On or around November 15, 2010, SP posted on its web-site a report covering SP's performance through the first 9 months of 2010.
I did a post about that report on November 23, 2010, indicating that an English-language-version of SP's Q3 2010 report was unavailable.
When I visited SP's web-site today, I did find that an English-language version of SP's Q3 2010 is now available.
You can find the English-language-version of that report at this internet address:
http://www.servicepoint.net/WebFiles/countries/sps/docs/en/Results/Service-Point-Earnings3T201015112010-EN.pdf
I encourage reprographers (and financial analysts who follow the reprographics industry) to read SP's most recent report. It is always quite interesting to see how companies in the reprographics industry talk about their performance, recent actions, developing trends and future plans.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Shredding is a "document management" service (?)
I’ve always found it interesting to explore different industries and to see how different companies, companies who compete with one another, “present” and talk about their services and products.
SERVICE POINT
While visiting Service Point’s (the SP USA division’s) web-site, I noticed that SP lists “document shredding” as one of its services. However, after clicking a bit deeper into that particular service, this is what came up:
Secure Document Shredding + Recycling
Service Point professional partner Cintas, a national organization and certified member of NAID (National Association for Information Destruction), provides confidential document destruction and recycling services for our clients.
-Locked receptacles are supplied, conveniently placed for collection in multiple offices or floors of your business as needed.
-A variety of materials may be placed in receptacles for processing: paper documents (small and large format), CD’s, tapes, film, etc.
-Staples, rubber bands, paper clips, etc. do not need to be removed.
-Receptacles are regularly collected and emptied, with pick ups scheduled as required.
-All materials remain securely locked in Cintas trucks for destruction off-site at secure shredding centers or are shredded on-site in specially equipped trucks.
Shredded material is delivered to a recycling center to be turned into future products.
So, while SP advertises “document shredding” as one of SP’s services, SP, apparently, does not provide shredding services itself, but, rather, refers customers to its “partner” who does shredding, Cintas Corp.
CINTAS
So, after I visited Service Point’s web-site, I went to Cintas’ web-site. Cintas is a publicly-traded company.
Cintas’ products and services (per information found on Cintas’ web-site):
-Uniform and Apparel
-Facility Services
-First Aid and Safety
-Fire Protection
-Document Management
-Cleanroom Resources
-Flame Resistant Clothing
-Promotional Products
After I saw the list of Cintas’ products and services and did not see “document shredding” listed as a service, I clicked on “document management,” and, lo and behold, this is what appeared:
Cintas’ Document Management Services:
Each year improper document management costs businesses like yours millions of dollars in liability and lost productivity. Let Cintas help you choose the proper document shredding, imaging, and storage program to ensure:
-Data privacy and security
-Regulatory compliance
-Control and access to information
-Cost control associated with information processing
So, shredding is a “document management” service. (!) (?)
Until I read about Cintas’s document management services, I did not know that Cintas was in the “imaging” business or in the “storage” business.
IRON MOUNTAIN
I first heard about Iron Mountain around 1985, when one of the guys at the investment bank that took my former company public, asked me what I knew about “document storage and retrieval services” and “do you know about a company called Iron Mountain?” So, since then, I’ve on-and-off followed Iron Mountain. Way back then, their business was “storage and retrieval” of “hard-copy” documents, but, since then, IM has morphed into a multi-faceted company (Warren Buffet reportedly is an investor in IM stock), and IM offers “shredding services” and other services that are truly “document management” services.
Iron Mountain’s services (per information found at “what we do” on Iron Mountain’s web-site):
-Document Management Solutions
-Health Information Management
-Digital Archiving
-eDiscovery
-Online Backup
-Records Management and Storage
-Secure Shredding
-Data Protection and Recovery
-Storage-as-a-Service
-Disaster Recovery
-Technology Escrow Services
-Consulting and Professional Services
-Records Management Compliance
-Marketing Production and Fulfillment Services
Pick-and-Pack Fulfillment
eCustomize
Digital Printing
Customized Kitting and Booklet Creation
Lead Response Fulfillment
Print Management
-Film and Sound Archiving
-Products and Services A-Z
SHRED-IT
Though a few keystrokes in Google, I also came across “Shred-it”. Shred-it does not mention or refer to “shredding” as a “document management” service, but, all the same, since they compete with the others who offer “shredding” services, I thought I’d mention them in this post. Particularly, because where a couple of their key management team members toiled before joining Shred-it.
About Shred-it (per what they say about their services, as per their web-site):
Shred-it specializes in providing a tailored document destruction service that allows businesses to comply with legislation and ensure that the client, employee and confidential business information is kept secure at all times. Through our strict chain-of-custody processes, reliable on-time service and a global network of local service centers, Shred-it provides the most secure and efficient confidential information destruction service in the industry.
Interesting to see where a couple of their key management team members came from:
Vincent R. De Palma , President and Chief Executive Officer
Vince joined Shred-it in August 2009, bringing over 25 years of executive experience to the company. He became well acquainted with business to business services in his past roles as President of Pitney Bowes Management Services, and as President of Automatic Data Processing (ADP) Benefit Services. Vince has also held senior management positions at Petroleum Heat & Power Company and McKinsey & Company.
(A visit to Pitney Bowes’ web-site revealed this: Pitney Bowes does not indicate that it offers “shredding” services, but Pitney Bowes does sell document shredders. I guess that Mr. De Palma decided that there was more money in doing the actual shredding than there was in the one-time sale of shredders? Well, even if that’s not the case, its certainly much more fun to shred documents than it is to deliver and install a shredder.)
Robert Guice , Executive Vice President, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
Robert joined Shred-it in 2004. Robert is responsible for overseeing Shred-it's sales, services and operations in the European and Middle Eastern markets, which includes 30 branches in six European countries and two branches in the Middle East and Africa region.
Mr. Guice has expertise in sales, sales management and business management. Prior to joining Shred-it, Robert served as Sales and Marketing Director for the UK branch of an international records and information management company. He has also held management positions in the United Kingdom and internationally in the telecommunications, and IT industries. Robert has managed global accounts and led multi-discipline teams in his previous roles.
(Could it be that Mr. Guice was previously with Iron Mountain?)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
For reprographers who are looking for ways to supplement their revenues and who are already involved in providing “document management” services, perhaps you should consider adding “document shredding” as one of the services you provide???
SERVICE POINT
While visiting Service Point’s (the SP USA division’s) web-site, I noticed that SP lists “document shredding” as one of its services. However, after clicking a bit deeper into that particular service, this is what came up:
Secure Document Shredding + Recycling
Service Point professional partner Cintas, a national organization and certified member of NAID (National Association for Information Destruction), provides confidential document destruction and recycling services for our clients.
-Locked receptacles are supplied, conveniently placed for collection in multiple offices or floors of your business as needed.
-A variety of materials may be placed in receptacles for processing: paper documents (small and large format), CD’s, tapes, film, etc.
-Staples, rubber bands, paper clips, etc. do not need to be removed.
