NN4M advances expansion with new company premises and key personnel appointments

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 11:43:53 GMT

Mobile commerce market leader NN4M has stepped up its ambitious global expansion programme with a move to larger company premises and the appointment of new personnel to its talented technical team.

Marking the completion of the latest stage of NN4M’s growth plan, the mobile solutions company is upsizing. Moving to a more spacious headquarters in Edinburgh, UK, the new offices have been procured to support the rapidly growing operations throughout the global mobile commerce market - particularly in the US and UK - and accommodate the recently extended technical team of developers.

“It has been an incredible year for us so far, and we're delighted to have confirmed the appointment of a number of creative and talented developers with established track records. I’m confident they will join us and work with the same passion as the rest of our team to ensure that we continue to deliver outstanding mobile applications and mobile commerce solutions for our retail clients," explained NN4M’s Business Development Director, Lorraine Howard.

In a year during which NN4M’s operations have gone from strength to strength, the mobile commerce experts continue to win contracts across the UK and US. deliver consumer - centric, fully transactional mobile applications for iPhones, iPads, alongside a raft of tablet and smart phone devices and in addition to in store kiosk applications, each designed and built to deliver results for some of the largest global retailers including Saks, Debenhams, River Island and figleaves.com.

“The new offices and larger space will allow us to further expand our operations over the next 12 months and maintain the momentum we’ve built during 2011. Working in the fast paced and highly competitive mobile technology, digital commerce and retail industries, we’re eager to settle in and move forward with our plans for further global expansion in 2012, confident in the knowledge that we have the expertise and talent within our technical team to continue to enhance our products and services, and of course a comfortable space within which we can nurture our creative working environment and established business,” Howard added.

Creating scalable and fully transactional mobile commerce solutions designed to go beyond customer expectations offering both an intuitive brand experience and delivering the results which fulfil retailers’ key objectives, NN4M is widely recognised as a mobile commerce industry leader. Existing at the cutting edge of the industry, the company maintains enhanced usability and optimal performance at the core of each project, implementing the latest in design and digital tools alongside social media integration, to create applications which offer engaging realisations of the retail experience across the full range of mobile platforms.

With a back catalogue of highly successful mobile applications - well received by consumers, retail clients and industry peers alike - NN4M has been recently ranked among the top providers of mobile commerce platforms for the successful development and delivery of fully transactional consumer centric multichannel retail solutions by the prestigious Forrester Research Inc. organisation in a recent global mobile commerce market overview.

Larosco takes BongoMagic and social relationship and referral marketing to the next level.

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:58:17 GMT

Relationship marketing software expert Larosco ramps up its growth strategy having announced the successful closure of its first round of funding.

Par Equity, the venture capital firm which focuses on providing financial and intellectual capital to innovative small and medium sized companies with high growth potential, has invested in Larosco - creators of the revolutionary relationship and referral marketing system BongoMagic - as part of a match funding deal with Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Investment Bank.

Having secured a significant six figure investment, the Edinburgh based company will drive Larosco’s growth programme in the coming months, dividing and distributing the funds across a number of technical, client service and business development areas.

“We’ve been developing the BongoMagic project for the past 2 years, and are absolutely delighted to have achieved investment at this stage. Our referral marketing tool, and specifically its implementation as a recruitment solution has already met with significant success, and the funding has been ear marked for use in a number of key product development and service areas.”

“We are lucky to have such a dedicated and dynamic team and I believe that this boost will enable us to kick start our expansion programme and move forward at pace. We’re confident that the funding will have a major impact upon the company's future development and look forward to the exciting months ahead,” said Larosco founding Director, Laura Sullivan.

Enabling companies to extend their reach and engagement with their target audience, Larosco’s core product, BongoMagic is an advanced software system offering a relationship and referral marketing tool. The system can be applied to almost any market sector - facilitating significant benefits, improved efficiencies and cost savings for clients - but has been particularly popular amongst the recruitment and retail sectors.

Recognised as an industry pioneer and innovator of technological systems, Larosco co-Founder and CTO Dave Young holds over 30 years experience in the IT industry sector having worked with and developed products for IBM, Apple, GEC Marconi, Lear Astronics, and ICL among others. An original founder and shareholder of RecruitmentScotland.com, the leading UK job web site acquired by Monster in 2000, Young is identified as one of the pioneers of online recruitment in the UK. Most recently, he held the role of Managing Director of Alcuda Limited, a post which carried the responsibility of creating and delivering innovative online e-commerce solutions for companies such as Reed Business, LoveFilm, British Council and Venda.

A seasoned and highly regarded sales professional with a wealth of sales and marketing experience spanning a 20 year period, Sullivan has worked at senior management and Director levels with RecruitmentScotland.com, Hudson, Head Resourcing and Monster.com prior to setting up Larosco with Young in 2009.

Paul Atkinson, Partner at Par Equity stated:
"Larosco is an important investment for the Par Innovation Fund and we are delighted to be supporting this ground breaking social media marketing business with both our financial and advisory capability. The technical know how of Dave Young and Sales prowess of Laura Sullivan along with the rest of the Larosco team, provide a great foundation for success."

Huawei Selects SDG To Distribute its Enterprise Portfolio

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 09:58:10 GMT

The deal, which sees the distributor named as one of only two UK distribution partners for the Fortune 500 listed company, will give SDG's channel customers access to the complete Huawei Enterprise portfolio of networking, storage, telepresence and unified communications. Chosen for its expertise in establishing new vendors in the ICT marketplace, the relationship underlines SDG's burgeoning status as Europe's specialist distributor of enterprise products.

