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January 31, 2008

New Stainless Steel 700 Series Worm Gear Speed Reducer

Boston Gear stands up to caustic washdowns

January 31, 2008 — Quincy, Mass. — Boston Gear, an Altra Industrial Motion Company, announces the availability of the new Stainless Steel 700 Series Worm Gear Speed Reducer.

For decades, industries have relied on the proven technology of Boston Gear 700 Series worm gear technology for long-lasting, high-quality performance. The new Stainless Steel 700 Series takes that trusted performance to new levels by providing maximum corrosion resistance in challenging, caustic washdown environments in the food and beverage industry.

Utilizing the trusted 700 Series worm gearing combined with a new, innovative exterior design, the new Stainless Steel 700 Series’ performance has been optimized to withstand the harshest caustic conditions. The housings, motor flange, and carrier are crafted from 316SS to endure tough, caustic washdowns. The integral input worm and shaft are made from high-strength, case-hardened alloy steel for long-lasting performance.

The rounded housing design, plastic hardware covers, and two-piece mounting base prevent particle accumulation or fluid pooling on or under the unit. The two-piece mounting base has the same footprint of the standard 700 Series for easy replacement. The large internal oil reservoir is filled with H1 food-grade lubricant (Klubersynth UH 1 6-460) and sealed for life, providing a wide range of operating temperatures and extended wear life.

Boston Gear Stainless Steel 700 Series Worm Gear Speed Reducers are available for guaranteed same-day air shipment through Boston Gear’s Reducer Express™ program.

For more information contact Boston Gear at 888-999-9860 or www.bostongear.com

About Altra Industrial Motion

Boston Gear is an Altra Industrial Motion Company. Altra Industrial Motion is a leading multinational designer, producer and marketer of a wide range of electromechanical power transmission products.

The company brings together strong brands covering over 40 product lines with production facilities in nine countries. Our leading brands include Boston Gear, Warner Electric, TB Wood’s, Formsprag Clutch, Wichita Clutch, Ameridrives Couplings, Kilian Manufacturing, Marland Clutch, Nuttall Gear, Stieber Clutch, Twiflex Limited, Bibby Transmissions, Matrix International, Inertia Dynamics, Huco-Dynatork and Warner Linear.

Posted by Industrial at 06:35 PM | Comments (0)

January 28, 2008

Navtrak Publishes Free Downloadable Checklist: "What to Look For In A GPS-based Fleet Management System"

New checklist for owners and fleet managers provides important list of key elements to consider when researching GPS-based fleet management system vendors

Salisbury, MD (PRWEB) January 28, 2008 -- Navtrak Inc. today published a free checklist, "What To Look For In A GPS-Based Fleet Management System," for business owners and fleet management professionals of service and pick-up and delivery organizations who are evaluating GPS-based vehicle tracking systems to proactively manage their fleet.

The checklist covers 5 areas, and provides detailed questions to ask a prospective vendor, including:
1. Company credentials
2. Purchasing & billing processes
3. Hardware installation & servicing
4. Software features
5. Customer support & service after the sale

The free article, "What To Look For In A GPS-Based Fleet Management System," can be downloaded by clicking here: Navtrak.net/FleetManagementChecklist

When searching for the right partner to provide a GPS vehicle tracking system for your mobile workforce, the first thing to realize is this: it's not just about the technology. The tools most fleet tracking companies use to provide their services are essentially the same - a GPS receiver unit to provide location information from the satellites, road maps (accessible via software or the web), and wireless/Internet services to transmit and deliver vehicle activity information.

What's far more important is how these tools are used -- and what your overall, long-term experience will be. To that end, Navtrak has compiled a checklist of questions that can help you to determine which GPS-based fleet management system is right for your business.

Before making this important decision, Navtrak strongly encourages companies looking to invest in GPS tracking to find the answers to as many of the questions in the checklist as possible from the provider(s) you are considering.

As trusted GPS-based fleet management advisors with over 20,000 subscribers in virtually every industry, Navtrak can help any business navigate the process of evaluating and selecting the right provider.

About Navtrak

Navtrak, Inc., located in Salisbury, MD, is an industry leader in providing GPS vehicle tracking systems, fleet management solutions and vehicle tracking devices for businesses with mobile workforces. Founded in 1999 and serving thousands of customers across the country, Navtrak is committed to Driving Business Productivity™ with valuable, real-time fleet tracking, reporting and communication tools that improve efficiency and enhance customer service.

For more information, please contact Navtrak at 800-787-2337.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:33 AM | Comments (0)

Rainmaker: The Model N Revenue Management Summit 2008 featuring AMR Research's Bruce Richardson to Deliver Opening Keynote Address

Chief research officer at leading analyst firm to address next wave of revenue management strategies.

Redwood Shores, CA (PRWEB) January 28, 2008 -- Model N Inc., a leading provider of Revenue Management solutions, announces that Bruce Richardson, Chief Research Officer at AMR Research, will be the featured keynote speaker at Rainmaker: The Model N Revenue Management Summit 2008, held in Scottsdale, Arizona, February 5-7, 2008. During his presentation, Bruce will explore the next wave of revenue management strategies in an increasingly complex business climate.

Bruce brings more than 27 years of experience to his current role as chief research officer at AMR Research. Since joining the company in 1988, he has been responsible for spearheading new market coverage and contributing to the analysis of leading market trends in areas such as ERP, supply chain management, service-oriented architectures, software-as-a-service, software appliances, and virtualization and visualization.

Bruce has made many early market predictions that have been realized, such as the rise of the advanced planning market and the evolution of MRP to ERP. He also coined the term MES early in his role at AMR Research when he was responsible for all the written research that came from the firm.

"Bruce Richardson brings invaluable insight and expertise to Rainmaker 2008," said Zack Rinat, Model N Founder and Chief Executive Officer. "With Revenue Management continuing to grow in importance as a core business process, Bruce's deep knowledge of emerging software trends and best practices will be of great interest to our Life Science and High Tech industry attendees."

Insights from Leading Industry Experts

In addition to Bruce Richardson, Rainmaker 2008 will feature a full roster of leading industry experts:

Joel Winterton, Owner of S.E.T. Enterprises, will explore what every pharmaceutical CFO needs to know when evaluating the financial impact of government pricing programs on their organization
Kip Piper, President of Health Results Group LLC, will moderate a life science industry panel that examines the key market trends that are combining business, IT, and regulatory processes as never before
Chris Abess, Principal at Deloitte Consulting, will discuss the impact of consumer electronics trends on semiconductor pricing
Sarvajna Kazi, Partner at Accenture, will share insights on developing a strategy for semiconductor price planning and segmentation and how to look for the right pricing tools

Now in its fourth year, Rainmaker is the premier event for Life Science and High Tech industry innovators in the exploding revenue management community to learn, share, and network. The Summit, which takes place February 5-7, 2008 at the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, will deliver two full days of keynotes, hands-on workshops, and breakout sessions that will examine revenue management best practices and emerging industry trends.

About Model N
Model N is a leader in Revenue Management solutions, offering an integrated suite of applications for analytics, pricing strategy and execution, contracts, compliance, rebates, fees and charge-backs optimized for the industry practices of Life Sciences and High Tech companies. Enabling the creation of a seamless, end-to-end process from price setting through settlements payment, Model N's uniquely integrated approach eliminates revenue leakage and delivers the visibility and controls needed to avoid the risks of non-compliance to government reporting regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley and government pricing requirements. Customers include: Boston Scientific Corporation; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Cypress Semiconductor Corporation; Intersil Corporation; Linear Technology Corporation; Medtronic, Inc.; Microchip Technology, Inc.; Micron Technology Inc.; Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, a Johnson & Johnson company; ON Semiconductor, Inc. and Pfizer, Inc. Model N is located in Redwood Shores, California. For additional information, visit www.modeln.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:31 AM | Comments (0)

Sky-Trax Announces the Release of Their NEWEST Product: Skan-Free™

Skan-Free is the first automated mobile data collection system not requiring the use of RFID tags. Using image processing technology to read bar codes without manual bar code scanners, Skan-Free removes data collection tasks from forklift drivers enabling them to focus on materials handling tasks and eliminating the possibility of human error in data collection while improving facility productivity and safety.

New Castle, Delaware (PRWEB) January 28, 2008 -Trax, Inc. is pleased to announce the product release of Skan-FreeTM, the first mobile automatic data collection system powered by image processing technology. Without the use of hand held bar code scanners, clip boards or data entry terminals; Skan-Free is the solution for accurate and complete data collection. Intended to be an alternative to RFID systems used for pallet identification and data collection; Skan-Free is the answer for automated mobile data collection that the industry has been asking for.

"Our Skan-Free technology is proven, practical, and easy to deploy," said Larry Mahan, Sky-Trax President and COO. "Skan-Free brings tremendous improvements to any materials tracking operation in warehouses, DCs, and industrial facilities by eliminating manual data collection tasks for forklift drivers and the data tracking errors that result. In this way Skan-Free delivers more accurate data enabling WMS and ERP software to be more effective and reducing disruptions and errors in operations. Beyond this, Skan-Free increases the efficiency and productivity of your drivers and makes their job safer. With Skan-Free drivers will not have to get off or lean out of the forklift to scan a pallet or rack identification label. Skan-Free allows drivers to stay in the vehicle cab at all times eliminating the potential hazards of drivers dismounting their vehicles in any way."

"One of the key benefits is the ability to use ordinary printed bar code labels to ID pallets, instead of the expensive RFID tags. The Skan-Free sensor can read a bar code in any orientation placed anywhere on the face of a pallet load so that precise label placement is not required as with RFID readers," Mahan added.

The core component of the Skan-Free system is the Optical Label Reader (OLR) that is mounted to the front of any forklift. The OLR then finds and decodes linear or 2D barcodes in its field of view. After decoding a particular label, the OLR reads the pallet or rack location ID label as a pallet is being picked or put back in a rack location. The decoded bar code information is output to an on-board computer or wireless radio for collection and processing.

For customers desiring a complete packaged solution, Sky-Trax provides the Sky-Box™, a ruggedized mobile integration platform providing a Windows XP processor, WiFi 802.11 radio, sensor integration ports and electronics-grade power to create an on-board mobile network for "plug and play" integration of the Skan-Free system solution.

"We have removed the human element from data collection, creating a completely automated mobile data collection system," said Mahan. "With Skan-Free our customers now have the ability to collect consistently accurate data without the use of manual data collection tools and RFID technology. Automatic data collection will deliver 15 - 45 seconds of direct productivity improvement per transaction for a forklift driver; but even greater productivity gains result from avoiding the disruptions caused by bad or missing inventory data."

To date, Skan-Free has been through several pilot installations and is living up to its expectations. Early reports from one pilot show an expected 30 percent productivity improvement.

For more information about Skan-Free, please visit us online at: http://www.sky-trax.com/products/skanfree.php or contact a Sky-Trax representative 866-927-4927.

About Sky-Trax Inc.:
Sky-Trax develops revolutionary inch-accurate tracking systems for warehouse vehicles. Safety and productivity applications employing IPS are economical and practical to deploy, allowing warehouse professionals to substantially increase safety and improve warehouse efficiency. The results are fewer safety incidents, much lower operating costs, improved inventory accuracy, and greater throughput. For more information, please visit www.Sky-Trax.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:29 AM | Comments (0)

Plexus Systems, Inc. to Exhibit at Pacific Design & Manufacturing Show Jan. 29-31, 2008 in Anaheim, California

Plexus Systems, Inc., providers of Plexus Online on-demand software for the manufacturing enterprise, will demonstrate its award-winning product at in the Pacific Design & Manufacturing Show in Booth 1825. The event is held January 29 - 31, 2008 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. Attendees will learn about Plexus Online traceability functions for medical device manufacturers.

Auburn Hills, Mich. (PRWEB) January 28, 2008 -- Plexus Systems, Inc., providers of Plexus Online on-demand software for the manufacturing enterprise, today announced it will demonstrate its award-winning product at in the Pacific Design & Manufacturing Show in Booth 1825. The event is held January 29 - 31, 2008 at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.

Medical device production requires high precision, and it is critical for manufacturers to have an ability to trace a problem with a finished product back through the complete production process. With Plexus Online, that research is fast, visual and simple. Once a manufacturing issue is isolated, users can easily identify and quarantine all other suspect material. Representatives from Plexus Systems, Inc. will demonstrate this capability at the show, considered the industry's leading gathering for the medical device manufacturing sector.

Plexus Online is an on-demand solution, building on the "software as a service" (SaaS) model pioneered by Salesforce.com and NetSuite. Plexus Online offers over 350 functional modules, providing medical device manufacturers instant access to vital information and management functions using a simple web browser. The on-demand solution features enterprise resource planning (ERP) functions such as accounting and finance modules, customer relationship management (CRM) features such as order entry and tracking, manufacturing execution systems (MES) functions such as production scheduling and machine integration, and supply chain management (SCM) functions such as supplier quality and traceability.

About Plexus Systems, Inc.
Since 1995, Plexus Systems, Inc. (Auburn Hills, Mich.) has maintained a singular vision -- to drive significant cost, quality and productivity improvements for manufacturers, from the shop floor to the top floor. Plexus Online™ is an on-demand software for the manufacturing enterprise, delivering a powerful, real-time interface. Plexus Systems originated internally at a manufacturing company, and was designed to resolve quality challenges, including production, distribution and global supply chains management issues. Today, Plexus Online also enables businesses to manage accounting, financials, compliance and human resources and other top priorities. Plexus Systems serves a cross section of manufacturing industries (OEM and suppliers), particularly automotive, defense, medical device and aerospace companies headquartered in the Americas, Asia, and Europe.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:28 AM | Comments (0)

Ademero, Inc. Releases Content Central™ Version 4.1

Document management software vendor releases Content Central™ v4.1 with workflow, retention and more.

Tampa, Fla., USA (PRWEB) January 28, 2008 -- Ademero, Inc. today announced the release of Content Central™ version 4.1. This major update adds several productivity-based features to the browser-based document management software application.

Increase Productivity with Workflow Rules
Workflow rules provide a means to automatically advance documents from one user to another. Commonly used in approval processing, workflow lets users complete work-related tasks normally triggered by the content of documents. Users either approve or reject documents that arrive in their work queue using an easy-to-use interface. "Configuring and using workflow in Content Central™ couldn't be easier! Our customers will greatly benefit from this new feature in our cutting-edge document management solution," says Manuel Montesino, marketing director for Ademero, Inc.

As a fully browser-based document management system, Content Central™ extends the boundaries of a traditional office. Once the content of a document has been captured, credentialed users can access it for review, modification and management from any computer on the World Wide Web.

Comply with State & Federal Document-Retention Regulations
Content Central™ helps businesses comply with state and federal document-retention regulations, such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Administrators define the period of time documents should be retained. When documents expire, they will be automatically removed from the system. Users with special permission can define retention policies at the document level.

Automatically Assign Document Properties with Zonal OCR
A common feature found in document imaging software, the new Zonal OCR engine extracts text from scanned document pages to automatically populate document property fields during the capture process. Zonal OCR works best with document forms, such as applications, invoices, and work orders. Less data-entry requirements exist when employing Zonal OCR, thus reducing the chance for human error when entering document properties by hand.

Maintain a Complete History of Every Document
From content modifications to document approval, the Content Central™ versioning system maintains a complete revision history for each document. Users can access and download older versions of a document at any time, allowing for comparisons to the current version. The document version history log displays details for each version.

Capture Content using XML
As a flexible integration tool, the new XML capture engine allows both scanned images and electronic-document formats to be captured with ease. An XML file describing the content type, document properties, and destination of a document can be dropped into the XML-based capture folder. Along with integrating with real-time applications, XML capture can be used for conversions to Content Central™ from older document management systems.

About Ademero, Inc.
Ademero develops document management software and enterprise content management software and provides professional services related to both. Based largely on user experience, the company's flagship product, Content Central™, is a browser-based document management system created to provide businesses and other organizations with a convenient way to capture, retrieve and manage information originating in hard copy or digital form.

For more information on Ademero, Inc., or Content Central™, visit http://www.ademero.com/

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:27 AM | Comments (0)

nLIGHT Displays High-Power, Fiber-Coupled Industrial Lasers at Photonics West

The nLIGHT OTF fiber-coupled diode laser systems offer both high power and beam quality for industrial applications.

Vancouver, WA USA (PRWEB) January 28, 2008 -- For the first time at Photonics West, nLIGHT Corp, in collaboration with Optotools GMBH, will display fiber-coupled diode lasers that offer both high power and beam quality in a format suitable for industrial applications. The nLIGHT OTF Modules and the OTF HP systems represent a new approach to direct diode laser processing, combining advanced optics with the latest generation of high power laser diodes in a reliable, conduction-cooled format.

"Recent advances in the brightness and power of high power laser diodes, along with beamforming techniques utilized in these new products enable precision industrial applications such as plastic joining and soldering to be realized in compact, affordable systems," commented Joe DeBartolo Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "At the kW power levels, the nLIGHT/Optotools lasers will enable applications in welding, brazing and heat-treating systems previously not within the reach of direct-diode technology. When comparing these laser sources, direct-diode technology offers the highest efficiency and reliability with the low maintenance cost and small form-factor that leads to a lower cost of ownership."

The OTF Module combines the proven reliability of conduction-cooled diodes with advanced beamforming technologies to create a robust, industrial, fiber-coupled laser source. This modular design offers significant flexibility, and with the integrated monitoring electronics, open interfaces, and options for high power industrial cables, pilot beams and shutters, the OTF Module redefines the direct diode category with features, performance and reliability not previously available.

The OTF HP system leverages the modular design of the OTF fiber-coupled source, plus the integration of the power supply, chiller and beam combining optics to deliver a fully self-contained system at kilowatt power levels in a compact footprint. This maintenance-free reliability, small size, and higher efficiency, combined with a lower up-front cost, leads to a dramatic reduction in the overall cost of ownership when compared to conventional lamp-pumped systems, opening up new paradigms in material processing markets such as welding, brazing, cladding and hardening.

About nLIGHT
nLIGHT is driving new application utilization of high-power semiconductor lasers and fiber through industry-leading innovation and best-practice manufacturing. Optimizing components and sub-systems for OEM integration produces differentiated advantages for our customers in their market space. Global support is offered through state-of-the-art manufacturing and application centers in Vancouver, WA; Hillsboro, OR; Munich, Germany; Lohja, Finland and Shanghai, China. nLIGHT is growing rapidly and was named the fastest-growing technology company in the Northwest by Deloitte and Touche in 2007. www.nLIGHT.net

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:25 AM | Comments (0)

BlueCielo Co-Sponsors daratechPLANT2008

Visit BlueCielo at Booth P11; COO for North America Brian Sallade to speak at opening keynote session.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) January 28, 2008 -- BlueCielo ECM Solutions (formerly Cyco Software), a leading global software company offering Engineering Content Management (ECM) solutions, announced today its co-sponsorship of daratechPLANT2008. BlueCielo will showcase its popular InnoCielo solutions at Booth P11 and the company's COO for North America Brian Sallade will be a featured speaker at the conference in Houston, Texas, USA on January 28-30, 2008.

At Booth P11, see expert demonstrations of BlueCielo's cutting-edge ECM software InnoCielo Meridian Enterprise and its asset information management solutions which provide:

An asset-centric engineering content management environment
A link between engineering and maintenance
Management of change and multiple projects
Seamless information exchange with external contractors and global collaborators

Discover the newest features of InnoCielo Meridian Enterprise 2007a:

Advanced Document Workflow (ADWF) - a rich set of workflow features such as parallel review, logging and email notification, which can be implemented through configuration without having to resort to programming.
Open BriefCase - an additional industry standard format (a ZIP archive) to exchange CAD files and assemblies (and other documents) with associated metadata and references between sites or engineering teams, which does not require the receiver to have InnoCielo software.
Enhanced Performance - the support for more documents, more concurrent users and significantly improved performance (dramatically faster data access and vault searches) in demanding environments with large vaults.
Upgraded CAD Support - updated integration support for all the latest CAD software versions.

Also find out more about BlueCielo's innovative software modules, including the InnoCielo Asset Management Module, InnoCielo Advanced Project Workflow, InnoCielo Publisher and InnoCielo Global Collaboration Framework. BlueCielo executives will be on hand to answer any questions and provide free consultations.

"We are pleased to support daratechPLANT for the third year running," says Martijn Janmaat, BlueCielo's president and CEO. "Plants and companies are adopting new ways of working to stay ahead in today's competitive market - outsourcing, insourcing, offshoring and online workgroups all create a totally new business environment. Our InnoCielo product suite provides companies the tools to share, leverage and manage engineering content throughout the enterprise and beyond - and achieve the maximum performance with their limited resources, a hot issue highlighted in this year's conference theme."

BlueCielo's suite of InnoCielo solutions is employed in multiple vertical industries worldwide by companies such as Bluewater, EDF Energy, Entergy Nuclear, ExxonMobil, Finnish Rail, the Franke Group, Hewlett Packard, Huntsman, Met-Mex Penoles, Petrobras, Pfizer, RWE, Shell and many more.

daratechPLANT is a key annual conference focused on project/program, operations and maintenance IT strategies for process and power plant owner operators and engineering procurement contractors (EPCs).

About BlueCielo ECM Solutions:
BlueCielo ECM Solutions (formerly Cyco Software) provides Engineering Content Management and Application Integration solutions for multiple vertical industries including energy, oil & gas, petrochemical, government, pharmaceutical, and discrete and process manufacturing. BlueCielo has more than two decades of industry experience with over 275,000 users in 50+ countries worldwide. The company has offices in the USA, UK, Russia, Germany and the Netherlands, together with an extensive global network of established partners. BlueCielo ensures a high level of service and support on a truly worldwide scale for its leading software solutions, InnoCielo Meridian Enterprise and InnoCielo TeamWork (formerly AutoManager Meridian and AutoManager TeamWork). For more information, please visit http://www.bluecieloecm.com, or call (800) 323 2926 ext 111 (Toll-free from USA), +1 404 634 3302 (Americas) or +31 (0)70 413 3700 (EMEA).

BlueCielo, InnoCielo, Cyco and AutoManager are registered trademarks of BlueCielo ECM Solutions. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. © 2007 BlueCielo ECM Solutions. All rights reserved.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:24 AM | Comments (0)

Jim Andrew Elected Chairman of AmCham Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City

The Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) has elected a new chairman, Mr. Jim Andrew, of ConocoPhillips Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (PRWEB) January 28, 2008 -- The Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) has elected a new chairman, Mr. Jim Andrew, of ConocoPhillips Vietnam.

In outlining his vision for the organization, Mr. Andrew stressed the need to continue the dynamism of AmCham. "We want to build on the momentum we have developed in recent years, particularly now that Vietnam is a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and enjoys Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with the United States.

"We also want to support the government's shift from export-oriented manufacturing investment promotion to more broadly based economic development, including foreign investment in services and infrastructure," he said. "We will strengthen our support for investment promotion, networking, and work with other AmChams in the Southeast Asia region to advance regional economic integration."

Jim is currently Manager of Business Development and Government Affairs for ConocoPhillips Vietnam, where he is responsible for commercial oversight of ConocoPhillips businesses, management of ConocoPhillips government relations programs, and development of new ventures in Vietnam. Jim also serves on the Board of Directors for the Nam Con Son Pipeline System. ConocoPhillips is the single largest foreign investor in any industry in Vietnam, with over $1.1B US invested in capital projects in Vietnam since 1996.

He has held a variety of operational, engineering, commercial and leadership positions at ConocoPhillips in New Orleans, Anchorage, Calgary and Houston. Jim has worked on oil and gas business development initiatives in over 20 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America, most recently as Director of Business Development for ConocoPhillips in Latin America.

A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Jim holds an undergraduate degree in engineering from LSU and an MBA in International Business from the University of Western Ontario.

Jim has been active in the United Way in the US and Canada and served on the Board of Directors for the Petroleum Joint Venture Association of Canada.

AmCham Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City has over 400 member and associate companies, with almost 800 representatives. It was established in March 1994.

Visit our web site for more information, including a complete list of the Board of Governors: http://www.amchamvietnam.com.

For further information, contact:
Herb Cochran
Executive Director

The American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam
Ho Chi Minh City

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:23 AM | Comments (0)

Leading Active Vehicle Safety Experts Explain Why IVS is Such a Big Deal to Future of European Automotive Industry

Leading Experts in sensor and vehicle communication based active safety exclusively tell Telematics Update why Intelligent Vehicle Safety is such a big deal for their company. In the first of three articles with well known industry leaders, Volvo, NAVTEQ, Thatcham, ERTICO, TRG and Strategy Analytics talk about their opinions on sensor based safety systems, vehicle communications (V2X) and the reality of autonomous cars.

(PRWEB) January 27, 2008 -- IVS is fast becoming a competitive advantage in the European automotive world. As it enters the phase of consumer education and mass market deployment, the impact of the reciprocal relationship developing between consumers and vendors will be a defining factor in sorting the IVS technology successes from the failures.

In the first in a series of three online articles, IVS experts, who are also on the speaker line-up at the European Intelligent Vehicle Safety Summit 2008, discuss why their organisations are taking a vested interest in this rapidly changing industry.

The article offers insight into the drivers behind industry changes, the increasing technological changes of sensors, fusion, vehicle communication, and map-based applications.

The industry experts also talk about what active safety will inevitably lead to - autonomous cars.

"It'll happen in the next ten to fifteen years," says TRG's Egil Juliussen.

This is in stark contrast to NAVTEQ's Bob Denaro, who says it's already here: "When you weren't looking, we already entered the phase of autonomous driving."

General Motors engineer Jim Nickolau would have to agree with Denaro. Nickolau will be speaking at the IVS Summit about the car that won the DARPA Urban Challenge and the technologies that made it possible.

"Today's innovative active safety technologies will be the standard technology of tomorrow in a mass market worth billions by 2015," says Telematics Update's IVS industry analyst, Rayan Jawad. "Those who intend to stay ahead of the competition are investing heavily now to ensure they know exactly which technologies those will be."

The full article is available as a free download from http://www.telematicsupdate.com/ivseurope/reports.shtml along with white papers and presentations on IVS, in the run up to The European Intelligent Vehicle Safety Summit 2008, which takes place on 11-12 March in Frankfurt.

For more information or if you would like to be featured in our articles, contact Rayan Jawad at +44 (0)207 375 7184 or email Rayan at rayan @ telematicsupdate.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:23 AM | Comments (0)

DiscWrite v.4 Released

Mediatechnics releases the much anticipated version 4.0 of their DiscWrite duplication loaders software.

(PRWEB) January 27, 2008 -- Mediatechnics Systems, Inc. has officially released version 4.0 of DiscWrite Duplicator Software.

Utilizing 30+ years of industry experience and the feedback from hundreds of customers including AOL, FEDEX, HP, MICROSOFT, DiscWrite 4.0 is set to take the duplication industry by storm. This new software release has all the features in it that many other software packages lack. The software comes standard on all the Fusion Duplication systems.

According to Rick Wilson, President at Mediatechnics, "This new software release comes after years of listening to our customer needs and putting them all together in one ultimate software package. Until, now we could not offer such a robust software solution for our duplicators. This new software may render all other vendors software obsolete and become the industry standard."

About Mediatechnics
For 19 years Mediatechnics has been a leading supplier of duplication equipment and services. Starting in 1988 with 3.5 floppy disk equipment and services, Mediatechnics has earned the reputation of delivering quality product and services at very affordable prices.

With customers ranging from large corporations to small business, Mediatechnics has installed systems and supplied services to companies all around the globe.

Mediatechnics has distributors throughout the world and has a customer base from Russia to Washington DC. Location is never an issue when investing in a Mediatehnics system.

The company's clients include Fed Ex, AOL, Sybase, Veritas, Intel, Oracle, IBM, Electronic Arts and many others.

For more information on pricing and availability, contact:

Mediatechnics Systems Inc.
Mail Drop:
PO Box 1424
Placerville, CA 95667
Phone 800-464-8996 USA only and 1-732-899-4419 worldwide
FAX 530-698-6191
Internet: http://www.mediatechnics.com/

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:21 AM | Comments (0)

Environmental Chemistry Book Re-Released: Over 100 Environmental Chemistry Misconceptions Dispelled

This is a re-release of a book that is important for anyone who is involved in the environmental forensics industry. It provides essential information about the behavior of chemicals in the environment as presented by one of North America's premier soil chemists.

Farmington Hills, MI (PRWEB) January 26, 2008 -- This is a re-release of a book that is important for anyone who is involved in the environmental forensics industry. It provides essential information about the behavior of chemicals in the environment as presented by one of North America's premier soil chemists.

In 1988 Dr. James Dragun's first book, "The Soil Chemistry of Hazardous Materials" was released. In 1998, the second edition to this book was released. Now a re-release of the second edition is available.

This is a "hardcore" scientific book that is well referenced and provides essential scientific information for anyone that needs to understand how chemicals behave in the environment. The fate of various chemicals in the environment is the focus of much of today's environmental and insurance coverage litigation. In this book, Dr. Dragun dispels over 100 misconceptions about the behavior of chemicals in soil. These misconceptions lead to improper conclusions that can result in wrong solutions.

Dr. Dragun has provided scientific support and insight on projects across North America, as well as overseas. He received his Ph.D. in agronomy from Penn State University, has authored/co-authored more than ten technical books, and is an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts. He is the president of The Dragun Corporation, an environmental consulting firm with offices in Farmington Hills, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

For more information about this book or about The Dragun Corporation, go to www.dragun.com or call their Farmington Hills, Michigan office at 248.932.0228.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:21 AM | Comments (0)

Environmental Packaging now Available in China

AVC Corporation, the leader in environmental packaging has set up their plant, AVC-China in Guangdong province, to manufacture and produce the same great environmental packaging available domestically to American companies.

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) January 26, 2008 -- With the Wal-Mart scorecard set to go into effect on February 1, the procrastinator's clock will soon stop ticking. Those who have waited will soon find that their hope of an extension has evaporated and they must move to 21st century packaging now. The problem for many of these vendors is that they are making their products in China and environmental packaging is not available there until now.

AVC Corporation, the leader in environmental packaging has set up their plant, AVC-China in Guangdong province, to manufacture and produce the same great environmental packaging available domestically to American companies.

"We saw this change to Environmental packaging coming and started our plant in China two years ago. Our China capabilities include printing, thermoforming, injection molding, assembly, R/F and heat sealing on site. We offer a total packaging solution for all our clients," said Moshe Begim, President of AVC Corporation. He went on to say that when a client with products made in China wants to package there, he offers them the complete 'global packaging concept.'

AVC's in-house design team begins with the design here in the USA and offers the client AVC's unique and patented packages such as the ERB (environmental rigid blister, the RRP (reusable retail package), EnviroTube, PP-RRP (polypropylene reusable retail package), and of course a wide array of conventional clamshells, blisters and clampacks. After approval, the design is sent to AVC-China to produce the tools, form the plastic and do the printing.

AVC-China also offers the assembly and packaging of the product, or clients can buy the packaging materials to assemble at their vendors operation. "The beauty of the system is that we can make a tool in the USA and begin packaging here until China is online. Then the transition is accomplished seamlessly with all the processes done in China. If the client has an emergency then we just have the product flown in and we can package it in the USA until the Chinese package can arrive. It has saved the reputation of many of our clients who had big box store fixed due dates," said Begim.

AVC has over 30 years packaging industry experience and spent considerable time setting up the China facility to U.S. standards. "We looked to ISO 9000 as the basis for our China operation and combine the lower labor rates with our modern processing and design. The Chinese operation that AVC acquired had been in business for over 20 years providing printing and plastic products for global clients. They were enthusiastic to have us come in and take over and bring their operations up to modern levels", said Art Stephens Vice President of Operations at AVC.

AVC continues to produce and develop new environmental packaging to meet the new demand and will continue to service its Global clientèle. www.avccorp.com is the website to discover all of AVC's packaging innovations at both AVC and AVC-China.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:19 AM | Comments (0)

Jing Duann Prepares to Launch Full Automatic Technology in 2008

A Taiwan forging machine inventor takes a proactive effort to get into automation technology. The company makes a top priority to provide high efficiency and excellent forging machines. Jing Duann looks forward to serving worldwide customers with the advanced automation technology.

(PRWEB) January 25, 2008 -- Jing Duann has engaged in application of automation technology, it believes an advanced full-automatic production line definitely assists customers and helps the company meet various market demands promptly, strengthening their core competence.

Established in 1977, Jing Duann is specialized in the manufacture of forging press, forging machine, forming machine, metal forging machine, roll forging machine and warm forging machine; the production capability of machines could reach from 400 tons to 1600 tons.

Since 1979, when Jing Duann introduced its first innovation-C Series Air Press Machine, its state of the art design and continuous efforts have earned the trust of customers worldwide. Jing Duann was honored with the title "Prominent of Forging Technological Development" issued by Taiwan Forging Association. It also gained ISO9001:2000 certification for Product Development and Quality of Service in 2001.

Jing Duann has worked with a wide-range of industrial component suppliers, providing motorcycle forge parts, bicycle parts, hand tools, sport equipment and valves. The company both serves local customers and exports to China, India, South Asia and South America.

Awarded ISO9002 quality system certification, Jing Duann's Taiwan main factory is located in the Taichung Industrial Park with total floor area of 2,465 square meters. It efficiently supports an annual output of 100 machines. All products accord with CE and CNS standards.

***Products Focus***

Made of durable stainless steel welded plates and enhanced by heat treatment, all machines are well equipped with a multi-station forging function and double layer guide ways. They could sustain heavy loads. The long hours of manufacturing mean even the eccentric shaft can't be deformed. In addition, products can survive long journeys given the forging process.

FP Series of High Speed Hot/Warm Forging Press is highly recommended for the forging of hand tools, vehicles, bicycles, trains, ships, textile machines, conveying equipment, mining machinery and hardware components. Its eight-faced guiding ways and link-rod adjustable device complete high-quality forging with great precision. More features, including worldwide patented mold-stuck release design, multiple safety circuit system and digital forging pressure control, can also be installed. To reduce friction between mechanical parts and extend the life of the mold, a PLC controlled lubrication system effectively prevents the oil circuits from clogging and oil from being exhausted. Jing Duann also provides the TP Series for vertical rod material forging depending on customers' requirements.

Competing with Japanese technology, Jing Duann JKP Knuckle Joint Cold Forging Press has proven to be a great value in the market. Working with automatic feeding equipment, its output reaches 10,000pcs/8hrs with a low defect rate, which means ideal unmanned operation and total cost savings.

***Turnkey Project Service***

Recently, Jing Duann served a motor parts manufacturer in Vietnam, from establishing a plant layout, work-flow arrangement, equipment installation, and mold design, to training personnel on forging techniques. Jing Duann sent a senior forging engineer for technical consultation until the products are officially released.

As Jing Duann Senior Assistant to the President, Eddy Chen emphasized. "We not only provide total turnkey solution for customers, but also pay more attention to what they need, especially for beginners in the forging business. Whatever our customers ask for, we are there to assist them to achieve their goals."

***Strong R&D Power***

"Creating our own know-how and patent techniques make us stand out from the competition. Many OEM manufacturers lack self-innovation and knowledge, which causes a high rate of machine breakdown," Chen said.

Jing Duann's strong R&D team is supported by an MA degree in engineering from Japan and experienced forging experts. The company insists that the balance of technical theory and practice makes machines more complete, with outstanding function and user-friendly operation.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:17 AM | Comments (0)

Geon Moves Forward on Ear Thermometer and Forehead Thermometer Production in 2008

A digital fever thermometer manufacturer over ten years, Geon is driven by rapid market trends and strives for new technology development. Its efforts will be seen this year on ear thermometer and forehead thermometer manufacture.

(PRWEB) January 25, 2008 -- As part of a strong commitment to "constant innovation," Geon successfully developed both a digital ear thermometer and a forehead thermometer this year. These products are going to be launched in market in 2008. Geon ear and forehead thermometers provide a safer, more convenient and more humane method to measure body temperature. More steady function and design mean these products are not easily affected by the environment temperature.

This project definitely offers more choice on the medical device and equipment market, it also shows Geon's strong commitment to developing new technology.

Geon turned itself into a digital thermometer manufacturer in 1995, its main ideas of great humane function and lively design has been well received in global market. Up to present, Geon has served OEM and ODM applicants worldwide include Europe, South Asia, Middle East and America.

"Our products are all proudly manufactured in Taiwan, so that we can promise top quality and control," Geon General Manager Henry Chen said.

To reach an annual capacity of 2.5 million high quality digital fever thermometers, Geon never compromises quality control. Its factory has received ISO9001, ISO13485:2003 and GMP certification. They boast long-standing relationships with upstream suppliers and specialist subcontractors for mold design and plastic injection, Geon integrates professional technical supports to ensure efficient workflow and quality.

Geon is not only responsible for accurate assembly procedures, but the company also adheres to stringent quality inspection at every stage of process flow. All material pass chemical tests for human safety; flaw and accuracy detection is carried out on half-finished products piece by piece. Moreover, overall inspection includes accuracy; a water-proof test is conducted at finishing. Geon insists on a final check before delivery and extra inspections also can be done upon customers' special request.

Geon products have achieved CE approval, FDA 510(K), 93/42/EEC, IEC60601-1, IEC60601-1-2, EN 12470-3:2000, ASTME1112:98 standards. Geon digital thermometers are available in rigid and flexible types with an operating range of 10°C~35°C, their measurement range is up to 32.0°C~43.0°C. They also deliver ±0.1°C between 35.5°C and 42.0°C at ambient air temperatures of 18°C to 28°C. Great features such as a beeper, storing memory, fever alarm, waterproof, automatic switch off, low battery indication are built-in.

In particular, 20 seconds digital thermometers are proudly developed by Geon, as well as 60 seconds digital thermometer, a good option in market. Geon continues to obtain international patents, which provides strong trust and protection in products with customers.

In the fact of rapid growth in medical and healthcare device market, Geon has formed its own R&D team to devote in advance technology innovation and product function enhancement. In addition to increasing the level of knowledge, Geon keeps a good connection with Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan top grade non-profit R&D organization engaging in applied research and technical service. Geon is planning to make a wide range of medical diagnostic kits in the future.

Making the most of prompt response, Geon technical support engineers and customer service team are taking care of customers' inquiries. Both teams offer in-time troubleshooting. Geon's flexible working schedule can meet a customer's special delivery date.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:16 AM | Comments (0)

Capstone's Road Map to Acquisition Provides Clarity During Turbulent Times in M&A World

Capstone, a leading Washington, DC M&A advisory firm, sticks to a proven process when leading clients down path to acquisition.

Washington, DC (PRWEB) January 25, 2008 -- With predictions of uncertainty swirling around the M&A market for 2008, acquisition advisory firm Capstone (formerly Virtual Strategies) has refined its unique "Road Map to Acquisition" to guide its clients to successful deals. The Road Map has been developed from the firm's unique experiences since its inception 12 years ago, according to CEO and founder, David Braun.

"Amazingly, we still see companies haphazardly venture into making deals without any sort of process to guide them along the way," said Braun. "With the credit crunch that pervaded the market in the last half of 2007, and the jitters it has spawned for the new year, the need for discipline when pursuing acquisitions is paramount. At Capstone, we strongly believe that any company, whether they have revenues of $10 billion or one million, needs to have a strict method to their acquisition strategy to take away the madness."

The credit crunch hit private equity deals the hardest. However, Braun expects that corporate M&A activity will remain strong in 2008 as corporations step into the gap left by private equity groups -- and that Capstone's Road Map to Acquisition will be of most benefit in this space.

"The Road Map encompasses three phases," explained Braun. "The first is to Build the Foundations -- this means developing a clearly defined strategy for the acquisition, which is the underpinning for the rest of the process. The next phase is to Build the Relationships by reaching out to owners and getting them excited about your company and a why a deal would be profitable for all involved. Finally, Build the Deal itself -- negotiations, due diligence and integration -- to ensure the maximum chance of success in the new company."

Braun also believes that the weak dollar will continue to make US companies attractive to foreign firms -- and that the Road Map to Acquisition will work just as well for a company from Germany or China as an American company.

"The Road Map is written in the language of business," said Braun. "No matter where buyer and seller are located, executing the deal following a structured, logical process guarantees the best probability for a deal that will work."

For questions regarding Capstone, please visit Capstone's website at CapstoneStrategic.com or call 202-776-0500.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:14 AM | Comments (0)

Domo Online Launches New Blog to Open Discussion with Customers

Warren Worthley's well-received 2-cycle engine oil store, www.Domo-Online.com, launches a new business blog to discuss products and services with clients, as well as encouraging conversation on topics related to the machines that use this oil: outboard motors for boats, snowmobiles, ATVs, waverunners, and other 2-stroke engines.

Punta Gorda, FL (PRWEB) January 25, 2008 -- www.Domo-Online.com is well-known among outboard motor and snowmobile enthusiasts due to their selection and their commitment to swift, friendly service. Business owner Warren Worthley has taken the next step in growing his business by starting a blog at www.OutboardMotorOilBlog.com . In creating this blog, Warren has managed to turn a business that began with a customer's frustration into an answer to the frustrations of others worldwide.

"I own an 200 horsepower Evinrude E-Tech and I wanted to buy oil for it," Warren explains as he details the origins of Domo-Online. "I tried to find well-priced outboard motor oil on the Internet, but I couldn't find anything. I decided to start Domo-Online and sell discount outboard motor oil for Evinrude, Yamaha, and Mercury Engines." Answering the need for the public, Warren quickly found the market for his products, and over the course of a year he has built up a loyal customer base for his deals on Yamalube, Mercury, and Evinrude XD motor oils. But just offering the products wasn't where Warren wanted to stop.

"Over the years I've had great conversations with customers in helping to solve their oil needs, but I enjoy just talking about fishing all over the country," says Warren, who has fished recreationally since childhood. "I have talked to people in California, Texas, Florida, the Carolinas -- all over the country who fish in both freshwater and saltwater. We talk about engines, too, of course. We have lots of great conversations with customers about their orders and the oil they need, as well as where they're using it."

Warren expects that fishing, boating, and snowmobiling will be popular topics of discussion on his blog, in addition to the obvious oil-related conversations. "As an avid fisherman, I want Domo-Online to provide my fishing friends with the best oil for their motors at the best prices, and deliver it ASAP. We provide premium oils to our customers within 24 hours -- if you order by 10 am EST, your oil will be shipped to you that day." Warren's new blog will be used as a tool to expand upon that service, as well as provide his customers with a comfortable atmosphere within which to discuss his products and activities related to their use.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:13 AM | Comments (0)

JDEtips University Spring 2008 Schedule Announced

JDEtips University Spring 2008 workshop schedule is now available. Fifteen classes will be offered in Dallas, Texas covering core topics in JD Edwards Financials, Distribution, Manufacturing, Report Writing, and Development. Registrations are ahead of schedule, so interested participants should act quickly.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) January 25, 2008 -- Klee Associates, Inc. announced the curriculum for the JDEtips University session scheduled for March and April, 2008. The schedule includes fifteen mastery-level classes covering core topics in JD Edwards Financials, Distribution, Manufacturing, Report Writing, and Development.

New this Spring: a four-day class on Manufacturing Planning. This four-day workshop, scheduled for April 8-11, will present an overview of the Manufacturing Planning functionality within the JD Edwards suite. It is specifically geared toward planners and IT staff wishing to learn more about MRP, DRP, MPS, and CRP.

Says Andy Klee, President of Klee Associates, "Our goal is always to help our clients achieve greater business results with the software they already own. Our experienced consultants share the full scope of their knowledge, including basics, advanced techniques, and 'gotchas' to avoid. Attendee feedback has been excellent, and we have many JDE clients who send employees to multiple classes."

JDEtips Mastery Level workshops are taught in an instructor-led environment and qualify for continuing education credits, including CPE, APICS, CMA, and CPP. Detailed course descriptions and registration information can be found at www.JDEtips.com/WorkshopSchedule.asp.

Klee adds "Registrations for public classes were very strong in Fall 2007 with seats for many classes selling out several weeks in advance. Those interested in attending are strongly encouraged to sign up early."

About Klee Associates, Inc.
Klee Associates publishes the JDEtips Journal, read by over 5,000 readers from 500 JD Edwards client companies. Klee's specialty is mastery-level training in the form of on-site classes and the JDEtips University. All classes are focused on knowledge transfer, solving problems, and extending the value received by clients on their investment in JD Edwards software. www.JDEtips.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:12 AM | Comments (0)

Xcelience Expands its Early Drug Development Capabilities

The Tampa-based CRO is first to acquire next generation Xcelodose.

