News From Lexis Nexis

The park, which is purchased on behalf of the managed fund, comprises of four two-storey office buildings and provides 79,000sqft for office accommodation. Occupying a 3.8-acre site, it also includes parking for approximately 316 cars. The buildings are fully let to three tenants, including IBM, Dow Chemical Company and SFDC UK. Charlie Walker, senior fund manager of Legal & General Property, said: "Providing good quality defensive stock in the short term and significant asset management opportunities over the medium to long term, this purchase complements the fund's existing portfolio and will enable it to proactively add value in the future at a time when the market is forecast to deliver strong rental growth. "Having been active net investors over the past nine months, we have really noticed a step change since September in the number of parties eyeing up the same potential investment opportunities under GBP30 million. The key to securing assets remains the ability to act quickly and we successfully closed this deal in just nine days."

The company will shift a substantial portion of its current vehicle import operations from the port of San Diego to the new Richmond facility. The new 80-acre facility, known as the Point Potrero Auto Center, is expected to allow American Honda to decrease shipments of vehicles by tractor trailer from southern California to northern California. The facility will also support east-bound rail shipments critical to Honda's overall logistics network. American Honda's port expansion is estimated to eliminate 1,720 truck trips from San Diego to northern California, totaling more than 1.5 million miles of truck travel each year. This will reportedly result in an annual reduction of approximately 3,200 metric tons of CO2 from American Honda's logistics operations in the region. Dennis Manns, assistant vice president of logistics for American Honda, said: "Establishing these operations in Richmond will help us secure and balance our long-term logistics needs. This additional port not only ensures future rail and port capacity, but it also has a net environmental benefit, a key goal for Honda in all of its operations."

RedPrairie said that NTN selected its Duty Management as it required a solution to manage its imports that would integrate with its SAP systems. RedPrairie added that NTN UK is already experiencing benefits from the implementation of Duty Management, including an 80% reduction in administration time. The system reportedly provides reliable and accurate data, greater control over data, improved reporting and audit trails for customs and helps ensure that only the exact duty and VAT due is paid. Andrew Roberts, information and logistics manager at NTN, said, "We needed a solution that would manage the full declaration processes and calculations for all removals from our warehouse, including stock values, that is capable of handling up to 300,000 different part numbers."

The companies said Original1 will provide services aimed at protecting companies and consumers in a wide range of industries from product piracy and counterfeiting. Headquartered in Frankfurt, Germany, the company will be led by Claudia Alsdorf, vice president of SAP Research. The company is expected to begin operations by the end of 2009. Original1's services will rely on SAP technology and solutions, while Nokia will deliver mobile authentication software. G&D's will contribute security solutions for the entire value chain from user authentication, end-to-end encryption of the information flow to database encryption. Alsdorf said: "Counterfeiting is increasing and affecting many successful companies. Today, more than ever, companies need to combat counterfeiting before it's too late. Original1 will provide a one-stop shop for secure services that protect companies from counterfeiting, safeguard the value of their brands, and help develop a more transparent way of working to become more sustainable." Last November, SAP opened a new research lab in Darmstadt, Germany to give public security agencies the opportunity to preview and collaborate on security research projects.

Leveraging wireless GPS location and existing cellular infrastructure, Grupo Hemas can offer its customers the SaviTrak intelligence service, which enables the company to improve cargo tracking, operational efficiency, inventory management and the immediate detection of possible security breaches, said Savi. SaviTrak also enables Grupo Hemas to monitor and take action on changes in the status and condition of temperature-sensitive cargo, hazardous materials and agricultural products, added Savi. Hector Mora, CEO of Grupo Hemas, said: "We have turned to Savi Networks because its industry-leading service provides complete location, security and environmental visibility of cargo anywhere and anytime. SaviTrak adds cost-effective intelligence to cargo entrusted to us by our diverse customer base."

The company has said that the 130,000sqft facility, with room to grow by an additional 25,000sqft, is strategically located near major highways to help facilitate the company's distribution of parts to dealers. The company expects to train at least 600 service technicians each year at the facility. When fully operational, the center will reportedly employ 27 full-time workers, some of whom were hired from the area. In addition, plans are in the works for Porsche Cars North America's area east sales office to move into the facility, which will add five more employees to the facility. Rob Nemchik, general manager at Porsche Logistics Service, said: "The new center will serve 13 states, parts of Canada and 83 of Porsche's 201 dealerships in the US. Porsche will realize the positive synergies of combining three departments in one location, which is something we have already successfully established in our support center in Ontario, California with a lot of success."