“As the dominant force in the domestic Chinese market and a major player in the global marketplace, Huawei's enterprise technologies and solutions are set to have a major impact on the UK and European markets. Clearly we are delighted to have entered into such an exciting partnership, it means we can enable our channel partners to take a world leading capability to their customers through which they can offer the choice and unprecedented value they need to prosper in a challenging environment,” says Paul Eccleston, Managing Director SDG EMEA.

“In a market where the end customers need to know they can rely on VAR partners to provide the support and scalability they need, we believe that partnerships like this will be crucial. There has never been a greater time to deliver the right solution at the right price. With our services capability and the ability to leverage our Solutions Centre, we can accelerate their ability to take solutions to their customers.”

With annual sales of US $28 billion, Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology solutions provider. Dedicated to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers, the company's products and services have been deployed in over 140 countries, serving more than one third of the world’s population.

Paul Eccleston added: “Huawei’s global scale, value and unprecedented investment in R & D, technology and innovation is unparalleled in networking. This combined with SDG’s ability to deliver a service and generate new channels to market – particularly around enterprise networking, video conferencing, telepresence and telephony - creates a formidable partnership that will greatly benefit our new and existing clients.”

Dominique Vanhamme, Huawei Vice President, Channel (WEU) said: “The partnership with SDG fits within Huawei’s strategy to further build up its position in the UK and European Enterprise market. SDG is well established as a leading ICT distributor, its strong service and solution offerings enable its reseller partners to meet the needs of Enterprise customers. We believe that this relationship will build value to Huawei and accelerate the growth of our Enterprise business in the UK and Europe.”

Industrial and Academic Engineering Experts ISLI to Attend 34th Intelligent Sensing Programme by ESP KTN

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 16:17:56 GMT

The Edinburgh-based Institute for System Level Integration (iSLI) and DoRIES are set to attend the 34th annual Intelligent Sensing Programme (ISP), an event being held for the first time in Glasgow on the 15 November 2011.

Institute Director Mark Begbie will lead teams from iSLI and DoRIES (Development of Research and Innovation in Electronic Systems), a project designed to support Scottish SMEs seeking to develop marketable products, services or processes using electronics based enabling technologies. Joining an array of influential figures from the world of engineering and design, staff attending the event will be on hand to discuss both organisations' work developing cutting-edge wireless sensor systems for a raft of clients.

"This is an exciting time to be working with intelligent sensors. The field has taken some great leaps forward over the past few years, and we're now getting to a point where the potential for such devices is beginning to be recognised in dozens of industrial sectors from aviation to oil," said Dr Begbie.

"With the UK at a crucial point in the decision process on whether to fund a major national Technology and Innovation Centre in Sensor Systems, and with such a strong technology community in this field locally, this promises to be one of the most engaging and lively ISP events for some time."

ISLI sits at the critical interface between the academic and commercial engineering worlds, working with start-ups and multinational companies whilst acting as a technology transfer bridge between the knowledge base and industry. Focused on knowledge transfer in enabling technologies, their vision centres on increasing the value and extent of company engagements in high level R&D and this is particularly evident in their work on a number of high profile projects with brands including engineering giant Rolls Royce, Airbus UK, and AgustaWestland.

Attendees at the well-established forum for the communication of industry-focused sensors research, technology developments, industrial needs analysis and collaboration building will enjoy a series of technical presentations from the UK's leading universities, centring on innovative sensor technologies and their applications from large and small companies. An incentive for sensor developers will follow, with a range of presentations on the sensor needs of large ‘end user’ organisations.

The event, in association with the Scottish Technology Network, will also feature elevator pitch sessions where 6 different companies will highlight opportunities for new business collaborations in the development and application of innovative sensor technologies. As Scotland's leading technology transfer institute, ISLI works side-by-side with private companies to help them profit from the latest technologies and will be on hand to discuss future opportunities and how ISLI could best assist business interests in technological developments.

Designed to keep users up to date with sensor technology requirements, developments, opportunities and to facilitate effective networking and knowledge exchange, the ISP is a national forum for developers, suppliers and end-users of sensor systems and instrumentation.

To find out more, view the agenda and to register for this event please visit: www.bit.ly/sensors34thISPinGlasgow. To register, tickets are priced at £35 + VAT, to book an exhibition stand contact shelley.sharma@espktn.org.

Business Monitor International highlights the risks of Turkey's tough stance towards Israel

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:13:18 GMT

Business Monitor International (BMI) has released the latest special report, "Turkey: A Decisive Break from the West?" analysing Turkey's profound transformation as it adopts an increasingly assertive role in the Middle East and Eastern Mediterranean.

With Turkey's position as one the world’s most strategically important countries and a major emerging economy, its evolving political dynamics are of global importance. A shift in Turkey's foreign policy and a move towards authoritarian rule is strainings its relationship with Israel and could, potentially, damage those with its NATO allies at a time when the attraction of EU membership - a cornerstone of government policy for close to a decade - is clearly waning. According to BMI, Turkey's tough stance towards Israel is clearly aimed at winning support from Arab countries as the country's leadership looks to establish its position as a key player in the Middle East. Although Turkey is unlikely to leave NATO, it will increasingly be viewed as an unreliable ally in European capitals.

