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North Interbay group seeks to loosen ind...

tootoouebdz0512 — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:04:27 +0200

Industrial Pipeline Developers like Thompson just want to make more money on theirgambles in industrial real estate, he charges. "This is all aboutinstantaneous gratification." The City Council could take up the Interbay NeighborhoodAssociation's proposal this fall. North Interbay is a triangular sliver of the city, boundedgenerally by West Dravus Street, the BNSF railroad yards and busy15th Avenue West. It's a jumble of vacant lots, storage yards and mostly olderfactories and warehouses. Most who work in the area or live nearby agree it's rundown. "It's dead here. Just dead," says Chuck Read, whose companymanufactures custom cutting boards. About one-third of the area, mostly along Dravus and 15th, is zonedfor commercial uses. The Interbay Neighborhood Association is pushing for big changeshere, too — a rezone to allow condo or apartment towers up to125 feet tall. The city's Department of Planning and Development last monthproposed towers not top 85 feet. Planners said taller buildingswould be incompatible with nearby industry. North Interbay's industrially zoned blocks hold businesses thatmanufacture doors and cabinets and musical instruments. There's a steel-products warehouse, a marine-equipment supplyoperation and several machine shops. Other businesses don't really qualify as industrial: adog-obedience school, a fitness club, a company that rents partytents and canopies, another that markets sex toys. The Interbay Neighborhood Association cited that mix in itspetition to trim the area from BINMIC. The neighborhood already lacks the intensity of "hard-core"industrial uses that should define a manufacturing/industrialcenter, proponents argue; deleting it would just reflect reality. The city's restrictions on nonindustrial uses "lump me in with100-acre tracts in South Seattle that are pouring steel," saysRead. "Every area has different needs and different requirements." Thompson, Nitty Gritty's developer, contends mixed-use projectslike his would create "a more upgraded environment for industrialuses and a more respectful environment for customers." But just 12 percent of the land in Seattle is zoned industrial. AndAakervik, of the BINMIC Action Committee, says North Interbayoffers the access to rail and water that industry needs, and thatfew other areas offer. Industrial development in the area has been stymied, he says,because property owners aren't satisfied with its potential returnsand are speculating that zoning changes will make them richer. Dave Gering, executive director of the Manufacturing IndustrialCouncil of Seattle, says a project like the Nitty Gritty wouldcause him more heartburn if it were proposed in a heavy-industrystronghold like Georgetown or SoDo, rather than North Interbay. Gering's organization supported the limits on nonindustrial usesthe City Council approved last December.

Metal Fabricator requests rRoad closing...

tootoouebdz0512 — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:01:49 +0200

Metal Fabricator The company fabricates metal for power plant ducts, structuralsteel, conveyors, hoppers and stainless steel scrubbers for coalplants, Mr. Parker said. The company also manufactures powertransmission lines for the Tennessee Valley Authority, he said.Another large customer is Georgia Power. Mr. Parker said he started his business in 1995 with a building andan acre of land. He expanded twice, and bought five acres adjoiningthe site two years ago, and then bought another tract on BrownStreet. The road closure also would benefit his company and a neighboringbusiness by preventing theft, Mr. Parker said. Both companiesfrequently have break-ins, he said. "I'll sit out here at night and they'll circle the block lookingfor something to steal," Mr. Parker said. The commission approved a request by former planningcommissioner Mike Price to grant a road-width variance at the ElderCove subdivision in Tiftonia. The request was not on the Mondayagenda. Mr. Price, owner of MAP Engineers, said he had filed thevariance with the planning agency, but the case was not scheduledto be heard until the July meeting. The Elder Cove developers are installing roadside drainage in thesubdivision and needed to reduce the road's width. The projectwould have been held up if the developers had had to wait until theJuly planning commission meeting, Mr. Price said. Planning agency director Barry Bennett said after the meeting thatwhile granting a request that's not on the agenda is unusual, itcan be done under extreme circumstances.

