http://www.responsesource.com Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:13:19 +0100 admin@responsesource.com (Responsesource) support@dwpub.com Copyright2010 responsesource.com http://www.responsesource.com/images/rss/rss.gif http://www.responsesource.com Zend Framework Zend_Feed en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/G98NPeaAgLE/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58965 www.1sttouch.com) for its property and land survey employees; with a view to extending the technology to other field-based disciplines across the enterprise.

WDH, who became the largest single housing stock transfer organisation in 2005, has responsibility for over 31,000 homes lived in by over 100,000 people and are the fifth largest housing organisation in England. With a wide range of housing types from sheltered housing to high rise communities and a £720 million improvement scheme running until 2012, the survey function is a key element of the WDH success story.

The systems used by survey teams, in the field, are therefore central to the delivery of the high standards WDH demands. As an existing PDA solution used by the department was unable to integrate with WDH’s Housing Management system, it was decided to identify a new mobile solution which had proven integration links to the back-office and which was flexible enough to allow electronic forms to be created internally. This would not only improve the systems used in surveying operation but would also enable WDH to take the first step towards identifying a scalable, enterprise-wide solution that ultimately could be rolled out across multiple disciplines including: responsive repairs, maintenance and inspections. After an extensive review of the market and a rigorous evaluation process WDH chose 1st Touch.

1st Touch applications can bring significant efficiencies and productivity increases to any application where field based operatives provide services. 1st Touch has already won widespread acclaim in the social housing market where the software manages, supports and control all aspects of mobile operatives’ activities. The resilient but flexible system enables easy, programming-free, user-customisable PDA based solutions to be created through its easy to use graphical interface and is specifically designed to simplify handheld form design and data capture. Any type of electronic form can be generated without the need for Business Process Mapping. 1st Touch has also developed high quality integration with most of the leading housing management systems used by local authority housing organisations and ALMOs.

Louise Muirhead, Senior Business Analyst at WDH felt that these features were a major factor in the decision to choose 1st Touch, noting, “We needed to identify a new mobile solution for the surveying function first of all, as the existing PDA system we had used for this function was not able to integrate with our back-office system. In addition, we still had some forms and spreadsheets that were paper based and we needed all this information to be integrated, accessible and viewable in one single location. We chose 1st Touch to meet these requirements.

“Having seen the system in use at a reference site visit we were impressed by the easy to use mobile application builder with a graphical interface that allows the design, creation and modification of forms; without having to return to the supplier and pay more. There was also a proven integration with our existing Housing Management system.

"However, the most influential factor was when we ran 1st Touch on our real-time test environment. 1st Touch performed well and proved the integration throughout exhaustive testing. We were also impressed by the 1st Touch approach as their staff appeared highly motivated to work closely in partnership with us at our offices. With such a clear proof of concept in hand, coupled with a very effective working relationship, we decided to start implementing the system with our survey department. Ultimately though, we can see how 1st Touch can be easily rolled out across WDH to areas such as responsive repairs, maintenance and inspections. In all, we envisage that over 200 operatives might ultimately use it. This would help us achieve significant productivity gains and to improve efficiency right across the organisation.”

Colin Hare, Business Systems Manager at WDH, emphasised the WDH commitment to continuous improvement and customer service, adding, “Our record level of tenant satisfaction illustrates WDH’s commitment to providing high-quality services to tenants, to ensure everything we do is done professionally and that we go that extra mile to meet the needs of tenants.

In addition, WDH aims to exceed the standards of the ‘Decent Homes Initiative’ and, with other government directives to fulfil such as ‘Warmer Greener Homes”, we are always considering ways of improving all aspects of our operations. A key element of this is the use of technology and we are aware of the considerable benefits and efficiency savings that mobile technology can bring to both our surveying function and to WDH as a whole. We look forward to working closely with 1st Touch as we examine these benefits across disciplines.”

Robert Dent, CEO of 1st Touch welcomed these comments adding, “As one of the largest housing organisations in England, getting things right for tenants is all important. WDH has an excellent and proven track record in achieving this. However, in the current economic climate, maintaining high standards is going to be a challenge. By evaluating the considerable productivity benefits and efficiency savings that mobile technology can bring across the enterprise, WDH is demonstrating their commitment to investing in the future. It is the tenants of course who are rightly the ultimate beneficiary. “

Ends

About 1st Touch (www.1sttouch.com)

1st Touch, based in Southampton UK, has enabled dozens of field workforce-based organisations to embrace new mobile technologies and so achieve significant savings, greater productivity and more cost-effective use of resources.

1st Touch Mobile delivers clear and unique benefits:

- Reduced costs to organisations because airtime is minimised and the system is always available – with or without airtime.
- Flexibility through simple customer control over forms creation and amendment.
- Integration to multiple back office and other enterprise software applications, so that data is entered only once.
With its widely acclaimed mobile technology, 1st Touch has a clear focus on the Social Housing and Local Government markets. Many social housing providers and local authorities, at large, now benefit from the fast and tangible, best of breed benefits that 1st Touch mobile technology delivers to the enterprise.
To date, over 50% of the social housing market, which has deployed mobile technology, has chosen to implement 1st Touch. In local government, 1st Touch has already been adopted for a wide range of mobile workforce uses. Ready to use applications for local authority organisations include: Public Buildings, Highways/Street Services, Environmental/Waste Management, Revenues and Benefits, together with Planning Control and Trading Standards.
For further information, please contact:

Cherry Rance
1st Touch
07800 910420
0871 716 3060
cherry.rance@1sttouch.com

or

Leigh Richards
The RIGHT Image PR & Marketing Group
07758 372527
0844 561 7586
leigh.richards@therightimage.eu
- Leigh Richards 02-09-2010]]> Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:52:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58965 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/9ni5EBNci4k/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58956
Wick Hill/Panasonic release: September 2nd, 2010 - Panasonic has signalled a major expansion into the growing voice/data convergence market with the appointment of value added distributor Wick Hill in the UK and Germany. The distributor will spearhead business sales of Panasonic’s unified comms office solutions through the channel.

