne and all of the Main Line of Philadelphia. Mortgage rates have dropped enough to permit more people to qualify for higher priced homes which are the norm on the Main Line. Peter Clement has sold over 125 homes in this area of the Main Line since 1978.
(PRWEB) February 22, 2005 -- Main Line Philly Homes offers buyers and sellers of Real Estate, a one stop, all in one website that has links to area attractions, schools, and Peter Clement's office website, Prudential Fox & Roach. Buyers may sign up to get school reports and custom lists of Sunday Open Houses, as well as search the entire MLS via the office website link. There are tips for relocating families.
The average priced home in Gladwyne rose to $1,117,236 in 2004, up from $1,055,066 the year before. The average priced home in Haverford rose a record 56% in 2004 to $795,736. Peter Clement has sold over 125 homes in this area of the Main Line since 1978.
Buyers will love the new Guided Virtual Tour by Home Sweet Home, that gives the buyer an audio and visual tour of homes, instantly. The standard Panoramic Virtual Tour is still offered as well.
As experience counts more and more these days, clients need a knowledgeable Realtor to guide them through the process of buying and selling a home. Prudential Fox & Roach has bundled all the necessary title, mortgage and home inspection services, so that the buying/selling process is simplified and hassle free. Log onto www.MainLinePhillyHomes.com for a memorable website experience and learn about the classic Philadelphia Main Line. There are photos of old estates and landmarks as well as current info on private schools and the Lower Merion Public Schools. New SAT scores that were just released, show Main Line averages rose over the 1100 mark in 2004. School reports are offered as well.
Relocating families will be able to get a better idea of life on the Main Line after logging on to www.MainLinePhillyHomes.com or emailing or calling 610 999-7653 anytime.
Posted by Industrial at 09:05 AM | Comments (0)
February 21, 2005
Concrete Washout Systems, Inc. Successfully Defends Its Invention In Patent-Pending Status
Southern California Company Develops Partnership After Discovering Its Product Was a Look-Like and Copy
Elk Grove, CA (PRWEB via PR Web Direct) February 21, 2005 -- Concrete Washout Systems, Inc., the world’s largest concrete washout service company, announced today that it has successfully defended the CWS in patent-pending status and entered into a licensing partnership with Knoble Construction, Inc., a Redlands, California company, who had developed a similar product to Concrete Washout Systems patent pending invention, which published on August 12, 2004
“Although we do not yet have a patent, federal statute, 35 U.S.C. Section 154, provides us with certain rights now, including issuing cease and desist letters. If the issued patent is substantially identical to our patent application, we will have the right to obtain a reasonable royalty from anyone who makes, uses, offers for sale or sells an invention as claimed in our application, with actual knowledge of our published patent application,” stated Kevin Mickelson, Vice President of Concrete Washout Systems, Inc. “We are very serious about protecting our intellectual property rights and our legal team will aggressively pursue any person or company whom we believe is violating our intellectual property rights,” added Mr. Mickelson.
Concrete Washout Systems strongly encourages any company or persons who may have a similar product in development or in operation to contact them immediately. Concrete Washout Systems would rather explore and develop licensed partnerships instead of pursuing legal actions against companies and believe this partnership is a win-win scenario for all parties involved.
“Joe Knobloch developed a product that was substantially similar to ours and we immediately notified him of our product and system when we discovered his. Mr. Knobloch has acknowledged that his product was a close copy, read our patent application and decided it would be advantageous for him to pursue a licensed partnership after we offered him one. We are very pleased to have a person and businessman of Mr. Knobloch’s character, integrity and savvy as a partner and believe he will be a great addition and asset to our business,” noted Mr. Mickelson.
“Knoble Construction is excited about entering into a licensing partnership with Concrete Washout Systems, Inc.; a company that has successfully developed an environmentally safe concrete washout box and waste water removal treatment and recycling operation,” stated Joe Knobloch, President of Knoble Construction, Inc. “We will be marketing the concrete washout systems box and related services initially on our own jobsites within Southern California, but will expand to outside jobs as demand increases in an effort to foster recycling and waste diversion efforts within the building industry,” added Mr. Knobloch.