On a global basis BMI recognises Turkey as best-positioned among the non-BRIC emerging market economies to become a major power over the coming years, thanks to its large economy, population, and military, growing ties with the Middle East and Russia, and its critical strategic location between continents. The report analyses potential strategic partnerships of the future if Turkey was to move away from its traditional Western allies and compete more directly with Iran and Egypt.

Moreover, "Turkey: A Decisive Break From The West?" assesses the impact of a new foreign policy on already strained relationship with the European Union and the probability of Turkey's potential EU accession in context of Ankara's attempts to nurture greater political and economic influence in the Middle East and irreconcilable relationship with Cyprus.

BMI's portfolio of products provides comprehensive analysis across Turkey's industries and enables global investors, emerging market strategists and decision-makers across the corporate spectrum to assess and evaluate global political and economic risks and aid strategic planning activities over the short, medium and long term.

About Business Monitor International:
Business Monitor International (BMI) established in 1984 with headquarters in London is recognised as a leading independent source for analysis and forecasts on Country Risk and Industry, spanning 175 countries. BMI provides research to multinational corporations, banks, funds, research centres and governments in 140 countries around the world, including more than 400 of the Fortune Global 500 companies.

Business Monitor International analyses Russia's record-breaking year of oil production

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:11:55 GMT

Business Monitor International (BMI) has published its latest Russia Oil & Gas Report, which highlights the record-breaking year of oil production. Following a post-Soviet oil output high of 10.3mn barrels per day (b/d) in September 2011, Russia maintained its position ahead of Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest oil producer. Although oil production has risen rapidly in recent years, BMI evaluates whether Russia will be able to surpass the 11mn b/d mark any time soon.

According to BMI, Russia will remain the world's largest gas exporter for the foreseeable future, but an increasing share of production will have to come from outside the country's traditional gas heartland of West Siberia, with output from new fields offsetting declining volumes from existing areas.

The report provides key forecasts and in-depth analysis of the Russia oil and gas market including major indicators for oil, gas and LNG, covering reserves, production, consumption, refining capacity, prices, export volumes and values. The report includes full analysis of industry trends, prospects and projects, oil and gas infrastructure and changes in the regulatory environment. It also features a competitive landscape of the oil and gas sector focusing on key national and multinational companies in Russia.

Although Russia will continue to dominate oil supply in the region, backed by huge and under-exploited reserves, BMI expects Caspian states to increase their contribution significantly. The acceleration of new production capacity offshore Azerbaijan and, especially, Kazakhstan will cement the region’s importance to efforts to expand global oil output to meet rising demand from Emerging States.

BMI's portfolio of products and services provides comprehensive analysis of the global oil and gas industry and enables industry professionals, strategists, sector analysts and investors to identify key market opportunities and avoid market risks wherever they operate.

Business Monitor International warns of China's economic slowdown

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:38:35 GMT

Business Monitor International (BMI) has released the latest special report, "China 2012: From Miracle To Meltdown" outlining a case for a severe growth collapse in China driven by declining money supply growth rate, accelerating inflation and external slowdown with a threat of a double dip recession in the US.

According to BMI, the bearish outlook for China's economy is more credible now than at any point in recent history. With China’s housing market exhibiting characteristics typically seen at the end of a bubble, a steep drop in house prices as developers offload inventory would pose a risk of a cash crunch to businesses operating in China, especially property developers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). As the repayment capacity of loans given to local government investment vehicles increasingly comes under threat, BMI also expects a pronounced correction in investment spending and instability in China’s banking sector.

From banking sector exposure and weak fiscal and monetary position, the report also focuses on China’s consumer market and its ability to shoulder the burden of growth should Chinese export growth fall due to a weakening US dollar and lower import demand from the US and Europe.

Moreover "China 2012: From Miracle to Meltdown" assesses the impact of a Chinese hard landing on the regional economy. While no country would be immune from a Chinese hard landing, BMI argues that Australia is most precariously positioned to suffer the consequences of this severe economic slowdown. A Chinese hard landing would push the Australian economy over the edge, likely ushering in a recession and potentially triggering a financial crisis.

Given the importance of China to the global economy, the report enables global investors, strategists and decision-makers across the corporate spectrum to identify business growth opportunities, avoid market risks and aid strategic planning activities over the short, medium and long term.

Agility UK opens new office in Sheffield

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 10:57:42 GMT

Agility UK, the health and safety and employment law specialists, have opened a new office and training venue on Broad Street, Sheffield.

The new office will serve as a health and safety training and employment law training venue for businesses in and around the local area. It will be staffed by specialists in the field who will aim to provide comprehensive advice, support and training courses to clients in and around Sheffield and the wider South Yorkshire region.

The opening of a Sheffield branch affords Agility UK further scope to expand its existing client database and signals the launch of a new campaign to establish further offices in locations across the UK.

Keith Townsend, Managing Director of Agility UK, commented on the company's plans for expansion, both in Sheffield and in further potential regions across the UK: "Our extensive market research has shown that businesses like to be supported by firms who operate in and around their local area. However, we have also found that those same businesses are reluctant to use sole traders, and this is often because those sole traders aren't support by the same back up and indemnities as a larger, national corporation."

Townsend added: "To help combat this potential conflict of interests, Agility UK is offering the services of an established nationwide business, specialising in the delivery of comprehensive health and safety and employment law solutions, but with an interest in operating on a regional basis. This gives our clients the benefit of a personalised, local presence while also offering the back up and infrastructure of a truly national organisation."

