On Valentine's Day, TV news reported that drainage grates were disappearing from the streets and parking lots in Clifton, New Jersey. Bronze plaques were also pried off war memorials. Gaps in the pavement created dangerous pedestrian hazards and the desecration of the memorials was heartbreaking for the community. Police attributed it to metal thieves and suggested that the culprits may be methamphetamine addicts looking to pay for a quick fix. Law enforcement experts believe that the majority of the thefts are crimes of opportunity rather than anything organized.
In a tough economy, however, and with the rising prices of scrap metals, random crimes of opportunity are aggravating the metal theft situation.
Unfortunately, increased metal thefts are happening at a time when state and municipal budgets are being stretched to pay for essential services. It also comes when hiring freezes and cuts in law enforcement are being imposed. The reality is that in many jurisdictions, more serious crimes take higher priority.
Gary Bush, the national law enforcement liaison director of material theft prevention at Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), spent 33 years in Florida law enforcement as a patrol officer, sergeant and field training supervisor.
In his last years in Florida, he was a metal theft investigator. In October, 2008 Bush joined ISRI. Today he oversees ScrapTheftAlert.com, ISRI's web-based system that helps members and law enforcement catch thieves, recover materials and return them to the rightful owner.
"I handle most of the day to day operations for the system for the United States and Canada, approving alerts issued by recyclers and other stakeholders, vetting new officers into the system, and providing guidance to those using it. I've also developed an outreach plan, conducting workshops to help law enforcement and recyclers learn how we can help each other in combating metal theft."
2011年3月31日星期四
2011年3月30日星期三
Bailiff planning solution cuts mileage by 50 per cent
Collect Services, one of Britain's leading firms of enforcement agents (generally known as bailiffs), has rolled out the latest version of Collections, the specialised planning and scheduling system developed by MapMechanics under the company's guidance, and managing director David Rayner's verdict is unequivocal: "The control that it gives us is fantastic."
He explains: "Our business is about operating efficiently, minimising costs and maximising the number of visits our agents can do in a day. Collections has become an indispensable part of this process. Basically, the system has helped to keep us in business in the recent recessionary times."
Collections helps Collect Services' management team plan its agents' journeys from day to day. It plans routes with the minimum distance between calls, grouping visits as tightly as possible consistent with achieving a high number of visits. "The original version saved us about 38 per cent of mileage," David Rayner says, "but the latest version is saving about 50 per cent."
While Collections has proved invaluable in planning optimal walking routes (even saving agents from crossing main roads too often), lately it has also proved invaluable in optimising the company's increasing number of long-distance journeys. Around 20 per cent of the company's visits now involve locations more than 50 miles away from its base west of London.
"A lot of our work is made up of parking fine enforcement in London and the South East," David Rayner explains, "but often the offenders live in other parts of the country. We take pride in doing all our own enforcement visits, rather than contracting out any of the work, so our agents often need to travel throughout the country to reach them."
Typically, the company will use Collections to construct a journey lasting two or three days. "For example, the agent might snake up the country, taking in several visits on the way, then spend a couple of days in Newcastle, doing visits in that area, before returning south."
David Rayner says that even on these long-distance operations, Collections enables an agent to complete between twenty and thirty calls in a day – as good as the national industry average for local operations. On purely local journeys, he says Collect Services continues to achieve 50 or more calls in a day – far above industry norms.
He explains: "Our business is about operating efficiently, minimising costs and maximising the number of visits our agents can do in a day. Collections has become an indispensable part of this process. Basically, the system has helped to keep us in business in the recent recessionary times."
Collections helps Collect Services' management team plan its agents' journeys from day to day. It plans routes with the minimum distance between calls, grouping visits as tightly as possible consistent with achieving a high number of visits. "The original version saved us about 38 per cent of mileage," David Rayner says, "but the latest version is saving about 50 per cent."
While Collections has proved invaluable in planning optimal walking routes (even saving agents from crossing main roads too often), lately it has also proved invaluable in optimising the company's increasing number of long-distance journeys. Around 20 per cent of the company's visits now involve locations more than 50 miles away from its base west of London.
"A lot of our work is made up of parking fine enforcement in London and the South East," David Rayner explains, "but often the offenders live in other parts of the country. We take pride in doing all our own enforcement visits, rather than contracting out any of the work, so our agents often need to travel throughout the country to reach them."
Typically, the company will use Collections to construct a journey lasting two or three days. "For example, the agent might snake up the country, taking in several visits on the way, then spend a couple of days in Newcastle, doing visits in that area, before returning south."
David Rayner says that even on these long-distance operations, Collections enables an agent to complete between twenty and thirty calls in a day – as good as the national industry average for local operations. On purely local journeys, he says Collect Services continues to achieve 50 or more calls in a day – far above industry norms.
Investment of close to $25 million helps create some 140 jobs in the region
RONA inc., Canada's largest distributor and retailer of hardware, renovation and gardening products, opened on March 23 a new Reno-Depot store in Vaudreuil-Dorion. Located at 3010 De la Gare Blvd., the new 102,000-square-feet store represents an investment of close to $25 million and will help stimulate the local economy by creating some 140 jobs.
"RONA is proud to continue developing its network and to offer the people of Vaudreuil-Dorion a big-box store with an innovative concept, built to meet the criteria of the LEED system for new construction," said Robert Dutton, RONA President and CEO. "The opening of the 17th retail outlet under the Reno-Depot banner also testifies to our commitment to serve our growing customer base and meet their ever-evolving needs."
"This store is one of a new generation for Reno-Depot," said Mario St-Louis, RONA's Vice President of Retail for Quebec. "It offers all the advantages that make the banner so popular, including competitive prices and a wide selection of products in each category, all in a shopping environment that is enjoyable, customer-friendly and efficient. In addition, the Mega Centre Vaudreuil-Dorion is ideally located at the intersection of major highways, bringing Reno-Depot closer to the population of this dynamic part of the metropolitan region."
The latest generation of Reno-Depot stores
The new Vaudreuil-Dorion store was designed according to the latest concept for Reno-Depot stores. The central aisle is lined with boutiques offering various decoration and finishing products such as flooring, doors and windows, kitchens, bathrooms, paint, interior decoration as well as storage. The storage boutique, an emerging priority for consumers, is conveniently located near the entrance to the store. Customers will find an extensive selection of items to meet all their storagerelated needs for the garage, the kitchen, the basement and closets.
With a retail sales space of 102,000-square-feet, the store features a 25,000-square-foot outdoor garden centre and offers a selection of 37,000 products, including construction and finishing materials.
"Our entire team is delighted to welcome the people of Vaudreuil-Dorion and the surrounding area to our store, which offers quality products at competitive prices, as well as a design that helps them easily find what they need," said Luc Julien, manager of the Vaudreuil-Dorion store. "Our skilled employees, who have plenty of experience with the RONA and Reno-Depot family, are dedicated to guiding customers in their construction and renovation projects by making available to them a complete range of customized services. Our objective is to offer outstanding service to customers and contractors throughout the region."
Among the other specialized services offered at the new store are installation, delivery and cutting, as well as a counter dedicated to contractors.
"RONA is proud to continue developing its network and to offer the people of Vaudreuil-Dorion a big-box store with an innovative concept, built to meet the criteria of the LEED system for new construction," said Robert Dutton, RONA President and CEO. "The opening of the 17th retail outlet under the Reno-Depot banner also testifies to our commitment to serve our growing customer base and meet their ever-evolving needs."