-Receptacles are regularly collected and emptied, with pick ups scheduled as required.
-All materials remain securely locked in Cintas trucks for destruction off-site at secure shredding centers or are shredded on-site in specially equipped trucks.
Shredded material is delivered to a recycling center to be turned into future products.
So, while SP advertises “document shredding” as one of SP’s services, SP, apparently, does not provide shredding services itself, but, rather, refers customers to its “partner” who does shredding, Cintas Corp.
CINTAS
So, after I visited Service Point’s web-site, I went to Cintas’ web-site. Cintas is a publicly-traded company.
Cintas’ products and services (per information found on Cintas’ web-site):
-Uniform and Apparel
-Facility Services
-First Aid and Safety
-Fire Protection
-Document Management
-Cleanroom Resources
-Flame Resistant Clothing
-Promotional Products
After I saw the list of Cintas’ products and services and did not see “document shredding” listed as a service, I clicked on “document management,” and, lo and behold, this is what appeared:
Cintas’ Document Management Services:
Each year improper document management costs businesses like yours millions of dollars in liability and lost productivity. Let Cintas help you choose the proper document shredding, imaging, and storage program to ensure:
-Data privacy and security
-Regulatory compliance
-Control and access to information
-Cost control associated with information processing
So, shredding is a “document management” service. (!) (?)
Until I read about Cintas’s document management services, I did not know that Cintas was in the “imaging” business or in the “storage” business.
IRON MOUNTAIN
I first heard about Iron Mountain around 1985, when one of the guys at the investment bank that took my former company public, asked me what I knew about “document storage and retrieval services” and “do you know about a company called Iron Mountain?” So, since then, I’ve on-and-off followed Iron Mountain. Way back then, their business was “storage and retrieval” of “hard-copy” documents, but, since then, IM has morphed into a multi-faceted company (Warren Buffet reportedly is an investor in IM stock), and IM offers “shredding services” and other services that are truly “document management” services.
Iron Mountain’s services (per information found at “what we do” on Iron Mountain’s web-site):
-Document Management Solutions
-Health Information Management
-Digital Archiving
-eDiscovery
-Online Backup
-Records Management and Storage
-Secure Shredding
-Data Protection and Recovery
-Storage-as-a-Service
-Disaster Recovery
-Technology Escrow Services
-Consulting and Professional Services
-Records Management Compliance
-Marketing Production and Fulfillment Services
Pick-and-Pack Fulfillment
eCustomize
Digital Printing
Customized Kitting and Booklet Creation
Lead Response Fulfillment
Print Management
-Film and Sound Archiving
-Products and Services A-Z
SHRED-IT
Though a few keystrokes in Google, I also came across “Shred-it”. Shred-it does not mention or refer to “shredding” as a “document management” service, but, all the same, since they compete with the others who offer “shredding” services, I thought I’d mention them in this post. Particularly, because where a couple of their key management team members toiled before joining Shred-it.
About Shred-it (per what they say about their services, as per their web-site):
Shred-it specializes in providing a tailored document destruction service that allows businesses to comply with legislation and ensure that the client, employee and confidential business information is kept secure at all times. Through our strict chain-of-custody processes, reliable on-time service and a global network of local service centers, Shred-it provides the most secure and efficient confidential information destruction service in the industry.
Interesting to see where a couple of their key management team members came from:
Vincent R. De Palma , President and Chief Executive Officer
Vince joined Shred-it in August 2009, bringing over 25 years of executive experience to the company. He became well acquainted with business to business services in his past roles as President of Pitney Bowes Management Services, and as President of Automatic Data Processing (ADP) Benefit Services. Vince has also held senior management positions at Petroleum Heat & Power Company and McKinsey & Company.
(A visit to Pitney Bowes’ web-site revealed this: Pitney Bowes does not indicate that it offers “shredding” services, but Pitney Bowes does sell document shredders. I guess that Mr. De Palma decided that there was more money in doing the actual shredding than there was in the one-time sale of shredders? Well, even if that’s not the case, its certainly much more fun to shred documents than it is to deliver and install a shredder.)
Robert Guice , Executive Vice President, EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa)
Robert joined Shred-it in 2004. Robert is responsible for overseeing Shred-it's sales, services and operations in the European and Middle Eastern markets, which includes 30 branches in six European countries and two branches in the Middle East and Africa region.
Mr. Guice has expertise in sales, sales management and business management. Prior to joining Shred-it, Robert served as Sales and Marketing Director for the UK branch of an international records and information management company. He has also held management positions in the United Kingdom and internationally in the telecommunications, and IT industries. Robert has managed global accounts and led multi-discipline teams in his previous roles.
(Could it be that Mr. Guice was previously with Iron Mountain?)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
For reprographers who are looking for ways to supplement their revenues and who are already involved in providing “document management” services, perhaps you should consider adding “document shredding” as one of the services you provide???
Housing starts up, slightly, but building permit activity is down
One of my favorite things to do is to listen to business news on Bloomberg (on Sirius satellite radio). And, I do that every chance I get. My "all time favorite" business news show is the one that is hosted by Bloomberg's Tom Keene and co-hosted by Ken Prewitt. If you are interested in what's going on in the business world and have not dialed into that show, you are missing the best business news show on the planet.
A while back, before the recession began to get real deep, some financial analysts (some of whom follow and report(ed) on ARC) apparently were of the opinion that the fall-off in the "residential" development sector was somewhat isolated, meaning that, even though residential was falling off and expected to decline further, it would not have much of an effect on "non-residential" development. In one of my earliest blog posts, I said that the decline in residential development would have a trickle-down effect on all types of development, including the non-res development sector. And, I gave my reasons for why that would happen. Well, I was right and "they" were wrong. I am not perfect, nor am I even all that smart. But, when you've been in the reprographics business and industry for many, many years, you do experience (i.e., "see") the ripple effects and trickle-down) (or trickle-up) effects that impact the A/E/C Industry and, thusly, that affect the Reprographics Industry.
Although the Home Builders Index is still very, very soft (at 16, as mentioned in one of my blog posts yesterday), it was reported, this morning, that housing starts are up .... slightly. That's always a good sign for people who are hoping that recovery in the A/E/C industry is coming. We still have a long way to go to see housing (residential construction) recover (we still have this very big, very ugly foreclosure thing to get through), but any uptick in activity, no matter how small in the beginning, brings hope that the future will be brighter. And, reprographers are a hopeful bunch.
Found on Bloomberg ....
U.S. Housing Starts Rise for First Time Since August
By Shobhana Chandra - Dec 16, 2010
Builders in the U.S. began work on more homes in November for the first time in three months, showing the industry is struggling to recover.
Housing starts rose to a 555,000 annual rate, up 3.9 percent from October’s 534,000 pace that was higher than initially estimated, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. The median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey called for a 550,000 pace. Building permits, a proxy of future work, fell, reflecting a drop in applications for multifamily projects.
