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		<title><![CDATA[Explore African Culture]]></title>
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				<title>Great Place to Work© Unveils World?s Best Multinational Workplaces </title>
				<author><name>Africa Business 101</name></author>
				<link>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20079655</link>
				<description>&lt;p&gt;In Great Place to Work&amp;#8217;s 20th Anniversary Year, SAS Institute Tops the List of the 25 Companies &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;SAN FRANCISCO - Wednesday, November 14th 2012 [ME NewsWire]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Today, Great Place to Work&amp;#174;, a global research, consulting and training firm announced its second annual Top 25 World&amp;#8217;s Best Multinational Workplaces List at a gala awards ceremony at San Francisco&amp;#8217;s Asian Art Museum. SAS Institute topped the list at no. 1, followed by Google, NetApp, Kimberly Clark, and Microsoft rounding out the top five. In addition, Marriott, Federal Express, W.L. Gore &amp;amp; Associates, Diageo and Autodesk took honors in the top 10.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In conjunction with the announcement of this list, Great Place to Work&amp;#174; also celebrates the 20th anniversary of its founding &amp;#8211; marking 20 years of helping companies to foster a dynamic, trust-based workplace. Supporting the awards ceremony, where the 25 companies received their awards, was the Great Place to Work&amp;#174; Presenting Sponsor Nespresso.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Since launching the first best workplaces lists in partnership with FORTUNE magazine in the United States and Exame in Brazil in 1997, Great Place to Work&amp;#174; now recognizes leading workplaces in more than 45 countries in six continents. The World&amp;#8217;s Best Multinational Workplaces List is an integrated look at survey data from employees and managers from thousands of companies across the world; making it the largest global annual study of workplace excellence.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;The global companies featured on this year&amp;#8217;s list are committed to creating workplaces that foster trust, pride and camaraderie amongst their employees,&amp;#8221; said Susan Lucas-Conwell, Global CEO of Great Place to Work&amp;#174;, &amp;#8220;These companies understand that a workplace centered around a culture of trust-based relationships generates positive business results. We wholeheartedly congratulate each and every one of these companies on establishing themselves as one of the 25 best workplaces in the world.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To view the entire World&amp;#8217;s Best Multinational Workplaces list, please visit http://www.greatplacetowork.net/worlds-best-multinationals/the-list&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information about Great Place to Work&amp;#174;, please visit www.greatplacetowork.net.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About Great Place to Work&amp;#174;:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Great Place to Work&amp;#174; Institute is a global research, consulting and training firm that helps organizations identify, create and sustain great workplaces through the development of high-trust workplace cultures. Great Place to Work serves businesses, non-profits and government agencies in more than 45 countries on all six continents.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About the World&amp;#8217;s Best Multinational Workplaces List:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The World&amp;#8217;s Best Multinational Workplaces List ranks the best 25 global companies in terms of workplace culture. Qualifying companies must have appeared on at least five national Great Place to Work lists, have at least 5,500 employees worldwide, and at least 40 percent of their global workforce must work outside of the company&amp;#8217;s home country.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contacts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Burson-Marsteller&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Anu Vatsa, 415-591-4014&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Anukriti.Vatsa@bm.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Permalink: http://me-newswire.net/news/6433/en&lt;/p&gt;</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 17 Nov 2012 09:25:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<guid>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20079655</guid>
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				<title>Turkish Airlines Becomes #1 in the World, Flying to the Most Countries Worldwide</title>
				<author><name>Africa Business 101</name></author>
				<link>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20079227</link>
				<description>&lt;p&gt;NEW YORK - Thursday, November 15th 2012 [ME NewsWire]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Turkish Airlines (www.turkishairlines.com) has secured the number one spot according to the Official Airline Guide in terms of the number of countries it services. The airline now flies to 90 countries around the globe, more than any other airline in the world. More than thirty new routes have been added this year alone and with 205 destinations to date, the airline continues its expansion plans into Europe, Russia, Central Asia, the Far East, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In addition to this recent announcement, Turkish Airlines today reached another milestone after adding its 200th aircraft. The Boeing 737-900 &amp;#8211; the airlines&amp;#8217; ninth - is the newest addition to its continuously expanding fleet.