B2B Suppliers - B2B Portal News | MarketPlace | Directory | Products | Trade

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

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

All World Sourcing, Inc. (AWS), the leading global marketplace that proactively matches B2B buyers and suppliers of small and medium-sized businesses, announced today that it will pay a 3% rebate (up to $500) to buyers for their first Buy Request that is completed by a supplier through our website. AWS helps small and medium-sized businesses to source from the best supplier. Our online sourcing platform allows buyers to submit a Buy Request, select the suppliers that you want to bid on your request, and then sit back and pick the best offer! With over 9,400 pre-qualified suppliers from around the world, you will get the best bids in terms of price and quality.

This is a great opportunity to try our sourcing services and save up to $500!

Fremont, CA (PRWEB) July 16, 2008 -- All World Sourcing, Inc. (AWS), the leading global marketplace that proactively matches B2B buyers and suppliers of small and medium-sized businesses, announced today that it will pay a 3% rebate (up to $500) to buyers for their first Buy Request that is completed by a supplier through our website.

"This is a great opportunity to try our sourcing services and save up to $500!" says Tony O'Yang, founder of AWS. "As our sourcing services are free to buyers, now there is even more reason to give us a try for all of your sourcing needs. Think of us as your personal sourcing agent that not only works for free, but even pays you when you finalize a purchase through us. Now that's compelling!"

AWS helps small and medium-sized businesses to source from the best supplier. Our online sourcing platform allows buyers to submit a Buy Request, select the suppliers that you want to bid on your request, and then sit back and pick the best offer! With over 9,400 pre-qualified suppliers from around the world, you will get the best bids in terms of price and quality.

Passive, browse-oriented sites such as Alibaba.com merely allow buyers and sellers to post their inquiries and leave it to chance that buyers and sellers will find each other after sorting through thousands of "buy" and "sell" leads. All World Sourcing proactively works with pre-qualified suppliers to bid on a buyer's request, much like how a personal sourcing agent would. The advantage is shorter turnaround times, better bids, and ultimately, savings for the buyer!

For complete details, please visit All World Sourcing $500 Rebate.

About All World Sourcing, Inc.:
All World Sourcing, Inc. (AWS) is the leading global marketplace that proactively matches B2B buyers and suppliers of small and medium-sized businesses. Members list their Buy Requests for their business needs and receive bids from thousands of feedback-rated suppliers from industries such as Electronics and Electronic Components, Toys & Gifts, and Fashion & Apparel. Our mission is to create the most efficient B2B marketplace for global commerce. Our solution combines the advantages of a personalized sourcing consultant with the efficiency and scalability of a web-based company.

For more information, please visit www.AllWorldSourcing.com.

Business to Business (B2B) market offers spectacular opportunities for manufacturers, suppliers, exporters, importers and service provider. A B2B market manages a large number of players as a business community.Do what you know exactly a B2B market? Based on the Internet B2B market tends to focus either on steep or flat markets. B2B Vertical markets automate the procurement procedure in an industry that brings together buyers and sellers at various levels of distribution in conjunction with transactions job.Brand: B2B market is a huge community of buyers and sellers. For employment in another market, the brand can be defined simply as a batch of images, images and feelings that are evoked in the psyche of your customers and prospects to reference your figure (or number of goods . In order to ensure that the image that is evoked is a routine check and constructive amount is a challenge in a job at branding. In the consumer goods reality, while expensive, branding is relatively simple: Building a brand through a coherent system of advertising that connects your goods or service to the images and emotions that you are looking for the consumer to correlate with you. B2B markets are one-stop job for many solutions Part? needs. Real time market allows buyers to move quickly resolution, two major indicators of productivity are part rising incomes and reducing costs. Products offered on a market are integrated into the eCatalog and seller? Web Store. B2B Exchanges are online marketplace for companies to purchase and trade in services of higher quality and new businesses. Buyers are unable to make final purchasing decisions to pay for poor substance of the goods resulting chance of 'job losses for businesses. To avoid this B2B markets take one form or another advanced eCatalog structure that offers a value of persuasion are proposal.There new benefits that can get to participate in a B2B market as a buyer participants easily.For B2B market offers as indicated below: Gain time? Provides accelerate acceptance, the command monitoring processes and economy. Access to the original suppliers? B2B market participation removes geographical fences and provides original approach suppliers.Increased sales? With a wider market, suppliers have the potential to increase revenue.Reduced sales and support costs? By automating sales and customer support processes companies can cut more costs about 25-30 head % High costs well.Reduced? Elegant Thanks to high supply chain costs can be reduced to 30 up percentages.B2B trade: The landscape is dotted with hundreds of B2B exchanges that have failed, showing that success is far from automatic. But many are still in operation. They have learned to go to reward opportunities and avoid disadvantages of this energy source of online merchandising. integrated sales channel in a market Business to Business covers all stages of the sales procedure, including quote, dialogue, billing and sending tracking.www.Made-India.com is an innovative and comprehensive online business-to-business (B2B) portal, which provides a professional platform for Indian exporters, manufacturers, suppliers and others who are involved in the import-export. Since its inception in 2007, Made-India has emerged as an international platform for thousands of consultants, importers - exporters, organizations and companies to transact business at the global level, without intermediaries.


Source : small-business-faq.blogspot.com

Can you guess that which is the hottest medium to catch new and lucrative opportunities for your business?

There are hundreds and thousands of marketing techniques that you can use to promote your business or to generate new business. Just to name a few advertising, telemarketing, blogging, networking, etc.

All of these marketing methods work, some better than others, but being a business professional you should incorporate a variety of techniques to get your marketing message out. One easy way to get started is to add your services to online B2B directories. A B2B Portal is a business directory categorized for easy navigation by people searching for your products and services.

B2B portals are not just a fancy idea! Part of being a B2B business professional is marketing your services to your target market. Today every business is using http://www.themallofindia.com/partnership.html target=new>B2B Directory services or B2B Portal. Whether you are primarily a buyer or a supplier, participation in B2B directories can generate enormous benefits to your company - both in cost savings and productivity increase.

In short a B2B portal is a business which provides business to a business. A B2B portal is a distinct kind of website with features to conduct electronic business and manage significant parts of corporate business processes. Implementation of a true high quality B2B portal or B2B Directory Services could have immediate impact on company productivity.

To conclude, it can be said that B2B Service Providers act as a http://www.themallofindia.com/aboutus.html target=new>business enabler and is the good place to start because it is the most professional and qualified means to promote your business and make your organization famous among the people.

If somebody tells you that your present corporate website can be converted to a B2B portal which will help you significantly improve your company’s productivity in both of the two primary factors: Revenue Growth and Cost Saving, and that the portal can be launched in a matter of months with a very reasonable investment, what will be your reaction? Read on to learn how corporations all over the world are missing an opportunity, which can revolutionize the way they manage their businesses.

What is a B2B portal?