Companies like Toll Brothers Inc. anticipate the industry that triggered the worst recession since the 1930s will regain its footing in coming months after the end of a tax credit caused demand to slump. While low borrowing costs and prices may help entice buyers, mounting foreclosures and unemployment near 10 percent mean housing will take years to fully rebound.
“Housing remains stuck in the mud,” said Aaron Smith, a senior economist at Moody’s Analytics Inc. in West Chester, Pennsylvania, who correctly forecast the pace of starts. “Builders are in a wait-and-see mode. Foreclosures are still problematic and the recent backup in mortgage rates poses a significant threat.”
The median forecast was based on a survey of 76 economists. Estimates ranged from 520,000 to 595,000.
Permits dropped 4 percent to a 530,000 annual rate, the lowest level since April 2009. They were projected to climb to a 560,000 annual rate, according to the survey median.
Fewer Claims
A report from the Labor Department today showed fewer workers unexpectedly filed first-time claims for unemployment benefits last week, pointing to a labor market that is on the mend. Applications for jobless insurance payments fell by 3,000 to 420,000, the lowest in three weeks.
Another Commerce Department report today showed the current- account deficit widened to $127.2 billion in the third quarter, reflecting an increase in imports. The gap, the broadest measure of international trade because it includes income payments and government transfers, was the biggest in almost two years.
Stock-index futures were little changed after the reports. The contract on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index maturing in March rose 0.1 percent to 1,233.5 at 8:46 a.m. in New York. Treasury securities rose, sending the yield on the benchmark 10-year note down to 3.50 percent from 3.53 percent late yesterday.
Year-to-Year Drop
From the same month last year, housing starts fell 5.8 percent, while permits were 15 percent lower.
Construction of single-family houses increased 6.9 percent to a 465,000 rate, the highest level since April. While permits also rose, by 3 percent, the 416,000 level of applications in November signals work may slow in coming months.
Work on multi-family homes, such as townhouses and apartment builders, dropped 9.1 percent to an annual rate of 90,000, a third consecutive decline and the lowest level since June. Multifamily permits plunged 23 percent to a 114,000 pace.
Three of four regions showed an increase, led by a 16 percent increase in the Midwest.
Americans have pulled back on house purchases following the expiration of a tax incentive of as much as $8,000, which required that contracts be signed by April 30 and closed by Sept. 30. Sales of new and existing properties fell in October. Figures for November are due next week.
The recent increase in mortgage rates may also cool demand. The average rate on a 30-year fixed loan was 4.61 percent in the week ended Dec. 9, up from the record-low of 4.17 percent reached in November, according to McLean, Virginia-based Freddie Mac, which began keeping data in 1971.
Fed’s Concerns
Today’s report is a reminder why Federal Reserve policy makers, who met Dec. 14 for the final time this year, say housing is lagging while the economy rebounds. They cited declines in home values as one of the constraints on consumer spending.
“The housing sector continues to be depressed,” Fed officials said in a statement after the gathering, at which they reiterated a plan to expand record monetary stimulus and said economic growth is “insufficient to bring down unemployment.”
Home values are poised to drop by more than $1.7 trillion in 2010, according to Zillow Inc., a closely held provider of home price data. This year’s estimated decline, more than the $1.05 trillion drop in 2009, brings the loss since the June 2006 home-price peak to $9 trillion, Seattle-based Zillow said on Dec. 9.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo’s confidence index was unchanged in December from a month earlier, a report showed yesterday, indicating developers remained pessimistic.
Builder Outlook
Even so, the housing market will avoid a double-dip after reaching a bottom last year, and the industry will gain momentum in 2012, according to Douglas Yearley, chief executive officer of Toll Brothers, the largest U.S. luxury-home builder.
“The recovery is here to stay,” Yearley said in a Dec. 7 interview in New York. “I think 2011 will be an improving year, but I think 2012 will be a big year for us.”
While the number of visitors to its sales offices isn’t up, Horsham, Pennsylvania-based Toll is seeing more “quality” visitors, a sign buyers are less skittish about the market and more serious about purchasing, he said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Shobhana Chandra in Washington schandra1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net
A while back, before the recession began to get real deep, some financial analysts (some of whom follow and report(ed) on ARC) apparently were of the opinion that the fall-off in the "residential" development sector was somewhat isolated, meaning that, even though residential was falling off and expected to decline further, it would not have much of an effect on "non-residential" development. In one of my earliest blog posts, I said that the decline in residential development would have a trickle-down effect on all types of development, including the non-res development sector. And, I gave my reasons for why that would happen. Well, I was right and "they" were wrong. I am not perfect, nor am I even all that smart. But, when you've been in the reprographics business and industry for many, many years, you do experience (i.e., "see") the ripple effects and trickle-down) (or trickle-up) effects that impact the A/E/C Industry and, thusly, that affect the Reprographics Industry.
Although the Home Builders Index is still very, very soft (at 16, as mentioned in one of my blog posts yesterday), it was reported, this morning, that housing starts are up .... slightly. That's always a good sign for people who are hoping that recovery in the A/E/C industry is coming. We still have a long way to go to see housing (residential construction) recover (we still have this very big, very ugly foreclosure thing to get through), but any uptick in activity, no matter how small in the beginning, brings hope that the future will be brighter. And, reprographers are a hopeful bunch.
Found on Bloomberg ....
U.S. Housing Starts Rise for First Time Since August
By Shobhana Chandra - Dec 16, 2010
Builders in the U.S. began work on more homes in November for the first time in three months, showing the industry is struggling to recover.
Housing starts rose to a 555,000 annual rate, up 3.9 percent from October’s 534,000 pace that was higher than initially estimated, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. The median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey called for a 550,000 pace. Building permits, a proxy of future work, fell, reflecting a drop in applications for multifamily projects.
Companies like Toll Brothers Inc. anticipate the industry that triggered the worst recession since the 1930s will regain its footing in coming months after the end of a tax credit caused demand to slump. While low borrowing costs and prices may help entice buyers, mounting foreclosures and unemployment near 10 percent mean housing will take years to fully rebound.
“Housing remains stuck in the mud,” said Aaron Smith, a senior economist at Moody’s Analytics Inc. in West Chester, Pennsylvania, who correctly forecast the pace of starts. “Builders are in a wait-and-see mode. Foreclosures are still problematic and the recent backup in mortgage rates poses a significant threat.”
The median forecast was based on a survey of 76 economists. Estimates ranged from 520,000 to 595,000.
Permits dropped 4 percent to a 530,000 annual rate, the lowest level since April 2009. They were projected to climb to a 560,000 annual rate, according to the survey median.
Fewer Claims
A report from the Labor Department today showed fewer workers unexpectedly filed first-time claims for unemployment benefits last week, pointing to a labor market that is on the mend. Applications for jobless insurance payments fell by 3,000 to 420,000, the lowest in three weeks.
Another Commerce Department report today showed the current- account deficit widened to $127.2 billion in the third quarter, reflecting an increase in imports. The gap, the broadest measure of international trade because it includes income payments and government transfers, was the biggest in almost two years.
