Friday, February 29, 2008

A vintage time: performance of Vale in 2007

Rio De Janeiro (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (Vale) completed in 2007 the fifth consecutive year of extraordinary growth in its activities. This process was sustained by continuous improvement in operational and financial performance, greater diversification of its asset portfolio and globalization of its operations. The adoption, in November 2007, in all the countries where we operate of the name Vale and the new logo symbolize this evolution.


This transformation reflects the execution of a long-term strategic plan, anchored in rigorous discipline in capital allocation, continuous search for opportunities for value creation, a constant concern with costs, focus on human capital and a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility.

In the last five years Vale has invested US$ 40.7 billion, of which US$ 20.6 billion in acquisitions and US$ 20.1 billion in maintenance of operations, research and development (R&D) and project execution.

The completion of twenty large projects, successful acquisitions and increased productivity were responsible for an expansion of our total output at an average annual rate of 11.6% between 2003 and 2007. In parallel to this quantitative growth, nickel, copper, metallurgical and thermal coal, platinum group metals and cobalt were added to our portfolio.

In 2007 we broke nine different production records: iron ore (296 million metric tons), pellets (17.6 million metric tons), finished nickel (247,900 metric tons), copper (284,200 metric tons), bauxite (9.1 million metric tons), alumina (4.3 million metric tons), aluminum (551,000 metric tons), kaolin (1.3 million metric tons) and cobalt (2.5 thousand metric tons).

Vale has reaffirmed its global leadership as the world's largest producer of iron ore, the second largest of nickel and one of the main producers of kaolin, cobalt, ferroalloys and alumina.

For the seventh year running, Vale led the negotiations for global reference prices for iron ore. In February 2008 prices were settled for iron ore fines, the industry's main product, representing 70% of the volume traded in the seaborne market.

As a result of negotiations with Asian and European customers and reflecting continued global market tightness, new prices were fixed for fines with an increase of 65% over 2007 for the Southern and Southeastern Systems (SSF) iron ore, Fob Tubarao. At the same time, due to its recognized superior quality, it was agreed that the price for Carajas iron ore fines (SFCJ) will have a premium of US$ 0.0619 per dry metric ton Fe unit over the 2008 price for SSF.

Our gross revenue increased by nearly six times between 2003 and 2007, going to US$ 33.1 billion from US$ 5.5 billion. Simultaneously, cash flow, as measured by adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interests, taxes, depreciation, and amortization), grew even faster, to US$ 15.8 billion in 2007 from US$ 2.1 billion in 2003. Our net earnings went up to US$ 11.8 billion in 2007 from US$ 1.5 billion in 2003

Over this five year period we have returned capital to shareholders through dividend distribution to the tune of US$ 5.3 billion. Total shareholder return was 73.7% per year, the highest rate amongst large diversified mining companies. Vale is currently one of the 40 largest companies in the world by market capitalization.

The main highlights of Vale's performance in 2007 were:
-- Record sales of iron ore and pellets (296 million metric tons), copper (300 thousand metric tons), alumina (3.253 million metric tons) and aluminum (562 thousand metric tons).
-- Gross revenue of US$ 33.1 billion, the highest in the history of the Company, 28.8% more than that recorded in 2006.
-- Operational profit, as measured by adjusted EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes), was a record US$ 13.2 billion, that is, 40.9% over 2006.
-- Adjusted EBIT margin of 40.9% against 37.4% in 2006.
-- Record adjusted EBITDA of US$ 15.8 billion compared with US$ 11.4 billion in 2006. If we exclude the extraordinary inventory adjustment, adjusted EBITDA reached US$ 16.8 billion in 2007 as opposed to US$ 12.4 billion in 2006.
-- Record net earnings of US$ 11.8 billion, corresponding to earnings per share, on a fully diluted basis, of US$ 2.42, a 62.9% increase on the US$ 7.3 billion for 2006.
-- Dividend distribution in 2007 was US$ 1.875 billion, with 44.2% growth relative to 2006. Dividend per share in 2007 reached an all-time high of US$ 0.39. Total shareholder return in 2007 was 123.0%.
-- Investment, excluding acquisitions, totaled US$ 7.6 billion, a historical record and the highest in the global mining and metals industry in 2007.
-- Investment in corporate social responsibility was US$ 652 million, of which US$ 401 million was spent on environmental protection and preservation and US$ 251 million on social projects.
-- Rapid deleveraging as total debt/adjusted EBITDA ratio decreased to 1.1x at the end of 2007, from 2.0x as of December 31, 2006.

SOURCE Vale
CONTACT: Roberto Castello Branco,
roberto.castello.branco@vale.com, or
Alessandra Gadelha,
alessandra.gadelha@vale.com, or
Patricia Calazans,
patricia.calazans@vale.com, or
Theo Penedo,
theo.penedo@vale.com, or
Marcus Thieme,
marcus.thieme@vale.com, or
Tacio Neto,
tacio.neto@vale.com ,
all of Vale, +011-55-21-3814-4540
Web site: http://www.vale.com
http://www.cvrd.com.br

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Quintiq heads into second decade with record year growth

'S-Hertogenbosch (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Quintiq, a leading provider of Advanced Planning and Scheduling (APS) and supply chain solutions, today announced record growth figures for 2007, making it a milestone year in the company's 10-year history. The company reported that revenues grew 84 percent compared to 2006, and it holds strong expectations that 2008 will be another year of significant growth.


"With Quintiq marking its 10th anniversary this year, our philosophy of listening carefully to companies' needs and developing market-leading technology and solutions for them is now paying off in terms of a fast-growing, loyal customer base of more than 210 implementations for some 90 brands who rely on the value adding solutions we provide", said Dr. Victor Allis, CEO of Quintiq.

Quintiq has been profitable since 1997, and 2007 was highly successful on every front, including profitability, revenue growth, contracts with new and repeat customers, company expansion, an expanded network of partnerships, and industry recognition. "We look forward to continuing to build our market presence and to working with our partners to bring ever-more value to customers in a wide range of industries", Dr. Allis added.

Growth on a Firm Footing
Expansion of existing projects and the addition of new customers were both responsible for the extraordinary revenue growth Quintiq enjoyed over the past year. New Quintiq customers include TNT Express and DHL Express, for worldwide solutions, ThyssenKrupp Steel (Germany), PSA HNN (Belgium), InBev (Europe-wide), NAVCanada, FirstGroup (covering four British rail companies), Brussels Airport, Brink's (EMEA), Waitrose (UK) and Aluar (Argentina). Additionally, during 2007, Quintiq signed and/or started expanded projects with several existing customers, including Hydro (Germany), SAPA (China) and Alcoa (USA).

Strong Partnerships, More Extensive Resources
Last year, Quintiq was selected as the APS Technology Partner for DHL's Innovation Center and it expanded its work with Capgemini, establishing a new global alliance with the leading implementation company.

In sync with the addition of new customers and anticipated growth through 2008 and beyond, Quintiq last year established new offices in Australia, China, and Finland and opened its second German office, in Munich.

Looking forward to 2008, Quintiq is readying itself for continued growth by moving its headquarters to a new facility in 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands, doubling its available space in May this year.

About Quintiq

Quintiq provides advanced planning, scheduling and supply chain optimization solutions. The fast-growing Dutch company, established in 1997, offers software for planning and optimizing complex business processes throughout the enterprise. The company's headquarters is located in the Netherlands and it has subsidiaries in Germany, UK, Finland, Malaysia, China, Australia, and the USA.
For more information: www.quintiq.com

SOURCE: Quintiq
CONTACT: Martijn van Gils,
Global Marketing Director of Quintiq,
+31(0)73-691-07-39,
martijn.van.gils@quintiq.com
Web site: http://www.quintiq.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

FARO`s new Photon 3-D laser scanner enhances performance

Lake Mary, Florida., (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - FARO Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: FARO) the world leader in portable computer-aided measurement hardware and software, announced the launch of its new family of 3-D Laser Scanners called Photon 80 and Photon 20.


The new Photons, which replace the Company's Laser Scanner LS 880, 840 and 420, offer greater clarity, accuracy and portability.

"The Photon is FARO's sixth new product release in seven months," FARO President and CEO Jay Freeland said. "It represents not only our commitment to this product line and the diverse markets it benefits, but also our dedication to developing innovative 3-D laser scanner technology faster than any other company in the world."

The FARO Photon Laser Scanner is a portable, computerized measurement device that scans, digitally recreates and records all of an object or area's dimensions, creating what looks like a "photograph" on the computer screen - but in 3-D. The captured data can be used to create a digital model for reverse-engineering, quality assurance, inspection, CAD-to-part comparison, factory planning, investigation, and automatic object recognition in modelling.

