INTERNATIONAL PHARMA POWER - A REVOLUTION IN PHARMACEUTICAL BY EXHIBITION EXCHANGE

THE WORLDS BIGGEST EVER, ONLINE B2B EXHIBITION WHICH WILL BE INTERNATIONAL FOR PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES OF THE WORLD WILL FIND THEIR COMMON PLATFORM WITH WWW.MADE-FROM-INDIA.COM.

PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES ROUND THE WORLD SHOULD NOT MISS THIS EXHIBITION AS IT WILL HAVE HIGHEST NUMBER OF VISITORS FROM ENTIRE WORLD.

THIS EXHIBITION HAS ALREADY CAUGHT THE FANCY AMONGST AND BIG PLAYERS OF PHARMACEUTICAL BESIDE SME'S .

THIS WILL HAVE FOLLOWING TYPES OF EXHIBITORS :
A) DRUG MANUFACTURERS
B) PHARMACEUTICAL MACHINERY MANUFACTURERS
C) PATHOLOGY LEADERS
D) BIO MOLECULAR AND GENERIC LEADERS
E) WORLD RENOWNED EXPERTS AND CONSULTANTS

THIS EXHIBITION WILL BE FROM 11TH MARCH TO 18TH MARCH 2009.VENUE WILL BE WWW.MADE-FROM-INDIA.COM , A B2B PORTAL FOR PHARMACEUTICAL BUSINESS AND EXHIBITIONS.

MANUFACTURERS, EXPORTERS, IMPORTERS, TRADERS, CONSULTANTS WILLING TO ATTEND THIS EXHIBITION AS EXHIBITOR MAY CONTACT AT exhibition@made-from-india.com AND info@made-from-india.com.

FIRST CUM FIRST BASIS WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR ACCEPTING THE EXHIBITORS .TOTAL STRENGTH OF EXHIBITORS IN PHARMACEUTICAL WILL BE SOMEWHERE AROUND 800 AND MORE.

THIS IS THE BEST OPPORTUNITY TO BEAT RECESSION AS THIS FIRST AND BIGGEST EVER ONLINE B2B TRADE SHOW AND EXHIBITION IS GOING TO NOT ONLY CREATE HISTORY BUT ALSO CREATE DEMAND OF PRODUCT OF EXHIBITORS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WITH INSTANT BRANDING AT NEGLIGIBLE COST OF $500 FOR THE SAID PERIOD .

IN THIS EXHIBITION , EXHIBITORS WILL BE ABLE TO EXHIBIT THEIR PRODUCT ALONGWITH THEIR DETAILS AND VIDEO AS WELL AS GETTING HIGH NUMBER OF LEADS FROM THE EXHIBITION AND MAXIMUM ROI WITH NEGLIGIBLE COST OF EXHIBITING TO THE WORLD WITHOUT INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARY.

Every other day there are conferences , seminars, workshops and round the table conferences amongst the corporate world so to beat recession . But , has any body found any way out from recession in market .

If the answer is no , then gone are the days , now one can beat the recession at ease with Exhibition. In the market when demand is not there , then the demand has to be created since every good thing is meant for sold and buyers are there but they don't buy by the time a need is not created in their mind. In the same manner , the recession has only one solution that is exhibition where b2b world gathers and shows the best product and demand and supply gets instantly created.

Further, to combat the costing , the online b2b exhibition is an option to be cherished for in order to beat the slackness and recession in the global market.

Online B2b exhibition is not only an alternative but is more effective and advantageous than offline exhibition in order to beat recession. Really , want to know how , then please read it very carefully:

a) No international Boundary – Online exhibition has deepest reach and penetration since any person at any point of time and from any part of the world can see the exhibitors products and services . No international boundary exist for the visitors who want to go for online exhibition, whereas, offline exhibition always have a barrier of international boundary. Since, entire world is for business and b2b portals just make it happen.

b) No Travelling – Neither the exhibitor need to travel to a place to show their products or service nor a visitor need to travel to see the products or services of the exhibitors.

c) Very Less Cost - The cost for travelling , lodging and boarding, cost of distribution stuff and manpower gets reduced to almost 5% .It is very cost effective since , costing is the need of the hour especially when entire world is pointing on costing.

d) No Time Limitation – Convenience is the other name of online exhibition since there is no restriction of time for visiting online exhibition. Any person can visit such exhibition at any time of day or night and see and find the products and services of his/her need. This is not possible with offline exhibition. With such innovative online B2b exhibition people don’t have to plan out time ,out of busy schedule to visit upto the place of offline exhibition but as per their convenience , it can be explored .

e) Maximum ROI- Business world always care for return on investment i.e profit , for them online exhibition always have maximum ROI in return .Since, not only it is cost effective and reaches maximum mass and targeted genuine audience but also more people can participate in exhibition.

f) Better Communication – On finding a particular exhibitor, a visitor can immediately contact him/her by email or call as entire details are available . It makes communication more effective and fast as well.

g) Maximum Exhibition can be Attended- One can attend atleast 5 online exhibitions at the cost of 1 offline exhibition. Moreover, frequency of participation also increases without much preparation and no need to settle again after visiting one exhibition before preparing for participating the other one.

h) Tension free- The term tension can include any and everything which is associated with offline exhibition . Whereas, online b2b exhibition is totally tension free and blended with latest technology to improve the chances of success.

i) Instant Branding - Since, entire world can see your product & therefore brand awareness is tremendous. Whereas, brand awareness is a long process & it takes time to get positioned to result into branding. With online exhibition, brand awareness & creation becomes not only easy, instant but worldwide as well.

The list of advantages are more and more …….just think once again !

Any Manufacturers, exporters, importers, suppliers, traders from any country of the world willing to participate in international online exhibition which is to start from 15th February 2009 on www.made-from-india.com. This event is going to be the worlds largest B2b Online exhibition held so far may contact at exhibition@made-from-india.com for further details .
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Looking for Export , but how to Export ? Is this the question which hovers the most in the mind of every person looking to venture beyond boundaries of one’s country .Ofcourse, this was also the problem of Mr Nath , the marketing head of a corporate which wanted that they should also start export as their product is of very high standard .Whereas, inferior products than their products have good command in international market.


This made him to see me as to how to go for it .Before that they had no experience of international trade. The over confidence about their product with ignorance about international market was biggest challenge for me to make him understand that it is not always better product which can be exported but a lot matters which if does not exist , then transaction cannot be completed.


Anyhow, the gentleman agreed to give up the thought that only quality matters but various factors dominate an international business.


The factors which need to be understood for international business are :


a) Piloting with proper product – Even if one is manufacturing various products say three products and have very good market share in all of the three products , then too , the proper product has to be identified .


Here, one will say that ok , the theory is fine , but how to conclude that it is a proper product , then the answer has to be found by the person dealing in the products as he is the best judge in that case .Because, such person can only understand the minor aspects of any change if demanded or compelled in international market


b) Finding Proper Market - Every market has only one golden rule which is demand and supply compliment each other. The proper product should also get the most proper market. Since, merely because everything can be bought and sold in a market , any market cannot be said to be proper market.


Say, if ink pen has high demand in Russia and has very good potential , but it is being tried to be sold to USA which has least takers , then such market cannot be said to be proper market for ink pen.


This simple analogy if understood by an exporter at an early date , it can bring wonders for him as success of any international business is dependant upon proper market


The very next question which arises is that how to find out as to which is the best potential market. This question has solution on studying the following :
i) Research on customers behaviour in different countries
ii) Data on demand of a particular products in a particular country
iii) Export import data of the targeted countries
These all will give a strong signal that which country is having best potential for one’s product.


c) Product Specification in potential market- the very next step which comes as most important factor is identifying and matching the specification of demanded products and successfully implying in your potential product before it can be explored for exporting .


The product specification has to be considered in following important terms :
i) Segment usage
ii) Packing
iii) Warranty and after sales service
iv) Pricing
v) Pattern, shape ,size, color etc
On understanding the above factors, a exporter can have confidence to place the product in the potential market.