As part of a wider group of companies offering a variety of tailored solutions for businesses, Agility UK will be sharing its new premises with partner company, Windmill Leasing. Together, the companies will offer comprehensive service solutions around health and safety and employment law advice and training courses, as well as specialist business car leasing and fleet management.

Agility UK is active in implementing a strategic plan to become a truly national provider of tailored solutions with a local presence. As such, there are plans to explore the potential opening of a new regional office in the south of England later in 2011.

About Agility UK:
Agility UK is an award-winning provider of health and safety and employment law courses and advice across the UK. With a head office in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire and now Sheffield, the company offers an experienced team of experts to provide a range of specialist advice services and tailored training courses to a variety of businesses, including CCNSG training and fire safety training.

Agility UK offers a fresh and relatable approach to employment law and health and safety training in London, Birmingham, Sheffield and several major hubs nationwide. The organisation works closely with businesses of all sizes and from all industry sectors to understand and support their needs and provide a tailored solution.

Business Monitor International launches a brand new Nordics Power Report

Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:34:25 GMT

Business Monitor International (BMI) has introduced to its portfolio a brand new Nordics Power Report, covering Denmark, Finland and Sweden. This addition adds depth to BMI's global power market views, and its analysis of the European power sector.

The Nordic countries covered in the report are mature electricity markets and, according to BMI's forecasts, they will experience modest growth both in terms of generation and capacity over the forecast period (2011-2015). Considering that electricity demand is forecast to see only limited growth between now and 2020, the main priority for Denmark, Finland and Sweden is to replace ageing plants with additional cleaner generation capacity.

The Report provides key forecasts and in-depth analysis of the Nordic power market, including electricity generation, consumption, trade, power generation costs and transmission. The industry forecasts for gas, coal, oil, nuclear, hydro and renewable are supported by BMI assumptions and analysis of key risks to BMI core scenario. Within this, the report analyses the impact of regulatory changes, recent industry developments and the background macroeconomic outlook. It also features a competitive landscape of the Nordic power markets comparing multinational and national operators by sales, market share, investments, projects, partners and expansion strategies.

Electricity consumption and generation in Denmark, Finland and Sweden is expected to grow only moderately in the coming years. However, weak demographic dynamics and slow economic recovery as the result of government programmes are expected to impact power markets across Europe. BMI holds a similar outlook for Central and Eastern Europe with the exception of the Turkey power sector, which we expect to exhibit strong growth, driven by a sharp rise in its power consumption over the coming years.

BMI's portfolio of products and services provides comprehensive analysis of the global power industry and enables industry professionals, strategists, sector analysts and equity investors to identify key market opportunities and avoid market risks wherever they operate.

Business Monitor International report highlights the risks of a double-dip recession

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 17:16:54 GMT

Business Monitor International (BMI) has released its latest special report, "Market Meltdown: Global Economy On The Edge" evaluating the major risks to the world economy arising from the recent slump in global stock prices and rise in vulnerable government bond yields.

With the Eurozone affected by the on-going sovereign debt crises, the US faced with debt concerns after losing its AAA credit rating, and Japan still suffering from the consequences of March's earthquake, the global economy is threatened by a risk of another recession.

On August 5 2011, Standard & Poor's (S&P) lowered its long-term sovereign credit rating for the United States to AA+ from AAA, while maintaining a negative outlook. Prior to S&P's announcement, poor Q211 GDP data and revisions to the GDP series going back to 2010 had a significant impact on the US economic outlook. The report focuses on the recent market developments, outlines revisions to BMI’s US growth forecasts and provides insight into the US ratings downgrade. Furthermore it examines a possibility of a double-dip recession in the US.

BMI also analyses the implications of the Eurozone debt crisis for European politics, financial market strategies and the European banking sector. Considering market scepticism over the sustainability of the Eurozone, the current crises represent the biggest test for European institutions since the collapse of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, and one with far graver economic implications.

Moreover, "Market Meltdown: Global Economy On The Edge" assesses the contagion risks of the eurozone and US crises for Asia; from banking sector exposure, the stress on states with weak fiscal positions, and the impact on China's economy and the rest of the region should global trade flows be disrupted by a weakening US dollar, or lower import demand from the US and Europe.

BMI's unique combination of global macro-economic forecasting, industry knowledge and long track-record of emerging markets forecasting enables global investors, strategists and decision-makers across the corporate spectrum to identify key market opportunities and avoid market risks wherever they operate.

Business Monitor International releases the latest analysis of Japan's post-crisis economy

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:33:15 GMT

Business Monitor International (BMI) has released its latest special report, "Japan After The Quake: Resurgence Or Another Lost Decade?" examining the state of Japan's economy and exploring the risks and potential areas of outperformance across six industries covering retail, agribusiness, IT, automotives, commercial banking and power.

The report outlines BMI’s views on Japan's recovery and the future prospects of the Japanese economy, focusing on the longer-term implications of the disaster.

While it has been encouraging how quickly the economic downturn has stabilised, Japanese consumers are unlikely to start spending again soon. BMI expects that the Japanese consumer to place a greater emphasis on price over quality. The reconstruction efforts will divert capital resources away from other sectors of the economy, and a slowdown in China will impact the export sector.

Further, the March earthquake and tsunami has had a major impact on Japan's ICT and retail industries, with the ICT sector struggling especially to resume full operations on the back of supply chain disruptions and power shortages. Faced with a precarious domestic outlook, ICT firms will, instead, turn to growing emerging market demand to boost their revenues, a strategy that is also being pursued by the Japan autos sector with varying success.