Stephen Gerrard, UK Country Marketing Manager, said: “Panasonic took the initiative earlier this year to merge its disparate systems and solutions business units into a single 'converged' business domain, now known as PSNE (Panasonic System Networks Europe). The new Panasonic company focuses on the development and provisioning of systems over IP infrastructures.

“Starting from a market leading position in both the business voice communications market and the video surveillance market , (as well as a significant presence in document imaging and printing), Panasonic is leveraging its global expertise in both audio and video applications to break new ground in applications integration and convergence over enterprise IP infrastructures. We believe that Wick Hill has the experience and commitment to help us grow the market in this area.”

This move also represents a significant further expansion into the convergence market for VAD Wick Hill, a leading IP infrastructure specialist which has successfully diversified into unified comms and whose portfolio now includes telecoms and converged solutions suppliers such as Samsung, Gamma Telecom and Oak, as well as security stalwarts such as WatchGuard and Check Point.

Ian Kilpatrick, chairman Wick Hill Group, commented: “We are delighted to be working with a market leader like Panasonic, which has such a depth of experience in the communications market and a well-developed, comprehensive range of unified comms solutions for business.

“This appointment is an important investment for us in our continued drive into convergence and our ongoing strategy to deliver solutions that voice and data resellers can sell and implement. Our channel partners will be able to provide solutions that offer end users immediate tactical benefits, as well as forming a key part of a future move into broader unified comms.”

Panasonic’s Office Communications Solutions
Wick Hill will provide Panasonic’s range of office communications products, but will focus on the Panasonic Network Communications Platform (KX-NCP), a range of business communications solutions primarily for SMEs. These allow companies to easily implement unified comms, providing innovative IP telephony features and functionality over both local office and broadband managed IP networks.

The KX-NCP range offers full business communications features, built-in advanced applications, and a choice of fixed, mobile and advanced touch screen IP terminals.
It makes it easy for staff to always stay in touch and improves team productivity by using applications integrated with the communications solution.

The range facilitates increased mobility and remote working and can improve responsiveness to customers through the use of integrated applications, which speed up and monitor customer service levels. It also provides the opportunity to reduce costs through converged communications for voice and data, using integrated SIP telephony services.

Growth of unified comms and convergence
Research company MZA reported1 that the total UC applications market in the UK was valued at GBP 178 million (end user level) for 2009 and would rise to GBP 402 million in 2014. MZA’s definition of unified comms was ‘Conferencing and Messaging.’ Included in this were web, video and audio conferencing, as well as voice mail, unified messaging and enterprise instant messaging.

These figures, however, would increase significantly, according to Stephen Gerrard, UK Country Marketing Manager for Panasonic, if you use the umbrella term ‘convergence’, of which unified comms is part. Gerrard reckons the figures could increase fourfold, to a potential market of around GBP 1.6 billion plus by 2014.

Everyone has a different definition of convergence, but Gerrard takes the term to include any aspect of corporate activity which requires a signal or message to be sent from point A to point B, so theoretically could be 'Converged' onto an IP infrastructure.

That means elements such as IP video security, access control, facilities management and building management services, (i.e. lighting, heating, air conditioning, fire alarms, smoke detection, etc.) over the corporate IP infrastructure. The definition would also extend to mobile phones, the car fleet, home workers, etc.

Gerrard said: “Convergence is going to happen on a major scale and unified comms is the first step on this road. Wick Hill and Panasonic are taking this first step together and aim to be at the forefront of the UK's migration to a converged applications future.”

About Wick Hill
Established in 1976, value added distributor Wick Hill specialises in secure IP infrastructure solutions. The company sources and delivers best-of-breed, easy-to-use solutions through its channel partners, with a portfolio that covers security, performance, access, networking, unified communications and hosted solutions.
Wick Hill is part of the Wick Hill Group, based in Woking, Surrey with sister offices in Hamburg. Wick Hill is particularly focused on providing a wide range of value added support for its channel partners. This includes a strong lead generation and conversion programme, technical and consultancy support for reseller partners in every stage of the sales process, and extensive training facilities.

About Panasonic
Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of electronic products for a wide range of consumer, business, and industrial needs. Based in Osaka, Japan, the company recorded consolidated net sales of 7.77 trillion yen (US$78.4 billion) for the year ended March 31, 2009. The company's shares are listed on the Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and New York (NYSE: PC) stock exchanges. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand, visit the company's website at http://panasonic.net/.