Hope , lot of unsolved puzzles are solved and many more will be in future as well. In the following sessions , we shall be highlighting about other crucial factors so that the fear of how to and shall I export will permanently vanish from the minds of manufacturers, exporters, trades, suppliers of the world including India.


The author is business editor with www.made-from-india.com, a world class B2b Portal especially meant for promoting business of SME’s .

Gone are the days when one has to send communication through letters, fax or by other modes , today is the world of hi tech communicating modes say e-mail, sms, mms etc.

New media of internet has dominated the business as well, so is the high time when online exhibition should replace the offline exhibition.Since, online exhibition has following benefits :

a) No travelling
b) deep reach
c) less cost
d) more profit
e) 24 hrs live
f) no international boundary
g) more ROI
h) more exposure

in the history of b2b portals of the world including india , the online exhibition is for the first time introduced by www.made-from-india.com which is going to see not only area specific exhibitions but also industry specific exhibitions.

The first phase of exhibition is to start from 14 Decemeber 2008 and will last upto 31th January 2009 in which prominent exhibitors of indian industrial belts i.eAhmedabad, Aurangabad , Rajkot, Mumbai, Surat and vadodara will be highlighted.

During second phase, from 15the February 2009 to 31st March 2009,industry specific exhibitions will be for cotton, pharmaceutical, plastics, chemicals etc. This will also highlight some prominent manufacturers from entire world.Since,industry specific will be international exhibition.

This exhibition is going to be a great boon for manufacturer, exporters, importers, traders etc of entire world.

For participating in international exhibitions on cotton,plastics,chemicals, pharmaceuticals etc , one can contact on info@made-from-india.com .For further , querries , one can visit

Before one understand this mystery , three factors are to be known for revealing the mathematics of any market players :


a) Demand and Supply
b) Quality at competitive rate
c) Growth for survival in tough competition


I remember , last Saturday I got a call from a senior president of a MNC , saying that I am looking for new market but cant make as to where shall I go for and especially when the management is insisting for fast set up of new supply chain in new markets but I am afraid with global melt down of economy , since , it has broken the backbone of every company irrespective of country.


I started to deal the situation with certain things which I am just reiterating so that some one can use it as to why new markets are required . New Markets can be set up by adopting any of the ways as is practiced by the global players :


a) Setting up a subsidiary unit
b) Making up channel sales force
c) Making business associates
d) Making assignment based agents
e) Generating continous leads for business deals


People may choose as per their best economy , nature of business and longetivity of business interest. But, the gentleman was sounding over enthusiastic and even said ,…….yes , Mr Becker , I know this all but my problem is still as such and repeated it as well for times .This made me to finally ask him to accompany me over tea which longed to dinner.


In our first sitting , he had a very long brain storming session and he was only interested to know an answer to why ? instead of knowing how to do it so , let us name it “Why Session” Why Session New Market means more business and new business as well. In other words means more profit and revenue irrespective of its sustainability .


Again the same question cropped as to why new market , ofcourse ! for this I am paid for and companies make business out of such advises.
a) What is the meaning of new market ?
b) How to explore new market ?
c) Which market will be the best new market ?


All the aforesaid questions have simple answer as discussed below. It can be understood by simple formula of demand and supply. Where there is demand which is sustainable and with better prospects will be considered as new market . The new market can be within the territory of one’s country or may even cross the barrier of international market. If demand is more in a new market , then it is always advisable for exploring a new market . The market can be explored with better pricing with best quality , since the golden rule is quality should always command the pricing factor and pricing factor always follow quality factor . Since, both are incomplete without each other and compliment vice versa.


As already said , the new market could be explored with new subsidiary , joint venture, partnerships, business associates, deployment of work force or even without substantial investment by way of continous generation of business leads , may be a B2b platform or b2b portal can get business leads for you like www.made-from-india.com ,which I recently saw and seems to be a promising one for global traders and exporters.


Exploring new markets can be even by way of launching your product in unexplored areas of one’s country and even exporting the product to a particular country where best demand is there . The result will be more demand will always give better pricing factor. Ofcourse, such markets will be the best market to be explored since business is done for profit and the market which can give more profit will always be the best market whether it is new and unknown as well. Say , a ball pen has the best quality over the existing ball pens in its segment and usage, but unless not being sold in better market will always get less revenue over inferior ball pens which are in best market where the demand is more for ball pens and for quality .


After listening such simple things , the gentleman said , Mr Becker even I knew this but you made me understand the simple analogy and now I am sure to give some promising result to my management. We shall be discussing other aspects of other sessions in due course of time , meanwhile , simply understand the fact that business is for profit and it is always dominated by demand and supply .


The author is business editor with www.made-from-india.com

International Business is a Click away

The universe is small in front of speed and world of internet. Dont you believe ? through surfing, the unreachable can be surpassed at the speed of thought. The world is at reach with your laptop/pc, provided with internet connection. Khudos to business to business (b2b) portals, even in vacation , business seems to be fun.


Gone are the days , when one need to do endless correspondences and struggling to settle with a buyer and if buyer found , to settle in other terms was almost impossible job.Now , everything is transparent and at the reach of a businessman , afterall , time optimized signifies , time saved for more business , which always means money by way of profit.


Is any one really interested in travelling and wasting precious time of life in struggling for a buyer or take pleasure in finding buyer at ease .If no, then its high time to enter the game of e-commerce at clicks away.


Business to Business Portal For Business of new Age


A b2b portal is simply a magical wand for business in new age of e-commerce. If it comes to wonders in business , then it can be one . www.made-from-india.com matches the magic in business by its services for offers of buy and sell, lead on demand , SEO, 12 pages website with 12times more exposure to search engines and better Alexa ranking as well as virtual office.


It provides , all leads/offers from both buyer and sellers of manufactured goods and services without any hurdle . Genuineness always comes packed with every such information of products of Indian manufacturers, suppliers,exporters which is required by businessmen of India as well as traders form every part of the world.


In a b2b portal , a member can have spacious showroom to display their products and services , as the case may be, and to get maximum business offers round the clock by their virtual office , which is the most unique feature and never before offered by any single b2b portal of the world for years.


Virtual office is revolutionary tool to face the competition and outgo competitors, with all information constantly stored , even when office of a businessman is not working at woo hours.The virtual office has evolved after research and development in business needs for a b2b ,over two decades, so as to maximize the benefits of Indian manufacturers,suppliers,exporters and importers , beside similar generic of the world.


With the aid of virtual office one can manage the affairs of business be it procurement of raw materials, market their product in its own country , exporting , recruitment i.e manpower , finances and can even plan out its inventory and look for business services to run the show.


Benefits of Business to Business (B2b ) platform :
a) Viability
b) accessibility
c) time saving
d) better and more options of buyers and sellers
e) virtual office , a revolution in business i.e global power
f) presence in internet world through best SEO
g) brand creation, brand awareness, brand make over.
h) Business for 24hrs X 7 days for 365 days
i) Wider reach
j) Exploring untapped market
k) Boundaryless communication
l) Unlimited business via unlimited business querries/leads/offers
m) Quicker response
n) Business without travel
o) Better negotiation powers i.e buying power
p) Better price for final goods i.e selling power
q) Do business in your terms and conditions
r) Launching your products at zero cost
s) Enhanced profits , more turnover
t) Decreased expenses, more Profits i.e controlling the economy of business.
u) Buyers of your product can be from any part of the world which is not possible if not present in B2b platform
v) Show your products and potential to world and world will respect your product and demand it in turn.
w) It connects buyers and sellers at ease and business occurs at a blink.
x) online exhibition wonder which cannot be matched even by offline exhibition, one such online b2b exhibition which is going to be of world class is going to be held from 14 december 2008 to 31st march on various industries and focusing various locations on www.made-from-india.com


So, can any one really miss the jet of success , when this jet is available for all. But at the same , one has to be careful so that the profit in business sustain even if b2b platform way is adopted for carrying out business.

Exhibition is one of the glamorous media for exploring business branding and finding new avenues of expansion as well.