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The following federal contracts were announced by federal agencies based in Virginia. *** MILITARY $247,103 Federal Contract Awarded to Pacific Sky Supply WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 -- Pacific Sky Supply Inc., Sun Valley, Calif., won a $247,102.72 federal contract from the Defense Logistics Agency's Defense Supply Center, Richmond, Va., for turbine front dampers. Contact: Derick Stinchcomb, 804/279-2462, derick.stinchcomb@dla.mil MIL5FCA5. Class28.

For the first quarter ended September 30, 2009, net sales were $136.19 million, compared to $205.84 million for the same quarter of the prior year. Farooq Kathwari, chairman and CEO, said: "The downturn has enabled us to reposition our business in all major areas. We have consolidated our US manufacturing and logistics to make it more efficient while we have reduced our cost structure in all areas of our enterprise during the last year. We have now started to selectively increase our associates both at manufacturing and at retail."

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The following federal contracts were announced by federal agencies as having been awarded to companies operating in Illinois. *** MILITARY $131,268 Federal Contract Awarded to Navistar Defense WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- Navistar Defense LLC, Warrenville, Ill., won a $131,268.10 federal contract from the Defense Logistics Agency's Defense Supply Center, Columbus, Ohio, for vehicular body panels. Contact: John D. Ferrall, 614/692-7353, john.ferrall.ctr@dla.mil MIL5FCA5.

The total investment volume is E90 million in the first development phase. The joint venture will reportedly be operated through two companies, SGL Automotive Carbon Fibers in North America and SGL Automotive Fibers in Germany. The BMW Group holds 49% of the shares, and the SGL Group 51%. The two groups will be equally represented in the management of the two companies and major corporate decisions will be made unanimously by both partners. The joint venture is expected to create around 180 new jobs initially in North America and Germany. The establishment of joint venture is subject to approval by the cartel authorities. Norbert Reithofer, chairman of management board at BMW, said: "This joint venture is designed to be a classic win-win situation. We are acquiring pioneering future technologies and raw materials that we need for our Megacity Vehicle on competitive terms. The SGL Group is moving into the automobile business with us as a strong partner."

Pakistan, Nov. 01 -- LAHORE, The Pakistan Hosiery Manufactures andExporters Association has demanded the government checkthe export of raw materials, like cotton yarn and raw cotton,which were hitting the export of value-added products. Association Chairman Dr Khurram Anwar Khawaja saidon Saturday that exports of value-added knitwear garments,sportswear and other products had already declined alarminglyin the first quarter of fiscal 2009-2010. He saidremedial measures by the Ministry of TextileIndustry were urgently needed. He said raw cotton worth 67 cents wasconverted into a piece of garment worth $ 5 by the apparelsector but if it faced shortages of raw material, it would nolonger survive. "Therefore, the value-added textile industryshould not be left at the mercy of blind market forces, whichare not only denying the supply of yarn to localmanufacturers but strengthening our competitors byfacilitating them," he added. Meanwhile, textile exporter Adil Butt saidthe government should follow the policy of prioritizingthe supply of yarn to the local industry because only this wayemployment level could be maintained in the industry. Published by HT Syndication with permission from Daily Pak Banker. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com

CALGARY _ Atco Ltd. (TSX:ACO.X) reported Friday a third-quarter profit of $61 million, up from a year ago, as revenue fell. The Calgary-based conglomerate said the profit amounted to $1.05 per share, compared with a profit of $52.5 million or 91 cents per share for the same three months in 2008. Revenue in the quarter totalled $684.3 million, down from $763.4 million. Atco has several businesses including utilities, energy, structures and logistics and technology.

Airbus announced that it will open its first logistics center in Asia early next year in north China's Tianjin Municipality, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the local government, Xinhua reported. The center will begin operation at a temporary site in the Tianjin Port Bonded Area of the Binhai New Area in early 2010, before its permanent location is determined after next March, according to the MOU. Airbus now has six Chinese component suppliers, who are located across the country and handle their own logistics, the company said. Tianjin has Airbus' first A320 aircraft final assembly line outside Europe, which is expected to deliver 11 planes by the end of this year. The launch of the assembly line has attracted a great number of aviation companies at home and broad to settle in Tianjin, said He Lifeng, director of the administration commission of Binhai. Airbus, one of the world's largest commercial plane makers, forecast its procurement of components and materials in China will rise to 200 million dollars by 2010, and $450 million by 2015.