The patent pending Concrete Washout Systems™ container is a portable, self-contained and watertight bin that controls, captures and contains concrete washout material and wastewater. It allows trade personnel to easily washout concrete trucks, pumps and equipment on site and facilitates easy off site recycling of the same concrete materials and wastewater, while protecting the storm drain system from potential illegal discharges. The off site recycling component creates an even more environmentally sound application. This system replaces other outdated washout BMP’s, which are costly, unsightly and damaging to the environment since their containment value diminishes, due to inherently faulty material, over use and lack of maintenance.
About Concrete Washout Systems, Inc.
Concrete Washout Systems is a risk management specialist and industry pioneer in concrete washout and wastewater removal, treatment and recycling. The patent-pending Concrete Washout Systems provides a cost effective, environmentally friendly and compliance alternative for homebuilders, contractors, ready mix and pump operators and environmental engineering firms. For more information visit http://www.concretewashout.com
Contact:
Roger Engelsgaard
Concrete Washout Systems, Inc.
1-877-2-WASHOUT
Fax: (916) 244-0403
www.concretewashout.com
Posted by Industrial at 07:49 PM | Comments (0)
Michigan’s First and Only ISO 9000 Builder Driven by Technology
Michigan’s first and only ISO 9000 residential builder, Delcor Homes, is selling homes at a fast pace at its two newest communities in Grand Ledge and Grand Blanc as 2005 launched with a bang.
Milford, MI (PRWEB) February 21, 2005 -- Michigan’s first and only ISO 9000 residential builder, Delcor Homes of Milford, MI, is selling homes at a fast pace at its two newest communities in Grand Ledge and Grand Blanc as 2005 launched with a bang.
Delcor Homes has a solid reputation in southeast Michigan for providing high value to discerning buyers. The company maintains quality while controlling costs with its leading technology and because it is the first and only homebuilder in Michigan to become ISO 9000 certified.
ISO 9000 certification is a set of international standards of quality management and assurance that involves documenting operating processes by an independent audit, initially and ongoing.
ISO certification results in higher quality at lower cost since work is done right the first time. After earning ISO 9000 certification, Delcor’s average number of correctable defects at closing dropped from 27.4 in 1997 to 1.7 today.
In addition to ISO certification, Delcor Homes has crossed the leading edge of technology to control costs while maintaining high quality construction and reliable service to its customers. Delcor operates a web site with a private portal to subcontractors and others who do business with them.
Subcontractors check into the web site to find out at what site they will be working, what the materials, tools and manpower requirements will be, and the performance level expected. Progress reports are given using the web site that also records completion of work and dictates payments to subcontractors. The result is high quality work at lower costs because project budgets and timetables are consistently met.
“These savings are then passed on to our customer in the form of more square footage for the dollar invested and more overall value. We don’t just build homes, we build communities,” says Todd Hallett, president of Delcor Homes. “Village Place offers a unique collection of home designs to reflect the living styles of today’s active families. This is the only community of its kind in the Greater Lansing area.” Located at the southwest corner of Nixon and Saginaw Streets, Village Place is in the Grand Ledge School District.
Located in Grand Blanc Schools, Country Cottage Estates has easy access to seven golf courses, Mt. Holly ski area, DTE Music Theater, The Palace of Auburn Hills, and Great Lakes Crossing. The homes are nestled among open fields and soft rolling hills that add up to a refreshing lifestyle.
Other communities built by Delcor Homes are in nearby Howell, Brighton, Milan, Ann Arbor, Metamora, and Oxford.
Michigan’s premier homebuilder, Delcor Homes, is committed to being a customer-driven provider of innovative and quality residential communities that surpass the desires, expectations and dreams of Michigan families. Learn more about Delcor Homes by going to www.delcorhomes.com by calling 248-684-1234 or sending email inquiries to e-mail protected from spam bots.
For more information about each of Delcor Homes’ new communities, click these links.