India copper eases on rising LME

tootoouebdz0512 — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:59:57 +0200

lme copper Indian copper futures gave up early gains and eased on Tuesday after rising inventories dampened sentiment, analysts said. At 4.50 p.m., the benchmark June copper MCCM8 on the Multi Commodity Exchange of India (MCX) was down 0.39 percent at 344.25 rupees per kg. Copper inventories on the London Metal Exchange were up 1,500 tonnes to 123,550 tonnes on Tuesday. "Rising inventories pushed down copper after it gained in the morning but it should rise again because the outlook continues to be strong," said an analyst from Motilal Oswal Commodities Broker Pvt Ltd. Prices found support earlier after China reported a 25.6 percent surge in urban investment in the first five months of the year which indicated a positive demand outlook for metals. Copper prices also found support from falling Chinese imports. China is importing less copper, despite domestic demand, and expectations are that the local shortage will push traders to buy the metal over, supporting prices China's imports of unwrought copper fell 25 percent in May from April. Prices also rose on fresh supply concerns from Peru, where protestors blocked a mine belonging to Southern Copper (PCU.N: Quote, Profile, Research) (SPC.LM: Quote, Profile, Research), the country's largest copper producer [nN16263028].

Control4 introduces standards-based IP e...

tootoouebdz0512 — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:57:04 +0200

lighting wire Control4 Corporation, a leader in affordable IP-based controland entertainment systems, today announced the release of Control4 ? Suite Systems, a customized version of the company ’ s popular home automation and entertainment control technology forthe hospitality market. The Control4 Suite Systems provides aplatform of innovative convenience and automation for the in-roomenvironment by enabling hotel guests to control lighting, roomtemperature, television/video systems, music, draperies andrequests for services through a single Control4 ? remote. "We' ve worked closely with the industry to develop a fully customizedroom automation platform that is incredibly easy to use, installand maintain, ” said Will West, Chief Executive Officer at Control4. “ The Control4 Suite Systems truly transforms the guest experience byproviding completely new functionality that significantly enhancesthe customer ’ s stay and provides differentiation for the destination. Thehospitality market represents a huge market opportunity forControl4 ? technology and we look forward to applying our expertise forcontinued innovation. ” Control4 Suite Systems provides the hospitality industry apractical, reliable automation operating system that is affordable.For new property construction, operators will see significantsavings in construction costs because the Control4 Suite Systems ’ wireless features eliminate virtually all in-room, low-voltagewiring, and require less conduit, labor and materials for controland lighting systems than traditional wire-based systems. The Control4 hospitality solution also offers a non-obtrusive andeasy way to save money by managing precious resources such asenergy, water, money and time. Control4 Suite Systems can beprogrammed to automatically put a room into unoccupied status uponcheckout — turning down or off the heating/cooling system, televisions,lights and any appliances. According to Green Lodging News,lighting accounts for up to 35 percent of a hotel ’ s energy bill, while up to 50-70 percent of a hotel ’ s energy bill is attributed to heating and cooling. "The Mandarin is renowned for offering personalized comfort andconvenience for our hotel guests, ” said David Heckaman, VP Technology, Mandarin Resorts. “ Control4 Suite Systems provides a technology platform that takesthat personalized experience to an entirely new level. Bothcorporate and leisure guests will delight in this highlysophisticated, yet easy-to-use service that makes the roomenvironment more relaxing and enjoyable. ” Control4 Suite Systems is also easy to install. Wired and wirelesssolutions are available for installation in both new constructionand most retrofits of properties meeting LEED certificationbuilding standards. To facilitate interoperability and integration between partnerproducts and Control4 ’ s digital home platform, Control4 is licensing its operating systemthrough the C4iQ ? certified partner program. C4iQ ? approved technology enables companies to embed the Control4operating system into a range of products, such as televisions,routers, receivers, etc.