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The new 737 &amp;#8211; adorned with a special &amp;#8220;200&amp;#8221; sticker - recently debuted at Turkish Airlines&amp;#8217; main hub at Atat&amp;#252;rk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkish Airlines executives, employees, and members of the media celebrated the plane&amp;#8217;s unveiling at a ceremony which took place at the new Turkish Technic hangar before the aircraft took flight.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;As a company, we continue to achieve our goals one at a time,&amp;#8221; stated Hamdi Topcu, Turkish Airlines chairman, during the event. &amp;#8220;We first celebrated the arrival of our 100th aircraft and now we have reached our next goal of 200 aircraft in our fleet. Our next goal, as we continue to expand, is 300.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In October, Turkish Airlines ordered 15 Airbus A330-300s. Those planes are scheduled to be delivered between 2014 and 2016.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;I am more than optimistic that we will reach our goal to become the world&amp;#8217;s largest airline network by 2023,&amp;#8221; furthered Temel Kotil, Ph.D., Turkish Airlines President and CEO. &amp;#8220;We intend to become a five-star airline and the leading carrier in our region, home to 1.5 billion people.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Boasting a young, modern fleet, and numerous awards and accolades, Turkish Airlines continues to set a new standard in air travel.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About Turkish Airlines:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Established in 1933 with a fleet of 5 airplanes, Turkish Airlines, a member of the Star Alliance is a 4-star airline today that flies to 205 destinations worldwide with 170 international and 35 domestic destinations with 200 airplanes (passenger and cargo). According to the results of a Skytrax evaluation, Turkish Airlines was chosen as the winner of the three categories, &amp;#8220;Best Airline Europe,&amp;#8221; &amp;#8220;Best Premium Economy Seats&amp;#8221; for its Comfort Class seats and &amp;#8220;Best Airline Southern Europe&amp;#8221; in 2011 and 2012. Turkish Airlines was awarded with the &amp;#8216;Best Food, Economy-Class&amp;#8217; title by Skytrax in 2010 and &amp;#8216;The Best On-board Food&amp;#8221; by Skyscanner in 2011. Turkish Airlines is one of the first airlines offering &amp;#8216;Flying Chef&amp;#8217; service on long distance flights to Business Class passengers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contacts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;for Turkish Airlines&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Michelle Mekky, 312-245-9805 ext. 112&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;michellemekky@alpaytac.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Monique Dinor, 917-697-0016&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;monique@alpaytac.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 17 Nov 2012 08:50:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<guid>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20079227</guid>
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				<title>EcoPlanet Bamboo - First to Achieve Carbon Validation for Bamboo Plantations </title>
				<author><name>Africa Business 101</name></author>
				<link>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20077602</link>
				<description>&lt;p&gt;BARRINGTON, Ill. - Wednesday, November 14th 2012 [ME NewsWire]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In a major milestone for both the forestry and climate change arenas, EcoPlanet Bamboo has become the first company to receive carbon validation through the VCS (Verified Carbon Standard) for its large scale commercial bamboo plantations in Nicaragua.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;EcoPlanet Bamboo converts degraded land in some of the poorest parts of the world into commercially productive bamboo plantations, not only sequestering and storing significant volumes of atmospheric carbon dioxide, but providing growing timber markets with a sustainable alternative source of fiber. In a country and category that have traditionally not benefitted from significant carbon finance, this achievement solidifies the social and environmental impacts that the Company is making, both locally, regionally and internationally.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Validation by the Rainforest Alliance of an initial 816,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the reforestation of 3,370 acres of highly degraded land is a major policy achievement for a species that has until now fallen in a grey area between agriculture and forestry. Despite its contribution within forests globally, bamboo's ecological status as a grass combined with its unique growth patterns have made the quantification and understanding of its carbon sequestration benefits challenging. As the first company to develop accurate scientific methods for the measurement of such benefits, EcoPlanet Bamboo is driving international policy for the inclusion of bamboo within the ongoing forestry and land use debate.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;This VCS validation not only provides EcoPlanet Bamboo with the ability to continue to expand internationally, but lays the benchmarks for the development of an industry that is projected to reach $20 billion by 2015,&amp;#8221; says Troy Wiseman, CEO of EcoPlanet Bamboo.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;EcoPlanet Bamboo is a global leader in the sustainable production of certified bamboo timber with operations in Central America and South Africa. For more information visit our booth at ForestDay 6 during COP18 in Doha, Qatar, Dec 1st 2012, or email us at info@ecoplanetbamboo.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information, see www.ecoplanetbamboo.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contacts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;EcoPlanet Bamboo&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kristena Blume, (847) 387-3609&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Operations Manager&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;kblume@ecoplanetbamboo.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 17 Nov 2012 06:40:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<guid>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20077602</guid>