Hometown Village of Ann Arbor
Hometown Village of Waterstone
Hometown Village of Marion
Uptown Village of Milan
Estates of Metamora
Villas of Oak Pointe
Uptown Village of Milan
Country Cottage Estates of Grand Blanc
About Village Place in Grand Ledge
Village Place in Grand Ledge, is a beautiful community with neighborhood sidewalks, commons areas and ponds, a clubhouse with a health center, kiddy fountain splash pool, adult lap pool, and a Playscape. When finished Village Place will boast 349 units on 107 acres that includes 30 acres of open space.
Visit the community by traveling I-96 to the West Saginaw exit and continue west until turning left on Nixon Road. Buyers who act now can take advantage of pre-construction prices.
About Country Cottage Estates in Grand Blanc
Country Cottage Estates in Grand Blanc is a beautiful community with neighborhood sidewalks, a clubhouse with a health center and swim pool, brick and stone elevations and homes in seven unique styles ranging in size from 1,943 to 4,000 sq. ft.
Country Cottage Estates is easily accessible from both I-75 and US-23. From I-75 take Holly Road (Exit 108) south to Baldwin Road and head west past McWain Road. From US-23 head east on Thompson Road (Exit 84), north on Fenton Road and east on Baldwin past McWain Road.
Open House hours are 1-6 p.m. Monday-Wednesday and Friday, and noon-6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; closed on Thursday.
Posted by Industrial at 07:48 PM | Comments (0)
Concrete Contractor.com Releases New Website To Showcase Concrete and Commercial Construction
Concrete Contractor.com, an online publication featuring concrete and commercial concrete contractors, has launched its new website. The new website is intended to serve as an informational resource on concrete and the commercial construction industry. It features an extensive history of cement's evolution into the most widely used commercial construction raw material in the world; descriptions of famous concrete structures, including the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada and the Grand Coulee and Hoover Dams; and a showcase of tilt-up concrete construction, a technologically advanced means of building concrete structures. Concrete Contractor.com is offering FREE directory listings to commercial concrete contractors for a limited time.
ARLINGTON, TX (PRWEB) February 21, 2005 -- Concrete Contractor.com, an online publication featuring concrete and commercial concrete contractors, has announced the launch of its new website at www.concretecontractor.com
The new website is intended to serve as an informational resource on concrete and the commercial construction industry.
www.concretecontractor.com features an extensive historical review of how cement evolved and developed into the most widely used commercial construction raw material in the world. Featured on the website are descriptions of famous concrete buildings and structures, including the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada, Our Lady of The Angels Cathedral in Los Angeles, California and the Grand Coulee and Hoover Dams. Another section of the site showcases tilt-up concrete construction, a technologically advanced means of building concrete structures quickly and inexpensively.
“As a general contractor and construction company with more than 58 years of commercial construction experience, we can certainly appreciate the importance of concrete,” said Phillip Bell, President of Bob Moore Construction in Arlington, Texas. “A website like www.concretecontractor.com provides a real service to the public, educating them on the significance of concrete and how it has influenced the industry, our economy and even our society over the past several hundred years. Our own website, www.generalcontractor.com, provides information about various aspects of the commercial construction industry as well. But Concrete Contractor.com approaches this subject matter in a different way, and presents historical information about concrete in a very compelling manner.”
A developing portion of this site is the concrete contractor directory. With the release of the website, Concrete Contractor.com is offering a time-limited opportunity for commercial concrete contractors to post a listing of their company in the site's directory for free. The listing includes their name, address, phone number and contact information, and a 250 word write-up on their business. Concrete Contractor.com will ultimately charge to add contractors to its directory, but is offering these listings for free now to quickly expand this portion of the website. Interested concrete contractors can learn more about this time-limited opportunity at www.concretecontractor.com/directory/ and can submit their information directly from this page.
