Taiwantrade Shows the Best MIT Hardware and Hand Tools
TAIPEI, Taiwan–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Taiwan’s hardware and hand tools manufacturers had a great showing at this year’s International Hardware Fair Cologne. At the fair, made-in-Taiwan products were highly sought after for their superior quality and competitive prices.
Advanced technologies, comprehensive supply chains, talent and experience are just some of the reasons behind Taiwan’s reputable hardware and hand tools industry. Now, you can find top quality products from Taiwan at Taiwantrade “Hardware & Hand Tools Sample Sales Section” (http://buyhardware.taiwantrade.com.tw/).
Taiwantrade (www.taiwantrade.com.tw) is a non-profit website administrated by Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), sponsored by Taiwan’s Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT). It’s a national business-to-business online trade platform which features the collection of Taiwan’s best suppliers and products. Taiwantrade also offers the utmost online trade and promotion services to businesses in Taiwan and abroad.
Besides “Hardware & Hand Tools Sample Sales Section”, Taiwantrade’s “Sample Product Sales Section” (http://buy.taiwantrade.com.tw/) also features pages dedicated to plastic products, computer peripherals, everything under US$10. With PayPal, buyers can purchase quality samples on Taiwantrade anytime and anywhere.
“Sample Product Sales Section” has opened new opportunities for buyers from all over the world to trade with Taiwan’s quality suppliers. Come visit “Hardware & Hand Tools Sample Sales Section” on Taiwantrade because all the incredible suppliers and products are here to match your needs!
For questions or suggestions about our websites, please write to us at e-member@taitra.org.tw or call our customer hotline: +886-800506088.
Ace Hardware and The Weather Channel(R) Announce "Forecast Fix Up" Winner
OAK BROOK, IL–(Marketwire -05/17/12)- Today, Ace Hardware and The Weather Channel announce the grand prize winner of “Forecast Fix Up,” an initiative that pairs Ace Hardware’s home maintenance expertise with The Weather Channel’s trusted local weather knowledge to help homeowners across the country turn their to-do list into a to-done list. Throughout the month of April, consumers were invited to submit a brief 100-word description of their home maintenance to-do list along with a home photo through The Weather Channel’s Facebook page or at www.weather.com/fixup for the opportunity to receive a $15,000 home maintenance makeover.
After reviewing more than 4,000 online submissions, Ace Hardware and The Weather Channel selected the Cassara family of Fullerton, CA, to receive the makeover, which is taking place this week. Several years ago, the Cassara’s moved into a new home to accommodate their four grandchildren after rescuing them from an unhealthy environment. Through this makeover, Ace, which prides itself on being helpful inside and outside of its store walls, will help the family turn their house into a home. Led by Lou Manfredini, Ace Hardware’s Home Expert, the family’s home maintenance makeover will include updates to both outdoor and indoor living spaces such as new organizational storage systems, patio furniture and décor, as well as a new coat of paint inside and out, courtesy of Clark+Kensington™ — Ace’s new premium line of paint+primer in one. The makeover will air in an extended programming block on The Weather Channel on May 25 and 26.
“We couldn’t be happier to provide this makeover to the Cassara family,” said Manfredini. “Homeowners frequently put off small home maintenance projects that can make a huge impact on the quality of their home. Our alliance with The Weather Channel not only offers us the opportunity to help a single family realize their home’s potential, but also allows us to provide homeowners across the country with the knowledge and advice they need to take on any home maintenance project with confidence.”
With 4,600 locally-owned and independently operated stores, a large selection of nationally recognized brands and award-winning customer service, Ace understands the needs of its local communities and helps homeowners quickly and easily take care of their homes, no matter the weather condition. Whether homeowners need to care for their lawn and garden, install new organizational storage systems, or apply a new coat of paint, “Forecast Fix Up” is designed to help homeowners update their homes properly and tackle the projects they’ve ignored for too long so that they can get back to enjoying their weekends.
“Completing any home maintenance project begins with the tools and guidance to handle it with confidence,” said Ann Brown, senior vice president, client solutions for The Weather Channel Companies. “Aligning our localized weather forecasts with Ace’s home maintenance expertise ensures homeowners complete their home maintenance projects successfully and quickly.”
