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February 20, 2008
Green or Not Green: Which 'Trail' Did you Choose? Two Trails, Inc. Celebrates 8 Years of Green Building Consulting
Two Trails, Inc. was pushing the construction industry forward into a new realm before the term "green" was commonplace. Today, it is a widely accepted term for environmentally sustainable construction practices. However, 8 years ago it was only through perseverance that a company focused on Green Building techniques could remain in business. In fact, there was no demand for it in the marketplace.
Sarasota, FL (PRWEB) February 20, 2008 -- When Drew and Debbie Smith dedicated themselves to a little known cause called "Green Building", the term "Green" was just a color in the crayon box. Today, it stands for saving natural resources, energy efficiency and saving money. Two Trails, Inc. -- Green Building Consulting was a dream that needed to become a reality, now 8 years later the trail to success is lush. Two Trails, Inc. has become one of the leaders in the Green Building Industry, by developing programs that help a builder or developer take their projects green through a turnkey process. For more information on Two Trails visit our website at http://www.twotrails.net.
The slowing of residential building allowed builders and developers the time to explore innovations in their industry. Green Building incorporates new technologies within the building process. Two Trails initial focus was to work with supporting industries to help them understand how changing their products can start a domino effect of change within an entire industry. Two Trails developed systems of support for the life cycle of a project.
Some consultants take a piece-meal approach when it comes to greening a project. Two Trails looks at a project as a sustainable entity that will outlast the current generation, it is like taking a step back in time and developing a system for creating an heirloom. The project becomes more than just a residential or commercial project. Residential properties become affordable, durable homes, better built to withstand the elements and use or reuse natural resources. Commercial projects become healthy work or learning environments. Developments incorporate new urbanism designs, creating green lifestyle communities that benefit those who chose to work or live within the project.
Green Solutions:
An example of one such project is University Town Center in Sarasota, FL by Benderson Development Corporation; this development will redefine what is considered "green" in the development world. Alternative fuel vehicles, parks within parking areas, residential homes mixed with commercial space, mass transportation areas to move people seamlessly are some strategies being incorporated. It is a new urbanism approach but taken to a new level of environmental awareness.
"Working on a LEED high-rise twin towers project in Miami has been exciting," stated Drew Smith, President of Two Trails, Inc. "We have done high-rise residential projects before but this project has pushed our team to really think outside of our knowledge base to discover new innovations. The world of green building is ever changing; it is our job to find those new solutions."
Two Trails clientele is impressive, but the projects themselves are innovative in the field of Green Building. In Florida, Two Trails, Inc. is considered a household name in Green Building. Drew Smith, the founding president of the Florida Green Building Coalition, played a key role in the development of many of the recognized green standards used to certify projects. As Two Trails grew, it gave him the opportunity to find those projects, which push the envelope in design, technologies and innovation.
With over 100+ homes at any given time in the certification process, it takes a highly trained team to track and evaluate each project. One of the unique projects is a LEED Platinum School, Learning Gate School, which will have existing buildings next to the new green certified structures. This will allow for a real-life comparison of healthy learning environments. The student body will also be kept separate to ensure accurate data can be obtained. Nevertheless, the part that sets this project apart is the fact that students are all learning about the features and benefits of the new classrooms! They are excited, enthusiastic learners that will carry this experience with them as they make choices in their living environment in the future.
Two Trails, Inc. tailored green building solutions, is a winning combination that has resulted in Two Trails working with a diverse client base including U.S. Government agencies, small and mid-sized businesses, schools and non-profit agencies.
Two Trails, Inc. is unique in their ability to assess needs, identify strengths, and design services that will enhance each client's unique circumstance. Their approach works in tandem to provide education for sales teams, marketing assistance and preventative maintenance solutions to ensure the sustainability of green features well into the future.
Green Building University:
Recognizing the need for continued education of sales teams and technical professionals Two Trails, Inc. added a new division to bring education of not only green building, but global environmental thinking of green lifestyles. Green Building University was created as a resource for green building content. All of our trainers and speakers have real life experience in the green construction world, commanding respect from their peers for their foresight and clarity to help propel green building to the forefront of an industry steeped in tradition. They each bring their own unique experiences to enhance educational presentations, seminars, conventions, keynote, and training programs. Courses are available on-line at http://www.greenbuildinguniversity.com or in person depending on the type of learning experience desired.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:49 PM | Comments (0)
Renaissance Lighting Names New CEO to Drive Aggressive Growth Strategy
Barry Weinbaum to Lead Pioneering Innovator of Solid-State LED Architectural Lighting
Herndon, VA (Vocus/PRWEB ) February 20, 2008 -- In a move designed to ultimately help transform the lighting industry, Renaissance Lighting (www.renaissancelighting.com), a pioneering innovator of solid-state LED architectural lighting, has named Barry Weinbaum, 49, chief executive officer and director.
Weinbaum, a 28-year high-tech industry veteran with extensive experience in growing communications, nanotechnology, components, consumer products, semi-conductors, software and wireless enterprises, has melded extensive large and small corporate experiences with business and technical acumen and the spirit of a serial entrepreneur.
“In the solid-state lighting space, Renaissance Lighting’s technological creativity and innovation are unparalleled,” said company Chairman George P. Crowley, Jr. “Now, with Barry Weinbaum at the helm, we have the best possible combination of talent and product in place to expand the company’s footprint, rapidly grow our customer base and revenues, and exponentially increase shareholder value.”
Renaissance Lighting’s patented lighting systems are preferred by architects and space designers using a technique which blends light from multiple LEDs (light-emitting diodes) in order to produce the industry’s purest single light source.
The company’s environmentally friendly "green" technology is separated further from the competition through the integration of internal sensors which constantly monitor and adjust light output and color. These same sensors have the ability to activate sleeper LEDs that compensate for the gradual degradation of a fixture’s original LEDs during their 50,000-to-70,000-hour life span.
From 2001 until its acquisition in 2007, Weinbaum served as president and CEO of NanoOpto, the leading supplier worldwide for nanoscale optical components. Previously, Weinbaum had a 21-year career at Lucent Technologies and AT&T, where his most recent position was vice president in the Optical Networking Group. Highlights of his accomplishments at Lucent included a turnaround of the Dense Wave Digital Multiplexing (DWDM) Long-Haul Optical Systems Business, directing the mergers and acquisition team for the Optical Networking Business Unit, leading the wireless enterprise PBX and voice response businesses to global leadership, and pioneering the customer relationship management (CRM) business. Weinbaum started his career as an engineer with Bell Laboratories.
About Renaissance Lighting
Renaissance Lighting, headquartered in Herndon, VA, produces highly creative lighting products delivering exceptional appearance, superior efficiency, and glare-free illumination for all architectural applications. The company’s innovative approach to product engineering and design is supported by 27 patents including its optical and feedback control technologies.
Media Contact:
Joe Arimond
ECI Communications
847-381-1205
joseph.k.arimond @ ecicommunications
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:46 PM | Comments (0)
Spring Clean Your Garage: Decorative Coatings Customize Your Garage Floor
Decorative garage floor coatings are a popular, new trend among homeowners and designers. ConcreteNetwork.com offers an extensive and educational overview of the advantages and features of incorporating decorative floor coatings in the home, specifically for garage floors.
Yucaipa, CA (PRWEB) February 20, 2008 -- Garage floors are often not the first area you think of when you're ready to remodel your home, but a growing number of homeowners and designers are focusing their attention on these often forgotten spaces. Known for their utilitarian purposes for parking cars and storing household items and tools, customizing residential garages is a growing trend that seems to have started in the southwest, where mild weather encouraged people to spend time in their garages.
Today, garages have taken a more prominent place in the design of homes, often built to house three vehicles, and more often than not attached to the home. The Concrete Network, the largest and most comprehensive source for concrete information on the web, offers extensive information on garage floor coatings. The section details everything from available design options for updating your garage floors, floor preparation tips, installation guidelines, and care and maintenance tips.
Also known as, garage floor painting, these coatings increases resiliency to stains and hot tire marks that can often be left behind when driving over an unfinished, concrete floor. Garage floor coverings have the versatility to go with any style of décor, the available design options are limitless and caring for and maintaining your garage floor coating is simple. Maintenance consists of using a soft broom or dust mop daily, or for a thorough cleaning, washing the floor with a neutral cleaner, followed with a good rinsing. The end result is a beautiful floor with looks similar to granite or terrazzo.
Read more about concrete.
Established in 1999, The Concrete Network's purpose is to educate consumers, builders, and contractors on popular decorative techniques and applications. These include stamped concrete, stained concrete floors, concrete countertops, polished concrete, and much more. In 2007 The Concrete Network Website had over 11 million visitors researching decorative concrete.
The site excels at connecting buyers with local contractors in their area through its Find a Concrete Contractor service. The service provides visitors with a list of decorative concrete contractors throughout the U.S. and Canada, and is fully searchable by 23 types of decorative concrete work and 202 regional areas throughout North America.
Attached photos courtesy of Yezco Decorative Concrete.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:46 PM | Comments (0)
Buy Railings.com Raises the Bar with the Launch of their New Website
Buy Railings, a company offering various components and tubing for the highest quality railings, now offers even more options for their customers with the launch of their new website, BuyRailings.com.
Danbury, CT (PRWEB) February 20, 2008 -- Buy Railings proudly announces the launch of their new website, BuyRailings.com, which provides an online shop for the public to purchase their high quality materials direct. Buy Railings is located out of Danbury, CT where they provide consumers with the highest quality of railing products around. Their rails, brackets, and fittings are the exact same as those that are found in popular restaurants, bars, airports, hotels and office buildings. That means they are quality assured, and suitable not only for commercial use, but for residential wear and tear, as well.
Their main focus as a business is to provide the highest quality of railings and components out there. They know how trying it can be to install brackets that don't line up properly, or deal with fittings that don't actually fit. To eliminate that frustration, they carefully specify and rigorously inspect their products to ensure accurate fit and professional finish. They even work directly with foundries and mills around the world to ensure satisfaction in those areas.
Another feature that assures their railings are superior is the fact they craft their products to meet the expectations of the most discriminating customers. Most all of the brass items they sell are actually solid brass, their stainless steel items are 304 grade solid stainless steel, and their chrome finished items are produced with the finest plating over steel or brass. What is even better is that their products will maintain their beauty and aesthetic appeal with minimal care for many years to come.