Stock-index futures were little changed after the reports. The contract on the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index maturing in March rose 0.1 percent to 1,233.5 at 8:46 a.m. in New York. Treasury securities rose, sending the yield on the benchmark 10-year note down to 3.50 percent from 3.53 percent late yesterday.
Year-to-Year Drop
From the same month last year, housing starts fell 5.8 percent, while permits were 15 percent lower.
Construction of single-family houses increased 6.9 percent to a 465,000 rate, the highest level since April. While permits also rose, by 3 percent, the 416,000 level of applications in November signals work may slow in coming months.
Work on multi-family homes, such as townhouses and apartment builders, dropped 9.1 percent to an annual rate of 90,000, a third consecutive decline and the lowest level since June. Multifamily permits plunged 23 percent to a 114,000 pace.
Three of four regions showed an increase, led by a 16 percent increase in the Midwest.
Americans have pulled back on house purchases following the expiration of a tax incentive of as much as $8,000, which required that contracts be signed by April 30 and closed by Sept. 30. Sales of new and existing properties fell in October. Figures for November are due next week.
The recent increase in mortgage rates may also cool demand. The average rate on a 30-year fixed loan was 4.61 percent in the week ended Dec. 9, up from the record-low of 4.17 percent reached in November, according to McLean, Virginia-based Freddie Mac, which began keeping data in 1971.
Fed’s Concerns
Today’s report is a reminder why Federal Reserve policy makers, who met Dec. 14 for the final time this year, say housing is lagging while the economy rebounds. They cited declines in home values as one of the constraints on consumer spending.
“The housing sector continues to be depressed,” Fed officials said in a statement after the gathering, at which they reiterated a plan to expand record monetary stimulus and said economic growth is “insufficient to bring down unemployment.”
Home values are poised to drop by more than $1.7 trillion in 2010, according to Zillow Inc., a closely held provider of home price data. This year’s estimated decline, more than the $1.05 trillion drop in 2009, brings the loss since the June 2006 home-price peak to $9 trillion, Seattle-based Zillow said on Dec. 9.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo’s confidence index was unchanged in December from a month earlier, a report showed yesterday, indicating developers remained pessimistic.
Builder Outlook
Even so, the housing market will avoid a double-dip after reaching a bottom last year, and the industry will gain momentum in 2012, according to Douglas Yearley, chief executive officer of Toll Brothers, the largest U.S. luxury-home builder.
“The recovery is here to stay,” Yearley said in a Dec. 7 interview in New York. “I think 2011 will be an improving year, but I think 2012 will be a big year for us.”
While the number of visitors to its sales offices isn’t up, Horsham, Pennsylvania-based Toll is seeing more “quality” visitors, a sign buyers are less skittish about the market and more serious about purchasing, he said.
To contact the reporter on this story: Shobhana Chandra in Washington schandra1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Christopher Wellisz at cwellisz@bloomberg.net
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
BERTL's BEST AWARDS for wide-format and for software solutions
Just in case you missed this, this is the full list that BERTL's published a month or so ago.....
BERTL Announces Winners of the Fall 2010 BERTL's Best Awards!
Business
• E.ON Signs Services Agreement with HP to Create Flexible Infrastructure in Support of Company Growth
• PrintedArt Services Now Available to PhotoShelter Photographers
• Oracle Secures Number One Spot in IDC Health Insights Top 10 Life Science Software Vendor List for Second Year in a Row
• Epson Accepts Settlement in Patent Infringement Lawsuit
• HP Unveils Business Assessment to Help CIOs Set IT Priorities
• Xerox, Customers Awarded Top Honors for Creative Excellence
FAIRFIELD, NJ - November 5, 2010 - BERTL, Inc. a leading independent testing laboratory for imaging devices and workflow solutions, is pleased to announce the winners of the BERTL's Best Fall 2010 Awards.
BERTL's Best Awards recognize individual devices, software, management utilities, and entire product lines. BERTL's analysts review current product lines and new product introductions to identify the select group of devices and software that stand apart from the others.
BERTL combines its wide-ranging knowledge of the competitive landscape and contact with buyers about their product and supplier experiences to identify worthy products. BERTL analyzes network management utilities, concurrency and contention, print and copy productivity, image quality, return on investment, competitive advantages, accessibility, design and build quality, standard functions, modularity of design and upgrade path, installation, and more.
Here is a list of winners of the Fall 2010 BERTL's Best Awards:
BERTL's Best Desktop Awards:
Ricoh Aficio SP C431DN
Ricoh Aficio SP 6330N
Canon imageFORMULA P-150/P150M
Canon imageFORMULA DR 2020U
HP's LaserJet Pro P1606dn
iVina BulletScan S300/S400
BERTL's Best Wide Format Awards:
Contex XD 2490
KIP 7100m
KIP 700m
KIP Color 80
Colortrac Smart LF Ci24
HP Designjet L25500
Oce Arizona 550 GT Printer
Xerox 6622
BERTL's Best Workgroup Awards:
Konica Minolta bizhub C35
Kyocera ECOSYS FS-2026/C2126MFP
Kyocera ECOSYS FS-3040/3140MFP
OKI B411/B431 Series
OKI C330/C530 Series
Ricoh Aficio MP 5001/MP 4001
Xerox WorkCentre 7755
Xerox WorkCentre 7775
Lexmark E462dtn
Copystar FS 2026/C2126 MFP
Copystar FS 3040/3140 MFP
BERTL's Best Environmentally Conscious Award:
HP Latex Inks
BERTL's Best Solution Award:
Sharp's Sharpdesk® 3.3
BERTL's Best Software and Utilities Awards:
Canon CaptureOnTouch Lite
Contex XD 2490
Konica Minolta MyTab
MWAi MPS Solutions
ARC PlanWell Collaborate
ARC AbascusPCR
ARC ishipdocs
ARC MetaPrint
ARC PlanWell Enterprise
Digital Gateway e-automate
BERTL's Best Light/Mid Production Award:
InfoPrint 1357EX
Sharp MX-M753N
BERTL's Best Value for Money Awards:
Lanier GX e5550N
Ricoh GX e5550N
Savin GC e5550N
Congratulations to all of the winners!
For a complete list of the awards, including the individual award titles, visit www.BERTL.com. NOTE: A current BERTL member login is required to view the awards. There is no subscription required or fee to register. If you don't already have an account with BERTL, you may click on the following link for quick and easy registration - My BERTL Registration.
About BERTL, Inc.
The Business Equipment Research and Test Laboratories Inc., (BERTL) is an independent testing laboratory whose purpose is to provide objective, independent, product evaluation reports and comparative analyses on imaging devices and software solutions. BERTL prohibits any manufacturer-control over its product evaluations, and bases its opinions, ratings and awards on a combination of rigorous analysis and worldwide customer satisfaction research across 11 testing criteria: Build Quality, Network Administration, Security, Workflow, Finish, Ease of Use, Media Handling, Printing, Image Quality, Features, and Price.