For more information about Concrete Contractor.com, please visit www.concretecontractor.com
Posted by Industrial at 07:46 PM | Comments (0)
Partnership to Provide Affordable Home Automation to Mid-Market Homeowners and Builders
Hanley Wood is partnering with Digital Lifestyles, LLC to provide home automation designs for their architectural plans, sold through their websites, eplans.com and dreamhomesource.com, as well as all of their magazines. Digital Lifestyles' program takes the client from start to finish in providing the service of bringing home automation to the mass market.
(PRWEB) February 21, 2005 -- Digital Lifestyles, LLC, and Home Planners, LLC, wholly owned by Hanley Wood, LLC, have partnered to provide consumers and home builders with an affordable home automation upgrade package. Home Planners is promoting the upgrade package through its plans magazines and books as well as two plans websites: www.eplans.com and www.dreamhomesource.com. The pre-construction exposure will help increase public awareness of the custom electronics industry and spur an estimated workload growth of 3% or more in 2005
Digital Lifestyle’s universal plug-and-play wiring topology design—named “HA-Ready”—is the cornerstone of this innovative product. HA-Ready’s standard design offers 10 subsystems: lighting, security, telecommunications, climate control, home networking, home theater, whole-house audio/video distribution, video surveillance, electronic entry access, and motorized window treatments, and can be applied in single-family or multifamily dwellings. Designs for wiring a gaming substructure are currently in development for use with Sony, GameCube, Nintendo, Xbox, and other gaming platforms.
HA-Ready provides an affordable entry point for mid-market consumers and builders looking to create the home of the future. The topology installation and materials are priced at approximately $4-7 per square foot, making it affordable for the mainstream, 2,500-square-foot market. This unique and affordable approach has one goal—to encourage adoption of advanced home technologies and increase growth opportunities across multiple businesses and business models.
HA-Ready offers installers more labor revenues and the opportunity to design and install additional electronics beyond the basic wiring topology. The universal topology will support any currently available electronics system, account for furniture placement and rearrangement, and accommodate future growth and technological advances.
Digital Lifestyles has also formulated a partnership with ConnectHome that will allow potential installers to participate in ConnectHome’s installation network. In return, ConnectHome refers its incoming design work back to Digital Lifestyles. Full ConnectHome dealers receive full 3rd party design work, training, and technical support for their local projects. ConnectHome’s website is www.connecthome.com
The list of compatible systems includes, but is not limited to: AMX, Crestron, Xabler, Xperinet, Xplore, HAI, Applied Digital, JDS Technologies, LiteTouch, Lutron, Vantage, Centralite, Lightolier, Elan, Destiny Networks, Matrix Audio, B&K, Oxmoor, M&S Systems, ADA, Opus Technologies, Audio Access, Audio Control, Russound, Xantech, Niles, Sonance, Speakercraft, NuVo, ChannelPlus, ChannelVision, Makita, Sivoia, Somfy, BTX, Ademco, Napco, GE Interlogix, and Elk.
About Digital Lifestyles, LLC
Founded in 2001, Digital Lifestyles, LLC is a personal technologies design firm that specializes in project documentation, interface design, and producing operation and troubleshooting manuals for complete automation systems. Digital Lifestyles also offers a comprehensive training curriculum and has a unique vision for introducing advanced levels of home automation and personal technologies to the mass market.
About Hanley Wood
Hanley Wood, LLC, is the premier media company serving housing and construction. Through five operating divisions, the company produces award-winning magazines and Web sites, marquee trade shows and events, rich data, and custom marketing solutions. The company also is North America’s leading provider of home plans.
Founded in 1976, Hanley Wood is a $200 million company owned by VS&A Communications Partners III, LP, the private-equity affiliate of media industry merchant bank Veronis Suhler Stevenson.
Posted by Industrial at 07:45 PM | Comments (0)
Building it Right the First Time
Recent trends are pointing to buyers having higher expectations when purchasing newly constructed homes. Many are turning toward home inspectors who have expertise in new construction. Builders need to work towards zero-deficiency products in order to satisfy the demand.
(PRWEB) February 21, 2005 -- In recent years, high profile construction failures, better known in the Pacific Northwest as the “Leaky Condo Disaster” resulted in consumer confidence dropping to such an all-time low, the entire real estate market was adversely affected.