Buy Railings launched their new website in order to offer another shopping option for their "railing patrons." It is a very user friendly site for anyone to navigate because everything is so clearly mapped out. A customer can easily go to the home page and find exactly what they are looking for--and then some. They make it simple to find components or rails for any projects, and the projects go beyond regular stair rails. They offer items for specialty projects like bathrooms, curtain rails and more.
Their website presents easy methods of contact for anyone with questions or concerns about the products they sell, ordering, or shipping and handling. The contact page requires only a few short minutes of time to fill out, or for those who prefer more traditional means of communication, a phone number is also listed. In either case, a professional is waiting to assist with any needs a customer has.
For more information on BuyRailings.com please do not hesitate to visit their website at www.BuyRailings.com.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:44 PM | Comments (0)
Lee Technologies Joins the Green Grid
Membership extends commitment to incorporating energy efficiency best practices into full lifecycle of support and services for mission critical facilities
Fairfax, VA (PRWEB) February 20, 2008 -- Lee Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of solutions which enable commercial enterprises and public sector agencies to avoid disaster and mitigate risk to their physical infrastructures, today announced that it has joined The Green Grid, a global consortium dedicated to advancing energy efficiency in data centers and business computing ecosystems. The Green Grid will seek to provide industry-wide recommendations on best practices, metrics and technologies that will improve overall data center energy efficiencies.
"Lee Technologies' membership in The Green Grid reflects our commitment to incorporating energy efficient best practices into our full life cycle of support and services," said Bob Woolley, VP, Facility Operations & Quality Systems, Lee Technologies. "We enthusiastically support The Green Grid's mission to develop innovative yet quantifiable standards, processes and technologies that enable environmental sustainability in the data center."
Lee Technologies' complete lifecycle of solutions can be custom-fit to the energy efficiency requirements of an organization's mission-critical facilities, with services including: mission-critical assessments, design/construction management, equipment procurement, integration, commissioning, operations & maintenance, on-site staffing and remote monitoring.
"Working with industry leaders dedicated to forward-thinking energy efficient practices will benefit every touch point within the data center ecosystem, and Lee looks forward to helping advance these efforts," added George Newstrom, President and Chief Operating Officer, Lee Technologies.
About Lee Technologies:
Founded in 1983, Lee Technologies protects technology infrastructure from disaster for some of the world's most demanding government agencies, Fortune 1000 companies, and IT-dependent firms of all sizes. By ensuring that their mission-critical technology resources are always available -- 24/7/365 - Lee Technologies empowers its customers with infrastructure peace-of-mind, enabling them to focus on accomplishing their core business objectives.
Lee Technologies' services and solutions enable clients to power, protect, monitor and maintain the physical infrastructure on which mission-critical facilities depend. From risk analysis, infrastructure assessments, design and construction management, integration and commissioning to monitoring, facility staffing and maintenance, Lee Technologies offers its customers a single source for eliminating downtime in their facilities.
Lee Technologies is headquartered in the Washington, DC metroplex where it operates a state-of-the-art National Operations Center, and has offices in Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:43 PM | Comments (0)
RidgeLogic Selected by USAV Group to Present at Digital Signage University
RidgeLogic to educate attendees about single location uses of digital signage.
Buffalo, NY (PRWEB) February 20, 2008 -- RidgeLogic Development, a developer of digital signage software for single locations, has been selected by the USAV Group, a national alliance of professional audio/visual experts, to present at the groups second annual Digital Signage University in Las Vegas on February 26th, which is the day before the industry's largest trade event, Digital Signage Expo.
Digital Signage University is a training program available to the USAV Group's 26 dealer members, representing 48 locations across the United States. RidgeLogic will educate attendees about the digital signage marketplace, their SceneStudio content management software, and how to leverage the easy-to-use application to succeed in one-off sales opportunities.
"The USAV Group is providing their dealer members the tools required to succeed in the digital signage market and we're excited to participate in the training program," says Jack Boyczuk, President of RidgeLogic. "We believe single location uses of digital signage, like corporate and hotel lobbies, are going to experience significant growth and professional audio/visual dealers are well positioned to win these types of deals."
SceneStudio, RidgeLogic's flagship product, provides resellers an affordable price point allowing them to expand into new markets, like small-to-medium business. In addition, the intuitive user interface allows non-technical people the ability to create or maintain the message on a daily basis, keeping the operating cost low, resulting in the lowest possible total cost of ownership.
About RidgeLogic:
RidgeLogic Development provides digital signage software applications, content design and programming services to meet the specific needs of end users, resellers and OEM partners. RidgeLogic is committed to allowing its consumers to utilize non-technical personnel to create or edit content and schedule it for playback, resulting in a digital signage solution that stays fresh and relevant.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:42 PM | Comments (0)
Could You Be Hurting Your Blacktop Surface By Seal-Coating Every Year?
St. Louis-based Creve Coeur Paving debunks myths pertaining to maintenance of asphalt pavements. Are you wasting money, or possibly even shortening the lifespan of your blacktop? To help shed light on the subject, Richard Dinkela II will outline the key points of when, how, why, and who you should plan on maintaining your pavement.
St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) February 20, 2008 -- In the past decade as our workforce loses out to foreign competition, many people have decided to go into business for themselves. A very easy and lucrative business is asphalt sealing. A person can get started with as little investment as a couple hundred dollars and no experience. This has led to even more problems in an industry that is already marked with scars from bad ethics and scrupulous scams. Until wide spread use of the Internet, consumers have been limited to educating themselves regarding pavement maintenance through the actual installers. The problem is, most of the installers have little knowledge themselves.
Let's explore and offer some answers to the most common questions:
1.) Q. Should seal coating be performed on an annual basis?
A. No. Sealing your surface too much can lead to many problems. Many seal coating installers will lead you to believe otherwise. However, the first two coats of sealer applied to your asphalt are what really protect it. Anything after this is usually for cosmetic purposes. Sealer applied annually tends to crack and flake after about 10 years of annual applications. This may influence the owner to resurface prematurely. To sum up, too much maintenance is not a good return on investment. Other problems caused by over sealing are tracking, creating slippery surfaces, and a smaller balance in your checkbook.
2.) Q. Is it better to apply sealer in hot weather?
A. No. While this is true for paving, it's not appropriate for sealing. Remember, asphalt can get so hot under the hot summer sun; it can nearly burn your skin. This also causes the sealer to dry too quickly. When sealer dries too quickly it can peel, flake, or get a streaky finish. If you must apply sealer in temperatures above 90 degrees, it's a good idea to spray the surface with a light mist of water first. This will cool the surface considerably. Ideal air temperatures are between 50 and 80 degrees.
3.) Q. Sealer is all the same, why shouldn't I choose a less expensive bid?
A. There are far more variables to the seal coating industry than consumers realize. Most directly influence the differences in quoted prices. First off, sealer is water based. Therefore it can be diluted to save money, or not diluted to provide a more superior product. Unfortunately, there is hardly any way to tell what the water content is in sealer. Most applications will have an average of 10%-25% water dilution rate. This is acceptable. Consumers should choose a reputable contractor. Usually a good installer will be more expensive because he doesn't over dilute his material, he may use additives which greatly improve the sealer, he has all the required insurances and licensing to be in business, pays his trained employees a fair wage to do a good job, and will stand behind the work. Shoddy contractors almost never have any insurance, offer a low price to get a large volume of work, hire cheap inexperienced labor, dilute the material heavily, and will never offer any guarantees once paid.
4.) Q. Surface cracks always come back, so why bother filling them?
A. Inexperienced or unethical contractors will shy away from filling cracks. It is important to fill cracks especially in climates that are subjected to freezing temperatures. Water can cause damage to pavement if permitted to get down into the pores of blacktop. Qualified installers will know exactly the best solution to treat cracks.
5.) Q. Why do I need to seal my surface? After all, the interstates don't get sealed.
A. Although your surface may be comprised of similar materials as the highway, it is subjected to much different uses than a highway. Highways don't get sealed because they carry a large volume of high-speed single direction traffic. This has a polishing effect on the surface, which will naturally repel water from being soaked into the pavement. Your surface is subjected to slow moving, heavy loads, or constant maneuvering of vehicles. Asphalt can realize a longer lifespan by sealing because it keeps water or damaging chemicals from penetrating into its pores.
6.) Q. Can I save some money by doing it myself?
A. At one point, some courageous homeowners (and very few commercial property owners) will try to personally seal coat their pavement. Stop for a second and add up the total costs you will incur by undertaking this project. Sealer by the pale costs 4-5 times more at improvement stores (and usually is not of the same quality). Tools available to homeowners are often expensive and not up to the task. Figure on ruining a whole outfit from your shoes all the way to gloves. You may have to persuade somebody to help you, which could cost additional money. On average this will take you four to five times longer than a professional. On a 1,200 square foot driveway you can expect to fork out around $300.00 for the supplies listed above. That doesn't include what you would make hourly at your job. Plus it is highly doubtful that you would do half as good a job as a professional. By today's rates, most professional jobs will range between $180.00 and $320.00.
7.) Q. Should the sealer be applied by spray or squeegee?
A. Here is another reason you should rely on a real professional to come up with a solution for your specific needs. Both application types are suitable under the right circumstances. There is no "one size fits all" method of seal coating. A true professional will determine the process based off of age, degree of deterioration, climate, expected use, budget, term of ownership, obstacles, and how many coats already exist on the pavement.
The main point of this article is to influence the consumer to research and make an educated decision when maintaining asphalt surfaces. Do not make an impulsive decision based solely on price. The first thing you should do is be sure your contractor has an upstanding report with the BBB. Make sure they are well established by investigating whether they have a local advertisement in the yellow pages or a website. It also wouldn't hurt to get several bids, and check references on all of them. Keep in mind you usually get what you pay for.
A well-paved blacktop surface can last 20 years if maintained on proper intervals. Save money by hiring a reputable, paving or sealing contractor. They can develop a strategy to maintain your pavement. Spending a little more now, can save you a lot down the road.
Creve Coeur Paving:
A St. Louis based; family owned paving company focused on delivering the best possible solutions for its clients. Motivated by the company's highly regarded work ethic, it's owners and employees have been striving for perfection in paving for over thirty years. "Our Reputation Rides On Our Service."
Contact:
Richard Dinkela II, Operations
Creve Coeur Paving
314-427-3303
http://ccpstl.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=8&Itemid=51
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:41 PM | Comments (0)
TruStile Doors Leads a Revolution in Green Design
When it comes to Green building, doors are an essential, but often overlooked, detail. Denver-based TruStile® Doors now offers over 350 styles of premium, eco-friendly MDF doors that are SCS certified to contain 82 percent recycled content. TruStile's design-oriented MDF doors are a cost-effective solution for residential and commercial Green builders.