That said, other sectors are better poised to capitalise on the "back-to-basics" spending of consumers with major convenience store retailers outperforming in this challenging environment. While March's retail sales growth fell to its worst level since 1998, retail sales in recent months have bounced back, underlining a recovering demand outlook for Japanese retailers.

More broadly, the longer-term economic outlook remains fraught with risk, with Japan staring at another lost decade of economic stagnation. Indeed, BMI predicts that consensus expectations for Japan's GDP growth of 2.9% in 2012 are too optimistic.

BMI's portfolio of products provides comprehensive analysis across Japan's industries and enables global investors, strategists and decision-makers across the corporate spectrum to assess and evaluate how far Japan has come since the crisis in terms of economic stabilisation and industry consolidation.

Business Monitor International predicts slower growth in the Angola construction industry

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 09:43:06 GMT

Business Monitor International (BMI) forecasts an annual average growth of 8.3% y-o-y between 2011 and 2015 in the construction sector, which will be slightly reduced from the previous high rate.

Angola has experienced a post-civil war reconstruction boom, aided by the spending of oil revenues and large credit lines. The infrastructure sector benefited from the rapid pace of growth in the construction industry. Although sky-high property prices and vast oil wealth have seen the Angolan capital Luanda dubbed the "new Dubai", new data for Angola's construction industry illustrates downside risks that expect to slow the future growth of the infrastructure market.

The Angola Infrastructure Report provides an overview of all the major areas of the infrastructure sector including building materials, transport infrastructure, construction industry and utilities. It also features BMI's market assessment and 5-year forecasts to end-2015 covering public procurement and spending on all major infrastructure and construction projects, including transportation and logistics by land, sea and air; power plants and utilities, and commercial construction and property development.

BMI previously highlighted the pertinent threats posed by political risk across a number of African nations. The violent unrest and political instability seen in Libya and Cote d'Ivoire has underlined the importance of policy continuity for investment into the Africa infrastructure markets.

BMI’s portfolio of products and services provides comprehensive analysis of the global infrastructure industry and enables industry professionals, strategists, sector analysts and investors to evaluate and manage the risks arising in the infrastructure markets.

Ulster Bank expects sales of Start-Up Package to continue furishing

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 10:50:31 GMT

More than 2,500 new and emerging companies have already signed up for Ulster Bank’s recently launched start-up business package.

In just the first quarter of 2011 the bank has opened more than 1,000 start-up business accounts on the island, bringing the total number to over 2,500 since October 2010.

The dedicated offering for the sector provides a wide range of support, including: signposting sources of advice; facilitating networking opportunities, and financial support.

In addition, the bank organised a roadshow of events for start-ups during October and November, which brought together representatives from more than 1,000 companies across the island.

Girvan Gault, Head of Business Development at Ulster Bank NI, says that a diverse range of local start-up firms have availed of the new package.

“We’re really encouraged by the number and variety of start-up businesses that we’ve been able to help in recent months. These have included new food companies, technology businesses, and services-oriented companies, as well as businesses starting out in areas like bio-technology, and the professions, to name but a few,” Mr Gault says.

“Many early stage companies have also taken up the package to help them move their business forward, or, encouragingly, to help them begin to export,” Mr Gault continues.

“We’re finding that although the current economic environment provides many challenges, it also creates opportunities for new companies. Market entry costs can be lower than at other times. There have also been changes in the way people want to do business, with a focus on cost-effectiveness, which creates opportunities for companies that can do things more efficiently.

“We anticipate that the strong take-up of the package will continue, which is good news for the economy. Businesses that do start up successfully today, in a difficult environment, will likely be accustomed to tougher trading conditions, which will serve them well in the longer term,” he adds.

Newly established and young (up to three years) businesses will have transaction fees waived* for two years when they become customers of Ulster Bank, as part of the initiative. Lending is also available through Ulster Bank’s SME fund.

A 12-month subscription to Ulster Bank’s award-winning online cash management system, Bankline*, is also included in the package. In addition, the bank is offering free access to a new online learning centre for small firms, providing tailored and interactive training through Ulster Bank’s Smallbusinesscan.com initiative – which has 15,000 active users every month.

This offer is available to new Ulster Bank customers only.

Business Monitor International release latest report on the Greek infrastructure

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:16:32 GMT

Business Monitor International has announced the release of its newest report, which examines the state of the industry infrastructure in Greece.

This is currently a turbulent time for Greece's economy, as there have been protests about tax rises, job losses and a number of strikes at power plants. The impact of fluctuations in the infrastructure market is likely to be felt in Greece’s construction industry which is currently struggling to cope with reduced demand for its services.

Business Monitor International’s report covers all the major areas of the infrastructure sector including transportation, energy and utilities; analysis of the latest industry trends and prospects; and competitive intelligence on leading construction companies. It also features BMI's market assessment and 5-year forecasts to end-2015 covering public procurement and spending on all major infrastructure and construction projects, including transportation and logistics by land, sea and air; power plants and utilities, and commercial construction and property development. The report also analyses the impact of regulatory changes and the macroeconomic outlook and features competitive intelligence on multinational and national contractors and suppliers.

BMI's previous outlook for the Greek energy and utilities market predicted that the market was in decline and would continue to decline. The Greek parliament is due to vote on the government's latest round of spending cuts and tax rises. Spending cuts are likely to hit the infrastructure industry hard as the industry is reliant on growth and investment which is likely to be reduced as part of the proposed spending cuts.