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) January 25, 2008 -- Xcelience, LLC, a leading pharmaceutical formulation development company, becomes the first Contract Research Organization in North America to purchase the Xcelodose 600 S precision powder micro-doser and automated encapsulator, manufactured by Capsugel.

The S model fills at speeds of over 600 capsules an hour at 50 percent greater throughput than its predecessor, the Xcelodose 600. "We are very pleased to continue our work with Xcelience and to see them be the first company in the US to order our newest generation of Xcelodose," says David Edwards, Director of Pharmaceutical Technology, Capsugel.

The CRO, which has grown exponentially since its inception, continues on its path to perpetual growth. "Adding to Xcelience's arsenal of tools for assisting our clients to accelerate their early drug development pipelines is paramount to our strategic philosophy," says Randall Guthrie, Vice President.

In addition to expanding operations in 2007 with the acquisition of a new facility, the company boasts an array of new equipment to further amplify its vast capabilities. "Xcelience has built up a wealth of drug development experience since we bought the first Xcelodose in 2005," says Derek Hennecke, President and CEO. Sponsors have been drawn to our speed in helping get them to the clinic. The new model is faster and will add to our responsiveness time."

The Xcelodose 600 S is expected to debut at Xcelience as early as May 2008.

About Xcelience
Xcelience is the premier source for unsurpassed quality in drug development services. The company brings together the industry's most experienced and talented scientists, consistently and efficiently moving compounds through the research and development continuum to regulatory approval.

Since 1997, the Tampa-based laboratory has been developing formulations for clients throughout the pharmaceutical industry. Xcelience's unique corporate structure creates project teams that work intensively with each client, bringing an extension of their own organization into the Xcelience lab. The lab uses only state-of-the-art equipment, highlighted by the patented Xcelodose® which fills API directly to capsules (Xcelodose is a registered trademark of Capsugel BVBA). This and other technologies give Xcelience unparalleled speed to market without compromising its absolute commitment to quality.
www.xcelience.com

Media Contact:
Oniel Delva
Teasdale Worldwide
813.868.1529
oniel@teasdaleworldwide.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:10 AM | Comments (0)

Retail Solutions Wins Consumer Goods Technology Readers' Choice Award

Retail Solutions Awarded the Coveted "Editors' Pick" Award by Consumer Goods Technology for Second Year in a Row

Sunnyvale, CA (PRWEB) January 24, 2008 -- Retail Solutions Inc., formerly known as T3Ci, and the leading solution provider helping consumer product goods (CPG) companies create value with retailer data, today announced that Consumer Goods Technology magazine has selected the company as a Readers' Choice Award winner in the "Editors' Pick" category for the second consecutive year.

"We are very honored to be recognized again by the editors of Consumer Goods Technology," said Cedric Guyot, Vice President Marketing, Retail Solutions. "Since winning last year's award, we have continued to research and explore ground-breaking approaches to leveraging retailer data. By combining visibility with science inside proven applications, Retail Solutions enables CPG companies to predict, see and react on a daily basis to what happens at the shelf level."

Retail Solutions provides a comprehensive suite of solutions in the fast-growing demand signal repository and demand data analytics space. Retail Solutions serves over 100 customers, including 7 of the top 8 global consumer goods companies, helping them to create value from their many retailer data streams in a software-as-a-service model.

"We are witnessing the emergence of fact-based planning, execution and collaboration in the retail and CPG industry," added Andrea Vento, Vice President Customer Operations, Retail Solutions. "With visibility into 20 retailers, including 7 of the top 10 US retailers, our customers now understand how to better work with their trading partners and take a more active and effective role to improve planning and operations. As a result consumer goods companies and retailers both benefit, from better promotion execution to optimized store-level promotion design and from focused store interventions to out-of-stock (OOS) prevention."

About Retail Solutions Inc.
Retail Solutions applies science to retailer data. Formerly known as T3Ci, Retail Solutions develops and delivers a comprehensive suite of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions that turn retailer data, such as point-of-sale (POS), supply chain, merchandiser feedback and EPC data into actionable visibility into the store and onto the shelf.

Leading companies such as Bayer, Colgate-Palmolive, HP, Kao Brands, Kraft, Procter & Gamble, Schering-Plough Corp., Novartis, Stemilt, Tyson Foods Inc. and Unilever trust Retail Solutions to grow their retail sales, maximize in-store operation productivity, plan and execute more effective promotions, reduce their costs and join efforts with retail partners to improve shelf availability and consumer satisfaction. Please visit http://www.retailsolutions.com for more information.

About Consumer Goods Technology
Consumer Goods Technology (CGT) is committed to helping consumer goods executives improve business performance through integrated media that delivers actionable insight, benchmark analysis and peer-to-peer networking. In print, online and at events, we focus on the specific needs and challenges of the industry. Visit www.consumergoods.com for more information.

About the CGT Readers' Choice Survey
Executed by an autonomous third-party firm on behalf of Consumer Goods Technology magazine, the annual Readers' Choice Survey analyzes responses from more than 150 consumer goods IT and business executives to determine the top ten providers in categories such as Supply Chain Planning, Supply Chain Execution, Trade Promotion Management, New Products Development and Introduction, Demand Data Analytics and more. The survey also determines leaders in Customer Experience and in the SMB market for each category. Results are published in the January 2008 edition of the magazine.

Media and Analyst Contact Information:
Victoria Sian
Marketing Communications Manager, Retail Solutions
+1 408.541.5260

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:07 AM | Comments (0)

Stable New Welding Cart Improving Safety in Workplace

Air Force technology licensed to Montana company for manufacturing.

Bozeman, Mont. (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 24, 2008 -- An enhanced safety welding cart patented by the U.S. Air Force Vandenberg Air Force Base Training Device Design and Engineering Center (TDDEC) to increase the safety and well being of airmen is now available commercially through Spika Welding & Manufacturing Inc., Moccasin, Montana.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, 15,500 welding accidents occurred nationwide from 1994 to 2001. Many of these accidents involved oxy-acetylene gas welding and cutting processes, which pose several safety hazards to technicians.

The new design for the Safety Welding Cart has significantly reduced the risk to the employees at TDDEC. This particular process improvement was rated as a “Best Practice” by the 2004 AFSPC IG ORI (Air Force Space Command Inspector General Operational Readiness Inspection) team. The system was submitted and accepted into the IDEA (Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness) program for notable improvement, where it has been approved mandatory and recommended for wide use at the Space command level. It has been sent up to the Air Force Level at the Pentagon for further evaluation.

Oxy-acetylene cutting and welding sets are common in almost every industrial, con-struction, or maintenance shop in the world. Portable oxy-acetylene sets typically consist of a compressed gas bottle containing acetylene, stabilized with acetone and pressurized, along with one larger cylinder of industrial oxygen, compressed to 2500 psi. The industry standard for storage and portability has remained unchanged for years, utilizing a two wheeled “tip-back” style cart, with the two gas cylinders chained to a simple deck. On top of these cylinders are the exposed valves and regulators, with twin rubber hoses connected to a mixing valve and torch tips. The system is simple and inexpensive, but does little to minimize the various safety hazards inherent with the welding system and process.

Mishaps involving oxyacetylene gas-welding & cutting sets are often catastrophic and present significant hazards to personnel and aircraft/equipment in the area. If accidently tipped or knocked over, a 175-pound pressurized oxygen cylinder with a broken regulator or valve can jet away at more than 30 miles an hour with enough force and volocity to penetrate block walls, with potential to travel distances greater than a half-mile. Objects accidentally falling onto the welding set can result in unleashing a “missile” within the hanger or maintenance facility if the cylinder’s valve or regulator are sheared off or damaged.

In addition to these hazards, the “tip back” style cylinder carts used since the early 1900’s can be dangerous because the weight of the cylinders makes them difficult to balance and awkward to maneuver. Cylinders are typically held loosly with chains to the frame, and are completely exposed to potential falling objects. It is surprising that this primative cart has remained the industry standard for storing and transporting oxy-acetylene welders for since compressed gas first came into use.

The 25 to 50 feet of exposed rubber hose presents yet more safety concerns. Not only a trip hazard when excess hose is strung across the work area, sparks, hot slag and cut metal pieces often burn through the flexible fuel supply, igniting the acetylene as it escapes the damaged hose.

The US Air Force applied for a patent for the new safety-conscious system, and the Montana State University TechLink Center was able to bring the Air Force together with Spika Welding and Manufacturing Inc, a manufacturer in central Montana already producing numerous products for the military. In the fall of 2007, Spika received a license from the Air Force to manufacture the system, and, after some final modifications to the initial design, began production of what they have dubbed the “Gas Guardian.”

“We are excited about adding the Gas Guardian welding cart to our product line,” says Tom Spika, President of Spika Welding & Mfg Inc. “In visiting with numerous safety officers and maintenance personnel in the Army, National Guard, Air Force, Coast Guard – they all see the merit of this system, and are anxious to replace their out-dated systems. While the daily use of the oxy systems is fairly minimal, practically every facility has one and needs it on occasion. The hazards that the Gas Guardian can minimize far outweigh the cost. When one considers the potential damage and injuries associated with the old style carts, its obvious it is not worth the risk. One sheared-off valve can do a million dollars worth of damage, or worse, take a life.”

The Gas Guardian comes complete with an industrial quality American-made cutting/welding kit, regulators, hose and self-recoiling hose reel, and high pressure supply lines that attach to the customer-supplied cylinders. Finish is powdercoated safety yellow, and the unit ships completely assembled. Soon to be available on GSA, the system can currently be purchased directly through Spika Welding & Mfg Inc. at http://www.spikawelding.com, or by phoning (406) 423-5678.

About Spika Welding & Manufacturing Inc.
Specializing in aluminum and polypropylene fabrication, Spika “sets the standards” in product development, design, and manufacturing. Spika utilizes the latest in 3D drafting technology, SolidWorks, to assist in creating complex and progressive products and equipment. Providing specialized equipment for the military since 2001, they offer a diverse product line, including:

- OSHA-approved fall protection maintenance platforms for daily maintenance or full depot-level phase maintenance for several fixed and rotor-wing aircraft, including the AH64, UH60, CH47, and the CASA 235.
- Customized welded polypropylene water tanks for fire and industrial applications
- Foam Injection systems for fire control
- Portable wash/reclaim systems for aircraft/equipment cleaning, noxious weed control, aquatic invasive species control

For more information on Spika Welding & Manufacturing, visit their website at http://www.spikawelding.com.

About MSU TechLink
TechLink is funded primarily by the Department of Defense to create high-value partnerships between that agency and private industry to develop and commercialize leading-edge technologies. TechLink is nationally recognized as an exemplary model of technology transfer. TechLink is located in the Advanced Technology Park near the Montana State University (MSU) campus and serves MSU as an outreach arm to the technology sector in the state and region. Visit the website for more information: www.techlinkcenter.org

CONTACT:
John Dennis, TechLink, Sr. Technology Manager, (406) 994-7707, jdennis @ montana.edu
Tom Spika, President, Spika Welding & Manufacturing, (406) 423-5678, tom @ spikawelding.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:07 AM | Comments (0)

Isotech Offers New Frictionless Air Bearing Cylinders for High-Precision Positioning Applications

The new AB Air Cylinder, offered by Isotech Inc., uses a technology called force without friction, which is made possible through the use of a zero friction bearing piston. Friction is reduced by a factor of 1000 as compared to other low-friction air cylinders. The air cylinder uses pressurized air to create a true air bearing effect around the cylinder's piston. This air cylinder is for high precision linear motion and positioning applications where friction, contamination, wear, and temperature vulnerability is of prime concern.

Hatfield, PA (PRWEB) January 24, 2008 -- Isotech Inc., a supplier of precision linear motion products, has introduced the Isotech AB air cylinder, a unique new air cylinder designed to provide "friction-free" air-powered motion for applications requiring precision motion from a pneumatic driver or air bearing.

The new Isotech AB air cylinder's friction-free design uses a technology called "force without friction." This frictionless technology is made possible by a specially shaped stainless steel piston that is precisely fitted to a borosilicate glass cylinder. The introduction of pressurized air into the air bearing's cylinder creates a true air bearing airflow effect around the piston.

"With as little as 5 psi of air applied to the cylinder, a stiff cushion of air is generated to support the piston and prevent it from contacting the cylinder wall," said Joe Casillo, president of Isotech, Inc. "The same air that provides this cushion is also used to drive the cylinder."

The result is an air cylinder that delivers virtually unlimited piston life, requires no lubrication and provides clean operation. In addition, the output force of this friction-free air cylinder is reduced only infinitesimally by movement of ultra-low friction ball joints used to connect the rod.

"The Isotech AB air cylinder is similar to the stiction-free, low friction air cylinder model we introduced earlier this year," said Casillo. "However, through the use of a zero friction air bearing piston, friction has been reduced by a factor of 1000."

Casillo noted that the Isotech AB air cylinder is designed to fill a niche in the air cylinder industry where friction, contamination, wear, and extreme temperature vulnerability of typical air cylinders is not tolerated.

Applications may include, precise tensioning, positioning mechanisms supporting delicate materials, sensitive force control for holding or clamping fragile materials, counterbalancing and safety support for vertically positioned linear motor driven masses, or precise laboratory test equipment.

Isotech AB air cylinders are offered in metric models with four bore diameters and ten standard strokes to provide precisely repeatable driving or supporting forces from 2 grams to 58 kg. Suitable operating temperatures range from -20 C to +90 C.

Isotech AB air cylinders are in stock and available for delivery. Isotech personnel are available to assist in choosing the proper air cylinder for any application. Custom air cylinder configurations may be available. For more information visit www.isotechinc.com or call Isotech at 800-314-3332.

About Isotech Inc.
Isotech Inc., specializes in the supply of linear motion control products and proprietary mechanical and electromechanical products including ball and crossed roller slides and tables, linear bushings and shafting, pneumatic, micrometer and motorized tables, linear actuators, air cylinders, dashpots/actuators, noise control materials, vibration mounts and isolators, laser marking systems and automation software training.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:03 AM | Comments (0)

Landing Page Optimization for Marketers Topic of Keynote Speech -- WiderFunnel Marketing Giving Away Free Landing Page Optimization Experiment

WiderFunnel Marketing (http://widerfunnel.com/) is sponsoring Keynote Speaker Tom Leung, Business Product Manager for Google Website Optimizer™, at the February 7 BC AIM Luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver, Canada. Tom Leung's topic will be "Google's Proven Truths about Online Marketing" and he will show the audience how to run online landing page optimization experiments that immediately lift website conversion rates.

Vancouver, BC (PRWEB) January 24, 2008 -- Vancouver, BC-based WiderFunnel Marketing -- widerfunnel.com -- is sponsoring Keynote Speaker Tom Leung, Business Product Manager for Google Website Optimizer™, at the February 7 BC AIM Luncheon at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver, Canada. Tom Leung's topic will be "Google's Proven Truths about Online Marketing" and he will show the audience how to run online landing page optimization experiments that immediately lift website conversion rates.

"Companies spend large sums driving traffic to their websites. They want those people to do something -- buy, register, download, etc. -- but only a small percentage of this traffic actually takes action and does what marketers want them to do," Leung says. Until recently, marketers facing this challenge had only one option: spend bigger marketing budgets to drive more traffic to their websites. "Unfortunately, this strategy hurts profitability and lowers marketing ROI, especially when budgets are tight," Leung adds.

Today, a free online testing tool called Google Website Optimizer (GWO) allows marketers to run experiments on their webpages and determine which layout, offer, creative and copy combination delivers the most conversions -- without having to spend additional dollars driving more traffic to the site. In his keynote presentation, Tom Leung will teach the audience how to easily run landing-page optimization experiments that improve online conversion rates and positively impact companies' revenues.

To mark Tom Leung's keynote presentation, WiderFunnel Marketing will give away a free full-service landing-page optimization conversion experiment to improve online business profitability.

"We are honored to be able to sponsor Tom Leung of Google at the BC AIM luncheon," says WiderFunnel Co-founder Raquel Hirsch, one of Canada's most respected marketers, with over 20 years of senior marketing experience, "and giving away a free landing-page optimization experiment to any company in North America allows us to evangelize the importance of optimizing the conversion rate."

The draw, sponsored exclusively by WiderFunnel, will take place at the February 7 BC AIM Marketing Luncheon, but contest entrants don't need to attend in order to win, so all marketers and sales executives are invited to enter to win at http://www.widerfunnel.com/contest. Online registrations close on February 3, 2008 at midnight (PST).

WiderFunnel Marketing, a Google Website Optimizer Authorized Consultant, was founded by Raquel Hirsch and Chris Goward. Together, they share over 30 years of senior marketing experience, a Gold CMA award, and a long list of leading clients including Tourism BC and some of the fastest growing high-tech, eCommerce and affiliate marketing companies in North America. By giving clients the ability to simultaneously test hundreds of versions of their site, WiderFunnel increases their ROI from online advertising investments while lowering their customer acquisition and online transaction costs.

"As a full-service conversion optimization company," Goward says, "we know how to get meaningful test results faster because we know what is worth testing first. Clients get more conversions sooner than if they had decided to guess what's worth testing themselves and tried to do it with limited in-house resources. We've seen conversion improvements ranging from 10 percent to 290 percent on a single conversion experiment!"

For more information about WiderFunnel Marketing, visit http://www.WiderFunnel.com.

Google Website Optimizer is a trademark of Google Inc.

Contacts:
Raquel Hirsch, Co-Founder, WiderFunnel, 604.512.0799, Raquel.
Chris Goward, Co-Founder, WiderFunnel, 604.767.1080

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:02 AM | Comments (0)

The Optimus Group: Emergency Fed Rate Cut Creates Refinance Opportunity For Corporate Borrowers with Equipment Lease Obligations

The Emergency Federal Reserve Rate Cut announced earlier this week has created the best opportunity to refinance corporate obligations including equipment leases since the first quarter of 2004.

Mission Viejo, CA (PRWEB) January 24, 2008 -- The Emergency Federal Reserve Rate Cut announced earlier this week has created the best opportunity to refinance corporate obligations including equipment leases since the first quarter of 2004. On Tuesday, the 5-year Treasury Index Rate dropped 30 basis points. SWAP rates, which are typically used to determine lease rates, have dropped almost 200 basis points since their 2Q07 peak, providing corporate borrowers with an immediate window of opportunity to move into lower rate structures.

Equipment leases are often overlooked as obligations to be refinanced. However, with proper structuring, financed equipment could yield significant savings. With the current drop in rates, corporate borrowers could save $50,000 to $150,000 for each $1 million in leased equipment.

In a research note to clients, The Optimus Group strongly recommended that Corporate Finance and Treasury departments review their equipment finance obligations specifically for equipment acquired during the 24 month period between September 2005 and July 2007. Any equipment purchases including acquisitions of corporate aircraft, fleet additions, heavy equipment, information technology and/or other capital intensive assets should be earmarked for review.

The Optimus Group (www.optimusgroup.com) is an independent financial advisory firm that negotiates with leasing companies and banks on its clients’ behalf. The Optimus Group is NOT a leasing company. In most cases, The Optimus Group, through its expertise in lease/loan contracts, would be able to reduce total lease expenses by at least 10% to 15%. A typical Optimus Group client invests over $5 million in new equipment annually and is the company CFO or Treasurer. For further information, contact Blaine Ung at 949.862.0555 ext. 106 or visit the The Optimus Group website at:
The Optimus Group

Contact: Blaine Ung
Office: 949.862.0555 x106

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:01 AM | Comments (0)

Two American Sporting Legends, Favre and Remington, Now Teammates

If ever there was an on-the-field match to the iconic presence that Remington Arms has established in the field it would be Brett Favre. Now the two are teammates. While Brett Favre is known as one of the best quarterbacks of all-time, he's also an avid outdoorsman

Madison, N.C. (PRWEB) January 24, 2008 -- Remington Arms Company Inc., America's oldest gunmaker now in their 192nd year of United States manufacturing, has just announced a multi-year marketing relationship with Favre. The 2007 season marked Favre's astounding 17th year as a pro quarterback, and Brett was recently named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year. Favre's appeal to America is as much about his profound personal perseverance as it is his ability to put footballs in the hands of receivers, still, Favre makes no secret of the fact that hunting is one of his favorite ways to decompress.

When asked about his idea of the perfect day, Favre said, "If I could squeeze in throwing touchdown passes at a morning practice, lunch with my family and pulling the trigger on a trophy buck at sunset, that would be about as perfect as life can get. And it seems the older I get, the more I treasure the days spent in solitude in the woods. I've already hunted about 20 days this season, so this recent agreement with Remington is pretty special to me."

"Learning that Brett was interested in teaming-up with us provided one of those special moments in our company's long history when you know you've got the perfect person on your side, and subsequently a long-list of reasons to get excited," said E. Scott Blackwell, President of Global Sales and Marketing for Remington. "When you look for sources of pride in today's American culture, Brett is one of them, regardless of your favorite team. And the fact that he shares our passion for getting out in Remington Country sitting in a treestand on his days off or waiting for the next wave of ducks to fly in, says all you need to know about our excitement for having him represent our brand," added Blackwell.

Favre has agreed to represent Remington in national advertising campaigns, retail promotions and special events such as industry trade shows and consumer sweepstakes hunts with his focus being on hunter safety, wildlife conservation and youth programs.

About Remington Arms Company, Inc.
Remington Arms Company, Inc., founded in 1816 and headquartered in Madison, N.C., designs, produces and sells sporting goods products for the hunting and shooting sports markets, as well as solutions to the military government and law enforcement markets. With plants and facilities in Ilion, NY, Lonoke, AR, Elizabethtown and Mayfield, KY, Remington is the only United States manufacturer of both firearms and ammunition products and one of the largest domestic producers of shotguns and rifles. The Company distributes its products throughout the U.S., and in more than 55 foreign countries. More information about the Company can be found at www.remington.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 05:00 AM | Comments (0)

2008 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) Will Contain Important New Information for Hazardous Materials Emergencies

Labelmaster® to print and distribute the ERG

Chicago, Illinois (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 24, 2008 -- The 2008 Emergency Response Guidebook is the first release of the ERG since 2004, containing new information for first responders in the event of an incident involving hazardous materials. The Guidebook provides a consistent and standardized approach for handling hazardous materials emergencies. Labelmaster, a manufacturer of regulatory compliance products, will print the updated 2008 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG).

New in 2008:

Over fifty amendments to proper shipping names and ID numbers (United Nations numbers)
Lists of hazardous materials will be updated
Lithium Ion batteries entry will be added
Ethanol entries and identification numbers will be added
The “Initial Isolation and Protective Action Distance Table” will be split into two tables to better facilitate initial incident response actions for emergencies involving TIH (Toxic Inhalation Hazards)

The Emergency Response Guidebook is the foundation of many emergency response plans and incident management systems. It provides a consistent and standardized approach for first responders in the event of an incident involving hazardous materials. It is intended to assist responders in managing the first fifteen to thirty minutes of an emergency response, often the most critical moments. It provides crucial information concerning scene management and response procedures that can save lives and enhance public and environmental safety.

Since its introduction in 1976, the ERG has been and will continue to be the “go-to” reference for first responders faced with the possibility of a hazardous materials incident. This guidebook is published in a user-friendly format and is divided into five sections which are color coded to maximize efficiency and ease of use. The goal of the US Department of Transportation is for all public emergency responders to carry a copy of the ERG.

The ERG is developed jointly by the US Department of Transportation, Transport Canada, the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation of Mexico (SCT), and with the collaboration of CIQUIME (Centro de Informacion Quimica para Emergencias) of Argentina. The 2008 ERG represents the first publication since the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials programs were merged, so there will be new information introduced regarding pipeline markers.

Pre-ordering is recommended for best pricing and to secure preferential shipping status once books are available. For questions concerning availability, customization and personalization contact Estuardo Sanchez at estuardos@alc-net.com or call 773-279-2286. For ordering information visit www.labelmaster.com/ERG, call 1-800-621-5808, or email sales@labelmaster.com.

Labelmaster, established in 1967, is a developer, manufacturer, distributor, and marketer of hazardous materials compliance products, including labels, forms, packaging, software, and publications. The company’s 40 years of experience in providing regulatory information and products for all transportation modes make it especially qualified as a total compliance resource. Labelmaster’s compliance division is located at 5724 N. Pulaski Road in Chicago. Learn more about Labelmaster: www.labelmaster.com. For more information on Labelmaster’s new products and catalogs: www.labelmaster.com/pressreleases.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:58 AM | Comments (0)

B2B Self-Service Pricing Gaining Popularity as Lead Generation Tool

EchoQuote budgetary pricing tool generates $92 million in B2B leads in first year.

Frederick, MD (PRWEB) January 24, 2008 -- EchoQuote, LLC, a Maryland-based software-as-a-service (SAAS) provider, reports that self-service pricing is on the rise as a B2B lead generation tool. The company recently announced that its self-service pricing tool, EchoQuote™, generated $92 million in B2B opportunities in its first year of business.

Dale Underwood, president of EchoQuote, says, "Self-service pricing has begun to catch the attention of B2B sales teams as they look for ways to engage prospects ahead of the competition. Reaching prospects early is especially important for companies that have complex products or services to sell. A vendor's sales team needs the advantage of delivering their value proposition before the competition and EchoQuote helps accomplish that."

Until recently, self-service pricing was virtually unavailable in the B2B market, in spite of industry research showing that pricing is the top concern among technology buyers throughout the purchasing cycle. Vendors were also faced with the dilemma of frustrated prospects turning to other websites to find the budgetary pricing they need.

EchoQuote, which is added to a product manufacturer's website as a link, is an extremely economical way to generate B2B sales leads. In a matter of hours, vendors can set up the system and begin generating high-quality leads. According to Underwood, "Our research shows that we can generate a higher number of qualified leads for about one-tenth the cost of pay-per-click. For example, a $25,000 opportunity captured by EchoQuote costs only $25, or one-tenth of one percent.

In addition to helping sales and marketing teams generate leads, the pay-as-you-go service also offers a guarantee that eliminates any risk on the part of the vendor. According to Underwood, vendors have either 30 free days or 100 free leads, whichever takes longer, before they are billed for the service. "We want all potential clients to be guaranteed at least 100 quality leads for trying EchoQuote no matter how long it takes," he says.

Because most B2B vendors have a 6-18 month sales cycle, hard figures on close rates won't be available for quite some time, but the early results show that self-service pricing provides a solution to the pricing dilemmas that sales teams have encountered in the past.

EchoQuote has already found considerable success among vendors who are passionate about generating more B2B leads. Johnny Klemme of Indiana-based K.L. Security Enterprises has been using EchoQuote to generate leads for ioSafe, a fireproof, waterproof data backup device. The company has been generating 4-5 leads a day since it began using the service in December of 2007. "For me, the biggest benefit of EchoQuote is the ability to be the first one in the door," says Klemme. "I don't even have to be at my computer. I receive a request on my Blackberry and I'm able to send the prospect a pricing proposal PDF with a logo and my contact information on it. I think it's really beneficial to the way the world works today."

Meant for small and medium B2B companies with lean sales and administration resources, EchoQuote is designed specifically to help increase lead generation in concert with SEO and PPC programs. The tool allows prospects to select and receive a custom pricing proposal via email within minutes with minimal interruption by the sales team. When a quote is requested, the vendor's sales team is immediately tied into the process to simply approve the request. The system does the rest.

About EchoQuote
EchoQuote, LLC is a Maryland-based software-as-a-service (SAAS) provider that helps its clients generate more qualified B2B leads earlier in the sales cycle. The company empowers vendors and their prospects to create and receive self-service quote proposals while simultaneously engaging the sales team. For more information about EchoQuote™ call 301-560-7127 or visit www.echoquote.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:56 AM | Comments (0)

WebCollage Expands Throughout Europe

Manufacturers Benefit From Access to Network of European Online Retailers; Retailers Benefit From Enhanced Online Customer Experiences.

New York, NY (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 24, 2008 -- WebCollage, a leading provider of Web content integration solutions for manufacturers and their business partners, today announced its expansion within Europe. WebCollage currently integrates marketing content to more than seventy retailers, VARs and distributors throughout eleven European countries including France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. WebCollage's patented ASP-solution is fully internationalized so marketing content can be automatically syndicated to any country, in any language.

With eMarketer projecting European online sales to reach $234 billion in 2010, WebCollage customers are eager to capitalize on this growth and expand their online marketing reach into Europe. To date, WebCollage’s patented solution is live in more than 2,400 instances around the world and is deployed in 14 languages.

“Europe is a key part of our strategy. The majority of our customers sell their products and services via European businesses, and the WebCollage network of business partners gives them the ability to instantly boost their online presence in Europe,” said Jed Alpert, Vice President of Marketing for WebCollage. “Given the growth in European eCommerce, it is critical for manufacturers and their business partners to provide customers with all of the information they need to research products and make informed buying decisions no matter what country they reside in or what language they speak.”

“Global organizations are beginning to recognize the value of presenting a consistent message across all markets while ensuring their message is delivered on a local basis using localized marketing,” Alpert added. “With WebCollage manufacturers can easily and consistently provide their brands’ message throughout Europe because there is no software for them to install or maintain, and their business partners - using a single line of HTML - can set up a virtual pipeline through which compelling manufacturer marketing assets are seamlessly delivered.”

About WebCollage Inc.

WebCollage is the leading Web content integration network for manufacturers and their business partners. Using WebCollage's patented, turnkey solution, manufacturers can extend their Web product marketing content to all of their business partners and address the challenge of how to optimize the selling and marketing of products via the Web. WebCollage benefits manufacturers and business partners alike with measurable bottom-line results including higher conversion rates and larger overall order sizes.

Founded in 2000, WebCollage is a privately-held company headquartered in New York, NY, and backed by Sierra Ventures, Cedar Fund, GSI Commerce, Inc., and Gilde IT Fund. For more information, please visit: www.webcollage.com or call 1.212.563.2112.

Media Contact:
Dennis O’Connor (for WebCollage)
Paradigm Communications
(781) 530-3700; cell: (781) 883-5109

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:56 AM | Comments (0)

Thousands Tune in to Hear Roger Spielman's Interview on 'Rapid Fabrication' Outlook

Roger Spielman, currently vice president of direct manufacturing at Tangible Express, sparked heated debate over his contention that European manufacturers are quickly closing in on their American counterparts in terms of technology and quality and may soon leave the United States playing catch up.

Springville, UT (PRWEB) January 24, 2008 -- Since his interview was first posted on the Internet late last year, thousands of manufacturers, parts makers, designers, prototypers and inventors have listened to Roger Spielman discuss the state of global rapid fabrication.

Spielman, currently vice president of direct manufacturing at Tangible Express, sparked heated debate over his contention that European manufacturers are quickly closing in on their American counterparts in terms of technology and quality and may soon leave the United States playing catch up.

Moreover, Spielman placed some blame for holding back progress directly on American companies who manufacture additive fabrication equipment. "Should the machine manufacturers be selling materials or should they be selling machines?" Spielman asked during his interview. "With the rapid manufacturing/rapid prototyping companies, not everybody can afford a $750,000 machine and then ludicrous material costs to go along with it," he explains.

Spielman was interviewed by the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association (L-VMA) ahead of December's EuroMold trade fair, an event where Spielman had twice previously been a keynote speaker. The fair, held in Frankfurt, Germany, attracts moldmakers, toolers, designers and application developers from throughout Europe and the rest of the world.

Prior to joining Tangible Express, Spielman spent more than 20 years at the Rocketdyne Division of The Boeing Co., where he came to oversee its rapid prototype operations. Among his many noteworthy accomplishments, Spielman and his team used SLS to create hundreds of parts for the International Space Station Program and the Space Shuttle Main Engine Program.

Asked why Spielman's interview has garnered so much attention, Dean Rotbart, a Pulitzer-Prize nominated journalist who conducted the Q&A, said: "With Roger, you have a highly respected industry insider who is not afraid to speak truthfully. I've gotten lots of feedback from those who've heard Roger's remarks who say its obvious that what Roger is promoting is what is best for the whole industry - not just a few favored companies."

Spielman is one of a number of industry veterans who last year signed on at Tangible Express, which has won widespread notice as a global innovator in the rapid fabrication industry. Indeed, L-VMA selected Tangible Express as its '2007 Rapid Innovator of the Year' on the strength of the company's commitment to spread the benefits of 'rapid' technologies to entrepreneurs, inventors, engineers and designers - all at an affordable and accessible cost.

"When someone of Roger Spielman's stature picks up stakes and embraces a company such as Tangible Express, it is impossible not to be impressed," Rotbart notes. "If Roger believes Tangible Express has the 'right stuff', I trust Roger's judgment."

Tangible Express is the first company in the world to offer fractional ownership in its fleet of rapid manufacturing systems. With fractional ownership, Tangible Express clients receive all the benefits that accrue to asset owners at a fraction of the cost and without any of the hassles.

The complete interview with Roger Spielman (both audio and text) can be found at www.l-vma.org. For more information on Spielman and Tangible Express, please contact Bert Keynon, vice president of sales, at 1-714-322-9804.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:55 AM | Comments (0)

Joe Dager Selected for Duct Tape Marketing FastTac Coaching Program

Joe Dager, owner of Business901 in Fort Wayne, IN is one of a group of five Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coaches selected to participate in the Duct Tape Marketing FastTac Coach program. The selection came after a 3-month on-boarding session that just ended with 2-intensive days of training at the Duct Tape Marketing Training center in Kansas City this January.

Fort Wayne, IN (PRWEB) January 24, 2008 -- Joe Dager, owner of Business901 in Fort Wayne, IN is one of a group of five Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coaches selected to participate in the Duct Tape Marketing FastTac Coach program. The selection came after a 3-month on-boarding session that just ended with 2-intensive days of training at the Duct Tape Marketing Training center in Kansas City this January.

This individualized advanced training will be conducted by John Jantsch the award-winning small business expert and creator of the Duct Tape Marketing system and Duct Tape Coaching expert, Cidnee Stephens. John says: "To ensure the program's success, I limited the scope of the initial offering to just five of our authorized coaches. The FastTac program will allow these coaches to install the DTM system at a rapid pace not only in their own practices but also provide rapid deployment with others."

"To say that I'm flattered to be included in FastTac is an understatement," says Dager. "This added training will match me with not only John Jantsch but Cidnee Stephens who has taken Duct Tape Coaching to a different level. I was thrilled to become a coach and with FastTac the tactics I learn will take not only my business but my clients businesses to the next level of Fast Tactical Deployment."

The Duct Tape Marketing system allows business owners to create and build their very own marketing system complimented by a coaching system that has proven effective with small businesses for over 20 years. The system is perfect for those who already own a business, but want to make it soar. It's also designed for those who want to start a business but don't know how to get it off the ground." This system will help entrepreneurs build the perfect business establishing a proven marketing system to their growing company. "Why reinvent the wheel? Take a proven process, a package of tools, a trained coach and run with it.

About Business901
Business901, http://www.business901.com, uses proven methodologies to enable its customers to build applications in a very short amount of time. The result is increased development speed, higher customer satisfaction and decreased time. The simplicity of a single flexible model will create clarity for your staff and as a result better execution.

About Duct Tape Marketing
Duct Tape Marketing is a unique turnkey small business marketing system created by award-winning small business marketing expert John Jantsch. Visit the Duct Tape Marketing Blog, a Forbes favorite for small business.

About Strategies for Success
Cidnee is a marketing veteran with over 20 years of marketing experience. A high energy consultant and coach, Cidnee specializes in building Duct Tape Marketing systems for service based companies. An accomplished speaker and writer on small business marketing in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, she believes that companies need to take a more strategic approach to marketing in order to generate a steady stream of qualified leads.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:54 AM | Comments (0)

US Coast Guard Approves Wide Spread use of Sponge Media Abrasive

The United States Coast Guard released its latest Commandant Notice 10360. In Chapter 5: Preparation of Surfaces, Section D -Alternative Preparation Methods, the Sponge-Jet technology is listed as an effective alternative to other conventional abrasive technologies - and further that the "Sponge-Jet media and process may be used as an alternative to conventional grit blasting…"

Portsmouth, NH (PRWEB) January 24, 2008 -- The United States Coast Guard released its latest Commandant Notice 10360 with changes to the Coast Guard Coatings and Color Manual, COMDTINST M10360.3C. In Chapter 5: Preparation of Surfaces, Section D -Alternative Preparation Methods, the Sponge-Jet technology is listed as an effective alternative to other conventional abrasive technologies.

As listed in the report, the "Sponge-Jet media and process may be used as an alternative to conventional grit blasting…" Sponge-Jet's low dust, low rebound, recyclable abrasive blasting technology is widely used by the US Navy and other national security forces both domestically and abroad. Among its many benefits is the ability to increase the serviceable life of marine-related assets while reducing the impact that conventional abrasive blasting typically has on the environment.

Sponge-Jet composite abrasives are currently used in certain detachments to remove paint, bottom-coat, tank linings, anti-foulant and non-skid coatings. The media is also used to prepare surfaces on hulls, houses, decks, bilges and in engineering spaces - and can now be used in all units.

Copies of the Manual are available on the Commandant (CG-45) at http://cgweb.comdt.uscg.mil/g-sen/gsen.htm with the Coast Guard Directives at http://www.uscg.mil/ccs/cit/cim/directives/welcome.htm.

Sponge-Jet is headquartered in Portsmouth, NH. They are the world's leading manufacturer of dry, low dust abrasive blasting media and equipment. For more information, contact your local Sponge-Jet representative, visit www.spongejet.com or call 1-603-610-7950 (in Europe call +44(0)1253390731).

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:53 AM | Comments (0)

AdTrack Corporation Secures International Partnerships

Sales lead management company expands service to eight countries.

Cedar Rapids, IA (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- The AdTrack Corporation has created a network of international partners to better serve its growing clients. The new network is a direct result of the increase in United States manufacturing exports and the growing global economy. The privately owned, sales lead management company serves U.S. manufacturers with new or growing distribution channels around the world.

"This new international network matches language and cultural experts with American manufacturers looking to generate more sales in foreign markets," said AdTrack Chief Executive Officer Dan Rogers. "We've carefully chosen partners who know how to seamlessly coordinate marketing strategies on a local level in the European Union and the Southern Common Market."

"Our goal is to increase sales for our clients wherever they do business," said Rogers. AdTrack's international network is made up of eleven partners in eight countries, including Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, United Kingdom and Spain. Collectively, these partners provide inbound and outbound calling, literature fulfillment and graphic design. These international services integrate with AdTrack's lead management, literature fulfillment, bulk literature distribution, inbound and outbound calling and marketing and sales support services based at its headquarters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

According to the National Association of Manufacturers, U.S. manufacturers export more than $60 billion in goods every month. In fact, U.S. exports have increased by 57 percent over the past ten years, with manufacturing responsible for nearly two-thirds of total exports. AdTrack's clients are experiencing similar success.

AdTrack's international network includes: Actel of Paris, France; Blue Donkey of Cambridge, UK; bluepartner of Berlin, Germany; Clienting Group of Beunos Aires, Argentina; Diversity of Berlin, Germany; InTellya of Roubaix, France; Mastercom of Rome, Italy; R&A Marketing in Madrid, Spain; Redline Contact Center of Sao Bernardo do Campo, Brazil; Selectif of Zaltbommell, The Netherlands and Wave Technologies of Turin, Italy.

Learn more about AdTrack's International Partners here.

About AdTrack:
The AdTrack Corporation connects clients around the world with their future customers. Since 1981, the lead management company has provided tailored customer acquisition services, including fulfillment, bulk literature distribution, inbound and outbound calling and marketing and sales support services. Learn more about AdTrack's customer acquisition process on our website.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:51 AM | Comments (0)

BeFurnished.com Gives Outdoor Patio Furniture a Makeover

BeFurnished, a US based company that sells teak furniture, continues to produce quality outdoor furniture while offering fresh designs that are sure to compliment any patio or poolside.

Stamford, CT (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- Just as seasons change, so does taste in patio furniture. BeFurnished.com is aware of their patrons' evolving tastes in style and design and are offering several new designs this season.

Whether consumers are looking for furniture to entertain with or to relax in, BeFurnished is sure to have what they want--either in this season's new line, or with their classic designs. The Boston Teak Bar Set, one example of a new furniture set comes with a table and two chairs made with 100% Grade A teak. This high sitting bar automatically evokes thoughts of warm temperatures, soothing waters, and tropical drinks near the beach. If customers are looking for something to relax in, the new Daytona Steamer is a great choice in lounger chairs.

Regardless of what the style is though, one thing that remains the same at BeFurnished is the idea that teak wood makes the best choice for outdoor patio furniture. The fact that it is durable, requires very little maintenance, and is aesthetically appealing is what seems to encourage people to make it their first choice in outdoor patio furniture. In fact, these very qualities make teak one of the most valuable timbers in the world.

When newly purchased, it comes in an attractive honey brown color and with time it turns a lovely, soft shade of grey. If the original color is preferred, light sanding easily transforms it back.

People also like the fact that it is completely unaffected by suntan lotion, body oil, or waters laden with chlorine or salt. The natural elements do not seem to affect it either. This means there is very little maintenance, and it can be used exactly how it is intended to be used.

BeFurnished realizes their customers are the reason for their success. This is why they choose teak--they want to give their patrons the best product they possibly can. In fact, they fully guarantee their outdoor patio furniture, and will even match the price of the same item advertised on other websites as long as they have it in stock.

One of the mottos at BeFurnished.com is, "When you look around your home and garden, be inspired. BeFurnished," and when consumers choose BeFurnished's line of patio furniture, they are sure to "be happy" with their new purchase.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:50 AM | Comments (0)

Infrastruct Security, Inc. Creates Task Force Dedicated to Protecting Critical Infrastructure and Providing Non-lethal Defense Solutions

Deter, detect, defend: Infrastruct Security's Homeland Defense Division will focus on Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) & Next-Level Defensive Security Solutions to Counter Terrorist Threats.

Houston, Texas (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- Infrastruct Security, Inc. forms the Homeland Defense Division, lead by Vice President Tim Kornegay, to assist chemical facilities with Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) compliance. The team is armed with emerging defensive security technology, specifically designed to counter the sophisticated terrorist threats facing our nation's critical infrastructure.

CFATS Poses Steep Challenges Under Tight Deadlines:
Developed and enforced by the Department of Homeland Security, the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) identify, assess, and ensure the effective security of high-risk chemical facilities.

Is your facility classified as "high-risk?" As of November 20, 2007 DHS identified the Chemicals Of Interest, or COI, and their corresponding Screening Threshold Quantity (STQ). Any chemical facility possessing a COI in quantities that meet or exceed the STQ must complete and submit a preliminary screening assessment, referred to as a Top-Screen, by January 22, 2008. Now, the 7000+ facilities meeting this classification must work to meet the deadlines.

The Homeland Defense Division is Ready:
Infrastruct Security, Inc. is the leading provider of comprehensive security services and systems to private critical infrastructure facilities in the United States. The establishment of CFATS was the catalyst for the creation of Infrastruct's Homeland Defense Division. Infrastruct's business platform is predicated on the security industry becoming one of the most regulated industries in the country. The Homeland Defense Division is focused on the unique needs of chemical facilities.

Infrastruct's Homeland Defense Division provides complete readiness for inspections and audits. They provide step by step support to critical infrastructure facilities from Facility Hazard Classifications, to Security Vulnerability Assessments the (SVAs), site security plan designs, and full system deployment.

"Our approach is unique -- we're helping facilities from start to finish, taking on the responsibility of assisting them through the process from SVA, plan and engineering to full system deployment and infrastructure implementation", says Kornegay.

For more information about compliance with the new regulations contact Tim Kornegay, Vice President Homeland Defense Division, at (713) 721-9732 x127.

Defensive Security Solutions:
The threats facing America today are significant, requiring new solutions to thwart organized terrorist attacks. Infrastruct Security, Inc. has established strategic partnerships with the providers of advanced technologies specifically geared defend against these threats.

One system uses advanced facial recognition software to actively scan faces on a video feed and match them to profile databases - instantly putting a name (and a security profile) to a face. Even more dramatic solutions include non-lethal defense technology that creates an impassable, invisible wall to humans. New barrier systems include a hydraulic-powered "surprise" barrier, hidden under facility roads, which spring up in front of suspect vehicles to instantly (and permanently) stop its progress.