Denver (PRWEB) February 20, 2008 -- In a housing market struggling to recover from decline, Green builders are experiencing an unprecedented revolution of growth. A leader in the Green building movement, Denver-based TruStile® Doors is educating builders, architects and consumers about the impact they are making on sustainability, healthful living and high design in an industry where doors are often overlooked as a Green building component.
"TruStile's MDF doors have been Green since our company started back in 1995," says Vice President of Marketing Chuck Tamblyn. "As a progressive company building a premium brand in the building products space, we made the strategic decision long ago to create design-oriented doors with eco-friendly construction. It's exciting to see so many builders and homeowners joining the Green revolution and realizing the critical role that doors play in renewable, sustainable development."
Susan Davis, a TruStile enthusiast, Green builder and owner of Spectrum Fine Homes in Mountain View, Calif., believes TruStile is at the industry forefront for sustainable building due to the company's variety of customizable, eco-friendly door options. "I love using the TruStile MDF product for interior and exterior doors for many reasons, including its Green options. The doors are built with stile and rail construction, but are still environmentally friendly -- from the recycled MDF content to the low-emitting binders and no-added formaldehyde option," says Davis. "I also love the fact that there are so many standard designs and options to customize."
TruStile recently provided Davis's company with unique exterior and interior door designs for a $500,000 Green-design remodel in Silicon Valley. "Doing the same old, same old gets tiring," says Davis. "With TruStile we can do something unique and different with the exterior, interior, glass and resin options, while maintaining design continuity throughout the home."
As a leading manufacturer of solid MDF doors made with true stile and rail construction, TruStile is certified by SCS® (Scientific Certification Systems) for using 82 percent recycled content in their MDF door construction, making them ideal for Green builders seeking LEED® certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. "TruStile MDF doors allow Green builders to adhere to sustainable building practices without sacrificing aesthetics or design flexibility," says Jason Mounts, Director of Marketing. "Our signature stile and rail MDF construction delivers an affordable, design-savvy product constructed with premium, eco-friendly materials and finished with superior architectural detailing. And, with our new MDF reclamation process, scrap MDF is ground up and donated to a number of agricultural partners for livestock bedding and other uses."
"People spend thousands of dollars on Green materials like reclaimed bamboo flooring and recycled dimension stone," says Mounts. "But the reality is that doors are found in every room in the home. TruStile eco-friendly doors are a comparatively cost-effective design choice, and have a huge architectural influence on homes and workspaces. Designers are pleased to discover that they don't have to sacrifice style for substance when it comes to our Green product line."
About TruStile® Doors
Based in Denver, TruStile Doors is a leading manufacturer of residential and commercial architectural doors in medium density fiberboard (MDF) and natural wood. With a made-to-order manufacturing process, TruStile offers customers style, selection and design flexibility with more than 350 styles and the ability to fulfill any custom design. TruStile's full-line of interior and exterior doors can be individually tailored to reflect personal design styles, adding beauty and character to any project. TruStile provides the shortest lead times in the industry and limited lifetime product warranties. For more information, visit www.trustile.com.
For More Information Contact:
Jason Mounts
Director of Marketing
720.322.8345
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:39 PM | Comments (0)
United-Bilt Homes, Inc. Celebrates 50 Years in Business
United-Bilt Homes is closing out its first 50 years with a bang reporting its highest revenue ever, and confidently planning increased production for the months and years ahead.
(PRWEB) February 20, 2008 -- United-Bilt Homes is closing out its first 50 years with a bang reporting its highest revenue ever, and confidently planning increased production for the months and years ahead.
United-Bilt Homes officially incorporated in Louisiana on February 13, 1958. The company grew out of a building supply business, and began to construct homes in the Shreveport area; then quickly expanded into several surrounding states. Since its inception, United-Bilt Homes has constructed over 30,000 homes in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Specializing in on-your-land construction of new homes, United-Bilt Homes and its affiliates own and operate their own lumberyard which supplies all of United-Bilt Homes’ building projects. This vertical integration and ability to buy materials in bulk directly from suppliers enables United-Bilt Homes to pass unsurpassed savings and quality onto the consumer.
“One of our major lumber suppliers reports that United-Bilt Homes is their only customer which showed an increase in purchases over last year with orders up by 11%,” says Donald R. Pitts, President. “Our strong sales performance is a testament to our 50-year reputation for providing quality, affordable homes. We are continually developing new floor plans to meet the changing needs and wants of our customers, and we’re especially proud to be building homes for 2nd and 3rd generations.”
Additionally, United-Bilt Homes’ financial services make it easy for buyers to afford a custom-built home on their land. Qualified buyers can purchase a home with no money down, no payments for 6 months, no fees or points, and receive insurance for their first year of ownership.
United-Bilt Homes and its affiliates are privately owned and operated with corporate offices in Shreveport, Louisiana and Springdale, Arkansas.
United-Bilt Homes has sales offices in the following cities:
Arkansas: Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Harrison, Jonesboro, and Little Rock
Louisiana: Baton Rouge, Bossier City, and Monroe
Missouri: Springfield
Oklahoma: Tulsa
Texas: Austin, Beaumont, Dallas, Houston, Sherman, Texarkana, and Tyler
Visit www.ubh.com for more information.
Contact:
Susan Idlet
Marketing Manager
479.872.3811
susan.idlet @ ubh.com
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:39 PM | Comments (0)
HCSS Adds Safety Feature to its HeavyJob Field Management Software
Helps Construction Companies Promote Worker Safety
HOUSTON (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) February 20, 2008 -- HCSS (www.hcss.com) has introduced a new, easy-to-use safety capability to its popular HeavyJob® Field Management Software. The new capability enables construction companies to plan safety goals by employee and track them quickly and electronically in software that foremen/superintendents are already using.
Tracking safety information traditionally has been paper-intensive, with valuable information stored in boxes to be used only when an incident occurs. “This new software takes safety information capture and retrieval to an entirely new level,” said Mike Rydin, HCSS president.
Types of safety training, including individual subjects, can be set up for use as a pick-list throughout the company. Each class of employee can then be set up with goals specific to that class. For example, an underground utility foreman might be required to attend 10 “tool-box” meetings per year on trenchbox safety and other subjects to help guarantee that he has sufficient knowledge to protect his workers.
As foremen use HeavyJob daily to enter timecards, diary notes and other field information, they can quickly record safety meetings using an electronic form that describes a meeting’s topic and length and the employees who attended it. Since the foreman’s crew is already in the computer, logging employee attendance takes only a few seconds. Company safety personnel can use that information to identify employees who have attained the required amount of training and those who might be deficient. Besides field personnel, the software also handles safety requirements for professionals and executives.
“HeavyJob’s new safety capability helps construction companies live up to their commitment to a ‘culture of safety,’” Rydin explained. “By setting goals and making it easy to monitor those goals, gaps in education can be addressed quickly. If an incident occurs, management has the information at their fingertips to show exactly what kind of training and education has occurred.”
Besides tracking the time of meetings, the software also records meeting cost. The total amount spent on safety education by the entire company is readily available if those numbers are needed by its insurance company, OSHA or in court.
About HeavyJob
HeavyJob is complete job-tracking software that transforms jobsite information into valuable management information on a daily basis. Construction companies use HeavyJob to record labor and equipment hours, progress quantities, major-material receipt and usage and daily notes. That information is instantly available throughout the company in the form of time cards, payroll hours, equipment-usage analysis, material analysis and notes.
For Information
For information about HeavyJob and its safety capability, contact HCSS at www.hcss.com, 800-683-3196 or info@hcss.com.
About HCSS
Founded in 1986, HCSS develops HeavyBid® Estimating Software; HeavyJob® Field Management Software; and The Dispatcher™ Resource Management Software. HCSS sets the standard for estimating and field management and dispatching software for the infrastructure construction industry, with instant 24-hour technical support, on-site training by veteran contractors and annual user’s group meetings attended by hundreds of contractors. Thousands of contractors, bidding in excess of $300 billion per year, rely on HCSS products for their ease of use, speed and precision in performing estimating, field management and dispatching activities.
HCSS is located at 6200 Savoy, Suite 1100, Houston, TX 77036. For more information about HCSS and its complete line of estimating, field management and dispatching products, visit www.hcss.com, call 800-683-3196 or e-mail info@hcss.com.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:37 PM | Comments (0)
The Bluffs on the Cape Fear is Top Selling Community in 2007
Grand Opening of Blackbeard’s Forest to Kick Off 2008
BRUNSWICK COUNTY, N.C. (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) February 20, 2008 -- According to county tax records, The Bluffs on the Cape Fear closed more homesites than any other preconstruction community in either Brunswick or New Hanover county in 2007. The Bluffs on the Cape Fear is a new 600-acre, gated, fully-amenitized, dockable, waterfront community located off of Dogwood Road in Leland.
The Bluffs closed 181 homesites in 2007, totaling $28.3 million in sales. This brings total sales to $51.6 million for the 386 homesites sold since the community’s Grand Opening in mid-2006. The Bluffs’ sales and marketing company, Vision Producers, Inc. of Wilmington, N.C., attributes the success to the community’s scenic location on the Cape Fear River, the land planning and nature preservation philosophy, extensive amenity package, conservative pricing, close proximity to historic downtown Wilmington, and significant progress in infrastructure and amenity construction.
“The Cape Fear area has recently been recognized by several national publications and organizations for experiencing a large amount of growth, as well as being a desirable place to live, and The Bluffs is proud to be a part of the excitement,” said Judd Arnold, President of Vision Producers, Inc. “The Bluffs team is extremely grateful for all of those who have helped us to earn this position, and we look forward to continuing to provide an exceptional place to live in the renowned Cape Fear area as we enter 2008.”
The Bluffs is releasing Blackbeard’s Forest, a selection of premier wooded, and dockable, waterfront homesites, on April 26th and 27th, 2008. This will be the community’s fourth release. “Every one of our Grand Opening events has been a great success,” said David Swain, President of Wilmington-based developer Swain & Associates, and a partner in The Bluffs on the Cape Fear development. “The guests aren’t only impressed by our community when they visit, but they fall in love with the area and have a great time at our events.”
