Archive for June, 2012
Niceware partners with Wasatch for print management software
Niceware International, a software provider, has partnered with Wasatch Computer Technology, a developer of RIP and print management software. Wasatch SoftRIP for Niceware is a color management and printing package that manages consistent color across a wide range of materials and applications. This color print management software is designed for high-speed color inkjet printers such as those in Colordyne Technologies’ CDT-1600 Series.
Niceware partnered with Wasatch Computer Technology for its RIP and print management software. Wasatch SoftRIP was described as ‘the perfect addition’ to Niceware’s product line with intuitive workflows, powerful print controls and easy-to-use spot color replacement. By reducing the amount of ink laid down, Wasatch SoftRIP consistently delivers the proper amount of each color.
This color management and printing package combines Wasatch technology with NiceLabel, the label design and printing software. NiceLabel Pro provides a variety of features for label design and integration including barcodes, variable fields and database connectivity. This label design program is capable of handling variable data and connects to virtually any database or ERP business management system.
‘Partnering with Wasatch Computer Technology has allowed us to present a new solution to our partners,’ said Shawn Motley, general manager of Niceware International. ‘We are excited to introduce a color management and printing software package that will save them time and money in color labeling.’
With the ability to support material profiling, each labelstock can match the inkjet printer’s capabilities for predictable color. Labels or images can be sent directly from NiceLabel Pro or any Windows application to print to Wasatch SoftRIP.
‘We’re pleased to be working with Niceware International to bring such advanced machinery to the market,’ said Mike Ware, president of Wasatch Computer Technology. ‘The speed of this system is amazing.’
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Watchdog concerned over carbon targets
A sharp fall in greenhouse gas emissions last year had more to do with the weather and the weak economy than wind farms or electric cars, said the government’s climate watchdog, which warned that more needs to be done to meet the UK’s carbon targets.
Emissions fell by 7 per cent in 2011, but only 0.8 per cent of the reduction was due to specific low-carbon policy measures, the Committee on Climate Change said in its latest annual progress report to Parliament on Friday.
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That means the rate of underlying progress is only a quarter of what is needed to meet future targets said the committee, an independent body set up under the 2008 Climate Change Act to advise the government on setting so-called carbon budgets.
Much of last year’s fall in emissions was due to a mix of mild weather, rising fuel prices, falling incomes and temporary power generation factors, said the committee’s chief executive, David Kennedy.
“But as the economy recovers it will be difficult to keep the country on track to meet carbon budgets,” he said.
The committee urges ministers to strengthen efforts in a range of areas, from encouraging more investor confidence in low-carbon power generation, to boosting home insulation rates and bolstering the electric vehicle market.
Separately, new energy use figures released yesterday show high gas prices – and relatively cheaper coal prices – pushed gas’s share in electricity generation down to 27 per cent in the first quarter of 2012, its lowest point in 14 years, while coal – long regarded as a dirtier source of energy than gas – accounted for 42 per cent of power generated.
Meanwhile, the resumption of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for shale gas in the UK moved a step closer as a new expert report concluded the contentious practice was safe if robustly regulated and carried out properly.
The only company exploring for shale gas in the UK, Cuadrilla, agreed to suspend its operations after triggering two small earthquakes near Blackpool last year. The study by the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society follows an earlier expert report in April that recommended more rigorous monitoring and other preventive measures.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change is expected to make a final decision on allowing fracking to resume shortly, but it said on Thursday it could not say when the announcement would be made.
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Wink expands US sales team
Wink US has appointed Matt Melvin to internal sales, based in the company’s new premises in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Melvin (pictured) will be responsible for the sales and support of Wink’s complete range of flexible dies, steel rule dies and rotary cylinders in the North American market.
‘We are excited to have Matt as part of the Wink US team,’ said Steve Burleson, president of Wink US. ‘His customer service minded mentality fits perfectly with our “You cut, we care” philosophy.’
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Veolia sells UK water stake for £1.1bn
Veolia Environnement has agreed to sell a 90 per cent stake in its UK water business for £1.1bn in the first step by the French utility to cut its debt burden through disposals.
Veolia’s regulated UK water business, which supplies parts of London and south-east England, has been acquired by Rift Acquisitions, a joint venture between Prudential and Morgan Stanley Infrastructure, the investment groups.
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The deal values the business at £1.2bn, with the proceeds from the sale of Veolia’s 90 per cent stake going to pay down the group’s €15bn of net debt.
Veolia Water UK reported adjusted cash flow of £105.5m and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of £74.9m in 2011.
The sale is the latest in a string of deals in the UK water sector, following last year’s takeover of Northumbrian Water by Cheung Kong Infrastructure, controlled by Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing.
There have also been a flurry of deals involving Kemble, the holding company for Thames Water, including investments by Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, the BT Pension Fund and China Investment Corporation.
Pension funds and sovereign wealth funds are increasingly attracted to the water sector because amid market turmoil elsewhere it offers relatively predictable, long-term returns.
People close to the deal said there had been three serious bidders in the final stage of the auction and the sale had taken just five months, reflecting the strong investor demand for UK water assets.
Veolia, the world’s biggest water utility by sales, will keep a 10 per cent shareholding in the UK business for at least five years and also retain its local outsourcing division.
The sale is the first significant step in a two-year plan by Antoine Frérot, Veolia chairman and chief executive, to sell off €5bn of the group’s assets by the end of 2013 and withdraw from half of the 77 countries in which it operates.
“This first divestment shows that we are moving in the right direction regarding the implementation of our strategic plan and that the transformation of Veolia is progressing at a good pace,” said Mr Frérot.
He came under pressure this year to improve the performance of the struggling utility, fighting off an attempted coup orchestrated by Henri Proglio, boss of EDF and his predecessor at Veolia.
“We are keen to point out that Veolia Water will continue to have a significant presence in the UK in areas such as outsourced metering and billing, infrastructure management and water and waste treatment,” Veolia said.
The Paris-listed group, which has 300,000 employees and provides water services to 173m people, last year reported a net loss of €314m compared with a profit of €820m in 2010, mainly due to impairments and tough operating conditions.
Veolia shares – down 45 per cent over the past year – edged up 0.2 per cent to €10.22 on Thursday.
JP Morgan and Deutsche Bank advised Veolia, while Macquarie advised Rift Acquisitions.
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LTi Printing opts for EFI Radius MIS software
US-based label and packaging converter LTi Printing has selected EFI Radius as its new MIS software.
In business for more than 25 years in Sturgis, Michigan, LTi Printing is an international provider of flexographic and offset printing. The company began using EFI PSI Flexo in 1997, but had to create its own systems to support the folding carton business. After experiencing steady growth over the years, LTi decided to move to a single ERP system.
‘We needed one solution to support our flexo and folding carton divisions and the changing marketplace, and EFI Radius is the perfect fit,’ said Mike Frost, president of LTi Printing. ‘It’s robust enough to support all types of printing, and will enable us to better serve our customers by ensuring we have the right resources at the right place at the right time.
‘Having a centralized place for information will be huge, enabling data to be easily viewed and shared. Radius will improve our accuracy and timeliness of communication, both internally and with customers, thereby enabling us to better utilize our current resources and grow the business without additional overhead.’
‘In line with our philosophy of providing a transition path for our PSI Flexo customers, EFI Radius is a robust platform perfect for packaging companies that are looking to take their business to the next level while staying with the industry’s leading supplier,’ said David Taylor, general manager of EFI Radius.
EFI Radius is an ERP software platform designed to enable end-to-end, automated business process management from order inquiry to cash receipt for label, flexible packaging, converting and folding carton businesses.
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