More on the Homeland Defense Division at the Upcoming daratechPLANT2008 Conference:
For more information on Infrastruct Security, Inc.'s Homeland Defense Division., visit them at the upcoming daratechPlant 2008 conference, January 28 - 30, 2008, at the Wydham Greenspoint Hotel -- Houston, TX. They will be showcasing one of their emerging technology: the Millimeter Wave Object Detection and People Screening System by Brijot. This new detection technology is capable of passively scanning people and objects for concealed weapons so appropriate action can be taken in advance of an event.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:49 AM | Comments (0)

Kinaxis Witnesses Strong Growth as Response Management Gains Increasing Recognition as Emerging Industry Category

Software revenue and bookings double for response management provider.

Ottawa, Canada (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- Kinaxis™ Inc., the global leader in Response Management solutions providing visibility and coordinated response to change for manufacturing and demand management organizations, is experiencing strong business momentum as the company continues to successfully champion the new industry category of Response Management.

Financial Performance
2007 was a record year for Kinaxis as it saw its software revenue and bookings more than double from 2006. Kinaxis closed 2007 with a revenue backlog that increased more than 150 percent compared to the previous year.

Revenue growth was driven by both new customer acquisition and existing customers expanding their global deployments to include more manufacturing sites and users. The number of new customers acquired within the year increased by more than 50 percent compared to 2006. Recently announced customers: Elcoteq, John Deere, Microsoft, Nikon and Qualcomm are a reflection of the market prominence of the growing Kinaxis customer base.

"This past year was an outstanding year for Kinaxis in many ways and according to many metrics," says Douglas Colbeth, Chairman and CEO, Kinaxis. "During 2007, we established the company as a highly valuable enterprise poised for long-term success and ready to capitalize on burgeoning market opportunities. A growing number of enterprises are coming to the realization that they do not suffer from planning problems, but rather from their inability to respond to constant change. As responsiveness becomes increasingly recognized as a critical corporate capability, more and more companies are investing in Kinaxis RapidResponse."

Response Management Traction
The ever-intensifying challenge of multi-enterprise management within an environment of increasing demand volatility and rapid product innovation is driving the need for a distinct class of capabilities aimed at enabling companies to better manage at the moment. Meeting this need, the Kinaxis RapidResponse solution empowers front-line decision makers to make the quick and intelligent risk tradeoffs necessary to respond to unexpected events in increasingly volatile and complex global supply chains and fulfillment networks.

Leading industry analysts from AMR Research, Aberdeen Group, Technology Forecasters Inc. and Ventana Research have all acknowledged the merits of Response Management via several analyst reports, podcasts and whitepapers issued throughout the year. Attesting to the necessity for companies to adopt a strategic solution for managing change and enabling responsiveness, this broad analyst recognition has helped validate the category's emergence, as well as clearly defined the market need for the Kinaxis RapidResponse solution. Visit www.responsemanagement.com for a comprehensive view of all analyst and Kinaxis commentary on Response Management.

Industry Accolades
Recognition of Kinaxis in the marketplace was also evident by a number of other awards of distinction, namely: Global Logistics and Supply Chain Strategies' 100 Great Supply Partners, Supply & Demand Chain Executive 100, and Manufacturing Business Technology's 40 Emerging Software Vendors. In addition, Kinaxis Executive Vice President John Sicard was honored as a "Pro to Know" by Supply & Demand Chain Executive. Kinaxis also received a Supplier Excellence award from Raytheon Network Centric Systems (NCS).

Product Innovation
As the industry evolves, Kinaxis continues to demonstrate its leadership through market-driven product innovation.

In June, Kinaxis released RapidResponse 9, the next generation of its leading Response Management solution for manufacturing, which included new innovations for event-based monitoring and alerting, people-centered collaboration, and risk management. The product has been well-received and has raised the bar in enabling faster, collaborative response that balances opportunity and risk.

Expanding its market reach, Kinaxis will soon be introducing a new RapidResponse application, purpose-built to address the needs of a distinct, but complementary target user audience. The company is excited to make an official announcement regarding the broadening of its Response Management offering in the coming month.

About Kinaxis
Kinaxis delivers an on-demand Response Management service for visibility and coordination to drive rapid response to constant change across global supply and fulfillment networks, resulting in breakthroughs in customer service and operating performance. Kinaxis RapidResponse combines multi-enterprise visibility, collaborative "what-if" analysis and rapid decision support to empower front-line manufacturing and fulfillment teams to take quick and effective action when faced with constant changes in demand, supply and product. Global leaders such as Casio, Honeywell, Jabil, Raytheon and Toshiba use Kinaxis RapidResponse to empower their supply networks with superior responsiveness and gain competitive advantage. For more information, visit the Kinaxis web site at www.kinaxis.com or the company's blog at blog.kinaxis.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:48 AM | Comments (0)

Mediatrix Telecom and NETXUSA Announce Distribution Partnership for its Award-Winning Line of VoIP Access Devices

NETXUSA to build momentum in North America for Mediatrix next generation VoIP Technologies.

Sherbrooke, QUEBEC and Greenville, South Carolina (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- Mediatrix Telecom, the leader in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) access devices and gateways, announced today that the Mediatrix Channel Partner Network has expanded with the addition of NETXUSA as its new Master Distributor for the North American marketplace.

Effective immediately, NETXUSA will begin distributing the complete line of Mediatrix VoIP gateways and access devices to its entire growing base of Value Added Resellers (VARs) and On-line Partners in North America. This Master Distribution Agreement enables our channel partners to receive enhanced, comprehensive and single contact support for all Mediatrix solutions through NETXUSA.

"The Mediatrix solution offers a wide range of advanced technology combined with user friendly features that are required in today's VoIP environment,'' said Rick Boone, President of NETXUSA. "We have built our company and reputation on unparalleled service coupled with a tremendous depth of knowledge in the Telephony market. With a proven product line from Mediatrix and NETXUSA's distribution experience, you have a win-win scenario for our channel partners.''

"Our commitment to increasing the strength of our channels as a key element of our sales efforts is critical to Mediatrix's continued success," said Marco Raimo, Senior Channel Manager at Mediatrix. "We are very fortunate to have an experienced and well-connected partner in the telecommunications sector like NETXUSA to help us grow in the North American marketplace."

About NETXUSA
NETXUSA, Inc. is a recognized leading distributor of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) products and services. NETXUSA has a distribution channel of Independent resellers throughout the United States and foreign countries that provide the local end-user installation and support services. NETXUSA has two distribution and sales centers located in the United States. East and West coast facilities provide rapid regional response and economical product delivery to the dealer channel. NETXUSA in-house certified engineers and an experienced customer service staff are available to service the dealer after the sale. NETXUSA can be reached at www.NETXUSA.comor 1-800-BUY-NETX (289-6389)

About Mediatrix Telecom
Mediatrix develops and markets advanced VoIP access devices, gateways, routers, and value-added software enhancements for the enterprise, SOHO, and residential markets. Its products provide an ideal migration path for end users wishing to protect their current CPE investment (analog/digital phones, fax machines, PBX and Key Systems) while migrating to a converged IP network. Mediatrix products and solutions are widely interoperable and have received commercial endorsement from some of the world's leading manufacturers of telecommunications equipment as well as from large telecommunication carriers. Mediatrix is a wholly owned division of Media5 Corporation, a high technology holding company based in the Montreal area, in Canada. Media5 Corporation also owns M5T, a software provider focused on delivering the latest in SIP software technologies and security solutions to companies developing applications for real-time multimedia communications over IP. Mediatrix has corporate offices in the Sherbrooke area, in Canada and regional offices in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Asia. For more information, please visit www.mediatrix.com.

For more information, please contact:
Mike Spooner
Marketing Communications Director
Mediatrix Telecom
Phone: (514) 285-0058 Ext. 424

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:46 AM | Comments (0)

Pressure Sensor: New Pressure Sensor for OEM Applications

FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology, Inc. has expanded its Pressure Sensor product line by adding the new model: Pressure Sensor PMP410.

Irvine, CA (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology, Inc. has expanded its Pressure Sensor product line by adding the new model: Pressure Sensor PMP410. The PMP410 Pressure Sensor (OEM) provides performance and economy for a wide range of OEM applications as well as test and measurement. They are especially suited to applications subject to severe mechanical shock, vibration, and electromagnetic interference. Typical applications include hydraulics and pneumatics, compressor controls, pump protection, refrigeration and air conditional systems, feed back control, automation and endurance and qualification testing.

The PMP410 features an all-welded stainless steel measuring cell for improved media compatibility. There are no internal soft sealing materials that may react with the media or deteriorate over time. The case is also made of stainless steel and is available with environment protection rating up to NEMA 4 / IP 67.

Pressure ranges up to 300PSI use a piezo-resistive measuring cell. The higher pressure ranges use thin film sensor technology. Both are time proven highly reliable sensor technologies.

Product Highlights:
- OEM
- 1/4 NPT Male Threads (Other configurations Available)
- 4-20 mA 2 Wire Output or 0-5VDC
- Din Connector (Other configurations Available)
- 0.5% Accuracy

A standard signal output of 4-20 mA or 5 VDC allows the PMP410 to be integrated into many existing applications. Many custom signal outputs, process connections, and electrical connections are available. Each PMP410 undergoes extensive quality control testing and calibration to achieve an accuracy equal to or less than 0.50% full scale (BFSL), Futek also offers a higher accuracy equal to or less than 0.25% full scale (BFSL) in the PMP450 series pressure product line. The printed circuit boards use state-of-the-art surface mount technology. Each is individually temperature compensated to assure accuracy and long-term stability even when exposed to severe ambient temperature variations.

If these standards don’t match your precise need, please contact us to see how we can customize this model for you. FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology Inc. has an in house engineering and manufacturing team. Hence, we can provide full system solution (load cells, torque sensors, force sensors, pressure sensors, and instruments) with standard product or design a completely new model to meet your custom needs. Our team can help you meet your requirements for any test stand, process control application or low cost OEM requirements no matter what industry you’re in.

FUTEK (www.futek.com) also offers its Semi Flush Mount (PFS) and Flush Mount (PFT) series as additional solutions in the Pressure Sensor line. In addition to our Pressure Sensors, FUTEK carries over 400 products covering various Load Cells, Torque Sensors, Force Sensors and related Instruments.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:45 AM | Comments (0)

Tekscan, Leading Pressure Sensor Manufacturer, Now Offering Fuji's Digital Analysis System

Tekscan, Inc., leading manufacturer of real-time pressure mapping systems and force sensors, is pleased to announce a new addition to its product line: the Fuji Digital Analysis System for Prescale. The measurement data produced by the Digital Analysis System provides Prescale film users with concrete, quantifiable engineering units to support their peak pressure measurements. It is ideal for those whose data needs extend beyond visual assessments of color variation and pressure patterns on the film itself, and who need static pressure measurement data.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- Tekscan, Inc. (Boston, MA), leading manufacturer of real-time pressure mapping systems and force sensors, is pleased to announce a new addition to its product line: the Fuji Digital Analysis System for PrescaleTM.

The measurement data produced by the Digital Analysis System provides Prescale film users with concrete, quantifiable engineering units to support their peak pressure measurements. It is ideal for those whose data needs extend beyond visual assessments of color variation and pressure patterns on the film itself, and who need static pressure measurement data.

Industrial applications include confirming uniform loading between mechanical parts, testing correct machine assembly, and more. The system and film are used in the automotive arena to determine contact pressures, wear patterns, and evenness in brakes, clutches, and gaskets. These are just a few examples of the countless applications and industries served.

The Digital Analysis System for Prescale consists of pressure analysis software, a scanner, a dedicated scanner cover to improve data-read precision, and a calibration sheet. The System digitalizes Prescale film output to produce:

-on-screen pressure distribution
-image enlargement
-cross-sectional distribution
-3-D image display

When customers need dynamic, real-time pressure measurement or force-vs-time data, Tekscan also offers a complete line of dynamic pressure mapping and force measurement systems. Contact us to find the best pressure measurement solution for your application, or use the online pressure measurement device guide.

About Tekscan:
Tekscan is a leading manufacturer of force sensors and complete tactile force and pressure measurement systems. Accurate, simple to use, and extremely cost-effective, Tekscan's sensors have been integrated into a variety of successful OEM products. Measuring both static and dynamic pressure events, their systems provide concrete data for making crucial assessments in industrial, medical and dental applications. Products manufactured range from simple force sensors and force sensing systems to highly complex pressure measurement systems with over 100,000 sensing points. Visit http://www.tekscan.com to learn more.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:44 AM | Comments (0)

First Trace Delivers Service Pack 2 for Enterprise Document Management, Powered by Kinnosa

First Trace, Inc. announced the highly anticipated release of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Enterprise Document Management, powered by Kinnosa. This release contains numerous system enhancements and fixes for expanded solution performance. SP2 includes seamless integration and support for AutoCAD 2008 and SolidWorks 2008, providing comprehensive document management and process management capabilities with these complex CAD tools. Advanced Windows Extension Service permits Enterprise Document Management features and functionality to incorporate into users Windows Desktop and Microsoft Office programs as well as OpenOffice.

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- First Trace, Inc. announced the highly anticipated release of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Enterprise Document Management, powered by Kinnosa. This release contains numerous system enhancements and fixes for expanded solution performance. SP2 includes seamless integration and support for AutoCAD 2008 and SolidWorks 2008, providing comprehensive document management and process management capabilities with these complex CAD tools. Advanced Windows Extension Service permits Enterprise Document Management features and functionality to incorporate into users Windows Desktop and Microsoft Office programs as well as OpenOffice. File search functionality has also been enriched to improve the user experience.

The SP2 release is the result of months of software testing and refinements by First Trace developers to make user-identified product improvements and add many new features to Enterprise Document Management, powered by Kinnosa. This SP2 release further advances First Trace's goal of providing visibility of all customers' business documents and data from the very first trace to the final use and retirement. Kinnosa customers can easily install this new service pack to upgrade from previous software versions.

"First Trace's mission is to innovate open solutions built on industry standards that are easy to use, upgrade and deploy enterprise-wide for our global customer base," says Terry Simpson, CEO of First Trace. "The SP2 release is a direct response to our customers' expressed needs for an affordable, integrable and easy to implement content management solution that will work with their Microsoft Office and OpenOffice programs and critical CAD applications."

Service Pack 2 Includes Upgrades to Maximize Operational Efficiency
Enterprise Document Management, powered by Kinnosa, is a traceable, transparent, and distributed application built upon open standards, with an open data repository. Kinnosa organizes data into a "virtual repository" rather than a centralized data vault, allowing users to manage and search information scattered across a distributed environment as if it was stored locally. The updates and enhancements included in SP2 focus on four core components designed to increase customer's design efficiency, return-on-investment and ultimate satisfaction:

Support for AutoCAD 2008 and SolidWorks 2008
Enterprise Document Management, powered by Kinnosa, was developed to provide critical document management capabilities to engineers utilizing complex CAD tools like AutoCAD & SolidWorks. With the release of SP2, Enterprise Document Management features and functionality can integrate with the most current versions of these widely used CAD applications so that essential document management operations can be performed directly in the AutoCAD 2008 and SolidWorks 2008 applications. This level of integration permits the designer to work in a familiar CAD environment and minimizes training requirements.

Windows Extension Service
SP2 includes Windows Extension Service allowing Enterprise Document Management to connect to and operate on the Windows desktop. Advanced document management features provided by Kinnosa can be utilized from Windows Explorer for ease-of-use by even the most novice employees. Employees outside of the engineering department can now take advantage of automated document management using familiar desktop tools without extensive training.

Improved File Search Capabilities and Performance
File searches must be extremely efficient with evolved document management solutions to meet the needs of both technical and novice users. So SP2 includes improvements to optimize the search capabilities with Enterprise Document Management. Users can now easily execute simple and very advanced wild card searches across distributed workspaces for a rapid response. Search result windows can display additional document properties such as version number, author, document status, related parts, modification history and any other pre-defined or custom properties the user selects to make identification quick and easy.

Document Loading Utility Added
Moving files from one repository, directory, or folder to another can be an extremely time consuming and labor intensive process during new product roll outs. A document loading utility has been included in SP2 to allow Kinnosa to smoothly transition large volumes of data from existing systems, like eChange and PDMWorks, into Kinnosa, helping to speed implementation while reducing installation and deployment costs.

Enterprise Document Management, powered by Kinnosa, SP2 is immediately available from First Trace and authorized First Trace resellers. For more information about Kinnosa or SP2, please call +1 480.940.2363 or visit www.FirstTrace.com. To view this press release or any First Trace press release on our web site, please visit: http://www.firsttrace.com/press-center.html.

About First Trace
First Trace, Inc. is a responsive global provider of document management and data unification solutions for industries with complex technical and business information concerns. First Trace has internally innovated the only seamless, transparent, and traceable document management, data unification and collaborative solutions that leverage existing technology investments and interfaces with legacy systems. Combining decades of technology, manufacturing, engineering and solution development experience, First Trace has customers worldwide across a range of industries including aerospace, defense, automotive, facilities management, energy, utilities, manufacturing, healthcare as well as state and local governments. First Trace customers are some of the largest industry players and include Ford Motor Company, Lockheed Martin, Bombardier Aerospace, Mittal Steel, Georgia-Pacific, Glaxo Smith Klein, Mitchell International and Ineos Chemicals. To learn more about First Trace and the evolution of document management, visit www.FirstTrace.com or call +1 480.940.2393.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:42 AM | Comments (0)

Lasit, USA Presents New Portable Desktop Fiber Laser Marking System with Instant Focus and Rotary Axis for Cylindrical Parts

Lasit, USA proudly introduces its newest generation LaserTab®, a compact, desktop Fiber laser marking system with a motorized Z axis with 15 ¾ inch travel.

Branford, CT (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- Lasit, USA proudly introduces its newest generation LaserTab®, a compact, desktop Fiber laser marking system with a motorized Z axis with 15 ¾ inch travel. The fully enclosed Class One system comes complete with a fiber laser, galvo scan head, computer, and FlyX® and FlyCad® software that supports both vector and raster engraving of graphics, logos, alpha-numerics, barcodes, 2D Data Matrix, and serialized numbers on plastics and metals. The software also includes diagnostic capability for remote troubleshooting.

Fully air cooled, service-free, and the highest reliability virtually eliminates the need for any maintenance. A low voltage power source with increased power efficiency up to 50% reduces operating costs. Its compact footprint makes this a portable marking system designed for harsh industrial environments.

"This is a cost effective laser for any business," said Robin Barbero, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Lasit USA.

The motorized Z axis with encoder provides for marking of components varying in thickness from 0 to 150mm. The joystick allows for instant and simple focus. The marking of a small series of parts is much more convenient due to a very useful drawer that allows the load-unloading without having to open the door. The wide cabinet has a manual door with a Class I inspection glass that offers a clear view of the product being marked. Movement of the Z axis can also be carried out effortlessly with a joystick which -- an indispensable instrument if used together with the Smart Focus system.

The Smart Focus is a unique system which generates an image for focus control. This system is much more convenient and accurate than the traditional older technologies based on the convergence of two laser pointers. The operator can easily and instantly find the optimum marking position for both flat surfaces as well as parts with complex geometries. The possibility of using software to control the intensity of the focusing image makes it ideal for use both on components that reflect (chrome plating, polished stainless, and ground surfaces) and on those that absorb (black plastic, dark oxidized aluminum). A rotary C axis for marking of cylindrical parts, can be optionally integrated. This workstation is fully self contained and both FiberFly and FlyAir lasers can be integrated. It operates with conventional 110 household power source and does not require any external cooling. FlyCAD operating software can be run under modern Windows versions and a simple network connection is all that is needed to control the Laser.

Features & Benefits

Class I enclosure for safe laser operation with interior light and vacuum exhaust port
Manual door with laser safety window for parts viewing
Drawer for easy loading/unloading (without opening the door)
150mm motorized and PC controlled Z-axis for focus/part height adjustment
PC controlled C-axis for cylindrical marking (optional)
HP computer with LCD monitor and FlyCAD operating software

Technical specifications
Dimensions (LxDxH) 546x800x634mm Z axis Corsa 150mm controllata da PC
Extraction system (optional) External with active carbon filter
Operating system Windows®XP Application software FlyCAD

A 25 mm stainless steel cable provides a jacket for the fiber cables, eliminating the risk of accidental breakage of the fiber and providing protection against electromagnetic interferences.

The system is available with a full range of lasers including Fiber, Vanadate, C02, and Green. Spot sizes can be customized for applications, with the smallest spot providing micro-machining capability of alpha-numerics on parts the size of an eyeglass or medical implant screw.

High speed and accuracy make the Lasit marking system the ideal laser for engraving and marking coated and uncoated materials such as brass, titanium, stainless steel, chrome, carbide, nickel, aluminum, plastics graphite, marble, rubber, ceramics, textiles, paper, leather and other materials. Lasit, USA now provides systems to many industries for traceability, UID, DPM, and deep engraving benefiting the military and defense, aerospace, automotive, medical, tooling, textiles, and other industries.

All lasers are available for OEM factory applications for in-line production with on-the-fly applications and built-in I/O for integration.

For more information on how Lasit, USA's laser marking systems can make your applications easier, visit us at www.LasitUSA.com.

Contact Us:
Lasit, USA
Contact: Robin Barbero
508 528-2542
Cell: (508) 989-5090
www.LasitUSA.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:40 AM | Comments (0)

ANALTECH Launches New Web Site

NEWARK, Del. (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) January 23, 2008 -- Analtech, Inc., the only manufacturer of Thin Layer Chromatography products in the United States, today launched its new web site.

The new Analtech web site – www.Analtech.com -- features state-of-the-art technology, a new online store, and a video clip from the CBS drama “CSI” which uses several Analtech products.

“We are extremely proud of this new site,” said Analtech General Manager Steven C. Miles. “With improved functionality, new features, and our ability to manage nearly every aspect of the site we are expanding our ability to communicate with our customers and help provide a great resource for anyone interested in separation science.”

The new web site gives Analtech the ability to offer updated news about the company and the world of Thin Layer Chromatography as well as uploading videos of various events.

The new web site was designed by the marketing arm of The Delaware Film Company – a Delaware-based agency specializing in strategic solutions, ad campaigns and web interfaces.

“We shopped around and found that the best fit for this job was right here in Delaware,” Miles said. “DFC has given our company an incredible new tool to better serve our customers and a new resource to the science community.”

Thin Layer Chromatography is a method used in research labs and hospitals around the world for everything from forensic investigations to pharmaceutical development to environmental science.

Founded in 1961 by four men with backgrounds in chemistry, coatings, and finance, Analtech, Inc. manufactures more than half a million thin layer chromatography plates a year as well as hundreds of other products used in conjunction with separation sciences. Analtech ships its products to more than 45 countries on six continents.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:40 AM | Comments (0)

FirstPower Group LLC Retains TekMark Growth Partners to Provide Acquisition Due Diligence & Market Development Consulting Services

First Power Group LLC recently purchased the high voltage circuit breaker reconditioning business operating within the Cardinal Pump division of Unifin International. To further justify the acquisition, First Power Group employed technical business consulting services from TekMark Growth Partners.

Cleveland, OH (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- First Power Group LLC recently purchased the high voltage circuit breaker reconditioning business operating within the Cardinal Pump division of Unifin International. To further justify the acquisition, First Power Group employed technical business consulting services from TekMark Growth Partners.

Working closely with First Power Group's management, TekMark Growth Partners conducted broad market quantitative research, competitive analysis and extensive qualitative and primary research with numerous industry decision makers across a variety of electric utilities. The results confirmed electric utility equipment business and technical dynamics, assessed market needs and identified potential lead users for the newly formed utility equipment services group.

Jack Harley, First Power Group's CEO commented "information and recommendations obtained from Tekmark's acquisition due-diligence and overall business development services were instrumental in our decision to acquire Cardinal Pump's high-voltage circuit breaker service business. In addition, TekMark's services enabled us to identify and prioritize which electric utilities to contact for our new service offerings, thereby enhancing our ability to grow the business from day one of the acquisition."

David Klein, a principal consultant with TekMark added "based on our analysis, First Power Group is ideally positioned to take advantage of the electric utility industry's expanded need for equipment support services. Electric utilities are increasingly focusing their efforts on improved safety and reliability, building new infrastructure, and reducing outages. These dynamics, along with experienced utility maintenance personnel retiring and America's growing energy needs, are resulting in a high demand for outsourced equipment support services including the maintenance & reconditioning of high voltage transmission circuit breakers."

Additional information can be found at www.tekmarkgp.com.

About FirstPower Group LLC

FirstPower Group LLC is an engineering and equipment services company focused on maintaining and upgrading high voltage switching devices and compressors used by electric utilities to control the flow of power. Formerly part of J.W. Harley Inc. (Harley), FirstPower offers a full range of services including repairs, conversions, modifications, and upgrades that increase the reliability and extend the life of switching devices and compressors. A substantial parts inventory, specialized SF6 insulating gas handling equipment, laser leak detection instruments and a full service machine shop provide the capabilities to service multiple circuit breaker brands and sizes.

About TekMark Growth Partners

TekMark Growth Partners Ltd., www.tekmarkgp.com, is a leading technology, marketing and strategic management consulting firm. We help technology and engineered product based companies grow through a variety of proven processes and programs focused on new business development, new product development, technology commercialization, channel management, technical research, competitive analysis and overall strategy development. In addition to the energy industry, other focus market and product areas include aerospace, semiconductor, MEMs devices, nanotechnology, electronics, electro-optics, photonics, sensors, thin film processing equipment, test & measurement systems, and other similar technology devices, equipment and industries.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:35 AM | Comments (0)

Institute for Clinical Studies of Florida New Global Headquarters

Institute for Clinical Studies of Florida (ICS-FLA), an international dental products clinical testing facility, celebrated the opening of their new global headquarters in Delray Beach, Florida. The new state-of-the-art headquarters is evidence of its commitment to South Florida and the global oral health research community.

Delray Beach, FL (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- Institute for Clinical Studies of Florida (ICS-FLA), an international dental products clinical testing facility, celebrated the opening of their new global headquarters in Delray Beach, Florida. The company hosted an open house for its clients, area leaders, and directors of several South Florida and regional area oral health companies.

Several members of the Chamber of Commerce joined ICS-FLA president, Dr. Mark Granger, and employees, for a ceremonial ribbon cutting that celebrated the company's new location. "We're very excited about our new facilities. The extra space and improved equipment allow us to offer an even better level of service. We're really looking forward to working in this world class environment," Maria Greene, senior clinical scientist of ICS-FLA stated. "The feedback from our clients and staff has been overwhelming. "

Institute for Clinical Studies of Florida (ICS-FLA), is a global company that specializes in providing clinical research and global project management services to oral health and dental products companies. To find out more about ICS-FLA please visit our web site at http://www.ics-fla.com.

Contact:
Dr. Mark Granger
Director of Public Relations
Institute for Clinical Studies of Florida
Phone: (323)319-6500
Email: granger @ ics-fla.com

Press Release Prepared by PSI International, LLC

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:34 AM | Comments (0)

Fermilab's Tevatron Tunnel is the Latest Success in a Long line of Penetron Tunnel Projects

At the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory water infiltrating the particle accelerator tunnel wall, endangering millions of dollars of equipment and research, was successfully stopped using Penetron's crystalline waterproofing system.

East Setauket, NY (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- In 2007, the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory brought these two very different worlds together when Penetron was chosen to waterproof the Tevatron tunnel.

Tevatron - a primary instrument for high-energy physicists to learn what the universe is made of and how it works.

Penetron - a primary material for internally waterproofing concrete, the most widely used construction material in the world.

The circular Tevatron tunnel is located more than 300 feet underground and has a circumference of 4 miles. Completed in 1985, it was constructed using a shotcrete process that after 20 years of stellar service began to show some wear. Groundwater began penetrating the tunnel walls jeopardizing both equipment and on going experiments. Fermilab needed to identify a product that could work under a unique set of conditions. The product had to be effective on damp concrete surfaces, applied against a head of water pressure and be able to work on rough and uneven shotcrete surfaces.

Penetron was determined to be that solution. Its unique technology allows it to waterproof concrete by growing millions of insoluble crystals within the natural pores of concrete. This crystal growth occurs even in the face of extreme head pressures (up to 514 feet) and becomes a permanent part of the concrete. Once moisture penetration is stemmed, Penetron remains dormant in the concrete. Should further moisture appear, Penetron reactivates to continue the waterproofing process sealing hairline cracks that might also have formed.

Using a combination of products, Peneplug (to rapidly stop active leaks), Penecrete Mortar (for filling cracks and crevices) and Penetron (for slurry coat applications), the leaks were quickly, effectively and successfully stopped. It was recommended that in future shotcrete construction that Penetron Admix be incorporated into the fresh concrete to produce a waterproofed tunnel from the beginning.

Penetron's extensive work on tunnel projects and varied set of solutions for different construction and design conditions make the Penetron system a high performance, time effective and cost effective solution for tunnels both new and old.

ICS Penetron International, Ltd., is a leading manufacturer of integral crystalline waterproofing and repair products for concrete with a manufacturing and service network that spans more than 60 countries. For more information on Penetron products, please visit our website at www.penetron.com or contact Ann Martucci at 631-941-9700.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:33 AM | Comments (0)

DRI-STEEM Selects BuyDesign® Guided Selling and Configuration Software from TDCI

Leading Manufacturer of Industrial and Commercial Humidification Systems to use BuyDesign Product Configurator and Quoting Solutions to Support Collaborative HVAC Design and Sales Process

Columbus, OH (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- TDCI, Inc. (TDCI), a leading enterprise software solution provider, announced today that DRI-STEEM Corporation (DRI-STEEM), a leading manufacturer of industrial and commercial humidification systems, has selected TDCI's BuyDesign Guided Selling and Configuration software to provide enhanced web-based system specification capabilities for HVAC engineers as well as streamlined web-based quoting capabilities for the company's network of manufacturer's representatives. Together, these capabilities will support a collaborative design-to-order process. DRI-STEEM will also utilize the BuyDesign Product Configurator integrated with the company's Infor ERP SyteLine business system to enhance the order entry process.

BuyDesign is a comprehensive guided selling and configuration solution developed to streamline the sales process for customized products. BuyDesign helps companies that manufacture products with a wide range of features, options, and dimensions increase sales by becoming 'easy to do business with' while at the same time helping them improve profitability by reducing order processing time, cost, and errors.

"DRI-STEEM is excited about the new opportunity created with the TDCI Configurator and Channel Sales software tools," said Scott Lipinoga, DRI-STEEM Manager of Management Information Systems. "In the coming year, we can consolidate various configurator tools and provide a centrally managed solution for our employees, our manufacturers' representative network, and the design engineering community. With this in place, we will be able to more easily capture, manage, and share configuration information across these various sales channels and customers."

"We're excited to be working with DRI-STEEM," added Dan DeMuth, TDCI President. "Many companies in the HVAC industry have developed a variety of different configuration tools for use in various stages of the system specification, quoting, and ordering process. The DRI-STEEM project is a good example of the opportunity HVAC manufacturers have to simplify their environment by utilizing a single configurator such as BuyDesign across multiple applications."

About DRI-STEEM:
DRI-STEEM (www.dristeem.com) designs and manufactures humidification systems to meet unique humidification requirements in commercial, health care, industrial, and process-critical applications. Offering a complete line of humidifiers, dispersion systems, and microprocessors, DRI-STEEM humidification systems can perform virtually any conceivable function needed for accurate, non-interruptible relative humidity control. With headquarters in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, DRI-STEEM sells through a network of over 600 manufacturer's representatives around the world.

About TDCI and BuyDesign:
TDCI (www.tdci.com) is an enterprise solution provider that specializes in helping manufacturers and their distributors streamline the buying process for customized products. TDCI's BuyDesign® software is a comprehensive guided selling and configuration solution developed to help companies increase sales by becoming 'easy to do business with' while improving profitability by reducing order processing time, cost, and errors. BuyDesign provides modular components for guided product selection and configuration, product visualization, quoting and ordering, drawing generation, and status inquiry. It also includes applications for front-end specification capture from within popular design products such as AutoCAD and others.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:32 AM | Comments (0)

Ardent Concepts, Inc. Acquires Liberty Research Company of Cupertino, CA

Signal Integrity Group joins High Performance Interconnect Firm.

Hampton Beach, New Hampshire (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- Ardent Concepts, Inc., an industry leader in high speed connector applications, has announced the acquisition of Liberty Research Company of Cupertino, California in a private equity agreement. Financial terms were not disclosed.

"When our customers come to us for High-Performance interconnect solutions, they often have a need for Signal Integrity Expertise," comments Gordon Vinther, President of Ardent Concepts. "With the addition of Liberty Research to our portfolio of services, we are better positioned to help our customers achieve their electrical performance objectives in test and functional interconnect with signal integrity validation and simulation solutions not offered by other connector firms."

"Joining forces with Ardent Concepts was a logical step in the evolution of our firm", says Nick Langston, President of Liberty Research. "With cutting edge products like RC Springprobe™ & RC Scrub-R™ contact technologies, we can leverage our Signal Integrity Knowledge to help customers break through electrical barriers in interconnect as never before."

As part of the agreement, Nick Langston will join Ardent Concepts as Applications Manager and manage the Cupertino office, supporting customers in Silicon Valley and the West Coast.

About Ardent Concepts
An Innovative Interconnect firm, Ardent Concepts develops next generation connector technology for high performance applications. Ardent headquarters are in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire with sales offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.ardentconcepts.com.

About Liberty Research Company
Liberty Research associates are experts at evaluating and debugging high speed digital PC Board designs. Liberty Research has over 20 years of experience designing boards and attaching sockets and connectors and validating the complete performance of the system. For more information, visit www.liberty-research.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:31 AM | Comments (0)

Midbrook Announces Deal with Domestic Manufacturer

Midbrook, Inc. announced that it will build two custom designed Hurricane Model 5036 Industrial washers for a domestic customer in the coming months. These washers represent an impressive achievement in custom design and usability.

Jackson, MI (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 -- Midbrook, Inc (www.midbrook.com) of Jackson, MI is the minority owned, world leading provider of process specific, high volume aqueous part cleaning systems, sealed solvent cleaning system, water bottling equipment, and medical cart washing equipment.

The manufacturer, a precision short to medium run manufacturer of progressive die stampings, metal fabrications, and welded assemblies, required a washing system that could handle a variety of different parts and specifications. Midbrook was able to design a washer that could meet the challenges presented by their needs.

The Hurricane 5036 washers, measuring 38' long, will be able to clean deck plates, machined parts, and stamped parts, in order to assists the customer with all of their washing requirements. The unit will provide a standard wash/rinse stage and has the option of including an additional stage for the application of a rust inhibitor if required for the part being cleaned.

Midbrook custom designed a control unit for the machine that will allow the operator to manipulate the stages used depending on the part running through the machine at the time, allowing for great versatility in the use of the washer.

The washer will feature a 36" wide conveyor belt for material handling, which will ensure the operator is able to load the machine with enough parts to keep production running at the optimal speed. A 500-gallon wash tank and 380 gallon inhibitor tank will house the cleaning chemistry necessary to maintain high quality, clean parts.

Midbrook (www.midbrook.com) is known for their quality washers, and also for their ability to create custom designs. These machines once again showcase the ability of the Midbrook team to evaluate the needs of the customer and create a washer design that works for them, instead of forcing the customer to work for the design. This flexibility and innovative thinking allows Midbrook to create a design that guarantees the customer receives exactly what they need in order to make their process a success.

The same can be said of the CapSnap water bottling equipment and Medical cart washers. Although standard systems are available, Midbrook's niche is to evaluate the client's individual application needs and design a system that will achieve the goals sought.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:30 AM | Comments (0)

Converge Reports Record Growth in IT Asset Disposition

Data security, compliance pressures and the constant cycle of technology acquisition and upgrade are driving global demand for IT asset disposition, or ITAD. Companies like Converge are reporting record growth and forecasting exponential demand as enterprises form strategies to deal with phased-out computers and all manner of electronic equipment.

Peabody, Mass. (PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- Converge announced today that its IT asset disposition (ITAD) division posted revenue growth of more than 130 percent in 2007. Even bigger increases are expected in 2008 as enterprises across the globe struggle with the security and environmental risks of replacing outdated computer equipment and other technologies critical to running their businesses.

"IT asset disposition is fast becoming a new strategic imperative," says Chris Adam, director of Converge's ITAD business. "We estimate 500 million tons of hardware will be phased out this year just in the U.S. alone, and all that material poses an environmental impact as well as vulnerability for data theft. Toss out one laptop that hasn't been thoroughly scrubbed and you can literally ruin your company, not to mention face environmental fines and compliance sanctions."

After more than 25 years as a leading independent distributor of semiconductors and electronic subsystems, Converge in 2005 launched its ITAD division, NextPhase, to address this growing challenge.

In just two years Converge has built a global services and physical infrastructure that triages millions of tons of gear -- everything from laptops to cell phones to supercomputers.

"A Fortune 1000 company without an ITAD strategy is a ticking time bomb," warns Adam. "The pace of business and the pressure to constantly innovate have created a natural but dangerous blind spot. Too few companies proactively plan for the phase-out cycle of the technology investments they are making. That's where we come in … and the earlier the better."

Adam offers the following advice for creating a successful IT asset disposition strategy:

- Know the penalties of noncompliance. Improper data protection and environmentally unsound disposal of tech equipment could lead to significant fines, damage to a company's brand reputation, breach of secure customer and financial data, and lawsuits from shareholders or other company stakeholders.

- Compliance is not a moment -- it is a process. Implementing new technology can take months or even years. Disposing of equipment is no less of a process and involves constant attention to quality and compliance throughout each step.

- Liability lasts a long time. You might still be responsible for safe handling of phased-out equipment even after it leaves your company. "Transfer of liability" issues and other hidden pitfalls of asset disposition frequently surprise companies without a strategic approach to ITAD.

- Charity might not be so charitable. Being "green" or philanthropic is not the same as being strategic about asset disposition. Donating legacy computers or divesting equipment to employees (via sale or auction) actually increases the risk of environmental and security penalties down the road.

About Converge
Converge is a global supply chain partner for technology-driven companies. The organization's three business units are dedicated to just-in-time distribution of electronic components, comprehensive asset recovery services and secure IT asset disposition. Founded in 1980, Converge is headquartered in Peabody, Mass., and has offices in Austin, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Irvine, Calif. Singapore; and Amsterdam, Netherlands, along with support centers throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas. For more information about Converge, visit www.converge.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:29 AM | Comments (0)

TechChoiceParts.com Automotive A/C Goes Live

TechChoice Parts Distributors, a leading automotive air conditioning parts supplier, now offers online shopping for current customers, and wholesale to public.

Midlothian, TX (PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- TechChoice Parts Distributors, LLC, a leading automotive air conditioning parts remanufacturer and distributor, is proud to announce the launch of its new website, http://www.techchoiceparts.com.

The TechChoice Parts online catalog offers users basic and advanced search capabilities, by vehicle, OEM, competitor, or model number. The catalog offers a full range of Car & Truck Air Conditioning parts, including A/C Compressors, Evaporator Cores, Accumulators and Drier, Expansion Devices, and Condenser, as well as some popular Wheel Hub Assemblies.

Dale Miller, a Managing Member of the company, says "Our catalog is unique in that not only can one search by vehicle, but also by part number. Applications and cross-reference information is shared freely, and this really helps people other than us. Say someone purchased an A/C Compressor at a local auto parts store, but wrecked the vehicle before putting it on. Parts store says no refund. That guy can look up that part on our website, and find out exactly what it fits, what other numbers there are for it, and resell it themselves."

TechChoice Parts currently stocks more than 1,700 part numbers, for more than 91,000 vehicle applications. Their goal is to have over 98% coverage for Air Conditioning Compressors by the end of 2008.

Visit www.TechChoiceParts.com to view this innovative online catalog.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:28 AM | Comments (0)

BidClerk.com Reports Construction Projects up for Bid in the Atlanta, GA Area

BidClerk's daily update of Georgia construction projects coming up for bid and starting construction within the next 90 days.

(PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- BidClerk, the Construction Industry Search Engine, reported today that the following commercial construction projects are planning to go out for bid or start construction in the next 90 days in the Atlanta area. Businesses interested in providing services relative to these projects should visit BidClerk.com and reference the Project ID listed below to obtain direct contact information for each job:

Atlanta, GA - Shoppes at Druid Hills, Briarcliff Road, 40,888-square-foot retail development, February 2008, $3 million. Project ID: 686581

Atlanta, GA - Cabbage Gateway, 742-764 Memorial Dr., 44,000-square-foot mixed-use, February 2008, $5 million. Project ID: 716979

Atlanta, GA - H&M, Atlantic Station Mall, 10,000-square-foot retail, February 2008, $600,000. Project ID: 684046

Atlanta, GA - Capital City Club Addition, 53 West Brookhaven Dr., 8,000-square-foot social club addition, February 2008, $1 million. Project ID: 601774

Atlanta, GA - Peachtree Avenue Brownstones, 38 Peachtree Ave. NE, 11, three-story townhomes, March 2008, $1.5 million. Project ID: 711278

BidClerk.com is the only Search Engine dedicated to providing businesses with in depth information on thousands of construction projects coming up for bids all throughout the United States. Our daily updates of commercial and residential construction project leads are available to contractors and businesses in related industries that are seeking bid opportunities. For more information on bidding construction projects in your area, visit BidClerk online or call 877-737-6482.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:26 AM | Comments (0)

Hitachi Consulting to Host Live Webinar Revealing Top 4 Secrets to Field Service Success

Microsoft and Hitachi Consulting to host live webinar to educate field service organizations on how to get the most productivity and efficiency from their field service processes, personnel and technology with Field Services from Microsoft Dynamics AX.

DALLAS, TX (PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- Microsoft and Hitachi Consulting, a global business and IT consulting services company of Hitachi Ltd (NYSE:HIT), will host a live webinar offering field service organizations information on how to get the most productivity and efficiency from their field service processes, personnel and technology. The webinar is free and will begin at 10 a.m. CST on Wednesday, January 30, 2008. Click here for more information and to register.

With the help of Hitachi Consulting and other industry experts, webinar participants will learn the keys to planning, implementing, and supporting an end-to-end automated service management solution that will increase field force productivity and drive top line revenue and customer retention.

The featured speaker is renowned field service automation professional Greg Lush, a 20-year veteran of the service industry and current CIO of The Linc Group, a national service provider and a 2007 recipient of a Microsoft Pinnacle award. Mr. Lush has spent his career building service and training organizations to help clients get strategic value from service management.

In addition, all webinar participants will receive a free white paper "Integrating People, Information, and Resources to Empower Field Services Organizations."

The webinar is being hosted by the field service practice of Hitachi Consulting, a leading provider of field service consulting and solutions, as well as back-to-back Microsoft Business Solutions US Partner of the Year.

"We want to share our Microsoft and field service expertise with potential clients and help guide them through the critical factors of field service management improvement," said Mike Gillis, managing vice president of the Hitachi Consulting Microsoft Dynamics practice. "The webinar is designed to reveal critical operational and cultural tips and tricks needed to establish a solid foundation for a truly successful enterprise-wide service management solution."

For more information and to register for the free webinar, visit http://www.dynamicsfsa.com/webcasts/013008/.

About Hitachi Consulting Corporation
As Hitachi, Ltd.'s (NYSE: HIT) global consulting company, with operations in the United States, Europe and Asia, Hitachi Consulting is a recognized leader in delivering proven business and IT strategies and solutions to Global 2000 companies across many industries. With a balanced view of strategy, people, process and technology, we work with companies to understand their unique business needs, and to develop and implement practical business strategies and technology solutions. From business strategy development through application deployment, our consultants are committed to helping clients quickly realize measurable business value and achieve sustainable ROI.

Hitachi Consulting's client base includes 25 percent of the Global 100 as well as many leading mid-market companies. We offer a client-focused, collaborative approach and transfer knowledge throughout each engagement.

For more information, call 1.877.664.0010 or visit www.hitachiconsulting.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:25 AM | Comments (0)

Choose the Right Self Locking Threaded Fasteners with Online Tools

Online tools for self locking fasteners can help engineers attain thread locking in the joint itself for lighter, stronger, higher speed, RPM and temperature designs.

(PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- Online tools for self locking fasteners can help engineers attain thread locking in the joint itself for lighter, stronger, higher speed, RPM and temperature designs.

When lighter, stronger, higher speed, RPM and temperature designs are required for today's most demanding applications, engineers are turning to Spiralock self locking threaded fasteners over traditional secondary thread locking devices such as lock washers, adhesives, or prevailing torque fasteners, which may add weight, cost and complexity over the product life cycle.

Now engineers looking for the right self locking threaded fasteners for the application have free access to a number of helpful online tools that can speed specifying, verifying and other engineering tasks. Among these are an online Tap Selection Tool; Torque Calculator; Drill and Hole Size Calculator; and Tap Troubleshooting Guide on the Technology page at www.spiralock.com.

The Tap Troubleshooting Guide can help engineers quickly address issues such as breaking taps, rough threads, or poor tool life with specific solutions, and help them spot when too much tension is being generated in the tapping process. Loading on tap teeth, for instance, can be addressed with additional coolant or coolant directed to the end of the tap. The Tap Troubleshooting Guide can also help walk engineers through an issue such as when a go-gage does not go, which can be a sign that a tap is wearing down or getting poor tool life.

What makes Spiralock self locking threaded fasteners unique is the 30-degree wedge ramp at the root of the thread which mates with standard 60-degree male thread fasteners. The wedge ramp allows the bolt to spin freely relative to female threads until clamp load is applied. The crests of the standard male thread form are then drawn tightly against the wedge ramp, eliminating radial clearances and creating a continuous spiral line contact along the entire length of the thread engagement. This continuous line contact spreads the clamp force more evenly over all engaged threads, improving resistance to vibrational loosening, axial-torsional loading, joint fatigue, and temperature extremes.

The innovative self locking threaded fasteners thus compensate for variations in manufacturing tolerance and process due to mass production with its locking thread actually inside the joint. This eliminates the need for secondary thread locking devices or procedures, and can significantly reduce costly warranty claims and potential liability. The self locking fasteners have been used in thousands of manufacturing applications to solve design challenges in a wide range of industries. Production changeovers to these self locking threaded fasteners are typically quick and seamless, often requiring just an exchange of traditional nuts, wire inserts or simply drilling out and re-tapping existing parts stock that have unreliable standard tapped holes.

Spiralock
Kate Turowska
Madison Tech Center
PO Box 71629
Madison Heights, MI 48071
www.spiralock.com
Phone (800) 521-2688

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:21 AM | Comments (0)

Vision Research Unveils High-Speed Digital Camera Capable of Recording One-Million Pictures-Per-Second

Phantom® V12 is the world's first CMOS-Based high-speed digital camera to hit the one-million pictures-per-second mark.

San Jose, C.A. (PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- Vision Research, a leading manufacturer of high speed digital imaging systems, today marked another world's first with the launch of the Phantom® V12, a revolutionary new high-speed digital camera that can record an amazing 1,000,000 pictures-per-second (pps). The flagship model of the company's full range of digital cameras, the Phantom V12 opens up a new dimension in the world of high-speed imaging and sets a new standard in both speed and resolution. The Phantom V12 is the ideal solution for recording extraordinarily fast events, specifically ballistics and explosions testing, and those that take place at the microscopic level.

Essentially the heart of the camera, the Phantom V12 boasts a specially designed, 1280x800 high definition CMOS sensor, which is built specifically for high-speed imaging applications. At full resolution, the Phantom V12 can record 6,315 pps in a wide aspect ratio, and at lower resolutions, the camera can go even faster maxing out at 1,000,000 pps at a resolution of 256x8 (optional). The Phantom V12 also features unprecedented light sensitivity with an active pixel size of 20 microns coupled with an improved quantum efficiency. To eliminate blur and accentuate detail, the camera features sub microsecond shuttering, down to 300 nanoseconds (optional).

The Phantom V12 supports both 8- and 12-bit pixel depth for maximum detail and clarity, and also boasts Vision Research's Extreme Dynamic Range (EDR) feature, which allows the user to capture two different exposures within one single frame. For added ease of use and flexibility, the Phantom V12 also features auto exposure, which automatically adjusts the camera to adapt to changing lighting conditions.

Eight gigabytes of high-speed dynamic RAM comes standard with the Phantom V12, with the option to upgrade to 16GB or 32GB. Taking versatility to the next level, the Phantom V12 is also compatible with Vision Research's CineMag™ system. CineMag is a non-volatile, hot-swappable memory magazine that mounts directly to the body of the camera, providing added storage and data protection. Available in 256GB or 512GB, the CineMag gives end-users the ability to record full resolution video at a maximum frame rate of 1,000 pps, directly to the magazine. To record at higher speeds, users can utilize the Phantom V12's onboard memory and then manually or automatically transfer those files to the CineMag.

To view recordings immediately, the Phantom V12 features a video-out port which users can connect to a component video monitor. The recordings can be displayed in a variety of formats, including NTSC, PAL, SDI and high-definition 720p.

The Phantom V12 will be available in two models, either with or without the CineMag interface and in either color or monochrome. The V12 base model operates at up to 680,000 pps with a minimum shutter speed of 1µ, and the step-up model can record at up to 1,000,000 pps with a minimum shutter speed of 300ns.

Specifications: Phantom V12
Resolution (pixels): 1280x800
Continuously Adjustable Resolution (CAR): Yes, 256x8
Pictures-Per-Second at Full Resolution: 6,315 pps
Maximum Frame Rate: 680,000 pps (standard) / 1,000,000 pps (optional)
Exposure Time / Shutter Speed: 1µ (standard) / 300ns (optional)
Built-In Memory: 8GB, 16GB or 32GB
ISO (ISO-12232 Standard): 4800 Mono / 1200 Color
Non-Volatile Memory: Phantom CineMag
Memory Segmentation: Yes, up to 64 segments
Pixel Bit-Depth: 8 and 12 bits
Camera Trigger and Signals: Trigger, Aux (IRIG-out or Strobe), Ready, FSync, IRIG-in, Video
GB Ethernet: Yes
Analog Video Out: PAL, NTSC, HD Component (720p)
HD-SDI: 720p
Lens: F-mount
Size: Height= 5.0" (7.5" with handle), Width= 5.0", Length= 11.5" (without lens)
Weight: 11.5 pounds (without lens)
Power: 60 Watts
Operating Temperature: 10°C - 40°C

About Vision Research:
Vision Research Inc. designs and manufactures high-speed digital imaging systems used in domains including defense, automotive, engineering, scientific and medical research, industrial and commercial, sports and entertainment, and digital broadcast and cinematography.

The Wayne, N.J.-based company prides itself on the sensitivity, high-resolution and quality of images produced by its systems, robust yet easy-to-use software interfaces, and reliability and versatility of its camera family - that continues to be the benchmark for all other high-speed digital camera manufacturers.

Vision Research cameras add a new dimension to the sense of sight, allowing the user to see details of an event when it's too fast to see, and too important not to™. More information on Vision Research can be found at www.visionresearch.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:21 AM | Comments (0)

Newly Available to Diesel Mechanics: The Massive Diameter Ball Hone

When it comes to servicing big bore diesel engines, the ball-style hone is a portable and low-cost tool that can be used to speed up cylinder servicing in the shop or in the field - deglazing, de-burring and cross-hatching in one smooth operation.

Servicing the big bore diesel engines on hard-working container ships requires fast response as well as the right abrasive technology. For American Diesel, one of those tools is the portable but mighty ball-style hone. When American Diesel gets a call for service, the company prides itself in providing a rapid response. Oftentimes within minutes American Diesel mechanics are on the move from the firm's New Orleans shop or from any number of locations in the field.

The engines that American Diesel services include most of the international big bore models, including those from Sulzer, Yanmar, Daihatsu, Man B&W and MAK.

"The main engines are big bore diesels with cylinders ranging up to 40-inch diameter," says Guevera. "We also work on the generators, which are pretty big too, with average bores of 20 inches or so."

When doing overhauls or repairs that involve cylinders, it is predictable that cylinder liners will have to be deglazed and crosshatched. For those jobs Guevera uses a compact, portable and highly efficient abrasive tool, the ball hone.

Widely known by the brand name Flex-Hone, the ball-style hone is a highly specialized abrasive technology tool that is instantly recognizable by its unique appearance. Featuring small, abrasive globules that are permanently mounted to flexible filaments, the product is a low-cost tool for deglazing, de-burring, edge blending and crosshatching.

Another important capability of a flexible hone is its plateau finishing capabilities, a process by which cylinder walls are subjected to a bore finishing procedure that increases the life of both the cylinders and the piston rings. The purpose of plateauing is to remove loose, cut, torn and folded material within the cylinder, create valleys and remove peaks that would otherwise damage rings or seals. The result is that more lubricant is retained, improving engine startup and performance.

Contact Info:
Heather Fowlie
Brush Research Mfg. Co., Inc.,
4642 East Floral Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90022;
Phone: (323) 261-2193;
Fax: (323) 268-6587;
email: info @ brushresearch.com
web site: www.brushresearch.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:09 AM | Comments (0)

White Paper Examines Testing For Nano-technology Healthcare

A new white paper examines Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) as a means for testing contaminant levels for healthcare solutions based on nano-technology. The white paper, posted on ElementalAnalysis.com, discusses how NAA tests exhibit accuracies up to parts per quadrillion.

Lexington, KY (PRWEB) January 22, 2008 - Elemental Analysis Inc., a privately held trace element analysis firm, today released a white paper which examines purity testing levels with applications to nano-technology in the healthcare and nano-medicine sectors. The rise of nano-technology, combined with tight healthcare guidelines, require highly accurate purity testing levels for manufacturing production.

The white paper reveals that irradiation testing of nano-medicines and nano-delivery devices can insure detection of contaminants to levels as sensitive as one part per quadrillion for 40 trace elements, including gold. Unlike other test methods, no sample pre-treatment is required for the analysis.

"At the nano levels, many elements may have different properties than at the macro level," states Mark Stauffer, of Elemental Analysis, "this 'ultra trace detection' capability enables our customers to take their products to market with full confidence that the purity levels required for performance are there."

For companies in the pharmaceutical and medical delivery fields, nano-level testing means that the error margin for the purity of their products is narrowed. Testing can turn around in as little as three days, speeding the process up substantially from current market wait times as long as three months.

To obtain a copy of the study, entitled "Growth in Nano-Sector Healthcare Requires Unparalleled Test Accuracy," visit http://www.ElementalAnalysis.com/pressroom.asp

About Elemental Analysis
Elemental Analysis, Inc. (EAI), a privately held company, provides all segments of industry with trace element analysis to determine product compositions and potential contamination levels. The company utilizes both non-destructive and state of the art forms of analytical chemistry with limits of detection ranging from sub-percent, to as low as parts-per-quadrillion.

Contact:
Mark Stauffer: (800) 563-7493

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:09 AM | Comments (0)

Authoritative Analysis of Inkjet & Toner Cartridge Consumables at 2008 Lyra Imaging Symposium

The 2008 Lyra Imaging Symposium will provide the digital imaging industry's leading market research analysis and forecasts on home and office digital imaging consumables, including ink jet and toner cartridges, as well as office, fine-art, and photo papers. Provocative presentations and panel discussions from industry leaders will complement Lyra's analyst presentations. The conference will be held Monday, January 28 to Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at the newly remodeled Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage, California. For more event information, visit http://www.lyra.com/symposium.

Newton, MA (PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- The 2008 Lyra Imaging Symposium will provide the digital imaging industry's leading market research analysis and forecasts on home and office digital imaging consumables, including ink jet and toner cartridges, as well as office, fine-art, and photo papers. Provocative presentations and panel discussions from industry leaders will complement Lyra's analyst presentations. The conference will be held Monday, January 28 to Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at the fully remodeled Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa in Rancho Mirage, California. The theme of this year's conference is "New Technologies Challenging the Business Model." Adobe Systems will return as the official event sponsor, and Global Graphics Software will kick off its 2008 worldwide conferences sponsorship at the Symposium. Early registrations indicate that the 2008 Symposium attendance will exceed last year's record turnout (registration details below).

The following are highlights from the Home and Office Digital Imaging Consumables segment:

Digital Imaging Consumables Keynote: Edward O'Connor, Esq., a partner in the trial division of the Eclipse Group and well-known legal pioneer in printer cartridge intellectual property issues, will kick off the consumables portion of the agenda with "The Way Forward--Legal Perspectives on the Digital Imaging Consumables Industry." In this presentation, O'Connor will evaluate the implications of the legal precedents established by recent major cases in the industry. O'Connor will also provide a high-level view of the current legal landscape for the consumables business and discuss the strategies that OEM- and compatible-consumables companies can pursue to continue competing legally and fairly.

Color and Cost Performance: Forecasting Toner Market Trends: Cortney Kasuba, industry analyst for Lyra's syndicated Hard Copy Supplies Advisory Service, will examine trends in North American and global toner consumables markets. Kasuba's forecasts and analysis will be complemented by an in-depth look at the changing competitive landscape between mechanical and chemical toner; the compatibles industry's go-to-market strategies; and the effect of hardware pricing pressure on toner and cost per page.

Beyond the Laser Bias: Ink Jet Market Trends and Forecasts: Andy Lippman, industry analyst for Lyra's syndicated Hard Copy Supplies Advisory Service, will examine the major trends and industry developments that are influencing the global ink jet cartridge market. Lippman, whom Databazaar described as one of the top five industry "printer pundits," will ask the difficult question, "Does home photo printing have a lucrative future?" Also, as ink jet comes of age with business-class printing peripherals, Lippman will take a tier-by-tier look at the technology's formula for success in the SOHO, SMB, and enterprise sectors. The presentation will consider future scenarios in which business printing perpetuates the laser bias and ink jet increases its undeniable foothold in home and business printing.

Changing Channels: The Supplies Distributor Perspective: Scott Zahl, vice president of vendor management at Ingram Micro, will take a distribution-side look at the printing supplies industry. Zahl will discuss which industry segments are currently buying MFPs and printers, and the strategies Ingram Micro is implementing to expand the category, including the vital interplay between the sales of peripherals and consumables. Zahl will offer an insightful preview of what the key focus will be in 2008 for this major distribution player, which ranked number 70 in the 2007 Fortune 500.

The Hard Copy Supplies Journal Top Trends and Panel Discussion: Charles Brewer, managing editor of Lyra's authoritative newsletter, The Hard Copy Supplies Journal, will discuss significant developments in the cartridge consumables industry, with perspectives from the following OEM and compatibles industry leaders: Rob Leonard, president, Leonard Consulting Group; Liz Leung, director of consumer supplies, Epson America; and Brad Roderick, executive vice president, LaserCycle/InkCycle.

Other segments of the agenda include Office Printing (Enterprise, SMB, Software); Consumer Imaging and Digital Photography; Global Spotlight; Wall Street Analyst Roundtables; Commercial Printing; and Digital Imaging and the Environment. Visit www.lyra.com/symposium for updated agenda details as well as registration, hotel, and travel information.

Call for Sponsors: Wi-fi and Reception Sponsorships Available!
In addition to Adobe and Global Graphics Software's marquee sponsorships, sponsors include Konica Minolta and Xerox Corporation as platinum sponsors; Mohawk Fine Papers as recreation activity silver sponsor; and Avery Dennison, Imaging Spectrum magazine, Monotype Imaging, PageMark Technology, QualityLogic, RechargeAsia magazine, Sensient, Uninet, and Zoran Corporation as specialty sponsors. High-impact sponsorships such as wi-fi and cocktail reception sponsors are still available with attractive pricing. To join the leading organizations sponsoring this premier event, call Sandy Tobin at 617-454-2612 immediately.

How to Register
To register, call Sandy Tobin at 617-454-2612, or visit http://www.lyra.com/symposium for secure online registration. The Symposium will take place from 12 p.m. on Monday, January 28, 2008, to 5 p.m., Wednesday, January 30, 2008. The standard registration fee is $1,695. Attractive group-rate incentives are available.

Lyra Research: The Digital Imaging Authority
Lyra Research collaborates with imaging industry decision makers worldwide, enabling clients to strengthen their market position and achieve profitable growth. Lyra's expert analysts and editors help clients devise and implement creative solutions to business challenges, arming them with competitive intelligence, strategic and tactical advice, news and analysis, and market forecasts.

Since 1991, Lyra's custom research and consulting, advisory services, award-winning journals, and innovative events have set the standard for analysis of imaging hardware, consumables, and digital photography markets.

Visit www.lyra.com to learn more about how Lyra can be your strategic business partner.

CONTACT:
Andre Rebelo
Marketing Manager
Lyra Research, Inc.
617-454-2658
arebelo (at) lyra (dot) com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:05 AM | Comments (0)

Learn About a New Set of Applications to Benefit Businesses in Long Range Scanning, a Free Podcast from Intermec

EVERETT, Wash. (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) January 22, 2008 -- Intermec (NYSE:IN) brings the advantages of long range scanning capabilities to listeners during the second in a series of data capture and supply chain management podcasts. Long Range Scanning reveals that, while most barcode scanning occurs within 18 inches of the label, companies are now choosing from a unique set of applications that require scanners to read labels up to 35 feet away, thus resulting in the need for a more robust set of scanning applications.

Tracy Hillstrom, with the Data Capture Systems Group at Intermec, outlines the challenges, benefits and opportunities of long range scanning for companies. Hillstrom also touches on the latest long range scanning technologies that improve overall operations within the warehouse environment.

Listening to the Intermec Long Range Scanning podcast is simple. Visit www.intermec.com/podcasts and choose the desired format for viewing or downloading to your computer or mobile device.

About Intermec

Intermec Inc. (NYSE:IN) develops, manufactures and integrates technologies that identify, track and manage supply chain assets. Core technologies include RFID, mobile computing and data collection systems, bar code printers and label media. The company’s products and services are used by customers in many industries worldwide to improve the productivity, quality and responsiveness of business operations. For more information about Intermec, visit www.intermec.com or call 800-347-2636. Contact Intermec Investor Relations Director Kevin McCarty at kevin.mccarty@intermec.com, 425-265-2472.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:05 AM | Comments (0)

Eagle Introduces Double-Mat Wire Shelving for Easier, More Secure Storage & Display

New Double-Mat Wire Shelving from Eagle is specially designed to accommodate merchandise that is difficult to store or display on conventional wire shelving units.

Clayton, DE (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 22, 2008 -- New Double-Mat Wire Shelving from Eagle is specially designed to accommodate merchandise that is difficult to store or display on conventional wire shelving units. Eagles new shelving is specially designed for safe storage of items such as soda bottles, round-bottomed containers and small-legged appliances -- while continuing to enjoy the advantages of wire shelving including strength, configuration flexibility, and improved air circulation.

Eagles shelving design begins with spacing heavy-duty open wires 7/16” (11 mm) apart for a tighter, more concentrated wire surface. The shelving also features Eagles patented QuadTruss® system which maximizes load-bearing weight per shelf. The unique pincer-type design -- with the mat wire sandwiched in between the two top truss wires -- distributes load weight equally, thereby reducing stress and strain on the welds.

The QuadTruss® design also incorporates retaining edges on the perimeter of each shelf for better merchandise stability and a significantly lower risk of spills and falls. Deflection tests conducted under laboratory conditions show that Eagle shelves are significantly stronger -- up to 25% – when compared to other wire shelving designs.

Double-mat wire shelving units from Eagle are available in standard widths ranging from 18 inches to 24 inches, and in lengths from 36 inches to 60 inches. Choose from a variety of durable, attractive finishes ranging from EAGLEbrite® zinc and Value-Master® gray to Valu-Gard® green epoxy. (Shelving is also offered in white, black or red epoxy finishes.)

For more information on new double-mat wire shelving units from Eagle, contact Lynda Donavon at (800) 441-8440 or (302) 653-3000. Web site address: www.eaglegrp.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:04 AM | Comments (0)

Barcoding Inc. Named to Baltimore SmartCEO's Future 50 List

Barcoding Inc. only one of two companies to be selected for fourth year in a row.

Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- Barcoding Inc., a Baltimore-based leader in automated data collection systems, has been named to Baltimore SmartCEO and Hartman Business Technology's Future 50 list, which recognizes the 50 fastest growing companies in the Greater Baltimore area based on employee and revenue growth. This is the fourth year in a row for Barcoding Inc. to make the list, a feat accomplished by only one other company.

Barcoding Inc.'s CEO, Jay Steinmetz states, "Being recognized by SmartCEO for the fourth straight year is an amazing honor. Many companies within our industry have struggled and are finding it hard to remain in business, let alone achieve the growth that we have. Our company has really found a formula for success in our hard working and dedicated employees."

This year's Future 50 winners collectively employ 5,500 people, and for the first time ever, have produced more than $2 billion in revenues. Winners will be recognized at the Baltimore SmartCEO Future 50 event, scheduled for January 24, 2008, at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel. This is Baltimore SmartCEO's fourth annual publication of the winners, which debuted in the January 2008 issue.

About Barcoding Inc.

Barcoding Inc., the nationally recognized leader in automated data collection, helps businesses and government agencies streamline their operations to optimize supply chain productivity. Barcoding Inc. specializes in offering complete data collection solutions for route accounting, warehouse management, and inventory control. Committed to providing complete solutions, Barcoding's in-house staff, with years of combined experience, is based in Baltimore, Maryland, and has sixteen regional offices throughout The United States.

Please visit www.barcoding.com for additional information or contact Jon Stroz at 1.888.860.7226 x121

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:03 AM | Comments (0)

Atomic Direct Releases Hardware Industry Whitepaper -- Tools Need TV

Atomic Direct, a leading brand DRTV agency, today released a whitepaper entitled, "Tools Need TV" for the hardware and tools industry.

Portland, OR (PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- Atomic Direct, a leading brand DRTV agency, today released a whitepaper entitled, "Tools Need TV" for the hardware and tools industry.

The whitepaper is the result of Atomic's extensive experience in the hardware and tool business. That experience shows that direct response television (DRTV) is often the critical communication element for new tools, and those that have been improved in some important way. The whitepaper explains why traditional TV has never fit well with the hardware business and points to DRTV as the most productive television vehicle for tools. Examples cited include the Drill Doctor drill bit sharpener, the longest continuous running tool infomercial in history. First introduced in November 2001, this infomercial is so successful that over half of all Drill Doctor sales are influenced by the infomercial.

"Most hardware products struggle with low margins -- especially given the pressure from big box stores," explained Atomic Direct President Doug Garnett, "Complicating the situation, most hardware products appeal to a niche, which traditional TV can only reach at a tremendous premium. The result? Hardware companies need another option for TV -- because traditional TV doesn't offer the immediate ROI required by hardware's narrow margins."

To obtain a copy of the Whitepaper, visit http://www.atomicdirect.com/articles

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 04:01 AM | Comments (0)

Recent Innovations in Manufacturing Produce Increased Quality, Faster and More Reliable Delivery, and Increased Customer Convenience

Weldaloy Copper Forgings of Warren, Michigan, shows the benefits of recent innovations in vertical integration.

Detroit, MI (PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- Weldaloy Copper Forgings of Warren, Michigan, reports that recent innovations in what is called "vertical integration" can produce remarkable results for any manufacturer who will implement these techniques.

Vertical integration occurs when a company brings most if not all the operations to produce your parts in-house. This allows them to manage your order from start to finish and results in increased quality, faster and more reliable delivery, and increased convenience to the customer.

According to Weldaloy Products Company engineering staff, implementing vertical integration has produced the following results in their experience:

Elimination of potential problems that often occur when using multiple outside suppliers by having the processes controlled and maintained in-house. For instance, in 2007 Weldaloy shipped 25,424 parts and only 27 parts were returned for further inspection. That's a quality record of 99.9 percent.

Since vertical integration requires that all production be managed within a single location, there is no need to ship products to multiple locations during manufacturing. This dramatically reduces lead times for customers. Weldaloy engineering manager Dennis Werthman says, "Shipping products to multiple locations not only extends lead time, but increases cost without adding value. Performing the functions in a single and solely-managed location cuts out non-value added costs."

Werthman also says, "Vertical Integration eliminates unplanned delays by centralizing control over the development process of new products." Weldaloy's delivery record shows the results of vertical integration: They are able to keep promised delivery dates 94.5 percent of the time.

Convenience is an often overlooked benefit of vertical integration. It is less work for the manufacturer and the customer alike. Coordinating multiple suppliers, various manufacturing facilities, shipping and quality inspections at various sites can waste valuable time and resources. With vertical integration, all of this is eliminated, saving valuable time and money.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:58 AM | Comments (0)

ADMET Exhibits Integrated Concrete Testing and Reporting at World of Concrete

ADMET Inc., a provider of integrated materials testing systems, is demonstrating its MegaForce II automatic concrete testing system and Concrete-Traker database program here at World of Concrete Expo in booth # N1366.

Las Vegas (PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- ADMET Inc., a provider of integrated materials testing systems, is demonstrating its MegaForce II automatic concrete testing system and Concrete-Traker database program here at World of Concrete Expo in booth # N1366.

Both products are sold as OEM equipment by concrete compressive test frame manufacturers and as retrofits to units in the field.

"During our almost twenty years in the business, ADMET has applied its expertise in machine controls and reporting software to become a major supplier to concrete testing laboratories," said Richard Gedney, ADMET founder and president. "We've designed products that are easy to install, learn and use, and backed them up with free customer service for the life of the product. That approach has enabled us to sell to OEM concrete testing machine suppliers and build a successful retrofit business that helps labs leverage their test frame investments into state-of-the-art systems. ADMET-retrofitted systems are more accurate, ensure tests are performed according to ASTM specifications, make it easier to track specimens, and record, save and share test results."

Precise test control
ADMET's MegaForce II is a user-programmable, electronically-controlled hydraulic pump that offers a quick preload, precise test control and fast return dump valve system. The closed loop system works with single acting pistons up to 10,000 psi and costs 50-70% less than a conventional hydraulic servo system. It can be controlled by ADMET's Gauge Buster Digital Indicator or MTESTWindows Microsoft Windows PC-based Materials Testing System.

MegaForce II increases sample throughput while ensuring that all tests are performed according to specification. It conforms to ASTM specifications for concrete cylinders (ASTM C39) and cement cubes (ASTM C109), as well as cold crush (ASTM C133), concrete beam flexural strength (ASTM C78) and Young's modulus (ASTM C649) testing. Additional information on the MegaForce II family is available at: http://www.admet.com/assets/MegaForceII_Brochure.pdf.

Taking test reporting to a new level
ADMET's Concrete-Traker is an integrated Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/Vista-compatible database program that handles the daily activities of a concrete testing laboratory. It manages daily test scheduling and generates concrete cylinder compressive strength reports by project, contractor or mix design, and highlights summaries of high and low test variances. It also organizes specimen data from collection in the field, through curing to storage, and produces daily statistical work and results summaries.

Reports can be presented on company letterhead and printed, emailed or stored on a password-protected Web portal where project personnel can view the data using a Web browser.
Concrete-Traker accepts test data directly from ADMET digital controllers to simplify test reporting, data storage and report generation. Further information is available at: http://www.admet.com/assets/Concrete%20Traker%20Brochure.pdf.

Both ADMET products significantly increase productivity and throughput by automating repetitive tasks and ensuring accuracy. They reduce test times, provide consistent, repeatable test procedures in accordance with ASTM specifications, eliminate operator errors, reduce data entry time and automatically generate reports. Both MegaForce II and Concrete-Traker are available for retrofits immediately, directly from ADMET and through ADMET representatives.

About ADMET
ADMET Inc., founded in 1989, combines high-quality products and services to deliver the most efficient and cost effective materials testing systems. Its products range from new and used universal testing frames, to software and specialized control units, and grips and fixtures. The company also retrofits electromechanical, hydraulic and digitally controlled testing machines from any manufacturer to deliver more reliable test results, simplify operations, meet international standards and integrate with data collection systems. Highly skilled engineers provide customers with personalized research and development services and support to make ADMET the most responsive materials testing equipment supplier. ADMET's loyal customer base includes leading manufacturers, testing labs, researchers and universities in aerospace, automotive, biomedical, concrete, construction, metals, plastics, textiles and other industries. ADMET's products are widely distributed in North America, Central and South America, Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific Rim. ADMET can be reached at 781-769-0850, sales@admet.com or by visiting http://www.admet.com.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

High resolution photos of MegaForce II and the Concrete-Traker screen are available. Contact Sandy McLaughlin.

EDITORS - For further information:

Marc Venet
ADMET Inc.
781-769-0850 X13
mvenet @ admet.com

Sandy McLaughlin
Soucy Communications Group
781-898-7305
smclaughlin @ scg-pr.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:58 AM | Comments (0)

The 'Biggest Little City in the World' May Also Become the Quietest

Nationwide Soundproof Windows company moves to the Silver State.

Reno, NV (PRWEB) January 22, 2008 -- The much anticipated move to Reno, Nevada, has finally happened for the previously California-based company, Soundproof Windows. After many years in the San Francisco Bay Area, the decision to relocate was made more attractive due to lower costs and the business-friendly climate in Nevada. Since the majority of the business is nationwide and not just in California, this move made even more sense.

"We have increased our warehouse space by 50%, purchased a fleet of Dodge Sprinters, hired more people, and see this as a huge opportunity to increase our production capacity yet again," said Soundproof Windows' president, Randy Brown. "We are excited to be in this thriving Nevada community and have already offered soundproofing solutions to one of the retirement homes along the main highway in Carson," Brown added.

All of the management personnel from the old Fremont facility relocated; locally, Soundproof Windows also hired Don Handlin to be their Plant Manager upon opening shop near the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, bringing over 30 years of industry-related experience to the company. "He is a great addition to our team," Brown said of the Nevada native.

While Reno is the new hub of operations for Soundproof Windows, installation and sales centers continue to be maintained throughout California, Texas, Florida and the east coast, with nationwide availability.

Recent customers include several large hotels and apartment complexes in the southwest as well as US government agencies, such as the military and Homeland Security. While continuing to serve residential customers, Soundproof Windows plans to increase their focus on commercial and government projects with this relocation to expanded facilities.

Find out more about Soundproof Windows and soundproofing in general at http://www.soundproofwindows.com. The site also includes sample installations and customer comments. Or contact them directly, toll-free at 877-GET-QUIET (438-7843), 4763 Aircenter Circle, Reno, Nevada.

About Soundproof Windows:
Since 1998, Soundproof Windows has been a nationwide manufacturer of quality soundproofing windows and sliding glass doors for noise abatement, providing an alternative or enhancement to standard window replacement in residential as well as commercial applications. Their soundproofing windows and sliding glass doors reduce noise levels by 75% or more and are fully functional with excellent insulation qualities.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:57 AM | Comments (0)

Free Advice from Promopeddler.com's Branding Ideas Guru Rolls Out Videocast Service

Promopeddler.com, one of the most popular online promotional product companies, announced it will feature their popular free advice column "Ask The Branding Ideas Guru" by means of videocasts with real branding scenarios through Q & A's

Sherwood, OR (PRWEB) January 21, 2008 -- Promopeddler, Inc. announced today that it will add videocasts to the list of services it provides for free to help clients craft their marketing campaigns using promotional products.

The new service will incorporate branding questions posed to Dale Kirby aka the The Branding Ideas Guru, via an online form to promopeddler.com with 3-6 minute videocasts featuring suggestions using custom imprinted merchandise that will promote companies, products, and services in the marketplace.

Kirby comments, "I have been surprised as to the number of inquiries we get from all over the world for help with their branding initiatives since starting this service two years ago." Choosing appropriate promotional merchandise is sometimes overwhelming. In addition to posting links to proposed marketing ideas to achieve the customers branding objective, the video format allows for a real live look at the products and their suitability for the industries and projects solicited. "The videos have a playful approach because the promotional product industry is fun. Whoever said serious business can't be fun?"

Monte Baumgartner, president of Promopeddler.com, believes social media has added a whole new potential to purchasing custom imprinted products online. "We have a new playing field and videocasting and podcasting have extended our reach into the marketplace. It has added a warmer, friendlier feel to internet companies especially our industry."

About Promopeddler.com
Promopeddler.com, the largest online promotional products catalog, maintains an extensive, low-priced, quality product line, along with fast shipping and a focus on personalized customer service and can be contacted through its website at promopeddler.com or toll free at 1-800-455-1350.

The company has made the Inc 500 list and is a recipient of The Distinguished Designation from the ASI's Multi-Million Dollar Distributor Roundtable. In 2007 they were awarded the first Marketing and Branding Web Award in the promotional product industry.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:55 AM | Comments (0)

Tangible Express Named 'Rapid' Innovator of the Year

Tangible Express, the global leader in rapid-manufacturing, rapid-prototyping and rapid-tooling, has been named the 2007 'Rapid Innovator of the Year' by the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association. L-VMA said it was particularly impressed by Tangible Express's move to permit all entrepreneurs, inventors, engineers and designers to share in the revolutionary benefits of 'rapid' ownership.

Springville, UT (PRWEB) January 21, 2008 -- Tangible Express, the global leader in innovative rapid-manufacturing, rapid-prototyping and rapid-tooling services, has been named the 2007 Rapid Innovator of the Year by the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association.

Although less than two years old, Tangible Express has quickly become a global leader in the additive fabrication industry, operating a modern fleet of Rapid machines, including the world's most advance SLS® machine (Selective Laser Sintering) as well as 13 other state-of-the-art systems.

Moreover, Tangible Express is the first company in the world to make its entire line of rapid manufacturing and rapid prototyping machines available for fractional ownership, thus enabling companies both large and small to enjoy all the benefits of ownership without the large expense and hassles.

Unlike typical service bureaus, Tangible Express not only hosts, operates and maintains all of the equipment on behalf of fractional owners, it provides owners dedicated and specially trained support; a world-class uninterrupted power supply; and the ability to swap or add capacity as the need arises.

In honoring Tangible Express, the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association (L-VMA) said that the company has "made a clear and unambiguous statement that 'rapid' is a technology not just for the future, but for here and now."

Dean Rotbart, L-VMA's director, said that his volunteer organization was particularly impressed by Tangible Express's move to permit all entrepreneurs, inventors, engineers and designers to share in the revolutionary benefits of 'rapid' ownership.

L-VMA noted that manufacturers as far away as China have taken a strong interest in the Tangible Express approach, which was also a hot topic among many delegates attending the recent Euromold fair in Frankfurt, Germany.

Rotbart, who oversees L-VMA on a volunteer basis and has done paid promotional work for Tangible Express and other companies in the industry, noted that "I had the privilege of getting to know first-hand many of the companies…from the inside out."

In May, Rotbart and other L-VMA members will present the Rapid Innovator of the Year award to David A. McInnis, Tangible Express founder and chairman, and C. Alex Linde, president and chief operating officer, at a ceremony timed to coincide with the annual Rapid Conference & Exposition, to be held this year in Lake Buena Vista, Fl.

"Our greatest honor is watching the success our customers enjoy because of their association with Tangible Express," said McInnis. "We feel the L-VMA award is a recognition of our innovative customers as well."

Linde added that Tangible Express took special pride in being included among the group of L-VMA finalists, including Desktop Factory, Materialise Group, Stratasys Inc., and Medical Modeling.

"Our industry has many, many fine companies," Linde said. "We are thankful that the L-VMA is dedicated to showcasing each of our efforts."

To learn more about what Tangible Express and its "fleet" of innovate executives and machines can do to advance your business goals, phone Bert Keynon, vice president of sales, at 714-322-9804 (or email him at bert @ tangibleexpress.com).

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:54 AM | Comments (0)

My1Stop.com Adds Seven Different Stock Label and Printer Ribbon Categories with Instant Online Ordering and 24 Hour Turnaround

My1Stop.com, the online leader in providing the complete range of printing products and services, today announced that the online release of their stock label offering includes ready-to-ship products for laser, inkjet, thermal and dot matrix printers. Additionally, the company announced the release of thermal printer ribbons compatible with 20 of the most popular thermal printers.

Ft. Scott, Kansas (PRWEB) January 21, 2008 -- www.My1Stop.com adds a complete line of off-the-shelf labels that are in-stock and can be instantly priced and ordered online.

My1Stop.com, the online leader in providing the complete range of printing products and services, today announced that the online release of their stock label offering includes ready-to-ship products for laser, inkjet, thermal transfer and dot matrix printers. Additionally, the company announced the release of thermal printer ribbons compatible with 20 of the most popular thermal printers.

The complete stock label offering ranging from traditional white mailing labels to their innovative LaserBand medical labels is available for 24-48 hour turnaround. The printer ribbon offering includes quality replacement labels for printers ranging from Eltron to Zebra. Every stock label and printer ribbon is instantly priced and ordered online at the company's award winning website www.my1stop.com.

"Fast delivery of stock labels is critical to our customers - that's why we've put the most popular items in inventory for immediate shipment", said Michael Del Chiaro, President. "We give our customers the label products and turnaround times that they need to keep their organizations moving", continued Del Chiaro. "Our customers can now get their stock labels and printer ribbons in their hands within 2 days if needed - or they can opt for any shipping method that fits their needs," concluded Del Chiaro.

My1Stop's stock label and printer ribbon My1Stop's stock label and printer ribbon offering is powered by award winning web technology and supported by best in class customer service. The stock label offering includes labels on rolls, labels on sheets and fan folded labels for laser, inkjet, thermal and dot matrix printers. The site also features instant chat for online customer service help as well as stock label and printer ribbon product details providing helpful information about printer compatibility and stock label printing.

About My1Stop.com
My1Stop is the online leader in affordable stock and custom printed products, providing instant online pricing for every type of printed product possible - including their new stock labels and printer ribbon products. By combining breadth and depth of a robust stock label and printer ribbon offering with instant online pricing and fast turnaround, small and big business customers alike find My1Stop has solutions that are unique to their diverse needs.

With 30+ years of experience we have been providing our customers with impeccable overall customer service and extended service offerings that include award winning graphic design services and the best available B2B E-commerce and print management solutions

Michael Del Chiaro - President
My1Stop.com
1-800-691-7867

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:53 AM | Comments (0)

Laser 1 Technology Adds 5 Axis Laser Cutting Capability

Additional capability allows laser cutting manufacturing company to accurately cut 3 dimensional profiles that would be cost prohibitive using other laser cutting or machining methods.

St. Paul, MN (PRWEB) January 21, 2008 -- Laser 1 Technology, a premier laser cutting and machine shop, announced that it now has 5 axis laser cutting capability. The 5 axis process works with a laser head that can move around a work piece in combination with the work piece it self being rotated as needed. The laser nozzle tilt allows access to a variety of surfaces. This process is very cost effective for 3 dimensional cutting shapes and sizes where tooling costs would make manufacturing prohibitive.

"We are very excited about our 5 axis cutting capability", said Tim Walsh, President of Laser 1 Technology. "This dramatically expands our product and service offering. In addition, we feel we can service a much larger part of the United States with this unique capability."

Laser 1 Technology services a variety of markets with custom machining and laser cutting capabilities. Laser 1 Technology also provides a variety of manufacturing services for industrial applications including specialty tube cutting, motor laminates and sheet metal fabrications. Laser 1 Technology specializes in handling thicker materials and larger parts than many of its competitors.

Laser 1 Technology (www.laseroneinc.com) is a privately owned company located in a 20,000 square foot facility in West St. Paul Minnesota.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:52 AM | Comments (0)

Dell Blades Slash Data Center Power Consumption

Consume Up to 19 Percent Less Energy Than HP
Deliver Up to 28 Percent Better Performance Per Watt Than IBM
Only Blade Solution With Snap-In Scalability, Delivering Increased Flexibility
Ideal Platform for Virtualization and Consolidation

ROUND ROCK, Texas (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) January 21, 2008 -- Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) today set a new standard for data center energy efficiency and flexibility with the PowerEdge™ M-Series blade solution. The PowerEdge M-Series was designed from the ground up using Dell Energy Smart technologies, resulting in 30 industry patents, to help customers simplify information technology and better address mounting environmental challenges in their data centers. The new M1000e blade enclosure is now available worldwide for ordering with a starting price of $5,999, along with blades starting at $1,849. For more information, visit www.dell.com/poweredge.

The PowerEdge M-Series consumes up to 19 percent less power and achieves up to 25 percent better performance per watt than the HP BladeSystem c-Class1. Compared to the IBM BladeCenter H, the M-Series consumes 12 percent less energy and achieves up to 28 percent better performance per watt1. Built on Dell’s Energy Smart technologies, the PowerEdge M-Series enables businesses to save on power and cooling costs while increasing server capacity. The M-Series also provides lead-free configurations, delivering a “green IT” solution that further helps customers minimize their environmental impact.

“Blade offerings have been long on promises and short on helping customers address the growing costs and complexity in their data centers,” said Brad Anderson, senior vice president, Dell Business Product Group. “The PowerEdge M-Series delivers on those promises with unmatched energy efficiency, flexibility, performance and manageability. It enables customers to achieve the compute performance they need while lowering their overall power consumption and reducing data center complexity and server sprawl.”

The PowerEdge M1000e, a 10U-sized enclosure, supports 16 blade servers. It is optimized for Dell’s PowerEdge M600 and M605 blade servers and supports up to two quad-core Intel® Xeon® and quad-core AMD Opteron™ processors, respectively. The M600 and M605 blade servers are 60 percent more dense than standard 1U servers, helping customers to better address data center space constraints.

Additionally, Dell’s PowerEdge M1000e delivers the industry's most advanced connectivity options designed to provide flexible, low total cost of ownership choices for almost any size data center, including:

An upgradeable Ethernet blade switch, the Layer 3 Dell PowerConnect M6220, with four 1Gb ports and optional upgradeable ports for stacking or 10Gb;
Three Cisco Ethernet switch options, enabling customers to choose between a switch with all 1Gb ports, 1Gb ports plus stacking ports or a combination of 1Gb and 10Gb plus stacking. An Infiniband switch option from Cisco also will be available;
Two Brocade 4Gb Fibre Channel connectivity options, allowing customers to choose between a standard FC4 switch or a low-cost port aggregator that provides simplified configuration and interoperability into almost any SAN fabric;
FC4 Host Bus Adaptors from QLogic and Emulex, as well as an Infiniband mezzanine card from Mellanox; and
Fibre Channel and Ethernet Pass Through options for customers with an existing switch infrastructure, including an Ethernet pass through module that can run at 10/100/1,000Mb per second.
Increased Flexibility and Investment Protection – Ideal Platform for Virtualization

Dell’s PowerEdge M-Series incorporates FlexIO switch technology, making it the only blade solution providing snap-in scalability all the way down to the switch interconnects, helping to protect and maximize a customer’s server investment by eliminating the need for wasteful “rip-and-replace” upgrades. With FlexIO switch technology, M-Series customers get the flexibility they need to efficiently design a networked blade environment that best meets their infrastructure requirements today, and easily and cost effectively add or modify network stacking and uplink capabilities as technology or business needs change.

Dell PowerEdge M-Series is the ideal platform for virtualization and enables customers to consolidate their data center operations and improve utilization without sacrificing performance. The ability to provision virtual machines and physical machines in the same blade server chassis simplifies deployment and management of a virtualized environment.

Simplified Management

Dell’s OpenManage™ systems management suite available with the PowerEdge M-Series simplifies IT with easy-to-use yet powerful management tools that help reduce the cost and complexity of managing computing resources. OpenManage provides customers with a more holistic view and greater understanding of their data center infrastructures, enabling timely, more informed IT management decisions.

Dell provides expanded management features in the M-Series at no additional cost, including:

Centralized chassis management controllers that provide redundant, secure access paths for IT administrators to manage multiple enclosures and blades from a single console;
Dynamic power management enabling administrators to set high/low power thresholds to help ensure blades operate within their defined power envelope;
Real-time reporting for enclosure and blade power consumption, and the ability to prioritize blade slots for power to provide optimal control over power resources; and
Integrated KVM (keyboard/video/mouse), allowing for easy setup, deployment and seamless integration into an existing KVM infrastructure.
About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell is a leading global systems and services company and No. 34 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit www.dell.com, or to communicate directly with Dell via a variety of online channels, go to www.dell.com/conversations. To get Dell news direct, visit www.dell.com/RSS.

1 Based on Principled Technologies’ “SPECjbb2005 performance and power consumption on Dell, HP, and IBM blade servers” December 2007 test report commissioned by Dell.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:50 AM | Comments (0)

MicroAnalytics Named Top 100 Technology Solution Provider

MicroAnalytics, Inc., a leading provider of transportation and logistics software, announced today that they have been recognized as a Top 100 technology solution and service provider to the food industry by Food Logistics Magazine.