Through September, The Weather Channel will feature segments with Manfredini on popular home maintenance projects, such as interior painting, outdoor lawn care, energy efficiency, spring outdoor living, grill maintenance and moving into a new home. Ace takes pride in offering its customers some of the most respected brand names and best-selling items in the industry and will provide all of the materials for the makeover. For more details and information on “Forecast Fix Up” — visit www.weather.com/fixup.
About Ace Hardware
For more than 85 years, Ace Hardware has been known as the helpful hardware store in thousands of communities across America. Customers depend on Ace to help them take care of their homes quickly and easily so they can get on with their lives. In 2012, Ace ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Home Improvement Retail Stores, Six Years in a Row,” according to J.D. Power and Associates. With over 4,600 hardware stores locally owned and operated across the globe, Ace is the largest hardware cooperative in the industry. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries currently operate 14 distribution centers in the U.S. and they also have distribution capabilities in Shanghai, China; Panama City, Panama; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Its retailers’ stores are located in all 50 states and approximately 60 countries. For more information on Ace, visit www.acehardware.com.
About The Weather Channel® Companies
The Weather Channel companies (TWCC) are made up of The Weather Channel® television network, the Weather Channel digital properties, and WSI. The Weather Channel is based in Atlanta and is seen in more than 100 million U.S. households. TWCC also operates Weatherscan®, a 24-hour all-local weather network; The Weather Channel Radio Network; and The Weather Channel HD. The most popular source of weather news and information, TWCC properties reach 60 million monthly web consumers (weather.com and Desktop) and 32 million monthly mobile users (mobile Web and applications) and offers the second most popular mobile app on all smartphones. WSI, headquartered in Andover, MA, primarily provides business-to-business weather services, particularly for the media, aviation, marine and energy sectors. TWCC is owned by a consortium made up of NBC Universal and the private equity firms The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital. For more information, visit www.weather.com/press.
Sisters Hardware Hangs it Up
Sister’s Community Hardware, the African-American–owned family run toolshed has closed, apparently another victim of rising rents on Fulton Street in Clinton Hill.
The hardware store, a staple between Washington and Waverly Avenues since 2002, will reopen on Atlantic Avenue near Clinton Avenue in nearby Prospect Heights, said Atchudta Barkr, who co-owns the shop with Bob Bridges — though Ms. Barkr said that the ownership of the new store “is in flux.” She blamed rising rents for the decision to shutter the shop, which celebrated black trailblazers such as Toni Morrison and Alice Walker and “We are the World” imagery on a globe on the front window.
Customers said that the store wasn’t just windowdressing.
“They really helped you,” said Glenn Williams, 27, who lives on Washington Avenue. “They explained what everything was for and walked you through how to make your repairs.”
Larry Wilson of Clinton Hill added that Sisters “treated you like family.”
It’s that kind of service and neighborhood spirit that nabbed Sister’s a “Best of…” feature in the Village Voice in 2009.
Ms. Barkr, a Clinton Hill native, was an outspoken critic of the creation of the Fulton Street Business Improvement District, saying it would hasten gentrification.
How Kickstarter Is Saving Hardware Innovation
Pebble Technology, the startup behind Pebble Watch, couldn’t find venture capitalists to back it. But within 28 hours of putting the project on Kickstarter, it had raised more than $1 million.
Pebble isn’t the only hardware startup to run into fundraising roadblocks before finding success on Kickstarter.
[More from Mashable: Counting Crows Singer Adam Duritz: Twitter Changed My Life]
As Robert Fabricant, a vice president at product design firm Frog, put it in a recent Fast Company article: “It is still damn hard to get a VC to go along with any startup involving hardware, unless you have already locked in distribution with Best Buy or Walmart.”
Kickstarter, meanwhile, favors cool gadgets that can be easily demonstrated in videos over the apps and cloud-based software that have become VC darlings. The top six most popular tech projects on Kickstarter this week are all hardware projects.
[More from Mashable: 7 Heartwarming Digital Projects Parents Made for Kids]
SEE ALSO: 9 Essential Steps for a Killer Kickstarter Campaign
But it’s more than just funding opportunities that Kickstarter affords for hardware startups. By exposing new products to an engaged audience early on in their development, it also allows them to develop products more like software companies — proving market demand and incorporating feedback as they go.
Gauging Interest
Dan Provost and Tom Gerhadt set a $10,000 goal for their iPhone tripod mount, Glif. After raising $137,417, they started a company.