Lately, however, with a red-hot real estate market and record low interest rates, as well as a change in municipal inspection procedures and improvements to building practices in building envelope design, condominium buyers are entering the market again.
Although it might seem that it’s back to business as usual for the condo developers, there has been a dramatic shift in buyers’ attitudes. They now have huge expectations for quality construction. Customers are expecting to be treated well and to have trouble-free homes delivered to them. It is not enough any more to merely satisfy customers, builders have to amaze them!
Another consequence of these expectations is that many new homebuyers are turning to professional home inspectors experienced in dealing with new construction to assist them in identifying and documenting construction defects in the homes they are purchasing.
Vera Blackwell of Victoria’s Building Insights has found that the demand for third-party inspections of new construction units has given her home inspection business a completely new direction. According to Blackwell “Three years ago the demand for inspections of new houses and apartments was practically non-existent. Today, almost a third of the calls I get are requests for new construction inspections”.
Blackwell states “It is a myth perpetuated by some builders that a buyer must accept a new construction product with a list of 60 or 100 deficiencies and that call-backs are the norm rather than the exception! Buyers do not need to be educated on the “realities of construction” - that is, to have their expectations lowered and to expect disappointment. Buyers should not have to compromise on quality issues or to lower their expectations for quality buildings. It is the responsibility of the builders to meet the expectations of the buyers.
Buyers should not have to expect to take possession of a house or condo with a mile-long list of call-backs or deficiency items. If there are many visible deficiencies on the small things, imaginations tend to run wild speculating on what possible defects can exist behind the surface!”
Not all builders give their performance standards in writing to their buyers. Some builders do not seem to have a clear idea of what their performance standards ought to be. They rely on what is commonly referred to as the “Industry Standard”. If you try to get a definition of “Industry Standard”, you will discover there is none where quality is concerned. Homebuyers set the standard by their level of acceptance of defects; but extracting a promise from the builder to make the necessary repairs or replacements often takes more expertise and nerve than many buyers can muster on their own.”
Blackwell, who accompanies buyers on pre-occupancy inspections, regularly finds defects which otherwise would not been discovered until after the buyers move in. She says “damaged flooring and cabinetry, scratched window glass, unfinished or damaged paint on walls and woodwork are not uncommon. We have saved our clients thousands of dollars and enormous amounts of anxiety by highlighting the problems before the sale is completed.
Builders can gain customer satisfaction by offering products and services that meet customer needs and perform well from the customer’s point of view. Homebuilding is a service business and builders need to listen to the voice of their customers.
Many builders are committed to the quality process but seem to need a break-through to reach levels of quality and customer satisfaction they expect. A builder cannot deliver a zero-defect product if not all levels of the construction team are on the same wavelength and working together toward a quality product. “That’s where we can come in,” says Blackwell, “Builders can hire us as Quality Assurance inspectors to compile lists of deficiencies and patent defects and to report on the performance of each trade before units are presented to new owners. The superintendent can then be left to manage the site.
At the outset of the project, the selection of suppliers and trades should support zero-defect construction goals. Trades and suppliers should have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and what level of performance quality they must meet. Only the trade contractors - the ones actually doing the building - are in a position to build it right the first time. This places the emphasis on controlling the activities of the trade contractors to ensure a reliable building process.”
Delivering the home 100% complete – nothing says “quality control” to homebuyers like a pre-occupancy walk-through with no deficiency items. Customers are truly impressed and feel that the builder has acted in their best interest to protect them. They enter the warranty period confident that there will be few or no problems to fix. Builder call-backs are greatly reduced when buyers are happy, and satisfied customers will translate into repeat sales. Only a total commitment to quality will assure builders a competitive edge!
Blackwell predicts that the trend in the future will be for builders and developers to make a greater effort to deliver zero-defect homes to meet the ever-increasing customer expectations. Builders totally committed to quality will be more productive and efficient and will even enjoy higher profits.
For more information on new construction inspections, call Vera Blackwell at 250-592-3544
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