I remember the days during 2003, when I was working in one automobile accessory parts manufacturing company and the company was very aggressive in media participation. The entire emphasis was on Exhibition .


Those days were very hectic. Before, the exhibition was to start long brain storm sessions with technical team and reporting to top brass for strategy for the specific exhibition was normal for almost every week. Also, at times, had to complete all formalities of visa and et all , so that I can safely land in international territory for new international territory of business for the company.


With the completion of new exhibition , the tension of attending the another one was on the chart and again the same cycle .The same type of preparations and activities were at par with daily sops of channels .


Once, I had to make a last minute visit to Nairobi for an international exhibition. I alongwith my team reached in late night , unfortunately the hotel denied to honour their commitment of booking and the very next day , we were also supposed to look fresh so that visitors can be attended in a sophisticated manner. The night was very long by the time we settled for some roof for our head .


All such experiences taught me one lesson that attending an exhibition successfully requires preparation for every phase :


a) Tracking exhibition on regular basis.
b) Choosing and getting a stall booked.
c) Pre-preparation for attending an exhibition including accommodation and other reservations.
d) Making stuffs for distribution and packing it for transportation .
e) Study of participants of a particular exhibition.
f) Reaching in advance .
g) Attending the days of exhibition and explaining to visitors.
h) Compiling all data’s of probable’s and packing on completion of exhibition.
i) Reporting on exhibition to management and action plan .


Over twenty five years of experience in attending exhibition and trade events , I always wish that if I had some alternative to attending an exhibition. Since offline exhibitions are very expensive, time consuming, requires intense travelling, devotion of entire days during exhibition, limited reach to the visitors and participants of exhibition and requires extensive preparation.


Finally, I got online B2b exhibition not only as an alternative but is more effective and advantageous than offline exhibition. Really , want to know how , then pl read it very carefully:


a) No international Boundary – Online exhibition has deepest reach and penetration since any person at any point of time and from any part of the world can see the exhibitors products and services . No international boundary exist for the visitors who want to go for online exhibition, whereas, offline exhibition always have a barrier of international boundary. Since, entire world is for business and b2b portals just make it happen.


b) No Travelling – Neither the exhibitor need to travel to a place to show their products or service nor a visitor need to travel to see the products or services of the exhibitors.


c) Very Less Cost - The cost for travelling , lodging and boarding, cost of distribution stuff and manpower gets reduced to almost 5% .It is very cost effective since , costing is the need of the hour especially when entire world is pointing on costing.


d) No Time Limitation – Convenience is the other name of online exhibition since there is no restriction of time for visiting online exhibition. Any person can visit such exhibition at any time of day or night and see and find the products and services of his/her need. This is not possible with offline exhibition. With such innovative online B2b exhibition people don’t have to plan out time ,out of busy schedule to visit upto the place of offline exhibition but as per their convenience , it can be explored .


e) Maximum ROI- Business world always care for return on investment i.e profit , for them online exhibition always have maximum ROI in return .Since, not only it is cost effective and reaches maximum mass and targeted genuine audience but also more people can participate in exhibition.


f) Better Communication – On finding a particular exhibitor, a visitor can immediately contact him/her by email or call as entire details are available . It makes communication more effective and fast as well.


g) Maximum Exhibition can be Attended- One can attend atleast 5 online exhibitions at the cost of 1 offline exhibition. Moreover, frequency of participation also increases without much preparation and no need to settle again after visiting one exhibition before preparing for participating the other one.


h) Tension free- The term tension can include any and everything which is associated with offline exhibition . Whereas, online b2b exhibition is totally tension free and blended with latest technology to improve the chances of success.


The list of advantages are more and more …….just think once again , but I really wish it had been in existence atleast ten years back as well.


The author is an exhibition advisor to www.made-from-india.com

Tracking the condition and status of a company's assets just got easier with the new upgrade from RedPrairie Corp., an optimization company. The E2e Supply Chain Execution suite is now integrated with asset management capabilities of the company's standalone Mobile Resource Management solutuion.

"Integrated visibility and control over the movement of inventory and assets across today’s complex global supply networks can be slow, costly, and very challenging. In the past, inventory and the assets used to ship them were tracked in two separate systems, which made closed-loop tracking of assets very difficult. With the new release, customers can manage this combined movement through a single process, driving greater efficiency, improved visibility and stronger control over supply chain operations," said Tom Kozenski, vice president product strategy

The system supports the use of RFID, 2-D barcodes and other AIDC technologies to track inventory and assets within the distribution center, as well as outside of it, such as in trailer yards, in-transit, at customer sites, or even within a retailer’s store network. Both serialized and non-serialized assets can be tracked at each location.

The enhanced system also allows the ability to track asset movement to and from suppliers and repair depots.

Source-industryweek.com

Do the terms -- value added, superior customer value, or value chain -- make you want to throw something since you have heard the terms so much? Let's face it, you have been trying to improve revenue and profitability by creating superior value for your customers, improving effectiveness and efficiency and improving supplier relationships for years. You have spent countless hours getting managers trained in lean and six sigma processes, implementing enterprise and customer relationship management systems, and executing initiatives to improve innovation, capture voice of the customer data and integrate information systems. You have spent millions of dollars in cash, time and effort. Yet, the pressure from global competitors seems to be increasing rather than declining and you often find yourself still being beat up on price. What in the world is going on here? The problem is movement.

You probably thought that "moving value" was about how you can move value through the supply chain, managing its creation and delivery. But, it also means that value perceptions are moving throughout the supply chain; the target is constantly in flux. We will deal with both aspects of value movement in this article and leave you with five tips on how you might adapt your approach to managing them.

Value management begins with understanding that value is in the eye of the "customer" and not inherent in any product, service, or system. The "customer" is the next person in a work cell, the next process in the factory, the next business unit to whom you deliver, the immediate paying customer be it another business unit or an external firm and the subsequent downstream organizations and consumers through to the final end-user. In a true relationship mindset, world-class companies often think of their suppliers also as customers; how can I better service my suppliers and suppliers' suppliers? As such, every link in the "value stream" within your "four walls" and outside constitutes a supplier-customer relationship. Each decision maker is willing to make certain sacrifices in terms of monetary and non-monetary costs to obtain desired benefits. The more positive is that tradeoff between benefits and sacrifices, the more value both parties receive, driving customer satisfaction, commitment and recommendations to others.

A significant amount of research states that all customers value functional benefits, relational benefits, service benefits, and brand reputation (quality, consistency) -- and they evaluate each distinctly. Customers also evaluate both the monetary and non-monetary sacrifices (e.g., difficulty of doing business with a vendor, retailer, supplier) that they must make to obtain those benefits. As a result, we should exert effort on those activities that either improve the opportunity for an immediate or downstream customer to experience an improved, very specific, desired benefit and/or experience less of a sacrifice to obtain those benefits. Moving value means constantly improving the value perceptions immediate and downstream customers perceive they are getting. In exchange, customers "pay" suppliers more in terms of price, volume, share of business, and share of mind, improving the value that suppliers receive from customers all the way back through the supply chain.

Moving value recognizes the fact that most of what and how customers make value judgments is out of the control of marketers/suppliers/brand managers. Customers constantly are bombarded with buying-related information. As customers, regardless of definition, go about living their lives, they are constantly refining their interpretations about the value of specific products, services, and relationships. Since brand managers/suppliers have little influence on this valuing process, they are forced to be constantly vigilant to the changes in what specific customers value and why. It is nothing short of an entirely different way of looking at customers and supply chain relationships.

So your task is two-fold, to continuously improve the value equation at every stage of the value stream by improving benefits and reducing sacrifices while also recognizing that the target you are shooting at is constantly changing.

I have five tips to help you think about influencing and recognizing value movement throughout the supply chain.