A portal is defined as an access point to World Wide Web. A portal is a combination of web pages, features and services which become a primary destination for users. The word was first used to describe the sites of popular Internet access providers or search engines such as AOL, MSN and Yahoo! At a later stage, the word “portal” evolved into something bigger covering business websites, where a corporate portal or enterprise information portal acts as a base for employees, customers, suppliers and other associates of a company to access corporate information and web services. A B2B portal is a distinct kind of website with features to conduct electronic business and manage significant parts of corporate business processes.

Benefits of having a B2B portal

Today, B2B portals are not just a fancy idea! They are an absolute necessity for all enterprises of any type and size. The advantages of having a quality B2B portal are massive. Implementation of a true high quality B2B portal could have immediate impact on company productivity.

Revenue Growth

Revenue Increase from Existing Clients
Existing clients get faster and easier access to product information, quicker response to their requests, get better customer support and are able to buy products online.

Revenue Increase from Value Added Services
Once a B2B portal is set as the primary sales channel, spared resources can be used to create more value added services for clients. Some of the services that the portal may offer also could be utilized to generate more value.

Cost Savings

Order Processing Cost
If the B2B portal integrates supply chain management solution, it will reduce the cost of processing orders drastically. Studies show that similar solution can reduce cost of processing a purchase order from US$ 70 down in average to US$ 6 only.

Sales and support costs
Automated sales and customer support features integrated in the solution is capable of reducing overhead costs up to 30 percent.

Inventory keeping costs
Clearer visibility and forecasting ability thanks to various features of the B2B portal may help companies considerably reduce inventory keeping costs.

Other key benefits include:

Low customer acquisition cost
Effective portal branding on the Internet will help to attract customers from new sources. The cost of acquiring customers through online channels is always cheaper than other traditional methods.

Improve customer service
Ability to have constant interaction with customers through the B2B portal helps companies serve customers better. The B2B portal solution allows tracking the whole ordering process from payment to delivery and brings greater efficiency in customer service.

Reduce sourcing time cycle
The customers can select products from the integrated marketplace of the B2B portal and either sends purchase orders or directly buy products using the shopping cart. Buyers handle all their procurement related correspondence from a consolidated working page, which helps them react instantly and reduce time in document processing.

Community participation
Company buyers and sellers can create communities surrounding the B2B portal’s discussion board. This helps getting valuable feedbacks on time, building new partnerships using the networking ability of a community, and disseminating important information to members easily.

Real time access to current product information
Current information of a product is vital for an accurate buying decision. Updating product content and other information using customized forms as it is necessary, the company can help buyers and other associates to take critical decision promptly.

Control rogue spending
Consolidated and automated procurement and approval method stops maverick buying in a company.

Main components of a B2B portal

Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management solutions can deliver great values to company’s existing systems. Implementation of these solutions will help achieving incredibly high return on investment and will have tremendous impact on company’s business, which include: better productivity, faster order processing, greater visibility, the elimination of maverick or unplanned purchasing, etc.

Marketplace
This is the venue where the enterprises can post their products for sale. A sophisticated shopping cart will be integrated into the electronic marketplace in order to automate the buying process.

Auction
Electronic auction system can use both English and Dutch auction methods. For convenience the auction component can be integrated into the electronic marketplace.

Online auction helps liquidate surplus goods easily.

Reverse Auction
This solution allows the company to automate electronic procurement, where suppliers compete for business real time online.

Storefront for Participants
Each associate of the B2B portal will get a Storefront that may reflect profile of the company, its products, services or other information.

Forum
A Forum or a Discussion Board is an organized, on-line interactive message board where participants conduct discussion on a set of topics by posting questions, comments and responses.

Internal Messaging System
Elaborate Messaging System allows a participant of the B2B portal send and receive messages from other participants and the company. Since the messages do not leave a secured server, participants would not be worried about sending sensitive information over the Internet.

Classified
Catalog based bulletin board allows company associates to post important notices in various predefined formats.

Directory of Companies
This is a listing of all registered associates of the B2B portal either by business category or by alphabetical order. An advanced search engine tool is incorporated in order to find a company based on data provided.

E-catalog
E-catalog a hierarchy of product and service categories based on UNSPCS, a global products and services classification method that covers the broadest collection of industries and commodities available today, and designed to facilitate e-commerce transactions by providing geography-independent common nomenclature system.

Product Content Adding System
Product adding mechanism based on either easy-to-use wizard or simple but detail forms allows users to integrate products or services with accurate and up-to-date information.

Product Notification
The system can generate an alert and send by email to a user, who requested to inform once a particular product or service gets added to the E-catalog.

Numerous other features could be incorporated to an existing B2B portal depending on requirement, such as: News Aggregation using RSS feed, Contact Management, Electronic Journal, Press Room, Document Repository, etc.

Time needed to set up

Using ready made B2B Portal components from a provider like Rusbiz.com a medium size portal can be built or integrated to existing website within three to four months.

By developing a B2B portal ahead of your major competitors you can give your business a significant boost and make your company stand out from the crowd.

Nowshade Kabir is CEO of Rusbiz.com, a global B2B portal for small and midsize companies. Our distinctive web stores along with many outstanding features like e-marketplace, e-catalog, supply chain management solutions, and trade leads section will allow you to build robust Internet presence and manage key business processes online. Rusbiz also develops Corporate B2B portals.

If somebody tells you that your present corporate website can be converted to a B2B portal which will help you significantly improve your company’s productivity in both of the two primary factors: Revenue Growth and Cost Saving, and that the portal can be launched in a matter of months with a very reasonable investment, what will be your reaction? Read on to learn how corporations all over the world are missing an opportunity, which can revolutionize the way they manage their businesses.

What is a B2B portal?

A portal is defined as an access point to World Wide Web. A portal is a combination of web pages, features and services which become a primary destination for users. The word was first used to describe the sites of popular Internet access providers or search engines such as AOL, MSN and Yahoo! At a later stage, the word “portal” evolved into something bigger covering business websites, where a corporate portal or enterprise information portal acts as a base for employees, customers, suppliers and other associates of a company to access corporate information and web services. A B2B portal is a distinct kind of website with features to conduct electronic business and manage significant parts of corporate business processes.

Benefits of having a B2B portal

Today, B2B portals are not just a fancy idea! They are an absolute necessity for all enterprises of any type and size. The advantages of having a quality B2B portal are massive. Implementation of a true high quality B2B portal could have immediate impact on company productivity.

Revenue Growth

Revenue Increase from Existing Clients
Existing clients get faster and easier access to product information, quicker response to their requests, get better customer support and are able to buy products online.

Revenue Increase from Value Added Services
Once a B2B portal is set as the primary sales channel, spared resources can be used to create more value added services for clients. Some of the services that the portal may offer also could be utilized to generate more value.