“Too many startups begin with an idea for a product that they think people want,” writes Eric Ries in the Lean Startup. “They then spend months, sometimes years, perfecting that product without ever showing the product, even in a very rudimentary form, to the prospective customer.”
Reis’s bestselling book suggests startups release early, incomplete versions of new products and iterate frequently in order to avoid making a large investment in something that nobody wants.
But it’s a lot easier for software companies to distribute a minimum viable product than hardware companies. Proving that a new hardware concept will take off usually requires the time, materials and manufacturing costs to actually produce it.
Kickstarter, however, introduces hardware products well before they’re ready to be shipped. It reduces risk because funding literally depends on how appealing a product is to consumers.
The process can make a company just as easily as it can dissuade one from pushing ahead with a product.
When Dan Provost and Tom Gerhadt put up a campaign for an iPod tripod mount called Glif in 2010, for instance, they didn’t intend to start a company. When Kickstarter users responded by pledging $137,417 for a $10,000 goal, however, they created Studio Neat, which has since released two additional products and one more Kickstarter campaign.
“The outcome of the first project definitely blew us away — we did not expect to raise that much money,” Provost tells Mashable. “We kind of fell into having a business.”
Pre-User Feedback
Steven Isaac, the creator of TouchFire, demonstrates the iPad keyboard at Mashable’s office.
Instead of inserting a string of babble into your prose, which is what usually happens when you rest your fingers on the iPad’s keyboard, Steven Isaac’s TouchFire — a keyboard overlay for the iPad — doesn’t set off a single key when you rest you fingertips on the product. Its defined keys make typing while looking away from the screen possible, and its silicon body is an improbably thin and flexible solution to a problem usually solved with clunky plastic add-ons. It is, in other words, pretty handy.
Kickstarter users who viewed the gadget’s demo video had just one complaint: The clips that attached Touchfire to an iPad cover for storage outside of the case looked clunky.
With this feedback, Isaac was able to redesign the clips before starting the manufacturing process.
“Whenever you develop a new product, you usually have to do it in this cold and lonely design studio where you’re making your best guesses on what it should be,” Isaac says. “When we were developing TouchFire, we got user testing. You can usually only do that with a handful of people, whereas with Kickstarter, you now have thousands of people engaged in your product…It’s a whole different way of doing product development.”
A New Startup Route for Consumer Products
Pebbly Technology founder Eric Migicovsky has raised $10 million on Kickstarter to-date, a record for the platform.
Kickstarter gives hardware companies some advantages when they are developing new products. But it’s not a perfect system.
For one, companies can underestimate how much money they’ll need to actually manufacture a product. Even if a startup does the math correctly, it may set a goal lower than necessary in order to avoid missing it and gaining no funding at all.
Pebble Founder Eric Migicovsky said he set his $100,000 goal high enough to make about 1,000 watches. Isaac says that his $10,000 goal for producing TouchFire would not have been enough (though the $200,000 he ended up raising “has been just fine”).
Scott Wilson didn’t have a cash problem after raising $942,578 for two wrist straps called TikTok and LunaTik, which transform the iPod nano into a watch; nonetheless, he thinks it’s easy to underestimate costs. “People see the total [money] raised on Kickstarter and don’t always consider that amount against the significant investment that we made with TikTok+LunaTik in order to get more than 20,000 units into production, packaged and starting shipping to our Kickstarter backers in less than 2 months — a turnaround time that was incredibly fast and nearly unheard of for a consumer product.”
Kickstarter requires the creators of successful funding campaigns to refund any backer whose reward they cannot fulfill.
Even with these risks, however, the fundraising platform is creating new opportunities for hardware companies that extend beyond capital.
“I think we are at the start of a very interesting revolution in the way that consumer products are getting started up,” says Isaac. “This reminds me of what it was like with software in the early ’90s. You can now build things, real things, and do it with a small team.”
This story originally published on Mashable here.
Charlotte (Tennessee) Hardware Adds U-Haul Rentals
CHARLOTTE, Tenn., May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Jim and Norma Robertson, owners of Charlotte Hardware, located at 3601 Hwy. 48 N, recently added U‑Haul truck and trailer rentals to the hardware/home improvement business.
