19TH OCTOBER 2009 PP 01-12 TO USE:Layout 1 14/10/09 13:49 Page 5
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I N D U S T RY N E W S
S N I P P E T S
BUSINESS FAILURES DROP
Munroe. “But, of course, what we must KNOCK KNOCK…
remember is that we are now It was announced last week that a
comparing numbers with those at the national postal strike will be going
Equifax has released its Business believes this is a definite sign of the UK back end of last year when failures ahead. According to the rules, the
Failures Report for the third quarter of economy picking up from the sharp were already on the rise. I think it is strike must take place within 30
2009. Although year on year, there downturn which kicked in from mid last more significant that Quarter on days of the announcement, and a 7
are still increases in failures in most year, but is also adding a word of Quarter the numbers of businesses day notice must be served before it’s
sectors and regions of the UK, the caution. failing is on the decline. However, we implemented. Experts are predicting
number of businesses going under in “Certainly the rate of failures in busin- must remember this is just one Quarter a significant shift to online marketing
Quarter 3 has dropped in every part of esses has slowed down from the very and we need to see consistent improve- and correspondence and a potential
the country and every business sector high year on year increases we were ments over a number of Quarters opening for Royal Mail’s competitors.
compared to Quarter 2. Neil Munroe, seeing at the end of 2008 and in the before we can be fully confident that At time of going to press, the earliest
External Affairs Director, Equifax, early months of 2009” said Neil we are out of the recession.” a strike could take place stands at
October 22nd.
I N D U S T RY N E W S
SIGFOTO FILLS D&P GAP
CONNECTIVITY
A survey by Virgin Media has
Independent pharmacy wholesaler Sigma were looking for was a
revealed that not being able to
Sigma Pharmaceuticals PLC is having 'hub-and-spoke' out-lab business that
access the internet was an important
notable success with the Sigfoto D&P could be operated by a regional
cause of “stress and anxiety”. Not
operation. Sigma Pharmaceuticals is wholesale distributor. The key factor
being able to access maps, comms
an independent pharmacy wholesaler that enables a pharmaceutical
and the net’s best deals on shopping
in the UK, owned and managed by wholesaler to operate a pick-up-and- overheads. It was just the internal
were major concerns and a third
the Shah family. In 2006, in response return photo service is that its administration that had to be
said that they no longer felt guilty for
to the withdrawal of Colorama from existing distribution logistics support a implemented. For us, the photo
being connected all the time. Two
pick-up-and-return photo printing, 24 hour turnaround, as a 24 service idea works well. It adds an
thirds said they felt relaxed when
Sigma asked Fujifilm UK to help them hour service is what out-labs are used extra revenue earner onto the
they knew they had immediate
set up their own Sigfoto service, to fill for. The wholesaler can exploit its backbone infrastructure we already
internet access.
the gap in the market. Sigma had the ability to aggregate demand from
commitment and the finances to invest many pharmacies to create the
in starting up a photo operation. economies of scale that allow it to
Bharat Shah, MD, Sigma operate a hub of high-volume
Pharmaceuticals Plc, says: "We've production equipment run by shifts
always sold Fujifilm. My brother, overnight. This way it can provide a
Kamal, has developed a good service that individual pharmacies in
relationship with Peter Wigington and its bespoke-network otherwise
his team. We told Fujifilm we'd found couldn't.
a hole in the market when Colorama Bharat says: "We already had the
and Agfa fell off, and invited them to collection and delivery of medicines
help us fill it." service set up. So to set up the photo
Peter Wigington recognised that what service didn't commit any extra
L A U N C H
WACOM LAUNCHES
FEEL IT TECHNOLOGIES
Wacom has announced its new brand technology devices. The company
for the company’s OEM solutions: currently delivers a sensor system called
Wacom Feel IT Technologies. The new G5 and will continue to enhance and
brand illustrates the company’s emphasis develop sensor systems under the new
on developing from pen technology Wacom Feel IT Technologies brand.
specialist into a leading user interface Masahiko Yamada, President of
organisation. The new solutions Wacom, says: “The launch of our new
integrate multiple technology types OEM brand, combined with our work
including multi-touch and pen in providing leading edge user
functionalities combined with high interface technologies, represents our
performance controllers and device commitment to help everyone enjoy
drivers to create intuitive user using technology on a natural and
experiences for PCs, e-books and other intuitive way.”
Camlink is a registered trademark of Fameart Ltd
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