Arlington, VA (PRWEB) January 21, 2008 -- MicroAnalytics, Inc., a leading provider of transportation and logistics software, announced today that they have been recognized as a Top 100 technology solution and service provider to the food industry by Food Logistics Magazine.

"We are extremely pleased to be receiving this award," said Mike Hooban, President of MicroAnalytics. "Having Food Logistics recognize us as a top provider once again is a great honor and it confirms the power of our logistics software."

MicroAnalytics suite of products includes the TruckStops Vehicle Routing and Scheduling software, which is designed to cut your transportation costs and increase driver productivity while improving customer service, and the OptiSite Site Location & Distribution Planning Model software, which is designed to help analyze and manage your distribution resources more effectively.

Food Logistics, the only publication exclusively dedicated to covering the movement of product and information through all channels of the food supply chain, this week announced its fourth annual list - the Food Logistics 100 - featuring top technology solution providers that serve the needs of a unique segment of the food service industry. The list is compiled through end-user nominations. Each company listed is top in its field for assisting food, beverage and consumer packaged goods' companies to transform their supply chains.

"Our readers turn to Food Logistics to learn about new solutions for improving productivity and reducing costs throughout their operations," explained Katherine Doherty, editor-in-chief of Food Logistics magazine. "The corporate executives and on-site managers who rely on the magazine want to know what solutions are available to help them reach their business goals. The Food Logistics 100 is a vital
resource for them."

Hundreds of companies were nominated by end-users and solution providers. Winners were chosen by the magazine's editorial staff.

About Food Logistics
Food Logistics is a B2B publication serving the information needs of food, beverage and consumer packaged goods executives involved in warehousing, transportation and information technology, as well as third-party and refrigerated service providers. Through our print and online products, we provide news, trends and best practices that help more than 20,000 grocery and foodservice suppliers, distributors and retailers make better business decisions. On the web at www.foodlogistics.com.

About MicroAnalytics
MicroAnalytics has produced high-quality, affordable logistics software since 1984. The company helped pioneer the development of PC-based routing systems and is recognized as the leading software provider with over 2,400 systems distributed worldwide. In addition to the TruckStops system, MicroAnalytics publishes and markets the OptiSite Distribution Planning, BUSTOPS Student Transportation Management System, emSTOPS equipment maintenance program and etSTOPS which is designed to help users manage extracurricular trip information. The company operates offices in Arlington, Virginia and Toronto, Ontario.

Contact Information:
MicroAnalytics, Inc.
www.bestroutes.com
(703)841-0414

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:48 AM | Comments (0)

Precision Stability Storage Increases Storage Capacity by 120%

Precision Stability Storage (PSS) is a cGMP facility containing various chambers and rooms that have been mapped and validated for pharmaceutical stability storage and BioTech stability storage. PSS has just increased its pharmaceutical stability storage capacity by 120% with the addition of new Parameter Generation and Control rooms and conditioners. With the addition of the new space, the present obligated storage area is at 65% capacity.

Wilson, NC (PRWEB) January 21, 2008 -- Precision Stability Storage, LLC (PSS) has just increased its pharmaceutical stability storage capacity by 120% with the addition of new Parameter Generation and Control (PGC) rooms and conditioners. PSS' web site is http://www.precisionstabilitystorage.com and PGC's web site is http://www.humiditycontrol.com

With the addition of the new space, the present obligated storage area is at 65% capacity.

PSS is a cGMP facility containing various chambers and rooms that have been mapped and validated for pharmaceutical stability storage and BioTech stability storage. These temperature and humidity controlled rooms and chambers are designed for FDA mandated shelf life studies, including intermediate testing and accelerated testing per ICH Q1A (R2).

PSS provides:

Stability Storage at 25°C/60% RH, 30°C/60% RH, 30°C/65% RH, 40°C/75% RH, and 5° C. Additional chambers available for non-standard temperature and humidity conditions.
Q1A (R2) compliant stability rooms and chambers that are fully validated to meet strict temperature, humidity and uniformity requirements.
Stability rooms and chambers that are monitored 24 hours a day with part 11 compliant systems and are connected to automatic emergency generator power to ensure integrity of stored samples. If a system should go out of specification, an alarm will page PSS personnel for immediate repair.
Back up conditioner and controls that will maintain any stability room or chamber if the primary conditioner goes down.
A regulatory compliant facility within a cGMP environment.

PSS has designed this facility to meet the needs of companies that require off-site stability storage, redundant stability storage, short term growth needs, back-up storage, or long term stability storage conditioning.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:47 AM | Comments (0)

XML Control Logic Standard Gains Acceptance as Digital Factory Interface

The PLCopen organization's XML standard (www. control-xml.com ) now provides an open, non-proprietary, software interface for the interchange of industrial and process control programs between controls, Product Life Cycle Management (PLM), Machine & Process Simulation, CAD, documentation software, and other systems to make virtual design and production simulation a reality.

(PRWEB) January 21, 2008 -- The Netherlands, The PLCopen organization's XML standard (www. control-xml.com ) provides an open, non-proprietary, software interface for the interchange of industrial and process control programs between controls, Product Life Cycle Management (PLM), Machine & Process Simulation, CAD, documentation software, and other systems to make virtual design and production simulation a reality.

Innovations in Product Life Cycle Management (PLM), modeling and simulation software are enabling virtual designs of machine, production lines and processes to avoid costly mistakes in actual implementation. The entire virtual plant and controls can be commissioned virtually to find problems before committing to real machines and controls reducing the time it takes to start manufacturing process and avoids costly rework at production startup time.

Free XML Standard Documents
The PLCopen XML schemas and documentation as well as an introduction are available free to anyone on the internet at www.control-xml.com The downloadable files include a 156 page Explanation of the PLCopen XMLSchema, 58 page document on XML Formats for IEC 61131-3, and XML Schema files.

The PLCopen standard has gained acceptance by the AutomationML organization www.AutomationML.org. The AutomationML group accepted the PLCopen XML format for the description of control. This cooperation closes the gaps between production design (virtual factory) and the shop floor resulting in reduced time to market and lower costs for manufacturers. A number of PLCopen member companies are supporting the XML standard including independent software suppliers 3-S, KW-Software, and KirchnerSoft.

PLCopen's XML standard provides an open non-propriety linkage to control system that has not been available until now. The only option leading edge manufacturers had before this development was to develop their own software creating interfaces to a single vendors proprietary control products. This could only be done on large projects at high cost and with the compromise of being tied to a single control vendor. PLCopen's XML standard now provides an open playing field to lower costs and foster innovation in the same way open industrial networks, CAD interchange standards, OPC, and other standards have already done.

The PLCopen XML standard capitalizes on the open IEC 61131-3, Safety, Motion Control, and other standards to support virtual design and production. As a result, manufacturers can expect to reduce the cost of engineering and ramp-up time, and continually optimize their manufacturing operations with accurate, real-time, simulation models.

About PLCopen
PLCopen was founded in 1982 and is a worldwide not for profit organization dedicated to improving the automation programming efficiency and productivity in the controls industry. PLCopen efforts are focused on control software standards that harmonize industrial control programming worldwide.

PLCopen members are leading industrial automation companies including Siemens, ABB, Baumuller, Beckhoff, Bosch Rexroth, B&R, Digital, ProFace, ELAU, GE Fanuc, Honeywell, Mitsubishi, Omron, Parker Automation, Phoenix Contact, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric, 3-S Software, ICS Triplex ISaGRAF, Yaskawa, and Yokogawa.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:46 AM | Comments (0)

Life Safety Services Announces New Employee

Life Safety Services, the National leader in fire and smoke damper inspection services, announced today that Judy Shission has joined the sales team as part of the company's overall growth plan.

Louisville, Ky. (PRWEB) January 20, 2008 -- Life Safety Services, the National leader in fire and smoke damper inspection services, announced today that Judy Shission has joined the sales team as part of the company's overall growth plan. Judy will be responsible for assisting commercial facilities throughout the United States and Canada with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) compliance standards in regards to the inspection of fire and smoke dampers.

"I'm very excited that Judy has joined our team", said Craig Rutledge of Life Safety Services. "She brings with her an unparalleled skill set and work ethic that will no doubt be a huge driving force in our growth this year."

Ms. Shission gained her extensive sales experience by working for large corporate companies such as The Walt Disney Company, General Electric, and Williams-Scotsman but is excited to work for smaller company and contribute to its growth. "Watching a company grow in its infancy is as satisfying as motherhood. Guiding, developing and setting your creations free to be successful is what sales is really all about. I hope to offer Life Safety Services the resources to continue their growth by focusing on new and different target markets and to educate these industries on the mandatory requirement to ensure their compliance".

In 2004 and Craig Rutledge and Jack Meredith saw an opportunity to put their expertise in the fire and smoke damper inspection business to work by forming Life Safety Services (LSS). By specializing in fire and smoke damper inspections, LSS provides inspection services to facilities at an affordable price. Life Safety Services is has become one of the top fire and smoke damper inspection companies by providing outstanding customer service and maintaining a staff of highly trained project managers and technicians. For more information visit: www.lifesafetyservices.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:45 AM | Comments (0)

Joneca Corporation, Based in Anaheim California Will be Introducing Several New, and Innovative Products at Several Industry Trade Shows in 2008

New products - Along with presenting our quality line of Bio-Shield Disposers http://www.joneca.com/commodore-disposer-features.html (Commodore and Mr. Scrappy brands), we will be featuring the addition of a few exciting new products to the Joneca family.

(PRWEB) January 19, 2008 -- Joneca Corporation, based in Anaheim California will be introducing several new, and innovative products at several industry trade shows in 2008.

International Builders Show
Feb. 13-16, 2008
Booth #S11084
Orange County Convention Center
Orlando, Florida

Kitchen And Bath Industry Show
April 11-13, 2008
Booth # L12100
McCormick Place
Chicago, Illinois

National Hardware Show
May 6-8, 2008
Booth # 35917
Las Vegas Convention Center and Sands Expo & Convention Center Las Vegas, NV

New Products - Along with presenting our quality line of Bio-Shield Disposers http://www.joneca.com/commodore-disposer-features.html (Commodore and Mr. Scrappy brands), we will be featuring the addition of a few exciting new products to the Joneca family:

Precision Ro 6-Stage Ultra Compact Reverse Osmosis System: http://www.joneca.com/precision_ro.html The single vessel ultra-compact P-RO offers a six stage water treatment system and the newest in technology and design. The single P-RO cartridge has to be changed only once a year. More water to tank, less water to the drain; compact and lightweight; pre-plumbed; simple and easy cartridge replacement; fast flow. Offers delicious odor free water, better tasting coffee, tea and soups, and keeps cysts, viruses, and bacteria out of your water.

Commodore Bio Shield Disposers: http://www.joneca.com/commodore-food-waste-disposers.html Designed with state of the art technology, Commodore gives you an affordable alternative to existing, old line, high priced disposers. The very latest manufacturing methods and materials are utilized with strict quality control procedures implemented at every step of production. This effort ensures high quality at a better price.

Torque Master: balanced turntable and armature providing for smooth and quiet operation.
Bio Shield Anti-Microbial: odor protection against bacteria growth.
Speed Master Mounting System has only six components and can be installed in a few minutes without the need for tools.

Batch feed adapter: This innovative switching device provides another on/off alternative while allowing any Bio Shield Series Disposer to be converted into a batch feed disposer.

Silver guard magnet: http://www.joneca.com/silver_guard.html The Mr. Scrappy Silver Guard is a strong magnet which attracts kitchen utensils and other miscellaneous metal objects from falling into the disposer. Installation complete within seconds; prevents utensil damage; prevents costly repair bills; works great with strainer baskets and stoppers.

Mr. Scrappy Duel Outlet Air Switch: http://www.joneca.com/air_switch.html Our newest air switch provides an extra outlet for the hot water dispenser or compactor. Included are two types of buttons with three different finishes. Designer finishes are also available on a special order basis.

Custom Color Sink Flanges: http://www.joneca.com/color_sink_flanges.html Per popular request, we will be introducing our custom color sink flanges; sure to fit all Bio Shield Disposer models. We can now offer high-quality custom sink flanges, stoppers and basket strainers in five designer colors.

White
Biscuit
Oil Rubbed Bronze
Black
Stainless (Brushed Nickel)

Please let us know if you are interested in further program information for any of the above products. More information and sample units on all the above products will be on display at our booth. If you can't attend one of the shows, contact Joneca Corporation directly.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:44 AM | Comments (0)

Swedish Match North America Announces the Freshest Cigar in the World

Swedish Match North America, a manufacturer of market leading brands of smokeless tobacco, cigars, and pipe tobacco, today announced the introduction of a new Foil Fresh™ pouch packaging method for two of its popular mass market cigar brands, Game by Garcia y Vega and White Owl. The inventive packaging is a direct response to consumer requests for a fresher cigar.

Richmond, VA (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 18, 2008 -- Swedish Match North America, a manufacturer of market leading brands of smokeless tobacco, cigars, and pipe tobacco, today announced the introduction of a new Foil Fresh™ pouch packaging method for two of its popular mass market cigar brands, Game by Garcia y Vega and White Owl. The inventive packaging is a direct response to consumer requests for a fresher cigar.

Swedish Match North America is noted for creating pioneering packaging---first introducing the foil pouch more than 40 years ago for one of its loose leaf products. Innovations on the technique have resulted in foil packaging specifically designed for the cigar consumer. "This is a first for mass market cigars," according to Brian Love, Director of Marketing, Cigars. "For the consumer, it means the cigar you are purchasing is as fresh as the day it was made." Foil Fresh™ pouches are available for single cigars or in a resealable pouches for 2 cigarillos.

Consumer research shows more and more cigar smokers are demanding freshness. 65% of consumers polled say freshness is the most important consideration, well ahead of taste and price. * Love says, "The level of freshness is the deal breaker and the moment of truth for a cigar smoker is squeezing the cigar and discovering its freshness."

Proprietary Freshness Research conducted on both foil wrapped and cellophane wrapped cigars compared the moisture level threshold at which a cigar retains its freshness. "There was a significant reduction of moisture in the cellophane wrapped cigars when stored in adverse conditions within 2 weeks," comments Love. "By week four they were dry. The new foil packaged products clearly passed the threshold well over 44 weeks with almost no moisture loss when compared to cellophane wrapped cigars."

Foil Fresh™ pouches are currently available on Game and White Owl cigarillo 2 packs. Foil Fresh ™ single stick packaging will be introduced on Game Palma and White Owl Peach and Grape blunts on March 17th of this year.

About Swedish Match:
Swedish Match is a global Group of companies with a broad assortment of market leading brands in smokeless tobacco, cigars and pipe tobacco, matches and lighters. Some of our well known brands include Red Man, Timber Wolf, Longhorn, Macanudo, Partagas, Cohiba, Borkum Riff, White Owl, Garcia y Vega, and Game. Swedish Match North America is headquartered in Richmond, VA, with manufacturing facilities in Owensboro, KY, Dothan, ALA, the Dominican Republic, and Honduras. For more information visit the website at www.swedishmatch.com

*Swedish Match North America Survey, August 2007

Sandy Fowler-Jones
Director of Communications and Public Relations
804-302-1710

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:43 AM | Comments (0)

Verigy Ltd. (NASDAQ:VRGY), a Spinoff of Agilent (NYSE:A), a Spinoff of Hewlett Packard Company (NYSE:HPQ) Seeks an Injunction against Two New Startups

A lawsuit was filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California against defendants Silicon Test Systems Inc. and Silicon Test Solutions LLC by plantiff Verigy (NASDAQ:VRGY), a spinoff of Agilent Technologies (NYSE:A), a spinoff of Hewlett Packard Company (NYSE:HPQ).

San Jose, CA (PRWEB) January 18, 2008 -- A preliminary injunction hearing was held on Tuesday January 15, 2008 in the US District Court for the Northern District of California with the honorable Judge Ronald Whyte presiding. The plaintiff in the case is Verigy Ltd. (NASDAQ:VRGY) and two of the defendants are Silicon Test Systems Inc. and Silicon Test Solutions LLC. Verigy's suit (C07-04330) alleges misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair competition among other allegations. Both Silicon Test Systems Inc. and Silicon Test Solutions LLC believe that the allegations in the lawsuit are false and baseless. Silicon Test Systems Inc. is a California Corporation founded in December 2006. Silicon Test Solutions LLC is a California Limited Liability Company.

Several editors of semiconductor related publications have written articles related to this lawsuit. For example, EE Times published an article on December 21, 2007 titled ''Verigy, startup face ATE legal battle''. To read this EE Times article, please visit the EE Times web site at the following url: http://www.eetimes.com/. The Final Test Report publication also published information related to this lawsuit in December 2007.

The lawsuit was originally filed in August 2007 in US District Court for the Northern District of California located in San Jose, California. The civil case number is C07-04330. For more information, you may visit the website of the Administrative Office of the US Courts Pacer Service Center at the following url: http://pacer.psc.uscourts.gov/.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:41 AM | Comments (0)

Vintage Tub & Bath Launches new Low-Cost Vintage Bathroom Line, Randolph Morris

Vintage Tub & Bath, the industry's largest privately-owned retailer of clawfoot bathtubs, has recently launched their exclusive low-cost line of vintage bathroom fixtures, Randolph Morris. The launch of the new line, including vintage reproduction clawfoot bathtubs, faucets, and sinks, is a timely low-cost solution to a predominately high-price product line according to company Chief Marketing Officer, Allan Dick.

Hazleton, PA (PRWEB) January 18, 2008 -- Vintage Tub & Bath, the industry's largest privately-owned retailer of clawfoot bathtubs, has recently launched their exclusive low-cost line of vintage bathroom fixtures, Randolph Morris. The launch of the new line, including vintage reproduction clawfoot bathtubs, faucets, and sinks, is a timely low-cost solution to a predominately high-price product line according to company Chief Marketing Officer, Allan Dick.

"Vintage bathroom renovations have become increasingly popular among a broader group of income levels," said Dick. "This, combined with a tough housing market, has created a demand for low-cost solutions. With Randolph Morris we are now able to offer high-quality clawfoot tubs, sinks, and faucets at prices much lower than the industry average."

According to Dick, Vintage Tub & Bath took the feedback from their 100,000 customers and developed its most price competitive line of bath products yet while maintaining comparable quality and construction to their higher-priced competitors.

"While building this line, we were careful to maintain the same or higher quality construction found in comparable brands," Dick explains. "For instance, each Randolph Morris bathtub utilizes advanced manufacturing processes such as vacuum casting, beveled edging for complete porcelain coverage, and hand-smoothed surfaces. We put this same level of engineering into all Randolph Morris products. The end result is some of the best quality construction in the industry at the lowest price."

Customers have agreed. According to Dick, Randolph Morris is quickly becoming among its top-selling lines, and customer feedback has been very positive.

Shoppers won't find Randolph Morris in their local bath supply stores, however. Vintage Tub & Bath is an Internet Retailer and sells all their products, including Randolph Morris, exclusively at their web site, www.vintagetub.com.

For more information about Vintage tub & Bath or Randolph Morris, visit their site or call 877-868-1369.

About Vintage Tub & Bath
Founded in 1992, Vintage Tub & Bath has become the largest family-owned retailer of clawfoot bathtubs. An exclusive Internet retailer, Vintage Tub & Bath has been named among Internet Retailer's Top 500 companies for two years in a row.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:41 AM | Comments (0)

Sponsored Manufacturing Traceability and Compliance White Paper Available From Plexus Systems, Inc.

Plexus Systems, Inc., providers of Plexus Online, has sponsored a white paper on manufacturing Traceability and Compliance. The paper, researched and writted by the Aberdeen Group, is available at no cost to the public. It can be downloaded at www.plex.com/aberdeen.

Auburn Hills, MI (PRWEB) January 18, 2008 -- Plexus Systems, Inc., providers of Plexus Online on-demand software for the manufacturing enterprise, is sharing an informative white paper by the Aberdeen Group to help manufacturers understand key attributes for successful compliance and traceability initiatives.

Plexus Systems, Inc. sponsored the Aberdeen research paper, entitled "Compliance and Traceability in Manufacturing." It is now available for a free download at www.plex.com/aberdeen.

The Aberdeen Group surveyed over 650 manufacturing executives to understand key capabilities that help with compliance and traceability initiatives. The research discovered compelling facts about best-in-class manufacturers: They respond to non-conforming shipments up to 44 hours ahead of laggard manufacturers. They manufacture 98 percent of their product in compliance, compared to 85 percent for laggard companies. They realize 95 percent first yield, compared to 74 percent for laggards.

The research also shows that best-in-class manufacturers are more likely to integrate product and process data collection across the supply chain resulting in a 36 minute response time to non-conforming shipment.

Mehul Shah, a research analyst with the Aberdeen Group adds, "Best-in-Class companies are more likely to adopt technology for compliance and traceability initiatives at an enterprise wide level. With enterprise wide adoption companies can define common goals, objectives, and metrics to measure performance across the supply chain. This also provides an opportunity for individuals from across the organization to have "skin-in-the-game" in the success of the enterprise as a whole"

Plexus Online is one of the technologies identified in the report. Plexus Online offers over 350 functional modules, providing companies instant access to vital information and management functions using a simple web browser. The on-demand solution features enterprise resource planning (ERP) functions such as accounting and finance modules, customer relationship management (CRM) features such as order entry and tracking, manufacturing execution systems (MES) functions such as production scheduling and machine integration, and supply chain management (SCM) functions such as supplier quality and traceability.

About Plexus Systems, Inc.:
Since 1995, Plexus Systems, Inc. (Auburn Hills, Mich.) has maintained a singular vision -- to drive significant cost, quality and productivity improvements for manufacturers, from the shop floor to the top floor. Plexus Online™ is an on-demand software for the manufacturing enterprise, delivering a powerful, real-time interface. Plexus Systems originated internally at a manufacturing company, and was designed to resolve quality challenges, including production, distribution and global supply chains management issues. Today, Plexus Online also enables businesses to manage accounting, financials, compliance and human resources and other top priorities. Plexus Systems serves a cross section of manufacturing industries (OEM and suppliers), particularly automotive, defense, medical device and aerospace companies headquartered in the Americas, Asia, and Europe.

Plexus Systems has partnered with Apax Partners (www.apax.com), one of the world's leading global private equity groups, to drive global expansion and further strengthen the company's products, services and market position. Apax Partners operates across the US, Europe and Asia and has more than $20 billion in funds under management and advice. In 2006, funds advised by Apax made a strategic investment in Plexus Systems, joining the founding investment group as stakeholders in Plexus. Visit www.plex.com for more information.

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company:
Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to AberdeenTM for insights that drive decisions.

As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to http://www.harte-hanks.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:39 AM | Comments (0)

Three Hyundai Models Earn Top Safety Pick Awards

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Seoul, Korea (PRWEB) January 18, 2008 -- For the first time ever, three Hyundai models earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) Top Safety Pick award. The Hyundai Veracruz and Santa Fe received awards in the midsize SUV segment and the Hyundai Entourage in the minivan segment. All winning vehicles are recognized for their ability to protect people in front, side and rear crashes.

This marks the third year in a row the Entourage has received the highest honor - the IIHS Top Safety Pick award in the minivan category. All three vehicles also earned five-star crash test ratings, the highest government rating under NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program, for both frontal and side impact.

Top Safety Pick awards recognize vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side and rear crashes based on ratings in the Institute's tests. Each vehicle's overall evaluation is based on a variety of measures including injuries to dummies, vehicle's structural performance, restraint performance, etc. Winners are also required to be equipped with the latest crash prevention technology, electronic stability control (ESC) - which is standard on all three Hyundai Top Safety Pick vehicles and on 73% of all Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S.

According to the IIHS, "Designating winners based on the tests makes it easier for consumers to identify vehicles that afford the best overall protection without sifting through multiple sets of comparative crash test results."

"Hyundai has more 2008 IIHS Top Safety Picks than BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or Toyota," said John Krafcik, vice president of strategic planning and product development, Hyundai Motor America. "That's a pretty good indication that we know what we're doing when it comes to combining industry-leading safety with industry-leading value."

The Entourage minivan is sold only in North America.

Contact information
Esther Park
HMC Public Relations 1
Office: +82-2-3464-2117
Fax: +82-2-3464-3457
E-Mail: esther_kr@hyundai-motor.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:38 AM | Comments (0)

Plymouth Technology Licenses PPG to Distribute Wastewater Technology to Automotive OEMS

Agreement signed with PPG Industries (NYSE: PPG) to distribute Plymouth's patented Metals Removal System (MRS) wastewater treatment technology to the North American automotive original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) market.

Rochester Hills, MI (PRWEB) January 18, 2008 -- Plymouth Technology, Inc. (Plymouth) announced it has signed an agreement with PPG Industries (NYSE: PPG) to distribute Plymouth's patented Metals Removal System (MRS) wastewater treatment technology to the North American automotive original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) market. PPG will distribute this technology under the PPG brand name "Water Wise Solutions."

"Plymouth has a long-standing relationship with PPG as both a supplier and solution provider," said Amanda Christides, president, Plymouth Technology. "PPG's extensive infrastructure for partnering with automotive customers to leverage engineered solutions provides an ideal channel to the automotive OEM market for Plymouth's innovative technology."

Plymouth's Metals Removal Systems (MRS) uses proprietary media and processes to adsorb heavy metals and other contaminants from wastewater streams. Automotive manufacturing facilities, particularly assembly plants with paint shops, must treat wastewater on-site before releasing it into municipal water systems, typically using a large, complex water treatment plant to reduce water contaminants to acceptable levels. MRS treats wastewater with reduced chemical use, sludge generation and plant resources, while providing an effluent stream typically cleaner than required by regulations. Water treated by Metals Removal Systems can also be reused in some assembly processes, thus reducing total water purchase and discharge to save money and reduce environmental impact.

Patrick Harshall, global director of Total Service Solutions for PPG, said, "Water Wise Solutions is part of PPG's long-term strategy to develop and bring to market innovative solutions that help customers meet their economic and environmental challenges. This is in line with PPG's rich tradition of environmental stewardship and developing environmentally-responsible products."

About Plymouth Technology:
Founded in 1991, Plymouth Technology, Inc. of Rochester Hills, Mich., is a leading provider of industrial water and wastewater treatment chemicals, equipment and consulting services. The company specializes in delivering customized solutions with on-site service for water, energy and waste minimization, water reuse and environmental compliance. Introduced in 2004, Metals Removal Systems are in use throughout the United States enabling industrial manufacturers to reuse process wastewater and reduce operating costs. For more information, visit www.plymouthtechnology.com.

About PPG:
Pittsburgh-based PPG is a global supplier of paints, coatings, chemicals, optical products, specialty materials, glass and fiberglass. The company has manufacturing facilities and equity affiliates in more than 30 countries. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.

-080115WaterWise-

Metals Removal Systems, Metals Removal System and MRS are trademarks of Plymouth Technology, Inc.

Contact:
Carole DePetro
CDepetro @ plymouthtechnology.com
Phone: (248) 537-0081 x110

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:37 AM | Comments (0)

PDF3D Toolkit Adds 3D Labels, VRML Application, PowerPoint Viewing, VTK Integration

PDF3D-SDK Version 1.4.2 includes novel 3D dynamic labels, a VRML to 3D PDF application, interactive viewing inside PowerPoint presentations and many technical improvements in PDF3D document generation.

London, UK (PRWEB) January 18, 2008 -- PDF3D® technology enables publishing interactive 3D PDF documents, harnessing the free Adobe® PDF Reader. Scenes can now include novel 3D TrueType annotation labels and variable transparent textures. For VTK users, new integration classes are especially welcome, and a new interactive application converts VRML directly to 3D PDF files including injecting models into existing PDF documents. A new enterprise network server provides enhanced application management. This release from Visual Technology Services further empowers knowledge transfer and collaborative sharing of 3D technical analysis to teams across the enterprise through standard PDF documents.

PDF3D SDK version 1.4.2 includes the following new features:

VRML files can now be easily converted to 3D PDF using a new application with fully interactive menu. Models may be injected into new or existing PDF documents, with titles and captions added to explain the 3D view or give users specific instructions.
Dynamic 3D labels allow models to be annotated, where each label is attached to a 3D location, orients toward the viewer and may include any TrueType font in any language or special symbols.
For users wishing to make presentations, a new component is included allowing 3D PDF interactive documents to be shown within a live PowerPoint presentation, along with a sample of such a presentation.
The Visualization Toolkit (VTK) integration now includes a full C++ integration class to allow any VTK based application to export 3D scenes to the 3D PDF document format, including sample applications and source code examples.
Visual quality of texture images is enhanced by the addition of alpha-blending, enabling complex variable transparency on 3D objects, taking full advantage of hardware graphics features for displaying textures.
For full enterprise network deployment, a completely new floating license server model is introduced with release 1.4.2. This allows enterprise-wide license management, cross-firewall access and license “borrowing” when users travel and need to take a temporary license.

“Following our Technical Report release, this version has many features requested by ISVs and application developers using 3D PDF functionality to their applications,” noted Ian Curington, CEO of Visual Technology Services Ltd. “PDF3D models can now include 3D label annotations; users can rotate, zoom, pan, set transparency, explore and review analysis results on 3D models all within a PowerPoint presentation.”

PDF3D SDK 1.4.2 is used by scientists, engineers, researchers and software vendors to enable improved communication through the PDF standard, with immediate availability. The release comes with a complete suite of interfaces, ready-to-use applications, source code examples and full documentation. PDF3D-SDK is available for OEM/ISV integration within commercial products and server deployment. Pricing on request.

About PDF3D
PDF3D is a specialized technical publishing technology from the dynamic and innovative Visual Technology Services with unique visualization skills specializing in the delivery of customer solutions with specialized analysis, leveraging skills and IP in interactive graphics, novel display techniques and data visualization with clients in mechanical engineering analysis, defense, aerospace, nanotechnology, microelectronics, material science, geology and geophysics. The ISO9001:2000 certified professional services team is available for enhanced solution development.

Contact Details:
PDF3D Division, Visual Technology Services Ltd.
Tel: +44(0)7787 517529, E-mail: info at pdf3d.co.uk, Web: www.pdf3d.co.uk

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:35 AM | Comments (0)

Reliable Bronze Launches New Experience for Customers

Reliable Bronze celebrates 40 years and launches new Website.

Stanchfield, MN (PRWEB) January 18, 2008 -- Reliable Bronze & Manufacturing, Inc. develops a new website with a higher usability rate and expanded catalog to improve customer experience.

The new Reliable Bronze website contains a new catalog with enhancements that make it easier to find information about the products offered. The new catalog features the ability to select the desired product, choose a size, and view the related products that fit that size. The site also has improved navigation, the ability to request a quote, and a services page.

"I am excited to see the new website launched; it comes at the beginning of our 40th Anniversary. We have experienced so many changes throughout the years, that it only seemed fitting to update the site", said Charles Olson President of Reliable Bronze.

Founded in 1968, Reliable Bronze, led by President Charles Olson is celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year. President Charles Olson has taken pride in his ability to keep his promise to provide quality products, superior service, and competitive pricing throughout the years.

To learn more, visit Reliable Bronze at http://www.reliablebronze.com

For more information, please contact:

Reliable Bronze
340 Rush Point Drive
Stanchfield, MN 55080
Toll free: 800.445.4374
or 763.689.4143

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 03:35 AM | Comments (0)

January 17, 2008

Start-Up Introduces Revolutionary High Volume, Low Speed Fan to Solve Large Facility Air Movement and Energy Efficiency Problems

AirMotion Sciences, Inc. is a start-up technology company specializing in energy efficient air movement systems for large industrial and agricultural facilities. Combining the application of physics with expert engineering, AirMotion Sciences has developed the next generation of High Volume, Low Speed (HVLS) fans for national and international markets. AirMotion Sciences announces the introduction of it's brand new line of AltAirTM HVLS fans to the market. With rapid payback from reductions in energy usage and costs, coupled with productivity increases, they are a simple solution for HVAC challenges, generating substantial environmental and green benefits.

Holliston MA (PRWEB) January 17, 2008 -- Peter Caruso, founder and CEO of AirMotion Sciences, Inc., announces the market launch of AirMotion's brand new line of AltAirTM HVLS Fans (Patent Pending). These large High Volume, Low Speed (HVLS) industrial ceiling fans are 9 to 15 feet in diameter, have small, highly energy efficient motors, and are used for cooling, heat de-stratification, ventilation, and as alternatives to air conditioning in large facilities. AltAir HVLS fans reduce energy costs and environmental stress, while enhancing comfort and productivity.

Mr. Caruso, the former President and CEO of MacroAir Technologies LLC, says his company will market, sell and distribute AirMotion AltAir HVLS fans throughout the US and abroad. "My goal from the outset was to design a better HVLS fan, and we are excited to finally introduce the next generation of product development to the market," he says. "Having learned a lot about this relatively new and exciting product category, I have been fortunate to assemble a brilliant engineering team to help us make a big leap forward in air movement technology. Our mission is to bring products that significantly reduce large facility energy costs while enhancing comfort and productivity inside these facilities. Through innovation, experience, and know-how we plan to be leaders in the industry bringing the best in design, production, and service to our customers."

The revolutionary AltAir fan design and technology, namely the Variable Pitch Technology (VPT™), Rotatair™ composite blades, and a carefully engineered application of VFD (variable frequency drive) capability, all significantly advance the functionality of HVLS fans. By adjusting the blade pitch 0 to 20 degrees up or down, coupled with varying fan speed, users have better control over the air they move - a feature AirMotion calls, Adjustable Air Movement. When three or more AltAir HVLS fans are arranged in an array, they allow for Complete Facility Movement of Air, a capability exclusive to AirMotion Sciences.

"Though highly sophisticated, AirMotion AltAir HVLS fans are simple to install, operate and maintain. Our VPT capability allows enormous flexibility at one's fingertips in how and where air can be moved within a facility to provide comfort and reduce energy usage," says Joe Madsen, AirMotions's VP of Engineering. Emphasizing energy cost savings, improved productivity, and green benefits, the AltAir HVLS fans are the culmination of Mr. Caruso's knowledge of HVLS fan technology, understanding of industry needs, and the skills of a highly qualified engineering team led by Mr. Madsen.

Looking forward to the growth of AirMotion Sciences, Inc. and the market penetration of AltAir HVLS fans, Mr. Caruso states, "We are excited about the possibilities. We think that in working together with our customers we can all do well while also doing good. By bringing the next generation of HVLS fans to market, followed by other product innovations, we hope we will leave the world a better place for future generations." With energy savings, rapid payback, and green initiatives at the foundation of the company, AirMotion Sciences, Inc. benefits its customers as well as the environment at large.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:10 PM | Comments (0)

New Sales Manager Appointed at PTI Packaging Systems Promotes Stick Pack and Pouch Packaging Solutions

PTI Packaging Systems is pleased announce the appointment of Mark V. (Sparky) Ewing to the position of sales manager, responsible for stick pack and pre-made pouch packaging machinery. Ewing brings more than 25 years experience within the North American primary and secondary packaging machinery industry to PTI.

Tuckahoe, NY (PRWEB) January 17, 2008 -- PTI Packaging Systems is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark V (Sparky) Ewing to the position of sales manager, responsible for stick pack and pre-made pouch packaging machinery. Ewing brings more than 25 years experience within the North American primary and secondary packaging machinery industry to PTI.

Jeffrey Crangle, general manager of the PTI Packaging Systems group, commented, "We are delighted to have Mark join PTI. Mark brings a long history of value based selling within the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care and chemical manufacturing/processing market segments. His background and working knowledge of VFFS and HFFS, to include integration with downstream processes such as checkweighing, detection, cartoning, case packing, etc. is exceptional. This specific range of experience will provide unique insight into our client's needs. PTI's focus is about much more than providing single packaging machine solutions. Multiple machine and full line systems integration is challenging, and we are confident Mark will assist PTI and our client base to provide proven solutions for projects with unique requirements."

PTI Packaging Systems is an end-to-end solutions provider for either new or existing projects for nearly all types of packaging, including downstream packaging and handling. PTI offers solutions for stick packaging, pyramid, sachet, dry and retortable pre-made pouch, cup and tray filling.

"I am thrilled to be a part of the dynamic team at PTI", Ewing said. "Packagers today face many challenges. Chief among them are meeting the consumer's demand for new products that fit their fast-paced, mobile lifestyles and increasing profitability through process optimization, all while addressing the issues of energy consumption and sustainability", stated Ewing. "Whether it's a new product or one in the market for years, manufacturers are seeking new and better packaging solutions that appeal to the consumer, reduce packaging materials, and contribute to the top and bottom lines. Packaging in stick packs or pouches utilizes less material than cartons, jars, bottles, or cans. Stick packs and stand-up pouches are also convenient, easy to use and ideal for single use or portion packaging. These package styles are rapidly gaining popularity with consumers across numerous markets. I'm confident this growth trend will continue in North America."

Ewing was an original team member assisting in building Belcor into a significant player within the North American end-of-line packaging machinery market. Most recently, he held the position of director of sales and marketing at Wexxar Packaging and Pearson Packaging Systems. Mark has broad technical ability and experience in product development, strategic planning, distribution, and new market development.

Crangle concludes, "Having Sparky on board is an incredible asset to our team. Mark's energy and enthusiasm, combined with his knowledge and experience, will impact our ability to support PTI Packaging Systems clientele."

Please contact Michelle Wolf for further information.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:08 PM | Comments (0)

The end of an Era: Auction of Potato Chips Processing Lines and Packaging Machinery from Jays Foods on January 24

Exactly a week from today, 80 years of potato chip manufacturing on Chicago's south side will come to a close with the public auction sale of equipment from Jays Foods manufacturing headquarters on East 99th Street. The equipment auctioned includes four potato chips processing lines, kettle chip fryers and packaging machinery.

Chicago, IL (Bluehost/PRWEB ) January 17, 2008 -- Exactly a week from today, eighty years of potato chip manufacturing on Chicago's south side will come to a close with the public auction sale of equipment from Jays Foods manufacturing headquarters on East 99th Street. This announcement follows the bankruptcy court's acceptance of a $24.8 million bulk sale of the majority of the firms assets to another party.

The Jays brand has always been considered a quality snack product throughout Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota and Iowa. Unfortunately, even with a 60 percent market share in the ready-to-eat popcorn category in these states, Jays flagship manufacturing plant could not offset the rising costs of cooking oils, raw materials, energy and labor costs.

The equipment auction on Thursday, January 24, 2008, is being conducted by Rabin Worldwide of San Francisco and is open to the public. The auction will include batch frying systems utilized to make the Krunchers kettle style chips, four continuous fry lines which produced the bulk of Jays regular & barbeque potato chips, two popcorn systems which were recently producing the famous O-Ke-Doke popcorn, as well as 18 Ishida packaging machines.

More information on the auction...

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:08 PM | Comments (0)

Finally ... a Marketing Training Series that Helps Small Businesses

Marketing agency offering practical marketing training through webinar series.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) January 17, 2008 -- Impact Marketing, an Atlanta-based agency, launched their new marketing training series geared at helping small business owners, entrepreneurs and independent professionals around the country grow their businesses systematically. The positive response of the announcement is reflective of the great need for practical small business marketing training and sales instruction ... which by some estimates has reached the billion dollar mark.

The format of the series will be group training via a webinar/telesession. Each workshop will consist of an hour long session with about 5-7 other business owners and professionals on the same conference call. The focus is not only to pass practical how-to information but to share the experiences and collaborate with other small business owners with similar challenges. The first workshop will be focused on helping small business owners develop a referral marketing program.

"Most business owners have an idea as to what needs to be done," says Scott Campbell, the company's founder. "But our training series offers the answers on how to get it done along with ideas and support from other owners who will keep them accountable."

The training series is being presented in collaboration with Duct Tape Marketing, the popular small business training organization out of Kansas City, MO. Duct Tape Marketing is a Forbes favorite for small business and marketing. The company's marketing system has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Inc Magazine and CNN Money. Impact Marketing, Inc. is a certified coaching organization of the Duct Tape Coaching Network.

About Impact Marketing -- Impact Marketing, Inc is an Atlanta-based marketing agency that provides one-on-one and group instruction as well as self-guided programs to small businesses around the country. Their website is at www.impactyourcompany.com. Founder Scott Campbell is a popular speaker on the subject of marketing as is the author of the "Atlanta Marketing Center" blog at http://blog.impactyourcompany.com Their phone number is 678-615-2418.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:05 PM | Comments (0)

Machine Vision Guided Laser Processing Platform Added to AEi's Flexible Automation Solutions

Flexible Automation System Uses Machine Vision Guided Laser Welding and Motion Control for Automated Parts Handling, Quality Inspection, Precise Laser Welding and Laser Marking

WILMINGTON, Mass. (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) January 17, 2008 -- Automation Engineering Incorporated (AEi), a global supplier of high-precision, flexible automation systems announces FlexLase™, its flexible vision guided laser processing platform. AEi’s vision guided laser processing platform includes up to four machine vision cameras to support fully automated component handling plus dynamic vision guided laser welding path trajectory compensation. The new precision automation platform minimizes production downtime and supports greater manufacturing responsiveness to rapidly changing product features and modifications due to its advanced but easy to operate control software. FlexLase eliminates the need for operator expertise and training in CNC programming.

According to AEi Chief Technology Officer Andre By, “Using machine vision as an integral part of our FlexLase station process control architecture enables our customers to easily define even the most complex laser welding and laser marking patterns and locations without the need for CNC or other traditional programming. This reduces setup time for new or modified products, which is important for job shops, contract manufacturers, and product development groups, as well as volume manufacturers with high product mix. Our use of machine vision also supports more precise laser welding, even if the component tolerances vary over time and from cycle to cycle."

The FlexLase platform is part of AEi's industry leading family of standard precision automation platforms. AEi customized and configured its most recently deployed FlexLase station to precisely laser weld and mark stainless steel casings for high-power density batteries used in deep-sea and space applications.

"While this particular FlexLase station welds and marks battery casings, this same FlexLase configuration can be used for processing other cylindrical shapes with a fairly wide range of heights and diameters without swapping out fixturing and tooling. Our use machine vision as well as our automatically adaptable fixturing and tooling makes this possible.” By added.

About AEi

AEi is a leading supplier of high-precision, flexible automation systems across the optoelectronics, medical devices, consumer products, aerospace & defense, and other worldwide markets. AEi provides comprehensive design for manufacturing, process development, and pre-production build services, in addition to complete turnkey automated manufacturing stations and lines. For more information on AEi’s precision automation systems, visit www.aeiboston.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:04 PM | Comments (0)

Camstar and AMR Research to Present Essential Webinar: ''Next Generation Quality Management – Reactive to Proactive''

Experts Advise on Leveraging a Networked Quality Management Approach for Proactive "Quality Execution”

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) January 17, 2008 -- Camstar Systems, Inc., a leading provider of Enterprise Manufacturing and Quality Execution, announced today that it will co-present a live Webinar with industry analyst firm AMR Research on Thursday, February 7, 2008 at 1:00 pm (US Eastern Standard Time).

In this Webinar, titled “Next Generation Quality Management – Reactive to Proactive”, Simon Jacobson, Senior Research Analyst, AMR Research and Karim Lokas, Vice President of Marketing and Product Strategy, Camstar Systems, Inc. will discuss how manufacturers can leverage a Networked Quality Management approach to achieve proactive "Quality Execution.” The webinar focuses on strategic approaches for manufacturing executives.

In recent years, there has been an increasing emphasis on strategic quality management. Companies recognize that the key to business excellence is having true visibility into risk and a reliable, predictable product supply.

Regulatory compliance, time-to-market and cost pressures are driving today’s Life Science manufacturers to focus on systems that will help improve product and process quality, increase efficiency and time-to-volume while lowering risk of highly publicized recalls, warning letter activity and consent decrees from the FDA.

The renewed attention on quality has not only exposed the existing gaps between enterprise systems such as ERP and PLM--, but also Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and traditional quality management software (QMS), in addition to the gaps between individual manufacturing sites. Issues centered around design, corrective and preventive action (CAPA), complaints handling and production traceability (DHR) deficiencies continue to pile up, only highlighting the lack of integration between these systems—not to mention attracting increasing amounts of regulatory insight, further increasing risks.