(Logo; http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090622/LA34860LOGO-b)
Click here to download the photo accompanying this press release.
Families needing the finest in moving services now will have increased convenience and a shorter distance to travel when moving, which not only will make their move easier but also will have the positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. U-Haul partnering with business owners across North America to increase convenience for customers while helping our environment is just one of the programs that support U-Haul Company’s Corporate Sustainability initiatives.
Charlotte Hardware can now offer its customers a variety of moving equipment and supplies designed specifically for moving household furnishings, including moving vans, open trailers, closed trailers, furniture pads, appliance dollies, furniture dollies, tow dollies and auto transports. Charlotte Hardware also will offer sales items to protect their customers’ belongings and make moving easier, such as heavy-duty boxes, which are made of up to 90 percent recycled content and are available in a variety of sizes.
“U-Haul is proud to be partnering with a quality independent business such as Charlotte Hardware,” exclaimed Greg Ruffing, president, U-Haul Company of Nashville. “Jim and Norma are a great example of the type of successful business relationship U‑Haul has established in order to build and maintain a strong network of more than 15,000 independent dealers across North America.”
Learn more about Tennessee: http://www.uhaul.com/SuperGraphics/257/Venture-Across-America-and-Canada-Modern/Tennessee!
For more information, or to rent your moving equipment today, call 615-378-0757. Business hours of operation are: Mon. – Fri. 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Sat. 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m..
About U-Haul
U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up during the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: “Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel-efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100% biodegradable. Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.
Since 1945, U-Haul has been the choice for the do-it-yourself mover. U-Haul customers’ patronage has enabled the Company to maintain the largest rental fleet in the do-it-yourself moving industry which includes trucks, trailers and towing devices. U-Haul also offers storage throughout North America. The Company provides industry leading moving and storage boxes and an extended line of packing supplies to protect customer possessions. U-Haul is the consumer’s number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket. The Company supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard grills as one of the nation’s largest retailers of propane.
Contact:
Joanne Fried
Kelie Hale
U-Haul Public Relations
(602) 263-6194
(602) 263-6772 fax
Sunbury (Ohio) Ace Hardware Adds U-Haul Rentals
SUNBURY, Ohio, May 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Mike Dwyer and Wendy Weiler, owners of Sunbury Ace Hardware, located at 300 W. Granville St., recently added U‑Haul truck and trailer rentals to the hardware/home improvement business they have been operating since June 2011.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090622/LA34860LOGO-b)
Click here to download the photo accompanying this press release.
Families needing the finest in moving services now will have increased convenience and a shorter distance to travel when moving, which not only will make their move easier but also will have the positive effect of reducing the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. U-Haul partnering with business owners across North America to increase convenience for customers while helping our environment is just one of the programs that support U-Haul Company’s Corporate Sustainability initiatives.
Sunbury Ace Hardware can now offer its customers a variety of moving equipment and supplies designed specifically for moving household furnishings, including moving vans, open trailers, closed trailers, furniture pads, appliance dollies, furniture dollies, tow dollies and auto transports. Sunbury Ace Hardware also will offer sales items to protect their customers’ belongings and make moving easier, such as heavy-duty boxes, which are made of up to 90 percent recycled content and are available in a variety of sizes.
“We added U-Haul as a service for the community,” Dwyer and Weiler said.
“U-Haul is proud to be partnering with a quality independent business such as Sunbury Ace Hardware,” exclaimed Dean Haske, president, U-Haul Company of Ohio. “Mike and Wendy are a great example of the type of successful business relationship U‑Haul has established in order to build and maintain a strong network of more than 15,000 independent dealers across North America.”
Learn more about Ohio: http://www.uhaul.com/SuperGraphics/67/Venture-Across-America-and-Canada-Modern/Ohio!
For more information, or to rent your moving equipment today, call 740-965-3001. Visit www.uwebconnect.com/sunburyacehardware. Business hours of operation are: Mon. – Sat. 7 a.m. – 8 p.m. and Sun. 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
About U-Haul
U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up during the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: “Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel-efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100% biodegradable. Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.
Since 1945, U-Haul has been the choice for the do-it-yourself mover. U-Haul customers’ patronage has enabled the Company to maintain the largest rental fleet in the do-it-yourself moving industry which includes trucks, trailers and towing devices. U-Haul also offers storage throughout North America. The Company provides industry leading moving and storage boxes and an extended line of packing supplies to protect customer possessions. U-Haul is the consumer’s number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket. The Company supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard grills as one of the nation’s largest retailers of propane.