"This store is one of a new generation for Reno-Depot," said Mario St-Louis, RONA's Vice President of Retail for Quebec. "It offers all the advantages that make the banner so popular, including competitive prices and a wide selection of products in each category, all in a shopping environment that is enjoyable, customer-friendly and efficient. In addition, the Mega Centre Vaudreuil-Dorion is ideally located at the intersection of major highways, bringing Reno-Depot closer to the population of this dynamic part of the metropolitan region."
The latest generation of Reno-Depot stores
The new Vaudreuil-Dorion store was designed according to the latest concept for Reno-Depot stores. The central aisle is lined with boutiques offering various decoration and finishing products such as flooring, doors and windows, kitchens, bathrooms, paint, interior decoration as well as storage. The storage boutique, an emerging priority for consumers, is conveniently located near the entrance to the store. Customers will find an extensive selection of items to meet all their storagerelated needs for the garage, the kitchen, the basement and closets.
With a retail sales space of 102,000-square-feet, the store features a 25,000-square-foot outdoor garden centre and offers a selection of 37,000 products, including construction and finishing materials.
"Our entire team is delighted to welcome the people of Vaudreuil-Dorion and the surrounding area to our store, which offers quality products at competitive prices, as well as a design that helps them easily find what they need," said Luc Julien, manager of the Vaudreuil-Dorion store. "Our skilled employees, who have plenty of experience with the RONA and Reno-Depot family, are dedicated to guiding customers in their construction and renovation projects by making available to them a complete range of customized services. Our objective is to offer outstanding service to customers and contractors throughout the region."
Among the other specialized services offered at the new store are installation, delivery and cutting, as well as a counter dedicated to contractors.
2011年3月29日星期二
A new era in police vehicles begins at Ford
Ford's Crown Victoria has dominated the landscape of law enforcement in North America, but its run is about to end. The Crown Vic will cease production sometime in late 2011 and be replaced with the new Ford Police Interceptor. Thankfully, the new Police Interceptor will be immediately offered without any interruptions and is expected to exceed the durability, safety, performance, and fuel economy of the vehicle it's replacing. In addition, Ford is introducing a Police Interceptor utility vehicle to provide fleets with a choice of vehicles to meet their needs.
"Police nationwide asked for a new kind of weapon in the battle for public safety, and Ford is answering the call with a purpose-built vehicle – engineered and built in America – that's as dynamic as it is durable," said Mark Fields, Executive Vice President, Ford Motor Company, and President of The Americas. Fields was one of three Keynote Speakers at NAFA's 2010 Institute & Expo in Detroit where attendees were able to get a sneak peek at the new Police Interceptor.
To develop the new Police Interceptor, Ford engineers worked hand-in-hand with law enforcement professionals on Ford's Police Advisory Board who provided valuable input on key vehicle attributes such as safety, performance, durability, driver comfort, and functionality.
"This vehicle is pursuit ready," said Carl Widmann, Vehicle Engineering Manager for Ford. "It's no nonsense, through and through."
Some of the key changes include:
Safety — The Police Interceptor was engineered to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing and features Ford's Safety Canopy side-curtain air bag rollover protection system to help protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollover and side-impact crashes. The multiple side-curtain air bags use Ford's unique Roll Fold technology to help them slip between the occupant and the side window.
A Move To V-6 Without A Loss Of Power — The new Police Interceptor is part of a V-6 lineup that Ford says will perform equal to or better than V-8 engines. The lineup comes with two powertrain options which allow police departments to choose whichever best meets their patrol requirements. One option is a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that delivers at least 263 horsepower and E85 compatibility that is 25 percent more efficient than the 4.6 Single Overhead Cam (SOHC) V-8 offered in the current Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. The other option is an all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost ™ V-6 twin-turbocharged, direct-injection engine that will deliver at least 365 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque across a broad rpm range.
EcoBoost brings municipalities and police fleet administrators an ultra high-performance, yet environmentally friendly, police pursuit vehicle. It offers performance that bests V-8 powered police cruisers with fuel economy and CO2 emissions comparable to that of the standard V-6.
Redesigned Inside And Out — Some of the changes to the Police Interceptor include brakes that have been increased in size and performance; a purpose-built cooling package featuring a heavy-duty alternator and larger radiator; a honeycomb grill designed to work in harmony with the interior components to provide more air flow throughout the vehicle; and standard 18-inch steel wheels that are vented and designed to work in concert with the enhanced brake system.
Roughly 90 percent of the interior has been redesigned to meet the needs of the police. Front seats have been specially designed with a lower bolster removed to better accommodate officers' utility belts. Inserted into the seatback are anti-stab plates designed to protect front-seat occupants. The vehicle's second row features vinyl seats which are specially sculpted and set back to improve second-row space and maximize legroom. Meanwhile, the back door hinges have been modified to open up an additional 10 degrees versus traditional rear doors.
In addition, the vehicle is equipped with a column shift specifically designed so the console area is free for the ever-increasing amount of aftermarket police equipment necessary for officers to do their jobs.
Additional features of the Police Interceptor include:
BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) — The system uses two radar sensors located in the rear quarter panels to detect vehicles in the surrounding lanes. If a vehicle enters the driver's blind-spot zones, the system alerts the driver with a warning light in the side-view mirror.
Cross Traffic Alert— This system uses the existing BLIS radar modules to sense oncoming traffic when slowly backing out of a parking spot. The system only functions while the vehicle is in reverse and warns when cross-traffic appears within three car-widths.
Rear View Camera System — When the vehicle is in rear camera mode, a color image with guidance markers on the rear view mirror assists the driver in backing up.
Reverse Sensing System — An audible tone alerts the driver to certain objects up to 6-feet behind the vehicle.
"Police nationwide asked for a new kind of weapon in the battle for public safety, and Ford is answering the call with a purpose-built vehicle – engineered and built in America – that's as dynamic as it is durable," said Mark Fields, Executive Vice President, Ford Motor Company, and President of The Americas. Fields was one of three Keynote Speakers at NAFA's 2010 Institute & Expo in Detroit where attendees were able to get a sneak peek at the new Police Interceptor.
To develop the new Police Interceptor, Ford engineers worked hand-in-hand with law enforcement professionals on Ford's Police Advisory Board who provided valuable input on key vehicle attributes such as safety, performance, durability, driver comfort, and functionality.
"This vehicle is pursuit ready," said Carl Widmann, Vehicle Engineering Manager for Ford. "It's no nonsense, through and through."
Some of the key changes include:
Safety — The Police Interceptor was engineered to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing and features Ford's Safety Canopy side-curtain air bag rollover protection system to help protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollover and side-impact crashes. The multiple side-curtain air bags use Ford's unique Roll Fold technology to help them slip between the occupant and the side window.
A Move To V-6 Without A Loss Of Power — The new Police Interceptor is part of a V-6 lineup that Ford says will perform equal to or better than V-8 engines. The lineup comes with two powertrain options which allow police departments to choose whichever best meets their patrol requirements. One option is a 3.5-liter V-6 engine that delivers at least 263 horsepower and E85 compatibility that is 25 percent more efficient than the 4.6 Single Overhead Cam (SOHC) V-8 offered in the current Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. The other option is an all-new 3.5-liter EcoBoost ™ V-6 twin-turbocharged, direct-injection engine that will deliver at least 365 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque across a broad rpm range.
EcoBoost brings municipalities and police fleet administrators an ultra high-performance, yet environmentally friendly, police pursuit vehicle. It offers performance that bests V-8 powered police cruisers with fuel economy and CO2 emissions comparable to that of the standard V-6.