Having the ability to collect accurate, actionable data in real time and building quality and agility into the manufacturing process is a critical step in mitigating supply chain risks and driving enterprise process improvement across multiple manufacturing sites while supporting IT data models from ERP, PLM, MES, and QMS systems. Camstar’s next generation approach to merging Quality Management and production execution applications into a common architecture provides a universal data model which lets manufacturers quickly respond to manufacturing non-conformance events as they occur and perform effective root cause analysis with inherent access to all production–related, contextual data.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:03 PM | Comments (0)

Heliproducts Industries Ltd. Launches Their New Online Store for Helicopter Tooling

Heliproducts Industries Ltd. launches its new online store, offering more than three hundred different helicopter maintenance tools as well as a wide selection of helicopter parts, components, and engines.

Pitt Meadows, BC (PRWEB) January 17, 2008 - Heliproducts Industries Ltd., a worldwide helicopter supplier based in Pitt Meadows, BC Canada, recently launched a new online store designed for the worldwide helicopter marketplace. The new online store is located is at heliproducts.com, and it offers more than three hundred different helicopter maintenance tools as well as a wide selection of new and used parts, components, and engines.

Heliproducts manufactures their innovative, industry tested maintenance tooling lines with more than 20 years experience in the helicopter industry. The Heliproducts online store carries a stock level of tools for Bell Helicopter, MD Helicopters, Eurocopter, Turbomeca, Rolls Royce, and Honeywell helicopters as well as a large selection of specialty maintenance tools, work stands, and operational equipment.

The new Heliproducts store offers a wide range of Bell Helicopter tooling including backlash tools, adapters, and support tools as well as mast wrenches, case wrenches, and tab tools. The store also specializes in tools for Eurocopter, offering a large inventory of tooling including Dog Bone Spanners, rigging kits, and Swashplate inspection tools. MR tab tools for the Eurocopter AS350, AS355 and EC120 helicopters are also available. The store carries numerous tools for MD Helicopters as well, including Bungee tools, cutting tools, and engine alignment tools.

A large selection of Rolls Royce helicopter tooling is also available at the new Heliproducts store. From engine stands and compressor tools to turbine tooling and complete gearbox overhaul tooling. Disassembly and assembly kits for Turbomeca helicopters are available as well as Mo4 / Mo5 tools, Rear Bearing and other deep maintenance kits. You will also find custom engine stands that fit both the Arriel 1 and Arriel 2 series. The store also carries tooling for Honeywell helicopters including adapters, support tools and a unique engine stand to fit the LTS 101-600 and 700 series.

Customers can browse the Heliproducts store anytime - 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Customers can also take advantage of all of the convenient features such as the delivery service, which is compatible with all major couriers including FedEx, UPS, and DHL. The Heliproducts store is supported by Beanstream Internet Commerce Inc. Beanstream is the leading Canadian electronic payment and authentication solutions provider. Beanstream manages the authentication and payment processing for all of our store's online transactions. With 4096 bit encryption and SSL, the Beanstream Order Processing System is Certified and recommended by all of the major banks in Canada.

Heliproducts Industries Ltd. is a Vancouver-based Transport Canada Approved AMO 83-05 that distributes helicopter related products to customers worldwide. Heliproducts also provides complete helicopters for sale as well as custom lease purchase and lease-to-own services. Heliproducts is experienced in numerous areas including operations, field maintenance, overhaul, pre purchase, helicopter rebuild / completions, and inventory management.

For more information on Heliproducts Industries Ltd. and the new Heliproducts store, please visit the Heliproducts website at heliproducts.com or call 1-604-465-5008.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:01 PM | Comments (0)

SCAplannerTM 2.0 from SCA Technologies LLC Receives SAP Interface Certificate - Extending Company's Commitment to SAP Customers Worldwide

SCA Technologies LLC's SCAplannerTM 2.0 has achieved "SAP Certified Integration" status.

Pittsburgh, PA (PRWEB) January 16, 2008 -- SCA Technologies LLC, a leader in Intelligent Cost Management solutions, today announced that SCAplannerTM 2.0 has achieved "SAP Certified Integration" status. This certification allows customers to take full advantage of the benefits of SCAplannerTM 2.0, a comprehensive predictive business analytics solution that integrates financials and operations into a single integrated platform for better Predictive "What-if" analysis and optimization for supply-chain cost decisions. SCAplannerTM 2.0 is now certified for integration with SAP R/3 4.6C and SAP ECC6.0 systems.

SCA's Intelligent Cost Management technology helps customers optimize the total cost of their supply chain. The core value of the technology is the predictive modeling of operational changes and its impact on cost of the system. This capability allows business managers to play out "what if" scenarios to predict and analyze the cascade effect of operational changes, or let them optimize the system and find the best available solution under operational constraints.

"Our commitment to providing value has been a steadfast cornerstone of SCA's philosophy since the beginning - and it hasn't changed," said Samarth Sarthi, Founder and CEO of SCA Technologies. "Continued long-term value to our enterprise customers and our long-term approach to software and solutions distinguishes our relationship. Our goal is to provide increasing and sustaining value with our products and services that ultimately contributes to the growth and future of our clients. Our vision is to provide SAP customers with a seamless composite application for their predictive cost analysis and optimization needs. We are moving ahead with this vision and expect to provide the composite applications in 2008,"added Sarthi.

Visit http://www.sca-tech.com for more information about SCA Technologies LLC.

About SCA Technologies LLC
SCA Technologies LLC provides Intelligent Cost Management solutions to Global Manufacturing companies in the Food/Food Services, Discrete Manufacturing and Metals vertical. With their innovative technology that integrates cost and operations SCA helps its customers better manage their Supply Chain and True Cost Analysis needs through predictive modeling/analysis and optimization. SCA is the recipient of the Supply Chain Excellence award by Supply Chain Council (SCOR), and McDonald's USA Supplier Award. Founded in 1997, SCA has its operations in Pittsburgh, Chicago, Delhi, and Bangalore and serves global companies in US, Europe, and APMEA region.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:59 PM | Comments (0)

Kapitol Reef Snorkel Named Finalist in the International `08 ISPO BrandNew Awards.

Kapitol Reef snorkel gains international recognition in the 2008 ISPO Winter BrandNew Awards.

Salt Lake City, Utah (PRWEB) January 16, 2008 -- Kadence Technology, Inc., manufacturer of the world's first and only pressure regulated snorkel, has been named a finalist by the ISPO Winter `08 BrandNew Awards. The ISPO BrandNew Awards is the world's largest competition for start-ups in the sporting goods industry and is seen as a barometer for the latest progress. Every six months an international jury meets in Munich to award the best and most innovative products of young entrepreneurs.

The Kapitol Reef snorkel has been in research and development for over five years and is the first snorkel of its kind. While on a Hawaiian vacation with his wife, inventor, Dr. Mark Johnson, a practicing physician of internal medicine, was inspired to develop a new type of snorkel. His wife, like many divers, struggled with the uncomfortable feeling of breathing through a traditional snorkel. To address the problems associated with snorkels, he conducted studies regarding the common issues of anxiety and fatigue. What evolved is the Kapitol Reef snorkel. Its key component, the Kadence Regulator, establishes a more natural breathing pattern by separating carbon dioxide from fresh air and regulating exhalation pressure. While speaking of his recent accolades, he stated, "Developing this snorkel has been an extremely rewarding process and a practical extension of my physiological medical background that will not only make snorkeling safer, but more enjoyable for snorkelers of all experience levels."

Paul Verveniotis, a two-time U.S. National Spearfishing Champion, shared that the Kapitol Reef snorkel comfortably reduces resting respiratory rate, spares breathing muscles from fatigue, and helps to prolong dive times. It has definitely increased my breath hold time. It will appeal to both first-time snorkelers and champion freedivers."

Marco Guerrero, Kadence Technology's Director of Sales and Marketing stated, "We are introducing nothing less than a paradigm shift in underwater breathing. Dive shops and sporting goods stores are catching the wave in both the US and abroad. We are proud to have been chosen as a finalist the in ISPO BrandNew Awards as it brings International recognition to our snorkel. We look forward to bringing this amazing technology to both the US and European markets."

Kapitol Reef Aquatics will be exhibiting at Boot Dusseldorf (Stand 03 G04), followed by the Winter `08 ISPO show in Munich, Germany.

About Kadence Technology:
Kadence Technology, Inc., also known as Kapitol Reef Aquatics, was founded to develop, perfect, manufacture and market a new breed of snorkels based upon pressure-balanced breathing in the aquatic environment. The company's entire focus is to deliver best-of-class products, starting with the Kapitol Reef snorkel.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:58 PM | Comments (0)

Minitab Customers Win Quality Improvement Awards

Minitab Inc., announced today that customers of Minitab Statistical Software, the company’s flagship product used to analyze data in virtually every major Six Sigma quality improvement initiative worldwide, dominated the list of winners of two recent quality awards.

State College, PA (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 16, 2008 -- Minitab Inc., announced today that customers of Minitab Statistical Software, the company’s flagship product used to analyze data in virtually every major Six Sigma quality improvement initiative worldwide, dominated the list of winners of two recent quality awards.

Three such companies received the prestigious 2007 Malcom Baldridge National Quality Award. Established in 1987 and presented annually by the President of the United States, the Baldrige Award is the top honor a U.S. company can receive for quality achievement and organizational performance excellence.

Virtually all the companies honored at the Global Six Sigma Summit & Industry Awards held in Las Vegas in October use Minitab Statistical Software to increase profits and raise the standard of goods and services they offer.

As the leading provider of software and services for quality improvement, Minitab proudly congratulates the following companies and is honored to provide the data analysis package they use to achieve success.

Malcom Baldridge National Quality Award Winners

PRO-TEC Coating Co., an industry leader in advanced high-strength steel coating, received the Baldridge Award for small business. In an industry that has been undergoing widespread bankruptcies and consolidations, PRO-TEC’s quality improvement programs have helped its profits double over the past five years.

Sharp HealthCare, a not-for-profit integrated regional health care delivery system based in San Diego, received the Baldridge Award for health care. The economic value of community benefits Sharp provides has increased during the period 2001-2006 from approximately $100 million to approximately $180 million.

The U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center, the research and development center for armaments used by the U.S. Army and other organizations, received the Baldridge Award for nonprofit organizations. ARDEC, the first Department of Defense organization to receive the award, implemented a comprehensive performance culture over the past 15 years, resulting in reduced defects and enhanced customer satisfaction.

Global Six Sigma Summit and Industry Award Winners

Texas-based Valley Baptist Health System garnered three Global Six Sigma Summit and Industry Awards —the highest number ever collected. In addition to receiving both the Best Achievement of Six Sigma in Healthcare and the Platinum Award for the overall most outstanding achievement through Six Sigma, Valley Baptist’s Dr. Tomas A. Gonzalez received the Six Sigma Vice President of the Year honor for leading the system’s Six Sigma initiative. His initiatives helped Valley Baptist reduce patient death from heart failure by 50 percent, complications from surgery by 77 percent and readmission rates by12 percent.

ATMI received the Best Achievement of Design for Six Sigma and Innovation for using the methodology to produce world-class semiconductors and achieve major cost savings.

Lonmin Plc, the world’s third largest producer of platinum, received the Best Achievement of Six Sigma in Manufacturing for completing 125 projects, saving $78 million in two years.

BMO Financial Group received the Best Achievement of Integrating Lean and Six Sigma in Financial Services for a deployment aimed at improving customer service, which has delivered $7.9 million in annual savings.

The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation received the Best Achievement of Six Sigma in Service & Transactional Environments for developing an integrated approach to administering new clients, speeding up workflow status, and improving customer experience.

WNS Global Services Ltd received the Best Achievement of Six Sigma in Outsourcing for an effort that has so far involved 292 Six Sigma projects and 71 Lean projects, generating $10 million in savings.

Unisys received the Best Achievement of Six Sigma in Sales and Marketing for using the methodology to significantly expand the company’s high quality sales pipeline.

About Minitab Inc.

Minitab Inc. is one of the world's leading developers of statistical analysis and process improvement software for academic and commercial users.

Minitab Statistical Software is the preferred package for businesses of all sizes and is used in more than 80 countries by thousands of distinguished companies, including Toshiba, 3M, Honeywell International, Wachovia, DuPont, Samsung and leading Six Sigma consultants. It has been used to implement virtually every major Six Sigma quality improvement initiative, and to teach statistics in over 4,000 colleges and universities worldwide.

Quality Companion by Minitab is the package professionals use to plan and execute Six Sigma projects in companies around the world, including Xerox, ITT Industries, Providence Health System, Nissan North America, and LexisNexis.

Minitab Inc., headquartered in State College, Pa., operates offices in the United Kingdom, France, and Australia, and has additional representatives throughout the world. For more information, visit www.minitab.com

For more information or materials, including screen shots, product packaging images and logos, and other graphics, contact Eston Martz in Minitab media relations.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:57 PM | Comments (0)

EquipNet Partners with Europe's Leading IT Asset Management Company, RDC

EquipNet, Inc. the leading provider of proactive surplus asset management solutions today announced a partnership with RDC, Europe's leading IT asset management company. This partnership enables EquipNet to provide secure and environmentally compliant IT asset recovery solutions to their global customers in Europe.

Canton, MA (PRWEB) January 16, 2008 -- EquipNet, Inc. the leading provider of proactive surplus asset management solutions today announced a partnership with RDC, Europe's leading IT asset management company. This partnership enables EquipNet to provide secure and environmentally compliant IT asset recovery solutions to their global customers in Europe.

"RDC is widely known as the leader in Europe for IT asset recovery," explained Ben Schugar, Managing Director, Technology Solutions for EquipNet. "By utilizing RDC's resources and skills, EquipNet can offer cost-effective services to our global clients, and ensure that all necessary security and environmental procedures are followed."

This partnership is a continuation of EquipNet's global expansion. In 2007 EquipNet added to its footprint to meet the demands of its global clients by opening offices in the Dominican Republic, India and Singapore.

With EquipNet's growing worldwide client base there has been a strong demand for global support for their IT Asset Recovery services. By partnering with RDC, EquipNet ensures that its global customers' requirements are satisfied.

Trevor Stoner, RDC's Strategic Business Development Manager, stated that "RDC is pleased to be able to provide a European IT disposal service to EquipNet and its clients. This step reinforces our strategy for developing international partnerships and mutually beneficial business."

About Equipnet
EquipNet is a leading provider of proactive asset management solutions and services to leading corporations such as Unilever, Eastman Chemical, GlaxoSmithKline, Iron Mountain, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. Its vision is to revolutionize the way companies manage their surplus assets. EquipNet has earned a reputation for helping clients maximize their financial return, avoid the risks associated with health, safety, data security, environmental hazards, and theft, and to be in compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley. For more information, please visit: (http://www.EquipNet.com)

About RDC
RDC is Europe's leading IT asset management company handling redundant IT equipment for some of Europe's largest organizations in the government, finance, communications, and commercial sectors. Through RDC, IT assets are managed in a low risk, low maintenance and financially acceptable manner. RDC process in excess of 1 million items per annum and their UK headquarters is based in Witham, Essex. Their mainland European operation is based in Kerpen (near Cologne) in Germany and in Paris, France.

RDC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Computacenter, the leading independent European provider of IT infrastructure services. For more information about RDC, please visit: (www.rdc.co.uk).

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:55 PM | Comments (0)

Announcing ExpressLien.Com - A New Smarter Way to Lien

ExpressLien.com has launched and is now serving contractors in Washington and Louisiana. The new service uses web 2.0 technology to file liens for contractors, and brags that its liens are filed for a fraction of what it would cost to hire an attorney and twice as fast.

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) January 16, 2008 -- Washington and Louisiana contractors now have an affordable answer to their cash flow problems and non-paying projects: expresslien.com.

The new online liening service uses web 2.0 technology to assist contractors of all sizes in preserving and acting upon their lien rights.

"Contractors write off debts all the time because of associated legal costs," says Scott Wolfe, founder of Express Lien, L.L.C. and a construction law attorney. "A lien is an incredibly powerful collection tool, and this service makes it more attainable. Express Lien brings an affordable option to the table."

The service brags that its liens are filed for a fraction of what it would cost to hire an attorney, and twice as fast.

A lien can be ordered from anywhere with an internet connection or by calling (866) 790-7881. Orders are made in less than 10 minutes, and the base processing fee is only $235.00.

"You go online, fill out the form and your lien is on the books within three days," says Richard Lewis, owner of Professional Building Supplies and an expresslien.com client. "Express Lien does all the work, even sending notice of the lien to property owners."

"It's a game-changer for contractors," says Wolfe. "Regardless of how small the debt, the contractor can justify the costs of ExpressLien, and protect its rights to get paid for its work."

Express Lien, L.L.C. is a Washington company with full-time offices in Seattle, WA and New Orleans, LA. Express Lien files liens everywhere in the states of Washington and Louisiana. The service plans to expand into Idaho, Oregon, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee by June 2008. To learn more about ExpressLien visit http://www.expresslien.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:55 PM | Comments (0)

January 15, 2008

Brenthaven Aims for 'Zero Impact'

New eco-friendly initiative to help protect your computer, your health and our environment.

Bellingham, WA (PRWEB) January 15, 2008 -- Brenthaven, manufacturer of high-quality notebook carrying cases, has today announced a completely new brand, product line and Company ethos - the initiative is called 'Zero Impact'.

Launching January 15th 2008 at Macworld in San Francisco, the ultimate goal of this new strategy is to create high-quality laptop cases that have Zero Impact on your notebook computer because of Brenthaven's superior protection systems which cradle your computer from damage; Zero Impact on your health because Brenthaven's lightweight cases and ergonomic designs make it comfortable to carry heavy loads; and Zero Impact on the environment because, through the company's sustainable business practices, Brenthaven strives to negate or 'offset' any impact the company's products have on the environment.

Scott Armstrong, CEO of Brenthaven comments: "With our roots in the outdoor industry, we are passionate about the impact our company has on our environment. We believe our consumers want to do the right thing, and buy products from companies that are cognizant of their environmental footprint. With this in mind, our ultimate goal is to become a 'carbon free' company, which means we will give back more to the environment than we take away in the production and transportation of our products."

Harvey Stone, Vice President of Business Development at Brenthaven, comments: "In all our business practices, our goal is to 'reduce what we can, offset what we can not', while still offering our customers high-quality cases with our legendary lifetime guarantee."

In 2008, Brenthaven has committed to taking several large strides in the direction of 'Zero Impact' including:

- Reducing packaging by over 100,000 boxes per year
- Transitioning to biodegradable or recyclable plastic bags which can be composted when no longer needed
- Printing all marketing materials on recycled paper and using soy based inks which are better for the environment
- Investing 5% of profits back into 'green' projects that positively impact our environment

In 2008, Brenthaven will be launching over a dozen new products that reflect this new strategy. The new designs are designated by the 'Zero Impact' label sewn on the side of the case.

As part of this new strategy, Brenthaven will also be rolling out new internal programs designed to help employees reduce their carbon footprint. These include 'bike to work' incentives and the formation of a 'Green Team' to look at ways to more fully integrate sustainable business practices into the company's daily activities.

For more on the Brenthaven 'Zero Impact' program, check out www.brenthaven.com/zeroimpact.

Brenthaven, based in Bellingham, Washington, manufactures a complete line of high-quality notebook carrying cases designed to deliver 'Zero Impact' on your notebook computer, on your health and on our environment. All Brenthaven products are proudly guaranteed for life. For more information on any Brenthaven product, visit our web site at www.brenthaven.com or contact Customer Service at (800) 803-7225 or info@brenthaven.com

For more information and product photos contact Linda Nguyen at 206.324.6922 or lindan @ brenthaven.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:28 PM | Comments (0)

Zilliant Continues Explosive Growth in 2007

Financial Benefits Lead to Widespread Adoption of B2B Pricing Software around the Globe

Austin, Texas (PRWEB) January 15, 2008 -- Zilliant, the leading provider of price optimization and price management software for business-to-business (B2B) companies, announced today that it experienced significant growth and market success in 2007. Zilliant gained numerous new customers, achieved record increases in bookings and revenue, and significantly expanded its product footprint and pricing science capabilities. This success is a direct result of Zilliant's proven ability to improve its customers' profitability, which in turn has stimulated even greater awareness and investment in B2B pricing software, especially price optimization.

"With dozens of successful deployments, Zilliant has the largest installed base of B2B price optimization customers by far. As word of the financial benefits we deliver has spread, Zilliant has become the de facto pricing solution for manufacturers and distributors," said Greg Peters, Zilliant CEO. "2007 was an exceptional year by all measures, including revenue and bookings, both of which grew by more than 50%. Based on a number of indicators, we expect similar results in 2008."

In addition to numerous new customers and strong sales growth, key 2007 Zilliant achievements include:

Widespread customer adoption -- Zilliant applications are setting the best prices possible on millions of quotes and agreements every month, maximizing margins on over $50 billion of annual sales for some of the world's largest discrete manufacturers, distributors and high-tech companies.
Strong growth in Europe -- in its first full year of Europe operations, Zilliant secured three new clients in Europe and successfully delivered several pan-European deployments.
Three major product releases -- Zilliant Precision Pricing Suite (ZPPS) 6.1, 6.2 and 6.5 featured hundreds of new and enhanced capabilities across Zilliant's best-of-breed pricing applications suite, and introduced several new application modules.
SAP NetWeaver XI integration certification -- demonstrating its ongoing commitment to provide tightly-coupled solutions for enterprises running SAP applications, Zilliant successfully completed formal certification testing for ZPPS with SAP's NetWeaver Exchange Infrastructure (XI) integration platform.
Organizational growth -- Zilliant grew headcount by 40%, with significant increases across all functions and in Europe, and created the Center of Pricing Excellence to help customers maximize the impact of their Zilliant deployments.

About Zilliant
Zilliant is the leading provider of price optimization and price management applications for manufacturing, distribution, high-tech, and industrial service companies. Zilliant Precision Pricing Suite (ZPPS) uses existing transactional data to improve decisions across all facets of price analysis, setting and execution. ZPPS applications combine powerful price segmentation and optimization science with easy-to-use business applications to help companies achieve the best pricing possible on every deal, increasing profits by tens of millions of dollars. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Zilliant is a privately held company. Investors include Austin Ventures, Cardinal Ventures, JP Morgan Partners, and Trellis Partners. For more information contact Zilliant at 877.893.1085 or visit www.zilliant.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:26 PM | Comments (0)

Skamper-Ramp® Introduces the Super Skamper-Ramp®

Skamper-Ramp® dba Skamper Industries, LLC, manufacturer of the Skamper-Ramp® will be introducing a new product, the Super Skamper-Ramp, to the pet industry at the APPMA/Global Pet Expo in San Diego February 14-16. Skamper-Ramp is a pet safety product that helps protect pets and critters from drowning by allowing them to get out of pools or back on boats and docks by themselves. The new Super Skamper-Ramp is for larger pets or frequent use by any size animal because it is extremely durable, robust and even higher quality than the original Skamper-Ramp.

Charleston, SC (PRWEB) January 15, 2008 -- Skamper-Ramp® dba Skamper Industries, LLC, manufacturer of the Skamper-Ramp® will be introducing a new product to the pet industry at the APPMA/Global Pet Expo in San Diego February 14-16.

Skamper-Ramp is a pet safety product that helps protect pets and critters from drowning by allowing them to get out of pools or back on boats and docks by themselves. The new Super Skamper-Ramp® is for larger pets or frequent use by any size animal because it is extremely durable, robust and even higher quality than the original Skamper-Ramp.

The company, which produces the patented, award winning water-escape ramp for animals, will introduce the Super Skamper-Ramp at the Global Pet Expo, the pet industry's largest annual trade show. The new Super Skamper-Ramp replaces the existing Skamper-Ramp Big Dog™ and is appropriate for regular/everyday use by any size animal. An international patent is pending on the new design which has also been approved by the APA (American Pet Association).

This water safety device for pets is designed to help protect animals from drowning by allowing them to get out of the water by themselves. The new Super Skamper-Ramp is a much stronger, higher quality version of the original Skamper-Ramp and provides a safe, less stressful way for any size pet to exit a pool or to get back on most docks and some boats.

Dedicated to pet safety, the company has continually worked to improve the design, assembly, versatility and fabrication method of its larger size ramp.

According to Jay Waddell, Managing Partner of the company, the new ramp is now manufactured entirely in the United States using a blow-molding process, giving the ramp greater rigidity, buoyancy and overall higher quality.

The Super Skamper-Ramp is easy to assemble and snaps together. The side wings are engineered to prevent the ramp from going vertical more than 30 degrees when a heavy dog gets on it.

Waddell elaborated, saying "one of the most exciting aspects of the new model is the easy assembly method and the improved strength of the product. We eliminated all of the nuts and bolts, so now the only component parts are the rope, D-ring clips and washers used for installation (as with the original versions)."

Fully assembled, the length of the Super Skamper-Ramp, is 42 inches. The main ramp body -- without the extension (included for people with larger pets or if used in conjunction with a dock or boat) -- measures 25 inches in length. The greater overall strength and rigidity of the device results from the blow-molding fabrication process and the new design. The extension piece locks/snaps into the main body and side wall supports, making it superior for larger dogs as they exit the pool or any size pet as it climbs back onto a dock or aboard a boat. It also can stand up to frequent use of pets using the ramp to enter/exit the water.

Another improvement is that the Super Skamper-Ramp, fabricated from a heavy-duty plastic, is even more durable and robust. Like the original, it is recyclable, chemical- and UV-resistant helping to prevent discoloration, mildew or algae buildup, as well as being cost-effective. It is also still entirely white -- the one color all living things can see.

Carrie Agnew, a partner of and the Marketing Director for the company, points out that Skamper-Ramp gives pet owners and animal lovers another layer of protection for their animals -- providing them with a way of safeguarding against unnecessary pet-panic in the water or death due to drowning.

She says "It provides pet owners and animal lovers alike with all-important peace-of-mind since it provides pet safety by allowing animals to safely exit the water on their own, without any assistance. This is an important attribute we've found to be of tremendous importance to pet owners. Pets are usually considered important family members who need the same protection as children."

Skamper Industries is devoted to pet safety and specifically pet safety in water entrapment. The company is a member of the APPMA (American Pet Products Manufacturers Association), PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), and APSP (Association of Pool and Spa Professionals).

Skamper-Ramp has been honored twice as one of the Top 50 Readers Choice Products by Pool & Spa Magazine readers (2004 and 2006) and selected as one of The 10 Lowcountry Innovators of the Year by the Charleston Regional Business Journal.

The Super Skamper-Ramp is 100% Made in the U.S.A and has been approved by the American Pet Association (APA).

The APA reviews pet products, testing them for reliability, ease of use, structural design integrity, durability and actual benefits to pets and/or their owners. The review is completely unbiased, allowing consumers to buy those products with the APA Seal of Approval with confidence.

The ramp is endorsed by veterinarians across the United States and has been featured on a number of national news and cable television programs, such as Good Morning America, The Early Show and Animal Planet. It was one of only 11 products chosen to be included in the nationally syndicated Animal Radio show segment recorded during the SuperZoo pet show in Las Vegas. The product appeared on the HGTV Outdoor Living special and on "Christmas in July" during the summer of 2007.

Skamper Industries is owned and headquartered in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Established in 2003, Skamper-Ramp is available through resellers, e-tailers and catalogues throughout the United States and Canada, and via distributors in the European Union, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The firm is dedicated to the safety, health and well-being of all pets and other animals.

For more detailed product information, FAQs and retailer listings, visit www.skamper-ramp.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:23 PM | Comments (0)

Plastic Products Manufacturing Launches Blog

Plastic Products Manufacturing, a family owned and operated business of over 30 years, has today announced the introduction of a blog to their website. Dedicated to superior customer service, the new blog will serve to better answer customer and plastic enthusiasts' questions about their products.

(PRWEB) January 15, 2008 -- Plastic Products Manufacturing, a family owned and operated business of over 30 years, has today announced the introduction of a blog to their website. Dedicated to superior customer service, the new blog will serve to better answer customer and plastic enthusiasts' questions about their products. Additionally, the blog will act as an educational tool in order to inform the public about the various properties and benefits of plastic and plastic products.

"We're really excited about this supplement to our website," says Bill Saunders, President. "Currently, our website offers dedication to our clients though our core values, and acts as a medium for product ordering. The addition of the blog will really foster our commitment to customer satisfaction and communication."

In addition to answering consumer's questions, the blog will function as a resource for those seeking information about the properties of plastic and the processes through which it is made. It will also give information about the various types of plastic and will give examples of its various uses.

"We want our blog to be seen as a wealth of information," says Saunders. "If a student has a report to write on injection molding, we want them to visit our blog for the information. And, hopefully, both industry insiders and clients will also visit our blog when they need a resource on plastics."

Plastic Products Manufacturing specializes in the production of items like sign holders, literature displays, business card holders and much more. Learn more about the properties and uses of acrylic and styrene on their blog: http://blog.plasticproductsmfg.com/

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:23 PM | Comments (0)

Avoid the Pitfalls that Pilfer Profits in an Economic Downturn: Holden Advises Companies to Re-Evaluate Pricing Strategies to Weather Tough Times

Dr. Reed Holden, Founder of Holden Advisors, issued a statement today advising companies to guard against tactical pitfalls of slashing costs or lowering prices in an economic downturn. Alternatively, companies that re-evaluate their pricing strategies to protect their most valuable products and services can help insulate company profits from the damage of a downturn. Holden's latest book, Pricing with Confidence: 10 Ways to Stop Leaving Money on the Table, details easy to understand steps companies can take to help improve profits and weather downturns.

Concord, Mass. (PRWEB) January 15, 2008 -- Dr. Reed Holden, Founder of Holden Advisors, issued a statement today advising companies to guard against tactical pitfalls of slashing costs or lowering prices in an economic downturn. Alternatively, companies that re-evaluate their pricing strategies to protect their most valuable products and services can help insulate company profits from the damage of a downturn. Holden's latest book, Pricing with Confidence: 10 Ways to Stop Leaving Money on the Table, details easy to understand steps companies can take to help improve profits and weather downturns.

"Cost cutting can only go so far and most firms are already thin. Pretty soon, you start cutting into the muscle of a company by eliminating or stunting those services and solutions that add value to customers," states Holden.

Companies also go in the wrong direction by reducing their prices in order to sell more or hold onto their marketshare. "In doing so, they will accomplish two things--neither of them good," warns Holden. "First, they will be using the wrong pricing approach or strategy during the current market cycle. In a mature/declining market the only pricing strategy should be a neutral one--that is don't drop prices to try to solve the problem. All that will do is cause price wars, eliminate profits and cause revenues to decline further. The second problem is that managers will reduce prices on their high value products and services rather than selling more low value products and services (think Nokia which is doing the latter and Motorola which is doing the former--with predictable results). When they do that, it causes the first problem to worsen and when markets begin to pick up, managers struggle to get prices of their high value products up again."

For more information on what tactics to take during a market downturn, please see Dr. Holden's new book, Pricing with Confidence: 10 Ways to Stop Leaving Money on the Table. The book is a comprehensive guide to creating value-based, competitive pricing strategies for finance, product, marketing, and sales managers. Pricing with Confidence is published by John Wiley & Sons February 2008. To learn more about the book, order a copy, and view upcoming seminars see: www.pricingwithconfidencebook.com.

Companies interested in learning more about Holden Advisors consulting services may contact Ann Marie Trebendis at 978-405-0026 .

About Holden Advisors Authors
Reed Holden and Mark Burton are cofounders of Holden Advisors www.holdenadvisors.com, a pricing consultancy that specializes in working across product, marketing, pricing and selling functions to improve pricing performance. Dr. Holden is an Adjunct Associate Professor at Columbia University. Mr. Burton and Dr. Holden have a long history of developing leading edge yet practical pricing processes for companies in a wide range of industries.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:20 PM | Comments (0)

Mundus to Use Inventor for VTOL/Flying Car Project

LOS ANGELES (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) January 15, 2008 -- Mundus Group Inc. (Pink Sheets:MNDS) announces that Roadable Aircraft's VTOL/Flying Car technology and newly-patented designs for an experimental aircraft are being designed and tested using Autodesk Inventor. The engineering firm's decision to upgrade came from chief design engineer, Michael Boehm, “From Boeing C-17s to Hummers and Toyotas, Autodesk Inventor is helping manufacturers design and build vehicles and experimental aircrafts by giving them a true digital prototype work directly with the Inventor 3D model.”

Digital Prototyping gives manufacturers the ability to virtually explore a product that is completed before it is built. This allows them to create, validate, optimize, and manage designs from the conceptual design phase through the manufacturing process. By using a digital prototype, Roadable Aircraft can visualize and simulate real-world performance of the design with less reliance on costly physical prototypes.

The Autodesk Digital Prototyping Solution enables manufacturing workgroups to create a single digital model that can be used in every stage of production, bridging the gaps that usually exist between conceptual design, engineering, and manufacturing teams. Inventor has decreased design time on rework or work-in-progress for crucial projects, reduced errors by 50 percent on initial designs through better visualization and achieved “first-time-right” design during tight lead times.

“It provides the technology to help us build fewer physical prototypes, reducing design and production costs. We will limit errors and product design changes that may need to be done down the road. We will continue to invest in the right tools for the job,” said Boehm.

About the Company

RAI plans to revolutionize VTOL /Flying Car “inner space” travel with its patented configuration for an experimental aircraft utilizing counter rotating propellers within a ducted fan that are unexposed and thereby allowing take offs and landings without the inherent danger found in the typical helicopter propellers of the current technology.

Mundus Group, Inc. is a growing diversified holding company comprised of subsidiaries within complimentary industry segments. From State of the Art, RC Remote Controlled Unmanned UAV Air Vehicles for aerial camera movie production, and environmental testing to advanced VTOL/Flying Car aerospace technology for civilian and military uses, Mundus Group, Inc. is developing broad product and service offerings to provide economic protection and growth opportunities for investors. At its core the Mundus Group is an aerospace Technologies Consortium providing patented UAV VTOL/Flying Car technology fusing Computer assisted auto flight and composite technologies.

As a Parent Holding company, Mundus Group functions from the perspective of a design-engineering firm. This is the nucleolus that directs what acquisitions are made and creates strategic alliances, develops proprietary technology and patents that bring the expertise and create the real value for the Mundus Group. The Company expects to retain the strong management teams in each business unit, capitalizing on their local knowledge of competitors and operating climate, along with their loyal customer relationships.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:20 PM | Comments (0)

Sew What? Inc. Goes Where No Other Vendor Would Go Before: Merle Travis Music Center

Before coming to Sew What? Inc., the developers of the new Merle Travis Music Center in Powderly, Kentucky, were told "it can't be done" by numerous other theatrical drapery vendors.

Rancho Dominguez, CA (PRWEB) January 15, 2008 -- Before coming to Sew What? Inc., the developers of the new Merle Travis Music Center in Powderly, Kentucky, were told "it can't be done" by numerous other theatrical drapery vendors. What they were looking for were drapes that would raise up elegantly from the stage floor -- a style referred to as an Austrian Drape. But because of the building's slanted roofline and limited ceiling space, they were told that there wouldn't be enough "fly space" at the top to create this effect.

Sew What? designers accepted the challenge and, working with curtain track manufacturer ADC, devised a completely customized drapery system for the new theater. The system, adapted from a mechanism used for gym dividers, allows the curtains to lift into an usually limited space overhead. In addition, curtains were created as wings to the left and right of the stage to allow performers to wait offstage, hidden from the audience.

"This was a wonderful opportunity for us to do something totally inventive," said Sew What? Inc. president Megan Duckett. "When we were told that others said 'no way,' that was all we needed to hear. We're so used to doing big stages and major national tours that we found it refreshing to apply our creative thinking to a small regional theater where the challenges are completely different."

The theater, which is the new home to the National Thumbpickers Hall of Fame, was designed by Violette Architecture/Interior Design, Clarksville, TN. According to principal Gary Violette, "There was a gasp from the audience when the curtain went up the first time. After seeing only one performance, I'm convinced it was the only way it could have been done."

About Sew What? Inc.
Sew What? Inc. has created theatrical drapes for many of the biggest touring performers, including Sting, Madonna, Rod Stewart, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, Cyndi Lauper and Kid Rock, and was recently featured on the iconic 1,000 cover of Rolling Stone Magazine.

Sew What? has received numerous awards for innovation and commitment to customer service, including the Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence Award as well as PC Magazine's SMB 20 Award for technological innovation for small and medium-sized businesses. It is listed among the Inc. 5000 companies. For information, contact Sew What? Inc. at (310) 639-6000, or visit www.sewwhatinc.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:16 PM | Comments (0)

Inland Steel Celebrates 40 Years of Scrap Metal Recycling in Saskatchewan

Inland Steel Products Inc. celebrates over 40 years of supplying companies from all over North America with quality steel and recycled scrap metal products.

Saskatoon, SK (PRWEB) January 15, 2008 -- For more than 40 years now, Inland Steel Products Inc. has served customers from all across North America, supplying them with quality steel and recycled scrap metal products at a fair price.

The company started in 1967, when Dennis Ditlove opened Inland Steel in a small location in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Dennis started collecting scrap metal with one used pickup truck, an old building, and a lot of desire. Today, his son Mark owns and operates the thriving, second-generation business. Inland Steel now has two scrap yards, the latest material handling technology, and a team of hard-working, dedicated employees.

Inland Steel helps contribute to saving the environment by the mass recycling of steel and other scrap metals. Inland Steel has been a leading-edge recycler for more than 40 years now. Inland Steel is also a founding member of C.A.R.I. - the Canadian Association of Recycling Industries. Scrap metal recycling saves energy, conserves natural resources, and reduces landfill waste.

Inland Steel is able to supply its customers with the specific materials that they need. Inland Steel has a large inventory of quality steel and scrap metal products. The Inland Steel scrap yards offer a good selection of both new and used metal products including copper pipe, copper wire, red and yellow brass, aluminum, and stainless steel tubing.

Inland Steel also buys scrap metal. Inland Steel buys a wide range of scrap metals including No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 copper, red brass, yellow brass, journal brass, and steel as well as pistons, radiators, batteries, battery plates, mixed aluminum, cast aluminum, aluminum clips, and a variety of other scrap metals. Inland Steel buys used radiators, batteries, iron, steel, aluminum and other metals for recycling. In exchange, Inland Steel provides companies with new or used steel and pipe. Inland Steel even provides customers with a free container service for recycling their metal.

Inland Steel utilizes the latest material handling technology to help contribute to a cleaner, healthier environment. Truckloads of scrap steel, copper pipes, brass and other metals arrive in Inland Steel's scrap yards daily, where the latest material handling technology is used to make sure that the inventory is processed quickly and safely - having no negative impact on the environment.

Inland Steel has two scrap yards, one located in Saskatoon and the other located in Regina. By keeping all equipment up-to-date and both scrap yards well stocked with a variety of different metals, Inland Steel is committed to supplying its customers with the materials that they need in an easy and efficient manner.

For more information on Inland Steel Products Inc., please visit the Inland Steel website at inlandsteelproducts.com or call toll free at 1-800-667-5353.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:14 PM | Comments (0)

Low-Volume Manufacturers Association Names Tangible Express 'Rapid' Innovator of the Year

Tangible Express was selected as the recipient of the first annual 'Rapid' Innovator of the Year on the strength of its multi-million dollar embrace of state-of-the-art additive fabrication equipment and its unique decision to make ownership shares of that equipment available to its global client base. There were many great companies in the running for this year's 'Rapid' Innovator award, including Desktop Factory, which began accepting online orders for its breakthrough 125ci 3D Printer, priced at under $5,000. Other finalists on the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association ballot included Materialise Group, the Belgium-based provider of innovative software solutions; Medical Modeling LLC, which from its base in Golden, Colorado is at the forefront of using 'rapid' technologies to revolutionize the medical and health fields; and Stratasys Inc., the Eden Prairie, MN maker of systems and parts.

Beverly Hills, CA (PRWEB) January 15, 2008 -- Tangible Express, the global pioneer in fractional ownership of manufacturing assets and a tier-one provider of rapid-prototyping and rapid-manufacturing services has been named the 'Rapid' Innovator of the Year by the Low-Volume Manufacturers Association.

L-VMA is a volunteer organization dedicated to showcasing the benefits of rapid-prototyping, rapid-manufacturing and other additive fabrication technologies.

Tangible Express was selected as the recipient of the first annual 'Rapid' Innovator of the Year on the strength of its multi-million dollar embrace of state-of-the-art additive fabrication equipment and its unique decision to make ownership shares of that equipment available to its global client base.

"Tangible Express made a clear and unambiguous statement that 'rapid' is a technology not just for the future, but for here and now," says Dean Rotbart, L-VMA's director. Rotbart says that L-VMA was particularly impressed by Tangible Express's move to permit all entrepreneurs, inventors, engineers and designers the benefits of 'rapid' ownership without incurring the significant capital investments ordinarily associated with the kinds of high-end equipment that Tangible Express utilizes.

"Tangible Express has won the rapt attention of companies as large as Boeing and Rockwell, while also capturing the imagination of small, privately owned manufacturers," Rotbart noted.

In addition, Rotbart said, Springville, UT-based Tangible Express demonstrated that its fractional ownership concept has global appeal, receiving highly positive feedback from the company's meetings in the U.S. and China with foreign manufacturers. Tangible Express was also a hot topic among many delegates to this year's Euromold fair in Frankfurt, Germany.

There were many great companies in the running for this year's 'Rapid' Innovator award, including Desktop Factory, which began accepting online orders for its breakthrough 125ci 3D Printer, priced at under $5,000. Other finalists on the L-VMA ballot included Materialise Group, the Belgium-based provider of innovative software solutions; Medical Modeling LLC, which from its base in Golden, Colorado is at the forefront of using 'rapid' technologies to revolutionize the medical and health fields; and Stratasys Inc., the Eden Prairie, MN maker of systems and parts.

"In 2007, I had the privilege of getting to know first-hand many of the companies and executives in the 'rapid' industry, and as a group they are amazingly impressive," Rotbart said. He noted that he personally has done paid promotional work for some of the key players in the industry, including Tangible Express, and thus knows their quality and dedication from the inside out.

L-VMA surveyed industry leaders and executives in December 2007 concerning their recommendations for 'Rapid' Innovator of the Year.

L-VMA will officially present its award to David A. McInnis, Tangible Express founder and chairman, and C. Alex Linde, president and chief operating officer, in mid-May in a ceremony planned to coincide with the annual Rapid Conference & Exposition, to be held this year in Lake Buena Vista, FL.

To learn more about L-VMA or to participate in one of its many annual promotional efforts on behalf of the 'Rapid' industry, contact Dean Rotbart at (director@l-vma.org) or phone him at 1-866-541-RPRM (7776).

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:12 PM | Comments (0)

Shire Selects Model N Government Pricing and FSS Compliance Solutions to Help Reduce Regulatory Risk

Complementary Applications Will Enhance Regulatory Processes and Infrastructure

Redwood Shores, CA (PRWEB) January 14, 2008 -- Model N, Inc., a leader in Revenue Management solutions, today announced that Shire plc (LSE: SHP, NASDAQ: SHPGY, TSX: SHQ), the global specialty biopharmaceutical company, has selected Model N's Government Pricing and FSS Compliance applications to improve its regulatory compliance processes.

With global headquarters in Basingstoke, UK, and North American headquarters in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Shire focuses on treatments for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, human genetic therapies, gastrointestinal and renal diseases. In response to the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA) and other complex drug pricing regulations, the company aims to build a world-class compliance infrastructure to reduce regulatory exposure. Shire looked at several competitive products, including a legacy vendor's Government Pricing application, but opted for Model N's offerings due to their superior functionality and integrated architecture.

With Model N Government Pricing, Shire is acquiring a powerful solution that ensures transparency and auditability across its government pricing operations. Complementing Government Pricing, Model N FSS Compliance will provide Shire with end-to-end support for Federal Supply Schedule reporting requirements by allowing the company to monitor and disclose all pricing information and avoid violations. Both solutions are components of the best-of-breed Model N Revenue Management Suite, which aligns disparate pricing, contract management, settlements, and regulatory compliance processes on a common platform. The suite has become the preferred solution for financial and sales executives seeking to eliminate revenue leakage and reduce regulatory risk.

"With implementation of the DRA final rule well underway, pharmaceutical leaders such as Shire are faced with the unprecedented challenges of managing accelerating competition and maintaining regulatory compliance," said Sujay Jadhav, Vice President and General Manager of Model N Life Sciences. "After careful consideration of competitive offerings, we appreciate that Shire has placed its trust in Model N to deliver the business processes, policy structures, and robust technology framework needed to comply with the rigid requirements of commercial and government contracting."