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				<title>Cinterion Launches M2M Module based on Intel? Wireless Communications Chipset </title>
				<author><name>Africa Business 101</name></author>
				<link>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20076990</link>
				<description>&lt;p&gt;ME Newswire / Business Wire&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;MUNICH - Wednesday, November 14th 2012&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cinterion, Gemalto&amp;#8217;s (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO) machine-to-machine (M2M) business segment and the global leader in M2M communication technology, today launched its first M2M module series in the convenient PCI Express&amp;#174; Mini Card form factor. The new solution includes the latest Intel&amp;#174;chipset technology and quickly adds cost-efficient wireless connectivity to industrial electronics solutions. Featuring easy, &amp;#8216;plug and play&amp;#8217; installation, it allows equipment such as vending machines to send inventory and status updates and integrated digital signs to download new advertising campaigns using cellular technology. Supervisors are alerted in real time when items need replenishing or when deliveries can be postponed, which helps optimize operations and save time and fuel costs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The new Cinterion EHS5 miniPCIe and Cinterion BGS2 miniPCIe help global Intel Intelligent Systems Alliance(IISA) partners and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) simplify and accelerate development of innovative M2M applications. The device combines market proven Cinterion modules with a long-life Intel chipset and a standard PCI Express Mini Card system connector to simplify cellular connectivity and provide easy access to cloud services. Ruggedized for extreme industrial environments, it is reliable for machines placed outdoors in snow and ice, or with equipment inside industrial facilities that lack heating and cooling systems. The device can be customized by request to include soldered Machine Identification Modules (MIMs) for enhanced security.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;"Cinterion&amp;#8217;s ability to provide cost-efficient, M2M-grade solutions to the wide variety of Intel-based systems is an important part of helping our ISA partners embrace M2M solutions,&amp;#8221; said Helmut Vogler, Vice President and General Manager of Mobile and Wireless Sales for Intel Corporation. &amp;#8220;Within the Intelligent System Framework Intel will promote this exciting new Cinterion solutions into the various and rapidly growing markets of connected systems. Cinterion, and now as part of Gemalto, understands what the M2M market needs and is an important strategic partner to help us address industrial wireless technology.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;Our expanding relationship with Intel has led to three new Cinterion ISA product offerings this year providing alliance members with secure connectivity and simplified field deployment,&amp;#8221; said Norbert Muhrer, Senior Vice President of Cinterion M2M segment at Gemalto.&amp;#8220;The Cinterion M2M miniPCIe is a new product family specifically designed to address customers using Intel processors who want to deploy seamlessly connected intelligent systems. By providing the easiest way to connect industrial systems to cloud services, Cinterion is supporting a new breed of enterprise smart services for the future.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About Cinterion, a Gemalto Company&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cinterion, the Machine-to-Machine (M2M) segment of Gemalto (Euronext NL 0000400653 GTO), is the industry pioneer for wireless M2M communication and market leader for more than 15 years. Cinterion enables businesses to succeed in a complex M2M ecosystem by offering expertise, security, simplicity and partnership. Cinterion&amp;#8217;s award-winning products and services connect people, machines, equipment and vehicles over wireless networks, helping enterprises simplify operations, increase efficiency and establish new business models. Equipment makers, integrators, MNOs, and end-users rely on Cinterion for leading-edge wireless M2M communication modules, Machine Identification Modules (MIMs), MIM personalization capabilities plus a trusted and secure, cloud-based Service Delivery Platform for any M2M application. Cinterion powers cellular communications for: telematics and automotive applications, tracking and tracing, industrial mobile computing, metering and smart grid, payment systems, healthcare, security systems, routers and gateways, remote maintenance and control and more.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About Gemalto&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO) is the world leader in digital security with 2011 annual revenues of &amp;#8364;2 billion and more than 10,000 employees operating out of 74 offices and 14 Research &amp;amp; Development centers, located in 43 countries.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We are at the heart of the rapidly evolving digital society. Billions of people worldwide increasingly want the freedom to communicate, travel, shop, bank, entertain and work &amp;#8211; anytime, everywhere &amp;#8211; in ways that are enjoyable and safe. Gemalto delivers on their expanding needs for personal mobile services, payment security, authenticated cloud access, identity and privacy protection, eHealthcare and eGovernment efficiency, convenient ticketing and dependable machine-to-machine (M2M) applications.