Redesigned Inside And Out — Some of the changes to the Police Interceptor include brakes that have been increased in size and performance; a purpose-built cooling package featuring a heavy-duty alternator and larger radiator; a honeycomb grill designed to work in harmony with the interior components to provide more air flow throughout the vehicle; and standard 18-inch steel wheels that are vented and designed to work in concert with the enhanced brake system.
Roughly 90 percent of the interior has been redesigned to meet the needs of the police. Front seats have been specially designed with a lower bolster removed to better accommodate officers' utility belts. Inserted into the seatback are anti-stab plates designed to protect front-seat occupants. The vehicle's second row features vinyl seats which are specially sculpted and set back to improve second-row space and maximize legroom. Meanwhile, the back door hinges have been modified to open up an additional 10 degrees versus traditional rear doors.
In addition, the vehicle is equipped with a column shift specifically designed so the console area is free for the ever-increasing amount of aftermarket police equipment necessary for officers to do their jobs.
Additional features of the Police Interceptor include:
BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) — The system uses two radar sensors located in the rear quarter panels to detect vehicles in the surrounding lanes. If a vehicle enters the driver's blind-spot zones, the system alerts the driver with a warning light in the side-view mirror.
Cross Traffic Alert— This system uses the existing BLIS radar modules to sense oncoming traffic when slowly backing out of a parking spot. The system only functions while the vehicle is in reverse and warns when cross-traffic appears within three car-widths.
Rear View Camera System — When the vehicle is in rear camera mode, a color image with guidance markers on the rear view mirror assists the driver in backing up.
Reverse Sensing System — An audible tone alerts the driver to certain objects up to 6-feet behind the vehicle.
2011年3月27日星期日
A little March madness
A sure sign of spring around our house is when my wife transfers the yellowed Christmas wreath from our front porch to the compost pile out back.
Of course, there's also the emergence of crocuses — followed by trumpets of daffodils, clusters of pear blossoms, random sprinklings of golden dandelions and free form forsythia.
Not to mention the fact that I begin to get one crazy thought after another.
"A little Madness in the Spring / Is wholesome even for the King," wrote Emily Dickinson.
And what could be more mad than thinking of refusing to pay income tax this year. After all, the super rich got a tax break (we wouldn't want to cut into their country club fees, lest they stop playing golf, thus causing cutbacks in the employment of caddies and greenskeepers).
When questioned by the IRS, I could simply invoke the Geithner defense. (You may recall that Secretary of the Treasury, Tim Geithner, was confirmed by the Senate despite despite failure to pay $34,000 in taxes. "An honest mistake," he called it.)
It was the spring of 1982 that I came up with the idea of opening a coffeehouse and café (The White Buffalo) in the Stilwell Hotel. Consumed by spring madness, I thought I'd sit and visit, read a little, and discuss literature with my patrons over an espresso or latte while the place just ran itself.
I now know better. But alas, knowledge does not predict behavior, so I've instructed my wife that if I bring up the coffeehouse idea in the future she should hit me in the head with an iron skillet until the thought leaves me.
Smart people do dumb things. Years back I saw a doctor, an oncologist no less, step out the back door of his office to have a quick cigarette between cancer patients.
And a lot of wealthy, smart people, who should have known better, handed over their fortunes to Bernie Madoff.
"Wholly to be a fool while spring is in the world, my blood approves," wrote e.e. cummings. Still, over time, one grows tired of certain kinds of foolishness. I see hanging out in a loud, crowded bar on a Saturday night as akin to medieval torture. Young people relate stories about getting hammered and throwing up in the parking lot and I think, "Whew, I'm sure glad that part of my life's over."
But there's always some fresh foolishness to try.
Being Christian, you're probably already aware, is no guarantee against foolishness. Even in churches, like the one I go to, where the congregation sings from missals and songbooks rather than a PowerPoint projected on a giant screen above the altar, people are prone to spring madness about as much as the atheists who don't attend church at all.
On a warm spring day a man sets out to "love thy neighbor" and, before you know it, he's run off with her in his new convertible to live in the ultramodern house he bought with the cash from his 401K and life insurance. Pure foolishness brought on by spring. (As Mark Twain described it, "It's spring fever.... You don't quite know what it is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!") Six months later, when the heat and humidity of Kansas summer replaces the balmy spring foolishness, the man comes to his senses and returns, chastened, to sit in the last pew.
To be sure a person has to develop a strategy of some sort to in order to make it through this time of year without doing something completely idiotic. Not just young people, mind you, us baby boomers and senior citizens have to be on our guard as well.
Kansas spring weather being mercurial as it is, watching a lot of the Weather Channel on TV is an option for getting libidinous ups and downs out of your system.
Or, one might fall back on an old adage for guidance. "Idle hands are the devil's workshop," for instance. A person can stay busy outdoors — raking leaves, planting new flowers and shrubs, and getting the mower running. As Margaret Atwood wrote, "In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."
While yardwork isn't a sure thing to keep a person from getting the spring crazies, it should be noted that the treatment at early mental institutions, aka "Asylums for Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason," relied heavily on horticultural therapy to bring people back to their senses.
Of course, there's also the emergence of crocuses — followed by trumpets of daffodils, clusters of pear blossoms, random sprinklings of golden dandelions and free form forsythia.
Not to mention the fact that I begin to get one crazy thought after another.
"A little Madness in the Spring / Is wholesome even for the King," wrote Emily Dickinson.
And what could be more mad than thinking of refusing to pay income tax this year. After all, the super rich got a tax break (we wouldn't want to cut into their country club fees, lest they stop playing golf, thus causing cutbacks in the employment of caddies and greenskeepers).
When questioned by the IRS, I could simply invoke the Geithner defense. (You may recall that Secretary of the Treasury, Tim Geithner, was confirmed by the Senate despite despite failure to pay $34,000 in taxes. "An honest mistake," he called it.)
It was the spring of 1982 that I came up with the idea of opening a coffeehouse and café (The White Buffalo) in the Stilwell Hotel. Consumed by spring madness, I thought I'd sit and visit, read a little, and discuss literature with my patrons over an espresso or latte while the place just ran itself.
I now know better. But alas, knowledge does not predict behavior, so I've instructed my wife that if I bring up the coffeehouse idea in the future she should hit me in the head with an iron skillet until the thought leaves me.
Smart people do dumb things. Years back I saw a doctor, an oncologist no less, step out the back door of his office to have a quick cigarette between cancer patients.
And a lot of wealthy, smart people, who should have known better, handed over their fortunes to Bernie Madoff.
"Wholly to be a fool while spring is in the world, my blood approves," wrote e.e. cummings. Still, over time, one grows tired of certain kinds of foolishness. I see hanging out in a loud, crowded bar on a Saturday night as akin to medieval torture. Young people relate stories about getting hammered and throwing up in the parking lot and I think, "Whew, I'm sure glad that part of my life's over."
But there's always some fresh foolishness to try.
Being Christian, you're probably already aware, is no guarantee against foolishness. Even in churches, like the one I go to, where the congregation sings from missals and songbooks rather than a PowerPoint projected on a giant screen above the altar, people are prone to spring madness about as much as the atheists who don't attend church at all.