Pakistan, Nov. 01 -- Turkey's largest petrochemicals manufacturer, Petkim, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with an Iranian company for the establishment of a plant and related facilities to provide it with raw materials.The company said in a written statement on Friday that it had signed an MoU with NPC International, Ltd., on Oct. 28 envisaging the establishment of a suspension polyvinyl chloride (S-PVC) plant with a capacity of 300,000 tons a year and related facilities.Specializing in petrochemicals manufacturing, Petkim produces ethylene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene and other chemical building blocks for use in the manufacture of plastics, textiles and other consumer and industrial products. Petkim has 14 manufacturing plants supplying a significant portion of the petrochemicals used in Turkey.The company has also agreed with NPC to initiate economic, technical and feasibility studies for the establishment of an equal partnership to construct a plant to produce chloride alkali with an annual capacity of 187,000 tons and another one to produce vinyl chloride monomer with an annual capacity of 301,000 tons to provide raw materials for the S-PVC factory. Published by HT Syndication with permission from Right Vision News. For more information on news feed please contact Sarabjit Jagirdar at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com

Pakistan, Nov. 01 -- A strong focus on value added products that command better prices in international markets has enabled Haycarb PLC, the Hayleys Group's activated carbon business, to post impressive results in the first half of the financial year.According to figures released to the Colombo Stock Exchange this week, the Haycarb Group comprising of manufacturing operations in Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia, achieved a net profit of Rs 294 million for the six months ending September 30, 2009, more than double the profit made in the corresponding period of last year.Revenue grew 14 per cent to Rs 2,555 million, while profit before tax increased nearly two and a half times to Rs 353 million, the company said. Profit attributable to equity holders of the company increased by a similar ratio to Rs 268 million.Haycarb Managing Director Ananda Hettiarachchy attributed the company's performance to its success in operating its factories at optimal capacity by strategizing purchases as well as imports of coconut shell charcoal, its principal raw material, and to the higher representation of value-added carbons in its product mix.He said higher local output had been made possible by improved local and imported raw material supply, while the company's plant in Indonesia had improved on its performance, and its Thailand factory had maintained its contribution.The Group's earnings per share stood at Rs 9.04 as at 30th September 2009, from Rs 3.78 at the end of the second quarter of 2008-09.The world's largest manufacturer of coconut shell based activated carbon, Haycarb has expanded its manufacturing facilities overseas to establish a stronger presence in other manufacturing markets and to be in proximity to customers in countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and India, which have sizeable local markets.Incorporated in 1973, Haycarb is the pioneer manufacturer of activated carbon in any coconut producing country.

CALGARY _ Atco Ltd. (TSX:ACO.X) reported Friday a third-quarter profit of $61 million, up from a year ago, as revenue fell. The Calgary-based conglomerate said the profit amounted to $1.05 per share, compared with a profit of $52.5 million or 91 cents per share for the same three months in 2008. Revenue in the quarter totalled $684.3 million, down from $763.4 million. Atco has several businesses including utilities, energy, structures and logistics and technology.

Elon University issued the following news release: By Kristin Simonetti Dennis W. Quaintance, CEO and chief design officer of Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels, offered a paradoxical observation in his address to open Elon's eighth-annual Fall Environmental Forum. "There's a line out there that all of us say, that green building costs more," he said. "I can't deny that it costs more. But no one ever says this: It also costs less." The forum, which addressed the theme "Sustainability in Business: The Green Economy is Coming," was sponsored by Elon's Center for Environmental Studies, the Sustainability Office and the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, as well as the Cape Fear River Assembly. The forum also featured remarks by Terry Stone, sustainability value chain manager for Syngenta Agriculture in Research Triangle Park, N.C., a panel discussion moderated by Lyons Gray, former CFO of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, workshops and field trips to sustainable businesses in the Burlington-Greensboro, N.C., area.

China's logistics sector was able to recover quickly in the first three quarters, with the total value of logistics goods reversing its falling trend thanks to a growing economy, said the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing on Thursday.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Oct. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- YRC Regional and YRC Logistics ProfitableABS Facility Renewed Early; Extended through October 2010New Long-Term Bank Amendment Provides for Deferral of Interest and FeesUpdate on Proposed Exchange Offer YRC Worldwide Inc. (Nasdaq: YRCW) today reported its results for the third quarter and provided an update on its comprehensive plan. For the quarter, the company announced a loss per share of $2.67 that included a net gain on property disposals of $.18 per share, severance charges of $.08 per share due to further headcount reductions and lease termination charges of $.11 per share related to further optimizing the networks. By comparison, the company reported a loss per share in the third quarter of 2008 of $12.58 that included impairment charges on goodwill and intangible assets of $13.20 per share, a curtailment gain of $.84 per share, and a net gain on property disposals of $.21 per share.

Airbus will open its first logistics center in Asia early next year in north China's Tianjin Municipality, after signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the local government Thursday.