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gemalto develops secure embedded software and secure products which we design and personalize. Our platforms and services manage these secure products, the confidential data they contain and the trusted end-user services they enable. Our innovations offer more ways for our clients to enhance the convenience and security of people&amp;#8217;s digital lives.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gemalto thrives with the growing number of people using its solutions to interact with the digital and wireless world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information visit www.gemalto.com, www.justaskgemalto.com, blog.gemalto.com, or follow@gemalto on Twitter.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contacts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Gemalto Media Contacts:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;North America&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nicole Smith, +1-512-257-3902&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;nicole.smith@gemalto.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Europe, Middle East &amp;amp; Africa&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kristel Teyras, +33 1 55 01 57 89&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;kristel.teyras@gemalto.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Latin America&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ernesto Haikewitsch, +55 11 51 05 92 20&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ernesto.haikewitsch@gemalto.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Asia Pacific&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Yvonne Lim, +65 6317 3730&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;yvonne.lim@gemalto.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;or&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;LPI Communications&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ellen Lynch, +1-415-225-2240&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ellen@lpicommunications.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 17 Nov 2012 05:50:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<guid>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20076990</guid>
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				<title>Asia Pulp and Paper Achieves Highest Standards of Timber Legality Certification </title>
				<author><name>Africa Business 101</name></author>
				<link>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20076750</link>
				<description>&lt;p&gt;JAKARTA, Indonesia - Wednesday, November 14th 2012 [ME NewsWire]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Asia Pulp &amp;amp; Paper Group (APP) has received the SVLK timber legality certification on its ninth and final mill, confirming that it meets the highest standards of Indonesian wood legality throughout its entire manufacturing facilities.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;SVLK is the Indonesian Timber Legality Assurance System. The new system creates a more rigorous chain of custody process designed to ensure the mills only receive and process timber from legal sources, and that all products exported from the country are traceable to verifiable points of origin.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The final certification was received by APP&amp;#8217;s Pindo Deli Perawang mill on 7 November 2012, following the certification of eight other mills since July of this year and ahead of its target of being wholly certified by January 2013.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ms. Aida Greenbury, Managing Director Sustainability &amp;amp; Stakeholder Engagement, APP, said, &amp;#8220;100% compliance has always been our aim and we&amp;#8217;re delighted to have achieved this. As new requirements in the US and Europe show, the market is demanding proof that all products are from legal, verifiable and traceable sources.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;In addition to fulfilling these legal requirements, we are implementing an ambitious sustainability program which includes ensuring no deforestation in the supply chain by 2015, as detailed in our Sustainability Roadmap Vision 2020.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;SVLK has an important role to play in helping Indonesian companies meet the new European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR).In April 2011, Indonesia and the European Union (EU) agreed on a Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) under the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Action Plan. Under this voluntary agreement, the design of SVLK is recognized as the credible system to guarantee the legality of timber from Indonesia. This VPA between the EU and Indonesia is expected to become operational in 2013.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dr. Ir. Dwi Sudharto, M.Si, Director of Forest Product Processing and Marketing Development, Ministry of Forestry said that, &amp;#8220;As the national timber legality standard, SVLK provides assurance to global markets that all Indonesian wood-based products are traceable to their legal origin. Our standards are recognized internationally and facilitate the export of our products around the world. This would not be possible without multi-stakeholder support. APP has been a strong supporter of this program from the start and we congratulate it on the achievement of having all its mills certified.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Indonesia&amp;#8217;s SVLK certification standard has been developed through years of multi-stakeholder engagement and consultation involving government, industry, civil society and the academic community. Certification is provided by certification bodies accredited by the National Accreditation Committee (KAN) and independently monitored by the Forestry Independent Monitoring Network, which consists of civil society and forestry industry experts.