On a warm spring day a man sets out to "love thy neighbor" and, before you know it, he's run off with her in his new convertible to live in the ultramodern house he bought with the cash from his 401K and life insurance. Pure foolishness brought on by spring. (As Mark Twain described it, "It's spring fever.... You don't quite know what it is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!") Six months later, when the heat and humidity of Kansas summer replaces the balmy spring foolishness, the man comes to his senses and returns, chastened, to sit in the last pew.
To be sure a person has to develop a strategy of some sort to in order to make it through this time of year without doing something completely idiotic. Not just young people, mind you, us baby boomers and senior citizens have to be on our guard as well.
Kansas spring weather being mercurial as it is, watching a lot of the Weather Channel on TV is an option for getting libidinous ups and downs out of your system.
Or, one might fall back on an old adage for guidance. "Idle hands are the devil's workshop," for instance. A person can stay busy outdoors — raking leaves, planting new flowers and shrubs, and getting the mower running. As Margaret Atwood wrote, "In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt."
While yardwork isn't a sure thing to keep a person from getting the spring crazies, it should be noted that the treatment at early mental institutions, aka "Asylums for Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason," relied heavily on horticultural therapy to bring people back to their senses.
2011年3月22日星期二
Caterpillar to Showcase Customer Focus, Product Innovation and Global Strength at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011
Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) is showcasing its industry leadership by featuring the broadest customer service options, product line and state-of-the-art technology at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011. The five-day event, which opens today, is the largest construction equipment trade show in the Western Hemisphere with more than 125,000 industry professionals expected to attend.
"Every customer is different, but one thing is absolutely the same, they all want the world's best products, readily available and ready to work every day," said Caterpillar Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Doug Oberhelman. "CONEXPO offers us a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to our customers and to the earthmoving industry."
"The Next Generation Starts Here" is the Caterpillar theme for this year's event, with a major focus on customer needs, breakthrough technologies and sustainable solutions. CONEXPO-CON/AGG's mass appeal will help showcase the company's rich history and the innovations that will deliver value to customers in the future. More than 200 Caterpillar experts will be on hand to talk to customers and answer questions.
"The Caterpillar advantage is our ability to combine innovative products and services to produce the solutions our customers need to be successful," said Caterpillar Group President Stu Levenick. "While the look and feel of Cat equipment may have changed over the years, our primary goal has always been to help our customers succeed. Our products and services help customers enhance jobsite productivity, control costs, meet regulatory requirements and operate in more sustainable ways."
Caterpillar's CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 exhibit is also placing a major focus on the unique solutions provided by Cat dealers. The Dealer Solutions Center Stage features complete dealer solutions—technologies, products and services that help make customers more productive and more successful. Cat Connected Worksite technology—through the Cat dealer network—allows the jobsite of the past to become a better, faster and smarter operation. Connected Worksite provides advanced machine guidance and remote equipment monitoring solutions integrated seamlessly into business operations.
Cat Financial will also be on hand to discuss various financing options to customers. Other prominent features in the Dealer Solutions exhibit are Cat Rental and Cat Used equipment. From a large supply ranging in age and hour—to financing and extended service coverage options—Cat Dealers offer affordable alternatives to new machines and engines.
"Every customer is different, but one thing is absolutely the same, they all want the world's best products, readily available and ready to work every day," said Caterpillar Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Doug Oberhelman. "CONEXPO offers us a tremendous opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to our customers and to the earthmoving industry."
"The Next Generation Starts Here" is the Caterpillar theme for this year's event, with a major focus on customer needs, breakthrough technologies and sustainable solutions. CONEXPO-CON/AGG's mass appeal will help showcase the company's rich history and the innovations that will deliver value to customers in the future. More than 200 Caterpillar experts will be on hand to talk to customers and answer questions.
"The Caterpillar advantage is our ability to combine innovative products and services to produce the solutions our customers need to be successful," said Caterpillar Group President Stu Levenick. "While the look and feel of Cat equipment may have changed over the years, our primary goal has always been to help our customers succeed. Our products and services help customers enhance jobsite productivity, control costs, meet regulatory requirements and operate in more sustainable ways."
Caterpillar's CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2011 exhibit is also placing a major focus on the unique solutions provided by Cat dealers. The Dealer Solutions Center Stage features complete dealer solutions—technologies, products and services that help make customers more productive and more successful. Cat Connected Worksite technology—through the Cat dealer network—allows the jobsite of the past to become a better, faster and smarter operation. Connected Worksite provides advanced machine guidance and remote equipment monitoring solutions integrated seamlessly into business operations.
Cat Financial will also be on hand to discuss various financing options to customers. Other prominent features in the Dealer Solutions exhibit are Cat Rental and Cat Used equipment. From a large supply ranging in age and hour—to financing and extended service coverage options—Cat Dealers offer affordable alternatives to new machines and engines.
2011年3月20日星期日
S.C. unit helps polar pilots
It's a fair bet penguins don't pop up as an issue in most Lowcountry workplaces.
An exception would be the air traffic controllers who watch over the frigid runways of
Antarctica from a far-flung outpost in North Charleston. They speak delicately about the
penguin problem.
From a low-key perch on the Naval Weapons Station, workers at the Office of Polar Programs
help safely guide aircraft thousands of miles away that traverse the skies above the world's
most desolate continent.
Though the space has few daily flights, the locally based unit provides crucial information
and guidance to pilots who must fly into unforgiving winds and navigate other abnormally
harsh weather conditions.
But on occasion, the focus on assisting air crews, who are usually ferrying researchers or
hauling supplies to the South Pole Station, is disrupted by gathering clusters of indigenous
penguins.
On their home turf, it seems, these flightless birds have no regard for flight safety.
"One of the biggest problems we have is penguins walking out onto the air field," said
program director Mike Peebles.
It's just one of the daily challenges for an expanding government agency that's charged with
working in and around one of the most extreme environments on the planet.
On the ice
The Office of Polar Programs is an arm of the federal National Science Foundation. Peebles'
office operates from a windowless building within the Space and Naval Warfare System Center
Atlantic's secured, chain-linked borders.
Inside, he and his crew toil amid a glowing backdrop of two wall-projected screens: One
illustrates the flight paths that crisscross in straight lines over Antarctica. The other
shows the radar-based weather pattern, helping the office monitor conditions and develop
forecasts.
The atmosphere is dark and subdued. Crackling with static, a voice from a distant cockpit
breaks the silence as a newly airborne crew checks in to report their progress. The aircraft
had taken off from McMurdo Station, a permanent U.S. research center on Ross Island. It looks
like a dusty mining town when it's not covered in snow.
With the help of technology, the air traffic control side of the program has gradually been
able to accomplish more and save the government more from North Charleston as opposed to
paying to shuttle personnel in and out of Antarctica. U.S. Navy officials first moved part of
the polar operation locally in 1986, and more functions have gradually relocated to the
region.
SPAWAR's top local military officer, Navy Capt. Bruce Urbon said he spent a week "on the ice"
three years ago to learn more about the operations there. He said the program is a departure
from the high-tech engineering projects that Systems Center Atlantic primarily focuses on.
"It's more a way to support the research community," Urbon said.
An exception would be the air traffic controllers who watch over the frigid runways of
Antarctica from a far-flung outpost in North Charleston. They speak delicately about the
penguin problem.
From a low-key perch on the Naval Weapons Station, workers at the Office of Polar Programs
help safely guide aircraft thousands of miles away that traverse the skies above the world's
most desolate continent.
Though the space has few daily flights, the locally based unit provides crucial information
and guidance to pilots who must fly into unforgiving winds and navigate other abnormally
harsh weather conditions.