At all times, BERTL's primary focus is the end user. BERL's evaluation reports, customer satisfaction research, awards and product ratings are undertaken entirely at BERTL's expense for the benefit of its worldwide subscriber base. Covering all major digital imaging manufacturers, BERTL publishes the world's most extensive Web site evaluation reports, comparisons data, vertical market research, news and more on copiers, printers, MFPs, production and workgroup scanners, fax machines, color and production equipment, wide format devices, and document workflow solutions. BERTL reports, research and other industry information services are available in a range of specialized subscription services. To learn more about BERTL, visit www.BERTL.com or telephone 1.973.882.0200.
BERTL Announces Winners of the Fall 2010 BERTL's Best Awards!
Business
• E.ON Signs Services Agreement with HP to Create Flexible Infrastructure in Support of Company Growth
• PrintedArt Services Now Available to PhotoShelter Photographers
• Oracle Secures Number One Spot in IDC Health Insights Top 10 Life Science Software Vendor List for Second Year in a Row
• Epson Accepts Settlement in Patent Infringement Lawsuit
• HP Unveils Business Assessment to Help CIOs Set IT Priorities
• Xerox, Customers Awarded Top Honors for Creative Excellence
FAIRFIELD, NJ - November 5, 2010 - BERTL, Inc. a leading independent testing laboratory for imaging devices and workflow solutions, is pleased to announce the winners of the BERTL's Best Fall 2010 Awards.
BERTL's Best Awards recognize individual devices, software, management utilities, and entire product lines. BERTL's analysts review current product lines and new product introductions to identify the select group of devices and software that stand apart from the others.
BERTL combines its wide-ranging knowledge of the competitive landscape and contact with buyers about their product and supplier experiences to identify worthy products. BERTL analyzes network management utilities, concurrency and contention, print and copy productivity, image quality, return on investment, competitive advantages, accessibility, design and build quality, standard functions, modularity of design and upgrade path, installation, and more.
Here is a list of winners of the Fall 2010 BERTL's Best Awards:
BERTL's Best Desktop Awards:
Ricoh Aficio SP C431DN
Ricoh Aficio SP 6330N
Canon imageFORMULA P-150/P150M
Canon imageFORMULA DR 2020U
HP's LaserJet Pro P1606dn
iVina BulletScan S300/S400
BERTL's Best Wide Format Awards:
Contex XD 2490
KIP 7100m
KIP 700m
KIP Color 80
Colortrac Smart LF Ci24
HP Designjet L25500
Oce Arizona 550 GT Printer
Xerox 6622
BERTL's Best Workgroup Awards:
Konica Minolta bizhub C35
Kyocera ECOSYS FS-2026/C2126MFP
Kyocera ECOSYS FS-3040/3140MFP
OKI B411/B431 Series
OKI C330/C530 Series
Ricoh Aficio MP 5001/MP 4001
Xerox WorkCentre 7755
Xerox WorkCentre 7775
Lexmark E462dtn
Copystar FS 2026/C2126 MFP
Copystar FS 3040/3140 MFP
BERTL's Best Environmentally Conscious Award:
HP Latex Inks
BERTL's Best Solution Award:
Sharp's Sharpdesk® 3.3
BERTL's Best Software and Utilities Awards:
Canon CaptureOnTouch Lite
Contex XD 2490
Konica Minolta MyTab
MWAi MPS Solutions
ARC PlanWell Collaborate
ARC AbascusPCR
ARC ishipdocs
ARC MetaPrint
ARC PlanWell Enterprise
Digital Gateway e-automate
BERTL's Best Light/Mid Production Award:
InfoPrint 1357EX
Sharp MX-M753N
BERTL's Best Value for Money Awards:
Lanier GX e5550N
Ricoh GX e5550N
Savin GC e5550N
Congratulations to all of the winners!
For a complete list of the awards, including the individual award titles, visit www.BERTL.com. NOTE: A current BERTL member login is required to view the awards. There is no subscription required or fee to register. If you don't already have an account with BERTL, you may click on the following link for quick and easy registration - My BERTL Registration.
About BERTL, Inc.
The Business Equipment Research and Test Laboratories Inc., (BERTL) is an independent testing laboratory whose purpose is to provide objective, independent, product evaluation reports and comparative analyses on imaging devices and software solutions. BERTL prohibits any manufacturer-control over its product evaluations, and bases its opinions, ratings and awards on a combination of rigorous analysis and worldwide customer satisfaction research across 11 testing criteria: Build Quality, Network Administration, Security, Workflow, Finish, Ease of Use, Media Handling, Printing, Image Quality, Features, and Price.
At all times, BERTL's primary focus is the end user. BERL's evaluation reports, customer satisfaction research, awards and product ratings are undertaken entirely at BERTL's expense for the benefit of its worldwide subscriber base. Covering all major digital imaging manufacturers, BERTL publishes the world's most extensive Web site evaluation reports, comparisons data, vertical market research, news and more on copiers, printers, MFPs, production and workgroup scanners, fax machines, color and production equipment, wide format devices, and document workflow solutions. BERTL reports, research and other industry information services are available in a range of specialized subscription services. To learn more about BERTL, visit www.BERTL.com or telephone 1.973.882.0200.
Home Builder confidence level remains low; HMI Index at 16
If you go to Google Finance and bring up the income statements of the U.S.'s largest home builders (KB Homes, DR Horton, Toll Brothers, Lennar, and others) and peruse through their annual sales figures from 2006 through the current time - it is a "jaw-dropping" exercise. Unbelievable how home builders' sales have plunged as much as they have.
Just noticed this on MarketWatch:
ECONOMIC REPORT
Dec. 15, 2010, 10:15 a.m. EST
Builders index stuck at low level in December
By Steve Goldstein, MarketWatch
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes remained unchanged at low levels in December, according to a report released Wednesday.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo housing market index remaining unchanged at 16.
Housing still on edge
Nick Timiraos discusses worry among economists that the housing market could be headed toward another downdraft as mortgage lenders tighten credit.
The component gauging the traffic of prospective buyers fell a single point, to 11, while the components on current sales conditions and sales expectations for the next six months were steady.
The seasonally adjusted index is based on a score where any number over 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor — which hasn’t been the case since April 2006.
“The steady but low level of the HMI reflects the fact that builders and consumers have yet to see consistent signs that the economy is improving,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.
Just noticed this on MarketWatch:
ECONOMIC REPORT
Dec. 15, 2010, 10:15 a.m. EST
Builders index stuck at low level in December
By Steve Goldstein, MarketWatch
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Builder confidence in the market for newly built, single-family homes remained unchanged at low levels in December, according to a report released Wednesday.
The National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo housing market index remaining unchanged at 16.
Housing still on edge
Nick Timiraos discusses worry among economists that the housing market could be headed toward another downdraft as mortgage lenders tighten credit.
The component gauging the traffic of prospective buyers fell a single point, to 11, while the components on current sales conditions and sales expectations for the next six months were steady.
The seasonally adjusted index is based on a score where any number over 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor — which hasn’t been the case since April 2006.