About Model N
Model N is the leader in Revenue Management solutions, offering an integrated suite of applications for pricing, contracts, compliance, rebates, fees, and chargebacks optimized for the industry practices of life sciences companies, with the only integrated government pricing and Medicaid claims processing capabilities in the industry. Enabling the creation of a seamless, end-to-end process from pricing through settlements payment, Model N's uniquely integrated approach eliminates revenue leakage and delivers the visibility and controls needed to avoid the risks of non-compliance to government pricing and Sarbanes-Oxley regulations. Customers include Astellas Pharma US, Inc.; Axcan Pharma; Boston Scientific; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Gilead Sciences; MedImmune, Inc.; Medtronic, Inc.; Novo Nordisk, Inc.; Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, a Johnson & Johnson company; and Pfizer, Inc. Model N is located in Redwood Shores, California. For additional information, visit www.modeln.com.

About Shire
Shire's strategic goal is to become the leading specialty biopharmaceutical company that focuses on meeting the needs of the specialist physician. Shire focuses its business on attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), human genetic therapies (HGT), gastrointestinal (GI) and renal diseases. The structure is sufficiently flexible to allow Shire to target new therapeutic areas to the extent opportunities arise through acquisitions. Shire's in-licensing, merger and acquisition efforts are focused on products in niche markets with strong intellectual property protection either in the US or Europe. Shire believes that a carefully selected portfolio of products with strategically aligned and relatively small-scale sales forces will deliver strong results. For further information on Shire, please visit www.shire.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:11 PM | Comments (0)

Nikon Selects Kinaxis RapidResponse to Maximize Market Responsiveness and Operations Performance

Response Management Solution to Support Collaborative Fulfillment Operations

Ottawa, Canada (PRWEB) January 14, 2008 -- Kinaxis™ Inc., the global leader in Response Management solutions providing visibility and coordinated response to change for manufacturing and fulfillment organizations, today announced that Nikon has chosen to deploy Kinaxis RapidResponse™ within the Fulfillment operations of its Imaging Products business, to maximize sales opportunities and reduce inventory risks.

2007 marked the 90th anniversary of Nikon's founding as an optical technology company. Today, Nikon's Imaging Products business - the largest of its three business groups - consists largely of digital cameras, film cameras, lenses, photographic accessories and software.

Living in an increasingly digital era, consumers are always looking for new products that capitalize on digital technology. As such, Nikon's Imaging Products group constantly updates its digital cameras with new features through rapid development based on customer feedback. This produces a dynamic, consumer-driven supply chain picture that requires responsiveness to volatile demand changes.

RapidResponse will integrate with Nikon's existing transaction system to facilitate effective impact analysis of supply, demand and product changes. With RapidResponse, users throughout Nikon's fulfillment organization will be able to access accurate and up-to-date finished goods supply information in an easy-to-use spreadsheet interface embedded with powerful analytics and automatically populated with live data feeds from their transaction system. Fulfillment participants will be able to model data in real-time to instantly simulate and share countless "what-if" supply and demand scenarios, facilitating the necessary tradeoffs to profitably respond to demand changes.

Nikon will use RapidResponse to improve overall performance across its global fulfillment network with a specific focus on facilitating better visibility and people-centered collaboration. Empowered with visibility and collaborative, real-time data analysis, front-line staff will be able to work together to best align available supply to current demand. Challenged by constant product changes and new product introductions, RapidResponse will help Nikon manage high-value parts and reduce overall excess & obsolete inventory levels while also ensuring no stock-outs at the retail level.

"The digital camera business is as competitive as it gets," says Randy Littleson, vice president of marketing at Kinaxis. "The ability to consistently meet consumer demand with the right product at the right time in the right place is paramount to maintaining market leadership. In an environment where you can't plan your customers, Nikon recognizes the key to success is a responsive organization that empowers front-line staff with the tools and technology to manage at the moment."

About Kinaxis
Kinaxis delivers an on-demand Response Management service for visibility and coordination to drive rapid response to constant change across global supply chains and fulfillment networks, resulting in breakthroughs in customer service and operating performance. Kinaxis RapidResponse combines multi-enterprise visibility, collaborative "what-if" analysis and rapid decision support to empower front-line manufacturing and fulfillment teams to take quick and effective action when faced with constant changes in demand, supply and product. Global leaders such as Casio, Honeywell, Jabil, Raytheon and Toshiba use Kinaxis RapidResponse to empower their supply networks with superior responsiveness and gain competitive advantage. For more information, visit the Kinaxis web site at www.kinaxis.com or the company's blog at blog.kinaxis.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:08 PM | Comments (0)

Fossil Fuels Forecast to Stay Predominant in Vehicle Transport to 2020

Despite concerns over the escalating price of oil, liquid fossil hydrocarbons are forecast to remain the predominant fuel for the motor vehicle sector out to 2020, according to new research undertaken by automotive industry website just-auto.com.

(PRWEB) January 14, 2008 -- Despite concerns over the escalating price of oil, liquid fossil hydrocarbons are forecast to remain the predominant fuel for the motor vehicle sector out to 2020, according to new research undertaken by automotive industry website just-auto.com.

Although future oil prices over the period will remain unpredictable, the report says that there is no prospect of crude oil reserves becoming exhausted by 2020.

Furthermore and in contrast with some alarmist suggestions, the report's author Jeff Daniels maintains that the additional oil requirement beyond 2007 levels will be modest over the period, with all the additional demand coming from the developing world.

"In the OECD countries, fuel-economising technologies will begin to kick-in on a major scale," Daniels says.

The report also suggests that the rising need for fuel economy may drive some reconsideration of business and social organisation, perhaps with a return to 'vertically-integrated' regional communities rather than dependence on centralised supplies and the nationwide long-haul distribution of goods.

"The way we're organised today reflects cheap transport and if transport becomes a more precious and expensive commodity, trends in location could be expected to alter," maintains Daniels.

Biofuels contribution forecast at under 3% by 2020

The report also makes projections for biofuels take-up in road transport and reinforces the view that their role will, over the next decade or so, be marginal - in part a consequence of their land-use and food chain implications. But second generation biofuels beyond 2020 hold much more promise.

"By 2020, biofuels will be making a more significant contribution, but our forecast is that by then they will have gone through a cycle in which the first-generation biofuels have encountered problems and fallen from favour, and the switch to second generation biofuels, predominantly synthetic liquid hydrocarbons, will be in the early stages of acceleration," says Daniels.

"Thus our forecast is for biofuels to take less than a 3% share of the overall market even in 2020, although by then the biofuel market share will be steadily increasing."

Hydrogen contribution grows post-2020

In the longer term, however, the report concludes that it is feasible that fossil CO2 emissions can be eliminated from road vehicles, through the use of a combination of high-technology liquid biofuels, hydrogen and electric power.

The contribution of hydrogen is likely to increase beyond 2020 as fuel cell vehicles finally become available in significant numbers.

Battery electric vehicles will never take more than a small proportion of the total vehicle market but may become important in some niche markets, the report says.

More details of the just-auto report 'The future of road vehicle fuels - forecasts to 2020' are available by following link:
http://www.just-auto.com/futurefuels

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:07 PM | Comments (0)

B2B Marketing Expert James Anderson Launches New Book On Customer Value Management

Axios faculty affiliate, Professor James Anderson of the Kellogg School of Management, launches his new book, Value Merchants: Demonstrating and Documenting Superior Value in Business Markets. Based on the results of his latest research on crafting winning value propositions and managing customer value, Dr. Anderson defines the best practices in business to business (B2B) marketing.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 14, 2008 -- Axios Partners, Inc. today announced its faculty affiliate, Professor James Anderson of the Kellogg School of Management, has launched his new book, Value Merchants: Demonstrating and Documenting Superior Value in Business Markets. Dr. Anderson is considered the world's leading authority on Business-to-Business (B2B) marketing having already written the best selling B2B marketing textbook and numerous Harvard Business Review articles. On Tuesday, January 15, Dr. Anderson will be hosting a book launch in conjunction with the Kellogg Alumni Association on the Kellogg campus in downtown Chicago.

Based on the results of Dr. Anderson's latest research on crafting winning value propositions and managing customer value, Value Merchants defines B2B marketing best practices and provides expert guidance to managers who are facing disappointing sales growth and increasing price pressures. "To gain a fair return on the value their offerings deliver, firms must be able to persuasively demonstrate and document the value they provide customers relative to the next best alternative for those customers," says Dr. Anderson. In Value Merchants, he describes his groundbreaking customer value assessment methodology to provide an understanding of customer requirements and preferences, and what it is worth in monetary terms to fulfill them.

"Dr. Anderson's approach to customer value management has created dramatic results for our clients. For example, we've seen clients increase margins by 25% or achieve 85% penetration in new markets by demonstrating and documenting their superior value," says Eric Berggren, Managing Director. To reflect the success that its clients have had with Dr. Anderson's and other cutting edge methods, Axios has redesigned its website: www.AxiosPartnersInc.com. Copies of Dr. Anderson's book, as well as other publications highlighting best practices in marketing, can be obtained through the Axios website: www.AxiosPartnersInc.com/ideastools.html.

About Axios Partners, Inc.

Axios leads clients to innovate and manage their customer value for revenue and profit growth. Drawing on a network of expert resources, Axios combines highly skilled and experienced consultants with the cutting edge methods to address each client's unique challenges. Axios has developed and implemented highly effective differentiation strategies for clients across a variety of industries, such as financial services, high-tech, energy, health care, telecommunications and industrial products. Axios client results have been highlighted in Fortune, Harvard Business Review and numerous other publications.

For more information, please visit: www.AxiosPartnersInc.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:05 PM | Comments (0)

Eaton Corporation Introduces Its First Commercially Available Hybrid Power System In China With Beiqi Foton Bus Company And Guangzhou Yiqi Bus

(The following news release was also issued by Eaton in China on Jan. 14)

GUANGZHOU, China (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) January 14, 2008 -- Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation (NYSE: ETN) this month formally introduced its first commercially-available hybrid power system in China with Beiqi Foton Bus Company, deploying the hybrid system in 30 city buses for Guangzhou Yiqi Bus.

Eaton is a leading provider of diesel-electric hybrid power systems in the United States for truck and bus applications and is also pioneering hydraulic hybrid power systems technologies for use in refuse trucks, delivery vehicles, buses and other applications.

Beiqi Foton Bus Company and Eaton delivered the 30 hybrid diesel-electric transit buses to Guangzhou Yiqi Bus on January 11 during a ceremony hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce as part of its Clean Energy Trade Mission to China and India. The 30 buses will be deployed to carry passengers in the city, with an expected fuel savings of up to 27 percent, along with similar reductions in particulate and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions.

“We are pleased to provide Eaton’s hybrid power system technology in working with Beiqi Foton to meet the needs of Guangzhou Yiqi Bus,” said James W. McGill, Eaton vice president – Asia/Pacific. “Innovative Eaton technologies such as our hybrid power systems are generating improved fuel economy and significant environmental benefits. We look forward to supplying more of these systems to serve the growing Chinese market.”

Kevin Beaty, leader of the hybrid power business unit in Eaton’s Truck Group, said delivery of the 30 hybrid powered buses is “a significant milestone for Eaton in placement of hybrid power in China. Vehicle makers, fleets and users in China are working hard to reduce pollution and greenhouse gases in their cities, and we are excited about being involved,” Beaty said. “This is one of those opportunities where ‘growth’ and ‘green’ can succeed together.”

Guangzhou Yiqi operates approximately half of the transit buses in Guangzhou, a city of 12 million people in China’s Guangdong province. Beiqi Foton Bus, one of China’s leading commercial vehicle makers, first brought Eaton’s hybrid power system to China in two prototype buses that were developed and deployed for testing in 2006.

“Guangzhou Yiqi Bus is making great strides to save energy and reduce greenhouse gases and emissions. We are very excited to cooperate with Beiqi Foton and Eaton Corporation to introduce hybrid power technology to Guangzhou city,” said Cheung Wai Hung, chairman of Guangzhou Yiqi. “It is our intention to expand the use of hybrid power in our bus fleet to take greater advantage of this reliable clean energy source.”

Wang Jin Yu, president of Beiqi Foton Bus, said, “Beiqi Foton is actively following government policies and regulations to reduce greenhouse gases and emissions. Beiqi Foton is cooperating with Eaton Corporation and Guangzhou Yiqi Bus to promote Hybrid technology in city buses and plans more extensive development in this area. Beiqi Foton also hopes that all industries and society will work together to build a greener and more environmentally friendly society in the future.”

“U.S. clean-energy companies can help China and India meet their enormous energy demands while deploying technology that benefits the environment,” said David Bohigian, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce, commenting on the 18 U.S. companies, including Eaton, participating in the trade mission.

Among a wide range of Eaton products that enable customers to grow efficiently and responsibly, Eaton hybrid power systems have earned the company recognition as a global leader in alternative power for commercial vehicles. Eaton is developing both hybrid electric and hybrid hydraulic technologies for a variety of commercial vehicle applications. Both hybrid technologies use dual power sources to capture and store regenerative energy, as well as providing traction power to reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Eaton’s hybrid electric technology is being used in the United States by companies such as FedEx, UPS, Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola, and in Europe by DAF Trucks and Daimler Trucks. Eaton plans to commercialize its parallel hybrid hydraulic technology, called the Eaton HLA® system, in 2008 in refuse trucks, and other applications will follow. Eaton is also working with the U.S. EPA and other partners to develop a series hybrid hydraulic drivetrain that has demonstrated 50-70% better fuel economy in a package delivery vehicle.

Eaton Corporation is a diversified industrial manufacturer with 2006 sales of $12.4 billion. Eaton is a global leader in electrical systems and components for power quality, distribution and control; fluid power systems and services for industrial, mobile and aircraft equipment; intelligent truck drivetrain systems for safety and fuel economy; and automotive engine air management systems, powertrain solutions and specialty controls for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has 63,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:05 PM | Comments (0)

BlueCielo Sponsors Maximo Middle East User Group Conference 2008

Visit BlueCielo in the exhibition area to discover how you can connect engineering and maintenance by integrating InnoCielo Meridian Enterprise with Maximo -- January 14-16, 2008, InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City.

Dubai, UAE (PRWEB) January 14, 2008 -- BlueCielo ECM Solutions (formerly Cyco Software), a leading global software company offering Engineering Content Management (ECM) solutions, announced today its sponsorship of Maximo Middle East User Group Conference 2008, held at the InterContinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City on January 14-16, 2008. Visit BlueCielo in the exhibition area, where experts will demonstrate the features and proven benefits of integrating InnoCielo Meridian Enterprise and Maximo with the InnoCielo Asset Management Module.

Hosted by eSolutions Maximo, the theme of the 2008 conference is "Innovation that Matters", and looks at how business evolves and how innovative technology can help user organizations meet business challenges.

In line with this theme, BlueCielo will showcase at their exhibition booth the InnoCielo Asset Management Module -- an innovative module that combines the enterprise asset management functionality of Maximo with the engineering content management capabilities of InnoCielo Meridian Enterprise.

This seamless integration enables customers to maximize the combined strength of both products and facilitates smooth collaboration between the engineering and maintenance departments -- facility managers, space planners and plant maintenance professionals can manage and access as-built and change control records, helping to avoid lengthy infrastructure downtime, improve operational efficiencies, reduce risk and ensure regulatory compliance at reduced cost.

The InnoCielo Asset Management Module allows users have direct access to the related technical documentation from Maximo, for example, when viewing a work order, equipment or job plan. The module manages the asset-document relationship in InnoCielo Meridian Enterprise and offers powerful functionality to find the latest versions of documents by asset number as well as the assets related to particular technical documents. This dramatically improves efficiency not only during engineering changes, but also during emergency maintenance and routine inspections.

Find out more at the BlueCielo booth -- BlueCielo executives will be on hand to answer any questions and provide further insight into the InnoCielo Asset Management Module and other innovative modules such as InnoCielo Publisher and InnoCielo Global Collaboration Framework, and how they can be applied to your specific industry.

BlueCielo's cutting-edge InnoCielo ECM solutions are used in multiple vertical markets worldwide by companies such as Bluewater, EDF Energy, Entergy Nuclear, ExxonMobil, Finnish Rail, the Franke Group, Hewlett Packard, Huntsman, Met-Mex Penoles, Petrobras, Pfizer, RWE, Shell and many more.

About BlueCielo ECM Solutions
BlueCielo ECM Solutions (formerly Cyco Software) provides Engineering Content Management and Application Integration solutions for multiple vertical industries including energy, oil & gas, petrochemical, government, pharmaceutical, and discrete and process manufacturing. BlueCielo has more than two decades of industry experience with over 275,000 users in 50+ countries worldwide. The company has offices in the USA, UK, Russia, Germany and the Netherlands, together with an extensive global network of established partners. BlueCielo ensures a high level of service and support on a truly worldwide scale for its leading software solutions, InnoCielo Meridian Enterprise and InnoCielo TeamWork (formerly AutoManager Meridian and AutoManager TeamWork). For more information, please visit http://www.bluecieloecm.com, or call (800) 323 2926 ext 111 (Toll-free from USA), +1 404 634 3302 (Americas) or +31 (0)70 413 3700 (EMEA).

BlueCielo, InnoCielo, Cyco and AutoManager are registered trademarks of BlueCielo ECM Solutions. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. © 2007 BlueCielo ECM Solutions. All rights reserved.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:02 PM | Comments (0)

Inpro/Seal Expands Shaft Sealing Product Line For Powder And Bulk Applications With Articulating Shaft Seal That Handles Severe Radial Run-Out And Axial Shaft Movement

Inpro/Seal expands shaft sealing product line for powder and bulk applications with articulating shaft seal that handles severe radial run-out and axial shaft movement. Provides the highest possible levels of shaft sealing.

Rock Island, IL (PRWEB) January 13, 2008 -- Building on the ongoing success of their ability to positively seal equipment in dry powder and bulk process applications, Inpro/Seal company now offers two shaft-sealing systems for the containment of powders, abrasives, liquids and toxic vapors; the Air Mizer™-PS and the Articulating Air Mizer™- PS with upgraded design features.

The Air Mizer® Product Line
The Air Mizer® product line was developed to use minimal amounts of air pressure to seal shafts where dry particulates, powders and bulk solids are handled, processed, packaged and stored. They can be installed on screw conveyors, mixers, blenders, rotary valves, feeders, gates, clinker grinders, bucket elevators, diverters, scales, bagging machines, dust collectors, discharges, classifiers, screens, extruders, separators, shredders, sifters, gate valves, metal detectors, pulverizers, crushers, coolers, augers, transfer pumps, fillers and similar dry powder and bulk processing equipment.

Result Of Continuous R & D
The result of direct customer requests, input and feedback, continuous R&D and extensive field testing and trials, the Articulated Air Mizer-PS has all the features of the original Air Mizer™-PS and adds the ability to handle extreme shaft run-out and deflection, common in these kinds of applications to provide a seal that conventional methods simply cannot attain.

Ineffective Sealing Methods
Before the advent of the Articulating Air Mizer®- PS, end users had to deal with sealing methods that did not last because of shaft run out, including mechanical seals, lip/contact seals and packing. Mechanical seals work on a contact basis and are subject to excess wear on the seal faces as they make contact. Seal faces have been known to wear out in as little as 3,000 hours.

Fibrous packings are also subject to wear and short lifetimes from run out where packing in the stuffing boxes compress and create a leak path. Packing can soften to the point where powder can leak to the outside, causing environmental problems. Tightening may renew the seal, but only for a relatively short period of time.

Successful Product At Heart Of Air Mizer Seal
To counter the adverse effects of these sealing systems, Inpro/Seal took their compound labyrinth bearing isolator and modified it to incorporate air as an extra sealing solution. As with all Inpro/Seal Bearing Isolators, the original Articulating Air Mizer®- PS is a non-contact seal that avoids direct egress of the particulate material and assures the highest levels of performance. Its major innovation is the inclusion of a unique design feature that uses a solid wall of air that functions as a barrier for contamination and works to retain product where it should be -- in the equipment, not outside of it.

Improvements To Original Air Mizer
The improved Articulating Air Mizer®- PS offers all the same advantages of its predecessor including the ability to handle extreme shaft misalignment and deflection, common in these kinds of applications and provide a seal that conventional methods simply cannot attain. It was developed as a direct result of direct customer requests, input and feedback, continuous R & D and extensive field-testing. The improved Articulating Air Mizer®- PS now utilizes an air barrier directly on the shaft, allowing for unlimited axial movement without placing any stress or strain on the product. Without any rotating parts, the shaft "floats" in the seal attaining zero contact and zero wear.

Problem Solved
Working with shaft diameters of 1/2" - 36", end users obtain the latest in non-contacting technology with an air purge that accepts severe radial and angular shaft run out up to 1/4". It will help end users boost equipment reliability, reduce costs, extend sealing efficiencies and increase bottom line results, without equipment modifications.

Once installed, problems associated with shaft deflection, run out and misalignment that causes conventional seal faces to prematurely fail will become a thing of the past. Additional benefits include: lower maintenance costs, reduction in lost product, elimination of unscheduled downtime and the ability to meet regulatory needs. As with all Inpro/Seal products, same day shipping is available.

No Equipment Modification, Easy To Install
The Articulating Air Mizer™-PS, shaft seal is custom-engineered to suit individual applications and is easy to install as it conforms to existing clearances, boltholes and patterns for bearings and/or stuffing boxes. Split designs allow for installation directly on the shaft without the removal of couplings and end plates.

More Benefits
Additional benefits include: reduced energy consumption, lower maintenance costs, reduction in lost product, unscheduled downtime virtually eliminated and meet regulatory needs. As with all other Inpro/Seal products same day shipping is available.

About Inpro/Seal
Inpro/Seal Company is the originator and the world's number one manufacturer of bearing isolators, used to protect motor and pump bearings, machine tool spindles, turbines, fans, gear boxes, paper machine rolls and many other types of rotating equipment. Additional applications include the sealing, handling, processing, packing and storage of dry particulates, powders and bulk solids.

Over one and one half million of Inpro/Seal's original bearing isolator designs are in operation in process plants worldwide, where end users continue to report significantly reduced operating costs with increased productivity and reliability. Documented cases show that a plant can more than double the mean-time-between failure (MTBF) and reduce maintenance costs by at least half, with users reporting an extremely high ROI.

As the recognized global leader in bearing isolator technology, Inpro products are marketed to the aerospace, automotive, petroleum, refining, nuclear, power generation, metalworking, food processing, grain processing, chemical, water, wastewater treatment, metalworking, hydrocarbon processing, HVAC, pulp and paper, mining, mineral, ore processing and general industrial markets.

Spreadsheets
Interactive spreadsheets that calculate ROI, Contact Seal Energy Consumption and other costs are available at www.bearingisolators.com

Signoff
For more information on the Articulating Air Mizer™-PS shaft seal, including a FREE brochure, contact Jason Putman at: Inpro/Seal Company, P.O. Box 3940, Rock Island, Illinois 61204. Phone numbers are: (800) 447-0524 or (309) 787-4971. Fax number is: (309) 787-6114. Website: www.inpro-seal.com or www.bearingisolators.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 10:01 PM | Comments (0)

Grand Opening of Global Trade Pro: The Worldwide Network Offering the Best Deals In International Trade

Grand Opening Special Offers For Cement Origin China, Icumsa 45 Origin Brazil and Urea Origin Middle East Is Currently Available For Shipment To Qualified Buyers

New York, NY (PRWEB) January 12, 2008 -- Global Trade Pro is a private company, with an emphasis on trading in international commodities. Over the years, it has grown and is now a multi-national company, with offices in Europe, Middle East, Africa and Southeast Asia. We pride ourselves as being one of the most respected trading houses in the world. All directors, associates, and mandate have extensive experience and training in their respective fields.

Global Trade Pro has direct connections with some of the major producers of commodities including Extra Virgin Olive Oil, grain, rice, sugar, corn, phosphate, crude oil, D-2, Mazut M-100, LPG, jet fuel, HMS 1/2 scrap metal, and aluminum ingots.

Brokers welcome. You will be protected by NCND and Master Fee Protection Agreement in the contract. However, you must send an End-buyer LOI/ICPO and Bank Comfort Letter or Soft Probe with your inquiry.

Current offer: Cement OPC 42.5 without and with SAB certificate (additional fee will apply) available through 1 MM metric ton allocation origin China. Fee for contract above 100 000 MT is $99. USD any LOI for this offer must accompany BCL otherwise will not be entertained. Also available Icumsa 45 origin Brazil and Urea origin Middle East

Go to www.globaltradepro.com for contact information and procedures.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:59 PM | Comments (0)

Solar Innovations, Inc. Incorporates a Traditionally Commercial Structural Element into Residential and Outdoor Living

Solar Innovations, Inc., a custom manufacturer of residential and commercial canopies, walkways, skylights, greenhouses, conservatories, sunrooms, folding and sliding glass doors, walls, windows, and screens, incorporates a traditionally commercial structural element into residential and outdoor living.

Myerstown, PA (PRWEB) January 12, 2008 -- Solar Innovations, Inc., a custom manufacturer of residential and commercial canopies, walkways, skylights, greenhouses, conservatories, sunrooms, folding and sliding glass doors, walls, windows, and screens, incorporates a traditionally commercial structural element into residential and outdoor living.

Glass canopies and walkways which were formally stigmatized into the commercial world have bridged the gap to become a unique enhancement to both outdoor living and residential spaces. Able to match the structural or landscape theme of nearly any estate, "Solar Innovations can incorporate a canopy as a car port, entryway cover, covered walkway, garden trellis, or outdoor living space accessory."

Solar Innovations combines the requests of its clients with structural requirements to create a functional work of art. Solar Innovations is also versed in base materials and can work with nearly any existing structure to incorporate the addition for a seamless transition.

Solar Innovations is able to offer canopies and walkways in many styles. Some of the more popular options include traditional shapes like straight and curved eave double pitch, however, Solar Innovations is also able to include more uniquely shaped structures into residential applications. Barrel vault, hip end, and lean-to canopies and walkways can create a unique focal point for any residential or outdoor living space.

As always, Solar Innovations is able to finish canopy or walkway additions in one of seven standard painted colors, custom match colors, two Anodized finishes, and custom cladding options of Copper, Brushed Stainless Steel, and simulated Lead Coated Copper are available. Decorative options such as ridge cresting, finials, and moldings can be featured on the canopies. Solar Innovations offers glass, polycarbonate, and acrylic options in several tints to satisfy numerous aesthetic pallets.

Solar Innovations has completed several canopy integrations which exemplify the versatility of the product. Residential canopies often serve as carports, such as the Arif project. The Arif carport, finished in Hartford Green aluminum, incorporated three different structures. Two lean-to canopies were connected to a large straight eave canopy with a hip end to create this residential feature.

A beautiful, straight eave, double pitch walkway, 85' long and 13' wide, the Montgomery project's accessories created a unique feel for the structure. Because of this walkways size, the homeowner chose to incorporate decorative gutters, downspouts, and even a shade system to create a comfortable, functional feature to their New York home.

In Vermont, Solar Innovations worked on the Levin project to create a unified outdoor living space. Covering a BBQ pit and outdoor dining area with a 15' wide, 18' long, decorative radius aluminum and glass pergola, allowed the family to enjoy the space despite weather conditions.

Solar Innovations is also involved in commercial canopies like the Eden Resort in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This extraordinary carport and entryway meets the custom design specifications with a 40' projection, 18' width, and 2' ridge height.

Solar Innovations is proud to become involved in any project, no matter the size or budget. For more information on Solar Innovations' canopy and walkway applications or their new products, please contact the marketing department at skylight(at)solarinnovations.com or call 800-618-0669.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:58 PM | Comments (0)

Goat Milk Soap Production Up At Alabu Soap!

Alabu Soap expands goat milk soap production facilities. Production capacity significantly increased to meet growing wholesale soap demand for Alabu goat milk soap products.

Mechanicville, NY (PRWEB) January 12, 2008 -- Alabu Soap, makers of natural goat milk soap and other natural beauty aids, is pleased to announce their newly improved production facilities. The improvement has streamlined the production of their natural handmade goat milk soap, natural lotion sticks and Baby Face moisturizers. Thanks to these improvements, production capacity is up to several thousand bars per day, greatly facilitating the handling of large wholesale soap orders.

Increased production has not affected the high quality of Alabu Soap handcrafted products; they continue to be the finest. According to Soap Maker Maryclaire Mayes, "With our improved facilitates and our already rigorous quality control standards, Alabu Soap continues to provide the finest 100% goat milk soap on the market." Maryclaire continues, "We can now produce the same high quality in larger quantities more efficiently."

Alabu Soap is justly famous for their high-quality goat milk handcrafted soap made from 100% fresh goat milk, not dried powder milk. With their increased production capabilities they can now easily fill large orders quickly and efficiently. Maryclaire Mayes, stands behind both the quality of her product and the ability of Alabu to quickly fill large orders. Alabu, Soap is now fully capable to add chain stores and exclusive boutiques to its list of world wide customers.

For more information, visit www.alabu.com or contact Maryclaire Mayes at Alabu Soap, 30 Graves Rd. Mechanicville NY, 12118 - (518) 665-0411.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:56 PM | Comments (0)

Continuous Food Oven Production Output Improved without Capital Investment

The majority of continuous food ovens have untapped potential to increase contributions to company profits from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per shift by applying Ultramax® software. This is illustrated on the company's WEB site with a case study showing a 39% production increase applying Ultramax. (www.ovensavings.com) Increases in productivity are accomplished without making any capital investment or disrupting operations. Ultramax® Advanced Process Management™ (APM™) is software to quickly gain more productivity from existing equipment and extends useful life.

Cincinnati, Ohio (PRWEB) January 12, 2008 -- The majority of continuous food ovens have untapped potential to increase contributions to company profits from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per shift by applying Ultramax® software. (www.ovensavings.com) Increases in productivity are accomplished without making any capital investment or disrupting operations. Ultramax® Advanced Process Management™ (APM™) is software to quickly gain more productivity from existing equipment and extends useful life.

Generally most production assets in manufacturing and process industries are significantly underutilized with untapped potential in the way they are operated. Ultramax software has a proven track record of increasing the efficiency of existing production assets achieving management goals to improve performance including production rate, quality, energy consumption, emissions, and overall profit contribution in a wide range of industries. Ultramax provides a quick and easy way to bridge the gap between current operations and getting the most performance from existing equipment and processes. Ultramax Corporation offers a 100% guaranteed return.

Ultramax® software is Advanced Process Management™ (APM™) that improves operations increasing performance. The ULTRAMAX® software learns how to improve the performance of an existing production process system by determining better process adjustment using Advanced Process Management™ (APM™) technology. Ultramax®'s unique technology enables the user to do optimization-on-the-go, while production is running. This is in sharp contrast to other approaches in the market.

Ultramax does not require the creation of models in advance. Creating process models is a labor intensive, time consuming, and risky undertaking. In contrast to model based approaches customers apply Ultramax to their process and are likely to be enjoying the benefits before a model based system is running in the plant. Normal engineering practices of tuning regulatory controls (to maintain process variables close to setpoints), and in some cases adding supervisory control logic to adjust setpoints will improve a process to a point. Ultramax takes the next step to improve your processes. Ultramax performs Advanced Process Management™ (APM™) to approach the "best possible" performance with existing assets, conditions and performance metrics.

Ultramax automatically balances the achievement of all performance metrics you desire including safety, reliability, costs, quality, requirements, yield, efficiency, throughput, environmental impact, regulations, and revenues.

Ultramax can be applied as a standalone software tool to determine the best operating setting for equipment or can be interfaced to machine controls to dynamically make adjustments. Ultramax will work with all types of controls and automaton including Rockwell Automation, Siemens, Schneider Electric, GE Fanuc, Iconics, Wonderware, Honeywell, Invensys, Emerson Process, Management, WAGO, Beckhoff, Honeywell, Yokogawa, Watlow, Emerson, Invensys, Opto 22, OSIsfot PI database, FactoryTalk Historian, Advantech, and many others. Ultramax supports OPC for connectivity to virtually any plant systems including enterprise business systems, quality and others.

Ultramax® Advanced Process Management™ (APM™) software is a quick and easy way to capture the profits being lost every day in plant operations. Ultramax Corporation has been supplying its proven empirical optimization solutions to industry since 1982. Ultramax is used worldwide with overseas representatives in Australia, India, and Taiwan.

More information can be found at: www.ovensavings.com

Contacts:

Applied Marketing Concepts
Bill Lydon
Phone 414-427-5853

ULTRAMAX Corporation
Carlos Moreno, Founder & CEO
Phone (513)469-8629
110 Boggs Lane, Suite 325
Cincinnati, OH 45249

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:55 PM | Comments (0)

Breakthrough Management Group Launches Advanced Lean Training Class

Five-day public course teaches Kaizen event planning and provides a deep dive into Lean's most powerful tools for waste reduction.

Denver, Colorado (PRWEB) January 11, 2008 -- Breakthrough Management Group Inc. (BMG) announced today its public training division has added a new public training class to its roster - Advanced Lean, launching February 4, 2008 in Denver, Colorado.

Advanced Lean is for business professionals who are interested in becoming skilled Lean practitioners and Kaizen team members. The course complements BMG University's two existing Lean training courses by adding project management skills and "deep dive" tools training on advanced Lean topics.

"Lean is an increasingly popular methodology for companies looking to optimize their processes because it is simple, cost-effective and can deliver almost immediate results," said David Silverstein, BMG's president and CEO. "Adding this course to our public training schedule allows BMG to grow alongside our clients with new ways to improve performance."

In the Advanced Lean classroom, participants will gain the skills they need to apply Lean practices at their workplace and to recognize how the work fits into the larger roadmap for Lean implementation. The training course combines lectures with exercises and simulations to give participants practice in applying Lean principles and experience to achieve results.

BMG's Public Advanced Lean class is designed for Six Sigma Master Black Belts, Black Belts, and Lean practitioners from both manufacturing and service-oriented environments. Participants must have prior Lean training or experience to attend.

What Students Learn:

Advanced Lean tools and techniques for solving business problems.
How to apply the right Lean tools and combinations of tools.
How to assess process value streams from end-to-end.
How to contribute to Kaizen events as a team member or co-leader.
How to scope Lean projects that better align with business objectives.
How to apply the Lean SCORE methodology for maximum effectiveness.

Course details:
Visit the BMG University web site at www.bmguniversity.com for details and a complete course agenda:
Course dates: February 4 - 8, 2008 and June 2-6, 2008, Denver, CO.
Tuition: $4950

About Breakthrough Management Group and BMG University
BMG is the world's leading provider of training and consulting for performance excellence. BMG's public training division, BMG University, hosts classroom training and online learning courses for individuals in Lean Six Sigma, Lean Innovation, and Leadership Development topics. The company offers its services worldwide with offices in 12 countries and with more than 100 employees. For more information on BMG visit BMGi.com. For public training information visit: www.bmguniversity.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:48 PM | Comments (0)

New Website Launch - Visit OilWeb1.com for Premium Vehicle Maintenance and Appearance Products Delivered Right to Your Door

The folks behind OilWeb1.com have developed and launched a new website to help everyone quickly find high quality maintenance products for just about any type of vehicle. Using premium car care products such as 35,000 mile motor oil and 100,000 mile air filters greatly increases drain intervals, saving maintenance time and money.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) January 11, 2008 -- As one searches for more time for themselves, family and friends, many are buying what they need online and having it delivered right to their door. The folks behind OilWeb1.com kept this in mind while developing a new website to help everyone quickly find high quality maintenance products for just about any type of vehicle.

OilWeb1.com deals directly with the motoring public, businesses and governmental agencies offering the finest in lubrication and filtration products including 35,000 mile synthetic motor oil and 100,000 mile, 4 year air filters.

The new website offers compelling arguments that by using premium vehicle maintenance products you can dramatically extend drain intervals, reducing overall maintenance time and cost while providing better performance, fewer emissions and less wear and tear on almost any engine.

At OilWeb1.com you can easily find, the synthetic motor oil, lubricants and greases, oil filters, air filters, spark plug and wire sets, transmission fluid, differential oil, antifreeze and appearance products you need, purchase them online and have them shipped right to your door.

Handy On-Line Maintenance Product Look-up Guides and Cross References

OilWeb1.com is loaded with handy product lookups and guides. Use the Online Passenger Vehicle & Light Truck Product Application Guide to quickly build a list of vehicle maintenance product choices and information for most passenger vehicles and light trucks (1980 - Present). That tool builds a list of everything you need within just a few keystrokes:

Oil Filters
Air Filters
Fuel Filters
Transmission Filters
NGK Spark Plugs & Wire Sets
TRICO Wiper Blades
Synthetic Oils, Lubricants & Fluids
Chassis Lubrication
Capacities
Torques
Service Intervals
Top Quality Appearance Products - Cleaning agents, waxes, polishes and more

Similar easy to use reference tools available at OilWeb1.com include:

NGK Spark Plug and Wire Set Cross Reference.
Power Sports On-Line Guide for filters and synthetic engine oil.
Harley Davidson Application Chart and Cross Reference for engine oil, transmission fluid and suspension fluid.
Master Filter Cross Reference - returns corresponding filters for any manufacturer filter number. You will find filters for passenger vehicles and heavy duty vehicle and equipment applications.
Heavy Duty Truck, Bus, Off-Road, and Industrial Filter Reference: Donaldson P-Series and Endurance Filters Lookup.
Use the TRICO Heavy Duty Vehicle Wiper Blade Lookup Guide when searching for windshield wiper blades for trucks, busses or RV's.
The Small Engine Lookup guide returns recommended products (oils, filters and spark plugs) for your small engine application such as mowers, chain saws, weed-eaters, tillers, lawn tractors and go-carts.
This Vintage Vehicle Reference Guide returns the recommended fluids and filters you need for your (1985 or earlier) cars & light trucks.

Other Features at OilWeb1.com

The motoring public will find valuable and timely information such as; a green vehicle comparison, an alternative fuels route mapper, fuel economy tips, current gas prices in US cities, safe towing tips, and cold weather travel tips.

Those interested in the technical side will find information about synthetic oils and lubricants, a comparison between synthetic oils and a cost comparison between conventional and synthetic motor oils. MSDS product safety sheets are also available.

Racing Fans have access to several pages of continuously updated Racing News including: NASCAR, NHRA, Arenacross, Supercross, Motocross, Superbike, Snowcross, Powerboat and more. You will even find lawnmower racing news. Racing and performance products such as specially formulated synthetic oils, WIX filters, oil pre-chargers and bypass oil filter kits are also available there.

Industrial and Commercial Fleet Maintenance

The new website is designed for everyone charged with maintenance on anything mechanical. Products for industrial and commercial applications are presented such as FDA approved food grade synthetic greases for the cosmetic, pharmaceutical and food industries.

Environmentally friendly biodegradable synthetic hydraulic oils meeting industrial specifications such as Denison HF-0, HF-1, HF-2, Vickers M-2950-S, I-286-S and Cincinnati Milacron P-68, P-70 can be purchased through Oilweb1.com. The biodegradable hydraulic oils shown are especially well suited for applications where environmental contamination due to leaking or blown hydraulic lines present an environmental hazard such as for the forestry, logging, farming and agricultural industries.

Whether you are logging, running marine or harbor equipment, trucking shipping containers across the country, dumping concrete for foundations, chasing criminals, or are busing kids to school, you will find the vehicle maintenance products you require.

Anyone responsible for fleet management including heavy duty and industrial equipment can access information on and purchase synthetic engine oils, hydraulic oils, greases, lubricants and much more in bulk quantities. Wholesale prices are available for commercial accounts.

Courteous Professionally Trained Customer Support

Professional and courteous customer support for product selection, maintenance and scheduling is available at OilWeb1.com. You can either call OilWeb1 toll free at 888-OILWEB1 (888-645-9321) or use their online "Contact Form" for assistance.

Engine Maintenance Made Easy

Most of us own cars, trucks, RVs, ATVs, motorcycles, lawnmowers, chainsaws, weedeaters and other gas powered engine driven vehicles and equipment that require maintenance. Anything with moving parts needs lubrication. At OilWeb1.com you can set down and order premium maintenance products for every need online and have them delivered right to your door. Equipment maintenance just doesn't come any better than that.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:47 PM | Comments (0)

American Precision Prototyping Purchases Viper™ Pro SLA® System from 3D Systems

Leading Tulsa, Okla., preferred service provider adds advanced Stereolithography capabilities to its fleet.

Tulsa, Oklahoma (PRWEB) January 11, 2008 -- American Precision Prototyping (APP), an industry leading provider of Rapid Prototype and Manufactured parts, announced today it has added a Viper™ Pro SLA® System to its fleet of 3D Systems' large-part manufacturing systems.

This state-of-the-art system enables customers to consistently and economically mass customize and produce high-quality, end-use parts, patterns, wind tunnel models, functional prototypes, fixtures and tools. Delivering strong parts with unprecedented surface smoothness, feature and edge definition and tolerances, the Viper™ Pro SLA® System is the world's leading precision Rapid Prototyping system, with accuracy rivaling that of CNC-machined plastic parts.

"We are very excited to have the Viper™ Pro SLA® System at APP," said Jason Dickman, APP's president. "This system, with its speed, accuracy, superior surface finish and expanded build envelope, is an excellent example of Rapid Manufacturing equipment design at its finest. This addition to our ever-expanding portfolio of SLA® and SLS® systems from 3D Systems is truly a benefit to APP and our customers. In an industry where speed and quality are the main forces that drive customers to service bureaus, I believe the Viper™ Pro System will enable us to stay ahead of our competition, continue to offer our customers the highest quality parts that we have become known for and enable us to deliver them faster than our competition."

"We are very pleased that another leading industry player is adding our latest technology to its fleet," said Abe Reichental, 3D Systems' president and chief executive officer. "Recognizing that demand for high quality end-use parts drives the growth of our industry, we are delighted to team up with experienced, qualified and authorized providers like APP to deliver to the marketplace truly differentiated and branded Pro Parts."

About American Precision Prototyping, LLC:
American Precision Prototyping, LLC, (APP), a privately held services company, is the premier rapid prototyping and manufacturing facility in the Midwest. APP sets itself apart from other rapid prototyping and manufacturing facilities by offering free, instant online quoting 24/7, complete project solutions from design to production utilizing the latest equipment and materials in house, providing unsurpassed customer service, and offering their customers a 100% quality guarantee.
Instant Quotes, Quality Parts.

More information on the company is available at www.approto.com.

About 3D Systems:
3D Systems is a leading provider of 3-D Modeling, Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing solutions. Its systems and materials reduce the time and cost of designing products and facilitate direct and indirect manufacturing by creating actual parts directly from digital input. These solutions are used for design communication and prototyping as well as for production of functional end-use parts: Transform your products.

More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com, or via e-mail at moreinfo @ 3dsystems.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:46 PM | Comments (0)

New Regional Business Development Manager at Plymouth Technology, Inc.

Zone Manager promoted to Regional Business Development Manager.

(PRWEB) January 11, 2008 -- Plymouth Technology, Inc. announces the promotion of David Donkin to Regional Business Development Manager. In this role, Donkin will focus on strategic growth and stabilization for a sales zone that he successfully established previously as a Zone Manager. His significant work in both developing sales and personnel has resulted in several large expansions for Plymouth Technology.

Dave possesses an undergraduate degree and an MBA from Rutgers University.

About Plymouth Technology
Established in 1991, Plymouth Technology, Inc. (Privately Held) is a leading provider of industrial water and wastewater treatment chemicals, equipment and consulting services. Backed by successful execution for hundreds of customers throughout the US, the company specializes in delivering customized solutions with on-site service for water, energy and waste minimization, water reuse and environmental compliance.
Introduced in 2004, Plymouth Technology's patent pending Metals Removal Systems™ (MRS™) are in use throughout the country enabling industrial manufacturers to reuse process wastewater and reduce conventional operating costs. Information on Plymouth Technology, its products and services is available at http://www.plymouthtechnology.com

Contact: Carole DePetro
CDepetro @ plymouthtechnology.com
Phone: (248) 537-0081 x110

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:45 PM | Comments (0)

Eric Smeltzer Promoted to Zone Manager at Plymouth Technology, Inc.