Magnetic sensor ignores large local fiel...

tootoouebdz0512 — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:54:24 +0200

Small MagnetResearchers at the Fraunhofer Institute have developed a novelmagnetic sensor that they claim for the first time detects tinyfluctuations in a small magnetic field – even when there is astrong magnet right beside it. The sensor can therefore be utilised even in places where powercables generate an interference field – for instance, in acar’s side mirror. In the car mirror application, if there is a change of driver it isnormally required to adjust the position of the mirror and theseat. To provide automatic adjustment for each driver, a tiny chip in thekey or a corresponding button on the dashboard can be pressed,enabling all adjustment to be performed very easily. There is a tiny magnet in the mirror and another in the seat, whoseposition is detected by a magnetic sensor and which enables themirror to be correctly adjusted. The only problem with this systemis that the cables supplying the power for heating the mirror andcontrolling the stepper motor also generate a magnetic field. The sensor therefore sees not only the field generated by themagnet, but also that of the power cable – and errors can bemade. Up to now, therefore, such magnetic field sensors have had tobe screened. This is difficult and expensive. A new type of integrated 3-D magnetic field sensor from theFraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits (IIS) in Erlangen,Germany, can work without screening. The researchers have arrangedseveral sensors in a pixel cell in such a way that they can measureall three components of the magnetic field in one place. If two ofthese pixel cells are placed on a chip, the sensor measures notonly the magnetic field as such, but also how the position of themagnetic field changes. IIS team leader Dr Hans-Peter Hohe states:“This sensor enables us for the first time to identifymagnetic interference fields as such and to separate them from theuseful field. The sensor works perfectly even when the interferencefield is considerably larger than the useful field. There istherefore no need for shielding.”

CRM's CDC Software,Schneider Electric sa...

tootoouebdz0512 — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:53:10 +0200

Hardware Supply CRM vendor CDC Software, a wholly owned subsidiary of China’s CDC Corporation, has announced that Schneider Electric (News - Alert) has gone live with its upgrade to cWMS Release 10, a warehouse management system part of the CDC Supply Chain suite. With more than 2,000 employees and revenue in excess of the equivalent of $977 million, Schneider sells electrical distribution and automation control products and services in the country and has rapidly expanded its logistics operations over the past 10 years. Since first implementing an earlier version of CDC Software’s (News - Alert) “cWMS” 10 years ago, Schneider consolidated two of its warehouse sites, while at the same time expanding capacity to 50 tons of throughput per day, covering 14,000 product lines, resulting in cost savings and higher productivity. Andrew Holdroyd, logistics projects manager, said the company “needed to upgrade our warehouse functionality and systems to support our growing business volume and new distribution service in a multi-brand environment.” Michael Shrimplin, logistics development analyst for Schneider, said while the initial go-live “covered an ‘as-is’ upgrade, the latest version of cWMS will allow us to implement additional functionality… these include capabilities such as cartonisation, which will help improve item scanning, picking accuracy and overall quality control.” CRM vendor CDC Software, a wholly owned subsidiary of IT company CDC Corporation, has announced three multi-million dollar contracts recently.

Reliance Steel purchases PNAGroup for $1...

tootoouebdz0512 — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:50:19 +0200

Platinum Bar Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. said Tuesday it agreed to buy PNAGroup Holding Corp., a steel service center group owned by PlatinumEquity, for about $1.1 billion. Shares of Reliance rose $6.82, or 4.7 percent, to $74.43 shortlyafter the opening bell. The deal is expected to close within 60 days, pending regulatoryapprovals. Los Angeles-based Reliance Steel expects to finance the dealthrough its existing credit facility and by raising about $750million by issuing new debt and equity securities. Reliance, which processes and sells products to aerospace, energyand construction companies, said it expects the deal to immediatelyboost earnings. Through its subsidiaries, PNA Group processes and distributesprimarily carbon steel plate, bar, structural and flat-rolledproducts. PNA subsidiaries include Delta Steel LP, Feralloy Corp.,Infra-Metals Co., Metals Supply Company Ltd., PrecisionFlamecutting and Steel LP and Sugar Steel Corp. PNA had 2007 sales of about $1.6 billion. Reliance reported saleslast year of about $7.26 billion. PNA has 23 steel service centers in the United States, five jointventures and seven service centers in the U.S. and Mexico. Reliancehas about 180 locations in the U.S. and about 37 across Belgium,Canada, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materialmay not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Reliance Steel&Aluminum Co. signs deal t...