“The steady but low level of the HMI reflects the fact that builders and consumers have yet to see consistent signs that the economy is improving,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe.
C2 Repro adds to its Business Development team
I did a post about C2 Repro a few months ago, around the time C2 added to its LA area operations. I just noticed this press release.....on Wide-Format Imaging.....
Brunson Joins C2 Reprographics
Costa Mesa-based C2 Reprographics has announced Victoria "Vicki" Brunson has joined to lead the company's San Diego business development efforts.
Brunson worked in sales for a rival reprographer in Las Vegas for nine years during the height of that city's building boom. She consulted with clients on projects such as the MGM City Center and Boyd Gaming's Echelon. Brunson was very active in several construction-related trade groups such as the AIA, AGC and ACEC. Prior to reprographics sales, the Cleveland native worked in upper management for eight years at Costco (Price Club at that time) in Phoenix, and for two years owned a restaurant-bar in Payson, Arizona.
"Vicki brings to her new position not only solid sales experience but a refreshing energy and enthusiasm for contributing to the larger community," said C2 president Gary Crisp. "As our company continues its rapid expansion throughout the Southern California market, Vicki's spark will be an invaluable asset to the team in San Diego."
Regarding growth of the company, Crisp stated, "C2's culture of delivering uncompromising value and exceptional service is attracting new clients to us each day. This is precisely what attracts top industry professionals such as Vicki to C2. We are very fortunate during such a downturn in the construction industry."
_______________________________
Gary and Julie Crisp (principal owner/managers of C2) are excellent people; good luck to Vicki in her business development role at C2!
Brunson Joins C2 Reprographics
Costa Mesa-based C2 Reprographics has announced Victoria "Vicki" Brunson has joined to lead the company's San Diego business development efforts.
Brunson worked in sales for a rival reprographer in Las Vegas for nine years during the height of that city's building boom. She consulted with clients on projects such as the MGM City Center and Boyd Gaming's Echelon. Brunson was very active in several construction-related trade groups such as the AIA, AGC and ACEC. Prior to reprographics sales, the Cleveland native worked in upper management for eight years at Costco (Price Club at that time) in Phoenix, and for two years owned a restaurant-bar in Payson, Arizona.
"Vicki brings to her new position not only solid sales experience but a refreshing energy and enthusiasm for contributing to the larger community," said C2 president Gary Crisp. "As our company continues its rapid expansion throughout the Southern California market, Vicki's spark will be an invaluable asset to the team in San Diego."
Regarding growth of the company, Crisp stated, "C2's culture of delivering uncompromising value and exceptional service is attracting new clients to us each day. This is precisely what attracts top industry professionals such as Vicki to C2. We are very fortunate during such a downturn in the construction industry."
_______________________________
Gary and Julie Crisp (principal owner/managers of C2) are excellent people; good luck to Vicki in her business development role at C2!
OCE announces new product - OCE CS2436MF ReproKiosk
On Wednesday, December 8, 2010, OCE issued a Press Release to announce the OCE CS2436MF ReproKiosk.
The OCE CS2436MF ReproKiosk combines a large-format multifunction scanner and plotter with an ergonomic workspot. This "workspot" is basically a well-designed (meaning, good looking) piece of furniture with a nice large work surface (over the top of the system) and with shelves and compartments for storing consumables, media and binding supplies.
The Océ CS2436MF ReproKiosk includes the fast Océ CS2436 color printer with an interpolated resolution of 2400 x 1200 dpi, the Océ CS4236 high resolution scanner with 1200 x 1200 dpi and Océ Copy Easy for making copies. There is room to place a computer as well.
In the Press Release, OCE says, "Handling large plots can be awkward. Office workers have to drape their originals over a chair or bend over a low table to make changes. The Océ CS2436MF ReproKiosk concept converts the unusable space above a printer into a practical workspot. People can carry out all repro activities at an ergonomical working height with plenty of room to check, collate, fold and spread out large format documents. All operations, like media loading, scanning, collecting prints, easy job submission, user interface controls and document handling can be easily accessed from the front of the system. This system is ideal for architectural firms, manufacturers, construction companies and local government departments with small and medium-sized workgroups. Users in these environments can send jobs via a Windows-based printer driver."
You can see a video of this new OCE product at this internet address:
http://global.oce.com/products/cs2436mf-reprokiosk/product-demo.aspx
If I knew how to post a picture of this new OCE product, I would have done so!
IMHO, OCE has long been the best company in the large-format equipment workspace when it comes to design and esthetics. So, you will not be surprised when you see how good looking this system is. It will be very appealing to small and mid-size A/E/C firms who value having l/f imaging capabilities in-house. Kudo's to OCE on the design of this new system.
The OCE CS2436MF ReproKiosk combines a large-format multifunction scanner and plotter with an ergonomic workspot. This "workspot" is basically a well-designed (meaning, good looking) piece of furniture with a nice large work surface (over the top of the system) and with shelves and compartments for storing consumables, media and binding supplies.
The Océ CS2436MF ReproKiosk includes the fast Océ CS2436 color printer with an interpolated resolution of 2400 x 1200 dpi, the Océ CS4236 high resolution scanner with 1200 x 1200 dpi and Océ Copy Easy for making copies. There is room to place a computer as well.
In the Press Release, OCE says, "Handling large plots can be awkward. Office workers have to drape their originals over a chair or bend over a low table to make changes. The Océ CS2436MF ReproKiosk concept converts the unusable space above a printer into a practical workspot. People can carry out all repro activities at an ergonomical working height with plenty of room to check, collate, fold and spread out large format documents. All operations, like media loading, scanning, collecting prints, easy job submission, user interface controls and document handling can be easily accessed from the front of the system. This system is ideal for architectural firms, manufacturers, construction companies and local government departments with small and medium-sized workgroups. Users in these environments can send jobs via a Windows-based printer driver."
You can see a video of this new OCE product at this internet address:
http://global.oce.com/products/cs2436mf-reprokiosk/product-demo.aspx
If I knew how to post a picture of this new OCE product, I would have done so!
IMHO, OCE has long been the best company in the large-format equipment workspace when it comes to design and esthetics. So, you will not be surprised when you see how good looking this system is. It will be very appealing to small and mid-size A/E/C firms who value having l/f imaging capabilities in-house. Kudo's to OCE on the design of this new system.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Comment on Construction / Development Activity in Florida
I frequently visit the web-site of Southeast Construction News (McGraw-Hill) to see "what's going on in the A/E/C market in Florida. I've been visiting this site for many years. This site used to be filled with "news" highlights about "private sector" non-residential and residential design/development/construction projects, each month, each quarter, every year.
I just copied into this post the "headline news articles" listed during the most recent six month period. It's a good thing that there are still public works projects, school projects and healthcare related projects going on, because if that was not the case, the AEC market in Florida, design/development/construction-wise, would be way down deep in the toilet.
Below, I've highlighted the "headline news articles" that are (or can be considered) "private sector" projects; as you can see, there are very, very few!