But on occasion, the focus on assisting air crews, who are usually ferrying researchers or
hauling supplies to the South Pole Station, is disrupted by gathering clusters of indigenous
penguins.
On their home turf, it seems, these flightless birds have no regard for flight safety.
"One of the biggest problems we have is penguins walking out onto the air field," said
program director Mike Peebles.
It's just one of the daily challenges for an expanding government agency that's charged with
working in and around one of the most extreme environments on the planet.
On the ice
The Office of Polar Programs is an arm of the federal National Science Foundation. Peebles'
office operates from a windowless building within the Space and Naval Warfare System Center
Atlantic's secured, chain-linked borders.
Inside, he and his crew toil amid a glowing backdrop of two wall-projected screens: One
illustrates the flight paths that crisscross in straight lines over Antarctica. The other
shows the radar-based weather pattern, helping the office monitor conditions and develop
forecasts.
The atmosphere is dark and subdued. Crackling with static, a voice from a distant cockpit
breaks the silence as a newly airborne crew checks in to report their progress. The aircraft
had taken off from McMurdo Station, a permanent U.S. research center on Ross Island. It looks
like a dusty mining town when it's not covered in snow.
With the help of technology, the air traffic control side of the program has gradually been
able to accomplish more and save the government more from North Charleston as opposed to
paying to shuttle personnel in and out of Antarctica. U.S. Navy officials first moved part of
the polar operation locally in 1986, and more functions have gradually relocated to the
region.
SPAWAR's top local military officer, Navy Capt. Bruce Urbon said he spent a week "on the ice"
three years ago to learn more about the operations there. He said the program is a departure
from the high-tech engineering projects that Systems Center Atlantic primarily focuses on.
"It's more a way to support the research community," Urbon said.
2011年3月15日星期二
What is that?
While Schabir Shaik, the former financial adviser to President Jacob Zuma, has been arrested
by officers from Correctional Services this does not mean that the South African public
should assume that his bail is about to be cancelled.
Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula confirmed on Monday that Shaik had been picked up and taken
to the Durban Westville Prison allegedly following a weekend report in the Sunday Times that
he had purportedly punched a man, Mohamed Ismail, outside a Mosque in Durban.
Add the allegations of another police investigation - that Shaik choked and slapped a Sunday
Tribune reporter on a golf course about two weeks ago - his astounding longevity for someone
released on medical parole and his other parole infractions and people would be justified in
assuming that he's a certainty for Schabir does Westville Part II.
Not so simple.
Let's track back a bit.
On June 2, 2005, Shaik was found guilty of corruption and fraud and sentenced to 15 years. On
March 3, 2009, having served only two years and four months of his prison term, he was
released on medical parole.
Section 79 of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 (Act) says that : "79. Any person
serving any sentence in a prison and who, based on the written evidence of the medical
practitioner treating that person, is diagnosed as being in the final phase of a terminal
disease or condition may be considered for placement under correctional supervision or on
parole, by the Commissioner, Correctional Supervision and Parole Board or the court, as the
case may be, to die a consolatory and dignified death."
The matter has been debated so often in the media that everyone knows that the final phase of
a terminal illness means that the patient is at death's door and should last a few months
before their passing.
As some will recall much of Shaik's prison term was spent in hospital and despite the head of
cardiology at the Inkosi Albert Lutuli Hospital in Durban, Professor DP Naidoo, personally
discharging him in December 2008, because he was considered well enough to leave hospital,
within 3 months he had been granted medical parole.
In light of subsequent events this made a total mockery of medical parole, the doctors who
supported it and Correctional Services for allowing it.
Worse, as correctly pointed out by NewsTime's Siyabonga Ntshingila, instead of going to
ground and keeping a very low profile Shaik made a total mockery of the entire criminal
justice system playing golf and carrying on totally non terminally-ill-like activities while
it remained powerless to stop him.
Yet in terms of our law Shaik appeared before the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board
in March of 2009 where he was granted parole based upon his medical condition.
That decision is final and may only be reviewed by the Correctional Supervision and Parole
Review Board (Board), which panel must be headed by a judge, in terms of Section 75 (8) of
Act.
The Board consists of a judge as chairperson, a director or a deputy director of Public
Prosecutions, a member of Correctional Services, a person with special knowledge of the
correctional system and two representatives of the public.
The majority of the members of the Board constitute a quorum for a meeting and a decision of
a majority of members present is the decision. If it's a tie the member presiding has the
deciding vote.
Section 77 of the Act says that on consideration of a record submitted in terms of section 75
and any submission which the Minister, Commissioner or person concerned may wish to place
before the Board, as well as such other evidence or argument as is allowed, the Correctional
Supervision and Parole Review the Board must : (a) confirm the decision; or (b) substitute
its own decision and make any order which the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board ought
to have made.
The Board must give reasons for its decision, which are to be made available to the Minister,
Commissioner, the person and the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board concerned in a
specific matter and all other Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards for their
information and guidance.
It would, in my very very humble submission, be inconceivable for the Board to make a
decision on the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board's finding in terms of Section 79
(medical parole) as a result of ordinary parole infringements based upon the events at golf
or the Mosque.
It would make a total mockery of the whole idea of medical parole.
If Shaik has been found to be "in the final phase of a terminal disease or condition",
ludicrous as this may seem, then any revocation of his medical parole must be dealt with in
accordance with medical submissions in order to finalise that aspect first before deciding on
other parole infractions.
The alternative is the ridiculous situation whereby Correctional Services submit that he is
about to die but shouldn't be purportedly strangling people at golf or attacking worshippers
in the parking lot at Mosque.
Where would that leave medical parole in South Africa?
Don't forget that it is there so that people who are terminally ill can spend their last few
days at home. Presently anyone who picks up a splinter in the prison yard would seem to
qualify meaning that the pendulum will have to swing back resulting in cancelling it
altogether?
What about redefining "final phase of a terminal disease" to mean anyone who takes more than
ten thousand breaths has to return to prison?
How the Board deals with Shaik's continued day to day movements - which is over to them - is
important but not as much as getting Correctional Services back onside.
In the interest of restoring credibility the Board needs to go about this in strict
accordance with the law to avoid compounding what is the mother-of-all embarrassments to our
criminal justice system.
by officers from Correctional Services this does not mean that the South African public
should assume that his bail is about to be cancelled.
Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula confirmed on Monday that Shaik had been picked up and taken
to the Durban Westville Prison allegedly following a weekend report in the Sunday Times that
he had purportedly punched a man, Mohamed Ismail, outside a Mosque in Durban.
Add the allegations of another police investigation - that Shaik choked and slapped a Sunday
Tribune reporter on a golf course about two weeks ago - his astounding longevity for someone
released on medical parole and his other parole infractions and people would be justified in
assuming that he's a certainty for Schabir does Westville Part II.
Not so simple.
Let's track back a bit.
On June 2, 2005, Shaik was found guilty of corruption and fraud and sentenced to 15 years. On
March 3, 2009, having served only two years and four months of his prison term, he was
released on medical parole.
Section 79 of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998 (Act) says that : "79. Any person
serving any sentence in a prison and who, based on the written evidence of the medical
practitioner treating that person, is diagnosed as being in the final phase of a terminal
disease or condition may be considered for placement under correctional supervision or on
parole, by the Commissioner, Correctional Supervision and Parole Board or the court, as the
case may be, to die a consolatory and dignified death."
The matter has been debated so often in the media that everyone knows that the final phase of
a terminal illness means that the patient is at death's door and should last a few months
before their passing.