1. Operate under the assumption that your competition knows at least 90% of what you know -- if not 10% more than you know. Dig deeper. Pat Summit, head coach of the six-time national champion Lady Vols women's basketball team at the University of Tennessee, simply outworks her competition. The team puts in more hours refining processes and skills and studying the competition and customers than do their competitors.
2. Assume that the most critical aspects of desired value propositions are changing 10% faster than your current nightmare. In the consumer electronics world of LG and Sony, constant change means rapidly increasing technological capabilities and customer expectations within a world of stomach-wrenching, pricing cascades. Vigilance for opportunities to influence changes in value perceptions anywhere along the supply chain and for changes to which they must respond is essential merely for survival. Make one wrong strategic move based on an inaccurate or incomplete evaluation of value movement, and a firm could be playing catch-up for years as witnessed by Dell's operations in China.
3. Focus on quality metrics but ignore emotional bonding through superior brand management at your own peril. Samsung has significantly improved its ability to increase value creation throughout its supply chain, both for business customers and consumers. However, it has yet to create the powerful emotion bonds that solidify customer relationships and facilitate higher margins that its tougher competitors have. Quality alone is never enough.
4. Develop relationships that enable significant and frequent information sharing through joint processes that involve multiple supply chain partners. Ikea has long been known for its ability to move value both up and down its supply chain by integrating demand and supply processes and designing supply chains that make it easier, more affordable, and in many cases, more enjoyable for customers to acquire the benefits they want. They not only execute superior supply chain management, they also win advertising awards for the creativity and effectiveness of their marketing communications. They have a laser-focus on specific target markets, know how to own their position within those markets, and stay at the forefront of changing value expectations -- some of which they drive themselves.
5. Learn by thinking out of the box. Don't benchmark and hire only from within your industry. Hire top talent from outside. Invest in processes that stimulate new ways of recognizing and approaching problems and opportunities. Eastman Chemical Co., for example, has hired a number of branding, product development, and advertising managers from consumer goods industries in order to stimulate out-of-the-box thinking about value-change possibilities.

Value must be experienced at each and every step of the supply chain within and outside of your organization. Your targets are moving too quickly in today's global business environment. You must constantly move the value bar higher at every link you can influence and keep up with changes that you cannot influence but to which you must respond -- all ahead of the competition.

Daniel J. Flint, Ph.D., is the Proffitt's, Inc. Professor of Marketing and director of the marketing Ph.D. program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has an engineering degree from Annapolis, an MSA from Central Michigan University, and a Ph.D. in marketing and logistics from the University of Tennessee. Flint's expertise is in customer value management, specifically helping firms gain deeper insights to their customers' changing value perceptions, and logistics innovation.

Source-industryweek.com

Today, the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) announced that University of Mississippi Health Care (UMHC), a 722-bed academic medical center (AMC) in Jackson, has been added to its growing list of group purchasing and supply chain participants.

CEVA Logistics (Thailand) Co is now handling all automotive logistics for Tri Petch Isuzu Sales Co under a new three-year outsourcing contract.

Tri Petch is responsible for the sales and distribution of Isuzu pickup trucks and heavy-duty trucks via a network of more than 300 dealers. CEVA will use its carrier fleet and IT systems to manage the distribution of Isuzu vehicles throughout the country.

"Since we are not professionals in logistics and it is not our core business, we decided to select a specialist global logistics company to handle our logistics operations," said Panadda Chennavasin, vice-president of Tri Petch.

As well, Tri Petch wants its supply chain to operate to global best-practice levels and to significantly improve sales operations to support the dealer network.

"We hope our operating costs will improve from efficient logistics performance, which will be assessed once a year," she said.

CEVA will manage Tri Petch's vehicle supply chain from Isuzu's plants through to final delivery to dealers. This includes transport of vehicles from plants in Samut Prakan and Chachoengsao to two motor pools, where vehicles are inspected, accessories installed and the vehicles made ready for final delivery to dealers.

A CEVA executive said the company recently began an operational process improvement and re-engineering programme to increase the quality of logistics operations to world-class standards.

The programme involve the establishment of a shared-user vehicle logistics network to be used by other automotive manufacturing and sales companies. This will improve overall efficiency of the supply chain and provide a highly cost-effective operation for Tri Petch and for CEVA's new customers.

CEVA will use more than 100 car carriers for transport, along with a management and operational team of more than 400 staff.

"This is one of the largest automotive logistics contracts in the Thai market," said Winfried Kiesbueye, CEVA's managing director. "Our key aim is to improve the efficiency of Tri Petch's vehicle handling operation by implementing CEVA's best-practice lean processes and increasing overall control."

Source-bangkokpost.com

Climate change, sustainability and corporate social responsibility have risen inexorably in the public and corporate minds over the last decade, says Ernst & Young. They go on to state that while businesses and consumers are vying to out do each other’s green claims, the scientific community is issuing increasingly stark warnings about the urgency and depth of cuts required to avoid the most dangerous impacts of climate change.

A survey carried out by Ernst & Young in conjunction with the Economist Intelligence Unit among executives from US$ 1 billion plus corporations to see how organizations view the impact of sustainability on its supply chain and sourcing, indicates a high level of awareness of sustainability, with an appreciation of opportunities it offers within the supply chain. More than half of the respondents to the survey indicated reputation, cost reduction, and revenue growth as the top three opportunities that arise from sustainability. An increased cost base was highlighted as the greatest risk, inferring operational and energy savings will be offset by capital costs and increase in prices from suppliers.

The survey also indicates that a company’s approach to emissions and accountability for its supply chain activity could make or break corporate reputation. 71% of the respondents to the survey view the impact of sustainability on the supply chain as a brand / reputation opportunity allowing to secure competitive advantage. It is thought that supply chains are key to enhancing reputation, both through avoiding risks such as unfair labour practices and using unsustainable material, and in ensuring businesses live up to their carbon reduction promises.

The survey further states that in addition to corporate reputation, cost saving and revenue inducing factors contribute to the business case for sustainability. These include operational and energy efficiency, energy and carbon trading, and new product development and green marketing. The survey findings also indicate that operational and energy efficiency has become key factors in the review of sustainability, since soaring energy and raw material prices has become significant corporate issues. 50% of organizations in the survey see sustainability as a cost saving issue and significant opportunities exist for this throughout the supply chain.

Energy and carbon trading is a factor that strengthens the business case by creating revenue opportunities. 63% of the organizations in the survey clearly identify sustainability as opportunity for revenue growth with carbon trading schemes and investments in renewable energy generation. To combat rising energy prices and reduce in-house emissions, 40% of firms have invested in on-site renewable energy generation such as onshore wind on telecom sites and biomass combined heat and power at factories. This offers greater control over energy costs, enhances corporate reputations and promises profits from the sale of surplus renewable electricity. Similarly, an increasing number of firms are creating revenue from carbon trading. Under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, participating firms must operate within an annual emissions cap. Operating outside a designated carbon cap could mean paying for excess emissions. Developing countries that do not have emission caps provide finance for greenhouse gas reduction projects through Clean Development Mechanism in return for Certified Emissions Reduction permits which are sold on the open market to firms with emission caps. Multinational businesses could use this scheme to finance energy efficiency and renewable projects for their developing world sites and suppliers.

Revenue through new product development and green marketing is another opportunity. Energy efficiency legislation promises to phase out energy-intensive products replacing them with more ‘greener’ ones, while consumer campaigns and an abundance of product labels aim to increase demand for more sustainable products and services. Businesses are competing to launch sustainable products and services to increase their market share. While many firms limit innovation to certain products, enhancing their reputations as a result, the real challenge is to mainstream them across existing product ranges.

Further, 65% of the respondents to the survey have taken measures to implement labour standard improvements as action on corporate responsibility aspects of sustainability.

Despite indications that the impact of sustainability results in such a varied range of opportunity and threats, organizations seem to be taking a back-seat when it comes to dealing with it. Only 12% of firms rated sustainability among their top three supply chain priorities. This maybe an indication of the mixed messages businesses receive from governments, regulators and consumers – their three key stakeholders as indicated by the survey. Consumer pressure and PR spin has resulted in some very challenging public commitments resulting in businesses over-promising and under-delivering their commitments. Many large global companies have yet to realize the full potential of the savings and benefits that can be achieved by integrating sustainability issues into their supply chain management. With growing legislation, dwindling resources and increasingly vocal consumers, sustainability will continue to grow in importance as an opportunity for forward thinking firms and a threat to their competitors that fail to act.