About Panasonic System Networks Europe (PSNE)
Panasonic System Networks Europe (PSNE), a division of Panasonic, is a leader in the provision of telecommunication, security and imaging products. The company’s comprehensive portfolio extends from CCTV and IP cameras, through to DECT telephones, document imaging and electronic point of sale (EPoS) solutions, industrial medical cameras (IMV) and home networking products. In addition to providing fully integrated system networks solutions, services range from consulting and system development right through to operation and maintenance.

ENDS

1.From MZA’s report “The UK UC Applications Market” published end of 2009. Web www.mzaconsultants.com

For further press information on Wick Hill, please contact Annabelle Brown on 01326 212130, email abpublicrelations@btinternet.com, web www.wickhill.com. For further press information on Panasonic, please contact Tom Gibson, press officer on 01344 853855, email tom.gibson@eu.panasonc.com, web www.panasonic.co.uk



- Annabelle Brown 02-09-2010]]> Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:01:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58956 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/1t99h2o3i64/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58903 business jet charter operator London Executive Aviation (LEA) is enjoying a taste of the rock star lifestyle this summer, thanks to the company’s Embraer Legacy 600 fleet.

“We’ve been flying some of the most famous musicians in the world this year,” says George Galanopoulos, managing director of LEA. “When you have a heavy international schedule of tour commitments, and literally hundreds of thousands of fans eager to see you perform across Europe, you need fast and reliable transport. The Embraer Legacy 600 is the perfect fit. It’s no surprise that our fleet is in such demand from tour managers.”

LEA operates five Legacy 600s, as part of the company’s total 23-aircraft fleet, ranging from the entry-level Cessna Citation Mustang to the transatlantic Dassault Falcon 900EX.

Galanopoulos says the 13-passenger capacity of the Legacy 600 is “the best cabin space for the money”. The Legacy also has a huge luggage hold, accessible inflight as well as on the ground.

“The Legacy 600’s range is good and the dispatch rate is excellent,” adds Galanopoulos, “which is another element tour managers and performers take very seriously indeed. You can’t afford to be sitting on the ramp at an airport somewhere when you should be singing to a stadium full of people.

“Whether you’re a top executive or a global music superstar, comfort and space are essential when you need to relax. This summer, we’ve flown legendary singers and guitarists all over Europe, to and from places like Paris, Rome, Stockholm and Berlin. They couldn’t possibly have performed at their best if they were making those journeys in the back of a van!”

A photo of an Embraer Legacy 600 in the LEA fleet can be found here.

Ends

For further information:
Barry Dunstall
80:20 Communications
Telephone: +44 207 664 6310
E-Mail: bdunstall@8020comms.com

Marc Cornelius
80:20 Communications
Telephone: +44 207 664 6310
E-Mail: mcornelius@8020comms.com


Notes to Editors:
London Executive Aviation is one of Europe’s largest executive aircraft charter operators. Under the company’s worldwide air operator’s certificate (AOC), award-winning LEA operates seven fleet types of business jet, ranging from the entry-level Citation Mustang to the transatlantic Falcon 900EX, covering a spectrum of business aviation needs. LEA operates seven bases around London. The company is owned by its management and has maintained a record of unbroken profitability since being founded in 1996. More information can be found by telephoning LEA on: +44 (0)1708 688420 or visiting: www.flylea.com. - Barry Dunstall 02-09-2010]]> Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:00:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58903 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/ENiyEDNdG_0/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58913 trucks and machinery has just reached a major sales milestone – 100,000 used equipment ads.

This latest breakthrough follows the news that Mascus had reached over 1, 2 million unique users per month and means that there’s now even more reason for buyers from all over Europe, the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia, the Far East and the Russian Federation to browse and compare ads for machinery on Mascus.

“Reaching 100,000 ads is extremely significant for Mascus,” comments Sales Director Rickard Petersson. “We’re obviously pleased but not that surprised. We’ve worked hard to strengthen our reputation as an international company selling in all countries by developing new services that make Mascus easier and quicker for our customers to sell their used equipment and to visitors to buy the used equipment and machinery they need.”

Such innovative new services include My Mascus, which allows private users registered on Mascus to, bookmark favourite machines and equipment, place “Want Ads” or get email alerts when items become available; Ad Index, that improved Mascus SEO; compare tool, that allowed adverts to be compared by different factors; Brand Pages, that helps buyers find the right used piece of equipment or transportation vehicle, searching by brand type and more..

Mascus now has a presence in 32 countries across five continents in 42 domains and in 35 languages, making it one of the largest and most influential global portals in the heavy equipment trade in the world. Products available will include tractors, trailers, forklifts, excavators, diggers and trucks for sale.

“The fact that customers around the world can search and respond to ads in their own language has been a major element in our international growth,” says Tomasz Odrobinski, Mascus Internationalization Director. “Dealers have been quick to recognise the international opportunities, allowing them to reach new markets in their own language.”

“We’ve managed to sustain stable growth in all our territories, despite the recession,” adds Mascus Managing Director, Fredrik Larsson. “Our belief is that by continually focusing on what end users and customers want, we’ll continue to grow and deliver great value to both advertisers and buyers around the world looking for used equipment.”