The new Photon's sleek styling is fortified by technological advancements, including:
-- 300 per cent less noise for greater clarity
-- 200 per cent better positional accuracy
-- Higher sensitivity for better detection of objects that are distant, darker and more oblique
-- Easy high-quality color overlay
-- Increased mirror rotation speed
-- Faster minimal scanning times

Among the new accessories is a high-definition color bracket, as well as a handle for safe and simple portability. When combined with the super-compact Power Base Battery, the Photon offers more than six hours of uninterrupted scanning performance.

"Customers who field tested our new Laser Scanner are excited," said Dr. Bernd-Dietmar Becker, FARO's Director of Laser Scanner Marketing and Product Management.

"The Photon is a breakthrough and offers huge opportunities for markets that require very high fidelity 3-D image capture. This embodies FARO's reputation as the leading provider of high-quality measurement and imaging devices."

The Photon will be beneficial in various industries, including Cultural Preservation, Architecture, Process, Piping and Power Industries, Aerospace, Automotive and Shipbuilding, Automated Quality Assurance Systems, Foundries, Forensic, Tunnel and Mining, as well as Toy Reproduction.

"The Photon's attractive pricing, ease of use and solid customer support make it painless for businesses to adopt this powerful technology," Freeland said.

About FARO

With approximately 16,000 installations and 7,400 customers globally, FARO Technologies, Inc. designs, develops, and markets portable, computerized measurement devices and software used to create digital models - or to perform evaluations against an existing model - for anything requiring highly detailed 3-D measurements, including part and assembly inspection, factory planning and asset documentation, as well as specialized applications ranging from surveying, recreating accident sites and crime scenes to digitally preserving historical sites.

FARO's technology increases productivity by dramatically reducing the amount of on-site measuring time, and the various industry-specific software packages enable users to process and present their results quickly and more effectively.

Principal products include the world's best-selling portable measurement arm - the FaroArm; the world's best-selling laser tracker - the FARO Laser Tracker X and Xi; the FARO Laser ScanArm; FARO Photon Laser Scanners; the FARO Gage, Gage-PLUS and PowerGAGE; and the CAM2 Q family of advanced CAD-based measurement and reporting software. FARO Technologies is ISO-9001 certified and ISO-17025 laboratory registered.

SOURCE: FARO Technologies, Inc.
CONTACT: Darin Sahler, Global PR Manager of FARO Technologies, Inc.,
+1-407-333-9911, sahlerd@FARO.com
Web site: http://www.faro.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Storm Semiconductor and Meshcom announce mesh solution

Mesh Access Point total solution using Storm's Gemini Network Processor and Meshcom's MeshDriver


Mountain View, California and Helsinki, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Meshcom Technologies, a leading provider of mesh technology and Storm Semiconductor, leading manufacturer of high performance Gigabit network processors for wireless networks and network storage applications, today announced a partnership to roll out a total solution for Wi-Fi mesh access point designs.

The solution consists of Storm Semiconductor's Gemini, a powerful dual core network processor, Meshcom's mesh technology and a complete reference design will be available to access point manufacturers in 1H/2008.

Installation, cabling and maintenance costs for network access are expensive in many environments. Meshcom has created a solution, Meshcom MeshDriver, to solve these problems. Meshcom MeshDriver is a layer 2.5 protocol stack with proven features of zero-configuration, self-resilience and an advanced routing algorithm.

Storm Semiconductor's Gemini Dual Core Network Processor is now powered by Meshcom MeshDriver and is capable of supporting mesh networking without adding any additional hardware. Gemini incorporates two powerful ARM9 processors, with a dedicated hardware acceleration module called NetEngine for IPv4/v6 routing and forwarding, Layer 4 to Layer 7 packet inspection, filtering and classification, delivering a Gigabit WAN to LAN routing throughput, and wire-speed QoS performance.

"Wireless mesh networking is a hot topic since it solves many networking issues in a very cost effective manner," said Miska Kaipiainen, CEO & Founder of Meshcom.

"Today, consumers are being surrounded with new gadgets and appliances which all use difficult-to-configure network connections for services. Similarly, operators and WISPs need to offer services to the next billion people who live in rural or difficult-to-network areas. They stumble in creating profitable business since roll-out costs and maintenance for the networks are too high. We are very excited to work together with Storm Semiconductor because now we are able to create a solution that makes configuration trouble-free and allows operators to engage in more profitable business activities."

"Gemini's dual CPU core with multiple Gigabit Ethernet interfaces and segregate PCI-to-CPU architecture makes it a unique and optimal solution for a dual band WiFi mesh network design," said Douglas Cheung, Sr. VP of Marketing and Operations of Storm.

"Combined with the NetEngine, our customers will be able to build a high performance WiFi device that incorporates advanced features such as Network Address Translation, Firewall, and Quality of Service.

Most importantly, for this joint solution, Storm's technology maximizes the potential of Meshcom's software in both performance and cost competitiveness for the whole
eco-system."

About Meshcom Technologies

Meshcom Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of wireless mesh-enabling software for network device and handset vendors, OEMs, systems integrators and service providers. Meshcom's products and enabling technology offer high-performance mesh networking with new levels of mobility, reliability, security in wireless broadband connectivity. Meshcom has offices in Helsinki, Finland and Hong Kong, China. www.meshcom.com

About Storm Semiconductor

Storm Semiconductor, Inc. is a leader in embedded network processing, multimedia content transport, and storage solutions for both enterprise and home networks. Storm delivers easy to use, cost effective broadband communication and network solutions covering NAS, secured VoIP, media server and gateway, dual band WiFi AP, WiFi mesh network, and integrated EPON CPE.

Storm is also an emerging leader of system-on a-chip, gigabit switches and transceivers, and software solutions such as consumer network QoS, and hardware acceleration engine.

For more information please visit www.stormsemi.com For further information, please contact: Jaycee Lui, Sales & Marketing Coordinator Meshcom Technologies Tel: +358-50-4000424 Email: jaycee.lui@meshcom.com George Wang, Marketing Manager Storm Semiconductor, Inc. Tel: +1-650-988-0700 x116 Email: george@stormsemi.com

SOURCE: Meshcom Technologies
CONTACT: Jaycee Lui, Sales & Marketing Coordinator of Meshcom Technologies,
+358 50 4000424, jaycee.lui@meshcom.com;
or George Wang, Marketing Manager of Storm Semiconductor, Inc.,
+1-650-988-0700 x116, george@stormsemi.com
Web site:
http://www.meshcom.com
http://www.stormsemi.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Thomson Scientific to honor Australia`s top researchers

Philadelphia and London, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - During an Event to be Held at the National Press Club on 2 April Thomson Scientific, part of The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC) and leading provider of information solutions to the worldwide research and business communities, today announced it will honor Australia's preeminent researchers at the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday, 2 April, 2008.


"These Global Research Days are hosted by Thomson Scientific to recognize research excellence in countries and regions that have demonstrated they are leading the world through innovation in their respective fields," said Jeroen Prinsen, Australia sales director, Thomson Scientific.

"Thomson is a major supporter of the Australian research community. In 2007, our data shows Australia ranked among the top ten nations for the influence of its scientific papers. That's an incredible achievement."

Thomson will invite the most prominent Australian researchers across disciplines. The Thomson Research Award is presented based on a quantitative selection process which identifies the number of citations that an academic research paper has, thus reflecting its impact and influence on the given subject and importance attributed to it by subsequent research.

Australian Research Day will provide an opportunity for the research community, peak councils, business and industry, and government agencies to discuss moves by the new Government to overhaul innovation and research systems. The morning's agenda is being developed with the participation of key industry specialists and will include a presentation to a number of outstanding Australian researchers based on the quality of their research output.

The session will conclude with a lunch time keynote address from Professor Alan Robson, Chair of the Group of Eight and Vice Chancellor of The University of Western Australia. His talk will focus on Australia's innovation strengths, emphasising the importance of basic research and exploring new options for assessing research quality.

Mr Mark Garlinghouse, Thomson Scientific's vice president of Asia Pacific, said: "We are glad to facilitate an occasion whereby the research community can meet to consider the issues associated with the assessment and measurement of research quality. Our company is part of the research community, and it is important to us that our systems best meet the needs of the Government and the tertiary sector."

Representatives from leading research and policy organizations in Australia will attend this one-of-a-kind event. The Thomson Scientific Research Awards are presented globally, with previous presentations held in Australia, Brazil, China, Denmark, India, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, Japan and China.

About The Thomson Corporation

The Thomson Corporation (www.thomson.com) is a global leader in providing essential electronic workflow solutions to business and professional customers. With operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications to professionals in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial services, scientific research and healthcare. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC).

Thomson Scientific is a business of The Thomson Corporation. Its information solutions assist professionals at every stage of research and development-from discovery to analysis to product development and distribution.