As some will recall much of Shaik's prison term was spent in hospital and despite the head of
cardiology at the Inkosi Albert Lutuli Hospital in Durban, Professor DP Naidoo, personally
discharging him in December 2008, because he was considered well enough to leave hospital,
within 3 months he had been granted medical parole.
In light of subsequent events this made a total mockery of medical parole, the doctors who
supported it and Correctional Services for allowing it.
Worse, as correctly pointed out by NewsTime's Siyabonga Ntshingila, instead of going to
ground and keeping a very low profile Shaik made a total mockery of the entire criminal
justice system playing golf and carrying on totally non terminally-ill-like activities while
it remained powerless to stop him.
Yet in terms of our law Shaik appeared before the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board
in March of 2009 where he was granted parole based upon his medical condition.
That decision is final and may only be reviewed by the Correctional Supervision and Parole
Review Board (Board), which panel must be headed by a judge, in terms of Section 75 (8) of
Act.
The Board consists of a judge as chairperson, a director or a deputy director of Public
Prosecutions, a member of Correctional Services, a person with special knowledge of the
correctional system and two representatives of the public.
The majority of the members of the Board constitute a quorum for a meeting and a decision of
a majority of members present is the decision. If it's a tie the member presiding has the
deciding vote.
Section 77 of the Act says that on consideration of a record submitted in terms of section 75
and any submission which the Minister, Commissioner or person concerned may wish to place
before the Board, as well as such other evidence or argument as is allowed, the Correctional
Supervision and Parole Review the Board must : (a) confirm the decision; or (b) substitute
its own decision and make any order which the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board ought
to have made.
The Board must give reasons for its decision, which are to be made available to the Minister,
Commissioner, the person and the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board concerned in a
specific matter and all other Correctional Supervision and Parole Boards for their
information and guidance.
It would, in my very very humble submission, be inconceivable for the Board to make a
decision on the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board's finding in terms of Section 79
(medical parole) as a result of ordinary parole infringements based upon the events at golf
or the Mosque.
It would make a total mockery of the whole idea of medical parole.
If Shaik has been found to be "in the final phase of a terminal disease or condition",
ludicrous as this may seem, then any revocation of his medical parole must be dealt with in
accordance with medical submissions in order to finalise that aspect first before deciding on
other parole infractions.
The alternative is the ridiculous situation whereby Correctional Services submit that he is
about to die but shouldn't be purportedly strangling people at golf or attacking worshippers
in the parking lot at Mosque.
Where would that leave medical parole in South Africa?
Don't forget that it is there so that people who are terminally ill can spend their last few
days at home. Presently anyone who picks up a splinter in the prison yard would seem to
qualify meaning that the pendulum will have to swing back resulting in cancelling it
altogether?
What about redefining "final phase of a terminal disease" to mean anyone who takes more than
ten thousand breaths has to return to prison?
How the Board deals with Shaik's continued day to day movements - which is over to them - is
important but not as much as getting Correctional Services back onside.
In the interest of restoring credibility the Board needs to go about this in strict
accordance with the law to avoid compounding what is the mother-of-all embarrassments to our
criminal justice system.
2011年3月13日星期日
2012 Mercedes-Benz SLK Sets Safety Standards for Roadsters
The new SLK Roadster from Mercedes-Benz sets new standards in safety. The safety experts at Mercedes-Benz have long adopted the motto, the best or nothing, coined by Gottlieb Daimler. Mercedes is not content with just hitting safety ratings, they work to attain safety levels that not only meet but far exceed standars set by the world's legislators. The most important measure of their work is not the laboratory or crash test facility, but actual, real-life accidents. They call the results of their work Real Life Safety, a concept which is based on research into thousands of accidents. Using this irrefutable evidence, the Mercedes-Benz engineers have developed or initiated most of the assistance systems which today effectively support drivers and have been adopted by many of the company's competitors.
ATTENTION ASSIST and ADAPTIVE BRAKE as standard
The new SLK also features a unique combination of driver assistance systems which help to avoid accidents. These include the drowsiness detection system ATTENTION ASSIST, for example. Thanks to this system, the roadster develops a precise feeling for the level of attentiveness of the driver and can provide an early warning of overtiredness.
Also making up part of the standard equipment specification is the ADAPTIVE BRAKE. It comprises ABS, the acceleration skid control system ASR and also active yaw control (GMR). In addition, it features the following functions:
* it supports the driver when moving off uphill, by preventing the vehicle from unintentionally rolling back;
* it also keeps the vehicle stationary without having to keep the brakes applied continuously – for example when waiting at traffic lights
* as soon as the driver abruptly steps off the accelerator, it brings the brake pads into light contact with the brake discs as a precautionary measure, so that the necessary braking pressure can be attained quicker in the possible event of emergency braking;
* in wet conditions it applies light brake contact, without the driver even noticing, to dry the brake discs.
The ADAPTIVE BRAKE works in conjunction with the equally adaptive brake light. In emergency braking situations, it warns vehicles behind with flashing brake lights.
Emergency braking on detecting an acute risk of a front-end collision
Available as optional extras are the DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control as well as the PRE-SAFE Brake, already tried and tested in other Mercedes-Benz models. Both systems work in conjunction and can initiate emergency braking automatically on detecting an acute risk of an accident.
In normal driving conditions, the radar-based DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control adjusts the distance to the vehicle in front automatically. If necessary, it can apply the brakes, even bringing the SLK Roadster to a stop, and accelerate it again. This takes some of the strain off the driver, particularly in bumper-to-bumper driving conditions. If the distance starts to narrow too quickly, the system gives the driver visual and audible warnings, thereby prompting the driver to take action, at which point he is also supported by Brake Assist PLUS (BAS PLUS).
ATTENTION ASSIST and ADAPTIVE BRAKE as standard
The new SLK also features a unique combination of driver assistance systems which help to avoid accidents. These include the drowsiness detection system ATTENTION ASSIST, for example. Thanks to this system, the roadster develops a precise feeling for the level of attentiveness of the driver and can provide an early warning of overtiredness.
Also making up part of the standard equipment specification is the ADAPTIVE BRAKE. It comprises ABS, the acceleration skid control system ASR and also active yaw control (GMR). In addition, it features the following functions:
* it supports the driver when moving off uphill, by preventing the vehicle from unintentionally rolling back;
* it also keeps the vehicle stationary without having to keep the brakes applied continuously – for example when waiting at traffic lights
* as soon as the driver abruptly steps off the accelerator, it brings the brake pads into light contact with the brake discs as a precautionary measure, so that the necessary braking pressure can be attained quicker in the possible event of emergency braking;
* in wet conditions it applies light brake contact, without the driver even noticing, to dry the brake discs.
The ADAPTIVE BRAKE works in conjunction with the equally adaptive brake light. In emergency braking situations, it warns vehicles behind with flashing brake lights.
Emergency braking on detecting an acute risk of a front-end collision
Available as optional extras are the DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control as well as the PRE-SAFE Brake, already tried and tested in other Mercedes-Benz models. Both systems work in conjunction and can initiate emergency braking automatically on detecting an acute risk of an accident.
In normal driving conditions, the radar-based DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control adjusts the distance to the vehicle in front automatically. If necessary, it can apply the brakes, even bringing the SLK Roadster to a stop, and accelerate it again. This takes some of the strain off the driver, particularly in bumper-to-bumper driving conditions. If the distance starts to narrow too quickly, the system gives the driver visual and audible warnings, thereby prompting the driver to take action, at which point he is also supported by Brake Assist PLUS (BAS PLUS).