The Infrastructure report enables industry professionals, strategists, sector analysts, investors, trade associations and regulatory bodies to evaluate and better manage the risks, and exploit business opportunities, in global infrastructure markets. BMI's analysis of the situation and forecasts for the future offer insight for those looking to manage risks or considering investment.

About Business Monitor International:
Business Monitor International (BMI) is a leading, independent provider of proprietary risk assessment, data, industry analysis, ratings, IT trends, rankings, consumer electronics information and forecasts covering 175 countries and 22 industry sectors.

BMI's customers and clients span more than 140 countries worldwide, including UK market businesses and more than 400 of the Global Fortune 500 companies. Businesses, banks, financial service companies, governments, academia and research centres have all come to rely on BMI's analysis, data and forecasts - and have done so for 25 years. The company was awarded the Queen's Award for Export Achievement in 1997.

BMI is a wholly independent company, headquartered at Blackfriars, London, with foreign offices in Singapore and New York. BMI's corporate mission is to become the world's No.1 Independent Information Provider in its field (Country Risk & Industry Research). Business Monitor International was founded in 1984 by Richard Londesborough and Jonathan Feroze, the company's joint CEOs, who both continue to play a full role within the company.

Business Monitor International releases report on Russian food and drink market

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 12:08:19 GMT

Business Monitor International has released its latest report examining the state of the food and drink market in Russia.

BMI provides reports covering various sectors and geographic locations, and key food and beverage trends. This report is its latest signification product release for Q3 2011.

The BMI reports on food industry trends are designed to enable manufacturers and suppliers, grocery retailers, consultants, policy makers and regulatory organisations to identify international growth opportunities, evaluate risks and opportunities in global food, drink and retail markets.

According to this latest report, Russian food prices which have seen some easing in recent months, may be about to start rising as the recent ban on grain exports, which was put in place to keep domestic food prices down following droughts, gets lifted.

The report concentrates on industry-specific regulatory environment and highlights recent issues with fruit and vegetable imports from the EU, which have also provided a temporary boost for the Russian domestic fruit and vegetables industry.

The Russia Food and Drink Report also analyses the implications of the latest industry and macroeconomic developments like the effect of the import ban imposed by the Russian government following the E.coli outbreak in Germany which resulted in 38 deaths and affected thousands of people. Russia’s food safety watchdog is currently analysing the issue to determine what additional measures it should take to guarantee the safety of products imported to Russia from the EU.

As the key to ensuring effective business management is to be able to manage risk and exploit the available business opportunities, BMI believes that the information in this report will prove to be an invaluable aid to a wide range of global industry professionals working in the Russian food and drink market.

About Business Monitor International:
Business Monitor International (BMI) is a leading, independent provider of proprietary data, market research, industry analysis, ratings, IT trends, rankings, consumer electronics information and forecasts covering 175 countries and 22 industry sectors.

BMI's customers and clients span more than 140 countries worldwide, including the Russia market and more than 400 of the Global Fortune 500 companies. Businesses, banks, financial service companies, governments, academia and research centres have all come to rely on BMI's analysis, data and forecasts – and have done so for 25 years. The company was awarded the Queen's Award for Export Achievement in 1997.

Agility UK launches new website

Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:36:20 GMT

Agility UK has launched a new website to promote its health and safety and employment law training and advisory services to businesses across the UK.

Indicating significant progress for the organisation, the launch of the new website better promotes the company's range of cost-effective, flexible and solution-focused health and safety and employment law services.

In a triangulated initiative between a web development team, a leading digital agency, and a design agency, the new website offers refreshed branding, improved usability and more comprehensive information regarding each key area of service provision.

The website is also built upon strong SEO foundations and as such will enable further exposure for the business through more prominent positioning on the main search engines for targeted keywords.

Managing Director of Agility UK, Keith Townsend, commented on the launch of the new website: "The new website provides a better platform for Agility UK to showcase its range of services to prospective customers and to advertise a wide range of employment law and health and safety training courses across the UK. It is more attractive and user friendly than our previous website and provides a wealth of additional information to the reader.

"Across the Agility UK Group we have made a significant investment in online marketing of late in terms of time and money and we expect to receive a return on investment through better exposure on Google and an increase in conversion rates. Pleasingly, we have already seen some fantastic results with health and safety courses and seminar bookings in particular."

Through the website users will be able to browse interactive training course calendars, offering clients easy access to when and where health and safety and employment law training courses are taking place nationwide. Courses can be booked online using a simple form or via the contact details displayed throughout the website.

Coinciding with the launch of the new website are the launches of the new Agility UK Facebook and Twitter pages, as the company's marketing expands into the social web, and the launch of the new Windmill Leasing website - the company's business car leasing division.

Agility UK now has a viable platform to syndicate news, blogs and key services within the online arena.

About Agility UK:
Agility UK is an award-winning provider of health and safety and employment law advice and training across the UK. With an office in Bromsgrove and, from 1st August 2011, Sheffield, the company offers an experienced team of experts to provide a range of specialist advice services and tailored training courses to a variety of businesses, including CCNSG training and IOSH training. Agility UK offers a fresh and relatable approach to health and safety and employment law and works closely with organisations of all sizes and from all industry sectors to understand and support their needs and provide a tailored solution.