tootoouebdz0512 — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 15:48:13 +0200

including aluminum Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. (NYSE:RS) announced today thatit has reached an agreement to acquire the outstanding capitalstock of PNA Group Holding Corporation, a national steel servicecenter group owned by Platinum Equity. The transaction is valued atapproximately $1.1 billion. PNA ’ s subsidiaries include the operating entities Delta Steel, LP,Feralloy Corporation, Infra-Metals Co., Metals Supply Company,Ltd., Precision Flamecutting and Steel, LP and Sugar SteelCorporation. Through its subsidiaries, PNA processes anddistributes primarily carbon steel plate, bar, structural andflat-rolled products. 2007 and first quarter 2008 revenues for PNAwere about $1.6 billion and $474 million, respectively. PNA has 23steel service centers throughout the United States, as well as fivejoint ventures that operate a total of seven service centers in theUnited States and Mexico. The transaction is expected to be consummated within the next 60days, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, includingobtaining required regulatory approvals. Reliance expects tofinance the transaction, including the replacement of PNA ’ s existing debt, through a combination of borrowings under Reliance ’ s existing credit facility and by raising approximately $750million through the issuance of a combination of new debt andequity securities. “ The PNA operations complement our existing business and add newproducts in many geographic areas that further enhance thecustomer, product and geographic diversification of our business.Through the PNA joint ventures, we also gain entry into a newmarket for us in Mexico, ” said David H. Hannah, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Inregard to the financing, Hannah stated, “ We expect that this transaction, including the impact of theexpected financing, will be immediately accretive to our earnings,with the dilution from any new shares issued offset by the earningsfrom PNA and savings from our lower cost of capital. Additionally,we expect our balance sheet and liquidity to remain strong. ” Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co., headquartered in Los Angeles,California, is the largest metals service center company in theUnited States. Through a network of more than 180 locations in 37states and Belgium, Canada, China, South Korea and the UnitedKingdom, the Company provides value-added metals processingservices and distributes a full line of over 100,000 metalproducts. These products include galvanized, hot-rolled andcold-finished steel; stainless steel; aluminum; brass; copper;titanium and alloy steel sold to more than 125,000 customers invarious industries. Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. ’ s press releases and additional information are available on theCompany ’ s web site at www.rsac.com . The Company was named to the 2007 “ Fortune 500 ” List and the Fortune 2007 “ 100 Fastest Growing Companies ” List and the Fortune 2008 List of “ America ’ s Most Admired Companies ” and the 2008 Forbes “ Platinum 400 List of America ’ s Best Big Companies. ” This release may contain forward-looking statements relating tofuture financial results and the proposed acquisition and relatedfinancing of PNA. Actual results and events may differ materiallyas a result of many factors over which Reliance Steel &Aluminum Co. has no control. These risk factors and additionalinformation are included in the Company ’ s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007and other reports Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. has on filewith the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Paper maker insists prices must rise

tootoouebdz0512 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 05:03:35 +0200

Finnish papermaker M-real have blamed recent price rises for its paper products upon rising wood and energy prices, Tootoo.com reports. In a press-release announcing a 10% hike in European prices (below), the paper merchants claimed "price increases are needed to improve profitability." M-real Press Release Profitability in the board and paper industry has been sliding for a number of years. Costs have been rising heavily. The increase has been especially strong in wood and energy prices. At the same time, sales prices have not compensated for the cost escalation despite price increases for some grades. It is clear that price increases are needed to improve profitability. In Finland, where the folding boxboard production units of M-real are located, production costs have risen 20 per cent since 2005, annual cost increase being 6-7 per cent. We have already announced new price increases in the USD and GBP markets. In the Euro markets the needed price increase of folding boxboard is minimum 10 per cent at the first stage. We will revert to the folding boxboard price increases in the near future. M-real has announced a price increase for coated magazine papers between 6-8 per cent depending on product and market, and the implementation is ongoing. For uncoated fine papers prices were increased in April and May. Further actions are under evaluation. The price increase needs are greatest in coated fine papers. M-real plans to increase prices of its coated fine papers by a minimum of EUR 50 per ton. Negotiations are ongoing with customers