The Sim family bought a homesite at The Bluffs in 2007 and plans to visit again for the Spring event. “We were tired of the cold snowy weather, rising taxes and traffic of New Jersey,” said Cathy Sim. “When we decided to look for a safe place to continue raising our children, the Wilmington area had the close proximity to water that we were looking for. We soon realized that The Bluffs’ beautiful location along the Cape Fear River was the place we wanted to call home.”
When complete, The Bluffs on the Cape Fear will offer more than 700 homesites in a variety of environments, including riverfront, lakefront, and nature. Amenities include extensive nature trails and parks; a Private Beach Club on Oak Island; a 6,000 square foot Lakeside Clubhouse uniquely built to extend over one of the many community lakes; a fitness center; a media center; indoor and outdoor swimming pools; lighted HarTrue tennis courts; a waterfront park with boat launch facility; a proposed 40-slip marina; gaming areas with bocce ball and horseshoe pits; boat and RV storage; close proximity to renowned area beaches; and over 40 golf courses within a 40-mile radius. More information is available at www.thebluffsnc.com or by calling the sales office at 866-725-8337.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:37 PM | Comments (0)
National Study Determines FedEx Delivers Winning Ad Featuring Carrier Pigeons During Super Bowl XLII
The advertisements featured on the Super Bowl are almost as exciting as the game itself. FedEx delivered with one of the fan favorites with a national ad featuring carrier pigeons.
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) February 20, 2008 -- With Super Bowl ads a big draw during the Super Bowl XLII, FedEx came up on top with a national survey conducted by HCD Research showed it was a favorite of the viewers. The ad also ranked second on USA Today's 20th Annual Ad Meter.
The Carrier Pigeons advertisement is a spoof set in an office environment that shows the short of chaos that ensues when people try to devise new ways to deliver packages. Of course, carrier pigeons figured prominently in the ad.
"As a pigeon lover, I thought this ad was clever and fun," comments Dave Jones from Deterapigeon. "My company manufactures pigeon control methods, so I am always happy when pigeons are seen in a positive light amongst the public."
With so many excellent Super Bowl commercials, Fed Ex must be pleased with the positive response to their ad. According to news reports before the Super Bowl, FedEx chose to keep a tight lid on the commercial until it aired during the game.
"I just hope that this ad gets people talking positively about pigeons for a change. Recently, there has been so much negativity surrounding pigeon control methods like birth control and fining people heavily for feeding pigeons," Jones comments. "It's nice to see something featuring pigeons that isn't negative."
Anyone interested in viewing the top Super Bowl commercial can visit YouTube. Those interested in learning more about humane pigeon control methods for commercial and residential buildings should visit www.deterapigeon.com.
ABOUT DETERAPIGEON
For 10 years, Deterapigeon has been a leader in safe pigeon spike solutions in the UK. In 1995, David Jones, Director of Deterapigeon invented and patented the Defender 4 pigeon spikes which safely deter pigeons without harming them. This still remains the only pest control product recommended by the Pigeon Control Advisory Service (PiCAS).
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:36 PM | Comments (0)
Eberl Iron Works Launches Online Store
George and Frank Eberl today announce the launching of their online store at http://store.eberliron.com with over 2,500 products. The store was developed in-house by Eberl Iron Works, Inc. and is designed to meet the needs of the expanding non-commercial market when they look for support and traffic safety products online.
Buffalo, NY (PRWEB) February 20, 2008 -- George and Frank Eberl today announce the launching of their online store at http://store.eberliron.com with over 2,500 products. The store was developed in-house by Eberl Iron Works, Inc. and is designed to meet the needs of the expanding non-commercial market when they look for support and traffic safety products online. This website provides a fully functional e-commerce portal to make buying small and medium quantities of support and traffic safety products quick and efficient. ""Frank and I are excited about how our online store will add a new revenue stream to our business and allow for market expansion, says George J. Eberl, Co-owner of Eberl Iron Works, Inc. "The internet will enable us to offer our products and first-rate customer service to a larger variety of customers that may not have found us otherwise". Eberl Iron Works, Inc. is a family owned business located in downtown Buffalo, NY since 1923.
The new store allows Eberl Iron Works and Unistrut Buffalo to market their products across the country and cater to the facility & maintenance, security, education, medical and purchasing marketplaces among others. The first in their industry with an online marketplace, Eberl Iron Works offers the following products available 24/7.
Unistrut Channels and Parts
Food Grade Strut
Lindapter Structural Fastening System
Pipe and Conduit Supports
Rooftop Supports
Traffic Safety Products
About Eberl Iron Works, Inc.
Eberl Iron Works, Inc has four Divisions headquartered in Buffalo, New York (NY). The Metal Fabrication Division has over 80 years of experience in the custom fabrication of metal sheets and plates. The Unistrut Buffalo Division sells Unistrut metal framing and Grip Strut expanded metal safety grating. The Traffic Safety Products Division sells traffic control products, street sign post equipment and parking lot safety supplies. The System Installation Division designs and installs Fall Arrest safety systems and Unistrut medical supports. Eberl Iron Works has served its customers with unbeatable quality and exceptional service since 1923.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:35 PM | Comments (0)
"Pulse on America" Show to Feature CTS Cement
Rapid-Strength, Durable Concrete Repair Products
(PRWEB) February 20, 2008 -- Deerfield Beach, FL - The producers of Pulse on America are pleased to announce that CTS Cement will be featured in an upcoming episode as part of the show's series on Construction Technologies.
CTS Cement Manufacturing Corporation, headquartered in Cypress, CA, is the largest manufacturer of specialty fast-setting cement and shrinkage- compensating cement in the United States. As the leader in advanced cement technology, they provide innovative products to the construction industry through continual research and development. Their products include:
Rapid Set®, a brand of fast-setting cement products well known for their versatility and high performance. Rapid Set® cement products gain structural strength in one hour, are durable, and are used for concrete repairs and new construction projects. Users save time and money, and achieve superior and permanent results.
CTS Type-K Shrinkage-Compensating Cement gives construction professionals the ability to install industrial-size floors and other concrete structures with virtually no curling, no cracking, and no control joints.
CTS Cement, established in 1963, is the #1 choice of owners, architects, engineers, and contractors when selecting high-performance cement products. Their products are used in a wide range of projects, including the construction of the Hoover Dam Bypass, maintenance of the Panama Canal, Lincoln Tunnel, Brooklyn Bridge, earthquake-damaged bridge repairs on Interstate 10 in Los Angeles, major airports, and sports stadiums.
For more information, see www.ctscement.com.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:34 PM | Comments (0)
Donald L. Warner of SSOE Receives 2008 Engineer of the Year Award
Vice President honored by the Technical Society of Toledo and the Toledo Chapter of the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers
Toledo, OH (Vocus/PRWEB ) February 19, 2008 -– SSOE’s own Donald L. Warner, PE, Vice President and Director of Quality and Training was named Engineer of the Year yesterday at a luncheon held at Gladieux Meadows. The Technical Society of Toledo and the Toledo Chapter of the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers worked together to select Don in recognition of his accomplishments and achievements made to the engineering profession and to the community.
“I have had the pleasure of working along side Don for 26 years. Over that time, we worked on many successful projects together close to home and around the globe. Don has demonstrated time and time again his dedication to our company, the community and the profession of engineering. He is one of the most well rounded engineers that I know and he is intimately engaged in every aspect of his profession. There is no better choice in my mind for the TST 2008 Engineer of the Year.” said Tony Damon, AIA, PS, CEO of SSOE, Inc.
Don has been actively involved in the development of young talent for SSOE, for the University of Toledo (UT), and for the community. He has championed and overseen the implementation of several programs related to the firm’s engagement with universities-- leading to the creation of SSOE’s Co-op/Intern Student Scholarship program. He is also a member of the steering/planning committee that helped launch Toledo EPIC, the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce young professionals’ initiative.
Over the past several years, Don has also become deeply engaged in economic development activities in the region. He is a board member of the UT Science & Technology Corridor, and actively participates in numerous other community related organizations. Don has recently taken on responsibilities involving economic development in which he works closely with the University and community leaders to attract biofuels and alternative energy companies to the Toledo area. He is also currently leading an effort to form an Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) Association, to promote economic growth of the AEC industry in the region.
In 2007 Don was awarded the Engineer of the Year by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Toledo Section and he also received the University of Toledo’s Distinguished Alumni Award.
Warner graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1976 from the University of Toledo. He has been with SSOE since 1981 where he began as an electrical engineer. In 1992 he was named an associate and he became VP in 2001. During his tenure, he has also served as the Project Director/Manager for several noteworthy projects including Toyota’s Princeton, Indiana Plant Expansion and their new San Antonio, Texas Plant “I consider my greatest professional accomplishment to be simply doing what I can to help younger people develop, advance and realize their aspirations” said Warner.
About SSOE
Celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year, SSOE, Inc. is an international design firm and ranks 8th among the nation’s largest engineering and architecture firms (Building Design and Construction, 2007). Demonstrating fast and consistent growth, 2007 marks the third consecutive year the company has grown its revenue more than 25 percent. SSOE has also been named one of nine Best AEC Firms to Work For (Building Design and Construction, 2007) and as one of the fastest-growing US architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms by ZweigWhite, Hot List 2007.
With 1000 employees and multi-disciplined LEED™ accredited professionals employed in 18 offices around the world the company has earned a solid reputation in facility design for the healthcare, retail, automotive and science and technology markets, as well as process engineering for the alternative energy, biofuels, chemical, food and beverage, glass and personal care industries. SSOE has completed projects in 48 states and 32 countries, and has achieved 60 years of excellence in engineering and architectural design. Visit www.ssoe.com for additional information and career opportunities.
About the Toledo Society of Professional Engineers and The Technical Society of Toledo
The Toledo Society of Professional Engineers (TSPE) is the local chapter of the Ohio and National Society of Professional Engineers and represents a broad spectrum of engineering disciplines including civil, chemical, electrical, mechanical, sanitary, structural, industrial, environmental, geotechnical practicing in consulting, industry, government, education, and construction. The Technical Society of Toledo was formed in April of 1968 by merging the Toledo Area Technical and Scientific Educational Foundation, the Engineering Society of Toledo and the Toledo Technical Council - bringing technical, educational and social organizations together as one. Visit www.tspe.net and www.eng.utoledo.edu/tst/ for more information.
Contact:
Danielle Benninger
SSOE, Inc.