11/10/10 Despite “Cloud of Uncertainty,” FDOT, Contractors Prepare to Move Ahead on HSR
11/01/10 Brasfield & Gorrie Snags $260M Orlando VA Med Center Contract
11/01/10 Florida Contract Activity: 17% August Drop; Flat YTD
11/01/10 Balfour Beatty, Cummings Land $100M Ft. Lauderdale Airport Contract
11/01/10 AECOM Awarded $101M Davie Water, Wastewater Project
10/06/10 Orlando's Amway Center Ready for Tip-Off
09/29/10 Everglades Restoration Inching Along
09/14/10 EPA Orders Florida to Improve Everglades Water Quality
09/01/10 Port of Miami Expansion Includes New Rail Link
09/01/10 Port Manatee Awards $14.8-Million Berth 12 Dredging Contract
09/01/10 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Nourish Two Pinellas Beaches
09/01/10 Moss Miller Building Research Center at Nova Southeastern
09/01/10 FAU Breaks Ground on Max Planck Florida Institute
09/01/10 Clancy & Theys to Build First Phase of Harmony Town Center
08/18/10 S. Florida Water Management District Commits to Land Deal, Not Reservoir
08/04/10 Florida Contracts: 21% June Decline; Down 8% YTD
08/02/10 Global Design Giant W.S. Atkins Plans New Foray into U.S. Market
07/20/10 USDA Buys Easement on 26,000 Acres of Everglades for Restoration
07/01/10 Broward Co. Taps Weitz for $200M Civil/Family Courthouse
07/01/10 Developer Unveils Plans for Laura Street Trio Buildings in Jax
07/01/10 Florida Agency Countersues Contractor on Expressway Job
07/01/10 Florida Contracts: 2% Increase in April, but 5% Down YTD
07/01/10 BP Joint Venture Plans Ethanol Plant in Highlands County
07/01/10 Indian River State College Project Moves Forward
07/01/10 Kraft Wins Garage Contract at Seminole Hard Rock
07/01/10 MEB Replacing Navy Jet Fuel Tanks in Jacksonville
06/24/10 Sewer Upgrades in Florida Keys Need More Funding
06/16/10 Bouygues of France Starts $1-Billion Miami Port Tunnel
06/03/10 Gov. Crist Circumvents Raid On Florida Highway Trust Fund
06/02/10 CEO John Fish Has 'Big, Audacious' Goals For Suffolk Construction
06/01/10 2010 Hurricane Season Will Be "Active to Extremely Active," Scientists Predict
I just copied into this post the "headline news articles" listed during the most recent six month period. It's a good thing that there are still public works projects, school projects and healthcare related projects going on, because if that was not the case, the AEC market in Florida, design/development/construction-wise, would be way down deep in the toilet.
Below, I've highlighted the "headline news articles" that are (or can be considered) "private sector" projects; as you can see, there are very, very few!
11/10/10 Despite “Cloud of Uncertainty,” FDOT, Contractors Prepare to Move Ahead on HSR
11/01/10 Brasfield & Gorrie Snags $260M Orlando VA Med Center Contract
11/01/10 Florida Contract Activity: 17% August Drop; Flat YTD
11/01/10 Balfour Beatty, Cummings Land $100M Ft. Lauderdale Airport Contract
11/01/10 AECOM Awarded $101M Davie Water, Wastewater Project
10/06/10 Orlando's Amway Center Ready for Tip-Off
09/29/10 Everglades Restoration Inching Along
09/14/10 EPA Orders Florida to Improve Everglades Water Quality
09/01/10 Port of Miami Expansion Includes New Rail Link
09/01/10 Port Manatee Awards $14.8-Million Berth 12 Dredging Contract
09/01/10 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Nourish Two Pinellas Beaches
09/01/10 Moss Miller Building Research Center at Nova Southeastern
09/01/10 FAU Breaks Ground on Max Planck Florida Institute
09/01/10 Clancy & Theys to Build First Phase of Harmony Town Center
08/18/10 S. Florida Water Management District Commits to Land Deal, Not Reservoir
08/04/10 Florida Contracts: 21% June Decline; Down 8% YTD
08/02/10 Global Design Giant W.S. Atkins Plans New Foray into U.S. Market
07/20/10 USDA Buys Easement on 26,000 Acres of Everglades for Restoration
07/01/10 Broward Co. Taps Weitz for $200M Civil/Family Courthouse
07/01/10 Developer Unveils Plans for Laura Street Trio Buildings in Jax
07/01/10 Florida Agency Countersues Contractor on Expressway Job
07/01/10 Florida Contracts: 2% Increase in April, but 5% Down YTD
07/01/10 BP Joint Venture Plans Ethanol Plant in Highlands County
07/01/10 Indian River State College Project Moves Forward
07/01/10 Kraft Wins Garage Contract at Seminole Hard Rock
07/01/10 MEB Replacing Navy Jet Fuel Tanks in Jacksonville
06/24/10 Sewer Upgrades in Florida Keys Need More Funding
06/16/10 Bouygues of France Starts $1-Billion Miami Port Tunnel
06/03/10 Gov. Crist Circumvents Raid On Florida Highway Trust Fund
06/02/10 CEO John Fish Has 'Big, Audacious' Goals For Suffolk Construction
06/01/10 2010 Hurricane Season Will Be "Active to Extremely Active," Scientists Predict
GPO (Government Printing Office) and FedexOffice (Kinko's) Renew Agreement
GPO & FedEx Office renew agreement that saves taxpayer money on printing costs
Friday, December 10, 2010
Press release from the issuing company
Washington - The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) and FedEx Office (formerly FedEx Kinko's), an operating company of FedEx, have renewed the public-private agreement that will provide federal agencies discounted printing and business services through the GPOExpress program. Through a competitive bidding process, GPO awarded FedEx Office a five-year renewal of its contract for this program. Federal agencies who use their GPOExpress card will receive pre-negotiated prices that are lower than previous years on most services and are up to 80 percent below retail rates.
The GPOExpress card was introduced in 2005 and utilizes the FedEx Office network of more than 1,800 locations nationwide to provide federal government customers a convenient, low-cost "quick-print" solution that mirrors the ease and convenience that private-sector companies enjoy. Under the renewed contract, FedEx Office will continue to provide federal agencies with a wide range of professional services including printing, binding and finishing, banner and sign production, direct mail services, and digital content management through the FedEx Office DocStore system.
For more information on GPOExpress: http://www.gpo.gov/customers/express.htm
"Together with FedEx Office, GPO has created an incredible public-private partnership called GPOExpress delivering a cost effective, convenient way for federal agencies to meet their printing and communication needs," said Public Printer Bob Tapella. "In these challenging fiscal times, GPO wants to help federal agencies get the maximum benefit out of their printing budgets, and the GPOExpress program is another tool agencies can use."