2011年3月9日星期三
Oregon Department of Transportation Approves McCain's 2070E Traffic Signal Controller
McCain Inc., a leading manufacturer and supplier of intelligent transportation systems,
traffic control equipment and parking guidance solutions, today announced the Oregon
Department of Transportation's (ODOT) approbation of the 2070E traffic signal controller,
making it the only 2070 controller unit currently available on the ODOT Qualified Products
List.
McCain's 2070E traffic controller unit is designed in full compliance with the California
Department of Transportation (Caltrans) 2009 Transportation Electrical Equipment
Specifications (TEES), designating it as the official replacement for the 2070L traffic
controller. The 2070E allows users to upgrade existing intersection control technology to a
more progressive, high-performance platform without replacing cabinet hardware.
"We're pleased that our 2070E is currently the only approved 2070 controller on Oregon's QPL.
To that end, our 2070E controller has been widely accepted, appearing on several QPLs,
including California, Oregon, Washington, and New York State, confirming its outstanding
technology and reliability," said Nathan Welch, national sales manager for McCain Inc.
The 2070E traffic signal controller features 32MB of system memory and a 4MB static RAM drive
for improved processing power, 32Mb data key capacity, an integrated 4-port network switch,
two Ethernet ports and expansion capacity across the motherboard. The controller's OS-9
operating system supports a variety of applications based on the software control package
used, including intersection control, ramp metering, variable message signs and changeable
lane control. Utilizing McCain's 2033 Intersection Control Software, both 2070E and 2070L
controllers can run simultaneously on the same network.
About McCain Inc.
McCain Inc. provides progressive solutions that successfully address modern transportation
concerns and promote urban mobility. A forward thinking, vertically integrated company with
24 years of industry success, McCain conceptualizes, develops, and manufactures intelligent
transportation systems. Operating over 300,000-square-feet of office and manufacturing space
and employing over 400 people, McCain produces superior traffic equipment, advanced traffic
management software, and parking solutions. McCain is a recognized leader in innovative
products and services, nationally trusted to facilitate safety, mobility, and navigation of
the world's roads.
traffic control equipment and parking guidance solutions, today announced the Oregon
Department of Transportation's (ODOT) approbation of the 2070E traffic signal controller,
making it the only 2070 controller unit currently available on the ODOT Qualified Products
List.
McCain's 2070E traffic controller unit is designed in full compliance with the California
Department of Transportation (Caltrans) 2009 Transportation Electrical Equipment
Specifications (TEES), designating it as the official replacement for the 2070L traffic
controller. The 2070E allows users to upgrade existing intersection control technology to a
more progressive, high-performance platform without replacing cabinet hardware.
"We're pleased that our 2070E is currently the only approved 2070 controller on Oregon's QPL.
To that end, our 2070E controller has been widely accepted, appearing on several QPLs,
including California, Oregon, Washington, and New York State, confirming its outstanding
technology and reliability," said Nathan Welch, national sales manager for McCain Inc.
The 2070E traffic signal controller features 32MB of system memory and a 4MB static RAM drive
for improved processing power, 32Mb data key capacity, an integrated 4-port network switch,
two Ethernet ports and expansion capacity across the motherboard. The controller's OS-9
operating system supports a variety of applications based on the software control package
used, including intersection control, ramp metering, variable message signs and changeable
lane control. Utilizing McCain's 2033 Intersection Control Software, both 2070E and 2070L
controllers can run simultaneously on the same network.
About McCain Inc.
McCain Inc. provides progressive solutions that successfully address modern transportation
concerns and promote urban mobility. A forward thinking, vertically integrated company with
24 years of industry success, McCain conceptualizes, develops, and manufactures intelligent
transportation systems. Operating over 300,000-square-feet of office and manufacturing space
and employing over 400 people, McCain produces superior traffic equipment, advanced traffic
management software, and parking solutions. McCain is a recognized leader in innovative
products and services, nationally trusted to facilitate safety, mobility, and navigation of
the world's roads.
2011年3月7日星期一
ABM Industries Announces First Quarter 2011 Financial Results, Declares Quarterly Dividend and Reaffirms Guidance
ABM Industries Incorporated (NYSE:ABM) today announced revenues for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 of $1.03 billion compared to first quarter of fiscal year 2010 revenues of $869.9 million. Net income for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 was $8.4 million, a 34.3% decrease from $12.8 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. Net income per diluted share for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 decreased 33.7% to $0.16 compared to net income per diluted share of $0.24 in the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. Net income for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 was impacted by $2.5 million after-tax of transaction costs associated with The Linc Group acquisition in 2010, $2.3 million after-tax of labor expense from one additional work day and $0.5 million after-tax in higher state unemployment insurance tax compared to the year-ago quarter.
"The Company's financial results met our expectations for the first quarter and were consistent with our guidance targets for the fiscal year," said Henrik Slipsager, president and chief executive officer, ABM Industries Incorporated. "Revenues increased 18% year-over-year, reaching a quarterly record of $1.03 billion, and improved sequentially by 14%. The businesses we acquired during 2010 – Diversco, L&R Parking companies and The Linc Group – drove sales growth in the quarter. Sales generated by the newly-acquired businesses and a return to organic growth will continue to produce year-over-year revenue gains for the 2011 fiscal year. Despite the top line growth, net income in the first quarter also was impacted by increased year-over-year amortization and interest costs related to the Linc acquisition. However, our focus on improving margins and profitability produced 9% growth in adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter, including the impact of one additional working day.
"All four Divisions produced revenue increases as the acquired companies generated more than $156 million in sales during the first quarter, ahead of plan, and we saw small overall improvement in organic growth as well. ABM Janitorial slightly increased organic revenues year-over-year for the first time in eight quarters. Janitorial's profitability was impacted by one additional working day, higher state unemployment insurance expense and unanticipated costs associated with snow removal which impacted certain clients. Engineering revenues nearly doubled compared to the year-ago quarter on the strength of sales generated by The Linc Group, which contributed more than $93 million in revenues. Engineering's operating profit increased year-over-year, driven by the Linc business, which was slightly accretive to earnings in the first quarter excluding transaction costs, ahead of our expectations. Parking increased revenues more than 35%, bolstered by new sales and contributions from the L&R companies, while profitability was essentially flat, partly resulting from snow and other weather-related costs. Security revenues were up modestly, including more than $3 million in sales from Diversco, while operating profit remained even with the year-ago quarter."
Slipsager concluded: "We are encouraged by the pace of integration and sales contributions of the companies we acquired last year. The additional revenues will generate year-over-year sales growth and help drive profitability. We will leverage our recent investments in an expanded footprint, increased sales and additional talent to deliver on our financial plans and projections for the year."
Income from continuing operations for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 was $8.4 million ($0.16 per diluted share) compared to $12.8 million ($0.24 per diluted share) in the year-ago quarter. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted income from continuing operations was $11.7 million, or $0.22 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011. This compares to adjusted income from continuing operations of $14.0 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, in the first quarter of fiscal year 2010, with the year-over difference primarily a result of the additional work day in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011.
The Company's adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, and excluding discontinued operations and items impacting comparability) for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 was $35.7 million compared to $32.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2010.