Contact:
Joanne Fried
Kelie Hale
U-Haul Public Relations
(602) 263-6194
(602) 263-6772 fax
Network Hardware Resale Expands NetSure™ Maintenance Program to Include Four Hour Replacement Service
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Network Hardware Resale (NHR), the world’s leading provider of pre-owned and new networking solutions, is expanding its NetSure™ Maintenance Program, a complete and customizable network coverage solution and affordable alternative to Cisco SMARTnet®, with NetSure™ 4HR. This is a global four-hour hardware replacement service that enables businesses and organizations to effectively protect against network downtime.
NetSure™ 4HR guarantees customers in major cities throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia-Pacific immediate replacement of critical networking equipment within a four-hour window, averting the costly effects of network equipment failure. NetSure™ 4HR covers current generation networking equipment, as well as legacy networking products that are no longer supported by Cisco SMARTnet®.
“As the IT environment becomes increasingly complex, network maintenance providers will need to bring the tools and response times customers are looking for to solve business-critical networking issues,” said Rob Brothers, Program Director for IDC’s Software and Hardware Support Services research practice. “The service providers that rise to the top will have feature-rich product sets that are cost effective and flexible. These solutions will not always come from the vendor alone; companies like NHR are developing solutions that can help businesses with their global network issues.”
In line with all NetSure™ Maintenance Program offerings, NetSure™ 4HR features:
- 24×7 global technical support by Cisco-certified network technicians with more than 15 years of product and testing experience.
- Access to the NetSure™ Portal, a web-based contract management, equipment inventory, service desk and configuration management tool that allows customers to manage maintenance and support contracts from any vendor.
- The option to purchase 24x7x365 network monitoring, proactive provisioning and rapid incidence response services.
- The option to purchase NHR Professional Services, a full range of network consulting services available to all NHR customers and designed to help architect and configure any network for optimal performance.
Available since 2008, NetSure™ provides 24×7 global technical support and advanced hardware replacement. Customers can save more than 50% on recurring maintenance costs and delay costly upgrades by extending the life of their network. Offering comprehensive contract options and modular pricing structures, NetSure™ also includes these options:
- NetSure™ NBD: Provides 24×7 global technical support with guaranteed next-business-day advanced hardware replacement.
- NetSure™ Spare: Offers the fastest replacement possible by providing an onsite spare. A fully tested and configured spare unit is available onsite and includes standby support from the NetSure™ support team.
“As a global telecommunications provider, the reliable network connectivity and phone service that we provide is critical. When our network’s not working, customers are not getting phone calls,” said Jim Connolly, Manager of IP Network Services at Matrix Telecom, Inc. “NetSure™ has provided us with complete network coverage at a significantly lower cost when compared to service agreements direct from OEMs, helping us to maximize network performance and extend the life of our equipment.”
“For IT directors looking to cut costs and avoid rigid OEM contracts without sacrificing the quality, scope and responsiveness of their network coverage, NetSure™ 4HR emerges as a comprehensive solution resulting in less down-time and quicker response times than ever before,” said Mike Sheldon, president and CEO of Network Hardware Resale. “For more than four years, we have met customer needs through the NetSure™ Maintenance Program by providing an alternative and customizable approach to network maintenance at a savings of 50-90% over comparable coverage from traditional OEMs.”
For more information about Network Hardware Resale‘s NetSure™ Maintenance Program, please visit http://www.networkhardware.com/Maintenance or NHR’s booth (#2337) at Interop Las Vegas from May 8-10, 2012, at the Mandalay Bay Resort.
Additionally, Network Hardware Resale is a select provider for Interop’s InteropNet, a multi-vendor, converged network built in collaboration with hand selected, innovative vendors and volunteers. To learn more, visit the InteropNet Network Operations Center (NOC) for free, engineer-led tours.