Office: 419.255.3830
dbenninger@ssoe.com
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:32 PM | Comments (0)
SSOEs Phoenix Office Grows with Three High Level Hires
Three project managers add over 50 combined years of experience in the retail and healthcare industries
Phoenix, AZ (Vocus/PRWEB ) February 19, 2008 - SSOE, one of the nations largest architecture and engineering firms, continues its rapid expansion announcing three new project managers for the Phoenix, Arizona office. Appointments include Linda Elmslie, PE; Arnaud Longeau, RA and Edward Roblee.
As we continue to significantly expand our presence and capabilities in the Southwest region, we are extremely delighted to have Linda, Arnaud, and Edward join our team. They bring a wealth of domestic and international experience involving the retail and healthcare sectors.” said Linda Delano, AIA, Business Leader, SSOE, Inc.
Linda Elmslie, PE, Senior Associate will serve as the Lead Project Manager and senior engineer for SSOEs growing site development business in support of the retail, healthcare and industrial sectors in the Southwest. She is a registered engineer with nearly 15 years of experience. Linda holds an MBA from California State University and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida. Noteworthy projects include multiple projects for the University of California San Diego, CA including the Computer Science and Engineering Building and the School of Medicine Research Facility.
Arnaud Longeau, RA, Associate will serve as Project Manager for the Southwestern healthcare business unit. He has significant experience with complex healthcare facilities and large commercial projects. He has over 15 years of experience both domestically and internationally and has worked on projects throughout the US. He received his Bachelor of Architecture from the Superior School of Applied Art, Ecole Boulle in Paris, France as well as degrees in civil engineering and construction technology from the Elisa Lemonier Technical College in Paris, France. Arnaud is a registered architect in the State of Arizona and a Communications Officer for the First Navel Construction Regiment in the United States Naval Reserve. Notable projects include the Glendale Adventist Medical Center Womens Center, Glendale, CA; Banner Heart Hospital, Mesa, AZ and multiple resorts including KukuiUla Resort and Spa in Kauai Hawaii and SilverRock Resort and Spa in La Quinta, CA.
Edward Roblee, Associate will serve as Project Manager for the retail business unit in the Southwest. He has more than 20 years of experience in the building industry managing the design and construction of retail and commercial facilities in the Midwest and Southwest. He will be focusing on the retail sector, working directly with project teams as a liaison between the client, architect and planner. He studied civil and architectural design at Gateway Technical College in Racine, Wisconsin and at the University of Wisconsin. Edwards past experience includes Santan Gateway Commercial Center in Chandler, AZ; Superstition Gateway Commercial Center in Mesa, AZ including Bed, Bath and Beyond; and many theatres, grocery stores, restaurants and retail centers throughout Arizona, the Midwest and East Coast.
About SSOE
Celebrating its 60th Anniversary this year, SSOE, Inc. is an international design firm and ranks 8th among the nations largest engineering and architecture firms (Building Design and Construction, 2007). Demonstrating fast and consistent growth, 2007 marks the third consecutive year the company has grown its revenue more than 25 percent. SSOE has also been named one of nine Best AEC Firms to Work For (Building Design and Construction, 2007) and as one of the fastest-growing US architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms by ZweigWhite, Hot List 2007.
With 1000 employees and multi-disciplined LEED accredited professionals employed in 18 offices around the world the company has earned a solid reputation in facility design for the healthcare, retail, automotive and science and technology markets, as well as process engineering for the alternative energy, biofuels, chemical, food and beverage, glass and personal care industries. SSOE has completed projects in 48 states and 32 countries, and has achieved 60 years of excellence in engineering and architectural design. Visit www.ssoe.com for additional information and career opportunities.
Contact:
Danielle Benninger
SSOE, Inc.
Office: 419.255.3830
dbenninger@ssoe.com
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:31 PM | Comments (0)
Accent Building Products Introduces New Birch Cabinetry
Direct distributor of Marsh Furniture cabinetry now offers Birch cabinets
Arendtsville, Pennsylvania (PRWEB) February 19, 2008 -- Accent Building Products, a leading provider of Marsh Furniture kitchen and bath cabinets, is proud to announce the addition of Marsh Furniture's two Birch Lines, Madison and Hillcrest, to their website.
"We are very happy to now offer our customers these wonderful new Birch styles. Both the Madison and Hillcrest lines have an almost identical look to our framed maple offerings, yet they are priced the same as our oak," said Lawrence DePippa, Internet Marketing Manager of Accent Building Products.
Customers can now achieve a more refined, almost sleek look without having to pay the higher price of maple wood. With these two additions there is no need to sacrifice on looks in order to maintain a tight budget.
Birch cabinetry is offered in a full array of wall, base, tall, and vanity sizes. It is also suitable for all of the possible upgrades; wood drawers, full extension drawer glides with silent closure, and plywood construction. And while the trim moldings are only available in limited styles you can confidently use any molding of the same stain from the framed maple lines.
About Accent Building Products:
Since 1998, Accent Building Products has served both homeowners and builders with their broad product offering of interior and exterior building products. Their extensive product line includes; kitchen cabinetry, vinyl shutters, fireplace mantels, Velux skylights, Fypon millwork, vinyl railing, glass block and acrylic block windows.
Contact
Lawrence DePippa
717-677-5843
http://www.accentbuildingproducts.com
Press Contact
George R Perry
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:30 PM | Comments (0)
AFCO White Paper on Datacenter Cooling and Power Efficiency Gives Cold Shoulder to Hot Aisle, Cold Aisle Approach
Independent Academic Research Employs Advanced Data Modeling to Compare Datacenter Cooling Efficiency Models; a must read for datacenter managers trying to contain runaway energy costs.
Farmingdale, NY (PRWEB) February 19, 2008 -- While the performance and abilities of datacenter technologies have improved according to Moore's Law, the approach to cooling those datacenters are more than a decade and a half behind. To help datacenter managers and other IT professionals better understand how their organizations can contain runaway energy costs through improved datacenter cooling technologies, AFCO Systems, a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced enclosure technology for mission-critical datacenter environments, is making available "A Strategic Approach to Datacenter Cooling" an independent white paper that investigates the technologies and strategies involved. The complimentary white paper is available for download from http://www.afcosystems.com/white_papers.htm.
The independent white paper, authored by James Fulton, PhD, Associate Professor of Mathematics, New York's Suffolk County Community College in Long Island, demonstrates through advanced data modeling techniques the inefficiencies of traditional approaches to datacenter cooling, such as hot aisle, cold aisle (HACA), and the greater efficiencies gained through inlet control technologies such as AFCO's KOOL IT™ approach.
"Industry must recognize that it has surpassed the limits of the HACA design strategy and now needs to switch to a broader more encompassing cooling solution," said Fulton. "With increasing server density in the cabinets, the cabinets themselves now need to be considered as an integral part of the cooling system. They can no longer be thought of as passive components, they must now take on an active and pivotal role in cooling a datacenter."
The white paper discusses how, beyond the obvious benefit of providing a stable temperature environment, there are numerous other benefits provided by airflow control within the datacenter, including:
Greater efficiency (operational cost savings, better server performance)
Greater server reliability and life
Increased power density potential and scalability
Design robustness and flexibility
Increased recovery time after power failure
The dramatic differences in cooling approach can best be seen here in Figures 1 & 2 which show side-by-side comparisons of racks of computers and servers in a datacenter setting. Figure 1 shows how inefficient cooling through HACA yields over-chilled spots (in purple) and over-heated or hot spots (in orange, yellow and green) in the computer model, while more efficient KOOL IT technologies model as a more consistent blue (for cool) color.
FIGURE 1: INEFFICIENT HACA DATACENTER COOLING APPROACH
FIGURE 2: EFFICIENT KOOL IT DATACENTER COOLING TECHNOLOGY
"Dr. Fulton's research validates and substantiates AFCO Systems' claims that improved airflow technologies, like KOOL IT, are key to reining in datacenter power consumption due to inefficient approaches," said AFCO Systems CEO Michael Mallia. "We hope this white paper lays some myths to rest and provides IT professionals sounder science for cooling their datacenters."
About AFCO Systems
AFCO Systems, a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced enclosure technology for mission-critical datacenter environments, has the world's largest installed base of thermostatically-controlled, air-cooled and heat load-balancing enclosures. The company is headquartered in Farmingdale, NY, and has a global presence with operations in North America, Ireland, London, Singapore and Tokyo. For more information, visit http://www.AFCOSystems.com or call 631-249-9441.
Media contacts:
Arthur Germain
Communication Strategy Group for AFCO Systems
(agermain @ gocsg.com)
631-239-6335
www.gocsg.com
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:29 PM | Comments (0)
SnowBlowersDirect.com Launches "Snow Stories"
New Platform Lets Customers Share Real-Life Experiences. Customers can upload images of their snow blowers in action and share real life tips, frustrations and reviews of the products they bought. SnowBlowersDirect.com is rewarding contributing customers. The online superstore is shipping a free can of Sno-Jet Spray to every customer who uploads a Snow Story photo. Several customers have already contributed.
Bolingbrook, IL (PRWEB) February 19, 2008 -- Product reviews are nothing new. Online shoppers have been writing reviews and rating products for years. SnowBlowersDirect.com, however, is elevating the concept to the next level with the launch of "Snow Stories" - a new interactive online review system.
View Snow Stories at Snow Blowers Direct
SnowBlowersDirect.com carries dozens of snow blowers, ranging from small electric models to massive professional-grade machines.
"The best way to pick the perfect snow blower is to ask fellow snow blower customers," according to Jon Hoch, founder and CEO. "Better yet, why not show them how the products actually perform in the field?"
Snow Stories does just that. The new platform lets customers share their snow blowing tips, triumphs and frustrations with the world.
Customers can upload images of their snow blowers in action and share their real-life experiences. In addition, customers can review multiple tools at once, illustrating how a combination of products solved their particular needs.
Hoch has already submitted several Snow Stories, including actual photos of what happened when he neglected to use his snow blower during a small storm.
What Happens When You Don't Snow Blow
"Snow Stories provides the forum for customers to brag about the recent blizzard or to demonstrate how a new accessory made their life easier," said Hoch.
It also gives online shoppers a unique opportunity to experience snow blowers in action, so they can make smarter purchasing decisions.
"People really appreciate reassurance. They want to know if the product can perform properly before they buy it," said Hoch.
SnowBlowersDirect.com is rewarding contributing customers. The online superstore is shipping a free can of Sno-Jet Spray to every customer who uploads a Snow Story photo. Several customers have already contributed.