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About APP&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Asia Pulp &amp;amp; Paper Group (APP) is a brand umbrella for paper products which are produced by several mills in Indonesia such as PT Indah Kiat Pulp &amp;amp; Paper Tbk, PT Pindo Deli Pulp &amp;amp; Paper Mills, PT Pabrik Kertas Tjiwi Kimia Tbk, PT Lontar Papyrus Pulp &amp;amp; Paper Industries, and PT Ekamas Fortuna. APP Indonesia has a total production capacity of around 9 million tonnes and markets its products to more than 120 countries. Most of APP&amp;#8217;s production facilities are Chain-of-Custody certified by LEI and PEFC.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;APP launched its Sustainability Roadmap Vision 2020 in June 2012 to further improve its environmental performance, biodiversity conservation, and protection of community rights. Key objectives of this roadmap are to ensure that our pulpwood suppliers adopt High Conservation Value (HCV) protection, supply 100% plantation wood by 2015 and be 100% Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) certified by 2020.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contacts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Asia Pulp &amp;amp; Paper Group&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Indonesia:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Redita Soumi, +62 817 6633 489&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;redita_soumi@app.co.id&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;America:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cohn &amp;amp; Wolfe&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Kristin Sadlon, 212-798-9864&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;kristin.sadlon@cohnwolfe.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Europe:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cohn &amp;amp; Wolfe, +44 7331 5246&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;app.ukteam@cohnwolfe.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
				<pubDate>Sat, 17 Nov 2012 05:30:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<guid>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20076750</guid>
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				<title>Johns Manville Announces New President &amp;amp; CEO </title>
				<author><name>Africa Business 101</name></author>
				<link>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20015843</link>
				<description>&lt;p&gt;Berkshire Hathaway company passionate about meeting the needs of customers &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;BUSINESS WIRE / ME NewsWire - DENVER - Wednesday, November 14th 2012 [ME NewsWire]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Johns Manville (JM), a Berkshire Hathaway company and global building products manufacturer, today announced that Todd Raba, Johns Manville chairman, president and CEO, will relinquish his position with the company. Effective immediately, Mary Rhinehart will be the new president and chief executive officer of&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Johns Manville. &amp;#8220;I thank Todd for his leadership. He has worked diligently during a tough economic environment to effectively position the company for future success. Todd spent the last five years focusing on positioning Johns Manville for the future, and I thank him for the work he did in moving the business forward,&amp;#8221; commented Warren Buffett, chairman and chief executive officer of Berkshire Hathaway.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ms. Rhinehart is currently the senior vice president and chief financial officer of Johns Manville. She has been with the company since 1979. Her background includes management and bottom-line responsibility for a business unit, global treasury and strategic business development, including directing a variety of acquisition activities. She has held finance leadership roles in most of JM&amp;#8217;s businesses. Additionally, during her career at JM, Ms. Rhinehart has had responsibility for compensation, benefits management, community relations, global supply chain and organizational planning.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ms. Rhinehart has spent her long and successful career focusing on the interests of JM employees and customers. &amp;#8220;I am proud to have worked for this great company for over 30 years. Throughout it all we have succeeded as a company due to our people and the powerful relationships we have with our customers,&amp;#8221; stated Ms. Rhinehart. &amp;#8220;I am excited about this new opportunity and am committed to continuing to move us forward. JM is a great company. We could not have a better owner than Berkshire Hathaway and I could not have a better role model than Warren Buffett.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mr. Buffett added, &amp;#8220;Mary is exactly the CEO we like to hire. She is passionate, smart, and she truly cares about Johns Manville customers and employees. She&amp;#8217;ll add tremendous value to Johns Manville going forward, and I couldn&amp;#8217;t be more enthused to have her taking on this role after all that she&amp;#8217;s already accomplished at Johns Manville.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About Johns Manville&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Johns Manville, a Berkshire Hathaway company (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B), is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality products for building insulation, mechanical insulation, commercial roofing, and roof insulation, as well as fibers and nonwovens for commercial, industrial and residential applications. JM serves markets that include aerospace, automotive and transportation, air handling, appliance, HVAC, pipe and equipment, filtration, waterproofing, building, flooring, interiors and wind energy. In business since 1858, the Denver-based company has annual sales of approximately $2.5 billion and holds leadership positions in all of the key markets that it serves. JM employs approximately 7,000 people and operates 45 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China. Additional information can be found at www.jm.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=50477088&amp;amp;lang=en&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contacts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Johns Manville&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Melody Dunbar, 303-978-2350&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Melody.Dunbar@jm.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:25:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<guid>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20015843</guid>