"The GPOExpress program has been an enormously successful initiative over the last five years, not only for GPO and FedEx Office, but for the federal agency customers we serve," said Brian Philips, president and chief executive officer of FedEx Office. "More than 4,000 GPOExpress cardholders are utilizing this program to meet their immediate printing needs. We are proud to have developed a program that seamlessly meets the needs of the GPO and feel privileged to continue serving the U.S. government through this new contract."
Currently, 140 agencies from the three branches of the federal government participate in the GPOExpress program. Participants include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Agriculture, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Department of Veteran Affairs. FEMA has been meeting the printing needs of its on-the-ground response and recovery efforts exclusively through the GPOExpress program since 2006.
Friday, December 10, 2010
Press release from the issuing company
Washington - The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) and FedEx Office (formerly FedEx Kinko's), an operating company of FedEx, have renewed the public-private agreement that will provide federal agencies discounted printing and business services through the GPOExpress program. Through a competitive bidding process, GPO awarded FedEx Office a five-year renewal of its contract for this program. Federal agencies who use their GPOExpress card will receive pre-negotiated prices that are lower than previous years on most services and are up to 80 percent below retail rates.
The GPOExpress card was introduced in 2005 and utilizes the FedEx Office network of more than 1,800 locations nationwide to provide federal government customers a convenient, low-cost "quick-print" solution that mirrors the ease and convenience that private-sector companies enjoy. Under the renewed contract, FedEx Office will continue to provide federal agencies with a wide range of professional services including printing, binding and finishing, banner and sign production, direct mail services, and digital content management through the FedEx Office DocStore system.
For more information on GPOExpress: http://www.gpo.gov/customers/express.htm
"Together with FedEx Office, GPO has created an incredible public-private partnership called GPOExpress delivering a cost effective, convenient way for federal agencies to meet their printing and communication needs," said Public Printer Bob Tapella. "In these challenging fiscal times, GPO wants to help federal agencies get the maximum benefit out of their printing budgets, and the GPOExpress program is another tool agencies can use."
"The GPOExpress program has been an enormously successful initiative over the last five years, not only for GPO and FedEx Office, but for the federal agency customers we serve," said Brian Philips, president and chief executive officer of FedEx Office. "More than 4,000 GPOExpress cardholders are utilizing this program to meet their immediate printing needs. We are proud to have developed a program that seamlessly meets the needs of the GPO and feel privileged to continue serving the U.S. government through this new contract."
Currently, 140 agencies from the three branches of the federal government participate in the GPOExpress program. Participants include the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Agriculture, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Department of Veteran Affairs. FEMA has been meeting the printing needs of its on-the-ground response and recovery efforts exclusively through the GPOExpress program since 2006.
ARC Stock, Value of Companies in Reprographics Industry, Acquisition Activity?
Old news, but “my, how the times have changed”…..
When a significant owner of stock in a publicly-traded company sells stock, the owner is required to file a “Form 4” with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Form 4 is a “statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities.”
Sathiyamurthy Chandramohan, who was formerly the Chairman & CEO of American Reprographics, completed Form 4 filings in 2007 and 2010.
As I said, “my, now the times have changed”………
Per the Form 4 filed in 2007, and this was done to report shares of stock sold in the “secondary” public offering of ARC’s shares …..
- on March 27, 2007, 130,000 shares sold at $32.25 = $4,192,500.
3 years, 2 ½ months later, Per the Form 4 filed in June 2010, additional shares were sold …..
- on June 11, 2010, 25,000 shares sold at $8.81 = $220,250.
- on June 14, 2010, 175,000 shares sold at $8.74 = 1,529,500
That’s a decline in value of $23.475 per share!
The shares sold in June 2010 for $1,749,750 would have sold for $6,450,000 had they been sold in March 2007. Wow, what a huge difference!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Ain’t that” kind of like saying that, if your reprographics business was worth $5,000,000 in March 2007, it would “only” have been worth $1,361,000 by June 2010?
Service Point, one of ARC’s competitors, said in a press release, several months ago, that it was going to resume acquisition activity and, in a more recent report, Service Point indicated that it was in the final stages of due diligence on an acquisition opportunity in Europe.
The questions many “Reprographers” in the U.S. I think are asking themselves are; “will ARC resume its acquisition activity in the near-term future?,” and, if it does resume its acquisition activity, "what will ARC be willing to pay for future acquisitions, given the significant decline in ARC’s own value and considering that most, if not all, reprographics firms are worth less today than they were when ARC was very actively acquiring reprographers in 2006 and 2007?"
One would think that ARC’s recent private placement “Notes” offering frees up ARC from the restrictions that ARC had to live with when ARC was financed by the line of credit that the Notes were sold to payoff. In addition, the line of credit required significant quarterly payments against principal; the new unsecured “Notes” do not require quarterly or annual payments against principal. That frees up ARC to be very aggressive, acquisition/expansion/investment-wise, if it wants to be very aggressive. But, the question remains, will reprographers be willing to sell, given the deterioration of values of businesses in the industry?
When a significant owner of stock in a publicly-traded company sells stock, the owner is required to file a “Form 4” with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Form 4 is a “statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities.”
Sathiyamurthy Chandramohan, who was formerly the Chairman & CEO of American Reprographics, completed Form 4 filings in 2007 and 2010.
As I said, “my, now the times have changed”………
Per the Form 4 filed in 2007, and this was done to report shares of stock sold in the “secondary” public offering of ARC’s shares …..
- on March 27, 2007, 130,000 shares sold at $32.25 = $4,192,500.
3 years, 2 ½ months later, Per the Form 4 filed in June 2010, additional shares were sold …..
- on June 11, 2010, 25,000 shares sold at $8.81 = $220,250.
- on June 14, 2010, 175,000 shares sold at $8.74 = 1,529,500
That’s a decline in value of $23.475 per share!
The shares sold in June 2010 for $1,749,750 would have sold for $6,450,000 had they been sold in March 2007. Wow, what a huge difference!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Ain’t that” kind of like saying that, if your reprographics business was worth $5,000,000 in March 2007, it would “only” have been worth $1,361,000 by June 2010?
Service Point, one of ARC’s competitors, said in a press release, several months ago, that it was going to resume acquisition activity and, in a more recent report, Service Point indicated that it was in the final stages of due diligence on an acquisition opportunity in Europe.
The questions many “Reprographers” in the U.S. I think are asking themselves are; “will ARC resume its acquisition activity in the near-term future?,” and, if it does resume its acquisition activity, "what will ARC be willing to pay for future acquisitions, given the significant decline in ARC’s own value and considering that most, if not all, reprographics firms are worth less today than they were when ARC was very actively acquiring reprographers in 2006 and 2007?"
One would think that ARC’s recent private placement “Notes” offering frees up ARC from the restrictions that ARC had to live with when ARC was financed by the line of credit that the Notes were sold to payoff. In addition, the line of credit required significant quarterly payments against principal; the new unsecured “Notes” do not require quarterly or annual payments against principal. That frees up ARC to be very aggressive, acquisition/expansion/investment-wise, if it wants to be very aggressive. But, the question remains, will reprographers be willing to sell, given the deterioration of values of businesses in the industry?
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