About Network Hardware Resale
Network Hardware Resale is the world’s leading provider of pre-owned and new networking solutions. Based in Santa Barbara, Calif., the Company is an independent reseller of pre-owned Cisco, Brocade/Foundry, and Juniper networking equipment and is a Premier member of Dell’s PartnerDirect program. The Company is also the first global stocking reseller of Menara Networks’ optical IP/Ethernet transport solutions. Network Hardware Resale offers cost-effective network management, asset management, alternative maintenance and technical support services. Founded in 1986, Network Hardware Resale provides access to global personalized technical and sales support from its Santa Barbara, Dallas metro, New York City metro, Amsterdam, London and Singapore locations. Organizations worldwide purchase quality networking equipment from NHR, including Global 1000 companies, mid-sized enterprises, government entities, educational institutions, healthcare organizations and telecommunications service providers. For more information, visit www.networkhardware.com.
Navman Wireless Selects CalAmp as New OEM Hardware Partner
GLENVIEW, Ill., May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Fleet management technology provider Navman Wireless today announced a hardware supply agreement with CalAmp Corp. (CAMP), the leading designer and manufacturer of mobile resource management (MRM) solutions. Effective immediately, CalAmp will oversee the design and manufacturing of Navman Wireless’ GPS tracking and communications devices and thereby help ensure ongoing hardware innovation for fleet managers who use the company’s industry-leading OnlineAVL2 software/hardware platform to optimize operations.
The agreement follows three years of record Navman Wireless sales and profits, including a 20% install base increase in 2011 and a similar increase projected this year. That growth sparked a decision by Navman Wireless to support accelerating market demand by dedicating additional resources to continued enhancement of its OnlineAVL2 fleet and asset management application, while simultaneously strengthening its hardware capabilities by partnering with the industry leader in MRM hardware technology development.
The same growth pattern and decision to focus internal resources on software also inspired the company to divest its non-core OEM GPS module business to Telit Communications in late 2011. The completion of both transactions, including the sale of certain hardware-related assets and technologies to CalAmp, will allow Navman Wireless to concentrate 100% of its time, resources and energy on its SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) business.
Under the CalAmp agreement, Navman Wireless customers will see no changes in pricing, installation support, warranties, service procedures or product supply for its Qube fleet tracking devices or other hardware products. Orders will continue to be placed and supported through Navman Wireless.
Over the longer term, customers will benefit from hardware enhancements and new product development enabled by combining Navman Wireless’ New Zealand hardware/firmware team with CalAmp’s experienced R&D staff. The larger team is expected to help drive strong new hardware features and more product choices for Navman Wireless customers, based in part on CalAmp’s successful track record in designing and launching new devices for the MRM market.
“Bringing CalAmp on as our hardware partner will benefit fleet operators by optimizing both software and hardware development,” said TJ Chung, President and CEO of Navman Wireless. “We can now dedicate all of our resources to delivering next-generation fleet and asset management tools through our OnlineAVL2 platform, while CalAmp’s R&D team can apply their expertise to designing complementary next-generation hardware products. In this way, we will be able to sustain our reputation for delivering best-in-class fleet and asset management solutions and pave the way for producing an even more comprehensive hardware portfolio offering more choices to our customers.”
The majority of the firmware and hardware team in Navman Wireless’ New Zealand office will be transferring to CalAmp, which is opening a new R&D center in New Zealand to work on both Navman Wireless and other OEM products. Navman Wireless New Zealand will continue to employ 60+ sales, marketing, customer and technical support, and software R&D associates to serve customers in the region, remaining the largest employer in the New Zealand and Australia fleet and asset management market.
Navman Wireless is also continuing to expand its 300+ global workforce to enhance its OnlineAVL2 fleet tracking and asset management application. The company increased its staff by 25% in 2011 and is now aggressively recruiting for additional software and test engineers in both its New Zealand and California R&D centers.
“This transaction expands CalAmp’s served markets internationally and furthers our strategic growth initiatives,” said Michael Burdiek, President and CEO of CalAmp Corp. “The Auckland-based R&D team will augment our core domestic R&D activities, adding an experienced team of engineers who possess key domain expertise in MRM technology product development. Our expanded capacity to develop complementary products will not only extend our product offerings to our existing customer base, but also allow CalAmp to bring to market enhanced platform solutions for fleet management service providers.”
OnlineAVL2 helps corporate and construction fleet managers around the world monitor vehicle location in real time as well as reduce fuel, labor and vehicle operating costs. System maps and reports, delivered under the SaaS model, assist in fleet management by pinpointing problems such as idling, inaccurate timesheets, unauthorized stops and personal vehicle usage as well as improving dispatch efficiencies and optimizing maintenance schedules.