Micro Focus reports UK Businesses Risk £36.7 Billion Due to Website Failures

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 09:21:02 GMT

Micro Focus has revealed new research which shows businesses in the UK risk losing up to £36.7 billion in revenue per year if their websites fail during peak periods.

This is according to a new report by the UK tech firm Micro Focus (LSE: MCRO.L), the leading provider of enterprise application modernisation, software testing and requirements management solutions, and the Centre for Economic and Business Research (CEBR), which found that nearly £100 million of British e-commerce revenue is already lost due to website failures and outages every year.

The report shows that the UK's e-commerce industry is worth £320 billion per year and growing at an unprecedented rate of 20 per cent year-on-year. The market is likely to grow even faster in the next ten years, as the proliferation of smart phone usage fuels more online transactions, meaning they stand to lose significant revenue and market share to rival firms if their websites fail.

David Valentine, general manager at Micro Focus, commented: "As a result of website failures, almost £100 million of e-commerce revenue is already lost every year. If businesses don’t ensure their e-commerce applications can handle the extra loads experienced during peak times, such as July and the run-up to Christmas, the cost could reach £36.7billion.

"Businesses must not only protect against this potential loss of revenue in the short term, but also protect their brand and reputation in the longer term by ensuring a better customer experience," continued David Valentine. "Making sure that websites and the applications that run on them are tested for the highest volume of anticipated users has traditionally been expensive and difficult to manage but new, scalable cloud-based testing services make this much more cost-effective."

Ensuring that e-commerce sites can withstand peak loads is a challenge because traffic can vary from 5,000 transactions per hour at normal times to 50,000 during a promotion or peak period. Traditional approaches to load testing required a large investment in infrastructure to replicate the peak volumes, but Micro Focus’ cloud-based model removes the need for this overhead. Instead of investing in hardware that is not used for a large portion of the time, businesses can use Micro Focus SilkPerformer CloudBurst on demand to test for peak user volumes only when they need to. In addition, CloudBurst lets website and software quality teams rapidly launch any size peak-load performance test, from any location in the world, without the burden of managing complex infrastructures, and offers diagnostic tools that locate the root causes of performance issues and fast-track their correction. When integrated with the SilkPerformer family it even lets IT teams test enterprise applications that have mixed internet and internal-facing aspects.

The Statistics:
-£320 billion per year: the size of the e-commerce market
-£28 billion per year: the size of internet retail sales
-One quarter: the proportion of large UK enterprises that gain revenues through online channels
-One fifth: the proportion of small and medium UK businesses that gain revenues through online channels
-£94.1million per year: the amount of e-commerce revenue lost to the UK economy as a result of website failures
-£1.0 billion: the amount of online revenue that will be lost due to website failures by 2020 if the status quo remains
-£36.7 billion: the revenue that stands to be lost each year if website failures occurred during peak periods - July and the run up to Christmas (September to December)
-Testing-as-a-service is estimated to grow by over 33% each year between now and 2013, meaning that the market for cloud-based testing tools will reach over $700 million by 2013

About Micro Focus:
Micro Focus, a member of the FTSE 250, provides innovative software that allows companies to dramatically improve the business value of their enterprise applications. Micro Focus enterprise application modernisation, testing and requirements management software enables customers' business applications to respond rapidly to market changes and embrace modern architectures with reduced cost and risk.

Revolver PR and SourceRail collaborate over cloud-based content monitoring and measurement application

Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:23:07 GMT

Leading Digital PR agency Revolver and news monitoring specialist SourceRail have joined forces to test the company’s ground-breaking media reporting service ahead of its public launch this summer.

The project, which will see SourceRail’s cloud-based content monitoring and curation service undergo a rigorous testing phase ahead of its scheduled launch in July, has been designed to ensure the service will have been comprehensively reviewed prior to reaching the open market. Under the agreement Revolver will play an active role in the system’s ongoing development - gaining exclusive access to advance features - while the developers will have the opportunity to benchmark their platform’s performance using a raft of live campaigns.

“Having put a lot of resources into developing the SourceRail service we’re determined to make sure that we get it right first time. We’ve put in place a development strategy that will ensure the system evolves into one of the most comprehensive media monitoring, mapping and measurement tools on the planet. The final piece of the jigsaw was finding the right partner to put it through its paces during live campaign scenarios,” said SourceRail Managing Director Stephen Sheppard.

“Revolver PR provides the perfect match. They’re resourceful, dynamic digital natives with a strategic understanding of the media that’s hard to beat, and we’re confident that working with them will help hone the service as we prepare to launch.”

Providing communicators with the ability to source and republish content instantly, SourceRail’s founders intend to unveil phase one of the service this year, before beginning work on a planned series of upgrades. The company acknowledges it is entering a crowded market space, but believes that the combination of a game-changing charging structure and a continually evolving feature set will prove critical.

In a deal brokered by Scottish Enterprise fast-growth account manager Jim Scott, both Revolver and SourceRail will collaborate throughout the development lifecycle. Initial testing will focus on resource management however, with the Digital PR agency drilling down on the service’s ability to slash the time required to monitor, report upon and republish media coverage.

“Digital brings many challenges to the communications sector, not least of which is the opportunity to make our working procedures faster, better and more cost effective. As part of our continued mission to create an evolved public relations infrastructure we’ve been looking for the right reporting technology, and are delighted to play our part in the development of a service that promises to deliver real value to our clients,” said Iain S Bruce, Managing Director at Revolver PR.