ENDS



Contacts:
Fredrik Larsson, Mascus Managing Director, +358 50 314 2511, fredrik.larsson@mascus.com
Rickard Petersson, Sales Director, + 46 70 660 2780, rickard.petersson@mascus.com
Tomasz Odrobinski, Internationalization Director, + 358 40 750 4922, tomasz.odrobinski@mascus.com

About Mascus:

Mascus - Is an electronic marketplace for used farm machinery, forestry, and groundscare equipment and transportation vehicles. Product ranges include tractors for sale, trailers for sale, used trucks for sale, diggers, box trailers, mini diggers and excavators. Mascus makes trading in used machinery and equipment quicker and more efficient by collecting in one place information about the supply and the demand. All dealers, producers, and end users are welcome to offer their used machines and equipment for sale via the marketplace.
Mascus is a trading company of Alma Media Corporation.

Mascus is a trading company of Alma Media Corporation.

Notes for Editors:
Press materials and pictures:
English www.mascus.com/press

General Press Inquiry: media@mascus.com


For more information:

Polina Brachkov, Mascus Communication Manager,+ 358 50 381 49 45, polina.brachkov@mascus.com



- Lisa 01-09-2010]]> Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:00:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58913 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/cXWfym7vNhE/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58873 BarriersDirect.com have seen a massive 100% increase in Parking Post sales on their web site over the last two months!

Parking spaces are definitely a sought after commodity so once you have it you protect it.

The south of England has seen the greatest increase, with Essex in particular buy posts with gusto. Parking posts start at £61.09 inc vat FREE DELIVERY to England & Wales

Janine Carhart Managing Director of BarriersDirect said. August is usually a quiet month, but this year sales of Posts have increase massively… the negative publicity given to wheel clampers has sent everyone out to protect their own spaces. We have had to order in larger supplies to meet demand in September.

No one likes to see someone else in his or her parking space, but a simple lockable post is a great deterrent. Strategically placed in a driveway or private parking spot, the Parking Post stops drivers leaving their cars wherever they choose.

For additional information contact Janine Carhart direct on 07798673883 or at Janine@barriersersdirect.co.uk

Barriers Direct supply trade and direct to the public on line. All barriers and bollards are low in price, but high in protection. Trading since 1997 2010 has shown an increase in overall sales of up to 37%. - Janine Carhart 30-08-2010]]> Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:45:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58873 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/PsUO7C3dysQ/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58852
Wet cell, Calcium and Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) are all various versions of the lead-acid battery that have different advantages, disadvantages and of course Battery Protection and maintenance requirements.

The wet cell, or flooded battery as its also known, still dominates a large proportion of the car battery market. Despite the first wet cells typically being fragile glass containers with lead rods hanging from an open top, developments in manufacturing, and of course safety, techniques have seen the wet cell progress in to an affordable, reliable and, if recharged and maintained correctly, long lasting vehicle battery.

Calcium batteries also take up a large proportion of the battery market and have the same generic make-up of wet cell batteries except both the positive and negative plates are replaced by calcium alloy. By doing this, the fluid loss is about 80% lower than that of a normal wet cell battery and the self discharge rate is also considerably lower which, in turn, provides huge advantages to those storing the units.

The lead-calcium grid within the battery is strong, more resistant to corrosion as well as overcharging, gassing, and water usage, all of which shorten battery life in conventional lead-acid batteries. The disadvantage however, is that they are more demanding when charging if they have been over-discharged and can benefit from a controlled high voltage / low current charge as part of the recharging process.

Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) are the latest step in the evolution of lead-acid batteries. Instead of using water or a gel, an AGM uses a fibreglass separator to hold the electrolyte in place. The physical bond between the separator fibres, the lead plates and the container make AGMs spill-proof and reduces their self discharge rate to 1-3% per month, which considering a wet cell can discharge at a rate of 1% a day, is of particular use to retailers and workshops storing the batteries.

AGM batteries are a variant of Valve Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries. In VRLA batteries the hydrogen and oxygen produced in the cells largely recombine back into water. This ensures that there is minimal fluid loss from the battery, although some electrolytes still escape if the recombination cannot keep up with the production of gas. VRLA batteries are also known as ‘maintenance free’ batteries which is not exactly true as they do lose charge and therefore, do need charging.

They also typically cost twice as much as a premium wet cell but, in return, store extremely well and don’t sulfphate or degrade as easily. Additionally, from a safety aspect, they are the safest available as the chance of hydrogen leakage and corrosion is minimal but, as a result, charging has to be controlled carefully or they can be quickly ruined – although this is not a problem if a Smart Battery Charger is used as it will automatically switch off when the process is complete.

All of these batteries possess different technologies that are going to suit the differing needs of the vehicle and indeed, the workshops storing them. However, they all have one thing in common in that they need to be carefully maintained to ensure once in use, they provide the energy needed. None of them are free from self-discharge and all will therefore require a charge at one point or another and for a car, a CTEK 12V battery charger provides the perfect solution. From the point of view of a garage or workshop, there’s nothing more damaging to a reputation than fitting a new component that quickly breaks or, even worse, doesn’t work in the first place, so ensuring the batteries are stored and maintained correctly is essential.
- Pete Goold 27-08-2010]]> Fri, 27 Aug 2010 13:28:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58852 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/CB-zdV6EwsQ/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58854
Further rises in world oil, as announced last week, will push up the price of fuel by around four pence per litre on the busiest weekend of the year putting even more strain on cash-strapped drivers.

According to a poll by insurance provider esure, around 30 million people are expected to take a car journey of more than one hour, and one in five to embark on a journey taking over four hours this weekend. Major events such as the Leeds and Reading music festivals, and Creamfields, are also expected to exacerbate Bank Holiday traffic in those areas.