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				<title>Ernst &amp;amp; Young?s Maria Pinelli Appointed as Chair of Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) </title>
				<author><name>Africa Business 101</name></author>
				<link>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20015557</link>
				<description>&lt;p&gt;LONDON &amp;amp; NEW YORK - Wednesday, November 14th 2012 [ME NewsWire]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Maria Pinelli, Global Vice Chair for Strategic Growth Markets at Ernst &amp;amp; Young has been appointed the new Chair of the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) &amp;#8211; its first appointment of a new Chair since 2005. NFTE1 is a global non-profit organization that helps young people from low-income communities to become financially independent, by developing their entrepreneurial spirit.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;It&amp;#8217;s an honor to not only be able to encourage entrepreneurship on a daily basis at Ernst &amp;amp; Young, but now as the Chair of NFTE too,&amp;#8221; says Pinelli. &amp;#8220;My goal is to continue changing the lives of &amp;#8220;street smart&amp;#8221; kids to &amp;#8220;business aware&amp;#8221; young adults, not only in the US but in as many countries as possible.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;Our vision for NFTE is to double our presence internationally by 2015 &amp;#8211; increasing the number of participating countries and the number of young people involved from 500,000 to 1 million over the next five years. Young entrepreneurs represent the best hope of creating sustained economic growth globally &amp;#8211; and many start in unexpected places, which is where NFTE comes in.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While dedicating the past 25 years of her life to providing professional services to clients worldwide at Ernst &amp;amp; Young, Pinelli has developed expertise in working with businesses to help accelerate their growth and success. Pinelli has also led over 20 IPOs in three continents and currently oversees Ernst &amp;amp; Young&amp;#8217;s renowned Entrepreneur Of The Year&amp;#174; program and the Entrepreneurial Winning Women&amp;#8482; program.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;Maria is a great leader and ambassador for NFTE and everyone on our board and our leadership team is excited to be partnering with her, as we work toward NFTE&amp;#8217;s promising future,&amp;#8221; said Amy Rosen, President and CEO of NFTE. &amp;#8220;Thanks to Ernst &amp;amp; Young&amp;#8217;s continued support, it is possible to combat the staggering youth unemployment rate by inspiring as many young people as possible to develop an entrepreneurial mindset to meet market demands and social needs which ultimately have the potential to produce real world business prospects and job creation.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Notes to Editors&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About Ernst &amp;amp; Young&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ernst &amp;amp; Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, transactions and advisory services. Worldwide, our 167,000 people are united by our shared values and an unwavering commitment to quality. We make a difference by helping our people, our clients and our wider communities achieve their potential.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information, please visit www.ey.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ernst &amp;amp; Young refers to the global organization of member firms of Ernst &amp;amp; Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst &amp;amp; Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global Ernst &amp;amp; Young organization that also does not provide any services to clients.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Too many young people today drop out of school and struggle to break the cycle of poverty. Since 1987, the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) has been inspiring young people to pursue educational opportunities, start their own businesses, and succeed in life. By providing entrepreneurship education programs relevant to the real world, NFTE empowers students to own their educations in and out of the classroom and to find their own path to success. Hundreds of thousands of students have discovered opportunity all around them through entrepreneurship via thousands of certified educators worldwide. NFTE supports active programs in 18 U.S. states and 11 countries around the world. Entrepreneurs are a powerful driver of economic growth and NFTE sows the seeds of innovation in students worldwide. For more information, visit www.nfte.com.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1NFTE is present in 11 countries, including Belgium, China, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Indian, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and the US. Starting in one small school and one small classroom, to date the award winning curriculum has been delivered to over 500,000 students and trained more than 5,000 teachers in over 50 countries. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contacts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ernst &amp;amp; Young Global Media Relations&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;M&amp;#233;lodie Deniz, +44 (0)20 7980 0475&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;melodie.deniz@uk.ey.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<guid>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20015557</guid>