The OnlineAVL2 suite has one of the largest global footprints in the industry and has earned numerous honors for the company, including a 2011 Chicago Innovation Award (www.chicagoinnovationawards.com) and ranking on the Forbes America’s Most Promising Companies list (www.forbes.com/ampc).
About Navman Wireless
Navman Wireless is a global leader in GPS-based fleet optimization products and services, including real-time vehicle tracking and analytics delivered under the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model that enable companies to track, monitor and communicate with their movable and fixed equipment assets. The company’s technology currently monitors more than 150,000 vehicles owned by over 14,000 organizations worldwide, making Navman Wireless one of the world’s largest fleet management providers with coverage on five continents. Navman Wireless is based in Glenview, IL, with facilities in the U.S., Mexico, UK, Italy, Taiwan, Ireland, Singapore, China, New Zealand and Australia. For more information, visit www.navmanwireless.com.
About CalAmp
CalAmp develops and markets wireless communications solutions that deliver data, voice and video for critical networked communications and other applications. The Company’s two business segments are Wireless DataCom, which serves commercial, industrial and government customers, and Satellite, which focuses on the North American Direct Broadcast Satellite market. For more information, please visit www.calamp.com.
Village PRO Hardware Introduces PPG PITTSBURGH® Paints to Marblehead, Ohio Homeowners
PITTSBURGH, May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – PPG PITTSBURGH® Paints today announced it has teamed up with Village PRO Hardware store to provide exciting new paint and color options to homeowners in Marblehead, Ohio.
The store is now carrying PPG Pittsburgh Paints WALLHIDE® and SPEEDHIDE® interior paints, SUN PROOF® exterior paints and OLYMPIC® exterior stains, adding to the store’s current offering of tools as well as building, electrical and plumbing supplies. With the launch of the new partnership, Village PRO is offering customers a mail-in rebate incentive to kick-start their spring renovation projects. With purchases now through May 31, 2012, customers can save $4 per gallon on up to 10 gallons of paint.
“At Village PRO Hardware, we have a long-standing tradition of supplying our customers with high-quality products,” said John Starcher, owner and founder of Village PRO Hardware. “With the addition of PPG Pittsburgh Paints products to our lineup, we are excited to expand our customers’ color options with superior paints and coatings.”
For more than 12 years, Village PRO has modeled traditional “mom and pop” hardware stores providing the area’s do-it-yourselfers with tools and products for their home renovation projects. With the addition of PPG Pittsburgh Paints products, Starcher hopes to provide another component to help meet customers’ home needs.
“At PPG Pittsburgh Paints we look to partner with the best dealers in the nation, and Village PRO Hardware fits that description,” said Kathy Quirin, PPG Pittsburgh Paints Marketing Manager. “We’re thrilled to be a part of their great traditional value in the area and look forward to working with them to serve residential customers in the Marblehead area.”
In addition to providing PPG Pittsburgh Paints products, Village PRO will introduce local homeowners to The Voice of Color, PPG Pittsburgh Paints’ unique color platform developed on the premise that every color has an emotional association. The program provides elements that help homeowners visualize and choose colors. Hands-on tools offered through the program include large-sized color swatches measuring 8.5″ x 12″, unique decorating color chips and wet paint samples. For more information, visit www.voiceofcolor.com.
PPG Color Leadership
PPG employs more than 20 color stylists around the world, each specializing in different markets, who collaborate to determine styles and color trends for the home, electronics and automobiles. PPG’s unique position as a color leader in multiple markets allows it to observe and translate emerging global color trends for its customers’ applications – from consumer goods to automotive color, from residential to commercial to industrial design. Visit the new web site: www.ppgcolorshare.com to see how color impacts PPG’s businesses and our customers.
About The Voice of Color
The Voice of Color program is a design system based on the premise that every color has an emotional association and that individuals are drawn to different colors for reasons inherently tied to their unique personalities. The Voice of Color offers an engaging online experience to help homeowners discover a Harmony color family and palettes that reflect their personality and complement their style. Palettes are presented in signature five-color Harmony chips to coordinate colors for all the decor elements in their space. The Voice of Color also features exclusive color collections that offer style inspiration (e.g. Hacienda Style, Historic Colors, Fallingwater®-Inspired Colors), designer favorites and expert advice. For more information, or to order color tools and resources, visit www.voiceofcolor.com.