With major repair work also scheduled on rail services in and out of London which is expected to hit one in 14 journeys, UK travellers will be reliant on the road system for movement around the country.

There are some simple steps which drivers can take to significantly reduce their fuel consumption and take some of the stress out of the Bank Holiday traffic jams.

“Simply take your time and slow down a little,” said Colin Peters, Head of Marketing at The Fuelcard Company. “Encountering high volumes of traffic and congestion can put the driver under pressure, resulting in defensive driving techniques which can not only be dangerous but actually increase fuel consumption by as much as 40 percent. Constantly breaking too hard, speeding up to overtake at every opportunity and driving in a fast pace means you’re using up more fuel than is necessary.”

Nearly 50 percent of the energy needed to power a car goes into acceleration so maintaining a steady speed will increase fuel efficiency.

“When you’re constantly stopping and starting in traffic jams a lot of fuel goes into braking and acceleration. Adopting a slower pace when driving in heavy traffic and changing gears smoothly will not only conserve fuel but keep you feeling calm as well.”
With the unexpected increase in the cost of crude oil The Fuelcard Company are reiterating their call to Government to lower tax for commercial transportation companies still struggling to recover from the recession.

Here are The Fuelcard Company’s top five tips for Bank Holiday drivers to make that precious petrol (or diesel) go further:

1. Check Tyre Pressure
By inflating tyres to the maximum recommended air pressure, that less energy is required to move the vehicle. Under-inflated tyres can increase rolling resistance by approximately 1.4 percent for every 1 psi (0.1 bar) drop in pressure of all four tires.

2. Switch Off
In the UK it’s actually illegal to idle when waiting for someone at the side of the road and engines should always be switched off if planning to be stationary for a lengthy period of time. Some new car models are being developed with an automatic engine cut off, and manufacturers have identified a reduction in fuel consumption by up to 10 percent.

3. Reduce the Revs
Driving in heavy traffic requires a lot of stopping and starting using low gears which requires the most power and thus uses the most fuel. Where possible, drive in a higher gear – but don’t speed to achieve this. Try not to ‘rev’ the engine before changing gears as this will mean more fuel is used. Simply move through the gears smoothly until in a comfortable gear for the road.

5. Regular Services
Dirty oil, clogged sparkplugs and faulty thermostats can increase fuel consumption, so ensure your car is serviced regularly. Regular services make sure your spark plugs (if applicable), air filter and fuel filter are clean. These can save you a lot on fuel.

5. Close the Windows
By driving with the windows or sunroof open, you're ruining the vehicle’s aerodynamics, meaning the engine has to work harder to push the car through the air.

- Ends -

For further information, contact Chloe Ingham or Emma Campbell Acceleris Marketing Communications on 0845 4567251 or EmmaC@acceleris-mc.com / Chloei@acceleris-mc.com

- Emma Campbell 27-08-2010]]> Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:42:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58854 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/WRNZrLvIWHg/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58848 jo.trigg@theconsortium.co.uk

Address: The Consortium, Hammond Way, Trowbridge Wiltshire BA148RR
Internet: www.theconsortium.co.uk

The Consortium will be amongst prestigious company at this year’s European Supply Chain Excellence Awards including Unilever, Proctor & Gamble, Virgin Media and Marks & Spencer.

Mark W Barnett, Chief Operations Officer describes The Consortium as having innovation at its core “Innovation is delivered by our people – not only by investment in I.T solutions or expensive consultancy. By continuing to optimize our supply chain solutions and delivering the exceptional service we are known for, we continue to lead the way in our markets”

That conviction has guided him and his team at The Consortium as they embarked on an ambitious and complex process of change in 2009 to further develop and enhance the company’s supply chain solutions, in order to support the future growth of the business.

Barnett describes the initiative as “incorporating lean and agile principles in our logistics model” This evolved in late 2009 with the launch of a 3 year supply chain initiative called “Going for Gold” which was designed to “work in partnership with our supply base, raising the bar of customer service and supply chain excellence using innovative thinking and process management.”

Three main innovations exist at the core of this initiative:
1. Moving from separate purchasing and product marketing teams to consolidated category management teams
2. Application of lean and agile approaches to supply chain solutions to both internal and external business operations
3. Launching “Going for Gold” – a 3 year operational plan designed to step change customer service through effective collaboration with suppliers and innovative supply chain design

1. Category management
“A lot of planning and rigour went into restructuring into one unified category team.” Barnett explains “The purpose of this structure is to seed a truly entrepreneurial approach to the future development of categories, with the consumer genuinely at its heart”

2. “Supply Chain solutions can be found by adopting a lean and agile approach”
At the outset, a radical decision was made to approach the design of the process by considering what could be taken out in order to deliver more. In doing this, a critical element has been to apply leaner approaches to warehouse design, flow and clever use of storage facilities. With space at a premium a new supply channel was created called P2O (Purchase 2 Order).

Barnett explains “we can continue to offer a next day delivery service to our customers, but without cash being tied up in stock holding. This allows greater agility in coping with rapidly changing ranges”

3. Launching “Going for Gold”
The goal was to find an innovative and engaging way to develop, design and communicate the plan which would motivate both staff and supply base to help step-change the business. Barnett explains that a similar approach to engage with both audiences was developed through a Mind Map approach which allowed the vision and goals to be visually communicated easily.