Thomson Scientific information solutions can be found at scientific.thomson.com.

SOURCE: Thomson Scientific
CONTACT: Susan Besaw PR Manager of Thomson Scientific
+1-215-823-1840 susan.besaw@thomson.com Jeroen Prinsen Director
Australia Sales of Thomson Scientific +61 285877948
jeroen.prinsen@thomson.com
Web site:
http://www.scientific.thomson.com
http://www.thomson.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

EquiLend trading service Trade2O gains momentum

New York, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - EquiLend announced its newest trading service, Trade2O, is gaining significant momentum in US and Japanese markets. Many of EquiLend's 47 client institutions now use Trade2O for their daily borrowing and lending needs, instead of using the telephone or other manual methods.

Trade2O provides a simple and fast way for traders to negotiate and agree trade terms for global Equities and Fixed Income securities, and to process them straight through to a proprietary system.

"Trade2O is a new tool that is helping Northern Trust achieve its strategic goals of trade automation and efficiency. It is quickly becoming an integral part of our trading technology, allowing us to automate manual activities and leverage our existing straight-through processing capabilities," says Jeff Benner, Head of North American Trading of The Northern Trust Company.

"We are excited to give the market what it wants with Trade2O. We are committed to making Trade2O a mission critical part of a trader's day and intend to release additional trading screens in early April in response to client demand," states Brian P. Lamb, CEO, EquiLend.

About EquiLend

EquiLend is a leading provider of brokerage solutions for the securities finance industry. EquiLend revolutionizes straight-through processing by using a common standards-based protocol and infrastructure, which automates formerly manual business processes.

Used by borrowers and lenders throughout the world, the EquiLend platform creates efficiency and provides access to additional liquidity. EquiLend's end-to-end solutions, which reduce the risk of potential errors and eliminate the need to maintain costly point-to-point connections, include Availability, AutoBorrow, Trade2O, EquiLend AuctionPort(SM), Contract Comparison, Mark-to-Market Comparison, Returns, Recalls, Billing Comparison and Delivery, Dividend Claims Comparison, and Agent Lender Disclosure (ALD).

www.equilend.com
SOURCE: EquiLend
CONTACT: Michelle Lindenberger of EquiLend, +1-212-901-2224, or
michelle.lindenberger@equilend.com
Web site: http://www.equilend.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

DotAsia to launch .Asia Landrush cyber real estate auction

Hong Kong, (ANTARA News/Xinhua-PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - DotAsia Organisation is happy to announce the successful launch of the ".Asia" Landrush period.

A total of 266,663 applications were received by the registry within the first 24 hours, demonstrating great interest around the world to stake claims in the most prestigious cyber real estate in Asia.

Including Pre-Sunrise, Sunrise, Pioneer programs and the first day of Landrush, the total number of domain applications to date is 298,861.

".Asia" Landrush opened Feb 20 and will close on March 12, 2008.

Unlike conventional first-come-first-served processes, DotAsia utilizes a model that treats all applications received equally no matter if it was submitted within the first second or on the last day of the Landrush period.

For domains receiving two or more applications, an auction will be held between the applicants.

Domains with only one application are allocated directly without auction.

You must apply during the Landrush period (Feb 20 - Mar 12, 2008) in order to be eligible to participate in the domain auctions.

"We are very excited about the smooth launch. The volume of interest demonstrates strong demand for ".Asia". Unlike conventional chaotic rushes where the best names are snatched in the opening seconds, you still have 20 days to submit your application without losing out," says Edmon Chung, CEO of DotAsia.

"We are also excited to see strong participation from Asia, with 5 out of the top 10 registrars coming from Asia."

Over 35% of the Landrush applications received came from Asia, with 40% from North America and 24% from Europe. A total of about 28,000 domain names received more than one application. The top 10 registrars in the first day, in order, are: Dotalliance Inc. (http://www.dotalliance.asia), EuroDNS (http://www.asiadns.asia), Communigal Communications Ltd., GoDaddy.com, Gabia, HiChina Web Solutions, Key-Systems (http:// www.domaindiscount24.asia), NamesBeyond.com, DomainPeople Inc. (http://www.domainpeople.asia), eName Corp..

About DotAsia Organisation:

DotAsia Organisation is the Sponsoring Organisation and Registry Operator for the ".Asia" Sponsored Generic Top Level Domain.

DotAsia is a not-for-profit, community-based organisation incorporated in Hong Kong. Asia has developed into a global force in the international commercial, political and cultural network.

The ".Asia" domain aspires to embrace this dynamism in the Asia Century to become a nucleus, intersection and breeding ground for Internet activity and development in the region. To learn more about DotAsia, please visit: http://www.registry.asia.

Media Enquiries:
Pavan Budhrani
Tel: +852-3741-0015
Email: pavan@registry.asia
SOURCE: DotAsia Organisation

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Australian interactive ad revenues to reach US$2.9 bln by 2012

Princeton, N.J., (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - The global advertising market grew to just over US$600 billion in 2007, according to The Kelsey Group, the leading provider of research, data and strategic analysis on directional and interactive local media.


The firm expects global ad revenues to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.7 per cent and reach US$707 billion in 2012, propelled in large part by considerable growth in the interactive segment.

According to "The Kelsey Group's Annual Forecast (2007-2012): Outlook for Directional and Interactive Advertising," interactive advertising revenues will increase significantly from US$45 billion in 2007 to US$147 billion globally in 2012, representing a 23.4 per cent CAGR.

In Australia, interactive advertising revenues will grow from US$1.2 billion in 2007 to US$2.9 billion in 2012 (20.5 per cent CAGR).

"It's no surprise that the global advertising industry is experiencing a full-scale shift to mixed-media platforms, with interactive driving a significant share of overall industry growth," said Matt Booth, senior vice president, Interactive Local Media, The Kelsey Group.

"We see Internet development - including increased subscriber/user access and broadband penetration - as a driver of both interactive advertising revenue as well as migration of traditional ad spending to new media platforms."

Interactive advertising, which comprises search (including local search), display advertising, classifieds and other interactive ad products, grew its share of global advertising revenues from 6.1 per cent in 2006 to 7.4 per cent in 2007. By 2012, Kelsey Group analysts expect the interactive share of global ad spending will reach 21 per cent.

The Kelsey Group forecasts directional advertising, which comprises local search, print Yellow Pages and Internet Yellow Pages (IYP), will grow from US$33.3 billion in 2007 to US$41.4 billion globally in 2012 (4.5 per cent CAGR).

In Australia, directional advertising revenues will grow from US$1.3 billion in 2007 to US$1.8 billion in 2012 (6.7 per cent CAGR).

About The Kelsey Group's Annual Forecast

The Kelsey Group has published a five-year forecast covering the broadly defined directional and Internet media market annually since 2003.

The firm draws from its proprietary data, primarily the Local Commerce Monitor, User View and Global View studies, as well as from company, industry and country information in the public domain. Further, Kelsey Group analysts engage clients and non-clients in numerous discussions about the direction and pace of development in the local media marketplace.

The Kelsey Group's Annual Forecast is available to clients of the firm's continuous advisory services. This forecast does not include mobile ad platforms. The Kelsey Group's mobile forecast, released in September 2007, will be updated later in 2008. Visit http://www.kelseygroup.com for more information.

About The Kelsey Group

The Kelsey Group is the leading provider of research, data and strategic analysis on directories, small-business advertising, online local media, vertical market advertising and mobile advertising.

Founded in 1986, the company has built a reputation as the premier analyst firm covering the directory publishing community and the emerging local search marketplace, providing advisory services (The Kelsey Report(R), Interactive Local Media and Marketplaces), publishing (Global Yellow Pages(TM)), consulting (more than 400 individual assignments) and conferences (71 events).

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Charles Laughlin
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=47514
Matthew Booth
https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=48602

SOURCE: The Kelsey Group
CONTACT: Eileen Pacheco of The Kelsey Group,
+1-781-556-1026,
eileen@tango-group.com
Web site: http://www.kelseygroup.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Fonterra engages recruitment process outsourcing leader

Wellington and Singapore, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Futurestep, the outsourced recruiting subsidiary of Korn Ferry International (NYSE: KFY), today announced that it has been engaged by Fonterra, the world's largest dairy exporter and New Zealand's largest employer, to provide RPO services for its operations in the Australasia region.

The RPO effort marks the continuation of a long-standing relationship with Futurestep and Fonterra, and highlights Fonterra's commitment to approaching talent as a strategic priority to stay at the forefront of its industry. With nearly 17,000 employees and global operations, Fonterra is New Zealand's largest company and one of the top dairy companies in the world.