Cost Savings

Order Processing Cost
If the B2B portal integrates supply chain management solution, it will reduce the cost of processing orders drastically. Studies show that similar solution can reduce cost of processing a purchase order from US$ 70 down in average to US$ 6 only.

Sales and support costs
Automated sales and customer support features integrated in the solution is capable of reducing overhead costs up to 30 percent.

Inventory keeping costs
Clearer visibility and forecasting ability thanks to various features of the B2B portal may help companies considerably reduce inventory keeping costs.

Other key benefits include:

Low customer acquisition cost
Effective portal branding on the Internet will help to attract customers from new sources. The cost of acquiring customers through online channels is always cheaper than other traditional methods.

Improve customer service
Ability to have constant interaction with customers through the B2B portal helps companies serve customers better. The B2B portal solution allows tracking the whole ordering process from payment to delivery and brings greater efficiency in customer service.

Reduce sourcing time cycle
The customers can select products from the integrated marketplace of the B2B portal and either sends purchase orders or directly buy products using the shopping cart. Buyers handle all their procurement related correspondence from a consolidated working page, which helps them react instantly and reduce time in document processing.

Community participation
Company buyers and sellers can create communities surrounding the B2B portal’s discussion board. This helps getting valuable feedbacks on time, building new partnerships using the networking ability of a community, and disseminating important information to members easily.

Real time access to current product information
Current information of a product is vital for an accurate buying decision. Updating product content and other information using customized forms as it is necessary, the company can help buyers and other associates to take critical decision promptly.

Control rogue spending
Consolidated and automated procurement and approval method stops maverick buying in a company.

Main components of a B2B portal

Supply Chain Management
Supply chain management solutions can deliver great values to company’s existing systems. Implementation of these solutions will help achieving incredibly high return on investment and will have tremendous impact on company’s business, which include: better productivity, faster order processing, greater visibility, the elimination of maverick or unplanned purchasing, etc.

Marketplace
This is the venue where the enterprises can post their products for sale. A sophisticated shopping cart will be integrated into the electronic marketplace in order to automate the buying process.

Auction
Electronic auction system can use both English and Dutch auction methods. For convenience the auction component can be integrated into the electronic marketplace.

Online auction helps liquidate surplus goods easily.

Reverse Auction
This solution allows the company to automate electronic procurement, where suppliers compete for business real time online.

Storefront for Participants
Each associate of the B2B portal will get a Storefront that may reflect profile of the company, its products, services or other information.

Forum
A Forum or a Discussion Board is an organized, on-line interactive message board where participants conduct discussion on a set of topics by posting questions, comments and responses.

Internal Messaging System
Elaborate Messaging System allows a participant of the B2B portal send and receive messages from other participants and the company. Since the messages do not leave a secured server, participants would not be worried about sending sensitive information over the Internet.

Classified
Catalog based bulletin board allows company associates to post important notices in various predefined formats.

Directory of Companies
This is a listing of all registered associates of the B2B portal either by business category or by alphabetical order. An advanced search engine tool is incorporated in order to find a company based on data provided.

E-catalog
E-catalog a hierarchy of product and service categories based on UNSPCS, a global products and services classification method that covers the broadest collection of industries and commodities available today, and designed to facilitate e-commerce transactions by providing geography-independent common nomenclature system.

Product Content Adding System
Product adding mechanism based on either easy-to-use wizard or simple but detail forms allows users to integrate products or services with accurate and up-to-date information.

Product Notification
The system can generate an alert and send by email to a user, who requested to inform once a particular product or service gets added to the E-catalog.

Numerous other features could be incorporated to an existing B2B portal depending on requirement, such as: News Aggregation using RSS feed, Contact Management, Electronic Journal, Press Room, Document Repository, etc.

Time needed to set up

Using ready made B2B Portal components from a provider like Rusbiz.com a medium size portal can be built or integrated to existing website within three to four months.

By developing a B2B portal ahead of your major competitors you can give your business a significant boost and make your company stand out from the crowd.

Nowshade Kabir is CEO of Rusbiz.com, a global B2B portal for small and midsize companies. Our distinctive web stores along with many outstanding features like e-marketplace, e-catalog, supply chain management solutions, and trade leads section will allow you to build robust Internet presence and manage key business processes online. Rusbiz also develops Corporate B2B portals.

Under the patronage of His Excellency Mr. Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry, State of Qatar, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Saleh Al Sada, Qatari Minister of State for Energy and Industry Affairs launched the 1^st GCC-EU Forum in Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday, 3rd July, 2008. The forum was organized by the Gulf Organization for Industrial Consulting (GOIC) in cooperation with Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Navigation (BCCIN), and Enterprise Europe Network, with a strategic partnership with Qatar Petroleum.

The main objective of the two-day Forum is to promote industrial cooperation as well as subcontracting & partnership activities between GCC member states and the European Union. The Forum specifically focused on meeting the objective of marketing GCC subcontracting capabilities and promoting technology transfer and joint venture interests from the EU region.

Activities of the forum started on Thursday with a welcome speech by H.E. Mr. Miquel Valls, President of Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Navigation; in which he emphasized the great business opportunities available for both regions, in sectors such as energy, chemical and petrochemical industries, renewable energy, raw materials, and plastics industries, further to gas and oil. Mr. Valls also talked about the size of trade between both Spain and GCC member states in 2007, where Spanish imports from the GCC member states reached some Euro 281 billion, and of these 28% were in Catalonia. In terms of exports, Spain exported to GCC member states in these sectors products worth Euro 182 billion. Finally, Mr. Vallas assured the efforts exerted to boost industrial cooperation and subcontracting with Catalan and European companies, promote technology transfer and enhance joint business projects.

The second speech was delivered by H.E. Dr. Mohamed Saleh Al Sada, in which H.E emphasized the importance of the forum in enhancing industrial cooperation between the two regions. Dr. Al Sada also stressed the importance of strengthening SMEs and increasing their leveraging opportunities in the global network of production (GNP) through boosting the GCC- EU industrial cooperation. "Available opportunities are there for our two regions in terms of cooperation and partnership; EU owns the technologies and the capability of supplying equipment and know-how; while our region has got the national resources, infrastructure and the adequate environment for investment", said Dr. Al Sada in his speech in the Opening Session.

In the same session, VIP speakers from the two regions delivered their speeches in the occasion including H.E. Eng. Sultan Bin Saeed Al-Mansouri, Minister of Economy, UAE; Dr. Ahmed Khalil Al Mutawa, Secretary General, GOIC; H.E Mr. Samuel Furfari, Deputy Head of Unit Renewable Energy at the Directorate General for Energy and Transport, European Commission; and H.E. Mr. Joseph Huguet, Minister for Innovation, University and Industry, Catalonia.

Thursday agenda included two work sessions; the first discussed Economic Relations between the Gulf Countries and the EU: Present Status and Future Prospects. Participants in this session tackled important topics relating to the Development of Economic relations between the Gulf countries and the EU; Future prospects for the Gulf countries and Arab Economic relations and main potential growth areas; A survey of policies and actions needed to promote the development of the economy; and finally Economic linearization and reform program in the Gulf countries and its social and economic reflections.