Snow Story about the Snow Joe Electric (19") 13.5-Amp Snow Thrower
Power Equipment Direct owns four niche online superstores. In addition to SnowBlowersDirect.com, the Bolingbrook, IL-based company operates AirCompressorsDirect.com, ElectricGeneratorsDirect.com and PressureWashersDirect.com
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:28 PM | Comments (0)
Manera Group Establishes Distinguished Advisory Board Members include Leading Experts in the Field of Executive Coaching
Manera Group, a Dallas-based company that provides customized on-site executive coaching as well as assessment and talent management, has established an advisory board made up of some of the world's leading experts in the field. The board's role will be to advise the company on major issues affecting business strategy and direction.
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) February 19, 2008 -- Manera Group, a Dallas-based company that provides customized on-site executive coaching as well as assessment and talent management, has established an advisory board made up of some of the world's leading experts in the field. The board's role will be to advise the company on major issues affecting business strategy and direction.
"We are honored to have assembled such a distinguished group of experts to serve on our advisory board, said Ed Rankin, founder and president of Manera Group. "Their advice will be vital to our business direction and strategy."
Members of the Manera Group advisory board include:
Leni Wildflower, Ph.D., an executive coach, consultant, author and educator with more than 30 years experience designing programs and coaching interventions for schools, businesses and non-profits. Dr. Wildflower, who lives in Santa Barbara, California, has written curricula, conducted training, and designed coaching interventions for organizations such as the Rand Corporation, Conrad Hilton Foundation, and the Center for Creative Leadership. A recognized expert in people management, process and technology, Dr. Wildflower has been a faculty member of Fielding Graduate University for the past seven years. She designed the coaching curriculum for the Organization Management and Development master's program, and currently teaches coaching and conflict resolution courses.
Larry W. Norton, Ph.D. has been PetSmart's vice president of organizational development since 2004 with responsibility over all levels of employee development and training, talent selection and management, succession planning and large-scale organizational change. Dr. Norton, who lives in Mesa, Arizona, previously served in similar positions with other Fortune 500 companies including TXU Corporation, America West Airlines, Frito-Lay and JCPenney.
Rick Fletcher is the founder and president of HRchitect, a Dallas-based Human Capital Management systems consulting firm and the market leader in Talent Management System consulting. Mr. Fletcher has more than 22 years experience in the human resource software and consulting industries, and is often quoted in the press for his expert market analysis regarding the e-HR software components marketplace. Rick has co-developed several of the HRIS industry's most successful software evaluation and implementation methodologies and has served as an advisor and trainer to leading software vendors.
Rhonda Britten, an Emmy Award-winner and repeat Oprah guest, is the founder of the Fearless Living Institute, an organization dedicated to giving anyone the tools they need to master their emotional fears. She is the author of four national bestsellers including Fearless Living which features her groundbreaking work called the Wheel Technology. During her three seasons on the hit daytime reality drama, Starting Over, Britten was named "America's Favorite Life Coach" and was dubbed Starting Over's "Most Valuable Player" by The New York Times. She is a globally recognized expert on the subject of fear and fearlessness.
For more information about the Manera Group, visit www.maneragroup.com
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:26 PM | Comments (0)
United Country Real Estate Achieves Record-Setting Results in 2007
The residential real estate market throughout the country may have slumped in 2007, but that was not the case for the markets served by United Country Real Estate
Kansas City, Mo. (PRWEB) February 19, 2008 -- The residential real estate market throughout the country may have slumped in 2007, but that was not the case for the markets served by United Country Real Estate, which recorded its best year ever since its founding more than 80 years ago.
"There is a huge demand for the comprehensive services we can provide buyers and sellers of real estate in rural America," says Dan Duffy, CEO of United Country Real Estate. "With a well-documented migration from urban to rural areas, there is a tremendous demand today for rural property."
United Country is the only national real estate franchise system specializing in all property types in and around small cities and towns across America. The Kansas City-based company will hold its 2008 annual convention February 21-24 here with a goal of continuing the momentum.
United Country's sales volume hit a record $2.54 billion in 2007--an increase over the previous record of $2.53 billion achieved in 2006. The average sale price was up by 4.1 percent and listings increased 18.6 percent. Franchise sales jumped by 32.4 percent, and the number of affiliate offices grew by 17 percent to 700.
Today, United Country supports over 4,000 agents and 700 offices located across the United States and markets a national database of over 60,000 properties per year valued at more than $9 billion.
"More people are migrating from urban and suburban centers to the country. We have the professionals and national network to help every step of the way," says Duffy. "Many people are seeking a better life and a better lifestyle. We call them 'idyllic lifestyle seekers' and as many as 1 million of them visit our website each month to look at properties that meet their particular needs."
United Country's website (www.unitedcountry.com), the leading rural real estate website, saw dramatic increases in 2007 as people searched for their ideal properties. User sessions were up 14 percent, with an average of over 28,000 user sessions per day. Unique visitors to the site were up by 6 percent per month. Further underscoring this continued demand for rural properties was seen in United Country's website traffic in January 2008, when new records were broken in all website traffic categories.
"Technology advances have broken down many of the barriers to living in rural areas," notes Duffy. "People can now live in the country, and still have the same access to the Internet, satellite, cable, mobile phones and other technologies they require on a daily basis. This more developed technology infrastructure allows for remote working and social connectivity."
Continuing a long history of innovation, United Country Auction Services was launched in 2007 with 52 auction-centric offices opened across the country. The new division has already established itself as the nation's largest integrated network of auctioneers and traditional real estate professionals. Overall sales volume from auctions in its first year reached $96 million, with its highest grossing single auction at $4.2 million.
In late 2007, the company partnered with the nation's sixth-largest financial holdings company, U.S. Bank, to form United Country Home Mortgage. Backed by more than $100 billion in loan value and assets over $200 billion, United Country Home Mortgage offers potential buyers more than 200 loan options.
In December, United Country Real Estate also introduced United Country Health Plans to provide owners, brokers, agents and their families with comprehensive and affordable health insurance plans. With more than 3,000 plan variations and an extensive network of more than 750,000 national providers, the program is administered by Affinity Health Plans and is one of the most comprehensive health insurance programs available today.
Last July, United Country Real Estate and Ducks Unlimited formed a unique partnership dedicated to conservation and land stewardship in a joint effort to conserve vital wetlands and habitats throughout North America. The goal is to educate United Country associates, land buyers and sellers about land easements, value, conservation and habitat protection.
In November, the national Future Farmers of America (FFA) selected United Country Auction Services to conduct a live auction fundraising event sponsored by the FFA Alumni Association. The auction set a fundraising record of $84,000, drawing in nearly 850 on-site bidders and more than 40 online bidders.
In 2006, The Wall Street Journal analyzed more than 2,500 U.S. based franchise systems across all market segments and named United Country Real Estate to its coveted list of 2006 "Top 25 High Performers."
United Country Real Estate started 2008 on the right foot when Entrepreneur's Franchise 500®, the world's most comprehensive franchise ranking, recognized the company on its 2008 list of top franchises. United Country achieved the No. 101 overall ranking on the Franchise 500 list.
United Country Real Estate
United Country Real Estate is the only national real estate franchise system specializing in rural properties in and around the small cities and towns of America. Based in Kansas City, Mo., the company has been an innovator in rural real estate marketing since 1925. United Country supports more than 700 offices nationwide with a unique, comprehensive marketing program that includes the leading website in the rural real estate market (www.unitedcountry.com), proprietary real estate catalogs, an extensive buyer database and national advertising of real estate properties to over 90 million homes a week. United Country has been named as a Top 25 Franchise by the Wall Street Journal and among Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500®. In January 2007, the company introduced United Country Auction Services, becoming the nation's largest integrated network of traditional real estate agents and real estate auctioneers.
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS
2820 NW Barry Road, Kansas City, MO 64154
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Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:20 PM | Comments (0)
Culligan Outfits World's First LEED Platinum Certified Remodeled Home
Live Green, Live Smart™ Sustainable House Boasts Eco-Friendly Softening and Filtration Technology that Saves Salt, Soap, Water, Electricity – and the Environment
CHICAGO (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) February 19, 2008 -- The world’s first LEED for Homes™ Platinum Certification for a home remodel – a 1948 rambler – is also home to an innovative water management system from Culligan. Platinum is the highest level of certification awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) for residential Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The home (based in Minnetonka, Minnesota) is a product of the environmental organization, Live Green, Live Smart green housing project, with virtually every square foot devoted to energy efficiency, water conservation and healthy occupancy. Culligan’s water softener and drinking water systems were instrumental in converting the water management processes of the aging abode to a global role model for contemporary sustainable living.
Culligan Water Conditioning – the Minnetonka-based flagship dealer of the largest independent Culligan franchise with 20 locations throughout Arizona, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and Missouri – donated the solutions necessary to upgrade the home’s existing water treatment systems to meet LEED standards. The equipment donation involved a Culligan Smart-Sensor™ water softener and The Culligan Good Water Machine® reverse osmosis (RO) filtration unit for drinking water.
"Culligan Water Conditioning of Minnetonka wanted to support the Green Movement and participate in this project because we believe in the environmental direction that the home is trying to promote, and we know that our products support this type of initiative. It is the wave of the future. Culligan has some of the most environmentally friendly water conditioners and filters available on the market today, and our involvement was a testament to the quality and capabilities of our products,” said John Packard, president.
Smart Home, Smart-Sensor
Culligan’s water softener technology was, in fact, not a “new” resident of the rambler. Prior to the home’s remodel, the previous owners had left a 15-year-old Culligan rental unit in the utility room. When the new owner – Live Green, Live Smart founder and CEO Peter Lytle – moved in, he discovered the softener and decided to give Culligan an opportunity to contribute to the Live Green, Live Smart project. Lytle met with Steve Lazarski, Culligan Territory Representative, and the two shared an instant passion for the potential of this environmentally redesigned home and how Culligan could play a role in water quality and conservation.
“Renovating an existing structure with ‘good bones’ is much greener than building new, and water is a critical resource in that effort. Every drop matters – both inside and outside the home – and we looked to Culligan to advise us on solutions that would best meet the stringent water management guidelines of LEED certification,” Lytle recalled.