Office Depot in Hong Kong alliance

tootoouebdz0512 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 05:01:51 +0200

Office Depot, a leading global provider of office products and Staples main US competitor, and bigboXX.com, a leading office supplies provider in Hong Kong, wholly owned by Hutchison Whampoa Limited, today announced that they have entered into a strategic alliance to provide office products and services to corporate customers in Hong Kong. Through this alliance, bigboXX.com will become Office Depot's dedicated partner in Hong Kong, enabling clients to use the Office Depot international network for their multi-country supply needs. With news of Staples recent acquisition of Dutch stationers Corporate Express giving the American office suppliers a foothold in the European market, Tootoo.com sees Office Depot's alliance in Hong Kong as helping to increase its influence in Asia.In China, Office Depot has operations in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin and Wuxi. bigboXX.com is currently one of the largest office services providers in Hong Kong serving over 40,000 corporate customers. "Hong Kong is a key market for many global companies and the new relationship between Office Depot and bigboXX.com will provide a complete procurement solution for both new and existing customers," said Teddy Chung, Managing Director for Office Depot Asia. "The alliance with bigboXX.com enables us to better serve our Hong Kong based customers with overseas operations." "Our leading domestic position in Hong Kong, combined with Office Depot's strong international network, is a winning combination and an ideal partner for international clients in the region," said Ronnie Fung, CEO of bigboXX.com. "Be it a big corporation, a medium-sized business or a small office set-up, companies will be able to get anything they need for their office operations through our new relationship with Office Depot."

Paper industry to discuss recycling issu...

tootoouebdz0512 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 05:00:05 +0200

An upcoming Paper Recycling Conference in US city Chicago is expected to highlight the environmental issues facing the paper industry, Tootoo.com reports. The Paper Recycling Conference & Trade Show, now in its ninth year, will be held June 22-24 at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare in Chicago. The three-day event offers paper stock dealers, consumers, paper mill representatives, and equipment and service providers involved in the paper recycling industry the opportunity to network with leading industry consultants and entrepreneurs from across the globe. The show features an educational program with panel discussions on current business and operational trends and their impact on the secondary fiber industry. The program also dedicates an afternoon to targeted breakout sessions covering important niche areas of the industry such as transportation, plant safety and pricing trends. It also features an exhibit hall filled with industry equipment and service providers. On June 22, Moore & Associates will conduct a Recovered Paper Supply Development Workshop from 3-5 p.m. Bill Moore of Moore & Associates will be the moderator. The objective of the workshop will be to present a variety of approaches that are designed and have been successful in developing new supplies of recovered paper.

Makro sells office supply business

tootoouebdz0512 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:58:14 +0200

The sale of Thai company Makro's Office Centre office-supplies business to Central Retail Corp. (CRC) will prove beneficial for both parties, Tootoo.com predicts. While it allows CRC to expand its Office Depot network selling office equipment, Makro can now focus its efforts and resources on its core cash-and-carry wholesale food business. Siam Makro managing director Suchada Ithijarukul said the company's decision to locate a new investor for Makro Office Centre. Its choice was CRC, operator of Office Depot, which is known for its quality and expertise, she said. "We're pleased to let the Office Centre business go to CRC, and we believe it'll be a mutually beneficial move," she said. "Siam Makro can now focus on its food-service business, which showed healthy growth of 40 per cent in the first quarter. It's aligning with the business direction that Makro is taking globally." She said Siam Makro opened 12 new Makro cash-and-carry wholesale stores last year. That includes two new Eco stores of 4,000-4,500 square meters each, on Koh Samui and in Krabi. CRC executive vice president Ivor Morton said the conversion of the outlets into Office Depot stores would allow the group to reach more customers. It will build up its inventory and offer more promotions. "We currently run 19 Office Depot stores here, and the combining of another 16 Makro Office Centers into the network will make Office Depot the top retailer in office supplies, with 14 per cent of the market," Morton said. "The stores are expected to have Bt2.6 billion in combined sales, with a total of 45,000 square meters of floor space." It has set a growth target of 10 per cent next year. The company also plans to open three new Office Depot stores next year, including one at the new Central project on Chaeng Wattana Road.