On its turn, the second session tackled Industrial Subcontracting where GCC and EU Subcontracting capabilities and interest in the fields of Petrochemicals, Desalination, Metalworking, Plastics, Rubber and Engineering were thoroughly illustrated.

In the second day of the forum, two other sessions were conducted. In the first session titled Investment Opportunities, Legal and Financial; many concerns were discussed covering Development within the Gulf Economy and its Investment Opportunities; the Legal Framework for doing business in the Gulf: Commercial and investment laws, and Foreign investment incentives; the Role of the private sector as a pioneer for the development of trade and investment between the two regions; and Investment opportunities in GCC and EU. The second session in Friday handled the matter of Future in Energy: Buyers and Suppliers Perspectives.

Within the same context, Business to Business (B2B) Meetings were conducted throughout the two days of the forum, with the participation of some 193 companies of different scales, further to projects' promoters, policy makers, potential investors, technology holders, equipment suppliers, and investors from both regions. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) mainly from Europe presented their subcontracting capabilities; while major companies from the Gulf including Qatar Petroleum and Qatar Holding discussed their demands of manufacturing supplies including specifications, values and quantities. Through those meetings, many arrangements occurred for matchmaking between businesses from both regions at different levels such as joint ventures, alliances, subcontracting and other forms of cooperation. The B2B meetings received considerable attention as they created a good investment and cooperation environment for the participating companies, whether SMEs or large scale companies from both regions.

On the sidelines of the conference, Dr. Al Sada conducted two individual meetings with each of H.E. Jose Montilla, Prime Minister of Catalonia; and H.E. Mr. Joseph Huguet, Minister for Innovation, University and Industry, Catalonia, in which they discussed future cooperation prospects between Qatar and Catalonia.

In addition, a meeting was conducted between Dr. Ahmed Khalil Al Mutawa, Secretary General, GOIC and Mr. Jose Antonio Quiroga Pineyero, Vice President of Eurochambers in which both parties discussed means of cooperation in terms of technical assistance, training and capacity development and industrial information interchange between both parties through GOIC's Industrial Market Intelligence Portal (IMI). In this meeting also, it was agreed to conduct the 2nd GCC-EU Industrial Forum in 2009 in one of GCC member states. H.E. Abdulrahim Naqi, Secretary General of the Federation of GCC Chambers, and H.E. Dr. Khalid Al-Hajiri, General Manager of Qatar Chamber of Commerce & Industry, attended the meeting.

On another development, the organizing parties of the 1st GCC-EU Industrial Forum held a press conference on Wednesday to highlight its theme and expectations, with the presence of media representatives from both regions. Participants in the subject conference were each of H.E. Dr. Mohammed Saleh Al-Sada, Minister of State for Energy & Industry Affairs, Qatar, H.E. Eng. Sultan Bin Saeed Al-Mansouri, Minister of Economy, UAE, H.E. Dr. Lulwa A. Al Misned, Assistant Secretary General for Industrial Investment Promotion, GOIC, H.E. Mr. Mohammed Turki Al-Subai, Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Intermediate Industries Holding Co. "Qatar Holding", H.E. Mr. Miquel Valls, Presdient, BCCIN.

After the conference, a MOU was concluded between GOIC and BCCIN. The MOU provides for the creation of a
Subcontracting Centre based in Qatar, at the offices of GOIC. The center will work for companies in the Gulf to develop its trade relations with Catalonia and the European Union; and make information available through a specialized information center established for the purpose, with an expert from BCCIN, and structure and staff from GOIC.

It is worth mentioning that the forum was conducted with a strategic partnership with QP and sponsored by Qatar Holding, Ministry of Economy, UAE, Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation "KAHRAMAA", TradeArabia, and Al Jazeera Network.

It is scheduled that the GCC-EU Forum will be held once every year interchangeably between GCC and the EU under the patronage of VIPs from each region. Through this forum, attention will be directed towards updates, prospects and opportunities for industrial development and economic relationships, and exploring ways and means of promoting industry and fostering economic cooperation to pave the way for building strong relationship ties between the two regions.

It is worth indicating that the industrial output contribution to the GDP in GCC member states is some 10%, yet, it is strongly expanding in view of the exerted efforts to foster industrial development in the region; and it increased from Euro 28 billion in 2002 to approach the level of Euro 53 billion in 2006. Currently the GCC is set to invest more than Euro 760 billion by 2012 in the industrial sector, as industry is always viewed as the strategic option for the diversification of the economies base in GCC member states.

To end with, GOIC, founded in 1976, targets developing industries throughout GCC by means of providing, both the industrial and economic sectors, with distinctive knowledge, consultancy and technical services. GOIC's mandate is to promote the highest levels of industrial cooperation and collaboration, in both the public and private sectors, by providing a complete set of high-quality, specialized research, information and consultancy services relating to industrial and economic development. Being aware of the importance of spreading knowledge, and introducing latest technical updates in the world to the region, GOIC has conducted a number of leading conferences such as Knowledge-Based Industries and Nano Technology Conference, Industrialists Conference series, the international conference on Aid for Trade, not to mention all; further to a number of seminars, workshops, and continuously organized activities that target opening new horizons for industrialists and investors whether inside the region or foreign ones.

Source by arabianbusiness.com

Corporate Express Document & Print Management (CEDPM), a leading provider of document and print management, and business form, label, direct mail and fulfillment solutions, has entered into an enterprise license agreement with Four51, Inc. Four51 develops online business-to-business catalog technology that connects buyers, distributors and suppliers of indirect goods. Four51's commerce platform will help CEDPM to bring products to market faster and consolidate disparate online ordering systems, while continuing to provide interoperability with ERP and spend-management solutions, such as SAP and Ariba, used by Corporate Express' customers.

"We're excited to leverage Four51's online business-to-business catalog technology," commented Michael Bailey, Vice President, Information Services, Corporate Express Document & Print Management. "Our new strategic partnership will enable us to continue streamlining and optimizing our internal systems and processes, while at the same time providing a state-of-the-art e-commerce front end to our customers."

Corporate Express US Inc., part of the Dutch-based Corporate Express NV (NYSE: CXP), is a leading business-to-business supplier of office and computer supplies, office furniture, facility supplies, document and print management, imaging and computer graphic supplies, promotional products and other similar products.

Four51 is growing virally at the rate of 1,200 buyers per day. More than 27,000 businesses -- including half the Fortune 500 -- and one million users conduct commerce on the Four51 network. Founded in 1999, Four51 is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., and is the leading e-catalog technology in the indirect goods market.