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				<title>KBR Wins UK Government Joint Operational Fuel System Contract </title>
				<author><name>Africa Business 101</name></author>
				<link>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20011621</link>
				<description>&lt;p&gt;HOUSTON - Wednesday, November 14th 2012 [ME NewsWire]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(BUSINESS WIRE)-- KBR (NYSE: KBR) announced today that it has been awarded the Joint Operational Fuel System contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;KBR will supply the MOD with fuel-handling equipment which will be used on operations and in support of military exercises worldwide. The contract is for an initial two-year period and will involve the supply of equipment and services worth approximately $35 million.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;The award of this contract is key to the strategic development of our UK based support to the MOD,&amp;#8221; said Andrew Pringle, President, International Government, Defence and Support Services (IGDSS). &amp;#8220;The MOD remains a key client of IGDSS and we look forward to ensuring that the MOD continues to receive outstanding support.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;KBR is a global engineering, construction and services company supporting the energy, hydrocarbon, government services, minerals, civil infrastructure, power, industrial, and commercial markets. For more information, visit www.kbr.com. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contacts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;KBR&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Zac Nagle, 713-753-5082&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Vice President, Investor Relations and Communications&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Investors@kbr.com&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Marianne Gooch, 713-753-3800&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Director, Corporate Communications&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Mediarelations@kbr.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 14 Nov 2012 10:45:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<guid>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20011621</guid>
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				<title>MiX Telematics Continues to Demonstrate Strong Financial Performance </title>
				<author><name>Africa Business 101</name></author>
				<link>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20009681</link>
				<description>&lt;p&gt;CAPE TOWN, South Africa - Wednesday, November 14th 2012 [ME NewsWire]&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MiX Telematics(JSE:MIX), a global provider of driver safety, vehicle tracking and fleet management solutions, continues to grow its business around the world as evidenced by strong performance in the first half of its 2012/13 financial year as announced yesterday. Due to the extension of existing enterprise contracts as well as the addition of new mega fleets across various industries in various countries, MiX Telematics increased its revenue by 20.3% (to R564 million) and its operating profit by an impressive 60.8% (to R76 million) in comparison to the same period a year ago.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Through an SaaS delivery model and value added services, MiX Telematics helps customers worldwide to reduce their operating costs and risks, improve driver and passenger safety as well as customer service, and lower their carbon emissions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;Our strategy for years now has been to leverage our profitable, cash-generative businesses into growing our global annuity base,&amp;#8221; says Stefan Joselowitz, CEO of MiX Telematics. "We announced our intent when we listed five years ago and continue to demonstrate our commitment to this strategy year on year. Between April and September we increased our subscriber base by more than 40,000 vehicles, with significant growth coming from both our fleet and consumer telematics operations.&amp;#8221;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Despite facing tough economic conditions in various parts of the world, MiX Telematics is proud to have increased revenue outside of South Africa by 29% (to R276 million). In South Africa and the UK, the company successfully extended contracts within two major key accounts, including Eskom and the Go-Ahead group. A contract with a large Oil &amp;amp; Gas producer in Eastern Europe was also secured, as were new major contracts with a mining company in Australasia and two large bus customers in Europe.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About MiX Telematics&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;MiX Telematics is a global leader in fleet management, driver safety and vehicle tracking solutions. The company helps customers worldwide to effectively manage their mobile assets through our SaaS (Software as a Service) delivery model, combined with value added services including stolen vehicle recovery, consulting and driver training. MiX Telematics has offices in South Africa, Uganda, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and the United Arab Emirates, and works via an extensive global distribution network. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contacts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;MiX Telematics (International)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Leanne Jory&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Telephone: +27 21 880 5601&lt;/p&gt;</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 14 Nov 2012 09:35:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<guid>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20009681</guid>