In the engagement, Futurestep will provide strategic sourcing for permanent and fixed-term staff in Australia and New Zealand. Services cover all critical elements of Fonterra's recruiting effort, including: internal candidate management, vendor management, graduate recruitment and international recruitment, as well as management of its recruiting technology.

"The ability to identify, attract and retain the right talent is essential in today's global marketplace," said Mr. Robert McNabb, chief executive officer, Futurestep.

"As a leader in its industry, Fonterra understands the importance of talent and of having an effective recruiting capability. Futurestep is a perfect fit for meeting Fonterra's needs. We're delivering an RPO service that is innovative, scalable and cost-effective, but most importantly, we're giving Fonterra the edge it needs to compete for talent and win."

"Getting smart about how we find candidates in a much more targeted and proactive way is one of the key outcomes we expect from this new model. We have the confidence in Futurestep to deliver," said Ms. Heather Kean, general manager, Talent & Engagement, Fonterra.

About Korn/Ferry International

Korn/Ferry International, with more than 80 offices in 39 countries, is a premier global provider of talent management solutions.

Based in Los Angeles, the firm delivers an array of solutions that help clients to identify, deploy, develop, retain and reward their talent. For more information on the Korn/Ferry International family of companies, visit http://www.kornferry.com

About Futurestep

Founded in 1998, Futurestep serves as Korn/Ferry International's outsourced recruiting subsidiary, focusing on the creation of successful recruitment solutions based on clients' individual workforce needs.

Futurestep has locations in 17 countries across North America, Asia Pacific and Europe. In addition to recruitment process outsourcing, the company's portfolio of services includes project-based recruitment, interim solutions and mid-level recruitment. For more information, visit http://www.futurestep.com

SOURCE: Futurestep
CONTACT: Kelly Cartwright of Futurestep,
+1-877-639-6262,
kelly.cartwright@futurestep.com; or
Marta Grutka of Korn-Ferry,
(65) 6231-6215,
marta.grutka@kornferry.com
Web site: http://www.futurestep.com
http://www.kornferry.com
(KFY)

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Japanese interactive ad revenue set to reach US$7.6 bln by 2012

Princeton, N.J., (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - The global advertising market grew to just over US$600 billion in 2007, according to The Kelsey Group, the leading provider of research, data and strategic analysis on directional and interactive local media.


The firm expects global ad revenues to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.7 per cent and reach US$707 billion in 2012, propelled in large part by considerable growth in the interactive segment.

According to "The Kelsey Group's Annual Forecast (2007-2012): Outlook for Directional and Interactive Advertising," interactive advertising revenues will increase significantly from US$45 billion in 2007 to US$147 billion globally in 2012, representing a 23.4 per cent CAGR.

In Japan, interactive advertising revenues will grow from US$4.2 billion in 2007 to US$7.6 billion in 2012 (12.6 per cent CAGR).

"It's no surprise that the global advertising industry is experiencing a full-scale shift to mixed-media platforms, with interactive driving a significant share of overall industry growth," said Matt Booth, senior vice president, Interactive Local Media, The Kelsey Group.

"We see Internet development-including increased subscriber user access and broadband penetration-as a driver of both interactive advertising revenue as well as migration of traditional ad spending to new media platforms."

Interactive advertising, which comprises search (including local search), display advertising, classifieds and other interactive ad products, grew its share of global advertising revenues from 6.1 per cent in 2006 to 7.4 per cent in 2007. By 2012, Kelsey Group analysts expect the interactive share of global ad spending will reach 21 per cent.

The Kelsey Group forecasts directional advertising, which comprises local search, print Yellow Pages and Internet Yellow Pages (IYP), to grow from US$33.3 billion in 2007 to US$41.4 billion globally in 2012 (4.5 per cent CAGR). In Japan, directional advertising revenues will grow from US$1.1 billion in 2007 to US$1.2 billion in 2012 (1.8 per cent CAGR).

About The Kelsey Group's Annual Forecast

The Kelsey Group has published a five-year forecast covering the broadly defined directional and Internet media market annually since 2003.

The firm draws from its proprietary data, primarily the Local Commerce Monitor, User View and Global View studies, as well as from company, industry and country information in the public domain.

Further, Kelsey Group analysts engage clients and non-clients in numerous discussions about the direction and pace of development in the local media marketplace. The Kelsey Group's Annual Forecast is available to clients of the firm's continuous advisory services. Visit http://www.kelseygroup.com for more information.

About The Kelsey Group

The Kelsey Group is the leading provider of research, data and strategic analysis on directories, small-business advertising, online local media, vertical market advertising and mobile advertising.

Founded in 1986, the company has built a reputation as the premier analyst firm covering the directory publishing community and the emerging local search marketplace, providing advisory services (The Kelsey Report(R), Interactive Local Media and Marketplaces), publishing (Global Yellow Pages(TM)), consulting (more than 400 individual assignments) and conferences (71 events).

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

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SOURCE: The Kelsey Group
CONTACT: Eileen Pacheco for The Kelsey Group,
+1-781-556-1026,
eileen@tango-group.com
Web site: http://www.kelseygroup.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Over 30 airlines to attend UATP 2008 conference

Washington, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - UATP and Airline Business magazine present Airline Distribution 2008, a global conference focusing on distribution and issues facing the airline industry today; 22-24 April, Kuala Lumpur, the Mandarin Oriental.


Airline Business Editor Mark Pilling will present opening remarks and moderate the lead Executive panel with senior commercial executives from network carriers and industry analysts. The panel will focus on managing distribution costs as the rules of the game change rapidly in the way that tickets are sold as well as the debate of profitability on short-haul routes and future initiatives.

JUST ANNOUNCED: keynote address by Idris Jala, Managing Director/CEO, Malaysia Airlines. Transforming an airline from near bankruptcy to profitability in less than 18 months, Jala will address the successful turn-around strategies and discuss future strategies for the continued growth success of Malaysia Airlines. Jala will join Asia-Pacific Airline Business Editor, Nicholas Ionides, for a Q&A session with the audience; and Cam Wallace, General Manager for New Zealand and Pacific Sales, Air New Zealand. Wallace will discuss Air New Zealand's distribution strategies and the future of Air New Zealand. Airline Business Editor Mark Pilling will join Wallace for a Q&A session with the audience. Don't miss your chance to quiz these industry leaders!

Other speakers include industry experts from Association of Asia Pacific Airlines, Amadeus, Zuji, Edgar Dunn & Company, Abacus, BilltoBill, UATP, Travel Technology Research Limited and more!

Register now for the UATP-Airline Business: Airline Distribution 2008 Conference, Kuala Lumpur at the incomparable Mandarin Oriental.

Online registration is at http:/www.uatp.com/distribution2008

Listen to the industry's leading experts speak out on business critical topics during sessions that will address:
1. Executive Session -- The Asian Outlook
2. The Distribution Debate -- what major factors must be considered within the distribution chain?
3. The LCC Model -- Expanding Choices and Offerings
4. The Payment Debate -- credit card costs are now the largest distribution expense for airlines; what is being done to change this?
5. Corporate Buyers -- Give Me What I Want -- Is it Managed Travel?
6. Ancillary Revenue -- The New Model?

Join your colleagues for this executive-level distribution forum and networking event.

For complete details, an up-to-date agenda and a chance to "meet our speakers and sponsors" visit www.uatp.com distribution2008 Contact marketing@uatp.com with any questions.

Press contact:
Wendy L. Ward
+1 202-626-4077
wward@uatp.com

SOURCE: UATP
CONTACT: Wendy L. Ward of UATP,
+1-202-626-4077,
wward@uatp.com
Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20040318UATPLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
PRN Photo Desk:
photodesk@prnewswire.com
Web site: http://www.uatp.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008

Thursday, February 28, 2008

Tejari, Coface Egypt join forces to boost trade for Egypt`s agrifood industry

Cairo (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Tejari, the leading online B2B marketplace for global emerging markets, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Coface Egypt, the newest company of the French multinational group and its division Kompass Egypt the leading global B2B search engine, to develop an online transaction platform for Egypt's agrifood industry.

The agrifood business channel will be a sector specific community portal providing the much needed 'supply chain' connection between Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and buyers across the world. Designed as a 'one-stop-shop' for the Agrifood industry, which includes all business across Egypt's agricultural food supply chain, the online portal will facilitate an affordable and innovative trading platform, opening trade barriers for a vast range of business operating in the region.

"The agrifood industry is central to the Egyptian economy, representing more than 50% of the country's annual trading income with total trade equal to $1.514 billion. Our partnership signifies a significant step in boosting trade for this industry in Egypt with this new, powerful transaction platform providing agrifood buyers with direct access to sellers across global emerging markets. Egypt's agrifood sellers will also benefit from being able to tap into the largest online buyer network in the Middle East," said Omar Hijazi, Tejari CEO.