Source-dailymirror.lk

MinuteMachine.com, one of the leading Internet marketplaces for used construction equipment, has just released it new website www.MinuteTruck.com to enlarge their previous offer.

The international market place for used construction machinery www.MinuteMachine.com, where dealers and final customers can publish second hand equipment for sale, is online since 2006 and had an astonishing pace of development during the last two years. Today the Internet Portal receives about 16.000 visitor’s every day and more than 20.000 used machines are advertised.

Because of this huge enthusiasm and demand, the company will open up their market to the transport and commercial vehicle sector.
The CEO Inga Gerstenberg said "During the last two years we put all our effort in the construction machinery. We achieved in a very short period of time being one of the leading market places worldwide. Now it is time to be concerned with a new strategy to expand our repertoire to other branches of the industry sector."

MinuteMachine and MinuteTruck would like to facilitate companies around the world to establish contacts with potential customers, a B2B concept especially for a niche markets like construction machinery business or transport business.

The company already received an important feedback of the new strategy, because yet there are advertised more than 6.000 used trucks and trailers at MinuteTruck within a few weeks.

MinuteTruck is a market place for used trucks, where dealers and final customers can publish their used trucks and contact with a worldwide audience.
Source-prleap.com

ForeignTRADEX, (http://www.ForeignTradeExchange.com) a US-European industrial trade portal and division of US-based Industrial Leaders Group (ILG), announced today it will provide open RFQs for members and users of its international industrial directories. According to Maria Santos, spokeswoman for the company, the trade leads provided through the site include offers to buy and sell all kinds of industrial tools, parts, machining services and other manufacturing solutions.

Santos said the RFQ's are mostly from engineers, manufacturing managers, technical professionals and other industrial buyers primarily based in but not limited to the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Germany, France, Finland, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Russia and other countries in Europe. Qualified U.S., European and Australian buyers registered on the site are able to submit RFQ's at no charge to multiple manufacturers and suppliers capable of meeting their requirements.

Suppliers of industrial products and contract manufacturing services can include their company on ForeignTRADEX at http://www.WorldwideIndustrialMarketplace.com/freelisting.html and qualify to receive instant RFQ's from buyers that contact them directly through the site. According to Santos, manufacturers can also sign up to access additional RFQ's provided by on-line partners of ForeignTRADEX serving the American and European industrial marketplaces.

The types of open RFQ's from buyers available through the site directly and indirectly, include offers to buy a broad variety of industrial products and manufacturing services such as cold forming, electronics, woodworking, textiles, fluid & gas flow control, hardware & fasteners, mechanical power transmission, molding, machining, grinding, tubing, extrusions, wire forming, casting, assembly, raw materials, metalworking, stamping, forging, die making and allied products and services.

"ForeignTRADEX offers a wide range of opportunities for qualified buyers and suppliers in the manufacturing community to connect, network and develop mutually fruitful trading partnerships with one another," says Santos. She added, "Manufacturers, engineers, plant maintenance mechanics, production managers, buying agents and other industrial suppliers and sourcing professionals all over the globe are welcome to participate."
Source-pr.com

My company is expanding into a new market area and we have been researching the use of a unique flash drive design for a large campaign. A month ago I contacted one of the leading developers of custom flash drive premiums and flash 'widget' software operating out of California, hoping to get detailed information on their customization capability and volume minimums. Since our proposed drive design and campaign are unique, I requested an NDA. Given that this company normally dealt in custom unit designs for national campaigns, this seemed a minor request. There was no objection to this at first, but then their sales representative fell silent, ignoring all email. After a long wait, I called the company to enquire as to what happened and was passed to their president. I could immediately tell something was wrong with this individual as he seemed rather distracted. I again asked about the NDA, to which there was no objection. But then I discovered the fellow had been Googling my company name while I was on the phone with him when he demanded to know why my email had no company domain name and why I had no web site -god forbid there should be such a thing as a company that works exclusively B2B and knows its small base of customers personally... The conversation immediately reverted into something akin to a police interrogation as to the legitimacy of my company. Over the next few days this escalated to the point where I actually had to submit a scan of my articles of incorporation to prove to this man's satisfaction that my company existed. I got an NDA at last -one drafted by them because my simple boilerplate one was unacceptable to their lawyers- but then after submitting my signed copy I was never able to get their signed copy in return. Another couple weeks later I was suddenly contacted again by the original marketing representative asking if I needed more assistance. I posed some more questions about their products and asked about this NDA. Again, silence.

It's now been a month and I'm still at square one. I've been trying to be very patient with these people because they obviously have quality products made in the US and I could find no other companies with comparable software capability. I would like to avoid spending 6 months and a lot of unnecessary expense on having such software custom-developed. But it's clear I've reached a cul-de-sac.

So I would like to pose the following questions to this community;

Is this common behavior for such companies, and if so, how can I tailor my communication to better cope with it and illicit more productive responses? I admit to having limited personal experience with such firms but do have enough business experience to know there are some regions of the country and some industries where the business culture is such that politeness engenders disdain. I've never been one to respond in kind -as much as I would like to sometimes...

Second, since I'm getting nowhere with this particular company, I would greatly appreciate any recommendations of companies that do custom flash drive production with widget software supporting such features as virtual paged catalogs, ROI use metrics tracking, background content updating and RSS content push and might be able to work with Flash platform development on more specialized applications.
Source-marketingprofs.com

Businesses familiar with the benefits of recycling (http://www.ecointernational.com/) can glean even more from ECO International, LLC's acquisition of inventory (http://auctiondrop.com/) retailer AuctionDrop™, effective June 16th 2008.

The acquisition allows AuctionDrop™ -- a leading online retailer for the liquidation of wholesale surplus and salvage inventory (http://auctiondrop.com/) and assets -- to grow and efficiently serve its customers with the necessary resources and technology. Customers receive the benefit of enhanced services, including expanded geographic coverage and additional services, including end-of-life recycling, to both the retailers and manufacturers.

ECO International, LLC, a world-wide electronics asset recovery and recycling company, will also be able to provide its clients who already recognize the benefit of recycling (http://www.ecointernational.com/) with even more innovative and expanded approaches for the disposition of e-Waste.

AuctionDrop™ is a leading online retailer for the liquidation of wholesale surplus and salvage inventory and assets. The Company's business-to-consumer model sources wholesale, surplus and excess inventory from big box national retailers, high-end luxury retailers and manufacturers selling merchandise through its own website portal (auctiondrop.com) as well as other online channels such as eBay. Operations include all aspects of the reverse supply chain from supplier pickup-up, merchandise auction listing, packing and shipping to tracking, and collections while providing superior customer service.

The AuctionDrop™ value proposition provides simplicity, consistency, and reliability for manufacturers and retailers to maximize yields on the disposition of excess inventories, customer returns, and damaged overstock goods. This is achieved by reducing the internal costs for the manufacturer or retailer while yielding the maximum value of the product by selling it directly to consumers and increasing the benefits of recycling.

Market performance: AuctionDrop™ consistently ranks among the top EBay sellers based on volume sold while maintaining a remarkable 98.2% positive buyer "feedback" rating for cumulative transactions to-date. Awards received; Є Always on Top 100 Є Silicon Valley Business Journal Fast 50 (Ranked #3) Є Deloitte & Touchй Technology Fast Rising Stars (Ranked #12).

Auction Drop was advised on this transaction by America's Growth Capital.

About ECO International: ECO services various electronics recycling market segments from local municipalities and state recycling programs to original equipment manufactures (OEM's), Business to Business (B2B), Business to Retailer (B2R) and direct to consumer (B2C) programs helping increase electronics asset utilization and assure recycling regulatory compliance during technology life cycles. ECO is a privately held company with sister companies serving high technology electronic manufacturing, research and development, international electronic component distribution, with annual revenues in excess of $700 million.