About Four51

Four51 (www.four51.com) is automating the B2B e-catalog market using an open e-commerce platform that connects buyers, distributors and suppliers of indirect goods such as printed materials, promotional products and office supplies. Using Four51's internet catalog technology, sellers can target simple and complex B2B products to a specific buyer desktop while maintaining compliance with all corporate purchasing rules and security requirements. Further, Four51 can integrate with other relevant B2B technologies such as payment services and back-office systems. For suppliers and manufacturers, Four51's unique approach removes inefficiencies from order processing, manufacturing and go-to-market activities. Suppliers on the Four51 network gain instant, seamless access to thousands of distributors and more than one million buyer-users through a single online platform.

About Corporate Express Document & Print Management

Corporate Express Document & Print Management (CEDPM) is a leading provider of document and print management, and business form, label, direct mail and fulfillment solutions. Employing approximately 1,000 people in seven manufacturing plants and 50 sales offices nationwide, CEDPM is a business unit of Corporate Express US Inc.

Corporate Express provides customers with a single source of business products and services, so that they can focus their resources, energy and time on their core business. Corporate Express helps organizations to save time and maximize their productivity. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Corporate Express NV generated 2007 sales of EUR 5.6 billion. The company has a widespread global distribution network spanning North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, has close to 18,000 employees and has operations in 21 countries. Corporate Express is listed on Euronext Amsterdam (EURONEXT: CXP) and in New York (NYSE: CXP). For more information, please visit www.CorporateExpress.com.

The Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair will be held from 11-15 September at the Challenger Hall exhibition center but the retailers can now meet the exhibitors also through online tools available at www.ospgemsjewelry.com.

The Bangkok fair’s B2B matching facility enables buyers to meet the right suppliers who can provide the products, services they need.

Buyers can find the companies they want to meet on the website, post which they can make an e-Appointment by registering at www.ospgemsjewelry.com to sit down face-to-face at the fair, look at physical samples, and visit their factories then talk about developing businesses together.

Buyers who used the business matching tools at the prior trade fair said they were interested in about 70% of the exhibitors that they met. After the fair they would contact these exhibitors further for placing orders, according to trade show officials.

BEIJING, eFuture Information Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: EFUT; "eFuture"), a leading provider of front-end supply chain management software and services in China, today announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2008.

Financial Results Highlights for the First Quarter of 2008 -- Total revenue for the first quarter of 2008 was RMB14.0 million (US$2.0 million), an increase of 92.8% from the first quarter of 2007. -- Software revenue for the first quarter of 2008 was RMB7.6 million (US$1.1 million), an increase of 33.5% from the first quarter of 2007. -- Service fee income for the first quarter of 2008 was RMB5.0 million (US$0.7 million), an increase of 241.6% from the first quarter of 2007. -- Gross profit for the first quarter of 2008 was RMB4.7 million (US$0.7 million), an increase of 31.8% from the first quarter of 2007. Excluding amortization of acquired technology, gross profit for the first quarter of 2008 would have been RMB8.6 million (US$1.2 million), an increase of 130.9% from the first quarter of 2007. -- Gross margin for the first quarter of 2008 decreased to 33.6% from 49.2% in the first quarter of 2007. Excluding amortization of acquired technology, gross margin for the first quarter of 2008 would have been 61.2%, compared to 51.1% in the first quarter of 2007. -- Net loss for the first quarter of 2008 was RMB9.2 million (US$1.3 million), an increase of 658.2% over the first quarter of 2007.

"We are pleased to report strong top-line growth in a traditionally weak first fiscal quarter that includes the long Chinese New Year holiday and this year was marked by severe snow storms across large parts of China. With a strong start to 2008, we are optimistic about our prospects and our earnings per share for the full year," said Mr. Adam Yan, eFuture's chairman and chief executive officer. "In addition, a larger base of installed clients contributed to strong organic growth. Service revenue was up 241.6%, the strongest growth of any quarter in ten years, with software revenue growth remaining solid. Moreover, we have strengthened our position and significantly broadened our opportunity in the fast-growing retail market in China with the successful integration of our Guangzhou Royalstone acquisition. Looking forward to the remainder of 2008, we expect that our B2B services, including http://www.bfuture.com.cn and http://www.jindian.com.cn, will begin to contribute to our revenue and drive value for retailers and their suppliers."

First Quarter of 2008 Operational Highlights -- Sales contracts in the first quarter of 2008 increased 102.5% to RMB18.0 million (US$2.6 million) from RMB8.8 in the first quarter of 2007. -- Service sales contracts in first quarter of 2008 increased 662.8% to RMB8.6 million (US$1.2 million) from RMB1.13 million in the first quarter of 2007. -- Total new orders increased 350% to 117 orders from 26 in the first quarter of 2007.

"During the first quarter, we placed particular emphasis on integrating our acquisitions completed in 2007 into a single platform," Mr. Yan continued. "We worked to smoothly incorporate culture, strengthen back-office resource integration and improve processes to streamline internal operations and reduce software deployment costs. This organic growth strategy has translated into a 12% increase in gross margins, excluding amortization of acquired technology."

As part of its effort to streamline its operations to promote organic growth, the company organized its software business according to six vertical strategy business areas: small and medium business, key accounts, department stores and shopping malls, grocery and supermarkets, specialty stores and fast-moving consumer goods.

Financial Results for the First Quarter of 2008

Revenue

eFuture reported total revenue of RMB14.0 million (US$2.0 million) for the first quarter of 2008, a 92.8% increase from RMB7.3 million in the first quarter of 2007.

Software sales in the first quarter of 2008 increased 33.5% to RMB7.6 million (US$1.1 million) from RMB5.7 million in the first quarter of 2007. Software sales contributed 54.0% to total revenue in the first quarter of 2008, compared to 78.0% in the first quarter of 2007.

Hardware sales in the first quarter of 2008 increased 1020% to RMB1.4 million (US$0.2 million) from RMB0.1 million in the first quarter of 2007. Hardware sales contributed 10.1% to total revenue in the first quarter of 2008, compared to 1.7% in the first quarter of 2007.

Service fee income in the first quarter of 2008 increased 241.6% to RMB5.0 million (US$0.7 million) from RMB1.5 million in the first quarter of 2007. Service fee income contributed 36.0% to total revenue in the first quarter of 2008, compared to 20.3% in the first quarter of 2007. The increase was largely due to eFuture's policy to provide free maintenance for its products in the first year of operation, after which the company begins to charge maintenance and support fees.

Gross Margins

Gross profit for the first quarter of 2008 was RMB4.7 million (US$0.7 million), a 31.8% increase from RMB3.6 million in the first quarter of 2007. Excluding amortization of acquired technology, gross profit for the first quarter of 2008 would have been RMB8.6 million (US$1.2 million), an increase of 130.8% from the first quarter of 2007.