"We anticipate that this innovative marketplace will attract up to one hundred and fifty thousand entities operating within the agrifood industry throughout Egypt. Tejari looks forward to building a successful trading community portal for Agrifood with Coface Egypt, which will significantly boost trade for the industry, as well as enhance the global e-readiness ranking of Egypt as a whole," Hijazi added.

In addition to providing direct contact to global buyers via the online transactional platform, members of this exclusive community will have access to a comprehensive database of Agrifood supply chain operators, a knowledge centre providing direct links to all relevant Agrifood knowledge, news and information required for SMEs operating within the agrifood sector.

Mrs. J. Dorra Fiani, Coface Egypt CEO said: "We are aiming to facilitate more trade and develop the Agrifood industry in Egypt by using new technology. Agrifood is the fastest growing segment and the main export resource of Egypt but has so far lagged behind in its use of the country's rising internet capability."

Agrifood members will also be able to participate in Tejari's e-readiness training programs enabling them to receive certification and the e-Ready(TM) mark, demonstrating that the company and individuals have been trained and certified by Tejari, to conduct business transactions online.

Tejari, the leading online B2B marketplace for emerging markets and launched by the Government of Dubai, is a perfect example of the innovative spirit of Dubai. The company is one of the most successful units of Dubai World, a holding company that is responsible for much of the emirate's phenomenal economic growth.

Coface Egypt is operated by Kompass International, the world leading B2B network, now controlled by Coface Group. The company founded by Mrs. J. Dorra Fiani under the name of Fiani & Partners Kompass Egypt, was pioneered in 1986 in the area of business and financial information and services, establishing a leadership position in the Egyptian market together with several programs in the region, which will now be expanded by Coface Egypt under her management. Coface Egypt programmes in 2008/2009 are; worldwide credit information and rating online and offline, Middle East regional production business and credit information platform and Middle East regional production receivables management platform.

This powerful combination will have a direct and lasting impact on the economic development of the agrifood industry, the SME's who make up the bulk of businesses, as well as on the Egyptian economy as whole.

About Tejari

Tejari is one of the leading B2B online marketplaces in the emerging markets. Tejari enables buyers and sellers to transact and share information about a variety of goods and services via a secured Internet environment. Tejari provides a single point of contact for an open and growing community of buyers and suppliers, permitting spot-purchasing and on-line auctions that enable participants' real-time access to new markets and greater cost savings. Visit Tejari at http://www.tejari.com

For further information, please contact:
Howaida Rabee
Events Manager
Tel: +971-4-391-3777
e-mail: Howaida.Rabee@tejari.com
Hill and Knowlton
Rania Helmy
Account Manager
Tel: +971-4-3344930
Email: rania.helmy@hillandknowlton.com
SOURCE: Tejari
CONTACT: Howaida Rabee,
Events Manager of Tejari,
+971-4-391-3777,
Howaida.Rabee@tejari.com;
Rania Helmy,
Account Manager of Hill and Knowlton,
+971-4-3344930,
rania.helmy@hillandknowlton.com,
for Tejari
PRN Photo Desk:
photodesk@prnewswire.com
Web site: http://www.tejari.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Dunn & Company appoints new director in AP office

Sydney, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) -- Edgar, Dunn & Company (EDC), a leading independent global financial services and payments consultancy, announced today that David Dee has been promoted to Director. Mr. Dee serves EDC's Asia Pacific clients from its Sydney office.

Mr. Dee is an expert in the Asia Pacific arena of retail banking and payments with a focus on data driven marketing strategies and profitability analysis that leverages transaction and consumer behavioural data. He spearheads EDC's Slice & Dice analytical approach to help clients realize benefits from pooling relevant transaction and operational data and transforming it into actionable information.

"David has an impressive track record leading successful payments marketing strategies and customer data analysis programs throughout the Asia Pacific region", said David A. Poe, CEO of Edgar, Dunn & Company. "His contribution to innovation in marketing and data analysis reinforces EDC's commitment to providing clients borderless consulting capabilities that deliver actionable strategies and measurable results."

Mr. Dee holds more than 20 years management and consulting experience in the finance, manufacturing, and communications industries, gained in Europe, Asia and Australasia. Prior to joining EDC in 2006, Mr. Dee was a partner with The Initiatives Group, a business strategy consultancy, and Asia Pacific consulting practice lead for the WPP Group, the world's largest Marketing Services organisation. Mr. Dee's client experience spans 11 countries in the Asia Pacific Region including Thailand with more than 20 major financial institutions and a variety of major telecommunications and industrial concerns.

David holds an MA from Oxford University and an MBA from London Business School.

About Edgar, Dunn & Company

Edgar, Dunn & Company (EDC) is an independent global financial services and payments consultancy. Founded in 1978, the firm is widely regarded as a trusted advisor in the payments industry providing a full range of strategy consulting services, expertise and market insight through in-depth industry and consumer benchmarking. Global capabilities include strategy, risk management, marketing, profitability improvement, operations, and new products and technologies.

EDC's offices are located in Atlanta, Frankfurt, London, San Francisco, Singapore and Sydney and serves clients in over 30 countries on six continents. More information can be found at http://www.edgardunn.com

SOURCE Edgar, Dunn & Company
CONTACT: Lance Blockley, Sydney office of Edgar, Dunn & Company, +61-2-9279-2442; or Dianne Douglas of Douglas Communications, +1-415-584-4906, dianne@douglaspr.com, for Edgar, Dunn & Company

Web site: http://www.edgardunn.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Pacnet expands subsea cable network with EAC Pacific

Its latest investment into the new cable infrastructure is part of the US$300 million Unity cable system that will address growing Trans-Pacific bandwidth demand


Hong Kong, (ANTARA News/Xinhua-PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Pacnet today announced its latest investment into expanding its subsea cable network with the launch of its first Trans-Pacific cable infrastructure, EAC Pacific.

EAC Pacific will enhance connectivity and reliability of Pacnet's existing pan-Asia EAC-C2C subsea cable network by providing up to 1.92 Tbps of bandwidth across the Pacific.

"While intra-Asia bandwidth demands are being met by regional cable systems such as Pacnet's EAC-C2C cable network, Unity will allow us to meet the increasing demand for Trans-Pacific bandwidth as more digital content is generated from within Asia and accessed from across the Pacific," said Bill Barney, CEO of Pacnet.

EAC Pacific is part of the 10,000km Unity cable system that is being built by a global consortium which includes five other global companies and is expected to cost about US$300 million.

Pacnet is the single largest investor in Unity and will control two of the five fiber pairs in Unity. Each of the fiber pairs of the Unity cable system are capable of carrying up to 960 Gbps, and the cable system can scale up to eight fiber pairs. Initial capacity from Unity is expected by the first quarter of 2010.

Through Unity, Pacnet and its consortium partners have led the way for a new operating model for future submarine cable systems.

By coming together to build a cable with a high fiber count, consortium members can benefit from a high bandwidth cable that comes at lower unit costs. Additionally, unlike traditional consortium-built cables, the new cable operating model allows consortium members like Pacnet to operate fiber pairs in the new cable independently.

Unity, which will land in Los Angeles, California (USA), will connect directly to Chikura, Japan, where it will be seamlessly connected to Pacnet's EAC-C2C network. This will enhance the reliability and resiliency of Pacnet's cable network by offering additional capacity and route diversity.

"Pacnet first unveiled our Trans-Pacific cable strategy in 2007. Having secured the funding for our network expansion, we will continue to look for network expansion opportunities across the Pacific" said Mr Barney.

About Pacnet

Pacnet, a leading telecom services provider, was born from the operational merger of Asia Netcom and Pacific Internet. Pacnet owns and operates EAC-C2C, Asia's largest privately-owned submarine cable network at 36,800 km with design capacity of 10.24 Tbps. Offering a comprehensive portfolio of industry leading IP-based solutions, Pacnet serves the carriers market as well as large enterprises and SMEs. Pacnet is headquartered in Hong Kong and Singapore with offices in all key markets in Asia and worldwide.

For more information, please visit: http://www.pacnet.com

About Unity

Unity is an international consortium that is developing a 10,000 km undersea cable system connecting Japan and the United States. The system will provide much needed capacity to sustain the increased growth in data and Internet traffic between Asia and the United States. Members of the consortium include Bharti Airtel, Global Transit Ltd., Google, KDDI, Pacnet and SingTel. NEC and Tyco Telecommunications are the suppliers for the Unity project, which is scheduled to go live in the first quarter of 2010.