Corporate vision includes investing in new technology, organic growth, strategic acquisitions, and third party partnerships to achieve our goals and objectives as a market leader.

Source-ecointernational.com

Summit Business Media today
announced that Andrew L. Goodenough has been named President and CEO.  The CEO title
was previously held by William F. Reilly.  Reilly, one of the most successful
investors in B2B media, will continue to serve as Chairman, in a non-executive
capacity, and remains a major investor in Summit.  Goodenough, 52, was named
President of Summit in September 2007.

"Going into the formation of Summit in November 2006, my plan was to drive
the initial growth of the business for several years as CEO, and then step
back to the Chairman role," Reilly said.  "I am delighted to be able to report
that Summit, in less than two years, is off to a great start and has taken its
place as a major B2B media company with more than 26 magazine titles, 150
reference books and electronic products and 100 live events.  We've built a
best-in-class management team led by Andy Goodenough, and I'm pleased to be
able to step back to that Chairman role sooner than expected and turn over the
day-to-day executive reins to Andy and his team."

"We are very pleased with Summit's success to date and Andy's role in
leading us to this point," said Jim TenBroek, Managing Director at Wind Point
Partners, Summit's largest investor.  "We also have the utmost respect for
Bill Reilly as a gifted manager and trusted friend in initiating this
transition.  We look forward to continue working with him as Chairman and
investor.  Moving forward, Andy Goodenough and his strong management team are
well positioned to take advantage of opportunities as they continue to
implement Summit's growth strategy."

Summit Business Media was formed in November 2006 through Wind Point
Partners' acquisition of Highline Media and Pfingsten Publishing in
partnership with Reilly and management of Highline Media.

Goodenough has been a senior B2B executive and entrepreneur for more than
30 years.  He was President of USB Corporation and Publisher of U.S. Banker
before its sale to Thomson Media in 1993, and then served as the President of
Thomson's Banking Publishing/Conferences Group.  The group published and
hosted more than 80 products and events including American Banker, U.S.
Banker, Bank Technology News, National Mortgage News, Credit Union Journal and
many others.  Goodenough later created the business plan for a new financial
services information company in 2002, secured equity funding from Spire
Capital in January 2003 and in October of that year, launched Highline Media
and acquired The National Underwriter Company, now a core asset in Summit's
operations.  Highline Media was acquired as part of the formation of Summit in
November 2006.

Goodenough is a graduate of Middlebury College in Vermont and holds an MBA
degree in finance and marketing from New York University.

About Summit Business Media

Summit Business Media was formed through Wind Point Partners' acquisition
of Highline Media and Pfingsten Publishing in November 2006.  The leading B2B
media and information company for the insurance, investment and professional
services markets, Summit publishes the insurance titles National Underwriter
Property/Casualty and Life/Health weeklies, Life Insurance Selling, Agent
Sales Journal, American Agent & Broker, Claims, Tech Decisions and Florida
Underwriter, and financial titles Wealth Manager, Research, Futures and
Mortgage Originator. In July 2007 the Company acquired Wicks Business
Information, and added Investment Advisor, Credit Union Times, Inside Counsel
and Treasury & Risk magazines, continuing to expand its footprint in the
financial industry as well as adding the legal and accounting markets, as part
of its growth into the professional services marketplace.  In July 2008, the
company acquired WiesnerMedia's Financial Group of B2B media and marketing
services, including Senior Market Advisor, Boomer Market Advisor, Benefits
Selling and Bank Advisor magazines, as well as ProducersWEB.com and the
Advisors Data Source.  In the Reference arena, the company publishes TaxFacts
and Fire, Casualty and Surety Bulletins, and, through its Highline Data unit,
financial and market information on insurers, agents and company benefit
plans.  Summit also sponsors the international Investment Conferences on
global mining investment, a dozen conference events affiliated with its
magazine brands, and via its Executive Enterprises unit, nearly 100
professional education seminars annually.

Summit is also one of the leading organizers of consumer art expositions
and providers of business-to-business information to the art market.
Source-earthtimes.org

Businesses familiar with the benefits of recycling can glean even more from ECO International, LLC's acquisition of inventory retailer AuctionDrop(TM), effective June 16th 2008.

Wescorp Energy (OTCBB: WSCE) Closed at $0.41. Today announced that Total Fluid Solutions Inc. (TFS), its wholly-owned subsidiary, has signed a master lease agreement with an oil and gas company with operations in Texas, Kansas and Wyoming, to use TFS's safe, effective and economical process for cleaning and separating oil from produced water. Under the terms of the contract, Wescorp Energy will construct, deploy and operate up to 256 water remediation units and provide trained technicians qualified to operate and service the equipment.

The lease rates for this contract will provide Wescorp with a full return of capital expenses and each unit will provide positive cash flow in less than 12 months. Under the terms of this contract, there are 5 standard through-put or volume capacity designs for the water remediation units being 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000 and 5,000 barrels per day (BBLS/day). The daily lease rate is determined by the through-put capacity of each particular unit, with rates ranging from $900 to $2500 per day.

"This order for up to 256 of our patented water remediation units is monumental for Wescorp," commented Mark Norris, Chairman of Wescorp Energy and former Minister of Economic Development in the Alberta Provincial Government on the completing of the lease contract. "The anticipated reoccurring revenue from these units is expected to allow the company to grow by quantum leaps.

This technology has been designed and constructed to operate in oil and gas fields for the life of the producing wells - often as long as 15 or 20 years. We believe that this large initial order, primarily based on results from our 2,000 barrel-per-day commercial test unit, will lead to strong product acceptance by the industry. By reducing the amount of hydrocarbon in the produced water, this technology reduces environmental liabilities, the frequency of service and repairs on disposal and injection wells, and recovers additional hydrocarbons. Environmentally conscious companies are winning by reducing operation costs and increasing operating margins."

What They Do: Wescorp Energy is an oil and gas operations solutions company focused on commercializing technologies that overcome tough operations challenges facing oil and gas operators today. Wescorp combines its intellectual capital, oil and gas industry experience, best practices methodologies and its market offerings to deliver these solutions in a timely, economic and environmentally friendly manner.

What They Do: Wescorp Energy is an oil and gas operations solutions company focused on commercializing technologies that overcome tough operations challenges facing oil and gas operators today. Wescorp combines its intellectual capital, oil and gas industry experience, best practices methodologies and its market offerings to deliver these solutions in a timely, economic and environmentally friendly manner.

How They Trade: WSCE has a 52 week high of $0.51 and a 52 week low of $0.33. Volume averages approximately 146K shares a day.

Eden Energy (OTCBB: EDNE) Closed at $0.36. Announced yesterday after market close a corporate update on the Company’s exploration and development programs. The Noah Project in Nevada has been a primary focus of the Company since its inception in 2003. Starting with the groundbreaking work of Dr. Alan Chamberlain of Cedar Strat Inc., Eden matured the Noah project into a high quality drillable target. In April of 2007 the Company announced a farmout and joint venture agreement with a large Texas-based private company for the drilling of the Noah project. In April 2008 the Company announced that the Noah well had been plugged and abandoned after reaching a depth of 7,080 feet.

Subsequent to the Noah well drilling and after a careful review of the technical aspects of the Cherry Creek project the Company has decided not to pursue further activities and will not be renewing leases it holds in the project area. Eden Energy has participated in the drilling of two wells at Chinchaga in northwestern Alberta and has an interest in approximately 23,000 acres in the area. Both wells have been plugged and abandoned, however the Company views this area as highly prospective and will continue to monitor industry activity before making a decision of further drilling.

The White River Dome project in the Piceance Basin has become the Company’s primary focus. The White River Dome project combines good commercial returns while providing a large number of low risk development locations. Under its Drilling and Development Agreement, Eden may continue to drill wells and earn acreage in the federal exploratory Ant Hill Unit.

What They Do: Eden Energy Corp. focuses on large scale oil and gas projects with significant resource potential. Its current focus is the development of the White River Dome project in the Piceance Basin, Rio Blanco County, Colorado.