Ultimately the diligence applied has paid off through each of these stages. By rethinking every part of the process, The Consortium team created a better, smarter supply chain process that sets a new reference point in its class for performance, agility and cost-effectiveness.

With these significant changes, The Consortium continues to push the limits and is already seeing the benefits. “It’s still early days” says Barnett “But since the launch in February, we are very encouraged by early results, despite operating in a tough market context”

The awards take place on the 18th November at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London’s Mayfair. Last year’s winner was GlaxoSmithKline.

About The Consortium for Purchasing and Distribution

The Consortium is the UK’s largest independent supplier to the Education and Care resources market, with £43m turnover in fiscal 2009 and more than 25,000 customers. More than 40 years of experience in these sectors, together with an unwavering commitment to delivering excellence in supply quality, service and social responsibility has established The Consortium as a respected driving force within these markets. In 2010, The Consortium added two further awards and accolades to its armory of excellence by winning Supplier of the Year at the Education Resource Awards, which is judged by an independent panel of experts within education, followed by an accreditation in being named as a Best Company ‘one to watch’


-end-
- Tracey Dawson 27-08-2010]]> Fri, 27 Aug 2010 10:33:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58848 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/BDGR2QX1dYE/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58832 Crown Oil UK for the supply of totally carbon offset diesel.

Mather and Stuart provide power hire services to any branch of construction, industry or commerce where mains supplies are not available as well as areas like education, leisure and retail. “New mains are often not installed in time or there are cases of cables being severed or stolen, and that is when we step in, explained director Mark Stuart. “With a hire fleet of over 800 generator sets, we believe that this is a big win for the environment and one that distinguishes us from other hire companies.”

Crown Oil UK carbon offset diesel is a standard commercial product for which they have bought high quality carbon offsets. The offsets support energy conservation projects throughout the world. These may involve the planting of trees to create carbon sinks or other programmes to actively reduce carbon emissions. This means that the carbon released by the burning of the diesel is effectively cancelled out. “Offset diesel is available for use in any on-site plant. This may include pumps, site vehicles, excavators, cranes, piling rings and any other site based plant which qualifies for red diesel,” explained Mark Andrews, group general manager at Crown Oil UK.

Bio-diesel was considered as an alternative to the use of carbon offset diesel but was rejected for technical and ethical reasons. “Generators are often a distress hire and the last thing the customer needs is further technical glitches. Obtaining fuel from what is essentially a food resource also has ethical implications that make us uncomfortable, we are confident that the product and service that we receive from Crown Oil UK will ensure that we can maintain high performance standards that our customers expect,” Mark Stuart explained.


More Information
Mark Andrews, Group General Manager, Crown Oil UK
Tel. +44 (0)845 130 9777 Fax. +44 (0)845 130 9888
E-mail: mark@crownoil.co.uk Web: www.crownoiluk.com

Crown Oil UK, The Oil Centre, Bury New Road, Heap Bridge, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 7HY

High resolution images are on the web at www.ainsmag.co.uk/cr247/4822cr1a-carbon-offset.htm
- Adrian Maguire 26-08-2010]]> Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:35:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58832 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/7uLM1fR4eRw/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58826 Alterian (LSE: ALN), the leader in customer engagement technology and solutions, today announced that Erna Low, the experts to the Alps since 1932, offering ski holidays and accommodation in Europe and North America, has selected its email marketing platform – Dynamic Messenger to advance their email marketing campaign and improve Open & Click rates.

As the original self-drive ski specialist, Erna Low relies on an efficient email marketing programme in order to inform customers about holiday information such as the latest special offers, new properties and resorts, resort features and the latest snow conditions. Erna Low has teamed up with SPIKE Marketing, who help travel companies increase the revenue they generate through digital channels – particularly by the innovative use of e-CRM.

Spike Marketing will be using Alterian’s Dynamic Messenger to develop ROI focused e-programmes for Erna Low that also improves the customer experience. Alterian's Dynamic Messenger enables organisations to create and deliver highly targeted messages with personalised content that enhances the user experience and customer loyalty.

Erna Low are currently using Spike Marketing and Dynamic Messenger for their present ‘early booking’ campaign and so far have seen a significant increase in bookings. Using Dynamic Messenger to individualise outgoing content and edit unwanted and unnecessary data, resulted in an increased delivery rate and a dramatic reduction in bounced emails. The campaign also achieved an Open & Click rate of 55% and 65% respectively, which are double the previous rates.

David Eldridge, CEO, Alterian notes, “Nowadays customers are only interested in hearing from organisations if they can provide content that is relevant to them. As such, there is a need for strong, targeted campaigns that engage the customer and not just provide mass generic information; something organisations cannot do if they don’t have relevant and up to date data. We are pleased to provide Erna Low with an email marketing platform that will not only allow them to truly engage with their customers but allow them to achieve and measure their marketing ROI.

Jane Bolton, Managing Director at Erna Low agrees “We are delighted to have partnered with Alterian and Spike Marketing to offer clients information about our services and holiday offers in a way that is relevant and personalised to them.”

For more information on Alterian Dynamic Messenger, please visit: http://email.alterian.com/

About Alterian
Alterian (LSE: ALN) enables organizations to create relevant, effective and engaging experiences with their customers and prospects through social, digital, and traditional marketing channels. Alterian’s Customer Engagement solutions are focused in four main areas: Social Media, Web Content Management, Email, and Campaign Management & Analytics.