The area in Minnetonka where the house is built is known for very hard water (up to 20 grains per gallon). This is problematic because hard water can produce scale build-up on pipes and plumbing fixtures, which causes them to erode. Hard water also leaves laundry stiff and gray, creates spots and stains on dishes and appliances, and requires more soap for cleansing and bathing to create a decent lather. Traditional water softeners tackle these problems by “cycling” and then releasing salt into the water source, often more than is required – which causes excess waste to the environment and unnecessary consumption of electricity to power the less efficient softening units.
Up to 70 Percent Salt and Water Savings
Culligan’s Smart-Sensor water softener is different. It offers true environmental benefits to homeowners by using a unique digital probe called Aqua Sensor®, which sits inside the Smart-Sensor™ unit. The Aqua-Sensor continuously monitors water use, salt use and changing water hardness and automatically activates regeneration only when needed to ensure optimal water and salt consumption. Just $3 a year in electricity powers Culligan’s Smart-Sensor technology, saving residents up to 20,000 gallons of water and two tons of salt in 10 years – up to a 70 percent savings over a standard water metered softener.(1) Using less soap, detergent and harsh chemical cleansers to remove residue caused by water hardness is another benefit of soft water to the environment.
Great-Tasting Water Also Goes “Gray”
Not only did Lytle replace the home’s 15-year-old rental unit with Culligan’s more advanced Smart-Sensor water softener, he consulted Culligan for a drinking water filtration solution. Lazarski recommended the Culligan Good Water Machine®. The appliance’s RO filtration method improves the taste and odor of drinking water and reduces microscopic impurities. With RO, water passes through an ultra-thin, semi-permeable membrane, which filters unwanted particles such as sodium and lead. The appliance is easily installed, and the faucet mounts to the kitchen sink and comes with integral lights that indicate water quality. In the Live Green, Live Smart home, the water that is rejected by the RO system and shower is then re-used in the toilets as gray water.
As the project progressed, Kyle LeMay, Culligan of Minnetonka Sales Manager, also became involved. He and Lazarski continued to work closely with Lytle, who has been living with his wife in the sustainable house since it was completed in late fall 2007. “The water management system virtually takes care of itself. We’re able to enjoy clear, soft water using an approach that is energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Culligan was key to helping us obtain LEED Platinum certification with their green solutions, reliable maintenance and consistent service every step of the way,” Lytle added.
About Culligan
For more than 70 years, Culligan has been recognized as the world leading innovator and provider of filtration systems to improve general use and drinking water in the home and workplace. Headquartered in the Chicago area, Culligan maintains offices in 12 countries, dealers and licensees in over 70 countries, and a network of 700+ franchise and company-owned dealers across North America. Culligan offers the most extensive water treatment product line in the world, and its solutions have been awarded the Good Housekeeping Seal, highlighted as a Consumers Digest “Best Buy” and featured on the “Designing Spaces” national television show. Culligan is also a founding member of the Water Quality Association and contributing donor to the Water Quality Research Foundation, the research arm of the water quality improvement industry. For more information, visit www.culligan.com or call 1-800-CULLIGAN.
About Live Green, Live Smart™
Live Green, Live Smart™ is a Wayzata, Minnesota-based organization dedicated to promoting a sustainable planet through education, linking of resources, and fostering a global, green community. The organization is formed for the benefit of those individuals concerned about the impact their housing, transportation and lifestyle choices have on the environment. For more information, press kits, photos and the construction diary on the Live Green, Live Smart Sustainable House or Live Green, Live Smart visit: www.livegreenlivesmart.org or contact: editor@livegreenlivesmart.org or by phone at: 651.253.6825.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:19 PM | Comments (0)
SurroundArt Selects the Architect of NYC's Famed Chelsea Piers to Create New "Green" Museum Resource Campus at Brooklyn Navy Yard
Steven Kratchman Architect Chosen for Architectural Master Plan for New Waterfront Development
Brooklyn, NY (Vocus/PRWEB ) February 19, 2008 -- SurroundArt, a leading provider of fine arts services, today announced that it has retained the firm Steven Kratchman Architect, P.C. for the company's new "green" Museum Resource Campus currently under construction at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Expected to open in fall, 2008, the three-building campus includes a new, 89,000 square foot building on Perry Avenue, now in construction; another 71,000 square feet in Building Three at the Navy Yard; and the adaptive re-use of the historic, century-old Paymaster Building. With an emphasis on green design, the new Perry Ave. building will be the first-ever multi-story, multi-tenanted LEED Silver Industrial Building in the United States. The Kratchman firm has been asked to design and unify the new SurroundArt campus with an emphasis on sustainability.
This will be the third major waterfront development project for architect and urban designer Steven Kratchman, AIA. Before establishing his own firm in 1999, Kratchman served as lead designer of the now world-renowned Chelsea Piers recreational complex. Prior to that, he also designed the Hudson Park mixed-use waterfront development in Yonkers, N.Y., which consists of residential, retail and office space, as well as a waterfront pedestrian esplanade and park.
"Most people do not of think of 'green' and 'urban industrial design' in the same sentence, but we have made a commitment to combining the two at the Navy Yard and that's exactly why we selected Steven Kratchman," said Michael Murray, CEO of SurroundArt. "Our new Museum Resource Campus will provide everything the arts industry needs within a green, cutting-edge design built for 21st century sustainability."
SurroundArt provides fine arts services such as secure storage, crating, packing, transportation, fabrication, exhibition design, and installation. The ambitious Museum Resource Campus is the first and only one of its kind in the nation and is being built to support the arts industry in New York and beyond.
"This is a tremendously exciting project for many reasons, not the least of which is the commitment SurroundArt has made to green design and sustainability," Kratchman said. "As the architects, our team will have an opportunity to create a design that integrates the old and the new for a new era of mixed-use, clean urban industry and waterfront development at the Brooklyn Navy Yard."
Based in New York City, the Kratchman firm believes in green, energy-efficient architectural design with an emphasis on new technologies that offer a payback of three years or fewer. Kratchman's firm of 15 professionals focuses on both commercial and residential projects, including historic and landmark properties.
About SurroundArt
SurroundArt is a full-service museum resource company with offices, workrooms, and warehouses in New York and Washington, DC. Founded in 1998, the company supports the international fine arts community by providing a wide array of services, including temperature-controlled and secure storage, crating, packing, transportation, fabrication, design, and art handling. To accommodate its growth, SurroundArt is developing a unique and expansive "fine arts campus" at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, with more than 165,000 square feet of space under management. Staffed by museum-trained professionals, who are educated in fine arts and passionate about their craft, SurroundArt has become a trusted resource to many of the largest and most respected museums, foundations and private collectors in the world. More information can be found at www.surroundart.com.
About Steven Kratchman Architect, P.C.
The firm Steven Kratchman Architect, P.C., was founded in 1999 by Mr. Steven Kratchman, AIA, the architect and urban designer who previously served as Senior Project Designer for the urban redevelopment team that transformed an abandoned New York City urban harbor area into the now world-renowned Chelsea Piers waterfront recreational complex. The firm has grown from two architects to a professional staff of 15, who work on retail, commercial and residential projects, including multi-family residential, single-family residential, historic and landmark properties, private clubs and sports facilities, educational institutions, new from-the-ground-up buildings and restaurants. www.kratchmanarchitect.com
Media Contacts:
SurroundArt
Greg Abel
(410) 466-2210
Steven Kratchman Architect
Daniel Kennedy
Communications Services
(212) 580-3454
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:18 PM | Comments (0)
Preventing Home Invasions and More - Lock Jaw™ Security Offers an Effective and Affordable Solution
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) February 19, 2008 -- Lock Jaw™ Security introduces the key to protecting against intruder and home invasions and more. Just in time to combat the constant rise of home invasions and the lock bumping crime epidemic, Lock Jaw™ offers a fool-proof solution. Lock Jaw™ prevents deadbolts from being compromised.
A bump in the night could be the first sign of a home invasion. Home invasions are occurring routinely on a nationwide basis and without discrimination. Lock bumping is a lock picking technique that distorts a blank key then tapped into a deadbolt and turned like the actual key. Unfortunately, this technique is now easily available on the internet and can be performed by literally anyone -- unless the deadbolt is equipped with Lock Jaw™. Jake Jakubuwski, Technical Editor, The National Locksmith states “this product beats the daylights out of other door security devices.” Lock Jaw™ does more. It prevents small children from unknowingly unlocking the deadbolt – away from outside dangers. Other child safety devices are simply out of their reach. Both older children and seniors can easily operate Lock Jaw™. “Believe me when I say I’m rarely impressed…deceptively simple…it’s literally made us feel safer in so many ways” says Paul Michael of WiseBread.com. Recently Lock Jaw™ was chosen by Refuse to be a Victim and many Crime Prevention Associations for their seminars.
Lock Jaw™ works by preventing the deadbolts bolt-throw from retracting, keeping the door locked. “We don’t make deadbolts, we make deadbolts better!” says Brett Fulford in a recent interview. According to Steve Kruschen (Mr. Gadget), “this product is exactly what is needed…installation is also quite easy, using two screws or double-sided tape.”
Lock Jaw™ combats home invasions – and more. Lock Jaw™ is the perfect security product for houses, apartments, condos, dorm rooms, hotel rooms, even RV’s - ANY door with a deadbolt. Read what the experts say – the consumer. Innovative, simple, effective and affordable security and safety!
For more information on Lock Jaw™ Security, media can visit www.lockjawsecurity.com.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:17 PM | Comments (0)
Leica Geosystems Presents the First Ever 2008 CONEXPO-CON/AGG PowerGrade Challenge Simulated Job Site Experience
Interactive simulations transform the showroom floor, putting industry professionals into the driver’s seat of today’s top technologies.
Norcross, GA (Vocus/PRWEB ) February 19, 2008 -- For the first time, attendees to CONEXPO-CON/AGG, the industry’s largest equipment and technology exhibitions, will have an opportunity to experience the Leica Geosystems PowerGrade Challenge, an amazingly realistic, simulated environment uniquely designed to demonstrate the power and possibilities of today’s most advanced construction solutions.
Rich Calvird, Product Marketing Manager for Leica Geosystems, says, “We’re changing the face of show floor exhibits, bringing the construction site to the fingertips of the industry. Through this interactive job site experience, attendees can evaluate and compare productivity benefits by actually performing simulated job site activities with both conventional manual and automated methods. This is a truly exciting first look into equipment and technology demonstrations of the future.”