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				<title>Defibtech Signs Agreement to be Acquired by Nihon Kohden Corporation </title>
				<author><name>Africa Business 101</name></author>
				<link>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20008799</link>
				<description>&lt;p&gt;GUILFORD, Conn - Wednesday, November 14th 2012&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;(BUSINESS WIRE/ ME NewsWire)-- Defibtech, LLC, a designer and manufacturer of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and other resuscitation equipment, announced today that it has signed an agreement to be acquired by the Nihon Kohden Corporation, a Tokyo-based medical device company.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A significant expansion of technologies and capabilities&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The integration of the two companies will create a strengthened force in the global AED market. Defibtech and Nihon Kohden have placed more than 360,000 AEDs throughout the world and expect that number to increase significantly. Defibtech plans to add to its reputation as an innovative and growing company in the AED market. In addition, Defibtech intends to accelerate its development of products targeting a number of other resuscitation markets.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#8220;Defibtech will not only continue expanding its AED product lineup, but also plans to develop and market other resuscitation solutions,&amp;#8221; said Defibtech CEO Dr. Glenn W. Laub. &amp;#8220;Over the past decade, having deployed more than 160,000 AEDs worldwide, we are a steadily growing force in the resuscitation market. We want to continue that growth.&amp;#8221; Recognized as outstanding by safety experts, industrial design organizations and loyal customers, Defibtech AEDs are marked by superior engineering and usability, innovative design, and affordable pricing. &amp;#8220;Our new resuscitation solutions will have the same high level of value and quality,&amp;#8221; Dr. Laub stated.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Defibtech will continue to operate independently as a wholly owned subsidiary of Delaware-based Resuscitation Solution Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Nihon Kohden, said Gintaras Vaisnys, Defibtech President. &amp;#8220;This is a great opportunity for Defibtech and Nihon Kohden to complement their strengths,&amp;#8221; he stated. Defibtech&amp;#8217;s innovative business model will be further enhanced by the global strength of Nihon Kohden, a leading force in the medical device field. &amp;#8220;We are excited about a number of new product development and market opportunities that may result from this relationship, which will help Defibtech grow aggressively in the coming years,&amp;#8221; said Vaisnys. Defibtech&amp;#8217;s products will continue to bear the highly respected Defibtech name and be designed, manufactured and supported by Defibtech personnel.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Expansion of business in the U.S. market&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For Nihon Kohden, expanding its business in the U.S. market is a strategic goal. Currently, Nihon Kohden operates in the U.S. primarily through its neurology and patient monitoring businesses. Through the acquisition of Defibtech, Nihon Kohden will enter the U.S. resuscitation market, the largest in the world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The U.S. is also a center of pioneering research in resuscitation science, and the resulting knowledge strongly influences worldwide trends in this field. Nihon Kohden&amp;#8217;s acquisition of Defibtech establishes a U.S. development base for resuscitation solutions, enabling the integrated organizations to identify market trends in early stages, strengthen collaboration with leading research and development institutes, and develop innovative resuscitation technology for sale throughout the world.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About Defibtech&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Defibtech, LLC, relentlessly pursues one goal: making the best AEDs in the world at affordable prices. Defibtech designs and manufactures defibrillators, which include the Lifeline&amp;#8482; and ReviveR&amp;#8482; families of AEDs. Defibtech&amp;#8217;s products are sold through its network of distribution partners in the United States and around the world. Defibtech is headquartered in Guilford, Conn. All Defibtech AEDs are manufactured in the United States in state-of-the-art ISO 13485:2003 certified facilities. For more information about Defibtech and its products, visit www.defibtech.comor call +1-203-453-4507.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;About Nihon Kohden&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Nihon Kohden is Japan's leading manufacturer and provider of electronic medical equipment. With annual sales topping $1.5 billion, Nihon Kohden is one of the top 100 medical device companies in the world. Nihon Kohden is a publicly held company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. For more information about Nihon Kohden, go to www.nihonkohden.com. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Contacts&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Defibtech, LLC&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Ray Valek, 708-352-8695&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ray@defibtech.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>
				<pubDate>Wed, 14 Nov 2012 09:30:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<guid>http://www.exploreafricanculture.com/apps/blog/show/20008799</guid>
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