How They Trade: EDNE has a 52 week high of $1.20 and a 52 week low of $0.23. Volume averages approximately 149 shares a day.

Del Global Technologies Corp. (OTCBB: DGTC) Closed at $1.55. Today announced that it has signed an exclusive agreement with New Medical Imaging (NMI) of Taiwan, ROC, to sell and market NMI’s Gemini family of full-field, portable DR flat panels in the Americas. Del Medical will feature the Gemini flat panels at booth #738 at the AHRA 2008 Annual Meeting and Exposition, held July 27-31, 2008.

The Gemini flat panels are easily integrated into Del’s tables, which allows existing customers to upgrade or field retrofit their digital imaging systems. All of the Gemini products feature the latest flat panel technology and are DICOM compatible. Lightweight and portable, these flat panels facilitate multiple applications, while ensuring patient comfort and safety. Sharp, clear images appear on the screen in a matter of seconds resulting in significant workflow benefits.

What They Do: Del Global Technologies Corp. is primarily engaged in the design, manufacture and marketing of high performance diagnostic imaging systems for medical, dental and veterinary applications through the Del Medical Systems Group. Through its U.S. based Del Medical Imaging Corp. and Milan, Italy based Villa Sistemi Medicali S.p.A. subsidiaries the Company offers a broad portfolio of general radiographic, radiographic/fluoroscopic, portable x-ray and digital radiographic systems to the global marketplace.

How They Trade: DGTC has a 52 week high of $3.40 and a 52 week low of $1.15. Volume averages approximately 7K shares a day.

DigitalPost Interactive (OTCBB: DGLP) Closed aqt $0.09. Today announced the launch of Qwik-Edit(SM) -- a new, user-friendly photo-editing solution for its re-brandable digital media-sharing platform. This exciting new feature enables even the most novice Internet users to enhance their favorite family photos in one, easy step -- no downloads or special skills required.

Designed to work within DigitalPost Interactive's easy-to-use digital media-sharing platform, the new photo editor contains Crop, Rotate, Tint, Lighting, Auto-Correct, and Red-Eye features along with unique personalization tools for creating custom photo borders. Beginning today, users of TheFamilyPost.com and private-label versions of this compelling family website service can edit any photo posted on their site without the need for additional programs or third-party applications.

What They Do: DigitalPost Interactive is a SaaS (Software as a Service) and application provider that delivers B2B and B2C digital media-sharing solutions that are both easy to offer and easy to use. The company's visually-stunning, user-friendly Web 2.0 technology gives consumers a single, engaging place online for permanently storing and sharing a lifetime of digital media and memories, connecting with family and friends, and keeping organized in today's digital world.

During a press conference today at the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) International Convention & Exposition, American Express Business Travel announced plans to launch a business-to-business online networking community for the corporate travel industry. A first-of-its-kind resource, BusinessTravelConnexion.com will bring together a consortium of industry decision makers, suppliers, and experts in the industry's most extensive online, community platform. Also announced was NBTA's commitment to become the online community's first industry content partner. American Express Publishing's Executive Travel magazine will also provide content to the site. Designed as a place for members to connect, share and learn, BusinessTravelConnexion.com will draw together the combined expertise and wide variety of perspectives of American Express Business Travel, NBTA, industry publications, suppliers and editorialists. In addition to these affiliations, users will be empowered and encouraged to participate in online discussion boards, editorial reviews, hot topic polls, product development councils and provide feedback on what they want to hear about from the industry. Other features will include a resource center with white papers, surveys and other
research, RSS feed, blogs and benchmarking ability. Membership to the site will be open to the entire business travel community. "The latest online innovation from American Express,
BusinessTravelConnexion.com will grant corporations and individual travel professionals access to the wealth of information and expertise of our organization and members of the broader business travel industry, while asking them to supplement the site's value by contributing from their own experiences," said Lyell Farquharson, Vice President and General Manager,Business Travel Canada, American Express. "With the advent of new technology we're witnessing the business travel industry moving toward online resources and automated services, and our objective with this new, interactive network,is to continue to evolutionize the business travel experience." Kevin Maguire, CCTE, President and CEO, NBTA commented, "As a leading source of business travel industry information, NBTA continually seeks new opportunities to deliver valuable resources to the business travel community. We are pleased to work with American Express Business Travel on BusinessTravelConnexion.com; it's a tremendous opportunity to deliver thought leadership through a new media vehicle to reach an even greater portion of the business travel community."

Farquharson continued, "NBTA's and Executive Travel's content partnerships add tremendous value to the industry intelligence we want showcased on the site. Through their contributions and others who are interested, BusinessTravelConnexion.com will allow companies to leverage the collective intelligence of the industry to become more informed and better equipped to make the most prudent travel management decisions."

"Executive Travel is thrilled to be a part of the BusinessTravelConnexion.com community. Executive Travel's content will provide a unique dimension to the site by offering the perspective of the traveller.

It is beneficial for business travel managers and procurement officers to have insight into the minds of travellers to help define the approach for corporate travel programs. In today's fast-paced and ever-changing environment, there is a need for a place where knowledge can be shared easily and quickly, and we feel BusinessTravelConnexion.com does exactly that," said Janet M. Libert, editor of Executive Travel magazine. As a first step toward a truly collaborative community, American Express Business Travel is accepting suggestions for content and features at www.BusinessTravelConnexion.com or at the Company's booth (No. 2239) on the NBTA Expo floor in Los Angeles. Through each of these venues, individuals may register to offer thoughts and receive updates on the site's progress until its launch, currently planned for this fall.

About American Express Business Travel

American Express Business Travel(www.americanexpress.com/businesstravel),
a division of the American Express Company, is dedicated to helping its clients realize the greatest possible value from their investment in travel through increased cost savings,
outstanding customer service and greater spend control. For small businesses, medium-sized enterprises and multinational corporations, American Express Business Travel provides a combination of industry-leading booking technology, travel management consulting expertise, strategic sourcing and supplier negotiation support, and customer service available online and offline, around the world.

American Express operates one of the world's largest travel agency networks with $26.4 billion in global travel sales in 2007.

American Express Company (www.americanexpress.com) is a diversified worldwide travel, financial and network services company founded in 1850. It is a world leader in charge and credit cards, Travellers Cheques, travel, and business services.

Source-cnw.ca

As businesses are getting more environmentally conscious, this phenomenon has fuelled businesses across the world to use Business to Business (B2B) portals as their international business tool for all their trading needs. However, in the early 1990's, though the concept was well accepted by the business world, traders were skeptical about the positive results. But today leading B2B portals have proved beyond doubt the world that the concept is not only fast and cost effective, but also an eco-friendly medium to do international trade.

Top trade shows still attract many companies to showcase their products and services, but a majority of small and medium enterprises (SME) have totally resorted to do the same through B2Bs. And this in fact, has reduced unnecessary movement of people and commodities to several such shows resulting in lowering cost of marketing as well as energy to every business entity involved.

Besides, instead of traveling to meet a new client to a foreign land, traders found this new rendezvous in the form of B2B portal. In business development process, after making initial interactions through emails, they sometimes even confirm their business facilities through video-conferencing before inking the deals, and this too is made possible through B2Bs.

According to studies, more than 60% of SME utilize the services of B2Bs directly or indirectly. Though there is a flurry and mushrooming of several B2Bs with claims of providing complete business solutions, leading B2Bs are still largely sought after in the e-commerce arena.

B2Bs are environmentally appealing mainly because of the non-involvement of any kind global warming material being used in the business development process.

. The complete business process except product delivery involves just electronic interaction and transaction.

. Products or services are presented to the client/clients by redirecting them to their respective websites from their B2B profile or through the same profile itself depending upon the B2B package their have opted for.

. Avoids physical presence in all stages of business, and in abstract services even delivery is made electronically.

B2Bs generated huge revenues as compared to other business models engaged in global trade without emitting any harmful green house gases or cutting trees which was otherwise used extensively in paper-based business processes of the past. Perhaps serious concern for the deteriorating health of the environment due to climate change and other related issues have prompted businesses to take a paradigm shift to opt for B2Bs.