Sales representative promoted to Zone Manager.

(PRWEB) January 11, 2008 -- Plymouth Technology, Inc. announces the promotion of Eric Smeltzer to Zone Manager. Smeltzer has been integral in the growth and development of his zone as a sales representative and has been a stable component of his territory. In his new role Smeltzer will be responsible for maintaining the consistent double digit growth of new business in the zone. Eric has an incredible focus and protection of the customer and will broaden that scope in this new position.

Eric possesses an undergraduate degree in chemistry from Cleveland State University.

About Plymouth Technology
Established in 1991, Plymouth Technology, Inc. (Privately Held) is a leading provider of industrial water and wastewater treatment chemicals, equipment and consulting services. Backed by successful execution for hundreds of customers throughout the US, the company specializes in delivering customized solutions with on-site service for water, energy and waste minimization, water reuse and environmental compliance.
Introduced in 2004, Plymouth Technology's patent pending Metals Removal Systems™ (MRS™) are in use throughout the country enabling industrial manufacturers to reuse process wastewater and reduce conventional operating costs. Information on Plymouth Technology, its products and services is available at http://www.plymouthtechnology.com

Contact: Carole DePetro
CDepetro @ plymouthtechnology.com
Phone: (248) 537-0081 x110

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:44 PM | Comments (0)

Marine Industry & Educators Gather to Seek Solutions to the Labor Shortage Challenge

The COMITT (Conference on Marine Industry Technical Training) will take place once again February 18 - 20, 2008 at the Gallery One Fort Lauderdale, a Doubletree Guest Suites Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. COMITT 2008 will provide a dynamic forum in support of technical workforce education, training, certification, and professional development.

Annapolis, MD; Brooklin, ME; and Chicago, IL (PRWEB) January 11, 2008 -- How do I find trained workers? Once I find them, how can I afford training for them? Is there funding for training? If so, from where and how do I apply for it? What tools and techniques work best for teaching marine skills? What training opportunities are out there? These questions, and many more, will be addressed at the 3rd Conference on Marine Industry Technical Training (COMITT), being held February 18 - 20, 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Employers are well aware that there are significant skill-shortages in the marine industry, and many boat yards, manufacturers, dealers, and other companies now face the same human-resources challenge of attracting and retaining good employees. By attending COMITT, company representatives can effectively maximize the information they receive as attendees and presenters alike address the realities, pressures and challenges of the skilled workforce crunch.

COMITT will focus on addressing solutions for combating the labor shortage challenge. Attendees will hear from and interact with industry peers who have lead the path in securing state grant money for incumbent-worker training. They are anxious and more than willing to share their grant-writing tips with you - industry associates - to avoid the delays and pitfalls that often accompany the search and acquisition of training dollars. In addition, attendees will learn how to utilize state-run career centers, how to manage successful recruitment, retention and training programs, and how to select the best training tools and techniques for their employees.

Offering value far beyond the cost of attending onsite seminars, COMITT also will provide its participants with the opportunity to connect directly from experts and industry professionals, with whom they can consult long after the conference ends.

"We have come a long way since the first COMITT over three years ago," stated Steve Kitchin, MITEC Chair and VP of Corporate Education and Training at New England Institute of Technology. "The industry and schools from around the country have rallied to form the Marine Industry Technical Education Council (MITEC). Marine Trades Associations, manufacturers and dealers have come together in the support of providing effective training and education opportunities; yards, repair facilities and surveyors have dedicated resources to improve and support our effort and government agencies have responded to our calls for providing financial assistance. It is now time to gather together to share all we have learned and to determine what needs do be done to further implement cost efficient quality training and education programs in order to sustain our competitive edge in the global market," Kitchin concluded.

As Baby Boomers retire from the workforce, organizations are losing key people in critical positions. This, and the ever-increasing need for technology-ready employees, has prompted millions of companies to revisit their current work-performance models and to strive for cost-effective, results-oriented solutions. The marine industry is no different.

For two full days, conference attendees will focus on these important issues and work together to find practical solutions. Organizers encourage all levels of industry to participate. Human relations representatives, the technical work force and all levels of engineering, production and management are needed to help build cooperative bridges that will connect worker needs and required skills with affordable training opportunities.

A full conference brochure is now available online at http://www.comitt.org/ Save money by registering early. Room block rate ends January 18, 2008. Early-bird registration ends February 1, 2008 .

Produced by MITEC and co-sponsored by the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC), the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and Professional Boatbuilder magazine (PBB), the conference will examine key workforce-development and technical-training issues in the marine industry.

Thanks to the support of Elluminate Inc., selected COMITT presentations will be presented simultaneously as free online events. Registration for these programs is available at http://comitt2008.eventbrite.com

COMITT 2008 will provide a forum to discuss, present and demonstrate industry support of technical workforce education, training, certification and professional development. COMITT's purpose is to become the internationally recognized leading summit to highlight the marine industry's commitment to developing and maintaining a highly-skilled and technically proficient workforce.

For additional information on COMITT, visit www.comitt.org.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:42 PM | Comments (0)

Midwest Digital Package Printer Goes Global with Two New Varieties of Werther's Original® Caramel Chocolates

Wisconsin's CL&D Digital creates original die line, sample packaging for popular brand's travel size candy.

(PRWEB) January 10, 2008 -- CL&D Digital, a short-run, quick-delivery printer of consumer goods products packaging and labels for sales samples, prototypes, and comps has assisted in the developmental stages of bringing two new varieties of Werther's Original® Caramel Chocolates to the world. Milk chocolate and dark chocolate Werther's Original Caramel Chocolates in three-piece travel packs are hitting store shelves around the globe - and CL&D Digital was literally involved in the packaging from conception.

"In most cases, clients bring the die line and graphics for packaging to us for printing," explains Karen Hennekens, CL&D Digital customer service manager. "Sometimes we're asked to design a die line after an existing packaging style, but in this case, Storck USA actually designed their graphics to fit our die line."

Storck USA is the parent company of worldwide favorites Werther's Original and Riesen® candies. Rick Scheunemann, pre-press at CL&D Digital, developed three different packaging styles with three of the candies arranged a little differently inside to determine which option Storck USA preferred. "Usually we're adjusting die lines that the client has already created and used - we're just changing sizes," reiterates Scheunemann. "On this project we didn't have a die line to work off of, but I have worked with enough of them that I know the basic structure of the bag. I just took from what I already knew."

"The candy is distributed from Storck USA in Chicago, but it is typically packaged in Germany where it is made," Hennekens adds. "We had been working very closely with them on a bigger six-ounce package, so they trusted that CL&D Digital knew the product and its related packaging."

Ram Ramakrishnan, marketing manager on Werther's Original adds, "CL&D Digital did a great job of creating concepts for the three piece trial pack. We then selected the best concept and fine-tuned it with the help of manufacturing." CL&D Digital's Hennekens explains that the mock-ups for the trial packs were used to help Storck's manufacturing division determine if the pouches could actually be produced. After a few tweaks to the die line and material, manufacturing gave the go-ahead for production. "In the end it turned out to be a great, unique looking pack," concludes Ramakrishnan.

Storck tried three different materials for the packaging: clear film plastic, white film plastic, and metalized film. Ultimately Storck USA selected the white film - and samples were sent to Storck's headquarters in Germany for permeation testing to ensure inks and odors from the packaging did not affect the quality of the candy.

"It's interesting - not something I do every day," says Scheunemann, who holds a bachelor's degree in industrial design. "I got to work with the actual material, making sure it fits by mocking it up - it was a unique challenge because the candies are a unique shape and the packaging a small size."

"We are very happy about the way the pack turned out in the end. It looks sharp on the shelf and is a good representation of our brand," says Ramakrishnan. Werther's Originals is a special recipe classic cream candy that has been handed down from generation to generation and created over 100 years ago in the small European village of Werther. The new Werther's Original Caramel Chocolate varieties are rich chocolates marbled with smooth, creamy caramel made in this same fine European tradition.

About Storck USA
Storck USA was established in Chicago, IL in 1975 - its central location chosen also for its status as the candy manufacturing capital of the U.S. Werther's Original, launched in 1981, is Storck's flagship brand. By 1988, it had become the top selling hard candy in the U.S. - a position it still holds today. Other Storck brands soon followed, including Riesen® in 1991, Werther's Chocolates in 1996, and Werther's Original Chewy Caramels in 2006, among others. Today Storck varieties are available in over 90 countries worldwide.

Over 100 years ago in the small European village of Werther, Gustav Nebel created a special recipe for making the classic cream candy. Handmade with pure ingredients like fresh cream and real butter, it's a recipe that has been handed down from generation to generation. The origin of the company's name comes from August Storck, who in 1903 founded the Werther Sugar Confectionery Factory - and began the tradition of making all kinds of confectionery products by hand.

Storck can be found on the Internet at www.storck.com.

About CL&D Digital and digital package printing
Bob Scherer, Vice President of CL&D Digital, is a respected conference speaker and contributor to industry trade journals on the subject of digital technology and digital package printing. In 1995 along with two partners, Scherer established CL&D Digital as one of the first packaging printers to use Hewlett-Packard (HP)/Indigo digital printing technology. The company's customers - including many Fortune 500 consumer products manufacturers - count on CL&D Digital's full production run quality for their package and label sales samples, prototypes, and comps.

Digital printing can help a manufacturer avoid the high costs and long lead times associated with conventional printing. Depending on the quantity and number of colors, digital printing can cost up to half as much as conventional printing - in part because digital printing is achieved direct from the computer without plating. Digital printing can allow for less waste and storage, too, by printing only the quantity needed. It can also provide the flexibility of showing different versions of the same packaging at minimal cost, which offers the capability of moving a product into niche markets once deemed too cost prohibitive.

In addition to digital printing and packaging dry goods including food, candy, coffee, sundries, and personal care items since 1995, CL&D Digital has the capability of overseeing the packaging of refrigerated foods in a consistent 38 degree-temperature warehouse, or frozen foods in zero degree-temperature warehouse, both within over 600,000 cubic feet of state-of-the-art, ASI-certified space. CL&D Digital is certified by The American Sanitation Institute (ASI) for food contact packaging and non-food contact packaging.

Members of the media can contact Bob Scherer at 262.569.6732 or 262.391.3984, or email at: bscherer @ clddigital.com. CL&D Digital can be found on the Internet at www.clddigital.com.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:42 PM | Comments (0)

eConnek, an eCommerce Company Offering Value Priced Electrical Connector Solutions, Opens to the Public

eConnek, a new ecommerce business based out of Massachusetts, is launching their new website at www.econnek.com. The site will offer low priced replacement parts as an affordable alternative to brand name OEM electrical connectors, with a focus on customer service and fast delivery. Metal and plastic circular connectors will be available for purchase 24 hours a day through eConnek's secure site, and most orders will ship within 48 hours.

Hudson, MA (PRWEB) January 10, 2008 -- eConnek, a new business venture specializing in providing low priced alternatives to popular OEM electrical connectors, celebrates its launch to the market. eConnek is dedicated to supporting today's connector needs by offering an easy to use 24 hour secure e-commerce website for order placement, and an on-site inventory for quick delivery.

Initial product offerings include metal circular connectors, as well as push-pull and plastic pin connectors intermatable to the top name connector suppliers. eConnek is committed to flexibility as is has no minimum order quantities and will ship stocked items within 48 hours of receipt of order.

eConnek.com was designed to meet the needs of today's connector world. On-line features are focused on making the searching and purchasing experience efficient and easy to use. There are multiple search techniques available, such as eConnekSM part number, original OEM part number and part configuration tools. All transactions are conducted in a secure environment and immediately forwarded to eConnek for fulfillment. User accounts enhance the functionality by allowing purchasers to save important account information such as billing and shipping addresses, shipment tracking numbers and order histories.

eConnek fits your design with low cost LEMO®, ODU® and REDEL® replacement connectors and fits your schedule with 48 hour shipment for in-stock parts.

About eConnek
eConnek fits your design by offering low cost alternative, OEM compatible, push pull electrical connectors and fits your schedule with 24/7 online shopping and quick turn shipment for in-stock parts.

For more information, please contact:
Jennifer St. Peter -― Marketing Communications Manager, eConnek
Tel.: 1 (978) 568-0451 x470.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:39 PM | Comments (0)

LLamasoft Announces Green Supply Chain Modeling Solution

LLamasoft Inc., the leading provider of supply chain network design software, today announced the addition of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions modeling and optimization capabilities to its Supply Chain Guru™ solution.

Ann Arbor, MI (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 10, 2008 -– LLamasoft Inc., the leading provider of supply chain network design software, today announced the addition of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions modeling and optimization capabilities to its Supply Chain Guru™ solution.

Employing Guru’s GHG modeling empowers companies to reduce their impact on the environment and improve their “green” credentials. It provides them with the ability to calculate their GHG footprint, to determine where their GHG emissions can be reduced, and to incorporate Carbon Offset purchases into their cost and footprint calculations.

Chainalytics LLC, the leading provider of advanced analytical supply chain services, will utilize the Supply Chain Guru™ solution from LLamasoft to assist its clients in analyzing their carbon-emissions footprint as part of its supply chain network design services.

”Historically, supply chain network design analysis looked at various strategic network alternatives by being able to understand clearly the trade-offs between operating costs and service requirements for each potential network configuration. With the strong emphasis today to reduce the carbon footprint, the ability to incorporate this variable into our future network design analyses will provide our clients with a network that has been looked at from a cost, service and “green” perspective.” stated Jeff Metersky, Vice President Supply Chain Strategy at Chainalytics.

Supply Chain Guru™ has been established as a market leading product for all supply chain network design needs due to its true and tight integration of Optimization and Simulation technologies. Now, Carbon Emissions have been fully integrated into both Optimization and Simulation and can be directly incorporated into all major network design activities, including site selection, sourcing, transportation, inventory, and production.

“Every company worldwide that sources, manufactures, or distributes physical materials has the need to manage their carbon footprint and to reduce emissions over time,” stated Donald A. Hicks, President and CEO of LLamasoft. “A global consensus has been reached, and responsible companies with global brands or sales direct to consumers must act. Our Greenhouse Gas Emissions model provides a robust and complete solution for our customers to determine their carbon footprint and reduce their emissions.”

The Supply Chain Guru™ GHG model performs three types of analysis, including the ability to:

Calculate an organization’s existing carbon footprint (calculation of GHG emissions) based on the current supply chain network structure.

Determine the most cost effective supply chain network design based on user-defined greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Incorporate Carbon Offsets into cost and footprint calculations to optimize where Carbon Offsets should be purchased and applied.

The development of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions model was driven by LLamasoft’s perception of an emerging and unfulfilled need in the market place. It was a natural evolution in the Supply Chain Guru™ life cycle and provides companies with significant, yet easy-to-use, tools for supply chain analysis.

About LLamasoft
LLamasoft provides software and expertise to design and modify supply chain network operations. Supply Chain Guru™ is the leading supply chain strategic planning application available in the market today. It enables companies to model their supply chain operations, optimize the structure for cost and profitability, and simulate proposed changes, allowing users to implement their changes with confidence.

Clients use LLamasoft’s Supply Chain Guru™ to identify major financial and operational improvements in transportation, inventory, sourcing, and production applications.
The privately-held company, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, was founded in 1998 as the first company to combine enterprise-level simulation with full-feature network optimization within a single modeling structure. Clients include many of the world’s largest organizations, including ConocoPhillips, Dell, J. C. Penney, Cadbury-Schweppes, and Unilever Corporation.
For more information, visit www.LLamasoft.com/Guru_GHG.htm or contact info @ LLamasoft.com.

Media Contact:
Gary Bobalik
Director of Marketing
LLamasoft, Inc.
206 South Fifth Ave. Suite 400
Ann Arbor, MI USA 48104
Tel: 734-418-3119
Fax: 734-418-3138

Gary.Bobalik @ LLamasoft.com
www.LLamasoft.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:38 PM | Comments (0)

Dixon Powhatan Opens New Manufacturing Facility, Adds to Fire Industry Product Line Offering

It has been just over one year since the Powhatan line of fire protection products was acquired by Dixon from Kidde Fire Fighting. In that short time, the operation has opened a completely new manufacturing facility, as well as expanded its product line offerings to the fire protection market.

Chestertown, Md. (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 10, 2008 -- It has been just over one year since the Powhatan line of fire protection products was acquired by Dixon from Kidde Fire Fighting. In that short time, the operation has opened a completely new manufacturing facility, as well as expanded its product line offerings to the fire protection market.

Craig French, plant manager, and many other veteran Powhatan employees made the move to the company’s new manufacturing operations located in Winchester, Virginia. Bob Grace, general manager of Dixon Powhatan said, “Much of the success of this acquisition is due to the fact that we were able to retain key players from the original company.” Dixon Powhatan began shipping products from the new facility in late 2006.

According to Hazen Arnold, sales manager, the design of the Winchester facility was driven by the need for customers to have a steady available supply of products. The new plant is a true “made for stock” facility rather than “made to order” operation. This means that customers – no matter where they are located – can receive orders the very next day as opposed to waiting for days or weeks for them to arrive. In addition to supplying the complete standard Dixon Powhatan line, quick delivery is also provided on special-thread items to meet the individualized needs of customers.

The Dixon Powhatan line of products is comprehensive, and includes pressure-reducing valves, angle and globe valves, gate valves, fire department connections, plus nozzles, caps, plugs, nipples, adapters and reducers. Products are readily available via Dixon’s network of 12 company-owned branch/warehouse facilities stretching from New York to California.

In addition to improving product availability, delivery and reliability, Dixon Powhatan’s R&D department is also re-engineering certain fire department connections to make them stronger, more durable and better-performing. R&D specialists are also working with Dixon’s own foundry, Buck Company in Quarryville, Pa. to develop ductile iron FDCs as an alternative to conventional brass construction. In addition to being manufactured domestically, this material is more cost effective and less susceptible to pilferage.

Reflecting Dixon Powhatan’s renewed commitment to the fire industry, the company has also joined or increased its involvement with several leading industry groups, including the Fire Equipment Manufacturers Association, the American Fire Sprinkler Association and the National Fire Sprinkler Association.

To learn more details about the complete line of Dixon Powhatan fire protection products and other products from Dixon Powhatan, call (800) 355-1991, ext. 299 or visit http://www.dixonpowhatan.com/

Dixon Powhatan is a division of Dixon, a leading international manufacturer and supplier of hose fittings and accessories. Dixon serves a wide variety of industries, including the fire protection field, offering the industry’s most comprehensive product line available from a single source.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:37 PM | Comments (0)

ISM International Division, ISM Art & Design, Exceeds Sales Goals for the Fourth Quarter 2007, Looking Forward to Prosperous 2008

DUNEDIN, Fla. (Business Wire EON/PRWEB ) January 10, 2008 -- ISM International, Inc. (Pink Sheets:ISML) (http://www.pinksheets.com/pink/quote/quote.jsp?symbol=isml) today announced that its wholly owned design division, ISM Art & Design, (http://www.ismdecors.com/) has exceeded its sales targets for 2007. ISM Art & Design surpassed its sales objectives for the fourth quarter. Final sales for 2007 reached $891,500 representing a substantial increase over the $850,000 projected earlier in the year. Year over year sales for all of 2007 are up 13%.

In addition, as a result of its strong relationships and track record within the design industry and its success in seasonal thematic décor and special events, ISM Art & Design will focus and expand its influence into the residential market. The residential U.S. potential ornamentation market in North America is valued at $15.8 billion. In 2008 ISM Art & Design will focus on this market to respond to the increasing needs and challenges and demand from residential customers who want custom artistry at their home. ISM Art & Design, President, Robert Senecal says, “We will center our attention first on the high end portion of this market because of its thirst to be unique. It is a market with sufficient financial resources so that we do not expect it to be seriously challenged by the current sub-prime mortgage crisis in the United States.”

About ISM International: ISML (http://www.isml.us) is a consolidation of business professionals, engineers, technologists and entrepreneurs who have formed a diversified public company designed to enhance value for shareholders through innovation and technology.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainty, including those relating to the Company's ability to grow its business. Actual results may differ materially from the results predicted and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, the Company's limited operating history, domestic or global economic conditions, activities of competitors and the presence of new or additional competition, and changes in International, Federal or State laws, restrictions and regulations on doing business in foreign countries and conditions of equity markets.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:36 PM | Comments (0)

Dasi Solutions / Solidworks Var Expands Into South Bend, Indiana To Better Service Designing Engineers And Manufacturers Within The Michiana Region

DASI Solutions’ Elkhart /South Bend office will work closely with Indiana’s Recreational Vehicle and Manufacturing Industries to provide the latest SolidWorks and COSMOS technologies along with local Training and Technical Support.

Pontiac, Michigan (PRWEB) January 10, 2008 –- DASI Solutions, a leading provider of engineering process solutions, announced today the opening of their newest office which is located in South Bend, Indiana. This location compliments the existing facilities located in Pontiac, Sterling Heights and Grandville, Michigan. As an Authorized SolidWorks Training and Support Service Center, DASI Solutions will be a local resource to the various Design and Manufacturing firms of Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan looking to adopt new technologies associated with Product Lifecycle Management.

DASI Solutions selected the St. Joseph and Elkhart County region for expansion because it is ranked nationally at #14 in per capita percentage for workforce engaged in manufacturing. “The Elkhart /South Bend office will work closely with Indiana’s Recreational Vehicle Industry to provide the latest SolidWorks and COSMOS technologies for the Designing Engineer” said David Darbyshire, Engineer / Owner of DASI Solutions, LLC. “In a climate of globalization, one cannot forget the importance of having a local partner to assist in the training and implementation of new technologies while having an understanding of the unique needs of the region it serves.”

To commemorate the expansion, an Open House has been scheduled for Wednesday, January 16, 2008 at the new offices of DASI Solutions, located in the Commerce Building, (at) 401 E. Colfax, Suite 304, South Bend, Indiana. The business community is invited to attend an Executive Luncheon followed by a 1:00pm Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Attendees will also be invited to attend afternoon workshops related to the DASI expansion plans, Workforce Development Initiatives, SolidWorks User Group meetings and general networking receptions.

For additional information about the DASI Solutions new South Bend office or Open House activities, contact David Darbyshire directly at 888-327-2974 or visit www.dasi-solutions.com

About SolidWorks:
SolidWorks Corporation a Dassault Systémes S. A. company, develops and markets software for design, analysis, and product data management. It is a leading supplier of 3D CAD technology, giving teams intuitive, high-performing software that helps them design better products.

About DASI Solutions:
Founded in 1995, DASI Solutions assists Emerging Sector companies in the implementation of CAD, CAE, and PDM collaborative technologies used in the product development process by the Designing Engineer. DASI Solutions offers a host of Solution Partner software products that are tightly integrated with SolidWorks & COSMOS. The company has authorized sales, training, and technical support facilities located throughout Michigan and Northern Indiana.

For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release please contact:

Amanda Hincker, Marketing Manager
DASI Solutions, LLC
248-333-2996 x 215
amanda @ dasi-solutions.com
http://www.dasi-solutions.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:34 PM | Comments (0)

IDEX Fluid & Metering Technologies Picks BuyDesign® Guided Selling and Configuration Software

Global Manufacturer of Precision Engineered Pumps, Meters, and Fluid Control Systems Will Use BuyDesign to Streamline Product Selection, Configuration and Quoting

Columbus, Ohio (PRWEB) January 10, 2008 -- TDCI, Inc. (TDCI), a leading enterprise software solution provider, announced today that the Fluid & Metering Technologies (FMT) business segment of IDEX Corporation (NYSE: IEX), has selected TDCI's BuyDesign Guided Selling and Configuration software to provide sales channels with streamlined product selection, configuration, and quoting capabilities. IDEX FMT is a global manufacturer of precision engineered pumps, meters, and fluid control systems. The first IDEX FMT business unit to deploy the system will be Pulsafeeder, a manufacturer of precision metering pumps, transfer pumps, and controllers.

BuyDesign is a comprehensive guided selling and configuration solution developed to streamline the sales process for customized products. BuyDesign helps companies that manufacture products with a wide range of features, options, and dimensions increase sales by becoming 'easy to do business with' while at the same time helping them improve profitability by reducing order processing time, cost, and errors.

"Our goal is to make it easy for our distributors and reps to determine, specify, and price the optimal solution for the end customer," says Nick Valente, Pulsafeeder Vice President of Business Development. "BuyDesign's web-based configurator engine and quoting solution give us a good framework for doing that."

"We're happy to be working with IDEX Fluid & Metering," adds Dan DeMuth, TDCI President. "BuyDesign's guided product selection and configuration is a perfect fit for the pump industry where there are so many different product options and such diverse applications."

As the first IDEX FMT unit to deploy BuyDesign, Pulsafeeder will use it to help sales people select the best pump for the customer's application based on requirements such as flow rate, pressure, and chemical compatibility. It will then guide configuration of the full solution, including connectors, materials, motor, controls, and other options. BuyDesign will enable Pulsafeeder to capture product knowledge in the form of rules-based product models utilized by the BuyDesign Configurator to guide both product selection and configuration. Pricing will be automatically generated based on the specific product configuration, price lists, and channel partner factors. In addition to simplifying the quoting and ordering process for sales people, BuyDesign will help reduce lead times and ensure order accuracy. The new solution will be deployed globally for use by manufacturer's representatives and distributors around the world. Other IDEX FMT units will deploy BuyDesign following Pulsafeeder.

About IDEX Fluid & Metering Technologies
IDEX Fluid & Metering Technologies is one of four business segments of IDEX Corporation, a global fluidics leader serving high growth specialized markets. IDEX FMT systems are used in a wide variety of severe duty and/or highly precise fluid-handling applications around the world. Customized solutions range from diesel engine lubrication to food and beverage processing to the movement, measurement and dispense of fossil fuels, ethanol and other high value liquids and gases. With some of the most recognized brand names in positive displacement pumps, flow meters, compressors and injectors, IDEX is a supplier of choice within the rapidly growing infrastructure markets including alternative energy, oil & gas, water and wastewater.

About TDCI and BuyDesign
TDCI (www.tdci.com) is an enterprise solution provider that specializes in helping manufacturers and their distributors streamline the buying process for customized products. TDCI's BuyDesign® software is a comprehensive guided selling and configuration solution developed to help companies increase sales by becoming 'easy to do business with' while improving profitability by reducing order processing time, cost, and errors. BuyDesign provides modular components for guided product selection and configuration, product visualization, quoting and ordering, drawing generation, and status inquiry. It also includes applications for front-end specification capture from within popular design products such as AutoCAD and others.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:32 PM | Comments (0)

Connecticut's Mahoney Sabol & Company Joins the BDO Seidman Alliance

Central Connecticut professional services firm joins international association of leading idependent CPA firms.

Glastonbury, CT (PRWEB) January 10, 2008 -- Mahoney Sabol & Company, LLP is proud to announce it has joined the BDO Seidman Alliance, a nationwide association of independently owned local and regional CPA firms and businesses.

As an independent member of the Alliance, Mahoney Sabol can expand the services offered to clients by drawing on the resources of BDO Seidman, LLP, one of the nation's leading professional services firms. As a Member Firm of BDO International, BDO Seidman, LLP serves multi-national clients by leveraging a global network of resources comprised of 621 Member Firm offices in 107 countries.

"Our client base here in Connecticut is increasingly exploring business opportunities in other domestic markets and foreign countries. The Alliance allows us to better serve these clients as they expand," said James Mahoney, Managing Partner of Mahoney Sabol. "In addition to the geographic benefits, our firm will have access to greater technical knowledge and the specialty services of BDO Seidman, LLP and its international organization."

The BDO Seidman Alliance enhances member firm capabilities through the availability of supplementary professional services, comprehensive management consulting services, focused industry knowledge, customized state-of-the-art computer systems and internal training programs.

About Mahoney Sabol & Company, LLP:
With offices in Glastonbury, Essex, Middletown, and Somers, Mahoney Sabol & Company, LLP
provides comprehensive audit, tax, business valuation, and consulting services, as well as overall financial management services.

About BDO Seidman, LLP
BDO Seidman, LLP is a national professional services firm providing assurance, tax, financial advisory and consulting services to a wide range of publicly traded and privately held companies. Guided by core values including competence, honesty and integrity, professionalism, dedication, responsibility and accountability, for almost 100 years BDO Seidman, LLP has provided quality service and leadership through the active involvement of the most experienced and committed professionals. BDO Seidman serves clients through 34 offices and more than 300 independent alliance firm locations nationwide. BDO International is a worldwide network of public accounting firms, called BDO Member Firms, serving international clients. Each BDO Member Firm is an independent legal entity in its own country.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 09:32 PM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2008

'Exciting and Innovative' - Bean Media Group Confirm Industry for Next Series of 'Australia's Best'

Bean Media, based in Sydney, has confirmed the next Industry category for its impressive range of publications entitled 'Australia's Best'. After receiving plaudits from many publishing and journalistic professionals, the next installment from Bean Media is sure to be just as popular.

Sydney, NSW (PRWEB) January 9, 2008 -- Bean Media Group has today announced the much-anticipated follow up in the popular 'Australia's Best' series of publications. After receiving a big thumbs up from the food and drink industry in particular for the flagship magazine, Australia's Best Food and Drink, the manufacturing industry can now look forward with equal expectation to 'Australia's Best Manufacturing', due for release in June 2008.

The move to release a new, innovate magazine for different industry sectors across Australia and New Zealand was seen by many as a signal of intent from Bean Media, who will continue to strive to deliver top-quality, cutting edge publications with a strong focus on the importance of procurement and supply chain management.

The flagship issue of 'Australia's Best' from Bean Media Group was labelled as 'extremely innovative', 'genuinely exciting' and 'a breath of fresh air' to name but a few, and the announcement to expand the title to the manufacturing industry will be news that will be welcomed by the biggest industry in Australia.

Peter Ratcliff, who is Senior Editor and Consultant for Bean Media Group, explained the potential for the next issue of Australia's Best.

"Having worked closely with companies such as Bartter Enterprises, SPC Ardmona and the Hardy Wine Company to name but a few, it became fundamentally apparent that the crucial importance of supply chain in business cannot be debated. I spoke to many industry professionals who agreed that maintaining good relationships with key suppliers is pretty much the lifeblood of any successful and forward-thinking company."

Bean Media has already received substantial interest from many manufacturing companies wanting to be a part of Australia's Best Manufacturing. The company will be selecting one expert from a plethora of supply chain specialists across the country, for each specific area of the manufacturing industry. These hand-picked few will be offered the chance to provide their knowledge and viewpoints on procurement, and their company will receive unprecedented exposure through an affiliation with Google and Yahoo News that Bean Media Group is proud of.

Peter Karcz works with Peter Ratcliff and Natalie Kant at Bean Media to source purchasing professionals across the country: "I am thoroughly impressed by the knowledge and wealth of experience that I discover when talking to these supply chain experts. Bean Media will only feature those companies who demonstrate a proactive and intelligent solution to the ongoing development of purchasing strategies at their specific companies. The manufacturing industry will be a fantastic opportunity for all involved, both at Bean Media and the companies we chose to select."

Awards

Bean Media has also confirmed that there will be three awards for the most successful companies that they chose to profile in the magazine. These will be silver, gold and platinum and will only be given to companies that fit the relevant criteria, including editorial input, supplier involvement and procurement strategies, ideas and purchasing innovation. Companies that were lucky enough to be given awards for the Australia's Best Food and Drink, included Bartter Enterprises and Australia Fast Foods (Red Rooster).

Bean Media will be releasing a further press statement once the manufacturing publication draws to a close, however, with an estimated print run of 55,000, guaranteed inclusion on Google and Yahoo News and the awards, the company expects a hugely successful publication with a high-demand for inclusion.

Advertising enquiries for Bean Media Group can be directed to Chris Dutton, on (02) 9939 7899, or for possible editorial inclusion, please contact Peter Ratcliff, Peter Karcz or Natalie Kant.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 01:13 AM | Comments (0)

QR Powder is the Revolutionary New Powder Bandage for Cuts and Lacerations

QR Powder is a powder bandage which stops external bleeding from minor cuts and lacerations in seconds. Quick Relief has the capability to get workers back on the job and athletes back in the game in record time after a cut or laceration. The wound is sealed instantaneously.

Clark, NJ (PRWEB) January 9, 2008 -- QR (Quick Relief) Powder is an exciting product that is now being offered by Select Safety Sales on-line store. It has the ability to stop the bleeding immediately when sprinkled on a wound. A scab forms instantaneously and bleeding stops within seconds. QR Powder is a revolutionary powder bandage that can be used in lieu of a traditional bandage. QR Powder, when compared to a traditional bandage not only stops the bleeding quicker, but also allows the person inflicted to resume work immediately or to get to a health care facility with less blood loss. QR Powder is also available with an applicator to stop nosebleeds instantly without the need for cauterization. The possibilities are endless; an athlete on the field, a construction worker on the job or a child on the playground.

An open wound invites infection. The scab that forms from Quick Relief powder can protect a wound from infection and contamination. This is beneficial in this day and age where staph infections have become more prevalent. QR Powder also limits the exposure of others to the blood of the person that was cut by stopping the bleeding instantly. Protection from diseases like AIDS, hepatitis and other bloodborne illnesses is enhanced.

QR Powder is approved by the FDA and has been put in the same class as bandages and gauze that you would find in a first aid kit. QR Powder is not introduced into the bloodstream, so it is not metabolized by the body. It consists of a non toxic mixture of potassium salt and hydrophilic polymer.

Select Safety Sales is a distributor of QR Powder which was developed by Biolife. "It's a great product to provide to my customers. I see it to be beneficial in the industrial trades and construction industry where workers are at risk for cuts and lacerations," says Janemarie Kane, managing member of Select Safety Sales. "A laceration or nosebleed that is stopped immediately can save a worker or athlete a visit to a doctor or emergency room which results in saving a company or team time and money."

Select Safety Sales is a distributor of safety products including (PPE) personal protective equipment, fire safety products and first aid kits. They focus on providing innovative new products for their customers to further ensure their safety in the workplace.

For additional information contact:

Janemarie Kane
Select Safety Sales LLC
(866) 864-3495
www.selectsafetysales.com

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 01:12 AM | Comments (0)

Jiin Haur New Designed Telescopic Lopping Shear Makes a Good Impression in Europe

Well-known garden tool expert with excellent R&D ability. Jiin Haur's innovation once again draws attention worldwide, its New Designed Telescopic Lopping Shear has received a favorable review in market. As commitment to offer high-quality, modern and easy-to-use products, Jiin Haur has gained its own credibility.

(PRWEB) January 9, 2008 -- Taiwan outstanding garden tool manufacturer, Jiin Haur, has been known for constant products innovation. In particular, its New Designed Telescopic Lopping Shear is well received in Europe this year. With the design of lightweight extendable telescopic arm and soft TRP grip, this long reach pruner is easily operated by both hands, which is more effortless and convenient. Jiin Haur not only serves in Europe and America market, but expands its business in Japan.

Established in 1977, Jiin Haur is an expert in OEM and ODM horticultural tools manufacturing, it has received patents in Germany, U.S.A, China, Japan and Taiwan. With GS, TUV, CE, VPA certifications, Jiin Haur highly recommended products include long-reach pruners, pruning shears, grass shears, tool racks, drop-forged pruners, battery-powered motor-operated shears.

Excellent Quality Control
After achieving ISO9001 certification, Jiin Haur brings great effort to improve and upgrade factory equipments every year, its automatic punching machine and advanced CNC working machines are well equipped for high volume manufacturing, as well as quality inspection apparatus ensure strong durability of products. Especially, its Auto Shearing Testing Machine, Micro Hardness Tester and Spring Testing System effectively guarantee the best stability and resistance.

According to a firm connection with upstream supply chain partners, Jiin Haur makes good promise for material control, all high carbon steel is imported from Japan and more reliable local suppliers sufficiently provide varied spare parts.

In addition to increase work efficiency and on-time delivery, Jiin Haur computer-controlled warehouse storage system integrates all the components supply and stock information. It enables Jiin Haur to obtain the up-to-date production requirement and responses promptly to market demand.

Strong R&D Team
"We regard ourself as innovation oriented company, making convenient, safe and easy to operate products for customers is our high priority concern," Jiin Haur Sales Representative Grace Wu emphasized.

Running in thirty years, Jiin Haur always keep active attitude toward the enhancement of development capacity. In order to make products superior in design and function, Jiin Haur pays serious attention from Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawing, material selection, prototype making, quality inspection, to test marketing. Comparing to other competitors, Jiin Haur is able to introduce six new products every year. Its strong R&D team also accept OEM customized design requirement.

Great Value Products
Jiin Haur's Professional Drop Forged Pruning Shear Series has been best-selling tool, made by high carbon steel, the shears blade with fine cutting edge could be replaced easily. Its lightweight forged aluminum construction with rubber-shock absorber and cushion is great for wrist protection and perfect handhold. Moreover, toothed center-nut functions as cutting adjustment.

The Battery Power Motor Operated Shear is also a high-value product. In terms of user-friendly design and equipped wheels, this motor shear provides enjoyable work for lawn mowing swiftly.

In addition, Multi-Function Sharpener Series with razor blades offers various knife sharpening such as grass hooks, weed knives, loppers and pruning knives. Its unique feature of protective arch avoids finger injuries from cutting and removable sponge for anti-rust oil wipe is also provided.

***Perspective***
After a successful presentation in International Garden & Exterior Expo Tokyo (GARDEX 2008), Jiin Haur has shown a strong ambition in oversea market development. Continuing to attending more international garden exhibitions, Jiin Haur keeps the promise of high quality, modern and easy-to-operate products with competitive price to serve worldwide clients.

Welcome to visit Jiin Haur's web site: http://www.allproducts.com/tool/jiinhaur/ | http://www.jiinhaur.com.tw

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 01:11 AM | Comments (0)

Snap Lock Industries Awarded Additional US Patent For 'Structural Support System For Modular Floor Tiles'

Snap Lock Industries has been awarded another US Patent (# 7,299,592) for 'Structural Support System For Modular Floor Tiles'. The patent encompasses over 23 claims that cover the improved support structure of the modular floor system.

Salt Lake City, Utah (PRWEB) January 9, 2008 -- Snap Lock Industries, the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of premium modular flooring products, has been awarded a US patent on thier modular floor tile products. Snap Lock has long established itself as the industry innovater with numerous products that have changed the industry.

"We are very happy to have been awarded this particular patent, It is a technology that we have invested a great deal of time in developing, it has given us the ability to manufacturer the best product available on the market today," said Jorgen Moller, CEO of Snap Lock Industries.

The patent (# 7,299,592) encompasses 23 claims that cover the improved support structure of the modular floor system to ultimately eliminate the surface sink marks (surface imperfections) due the cooling phase of the manufacturing process. The support structure is also designed to maintain the structural integrity and rigidity necessary to support various loads. The position of the structural support directly correlates to the top surface geometry.On the RaceDeck® garage flooring brand part in particular, but not limited to, a tread pattern similar to that found on diamond plate steel. The tread pattern simulates diamond plate steel for increased traction and desired aesthetics, other patterns and designs can be used to accomplish this same effect.

"With our technology, we have the exclusive ability to create the most cosmetically appealing and structurally sound modular flooring products on the market today. I am very proud of the team we have here at Snap Lock, they are the reason we continue to be the industry leader in innovation, quality and service," said Moller.

About Snap Lock Industries:
Snap Lock Industries is the worlds leading manufacturer and supplier of modular flooring. Based in Salt Lake City, Utah- Snap Lock manufactures 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year in their state of the art 100,000 square foot facility.
Snap Lock produces the industry leading brands RaceDeck® Garage Flooring, SnapSports® Sports Surfacing and Courts, DuraGrid® Matting, and SnapLock® Portable Dance & Event Flooring. All Proudly Made in the USA

For more information about Snap Lock Industries, Visit the corporate website at http://www.snaplock.com or call 1-801-746-0143.

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 01:09 AM | Comments (0)

Nevada Jacks Acquires clay Chip Technology from Hispania Casino Equipment Co.

Nevada Jacks, leading manufacturer and provider of poker and casino chips, announced the completed acquisition of production equipment and technology from Hispania Casino Equipment, second largest clay chip manufacturer in Europe.

Miami, Florida and Palma de Mallorca, Spain (PRWEB) January 9, 2008 -- Nevada Jacks, LLC, a leading manufacturer and provider of both poker and casino chips, today announced the completed acquisition of production equipment and technology of Hispania Casino Equipment Company of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, the second largest manufacturer of clay chips in Europe. Nevada Jacks has purchased "equipment, molds and dies" and staging process from Hispania for the making of clay chips.

CEO and co-owner James Evering commented: "Nevada Jacks has built its business around the provision of high quality chips which we distribute through a variety of global retail channels. We have invested heavily in, and historically focused on, internet distribution of non-clay casino chips. This business acquisition of Hispania's technology gives us a solid platform from which to manufacture and provide a wider variety of gaming products, especially a complete assortment of clay casino chips, and affords access to more complementary distribution channels."

Rufino Serrano, founder of Hispania Casino Equipment stated, "With the inclusion of the clay chips production line I designed and tuned for almost 30 years, (Nevada Jacks) will now have all the necessary ingredients to make this venture a true success."

Since 1977, Hispania Casino Equipment has been noted as one of the largest providers of clay chips and accessories for the casino industry throughout Southern Europe, the Caribbean, and both Central and South America.

Nevada Jacks co-owner Nicholas Bates stated, "The clay chip production capability gives Nevada Jacks an added edge because we now control our own destiny with entirely in-house manufacturing of virtually any type of poker chip. It will also allow us to continue our expansion directly into the casino market." Mr. Bates also commented, "We have made significant inroads into the manufacturing of private label chips and this deal should give us even more leverage to expand this and other commercial opportunities throughout the world."

Nevada Jacks is a Florida-based company, founded in 2002 by Jim Evering and Nicholas Bates. The company has worldwide distribution of an assorted variety of gaming products including clay and composite chips, custom and tournament chips and gaming accessories through select vendors including Midwest Gaming Supply, CEW in Spain and Integrity. Nevada Jacks is the most highly recognized brand name for the manufacture of quality poker chip sets sold worldwide. The company website www.nevadajacks.net has been placed consistently in the top five for Google.com searches for both "poker chips" and "custom poker chips".

Posted by Industrial-Manufacturing at 01:08 AM | Comments (0)

Manufacturing Professionals to Face Tough Job Searches in 2008

The United States lost more than 210,000 manufacturing jobs in 2007, causing an uphill battle in the search for new manufacturing jobs.

(PRWEB) January 8, 2008 -- According to a government report released last week, the Unites States lost more than 31,000 manufacturing jobs in December 2007. The total number of manufacturing jobs lost in 2007 surpassed 210,000.

Analysts are predicting that these numbers may be signs of an impending recession, and that the task of employees searching for new manufacturing jobs will continue to become tougher in the new year. With so many jobs lost and so few new jobs available, thousands of people will face uphill battles in their job searches.

"Now, more than ever, manufacturing professionals will be facing tough challenges," said, A. Harrison Barnes, CEO of the job-aggregating company EmploymentCrossing. "There are new manufacturing jobs becoming available every day, but those looking for jobs in this industry can not afford to rely on traditional job search tools like major online job boards. They must be able to find out about the jobs that others don't know about, whether through word of mouth or directly from the websites of the employers themselves."

Not all the news is bad for job-seekers in the manufacturing industries. Companies as diverse as Spherion and Peterbilt Motors are filling manufacturing positions, even with the overall decline in available manufacturing jobs. Professionals seeking these jobs will simply need to become more shrewd, and will rely more on up-and-coming sources such as EmploymentCrossing that bring together jobs from employer websites and job boards, rather than relying on traditional job boards that rely on employers to post jobs.

For additional information on trends in the manufacturing industry, visit EmploymentCrossing.com and ManufacturingCrossing.com. More specific resources for manufacturing professionals seeking jobs in particular fields can be found at OperationsCrossing, QAQCCrossing, EngineeringCrossing, BlueCollarCrossing, and other relevant EmploymentCrossing sites.

About the Company:
EmploymentCrossing.com is a job aggregating website. Monitoring more than 8000 employer websites and job boards for jobs each day, EmploymentCrossing brings together hundreds of thousands of jobs from every industry from all over the internet. Additionally, EmploymentCrossing features 30 industry specific job-search portals, including ManufacturingCrossing.com, OperationsCrossing.com, QAQCCrossing.com, Enginee