"The Company's financial results met our expectations for the first quarter and were consistent with our guidance targets for the fiscal year," said Henrik Slipsager, president and chief executive officer, ABM Industries Incorporated. "Revenues increased 18% year-over-year, reaching a quarterly record of $1.03 billion, and improved sequentially by 14%. The businesses we acquired during 2010 – Diversco, L&R Parking companies and The Linc Group – drove sales growth in the quarter. Sales generated by the newly-acquired businesses and a return to organic growth will continue to produce year-over-year revenue gains for the 2011 fiscal year. Despite the top line growth, net income in the first quarter also was impacted by increased year-over-year amortization and interest costs related to the Linc acquisition. However, our focus on improving margins and profitability produced 9% growth in adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter, including the impact of one additional working day.
"All four Divisions produced revenue increases as the acquired companies generated more than $156 million in sales during the first quarter, ahead of plan, and we saw small overall improvement in organic growth as well. ABM Janitorial slightly increased organic revenues year-over-year for the first time in eight quarters. Janitorial's profitability was impacted by one additional working day, higher state unemployment insurance expense and unanticipated costs associated with snow removal which impacted certain clients. Engineering revenues nearly doubled compared to the year-ago quarter on the strength of sales generated by The Linc Group, which contributed more than $93 million in revenues. Engineering's operating profit increased year-over-year, driven by the Linc business, which was slightly accretive to earnings in the first quarter excluding transaction costs, ahead of our expectations. Parking increased revenues more than 35%, bolstered by new sales and contributions from the L&R companies, while profitability was essentially flat, partly resulting from snow and other weather-related costs. Security revenues were up modestly, including more than $3 million in sales from Diversco, while operating profit remained even with the year-ago quarter."
Slipsager concluded: "We are encouraged by the pace of integration and sales contributions of the companies we acquired last year. The additional revenues will generate year-over-year sales growth and help drive profitability. We will leverage our recent investments in an expanded footprint, increased sales and additional talent to deliver on our financial plans and projections for the year."
Income from continuing operations for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 was $8.4 million ($0.16 per diluted share) compared to $12.8 million ($0.24 per diluted share) in the year-ago quarter. Excluding items impacting comparability, adjusted income from continuing operations was $11.7 million, or $0.22 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011. This compares to adjusted income from continuing operations of $14.0 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, in the first quarter of fiscal year 2010, with the year-over difference primarily a result of the additional work day in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011.
The Company's adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, and excluding discontinued operations and items impacting comparability) for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 was $35.7 million compared to $32.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal year 2010.
2011年3月3日星期四
Top tech company in Burnaby continues to grow
Burnaby-based Digital Payment Technologies has had a good start to the year.
The pay-parking system manufacturer was named one of the top 25 B.C. information and communication technology companies in the Ready to Rocket category by Rocket Builders.
"We are honored to be recognized as one of the rising private sector stars in the B.C. technology market," said Andrew Scott, CEO of Digital Payment Technologies, in a press release. "With the powerful combination of our talented team and a flexible technology platform that helps municipalities, universities and private parking operators implement innovative and efficient solutions that increase consumer satisfaction and drive revenues, we intend to significantly expand our customer base and distribution network in 2011."
Rocket Builders is a management-consulting firm for the technology industry. This is its ninth year of compiling the Ready to Rocket list of B.C. tech companies that have seen high growth rates.
"Each year when we choose the Ready to Rocket companies, we are looking for those companies that have best matched technical innovation with market opportunity," said Reg Nordman, managing partner for Rocket Builders. "Digital Payment Technologies is an excellent example of the right technology for the right customers at the right time."
The list was released at the end of January.
Since then, Digital Payment Technologies has gone on to form a partnership with a parking solution management company based in California.
The partnership was announced Monday.
The two companies will share and integrate data so that clients using Digital Payment Technologies' pay stations and Streetline Form Partnership's parking guidance smart phone application can find parking spaces faster.
Streetline's Parker app allows drivers to find unoccupied parking spaces, and once parked, the customer can pay at a Digital Parking Technologies pay station or over the phone.
Parking can be extended at any pay station, or by phone.
Last fall, Digital Payment Technologies launched a new license plate activated payment system, so parking enforcement officers can electronically scan license plates in order to ticket those who have not paid for parking.
With the license plate as the means of identifying payment, municipalities could get rid of marked street spaces and make more money within existing curb space, according to a press release from the company.
The system includes hand-held and vehicle-mounted license plate scanners that match scanned plates to a database of plate numbers with paid parking sessions. If a scanned plate is not found in the database, the system automatically generates a citation.
Parking-enforcement productivity could improve because the system would allow for increasing the coverage area of enforcement personnel, which would reduce costs and increase revenues, the release said.
The system would make it impossible for drivers to pass on unexpired permits to someone else, or to pass on unused time on a meter.
Parking operators could also use the system to offer services such as license plate-enabled valet parking, gateless parking, loyalty programs and reserved parking based on the license plate.
Most of Digital Payment Technologies' existing pay stations could be upgraded to the system with a keypad and software update, according to the release.
Drivers wouldn't need to remember a space number or return to their cars to place a receipt, because they would enter their license plate number at the pay station.
The pay-parking system manufacturer was named one of the top 25 B.C. information and communication technology companies in the Ready to Rocket category by Rocket Builders.
"We are honored to be recognized as one of the rising private sector stars in the B.C. technology market," said Andrew Scott, CEO of Digital Payment Technologies, in a press release. "With the powerful combination of our talented team and a flexible technology platform that helps municipalities, universities and private parking operators implement innovative and efficient solutions that increase consumer satisfaction and drive revenues, we intend to significantly expand our customer base and distribution network in 2011."
Rocket Builders is a management-consulting firm for the technology industry. This is its ninth year of compiling the Ready to Rocket list of B.C. tech companies that have seen high growth rates.
"Each year when we choose the Ready to Rocket companies, we are looking for those companies that have best matched technical innovation with market opportunity," said Reg Nordman, managing partner for Rocket Builders. "Digital Payment Technologies is an excellent example of the right technology for the right customers at the right time."
The list was released at the end of January.
Since then, Digital Payment Technologies has gone on to form a partnership with a parking solution management company based in California.
The partnership was announced Monday.
The two companies will share and integrate data so that clients using Digital Payment Technologies' pay stations and Streetline Form Partnership's parking guidance smart phone application can find parking spaces faster.
Streetline's Parker app allows drivers to find unoccupied parking spaces, and once parked, the customer can pay at a Digital Parking Technologies pay station or over the phone.
Parking can be extended at any pay station, or by phone.
Last fall, Digital Payment Technologies launched a new license plate activated payment system, so parking enforcement officers can electronically scan license plates in order to ticket those who have not paid for parking.
With the license plate as the means of identifying payment, municipalities could get rid of marked street spaces and make more money within existing curb space, according to a press release from the company.
The system includes hand-held and vehicle-mounted license plate scanners that match scanned plates to a database of plate numbers with paid parking sessions. If a scanned plate is not found in the database, the system automatically generates a citation.
Parking-enforcement productivity could improve because the system would allow for increasing the coverage area of enforcement personnel, which would reduce costs and increase revenues, the release said.
The system would make it impossible for drivers to pass on unexpired permits to someone else, or to pass on unused time on a meter.
Parking operators could also use the system to offer services such as license plate-enabled valet parking, gateless parking, loyalty programs and reserved parking based on the license plate.
Most of Digital Payment Technologies' existing pay stations could be upgraded to the system with a keypad and software update, according to the release.
Drivers wouldn't need to remember a space number or return to their cars to place a receipt, because they would enter their license plate number at the pay station.
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