Consolidated gross margin for the first quarter of 2008 was 33.6%, compared to 49.2% in the first quarter of 2007 and 43.5% in the fourth quarter of 2007. The decrease in gross margin was largely due to the amortization of acquired technology of RMB3.8 million (US$0.55 million), which represented 27.5% of total revenue in the first quarter of 2008, compared to 1.9% in the first quarter of 2007. Excluding amortization of acquired technology, gross margin for the first quarter of 2008 would have been 61.2%, compared to 51.1% in the first quarter of 2007.

Operating Expenses

Research and development expenses in the first quarter increased 37.2 percent year over year to RMB0.2 million (US$24 thousand). The increase in research and development was mainly due to the acquisition of Royalstone last year, which led to the integration of two research and development teams.

General and administrative expenses in the first quarter increased 169.7 percent year over year to RMB7.9 million (US$1.1 million). The increase in general and administrative expenses was mainly due to RMB2.3 million (US$0.3 million) of bad debt expenses caused by significantly increased accounts receivable. We had US$2 million of accounts receivable in the first quarter, an 84.9% increase from the same period of 2007.General and administrative expenses for the first quarter of 2008 were 56.2 percent of total revenues, compared to 40.1 percent in the first quarter of 2007 and 20.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Selling and distribution expenses in the first quarter increased 73.0 percent year over year to RMB3.8 million (US$536 thousand). The increase in selling and distribution expenses was partially due to a significant increase in our sales contracts. Selling and distribution expenses for the first quarter of 2008 were 26.8 percent of total revenues, compared to 29.9 percent in the first quarter of 2007 and 8.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Total share-based compensation expenses in the first quarter of 2008 were RMB0.8 million (US$0.1 million).

Operating loss in the first quarter of 2008 was RMB7.1 million (US$1.0 million), a 332.5% increase from RMB1.6 million in the first quarter of 2007. Operating margin was -50.5% in the first quarter of 2008, compared to -22.5% in the first quarter 2007 and 14.1% in the fourth quarter of 2007.

Net Income

Net loss for the first quarter of 2008 was RMB9.2 million (US$1.3 million), compared to net losses of RMB1.2 million in the first quarter of 2007 and net loss RMB24.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2007. Net margins were -65.8% in the first quarter of 2008 compared to -16.74% in the first quarter of 2007 and -50.6% in the fourth quarter of 2007. The increase in net loss and decrease in net margin was due to a number of factors including amortization of acquired technology from the acquisitions completed in 2007 of RMB3.8 million (US$0.6 million), bad debt expenses of RMB2.4 million (US$0.3 million) as a result of a large increase in accounts receivable at the end of the quarter.

Basic and diluted losses per share for the first quarter of 2008 were RMB3.14 (US$0.45) and RMB3.14 (US$0.45), respectively.

EBITDA

EBITDA (non-GAAP) for the first quarter of 2008 was RMB-1.39 million (US$- 0.2 million), a decrease of 101.1% from the first quarter of 2007. First quarter of 2008 adjusted net loss (non-GAAP) was RMB3.2 million (US$0.5 million), an increase of 732% from the first quarter of 2007.

Adjusted non-GAAP diluted losses per share for the first quarter of 2008 was RMB1.09 (US$0.16).

Cash Flow and Capital Expenditures

As of March 31, 2008, the company had RMB59.3 million (US$8.5 million) in cash and cash equivalents and short-term investments. Net cash generated from operating activities and capital expenditures in the first quarter of 2008 were RMB-8.2 million (US$-1.2 million) and RMB2.2 million (US$0.3 million), respectively.

As of March 31, 2008 the company had 627 employees compared to 588 employees as of December 31, 2007.

Business Outlook for 2008

The company has raised its full-year 2008 total revenue guidance to be in the range of approximately US$19 to US$20 million, representing annual growth of 65 to 74% over 2007. This forecast is a current and preliminary view and is subject to change.

Conference Call Information

eFuture's management will hold an earnings conference call at 8:30 p.m. on June 23, 2008 U.S. Eastern Time (8:30 a.m. on June 24, 2008 Beijing/Hong Kong Time).

Dial-in details for the earnings conference call are as follows: U.S. and International: +1-888-710-9688 Mainland China: +86-10-5851-1260 Hong Kong: +852-8306-5032

Please dial in 10 minutes before the call is scheduled to begin and request to be connected to the "eFuture earnings call."

Additionally, an archived webcast of the conference call will be available on the company's website at http://www.e-future.com.cn .

About eFuture Information Technology Inc.

eFuture is a leading provider of front-end supply chain management software and services in China. eFuture provides integrated software and service solutions to manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, logistics companies and retailers in China's front-end supply chain market, especially in the retail and Fast Moving Consumer Goods industries. eFuture currently serves more than 1,000 clients, including Fortune 500 companies, over 770 retailers and over 200 distributors operating in China. eFuture is also one of IBM's premier business partners in Asia Pacific and is a strategic partner with Oracle, Microsoft, JDA, Motorola and Samsung Network China. The company has over 650 employees and 20 branch offices across China.

For more information about eFuture, please visit http://www.e- future.com.cn/.

Source: tradingmarkets

To focus on overseas holy-land tours; promote Far East on both B2B and B2C platforms

Riya Holidays Pvt. Ltd., a division set up in Mumbai by Riya Tours and Travels last year is planning to focus aggressively on Business to Consumer (B2C) segment from September this year. The company is also planning to add a channel for the B2C space on its portal. The emphasis on MICE and FIT segments by the company on the B2B front will also be brought to the B2C space. Apart from this, Riya Holidays will also focus strongly on the overseas holy-land tours. “Since we are a holiday division, most of the inquiries are from B2C space. Riya Tours and Travels is already strong in the B2B segment, so in next six months we will focus aggressively on the B2C segment. About 60 -70 per cent of our business of religious tours comes from the B2B space. We will continue to offer these services to our travel partners as these religious tours consists of about 30 per cent of our business,” informed Manoj Samuel, IT Director, Riya Holidays Pvt. Ltd. The company will also promote destinations in Far East on both B2B and B2C space this year.

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Travel technology company ANMsoft Technologies is set to market its OnTra solutions to the travel trade on a big scale. Speaking to Express TravelWorld, Himanshoo Patil, its senior VP (Marketing), said, "Every customer has a different work flow whether B2B or B2C, and one product doesn't suffice everyone. OnTra is a component-driven product that provides complete automation of the travel vertical."

Manu Agarwal, its CEO, elaborates, "The product is divided into booking engine, supplier engine, CRM, integration with the suppliers, mid- and back-office. It is rare that a single vendor sells them all. We add value by offering a comprehensive end-to-end solution to our clients."

The solution enables travel companies to move forward from conventional methods by eradicating a lot of work flow processes and integrating them. The company is presently working with an airline consolidator, an upcoming OTA which has a 5,200-member call centre, a B2B provider and an ASP provider who will offer white-label solutions to small travel agents. "Our solutions are on the higher-end and we are primarily focusing on large companies on a global scale to enhance their productivity by having information free-flowing within all departments. Travel players these days are paying out of their hats for such systems," informed Patil.