Most B2Bs expect bringing in such awareness among traders will also help these portals to grow besides other positive aspects. In addition, these portals hope environmentally conscious traders to market B2B concept to non-users through word of mouth or other means to adopt it as part of 'save the planet slogan'. Some of the B2Bs provide even international services including transport, go-between and other services, besides the regulars, import and export to put their use into good effect.

Apart from the eco-friendly aspects of these portals there are other attractive reasons for traders to adopt this model such as, negligible cost involved in marketing operations of any given company, user-friendliness and not to mention the speed in delivering goods. Though there are any scales to measure the amount or number of benefits to the environment after the arrival of B2B portals is available, looking into the features as well as the time presence, one is made to believe, they have made a huge positive impact in the eco front. The eco-conscious traders, if they have not started utilizing these services, will certainly adopt this business tool as a medium for their global and even for their domestic trading needs very soon.

Source-powerhomebiz.com

During a press conference today at the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) International Convention & Exposition, American Express Business Travel announced plans to launch a business-to-business online networking community for the corporate travel industry. A first-of-its-kind resource, BusinessTravelConnexion.com will bring together a consortium of industry decision makers, suppliers, and experts in the industry’s most extensive online, community platform. Also announced was NBTA’s commitment to become the online community’s first industry content partner. American Express Publishing’s Executive Travel magazine will also provide content to the site. Designed as a place for members to connect, share and learn, BusinessTravelConnexion.com will draw together the combined expertise and wide variety of perspectives of American Express Business Travel, NBTA, industry publications, suppliers and editorialists. In addition to these affiliations, users will be empowered and encouraged to participate in online discussion boards, editorial reviews, hot topic polls, product development councils and provide feedback on what they want to hear about from the industry. Other features will include a resource center with white papers, surveys and other research, RSS feed, blogs and benchmarking ability. Membership to the site will be open to the entire business travel community. "The latest online innovation from American Express, BusinessTravelConnexion.com will grant corporations and individual travel professionals access to the wealth of information and expertise of our organization and members of the broader business travel industry, while asking them to supplement the site’s value by contributing from their own experiences,” said Charles Petruccelli, president, American Express Global Travel Services. "With the advent of new technology we’re witnessing the business travel industry moving toward online resources and automated services, and our objective with this new, interactive network, is to continue to revolutionize the business travel experience." Kevin Maguire, CCTE, President and CEO, NBTA commented, "As a leading source of business travel industry information, NBTA continually seeks new opportunities to deliver valuable resources to the business travel community. We are pleased to work with American Express Business Travel on BusinessTravelConnexion.com; it’s a tremendous opportunity to deliver thought leadership through a new media vehicle to reach an even greater portion of the business travel community.” Petruccelli continued, "NBTA’s and Executive Travel’s content partnerships add tremendous value to the industry intelligence we want showcased on the site. Through their contributions and others who are interested, BusinessTravelConnexion.com will allow companies to leverage the collective intelligence of the industry to become more informed and better equipped to make the most prudent travel management decisions.” "Executive Travel is thrilled to be a part of the BusinessTravelConnexion.com community. Executive Travel's content will provide a unique dimension to the site by offering the perspective of the traveler. It is beneficial for business travel managers and procurement officers to have insight into the minds of travelers to help define the approach for corporate travel programs. In today's fast-paced and ever-changing environment, there is a need for a place where knowledge can be shared easily and quickly, and we feel BusinessTravelConnexion.com does exactly that," said Janet M. Libert, editor of Executive Travel magazine. As a first step toward a truly collaborative community, American Express Business Travel is accepting suggestions for content and features at www.BusinessTravelConnexion.com or at the Company’s booth (#2239) on the NBTA Expo floor in Los Angeles. Through each of these venues, individuals may register to offer thoughts and receive updates on the site’s progress until its launch, currently planned for this fall. Industry participants are also invited to become a fan of the BusinessTravelConnexion Facebook page. Updates and additional information are available at http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Express-Business-Travel- ConneXion/20901582371. (Due to its length, this URL may need to be copied/pasted into your Internet browser's address field. Remove the extra space if one exists.) About American Express Business Travel American Express Business Travel (www.americanexpress.com/businesstravel), a division of the American Express Company, is dedicated to helping its clients realize the greatest possible value from their investment in travel through increased cost savings, outstanding customer service and greater spend control. For small businesses, medium-sized enterprises and multinational corporations, American Express Business Travel provides a combination of industry-leading booking technology, travel management consulting expertise, strategic sourcing and supplier negotiation support, and customer service available online and offline, around the world. American Express operates one of the world's largest travel agency networks with $26.4 billion in global travel sales in 2007. American Express Company (www.americanexpress.com) is a diversified worldwide travel, financial and network services company founded in 1850. It is a world leader in charge and credit cards, Travelers Cheques, travel, and business services.

Source-newsticker.welt.de

WAUCONDA, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Fidelitone Logistics, an industry leader in providing comprehensive third party logistics (3PL) services, has been selected as one of the Top 100 Third-Party Logistics Providers for 2008 by Inbound Logistics magazine.

“It’s a global world, and without the best-in-class supply chain solutions offered by Top 100 companies such as Fidelitone Logistics, business logistics professionals going global would face enormous difficulties,” said Felicia Stratton, Editor, Inbound Logistics. “For its ability to help customers explore new markets and new opportunities both domestically and around the world, Inbound Logistics is proud to recognize Fidelitone Logistics as a 2008 Top 100 3PL.”

“We are honored to have been selected by the team at Inbound Logistics as one of the top 3PL providers in the country for 2008,” said Fidelitone Logistics president Josh Johnson. “Fidelitone Logistics is committed to providing the very best in 3PL services and supply chain management, and we’re ecstatic our team’s hard work is getting recognized by such an esteemed industry publication.”

The Inbound Logistics (IL) editorial staff selected the Top 100 3PL service providers out of over 300 submissions from companies nationwide.

Each year, Inbound Logistics editors select the best logistics solutions providers by carefully evaluating submitted information, conducting personal interviews and online research, and comparing that data to readers’ burgeoning global supply chain and logistics challenges. IL editors selected this year's class of Top 100 3PLs from a pool of more than 300 companies. The service providers selected are companies that, in the opinion of IL editors, offer the diverse operational capabilities and experience to meet readers' unique supply chain and logistics needs.

The Top 100 providers will be featured in the July issue of the Inbound Logistics magazine and in the publication’s online “3PL Decision Support Tool,” where readers can enter in their outsourced logistics requirements and find solution providers best suited to meet their specific needs.

Founded in 1929, Fidelitone Logistics is a privately-owned business headquartered in Wauconda, a northwest suburb of Chicago. With nationwide facilities, access to immediate space anywhere in the country and a worldwide distribution network, Fidelitone Logistics provides vendor management support for more than 2,000 well-known consumer, industrial and MRO related brands and more than six million individual SKUs, shipping millions of packages via all carriers for our clients. Services range from forecasting, procurement and inventory management through distribution, last-mile delivery and return logistics.

To learn more about the 3PL solutions Fidelitone Logistics provides, visit http://www.fidelitone.com.

ABOUT FIDELITONE LOGISTICS

Fidelitone Logistics is a recognized 3PL leader in supply chain management solutions and execution excellence. With nationwide facilities, Fidelitone Logistics services a wide array of customers, including Best Buy, Black & Decker, DMSI and the nation's largest provider of home services. For media inquires, contact Lauren Littlefield at Dittoe PR at 317-202-2280 x.17 or laurenl@dittoepr.com. For more information on Fidelitone Logistics, visit www.fidelitone.com.

ABOUT INBOUND LOGISTICS

Inbound Logistics is the pioneering publication of demand-driven logistics practices, also known as supply chain management. IL’s educational mission is to help businesses efficiently manage logistics, reduce and speed inventory, and neutralize transportation cost increases by aligning their supply to demand and adjusting enterprise functions to support that paradigm shift. More information about demand-driven logistics practices is available at www.inboundlogistics.com.

Source-businesswire.com