For more information, contact:
Lorain Wong
Roland Lim
Pacnet
Pacnet
Tel: +852 2121 2973
Tel: +852-2121-2975
Email: lorain.wong@pacnet.com
Email: roland.lim@pacnet.com
SOURCE Pacnet

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

University of Adelaide gains nearly 100 % network visibility

Complete Visibility from StealthWatch Improves Network Availability and Security


Atlanta, GA. (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Lancope(R), Inc., the provider of the StealthWatch(TM) System, the most widely used network behavior analysis (NBA) and response solution, today announced that the University of Adelaide is using StealthWatch to gain 100 percent insight into routed network traffic in order to identify anomalies such as worms and interface congestion.

The University network is comprised of approximately 1,000 infrastructure devices with nearly 10,000 hosts active on the network at any given time. The StealthWatch System analyzes NetFlow traffic information from the University's 25 Cisco routers to provide a detailed view of activity. With StealthWatch, the University is able to quickly and easily investigate potential issues related to security, network operations and applications.

"A NetFlow analysis tool of some sort is a 'must have' for any network and security operations team, and StealthWatch is the product to consider if you demand the best technology available," said Lindsay Whitbread, network operation and information security team leader for the University of Adelaide. "Like using a mobile phone, once you've seen StealthWatch in action, you'll wonder how you possibly lived without it."

Currently, the University is relying on StealthWatch in the following capacities:
-- Information Security - The University's information security specialists use StealthWatch to detect network traffic anomalies and/or intrusion attempts. StealthWatch has enabled security staff to block hosts scanning the University network for vulnerabilities- preventing security breaches before damage can occur.
-- Network Operations - Through NetFlow collection and SNMP polling, StealthWatch provides a single view of every network port on critical devices. The University's network operations staff can detect interface congestion immediately and easily
investigate the root causes behind network events.
-- Application Administration - StealthWatch helps the University's application administrators quickly investigate the network connections associated with a server, which is performing unexpectedly. Via StealthWatch, administrators use NetFlow data to fully understand the network behavior of a server before, during and after an incident.

"Before StealthWatch, we invested significant time and resources developing scripts to create NetFlow reports and to identify important network events," said Whitbread. "Only one staff member could drive the system, which often meant missing important network incidents until some time after an event occurred. With StealthWatch in place, several people can effectively analyze NetFlow information in real time without requiring specialized training."

The University imports Cisco PIX firewall logs into the StealthWatch Management Console to give operations staff additional network behavior data. It also uses the StealthWatch IDentity-1000 (ID-1000) appliance to associate users with corresponding IP addresses to help network operations staff quickly identify individuals responsible for suspect network activity.

"StealthWatch has dramatically increased our network visibility," said Whitbread. "We've gone from analyzing 10 percent of network connections to 95 percent or higher. Tasks which we used to avoid because of the effort required, are now performed quickly and efficiently using StealthWatch."

User interface was a key consideration in the University's search for an NBA solution. "The tabbed layout in the StealthWatch GUI gives us an intuitive way to run several reports in parallel, so we can quickly and easily verify all aspects of a network incident, including the behavior of key hosts, historical incidents of a similar nature and other trends," said Whitbread. "The StealthWatch GUI will always be a clear advantage over the competition."

"The University of Adelaide already recognized the value ofNetFlow data for improving security, network and application performance," said David Schwickerath, VP International Field Operations for Lancope. "As a sophisticated user, the University has harnessed the power of the StealthWatch System to achieve real bottom-line benefits like decreased user downtime, better data security and greater IT staff
efficiency."

About Lancope

Lancope(R), Inc. is the provider of the StealthWatch(TM) System, the most widely used network behavior analysis (NBA)and response solution that unifies behavior-based anomaly detection and network optimization capabilities to protect critical information assets and ensure network performance by preventing costly downtime, repair and loss of reputation.

StealthWatch streamlines security and network operations into one process, reduces time and resources, and eliminates the costs and complexity associated with non-integrated point products. Both OPSEC and Common Criteria-certified, StealthWatch received the 2008 and 2007 Global Excellence Award in NBA and was named Best of Show at Interop2006.

Defending the networks of Global 2000 organizations, academic institutions and government entities, StealthWatch protects hundreds of enterprise customers worldwide, more than all direct competitors combined. A contributing member of the Trusted Computing Group, Lancope also partners with fellow best-of-breed solution providers through its Technology Alliance Program, which includes Cisco Systems, Foundry Networks, IBM Tivoli, Check Point, TippingPoint, ArcSight andA10 Networks. Lancope is a privately held, venture-backed company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
For more information, call 888-419-1462 or visit www.lancope.com

(C) 2008 Lancope, Inc. All rights reserved. Lancope(R), StealthWatch(TM) and other trademarks are registered or unregistered trademarks of Lancope, Inc. All other trademarks are properties of their respective owners. StealthWatch is covered by U.S. Patent Nos. 7,290,283 and 7,185,368 and other U.S. and foreign patents pending.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

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http://profnet.prnewswire.com/SubscriberExpertProfile.aspx?ei=63045

Jason Anderson
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David Salter
http://profnet.prnewswire.com/SubscriberExpertProfile.aspx?ei=68345

SOURCE: Lancope, Inc.
CONTACT: Jody Ma Kissling of Lancope, Inc.,
+1-770-225-6513,
jma@lancope.com; or
Michelle Schafer of Merritt Group for Lancope,
+1-703-390-1525,
+1-703-403-6377(cell),
schafer@merrittgrp.com
Web site: http://www.lancope.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Vale settles 2008 benchmark iron ore fines prices with China Steel Corp

Rio De Janeiro (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (Vale), the world's largest iron ore producer, concluded the iron ore fines price negotiations for 2008 with China Steel Corporation, the largest Taiwanese steelmaker.

As an outcome of these negotiations, the iron ore prices for Southern System fines (SSF), FOB Tubarao, increased by 65% relatively to 2007. At the same time, due to its recognized superior quality, it was agreed that the price for Carajas iron ore fines (SFCJ) will have a premium of US$ 0.0619 per dry metric ton Fe unit over the 2008 price for SSF.

Therefore, the new reference prices per dry metric ton Fe unit for 2008 are US$ 1.1898 for SSF and US$ 1.2517 for SFCJ.

The magnitude of the price increase for 2008 reflects the continuity of very tight conditions still prevailing in the global iron ore market.

The iron ore price settlement with large high-quality companies and traditional customers such as China Steel Corporation is an evidence of our commitment to the benchmark pricing system, respecting the weight of the long-term relationship and trust involved in these negotiations.

Vale reinforces its commitment with customers, investing a substantial amount of resources in increasing production capacity. Despite the sharp rise of investment and operational costs, the Company has managed to expand iron ore production at an average annual rate of 14.1%, between 2001 and 2007.

Currently, we are developing projects to add new capacity of high quality iron ore to meet our client needs, aiming to reach a production capacity of 450 million metric tons per year by the end of 2012, which will require substantial investment in new mines and the enlargement of our railroad and port infrastructure.

SOURCE: Vale
CONTACT: Roberto Castello Branco,
roberto.castello.branco@vale.com, or
Alessandra Gadelha,
alessandra.gadelha@vale.com, or
Patricia Calazans,
patricia.calazans@vale.com, or
Theo Penedo,
theo.penedo@vale.com, or
Marcus Thieme,
marcus.thieme@vale.com, or
Tacio Neto,
tacio.neto@vale.com,
all of Vale,
+55-21-3814-4540
Web site: http://www.vale.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

ORC Worldwide opens Middle East office in Dubai

New York (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Keeping pace with the global business boom in the Middle East, ORC Worldwide(R), a human resource management consulting company headquartered in New York, has opened its first Middle East branch to customers in the Gulf.

"Dubai is in the midst of major growth and to be here at the center of that activity is very important to any business," said John Macdonald, Managing Director of the Middle East for ORC. "ORC has been serving this region for years, but our relationships will now flourish with more direct contact."

As western-based corporations expand globally, Dubai has become a popular destination for many reasons. Operating conditions are among the most favorable in the Middle East, its economy is strong, and it has a well- developed commercial infrastructure. And as the economic climate becomes more sophisticated, experts believe there is a need for advancements in human resource and compensation programs follows.

"This is a considerable opportunity for ORC to offer its knowledge and experience of compensation, reward, talent management and other human resource services to companies expanding their operations in the UAE and for local companies who need to develop their HR practices," said Siobhan Cummins, Managing Director of ORC's Worldwide EMEA.

In fact, ORC has already expanded its staff to respond to the requests from companies seeking assistance in obtaining salary-market data, designing compensation structures and training their employees on how to manage compensation and reward.

"There is a need for specialist consulting firms in this region. ORC is well-placed to help local companies to thrive and build their own capacity," Macdonald said.