Take the PowerGrade Challenge at the Leica Geosystems CONEXPO-CON/AGG, March 11-15, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at booths # (S-16805) and (S-17105). The daily winner of the PowerGrade Challenge will receive a Leica PowerBlade 2D indicate machine control system valued at $4,000 or credit towards a Leica 2D PowerSnap system.
Leica Geosystems -- when it has to be right
With close to 200 years of pioneering solutions to measure the world, Leica Geosystems products and services are trusted by professionals worldwide to help them capture, analyze, and present spatial information. Leica Geosystems is best known for its broad array of products that capture accurately, model quickly, analyze easily, and visualize and present spatial information.
Those who use Leica products every day trust them for their dependability, the value they deliver, and the superior customer support. Based in Heerbrugg, Switzerland, Leica Geosystems is a global company with tens of thousands of customers supported by more than 2,400 employees in 22 countries and hundreds of partners located in more than 120 countries around the world. Leica Geosystems is part of the Hexagon Group, Sweden.
Contact:
Andre Ribeiro
Director of Marketing
Leica Geosystems Inc.
Atlanta, GA 30092
United States
Phone: +(770) 326-9557
Web Site: www.leica-geosystems.us
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:16 PM | Comments (0)
Mortgage Qualification Calculator Available for Websites
MoneyToys(tm) new Mortgage Qualification Calculator for real estate web sites gives visitors an easy-to-use financial calculator which calculates how much they can afford to borrow for a mortgage loan using historically safe underwriting standards. Accommodates co-borrowers and displays details of three sample loans based on the income and debt information provided by the user. Easily installed on websites.
Ruston, LA (PRWEB) February 19, 2008 -- With the addition of the new Mortgage Qualification Calculator, the MoneyToys(tm) collection of website calculators now includes 16 website calculators. The Mortgage Qualifier for real estate web sites helps home buyers determine how much they may be able to borrow for a home loan and what monthly payment amounts a lender may allow based upon a home buyer's income, debt and savings.
This mortgage affordability calculator also accommodates co-borrowers. The income and debt information of the co-borrower is considered in the qualification calculation.
Real estate webmasters can modify the default values to reflect their local market conditions. Housing and Debt Ratios, for example, can easily be configured for an agent's local market. These values vary but it is important to remember the lender determines them for a home buyer. Historically, industry standards have been set at 28% for housing and 36% for debt. Real estate webmasters who choose to retain the historical standards for housing and debt ratios will help home buyers discover what their financial situation may safely do for them in terms of a mortgage loan.
In addition to income, debt and mortgage qualifying ratios, the Mortgage Qualification Calculator accounts for the amount a borrower has available for a downpayment and the interest rates they anticipate for different loan terms.
As a website visitor enters his or her financial values, the Mortgage Qualifier calculates and displays the estimated monthly payments, loan amounts and purchase prices for three mortgage loans for which the home buyer may qualify based upon the housing and debt ratio configured by the web master.
The Mortgage Qualification Calculator is designed for conventional fixed rate mortgages which are returning to popularity as home buyers become aware of the financial difficulties which may be posted by adjustable rate and interest only mortgages.
For more information:
http://www.moneytoys.com/mortgage-qualification-calculator.php
The 16 website calculators in the MoneyToys collection are easy to install. With only a few lines of HTML and MoneyToys website calculators, real estate webmasters can quickly add online interactivity to a web site. The font face, colors and sizes of MoneyToys web site calculators are easily modified so they match the design of a website. In addition, the default values for the financial values can be set to fit any local market.
Included in the growing collection of 16 MoneyToys web site calculators are: Simple Loan Calculator, Mortgage Qualification Calculator, Biweekly Payment Calculator, Down Payment Savings Calculator, Very Simple Loan Calculator, APR Calculator, Closing Costs Calculator, Home Seller's Proceeds, Refinancing Calculator, Rent or Buy Calculator, Loan Spread Calculator, Cash Flows Calculator, Future Value Calculator, Pay Down or Invest Calculator, Loan Comparisons Calculator, Mortgage Qualification Calculator and a Payment Calculator.
With MoneyToys calculator collection on a web site, the site's visitors can perform financial calculations without leaving the site! The entire collection of MoneyToys is available for only $139.95 USD. Individual calculators are available for only $39.95 USD.
About Wheatworks Software, LLC
Since 1997, Wheatworks Software, LLC has created innovative financial calculators for consumers, professionals and companies in the real estate and financial services industries.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Rick Wheat
Wheatworks Software, LLC
http://www.moneytoys.com
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:14 PM | Comments (0)
73 Year Old Apprentice's Family Awarded $2.25 Million For Asbestos Exposure In Workplace
New York Mesothelioma Lawyers Defend Leonard Shafer In Asbestos Exposure Lawsuit
New York, NY (PRWEB) February 19, 2008 -- A New York City jury awarded $2.25 million in the case of 73 year old Leonard Shafer who had exposure to asbestos in his workplace as a civilian employee at the New York Naval Shipyard (Brooklyn Navy Yard) in the 1950's. New York Mesothelimoa lawyers, Levy, Phillips & Konigsberg, L.L.C., helped prove Shafer developed pleural mesothelioma, which is an aggressive, incurable cancer during his career at the Shipyard.
"Mr. Shafer endured pain and suffering that spanned an eighteen month time period from the time he was diagnosed until the time of the death," said Carmen St. George, New York's top Mesothelioma Lawyers from Levy, Phillips, Konigsberg. "Many years ago, nobody knew the affects of being exposed to asbestos in the workplace and unfortunately today, we are being faced with the dangers."
Like so many of his colleagues, Mr. Shafer never wore respiratory protection and was unaware of the dangers of asbestos. John Crane, Inc. was the company that manufactured and supplied the asbestos-containing stuffing tube packing material to the U.S. Navy for use on Navy ships. In this asbestos exposure lawsuit, the jury determined that exposure to the John Crane packing material caused Mr. Shafer's mesothelioma, and that his illness was reasonably foreseeable to the company.
The New York mesothelioma lawyers have won several significant jury verdicts in the course of more than 25 years of representing victims who suffer from the affects of asbestos exposure in the workplace, including: the first ever asbestos verdict against the welding industry; the first ever asbestos verdict against the talc industry; the largest verdict in the nation against a manufacturer of Navy cable; and the largest verdicts in the nation against manufacturers of asbestos gaskets and packing. New York mesothelioma lawyers at LPK have been recognized on the list of Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers.
About Levy, Phillips & Konigsberg:
Although LPK's offices are located in New York and New Jersey, LPK represents families affected by mesothelioma and asbestos exposure in the workplace nationwide. For more information about this mesothelioma trial, LPK's mesothelioma trial attorneys, or for more information about mesothelioma and asbestos exposure, please call the New York mesothelioma lawyers at 800-MESO-LAW or 212-605-6200.
Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 11:14 PM | Comments (0)
Are The New Jersey Landscape Trades Top Search Results for NJ Landscape Architects and New Jersey Landscape Design Legitimate?
The president of New Jersey's premier luxury landscape and swimming pool design/build firm offers advice to help New Jersey consumers detect and avoid unscrupulous marketing tactics via the Web
Ramsey, NJ (PRWEB) February 19, 2008 -- When looking for a landscape architect, landscape contractor or swimming pool company, consumers have a powerful tool in the Internet. Within seconds a search engine can deliver hundreds of hits on nearby businesses that provide those services. But finding the right firm isn't as easy as clicking a button. In fact, the old adage, "buyer beware," probably applies now more than ever.
Chris Cipriano, founder and president of Cipriano Landscape Design, New Jersey's premier luxury landscape and swimming pool design/build firm is available to discuss the pitfalls of researching landscape architects and landscape contractors through Internet search engines. The most obvious of these is that unlike the Yellow Pages before them, search engines don't offer disclaimers advising consumers to consult the appropriate state licensing boards and providing them with a phone number to call and check for valid licenses. That information was always found in phone books under the headings "Landscape Contractor" and "Landscape Architect," as well as those of other trades. "A lot of people don't know how to check a contractor's license or even that it's possible to do so," Cipriano says. "Yet licensing is one of the best ways to tell whether a contractor is legitimate and up-to-date on industry requirements, regulations and standard practices."
The only way to be certain that you're hiring the best firm for the job is tried and true: Do your homework. Cipriano provides the following tips to ensure that you're hiring a qualified landscape architect, landscape contractor or pool construction company:
• Remember that looks can be deceiving. It doesn't take much to create an aura of credibility on the Internet. "We have seen high-ranking Web sites of unscrupulous firms using stock photography, implying that they completed those projects," Cipriano says. "If you see a picture on the Internet that interests you in a company's services, ask for the address and request to see that job site. There is no greater proof than seeing the work in person. If the company tells you that you are unable to visit one or more sites, then proceed cautiously."
Always look at the entire presentation of a landscape in a photo, especially if the firm claims to be full service. If you're viewing pictures of a swimming pool, patio or walls, how do the plants in the background appear? Are there any plants at all? A full-service provider should be able to demonstrate a well-thought out, balanced and creative environment. Also beware companies that display images only from a single project. A gallery of photos from multiple projects will give you a better feel for their body of work.
• Question claims of expertise. Like many other businesses landscape companies are feeling the squeeze of a tightening economy, and many of them are trying to offset lost revenue by expanding into services beyond their niche. For instance, there are large lawn maintenance companies claiming to complete $5 or $6 million in landscape construction annually, if that's true they should be able to showcase 30 to 40 prominent projects. When interviewing companies ask to see design plans and photographs for several projects comparable to your own, then compare the photographs to the plan. Better yet, visit the completed project and be sure to speak with the homeowner. Also, if a company says, "We do it all," ask to have them put that in writing on your contract. Don't be fooled into hiring a contractor that claims to have experience in a particular area, but instead uses low-bid subcontractors.
"Award-winning" is a buzzword on many contractors' sites. What are the awards for? A reputable company usually will have them listed so you don't have to ask.
• Check licensing. Always ask to see copies of the contractor's and landscape architect's license and certificate of insurance when interviewing. Be sure to have contractors list their services on the certificate of insurance to confirm they have proper coverage. If you are hiring a landscape architect, be sure to get his or her state license number, which can be confirmed with your state's Division of Consumer Affairs. New Jersey residents can verify licensees by calling (973) 273-8090 or by visiting the following link:
http://www.state.nj.us/cgi-bin/consumeraffairs/search/searchentry.pl
• Ask for references. Let previous customers tell you whether a contractor can get the job done. Some good questions to ask include whether there were unforeseen costs, if the project met all expecta