Furthermore, the technology is Web 2.0 & OTA 2007 compliant, and each component integrates with other modules using XML language. ANMsoft is in talks with travel agents for this solution and hopes to sign about six new customers by end-2008.

Source: expresstravelworld.com

Information Arts is launching a 'best of breed' database which will incorporate eight of the UK's top data suppliers.

The B2B database, OMNI, will blend data from 4.2 million businesses and over 10 million individual decision makers. OMNI incorporates data from D&B, Harte Hanks, Acxiom, EuroDirect, Corpdata, Oscar Research, Market Monitor and Data HQ.

Following the withdrawal of D&B's data from PH Group's MegaFile, the OMNI database is the only database in the UK and Europe that contains D&B data.

Information Arts chief executive Simon Lawrence comments: "OMNI has not been built simply to be the largest file available, but to deliver real insight".

Source: precisionmarketing.co.uk

NGN carrier MASERGY has launched a new secure Video Extranet service to enable B2B videoconferencing across an end user’s partners, suppliers and customers, using high definition, telepresence or standard video conferencing equipment.

So what’s special about this offering, considering MASERGY’s relatively small customer base (a few hundred companies), sparse network footprint (though national, MASERGY partners with many providers for local access and international reach), and the fact that AT&T is set to introduce a similar, higher-end telepresence and/or videoconferencing service later this year?

Well, for starters, there’s MASERGY’s experience with next-gen services like MPLS and VPLS, having been an early adopter of both; the carrier designed its relatively newly built network to carry such leading-edge technologies for apps such as VoIP, IP VPNs and Video over IP. Though it lacks the clout and extensive service portfolio of Tier 1 carriers, MASERGY has been able to win over medium-to-large enterprise businesses on this basis.

Moreover, MASERGY is emphasizing its highly secure network for the new service. Within a managed QoS network environment, Video Extranet provides secure inter-company videoconferencing through a VPN bridging functionality that links customers on a route-specific basis that allows only video session traffic to pass between the two private networks. This allows customers to leave their VPNs up for non-video sessions, since neither company would have access to or visibility within the other partner’s VPN. Video traffic need not be separately encrypted.

In terms of bandwidth, the service can support tens of megabit levels (Cisco Telepresence conferences can run from 15 to 35 Mbps), as well as lower-end videoconferencing capacity increments (such as those used by ISDN and H.323-based videoconferencing systems). MASERGY’s network management system allows end users to instantly and temporarily adjust bandwidth as needed.

Though the service is available to MASERGY customers and non-customers, each site does require at least one connection to a suitably-equipped MASERGY POP. As an add-on service, MASERGY’s proprietary diagnostics tool, Insight, provides a “real-time” snapshot of all network components and allows network managers to monitor and manage the QoS parameters of the video traffic and simplify troubleshooting.

It should be noted that Video Extranet has been available on a customer-specific basis for some time; this latest launch certifies that service pricing is now standardized for all customer segments.

Comparing Video Extranet to other offerings, David Hold, a senior analyst with Current Analysis, opined “For MASERGY customers, the new offer matches what is available from AT&T, with the exception of installation of high-end Cisco Telepresence solutions. But a full-blown telepresence solution as offered by AT&T would be limited by cost to just the largest corporations, and even that capability can be provided by various VARs with whom MASERGY has reseller relationships to provide a full soup-to-nuts solution serving the vast majority of the market.”

“MASERGY should also put together a turnkey package with unified pricing, for a fully managed videoconferencing and/or telepresence solution combined with network access, transport and monitoring.”

Source: telecommagazine.com

F&E Aerospace, the company behind top Middle East aviation events such as the Dubai Airshow and Aircraft Interiors Middle East (AIME) - which kicks off 16 June - believes its five strong events portfolio will attract over 1,500 aviation companies and 60,000 trade professionals over the next 18 months.

And according to the company, which has been operating locally for over 30 years, the huge growth in the regional aerospace market has cemented the emirate's reputation as the region's primary aviation hub and spearheaded the shows' evolutions.

'The Middle East aerospace market and the development of our shows, starting with the Dubai Airshow in 1989, have always worked in synergy for the greater purpose of establishing the emirate as a leading, global aerospace centre.

The Middle East has continued to record massive growth across the aerospace industry's diverse sectors, and in many ways leads the pack in terms of innovation and expansion. One only has to look at the meteoric rise of Emirates airline or the new Dubai World Central project to see this,' said Virginia Kern, Chairman, F&E.

'As the regional industry continues to expand, so does the need to provide key business platforms for the world's industry to gather, discuss and drive forward its evolution. This is what we are trying to pursue with our latest initiatives.'

AIME 2008

The launch of AIME 2008, a dedicated event serving the aircraft interiors sector, running 16-17th June at the Dubai International Conventions & Exhibitions Centre (DICEC), is the latest in the company's catalogue of achievements as it continues to position Dubai, under the auspices of its government, as the Middle East's aviation events platform.

Taking off with 100 new companies from 15 countries, and an expected visitor turnout of 2,000, AIME 2008, will feature a dedicated two day conference programme, including a welcome address by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President, Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Government of Dubai and President and CEO of the Emirates Group.

Chaired by a host of industry 'heavyweights', other sessions will include topics such as: 'The Passenger Demands of the VIP Market - Why the Gulf is Important', 'Going Green in Interiors', 'Future Technologies for In-flight Catering' and 'The Future for Aircraft Interiors'.

The organisers have also launched a dedicated hosted buyer programme for AIME. This initiative is being implemented to foster an increased B2B setting for the industry's key decision makers and suppliers.

To date, signed up carriers for the hosted buyer programme include Jet Aviation Airline, Air Maroc and Kuwait Airways, with further slots being allocated to Middle East airlines. In addition, many of the region's biggest names have already confirmed their attendance such as award winning Emirates airline; Etihad, the UAE's national carrier; Bahrain-based Gulf Air; Royal Jet, the international luxury flight services company headquartered in Abu Dhabi; and the UAE's Amiri Flight.

'The aircraft interiors market is coming along in leaps and bounds. Strong growth in both the commercial and business aviation fields is not only driving its development, but is forcing it to diversify as customers needs and expectations become more tailored,' said Alison Weller, Director, F&E Aerospace.

'The need to develop a dedicated Middle East event to tackle the sector's challenges was a must. Via this platform, the international industry has a direct channel to talk to the region's principal players.'

The company has set its sight on diversifying its portfolio, with the announcement of two new shows set to debut next year - MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) Middle East and Aerospace Defence & Training Show (ADTS).

MRO Middle East

MRO Middle East, which will take place 21-22 January 2009, is expected to attract over 100 exhibitors and will boast a two day conference programme. The event will bring together decision-makers and suppliers to discuss all issues relating to aircraft maintenance.