ORC Worldwide provides human resource management consulting and data services to large and mid-sized organizations around the globe. For more than 20 years, ORC has surveyed members of its Senior Human Resource Officers' Networks. Headquartered in New York City, ORC Worldwide has offices in Chicago, Dallas, Dubai, London, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Munich, Paris, Sacramento, San Francisco, Singapore, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington, D.C. and Wellington
For more information, please visit www.orcworldwide.com.

SOURCE: ORC Worldwide
CONTACT: John Yocca of Stern + Associates,
+1-908-276-4344 x 214,
john@sternassociates.com, for ORC Worldwide
Web site: http://www.orcworldwide.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Monday, February 25, 2008

First Reserve Corporation to acquire CHC Helicopter Corporation

Partnership to Help Strengthen CHC's Growth Mission as Largest Helicopter Services Company


Greenwich, Conn., Houston, London and Vancouver, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - CHC Helicopter Corporation ("CHC")(NYSE: FLI; TSX: FLY.A and FLY.B), the world's largest provider of helicopter services to the global offshore oil and gas industry, and First Reserve Corporation, the leading private equity firm that specializes in the energy industry, today announced that a fund managed by First Reserve has entered into an agreement to acquire CHC.

CHC and First Reserve believe that the all-cash transaction, which values the company at an adjusted enterprise value of Canadian $3.7 billion, is the largest-ever buyout in the oilfield services industry.

CHC's Chairman of the Board, Mark Dobbin commented, "I'm glad to see that First Reserve recognized the value that was created in CHC over the years, and was able to translate that value into a fair offer for all shareholders. I'm also very pleased to see that First Reserve will carry on CHC's legacy of entrepreneurship, as it builds upon CHC's position as a world class helicopter company."

"This partnership will help us realize our growth potential," said Sylvain Allard, President and Chief Executive Officer of CHC. "First Reserve is an investment company with deep knowledge of the energy industry and views CHC as a great investment platform. First Reserve has strong conviction in the merits of the strategy that has led to CHC's success and will work in partnership with us to continue to execute that same plan and achieve our long-term objectives."

Added Mark McComiskey, Managing Director of First Reserve Corporation, "CHC is an extraordinary company. The European and global leader in oil and gas and search and rescue helicopter services, with the world's largest independent helicopter support business, CHC has a worldwide footprint, the best safety record in the industry and a dynamic management team executing an exciting growth strategy."

Under the terms of the transaction, an affiliate of the First Reserve fund will acquire all outstanding Class A Subordinate Voting Shares and all of the outstanding Class B Multiple Voting Shares of CHC for Canadian $32.68 per Class A Share and Class B Share for an aggregate consideration of approximately Canadian $1.5 billion. Following completion of the transaction CHC's Class A shares and Class B shares will be de-listed and no longer traded publicly. CHC's headquarters will remain in Vancouver, Canada.

The board of directors of CHC has unanimously approved the entry by CHC into the agreement and recommends that shareholders vote in favour of the transaction.

Merrill Lynch Canada Inc. and Scotia Capital are financial advisors to CHC. Ogilvy Renault LLP and DLA Piper USA LLP are legal counsel to CHC. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and Slaughter and May are legal counsel to the First Reserve fund.

Notes on Terms of the Transaction

The transaction will be completed through a plan of arrangement under the provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act, subject to the approval of the Supreme Court of British Columbia. Shareholders will be asked to approve the transaction at a special meeting of shareholders, to be called as directed by the Court. Details of the special meeting will be announced shortly. It is anticipated that a proxy circular will be prepared and mailed to shareholders in the month of March providing shareholders with important information about the transaction. Shareholders are urged to read the proxy circular once it is available.

The transaction will require the approval of two-thirds of the votes cast by holders of outstanding Class A Shares (1 vote per share), Class B Shares (10 votes per share) and ordinary shares (1 vote for every 10 shares), voting together as a single class. In addition, the transaction will require the approval of a majority of the Class A Shares, Class B Shares and Ordinary Shares, each voting as a separate class, and in each case excluding shares owned or over which control or direction is exercised by an "interested party" (as defined under applicable securities laws), which term includes certain members of management of CHC who may invest in an affiliate of the First Reserve Fund.

Completion of the transaction is subject to certain conditions, including obtaining approvals or confirmations from certain European aviation regulatory authorities as well as the Canada Transportation Agency regarding the granting or maintaining of required licenses and permits following completion of the transaction. The transaction will also be subject to a number of other customary conditions, including obtaining approval under the Investment Canada Act. The transaction is not subject to any financing condition.

CHC has been advised that the Estate of the late Craig L. Dobbin has entered into an agreement with the purchaser to vote the shares of CHC owned by the Estate in favour of the transaction and to otherwise support its completion, subject to the terms and conditions of such agreement. The Estate holds securities of CHC representing approximately 14%, 95% and 100%, respectively, of the outstanding Class A Shares, Class B Shares and ordinary shares respectively. The sole executor of the Estate is Mark D. Dobbin, the Chairman of CHC. Neither Mr. Dobbin nor the Estate will be entitled to invest in the affiliate of the First Reserve Fund and Mr. Dobbin will not be employed by CHC, the purchaser or any affiliate thereof.

The transaction will be financed through a combination of equity which has been committed by the First Reserve Fund and debt financing that has been committed by Morgan Stanley International and affiliates, in each case subject to the terms of those commitments. The agreement provides that in certain circumstances where the purchaser fails to complete the transaction as required, the purchaser would be required to pay to CHC a "reverse break fee" of Canadian $61.4 million. The First Reserve Fund has guaranteed certain obligations of the purchaser (including payment of the reverse break fee) to an amount not to exceed Canadian $61.4 million.

The agreement allows CHC to terminate the agreement in certain circumstances, including to allow CHC to accept a superior proposal, subject to fulfilling certain conditions, including the payment to the purchaser of a break fee of Canadian $38.5 million. This break fee would also be payable by CHC in certain other circumstances.

The closing of the transaction will take place after satisfaction or waiver of all conditions, including the approvals and confirmations from aviation regulatory
authorities described above. While the timing associated with satisfying these conditions is not certain, CHC currently expects the transaction to close in the second calendar quarter of 2008, subject to the terms of the agreement.

Consummation of the transaction is not expected to require the consent of the holders of CHC's 7 3/8% senior subordinated notes due 2014. CHC may choose to make a tender offer and related consent solicitation for the senior subordinated notes prior to the completion of the transaction, conditioned on the closing of the transaction. In any event, if the transaction is completed, within 30 days of such completion, CHC will be required to offer to purchase all of the remaining issued and outstanding senior subordinated notes at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued interest, if any, to the date of such purchase.

The purchaser also has the right to require CHC to redeem and/or discharge any or all of the senior subordinated notes in accordance with their terms, all to be effective immediately prior to completion of the transaction.

A conference call will take place today, Friday February 22, 2008 at 11:00 am EST. To listen to the conference call by phone, dial 416-641-6126 for local or overseas calls, or toll free 1-866-542-4236 for calls from within North America. To hear a replay of the conference call, dial 416-695-5800, or toll free 1-800-408-3053 and enter pass code 3253594 followed by the number sign.

Notes to Editors

1. About CHC

CHC is the world's largest provider of helicopter services to the global offshore oil and gas industry, with aircraft operating in more than 30 countries worldwide, and regional headquarters in Aberdeen, Scotland, Stavanger, Norway and Vancouver, Canada. If you wish to be added to CHC's news distribution list, please visit http://www.chc.ca investor_materialrequest.php.

2. About First Reserve Corporation

First Reserve is the world's leading private equity firm in the energy industry. The firm is currently investing its most recent fund which closed in 2006 at approximately US $8 billion. Throughout its 25-year history, First Reserve has developed a strong franchise of investing exclusively in the energy industry, utilizing its broad base of specialized industry knowledge. First Reserve believes that strategic diversification across a wide range of energy industry sectors has been a major contributor to the long-term, superior investment record achieved by the First Reserve Funds across economic cycles.

For Inquiries

For media inquiries, please contact:
Mark Kollar of CJP Communications at 212-279-3115; ext. 201 or
via email at mkollar@cjpcom.com or
John Anderson of Cubitt Consulting +44 020 7367 5100 or
john.anderson@cubitt.com.
For investor inquiries, please contact:
CHC Helicopter Corporation, Sylvain Allard, President and
Chief Executive Officer, 604-279-2455 or 604-307-8646, sallard@chc.ca; or
Rick Davis, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,
604-279-2471 or 778-999-0314, rdavis@chc.ca.

Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the proposed acquisition of CHC Helicopter Corporation, including statements regarding the completion of the proposed transaction and other statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are subject to important risks, uncertainties and assumptions. The results or events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. As a result, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

The completion of the proposed transaction is subject to a number of terms and conditions, including, without limitation: (i) applicable governmental authorities approvals, (ii) required CHC shareholder approval, (iii) necessary court approvals, and (iv) certain termination rights available to the parties under the arrangement agreement. These approvals may not be obtained, the other conditions to the transaction may not be satisfied in accordance with their terms, and/or the parties to the arrangement agreement may exercise their termination rights, in which case the proposed transaction could be modified, restructured or terminated, as applicable.

The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of-the-date of this release. We undertake no obligation to comment on expectations of, or statements made by third parties in respect of the proposed transaction.

SOURCE: First Reserve Corporation, CHC Helicopter Corporation
CONTACT:
Media, Mark Kollar of CJP Communications,
+1-212-279-3115 Ext. 201, mkollar@cjpcom.com, or
John Anderson of Cubitt Consulting,
+44-020-7367-5100, john.anderson@cubitt.com;
Investors, Sylvain Allard, President and Chief Executive Officer,
+1-604-279-2455 or +1-604-307-8646, sallard@chc.ca,
Rick Davis, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,
+1-604-279-2471 or +1-778-999-0314, rdavis@chc.ca,
both of CHC Helicopter Corporation
Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080222NYF026
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN8
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Web site: http://www.chc.ca/investor_materialrequest.php
(FLI FLY.)

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Capital Gold Group sponsors Asia Gold Tour

Los Angeles, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - After sponsoring the "Asia Gold Tour" conferences which traveled throughout Asia in 2007, including Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore, Manila and Jakarta, the Capital Gold Group has announced a new China initiative for 2008.


China has become the world's largest producer of gold, according to the World Gold Council, overtaking the longtime gold producing countries of South Africa and Australia.

The Capital Gold Group is initiating opportunities in China to co-venture with existing gold producers and distributors to bring "Asia Gold" to the general investor.

The "Asia Gold Tour" is an alliance with agents from countries throughout Asia to bring investor grade gold into emerging economies.

The Capital Gold Group, in association with the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, is offering special gold accounts for physical gold.

The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited was established in 1865 to finance the growing trade between China and Europe and is one the largest banks in the world.

With Gold Prices reaching new historical highs, investors are flocking to gold as a safe-haven amid inflation fears and global uncertainty, including the worldwide sub-prime mortgage crisis.

Investors in China and other Asian countries are diversifying with physical gold investments as a hedge against the inflationary pressures on the booming Chinese economy.

The Shanghai Gold Exchange and the Shanghai Futures Exchange are reporting new record volumes of gold investment activity amid rising gold prices worldwide.

Jonathan Rose, CEO of Capital Gold Group, is also a recognized speaker for worldwide gold markets, including Hong Kong, Singapore, China, India, and Europe.

The Capital Gold Group, Inc. has main offices in Los Angeles and London.

SOURCE: Capital Gold Group
CONTACT: Brenda Whitman of Capital Gold Group,
+1-800-510-9594
Websites: http://www.SafeAsGold.com
http://www.TheCapitalGoldGroup.com

COPYRIGHT © 2008

Pacific Rim Woodchip trade to reach record by 2010: RISI report

BOSTON, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, today predicted that the Pacific Rim woodchip trade -- already at record levels in 2007 -- will expand even further to 18.8 million BDMT by 2010.


The prediction came as part of the newly published 15th International Pulpwood Trade Review. This annual report has become essential for operators of tree farms and plantations; woodchip importers/exporters, pulp producers, transport shipping companies and investors. This year's Review will provide detailed information on changes to global demand and supply for pulpwood fiber as well as a comprehensive listing of chipwood and pulplog suppliers and buyers. New to the 2008 edition is data on specialized woodchip carriers and an examination of the international market for biofuels.

Robert Flynn, study co-author and RISI's director of international timber, commented, "In 2007, the Pacific Rim woodchip market reached a record volume, even though average prices for hardwood chip imports in Japan were also at an all-time high, in US dollar terms. While the Pacific market for woodchips is expected to increase over the next several years, the biggest change is in the Atlantic market, where imports of woodchips from overseas in 2008 will likely set new record volumes in Spain, Turkey, Portugal, Norway, Sweden and Finland. And of course, international trade in wood pellets for biomass energy will not only reach record levels in Europe, but the trade will also spread to the Asian markets for the first time in 2008."

The 2008 report has been co-authored by Flynn and Dennis Neilson, an internationally known New Zealand-based consultant and expert on the global wood fiber trade.

The International Pulpwood Trade Review is available now. A complete prospectus can be found at http://www.risiinfo.com pulpwood

About RISI

RISI is the leading information provider for the global forest products industry. The company works with clients in the pulp and paper, wood products, timber, tissue, nonwovens, printing and publishing industries to help them make better decisions.

Headquartered in Boston (Bedford), Massachusetts, RISI operates offices in Brussels, Belgium; Atlanta, Georgia; San Francisco, California; Portland, Oregon; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Shanghai, China; Singapore; and Charlottesville, Virginia.

More information can be found at http://www.risiinfo.com

SOURCE: RISI
CONTACT: Dan Blenk,
Marketing Manager Wood & Timber Information of RISI,
+1-781-734-8949,
dblenk@risiinfo.com
Web site: http://www.risiinfo.com
http://www.risiinfo.com/pulpwood

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Friday, February 22, 2008

PW Network enters new licensing agreements with Cubinet

Beijing, (ANTARA News/Xinhua-PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Beijing Perfect World Network Technology Co., Ltd. ("PW Network" or "the Company"), a leading online game developer and operator in China, today announced it has entered into new licensing agreements with Cubinet Interactive Sdn. Bhd. ("Cubinet"), a famous online game operator in Malaysia, to license two of the Company's games. Cubinet will license "Legend of Martial Arts" in Vietnam and "Zhu Xian" in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.

"Legend of Martial Arts" and "Zhu Xian" are two of the Company's most popular massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) that have been licensed to overseas markets following a number of overseas licenses of "Perfect World II." The Company has obtained sufficient operational experience in China and achieved impressive results in operating "Legend of Martial Arts" and "Zhu Xian" in China. These new agreements boost the number of overseas licenses for "Legend of Martial Arts" to eight and mark the Company's first step to license "Zhu Xian" to four countries within one year after its initial launch.

"Our relationship with PW Network started with an agreement to license 'Perfect World II,'" commented Mr. Andy Choe, Chief Executive Officer of Cubinet. "The solid performance of 'Perfect World II' provides a strong foundation for the future prospects of these latest licensing agreements. Cubinet is dedicated to providing high-quality game products for players in a number of regions, and I believe we have a number of similarities with Perfect World in terms of our objectives and vision. For this reason, I believe 'Legend of Martial Arts' and 'Zhu Xian' will deliver solid results in the Southeast Asia market."

"I'm very pleased that we will be strengthening our relationship with Cubinet through these new licensing agreements," commented Mr. Michael Chi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PW Network, "This not only marks another milestone in our international expansion, but I also believe that it will be a successful partnership given the impressive results delivered by 'Legend of Martial Arts' and 'Zhu Xian' in the Chinese market."

SOURCE Beijing Perfect World Network Technology Co., Ltd.

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Wells Fargo names Smith Asia Pacific Regional Manager

San Francisco, (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) today said it has appointed Bryan Smith as vice president and Asia Pacific regional manager for Global Correspondent Banking. Jim Cullen, who previously held this position since 1999, has been promoted to lead strategic initiatives for Global Correspondent Banking.


Smith will lead a team of relationship managers and support staff, responsible for developing and managing relationships with financial institutions and multilateral organizations based in the region.

"Bryan brings a perfect balance of a deep understanding of the region and superior customer relationship management experience," said Steve Bash, executive vice president of Wells Fargo's Global Correspondent Banking Group. "He is just the right person to take Wells Fargo's commitment to this important region to the next level."

Smith has 26 years of experience in international correspondent banking. He earned a bachelor's degree in Russian and Soviet studies from Harvard University and a master's degree in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts. Smith worked early in his career at Irving Trust and Brown Bothers Harriman before joining Wells Fargo 20 years ago. Most recently, Smith served as relationship manager for the Americas and Iberia, responsible for Canada, Mexico, Iberia and the Caribbean. He has conversational proficiency in 10 languages, including Mandarin and Korean.

Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $575 billion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through almost 6,000 stores and the internet (wellsfargo.com) across North America and internationally. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the only bank in the U.S., and one of only two banks worldwide, to have the highest credit rating from both Moody's Investors Service, "Aaa," and Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, "AAA." SOURCE

Wells Fargo & Company
CONTACT: Media, Richele Messick of Wells Fargo & Company,
+1-651-205-6560
Web site: http://www.wellsfargo.com (WFC)

COPYRIGHT © 2008 - ANTARANEWS