Alterian technology is utilized either to address a specific marketing challenge or as part of an integrated marketing platform, with analytics and customer engagement with the individual at the heart of everything. Working alongside a rich ecosystem of partners, Alterian delivers its software as a service or on premise. For more information about Alterian visit www.alterian.com or the Alterian blog at www.engagingtimes.com.

Elijah Lawal
Bite Communications
+44 (0)20 8735 9718
Elijah.lawal@bitecommunications.com

Vicky Ryce
Alterian
Vicky.Ryce@alterian.com
- Vicky Ryce 26-08-2010]]> Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:43:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58826 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/etqiXuRWFj4/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58820
The second part of the research, which has only recently been carried out (July and August 2010), looks at the issues in order to help direct marketers to identify opportunities and anticipate areas of challenge created by environmental concerns.

The research presentation will show the level of commitment consumers have to the environment and what consumers consider to be most harmful. A panel of industry experts, chaired by Radio 4 “You & Yours” presenter Liz Barclay, will then discuss what it takes to make a brand appear green and how consumers respond to different mail packs.

The event is free of charge to DMA members and £25 +VAT for non members. Places are limited. To register please visit
http://www.dma.org.uk/training/evt-evitem.asp?id=5856&t=Sust...


Note for editors

• For more information on ONEPOST please visit www.ONEPOST.co.uk. For media enquiries please contact Tina Stanley, TSA PR Tel 01491 410250 or email tina@tinastanleyassoc.com

- Tina Stanley 25-08-2010]]> Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:56:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58820 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/dB25VXnp3f8/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58818 Battery Charging and careful maintenance in motor homes is of utmost importance in ensuring trouble free journeys according to CTEK, a leading global brand in the care and maintenance of vehicle batteries.

The multiple appliances incorporated into motor homes that rely on electrical support from the leisure battery is forever expanding, which with extensive usage over the course of a holiday or short break can often lead to battery power being drained in a relatively short space of time. As such, the use of appropriate Battery Chargers is imperative in ensuring that the leisure battery is kept in optimum condition.

Frequent periods of inactivity can also have adverse effects on motor home batteries, as the cells can become discharged due to their own internal resistance. The use of a smart charger, such as the CTEK XS 7000, will ensure that the battery is always charged to an optimum level, without overcharging, guaranteeing that none of the batteries overall life is sacrificed.

It is of equal importance to ensure that the vehicle’s engine battery is maintained too, as long periods of inactivity over the winter months could easily lead to the battery self discharging and therefore, failure.

Mikael Moberg, Sales Director Europe at CTEK, commented: “Effective Battery Maintenance is of great importance and we would advise all motor home owners to do all that they can to ensure that both their vehicle engine and leisure batteries are in top condition prior to a holiday, as well as checking them before every planned journey to ensure that extended periods of inactivity have not had a draining effect on their charge.”

Alternatively, CTEK has also launched the D250S, a new onboard charger that is powered from the alternator and, will not only charge leisure batteries, but also condition and extend their life whilst on the move.

Recognising when the alternator is powered, the D250S switches itself on, reads the condition of the leisure battery and begins its charging cycle. The unit switches itself off once the engine is stopped and the alternator shuts down. Operating in this way the D250S is completely separated from the starter battery whose performance and operation is unaffected.

For more information please visit www.ctek.com

- Pete Goold 25-08-2010]]> Wed, 25 Aug 2010 16:54:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58818 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/t-43Y1MBsyI/rel_display.php http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58786
New military-grade technical fabric meets the heat of modern lifestyles; new personal care accessory is a ‘must’ for green image-conscious consumers

A new small and totally discrete underarm clothing tag which uses nano technology to capture, store and eliminate the molecules responsible for body odour (BO) has been launched as the ultimate antidote to today’s hectic lifestyles which see millions unsatisfied with the use of deodorants alone. The breakthrough invention will come as a huge relief to those who work long hours or are ‘on the go’ until late in the day, particularly at this time of year. If you don’t like the thought of always painting or spraying on chemicals that are absorbed into your armpits then Odegon Tags are ideal for you. Designed and produced by technical fabric innovators, Odegon (for “odour, gone”) Technologies, the antisocial odour resulting from human sweat is eliminated via a teabag-sized fabric patch housing a piece of activated nano porous special material. The soft, chemical-free, odourless, inert, non-allergenic and environmentally-friendly tags are ironed on easily at home and remain permanently in place for the life of the garment where they perform regardless of the number of washes or dry cleans. Once applied you don’t even know they are there as they just seem to merge into the garment.
The tags are on sale via the Odegon website (www.odegon.com)

“Odegon Tags were discovered whilst formulating new materials for special filters to protect military personnel from lethal nerve gases and agents,” explains Odegon Technologies’ Tom Rawlings. “We were right to assume that if the material met the most demanding tests ever devised against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) suit requirements, it would be able to tackle BO. We understand that deodorant products may not be keeping up with today’s active lifestyles and that there is consumer reluctance to throw more chemicals at the problem. We anticipate consumers will apply Odegon Tags to a core set of garments within their summer and winter wardrobes these are the clothes, that people find tend to smell even after washing. Business people can equip a week of shirts or blouses for the lifetime of the clothes, for under £20.”