Business Monitor International reveals report on dry-bulk shipping sector

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:55:33 GMT

Business Monitor International has announced the launch of its special report on the dry-bulk shipping sector called 'Dry-Bulk Shipping in Troubled Waters as Glut of Vessels Soaks up Demand'.

The shipping industry analysis report provides an in-depth overview of the challenges that the global dry-bulk shipping sector faces in 2011, with a particular focus on the sector's ability to tackle its current overcapacity crisis.

The dry-bulk shipping sector's woes are expected to continue for some time to come, as dropping rate have already lead to Korea Line Corp filing for receivership, and there could be more victims if lines do not reduce capacity.

BMI's special report on the global dry-bulk shipping industry provides industry professionals with independent analysis into the sector. The report assists in identifying the opportunities and threats to businesses, whether they are a dry ship operator/owner, a dry-bulk terminal operator, a shipyard, a commodity producer/importer/exporter, a logistic firm, a consultancy or an investment bank with an interest in the sector.

BMI believes that despite growing imports of dry-bulk commodities, supply will continue to outbalance demand in the dry-bulk sector for some time to come. BMI expects overcapacity to remain the major concern for the dry-bulk sector over the medium term.

In supply terms, the outlook for dry-bulk is positive. In terms of commodities markets, Brazil and Australia continue to dominate the iron ore production, while global production of grains is expected to increase around 4% year-on-year (in particular, US corn, South American soya bean, Australian barley).

However - despite growing imports, supply will continue to outbalance demand. Global dry-bulk capacity will expand 14% this year, far outpacing a 6% rise in demand, China COSCO, China's largest shipping conglomerate, has said.

The current global dry-bulk fleet stands at 7,957 vessels, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence. There are 2,749 vessels on order, up 2,466 y-o-y, representing 34.5% of the current fleet. Of these, 1,555, about 20% of the current fleet, are due online in 2011. Given the current supply demand imbalance, this orderbook is certainly a cause for concern.

About Business Monitor International:
Business Monitor International (BMI) is a leading, independent provider of proprietary data, industry analysis, ratings, rankings and forecasts covering 175 countries, including Brazil analysis, and 22 industry sectors.

BMI's customers and clients span more than 140 countries worldwide, including more than 400 of the Global Fortune 500 companies. Businesses, banks, financial service companies, governments, academia and research centres have all come to rely on BMI's analysis, data and forecasts – and have done so for 25 years. The company was awarded the Queen's Award for Export Achievement in 1997.

BMI is a wholly independent company, headquartered at Blackfriars, London, with foreign offices in Singapore and New York.

BMI's corporate mission is to become the world's No.1 Independent Information Provider in its field (Country Risk & Industry Research).

Business Monitor International was founded in 1984 by Richard Londesborough and Jonathan Feroze, the company's joint CEOs, who both continue to play a full role within the company.

Sales Soaring at Purekit.com as 2011 Brasher Collection Launched

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 09:22:01 GMT

Brasher boots sales are soaring at Purekit.com following the release of the Spring Summer 2011 collection, with The Hillmaster GTX still dominating sales.

The launch of the new collection of Brasher boots has triggered a rush of sales at online performance footwear retailer Purekit.com. The nations favourite walking boot manufacturer is sure to remain at the top of the sales charts this year, with an extensive new collection of stylish walking and hiking boots each offering the famed Brasher comfort fit. The Men’s Brasher Hillmaster GTX is topping the sales charts again this year at Purekit.com and as the boots come of age and enjoy their 18th year of serving British walkers, they are selling more than ever before. “The Brasher Hillmaster is an extraordinary hill walking boot, and maintains comfort on the longest of walks with a great fit straight out of the box” says Purekit.com MD Richard Gundle. He goes on to say that “the classic styling is a firm favourite which doesn’t date, which is just as well considering how long they last”. The boots are well known for their robust construction, which ensures a good many years of use, and incredible value for money.

Whilst the women’s model of this bestselling boot is popular at the online store, it is the Brasher Segula which is attracting the most attention, with the latest release dominating early spring sales. The Segula has been designed specifically for women from a female specific last to ensure proper arch support and a close and comfortable fit. The mid cut boots offer a substantial weight saving on the Hillmaster GTX, with a design versatile enough to be used across the full range of terrain. The nubuck uppers are robust and hard wearing, whilst the comfort is assured with a memory foam collar to prevent rubbing on the Achilles and ankle, and on the tongue to provide cushioning and distribute lace tension more kindly. The addition of a MEVA midsole ensures that the boots are highly comfortable underfoot, with excellent cushioning on hard and soft ground. “The Segula is a great boot at this time of year, as it offers a considerable weight saving on other Brasher boots and is highly breathable to keep the feet cool on warm spring days” says Richard. The lightweight construction has made it a popular choice this spring, but the model is robust enough to cope admirably in colder weather.

Whilst the new models are selling well, purchases have not been limited to the more lightweight Brasher boots styles for spring and summer walking, with winter hiking boots also enjoying a flurry of sales as the mid season sale is offering great discounts on winter stock. Prices have been reduced across the range to clear stocks of the winter walking boots, with the discounts proving to be enough to bring forward a new purchase, with many customers taking advantage of the cost savings.

With a range of boots to cover all climates and all terrain, and a fit which is world renowned for its comfort, it is perhaps no surprise that Brasher boots are selling so well, and with the latest updates to the technology in this year’s spring/summer collection, it looks like the brand will be having another string year of sales.

For more information on 2011 collection of Brasher boots visit: http://www.purekit.com

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