PPG: Bringing innovation to the surface.(TM)
PPG Industries’ vision is to continue to be the world’s leading coatings and specialty products company. Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways than does any other company. Founded in 1883, PPG has global headquarters in Pittsburgh and operates in more than 60 countries around the world. Sales in 2011 were $14.9 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.
Lilee Systems Earns Red Hat Hardware Certification
SANTA CLARA, CA–(Marketwire -05/07/12)- Lilee Systems, the leading provider of advanced communication systems designed exclusively for the railroad industry, today announced that it has achieved Red Hat Hardware Certification for the company’s WMS-2000 Wayside Messaging Server, making it the first Wayside Messaging Server with internal 3G, GPS, and IP KVM options to achieve Red Hat certification. Now, customers deploying WMS-2000 with embedded Red Hat Enterprise Linux are offered proven performance and reliability.
The WMS-2000 product family provides railroads with a flexible range of Wayside Messaging Server options, from standardized WMS solutions to full-featured platforms with options for internal 3G, GPS, IP-KVM switch, and IP routing capabilities. The Red Hat certification complements Lilee Systems‘ progressive technology with the Positive Train Control architecture being defined by Interoperable Train Control (ITC) committees. The WMS-2000 product family also supports Lilee Systems’ TransAir; a mobile-IP based 220 MHz Software Defined Radio system. In addition to being certified with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, the solution also incorporates Red Hat Enterprise MRG Messaging technologies to optimize throughput for its messaging workloads.
“Earning certification from a company such as Red Hat that built its success on providing interoperability of open source software and related systems is a significant tribute to the feature set we have built into our product family,” said Jia-ru Li, CEO, Lilee Systems. “We are continuing to collaborate closely with our customers on the evolution of the standards required by the rail industry as they implement Positive Train Control systems.”
Red Hat launched the Red Hat Hardware Certification program in 1999. Working with its hardware partners, Red Hat certified hardware solutions give customers the assurance that their hardware platforms have been tested and proven compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating systems. Red Hat has certified thousands of systems from hardware vendors worldwide. Utilizing Red Hat certified hardware gives customers the confidence that Red Hat and hardware manufacturers will support hardware deployed in a Red Hat Enterprise Linux environment.
The WMS-2000 series of Wayside Messaging Servers from Lilee Systems provide an interoperable communications gateway platform for Positive Train Control systems. The primary function of the WMS-2000 is to run the ITC Messaging System between local Wayside Interface Units (WIUs) and the communications network in an Interoperable Train Control architecture. It features an integrated IP router for managing seamless communications between 220 MHz WiFi, cellular, and other wired and wireless mediums. An internal 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet switch allows multiple WIUs to be interconnected at a wayside location, eliminating the need for an external switch.
Lilee Systems TransAir PTC Family
TransAir mobility products feature solutions to enable broadband communications from low mobility radios for subways to high mobility radios for high speed rail systems. As part of this product solution, the TransAir PTC family is designed based on an interoperable 220 MHz Software Defined Radio and Mobility Controller platform, enabling the wireless network transport to allow seamless roaming and persistent communication between the three primary office, wayside and locomotive networks.
About Lilee Systems
Founded by a team of leaders in the wireless industry and headquartered in California’s Silicon Valley, Lilee Systems is the leading communications vendor focused exclusively on delivering the most reliable products and solutions to the railroad industry. Lilee Systems’ founders have extensive backgrounds in routing and switching and are active participants in the standards body defining next generation networking and wireless architectures. Lilee Systems’ leaders have been voting members of both 802.11 WiFi and 802.16 WIMAX for many years and have extensive experience in software-defined radio (SDR) technology. By leveraging its core competencies in radio frequency (RF) systems and networking, Lilee Systems has developed the TransAir PTC-3000 product family of 220 MHZ radios, Wayside Messaging Server, Mobility Controllers, and communications management units to offer a complete end-to-end interoperable radio communications network. For more information, please visit http://www.lileesystems.com.
Lilee Systems, TransAir, and the Lilee Systems logo are trademarks of Lilee Systems. All other brands, products, or service names are or may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.