The show has a strong pedigree behind it as it is being organised by Aviation Week - which already runs the world's number one MRO event in the US, and additional exhibitions in Asia and Europe.

'The Middle East will sport the fastest MRO growth of 8.9% per year compared to an overall industry average of 3.6% - so now is the time to launch an event here in the Middle East as this industry is set for some interesting times,' said Weller.

In addition, ADTS, which runs from the 2-3rd March at Airport Expo Dubai, will look to attract a similar number of exhibitors as it pursues a currently unaddressed market niche.

'Many companies have already told us this event is well-timed. The region is crying out for an show of this type, which addresses the issues and discovers solutions for the industry's training and recruitment needs,' said Weller.

'On the civil side there is massive growth from regional carriers, predicted to need 8,000 additional pilots by 2025. And on the defence side, one example here in the UAE is the air force readying itself to select new platforms for its basic and lead-in fighter trainers.'

ADTS will look at all aspects of the aerospace industry that require training, and cover all angles, from the pilots and crew, both civil and military, air traffic control, engineering, aviation management and many other associated jobs.

Through the conference and the associated exhibition they will cover the simulation products offered, the recruitment initiatives and opportunities available and the universities, courses and colleges offering aerospace and defence training.

F&E Aerospace is also heavily focusing on developing its current shows, with the 2009 Dubai Airshow tipped to be its largest to date and 2008's MEBA event already more than double in size than the 2007 edition.

Dubai Airshow 2007 boasted 850 exhibitors and 11 national pavilions representing 50 countries - 130 of these being new to the region. 45,421 visitors attended over the five days - 10,000 more than in 2005 - and over 140 aircraft were displayed on the static park, firmly cementing its reputation as the third largest aerospace event in the world

The biennial show also saw over $150bn worth of orders placed during its five days and now holds the record for the largest amount of deals ever concluded at one event.

And F&E Aerospace believe that this figure is expected to grow considerably for the 2009 outing as it moves to its new venue, with the proposed site covering more than double the size of the current Airport Expo Dubai.

MEBA 2008

MEBA 2008 - the dedicated B2B conference and exhibition for the business aviation sector, which will take place at the Dubai Airport Expo from the 16-18th November - will also more than double in size from last year, with exhibitor numbers, represented countries and aircraft on display all significantly up.

Visitor numbers are also tipped to smash last year's record with more than 5,000 expected to attend the three day event - an increase of over 50%.

'Dubai Airshow and MEBA are our stalwart events and are core drivers in both F&E Aerospace's and Dubai's continuing establishment as one of the world's leading destinations to conduct business for the industry at large,' added Weller.

'Their growth serves as the sector's barometer. It is not just about size, although this says a lot. It is about the quality of exhibitor, visitor and VIP coming through the doors which speaks volumes. Dubai and these events continue to attract a wide range of the world's leading decision makers, which is a significant indication of how this market is valued by the industry.'

Masergy, a service provider specializing in simplifying business networks for enterprises, has introduced its Video Extranet service for interoperable business-to-business videoconferencing for enterprise customers, partners and suppliers.

Masergy said its Video Extranet provides video conferencing solutions to enterprises seeking to communicate privately across different network providers inside a managed quality-of-service (QoS) network environment.

Enterprises often run video conferencing equipment on closed, private networks, limiting their connectivity to others to protect their own network assets, performance and integrity, said Scott Brothers, director, product management at MASERGY. With the MASERGY Video Extranet service, these companies now can get flexible video connectivity with guaranteed QoS, reliable performance and consistent security to enterprises using high-definition, telepresence or standard video conferencing equipment.

The company noted that benefits for enterprises implementing Masergy's Video Extranet service include:

- B2B communication among enterprises on separate private networks - Video communications between corporations on different IP carriers - Interoperability of various application equipment in a secure network environment

The inherent security of the Video Extranet environment eliminates the need for encryption while connecting corporations on different carriers or private networks, Masergy said. The Video Extranet handles all network routing directly via Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) and tunneling.

Source: tradingmarkets.com

The International Industrial Supply Trade Portal ForeignTRADEX has launched a Web site focusing on helping American and Australian manufacturers, exporters and importers develop trading partnership

(live-PR.com) - Sydney, Australia - ForeignTRADEX, a division of the US-based Industrial Leaders Group, and co-publisher of the Free Industrial & Construction Marketplace at http://www.industrialsaver.com/classifieds, announced today the release of a special report designed to promote American products and manufacturers in Australia at http://www.foreigntradeexchange.com/countries/australia.html. According Ivana Vesina, spokeswoman for the company's European and Australian market, the report is designed to help U.S. manufacturers find international business contacts, trading opportunities and import export resources in Australia.

Mark Hamilton, Business Director of ForeignTRADEX said U.S. manufacturers of industrial supplies, equipment and machinery serious about entering or expanding into Australia will find the company's Industrial Supply Marketing Report to be very useful. "Whether you want to locate trading partners in Perth, Melbourne, Hobart, Darwin, Sydney, Adelaide, Canberra, Brisbane or other cities in Australia, ForeignTRADEX can help you find the companies and resources you're looking for to help your business grow."

Previously ForeignTRADEX.com launched a new version of its World Trade Forum at http://www.ForeignTradeExchange.com/forum which presents some of the most useful Web sites in the world focusing on international trade. According to Hamilton Nearly 1,000 global business Web sites have been reviewed by independent editors of ForeignTRADEX and all are accessible on the site's Import Export Directory at http://www.ForeignTradeExchange.com/trade_directory.html

Ms. Vesina, from her office in Sydney said American and Australian manufacturers are able to promote their products on the Industrial Leaders Group network of industrial supply trade portals, forums, directories, B2B blogs and marketplaces free of charge at http://www.WorldwideIndustrialMarketplace.com/freelisting.html

About ForeignTRADEX

ForeignTRADEX.com is a US-European Industrial Trade Directory and Marketplace connecting manufacturers, distributors, exporters and importers of industrial products throughout Europe and the United States, as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand at http://www.ForeignTradeExchange.com

Contact information: ForeignTRADEX 290 Turnpike Road Westboro, MA 01581 USA Contact Person: Rich Milton PR Phone: 206-333-0355 eMail: eMail Web: http://www.ForeignTradeExchange.com Author: Richard Milton e-mail Web: http://www.industrialsaver.com Phone: 206-333-0355

Reed Business Information, which itself is in the process of a messy sale, has made an acquisition through its UK arm RBI UK: it bought out UK-based B2B marketplace and lead gen site ApprovedIndex. The terms were not disclosed. AI is an online B2B marketplace matching business buyers and suppliers across the UK...it operates in about 100 sectors in categories such as website designers, management training, marketing companies and photocopiers. This buy is similar to RBI USA's acquisition of BuyersZone early last year, which was also in the B2B marketplace space. It will also compliment RBI's existing online directory Kellysearch. More details in the release.