The end of paper airline tickets in Chin...

tootoouebdz0512 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:57:10 +0200

China's airline industry entered a new era in air travel on June 1, as carriers nationwide stopped using paper tickets and began to adopt electronic tickets. This move was in answer to a 2006 call by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which called for carriers worldwide to adopt the widely-used e-ticket. An official from Youee.com, one of the country's biggest on-line e-ticket agents, said Chinese travelers could look forward to easier travel by using the new format. He said passengers could change, re-endorse or cancel their e-tickets through the Internet or telephone; they didn't have bother with physically going to a travel agency or airline ticket office. Currently, e-tickets are generally used by most domestic carriers. Only a handful of international carriers and some for pertaining to infant tickets accepted paper ones. "Electronic tickets will entirely replace paper tickets by the end of the year," said the expert, adding prices were expected to fall because operation costs would be reduced by using electric tickets. Paper tickets date back to the 1920s. The first e-ticket was issued in 1994. IATA adopted a global standard for e-ticketing in 1997 but the evolution was slow. In May 2004, only 19 percent of global tickets were electronic.

Staples buy Dutch stationers for $2.7bn

tootoouebdz0512 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:55:17 +0200

Staples Inc.'s long battle to buy Dutch company Corporate Express NV finally ended with a $2.7 billion deal Wednesday. The deal sets to make Staples the biggest office supplier in the world and will no doubt put further distance between itself and U.S. rivals Office Depot and OfficeMax. Its two rivals combined would be smaller than Staples once the deal closes. With U.S. retail sales of office supplies slumping, Staples also hopes to expand in the more profitable business of delivering office supplies to corporate customers — Corporate Express' strength — and build off the Netherlands-based company's European market. Staples succeeded by raising its offer three times after its original Feb. 19 cash bid of 7.25 Euros per share. The final price of 9.25 Euros per share is up from Staples' offer last week of 9.15 Euros, which prompted Corporate Express' management to enter talks. The corporate office supplier had earlier resisted negotiations even as Staples brought its hostile offer directly to Corporate Express shareholders. "We're going to go from a company where retail is about 60 percent of our sales to a company where delivery is about 60 percent of our sales," Ron Sargent, chairman and chief executive of Staples, said in an interview. "That is really transformational." The agreement thwarts a competing deal Corporate Express had reached three weeks ago to acquire France's Lyreco SAS, which is now expected to receive a $46 million breakup fee from Corporate Express. "I think the paper clip wars are over, and it's a win for both sides," Sargent said.

Vista, Vivo & Venue add vibrancy to Bolt...

tootoouebdz0512 — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 04:53:56 +0200

Upholstery Fabric Vista, Vivo & Venue add vibrancy to Boltaflex contract upholstery June 10, 2008 (USA) OMNOVA Solutions is excited to introduce Vista, Vivo and Venue, thelatest offerings from OMNOVA's line of Boltaflex contractupholsteries. This new trio of coordinating patterns offers the healthcare andhospitality markets a fresh design look and superior ease inupholstering. Featuring an elegant leather-like appearance, Vista is a versatilesolid color design with a great, pliable hand, available in 49contemporary colors from high-impact hues including Key Lime andSeville to traditional Maroon and Porcelain. The full design storydevelops with the addition of coordinating patterns Vivo and Venue,which add subtle style. Vivo is a refined dot pattern with glimmers of metallic sheen thatplays nicely with a dynamic palette of 16 colors, while Venue addsa little more bling with just a hint of metallics and a fun flow ofcurly loops. Use them alone or mix and match. All three designs are 28 oz., 100% vinyl upholstery with a fabricbacking and can be used in both interior and exterior applications.Additionally, all three patterns boast our