- ends –

About Odegon Technologies

Odegon Technologies was founded in 2010 by Steve and Tom Rawlings. Chairman Steve Rawlings spent over 35 years running companies involved in the development of technical protective fabrics for the defence, North Sea diving, aerospace and automotive industries. Tom Rawlings, Managing Director, worked until recently as a corporate banker in the City of London and launched Odegon Technologies upon realising the enormous business potential of Odegon tags. Odegon Technologies is based in Shropshire, UK and is developing further products. www.odegon.com

For press enquiries and to request a pack of Odegon Tags to support editorial content, please contact:

Claire Dumbreck, Propel Technology, Bloxham Mill, Barford Road, Bloxham, Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK, OX15 4FF. +44 (0)1295 724130 / +44 (0) 7768 773857 claire@propel-technology.com

Alternatively:

Rob Holmquist Odegon Technologies Ltd Station House Coalport Shropshire TF8 7JF
+44 (0)1952 883087 info@odegon.com
- Steve Rawlings 25-08-2010]]> Wed, 25 Aug 2010 10:00:00 +0100 http://www.responsesource.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58786 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/HDu45q57QtE/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58757 23rd August 2010

Colortrac Limited, an important innovator in the field of wide format scanning technology, has further extended its commitment to profitable business expansion with the appointment of Mark Stockwell to its Channel Sales Support team. He joins the British large format scanner manufacturer as their new Product Specialist with priority on our international channel customers.

See: www.colortrac.com

"I am delighted to announce that Mark Stockwell has accepted this appointment and re-joined us" said Peter de Winter-Brown, Colortrac's Sales and Marketing Director.

"Mark’s addition to Colortrac's sales support team gives us the professional experience and talent we need to support our expanding channel partnerships. Mark will provide technical and application support to ensure our customers gain the best advantages of our SmartLF wide format scanner solutions and create a successful business growth."

After gaining his BSc degree at Oxford, Mark worked as a Scientist at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment at Harwell. During his 8 years there, he co-wrote 15 Scientific Papers on Instrumentation related subjects. He later moved to Versatec and subsequently Xerox Engineering Systems and from there to Xerox Printing Systems Group, where he was responsible for Pre / Post Sales and Technical support within the EMEA regions. For a period of two years, Mark also worked for Colortrac where he was an application consultant, but left due to a family relocation to Berkshire. Mark was soon recruited by Gerber Scientific (Connecticut) a manufacturer and distributor of ink jet printing technology as Technical Product & Support Manager where he created a support team covering the EMEA region.

Mark will be based from Colortrac's Brunel Court head office in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, a region of British excellence in science and technology.

END

Download images:
• Mark Stockwell - lo res: http://www.colortrac.com/press_releases/images/mark_stockwel...
• Mark Stockwell - hi res: http://www.colortrac.com/press_releases/images/mark_stockwel...

For further information contact:

Rob van Brakel,
Marketing Manager,
Colortrac Limited.
Tel: +44 (0)1480 464618
Email: press@colortrac.com
Web: www.colortrac.com

About Colortrac ...

Founded in 1989 and based in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK, a region of British excellence in science and technology, Colortrac Ltd is the leading innovator in professional wide format scanners and image acquisition software solutions.

As the first manufacturer to recognize the individual merits of Charge Coupled Display (CCD) and Contact Image Sensor technology (CIS), its fifth generation of SmartLF wide format scanners and software are uniquely positioned to meet the demand for both price and performance across the full spectrum of large format scanning applications. These range from the demanding Graphics Arts market to practical, productive CAD, GIS, EDM and FM technical document scanning.

Colortrac is a fast growing company with many new technically innovative patents created by their Research and Development departments. It was the first wide format scanner manufacturer to use both CCD and CIS technologies in innovative ways, creating unique customer solutions to simplify their scanning problems. Colortrac Limited has offices in Beijing and Suzhou, P.R. China, in Chantilly, Virginia, USA and in Yokohama, Japan

Further information about Colortrac’s products can be found at: www.colortrac.com
- Colortrac Ltd. 23-08-2010]]> Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:33:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58757 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ReleaseWireTransportAndLogistics/~3/cgScim0Ag-A/rel_display.php http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58733 www.onepost.co.uk and joined Twitter.

The new site provides useful industry information and links, valuable advice on saving postal costs and has a new library section to download white papers.

The white papers are free to people who register and cover subjects including the universal service obligation, VAT in postal services and recycling messages for direct mail.

At the same time ONEPOST has also joined Twitter @ONEPOST_UK

Luan Wise at ONEPOST said: "Since being established in 2005 we have saved clients in excess of £5million and now mail more than 30 million items per month. We have a wealth of experience and practical knowledge and have been looking at ways to share this along with some of the learning and research work that we have been engaged in. The new website, our library of information and Twitter will give our customers all the up-to-data information on new products and most importantly help them to make postage savings".

In 2009 ONEPOST featured in the Sunday Times Virgin Fast Track 100, league of fastest growing companies. They now employ over 50 people.

Note for editors

• For more information on ONEPOST please visit www.ONEPOST.co.uk. For media enquiries please contact Tina Stanley, TSA PR Tel 01491 410250 or email tina@tinastanleyassoc.com

- Tina Stanley 23-08-2010]]> Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:22:00 +0100 http://www.sourcewire.com/releases/rel_display.php?relid=58733