This North Hampshire Chamber of Commerce (NHCCI) event takes place in Basingstoke at the Red Lion Hotel on Tuesday 20th May 2008 between 12.15 pm and 2.00 pm.

The event is sponsored by Philips Solicitors, who will make two short presentations:

• Employing temporary staff
• Tips for the licensed trade

Venue: The Red Lion Hotel Red Lion Lane Basingstoke RG21 7LX

Members: £15.00 plus VAT
Non-members: £25.00 plus VAT

Contact: Marian Bennett or Jill McDonagh 01256 352275 for more details.

RFI, in conjunction with Agilent Technologies and Anite Telecom, will be hosting a free one day technical seminar/workshop on 2G/3G Conformance Test Certification & Automation, taking place at RFI’s headoffice in Basingstoke, UK on the 21st May 2008.

This workshop will enable delegates to gain a working knowledge of the latest compliance requirements, processes and tools available to make the test process fast and efficient. They will cover effective and efficient UE conformance assessments, wireless test solutions for handset RF conformance testing and delivering effective device acceptance testing.

RFI Global Services Ltd is a leading provider of specialist testing, approvals and product development services to the cellular, wireless, smartcard and electronics industries. RFI supports its customers worldwide through a network of offices, test facilities, partners and representatives in Europe, South Africa, North America and Asia.

As seating will be limited, you are encouraged to register at your earliest convenience.

Unum, the UK’s leading disability insurer based in Basingstoke, has announced the launch of its new improved AKAM (Active Key Account Management) service for Group Income Protection (GIP) clients. The enhanced service will be known as ‘Premier’.

The result of extensive client research, Premier is a specially tailored service that helps large employers manage their sickness absence costs and keep GIP premiums to a minimum. It forms the crux of the full range of Unum’s non-insurance based customer offering, such as its claims enhancing proposition and WorkMatters services, and allows business managers to focus on their business rather than sickness absence issues.

Core attributes of the Premier service will be a greater emphasis on flexibility and a reduction in the amount of paperwork involved. There will also be improved reporting and delivery as well as greater access to medical services e.g. discussions around clinical intervention and other medical issues, where appropriate.

One of Premier’s key components is the provision of vocational rehabilitation support at the earliest stage possible i.e. pre-claim. This is made possible through regular contact between the business and a dedicated Unum account manager and support team. The end goal is to reduce the number of absences resulting in a claim and reduce claim durations, which in turn lessens the impact on staff morale and productivity.

Unum pioneered the original AKAM service to its clients in 2000, in response to the growing number of large employers who were experiencing issues around managing their sickness absence and concern for the increasing costs associated with this.

Colin Fitzgerald, National Accounts Director at Unum, said: “Premier is a proven, modern and flexible support system for larger clients with limited time and/or resources to manage sickness absence. We hope this new launch will grasp the attention of IFAs and benefit consultants alike, who will be able to see that not only do we have a track record of success as the first provider in the market to offer a tailored early intervention resource, but that the product is now leaner and fitter, encompassing a more comprehensive range of services.

And the changes will not stop here as we will continue to listen to our clients’ needs to ensure that the Premier service retains a fresh and modern approach, marking us out as innovative leaders in the ever competitive GIP market.

Between 2003 and 2006 Unum’s in-house vocational rehabilitation experts worked with more than 2800 individuals who had been referred through AKAM for early rehabilitation support. Of these Unum helped more than 70% to successfully return to work.

Basingstoke-based vending services provider Selecta has secured a contract to provide vending services at the Port of Dover, the UK’s leading cross-channel ferry port, in Kent.

The Port of Dover was used by more than 14 million passengers, 2.8 million tourist cars, 105,000 coaches and 2.3 million lorries during 2006. As part of the agreement, Selecta will supply 13 machines offering vended hot and cold beverages and confectionery products at a number of locations including the port’s travel centre, freight centre, arrivals hall and coach and passenger lanes.

Selecta has also introduced Project Apple at the port, a consumer-driven vending concept featuring Selecta-branded can and bottle vending machines which gives the flexibility of offering a variety of brand leading products across the soft drinks sectors. Selecta sales and marketing director Jonathan Barr:

We are delighted to be working with the Port of Dover – England’s gateway to the Continent with millions of holidaymakers and businesspeople passing through it each year.

Selecta has considerable experience serving the transport and travel sector where we provide vending services to customers at airports, railway stations and at roadside locations throughout the UK.

Following the Easter half term holiday, one of the busiest times of the year for leisure operator Bowlplex, the company has reported an upturn in its trading figures.

Having welcomed thousands of people during the holiday period to the 16 family entertainment centres, including Basingstoke, Bowlplex saw trade increase by a staggering 20% compared to the same period last year.

Bowlplex sales and marketing manager, Simon Barnett said:

During the Easter school holiday all of the Bowlplex centres were extremely busy as people enjoyed the many facilities we have on offer including ten pin bowling.

Considering the current economic climate and the trend for families to be reigning in on spending, we are very pleased to have an increase on the trading figures.

Bowlplex’s strength in the ten-pin bowling market is set to grow even stronger in 2008 with a further two sites opening at the end of the year, bringing the total number of UK centres to 18.

Shire Plc (SHP L), the UK’s third-largest drugmaker with headquarters in Basingstoke, won US approval for use of its Vyvanse hyperactivity treatment in adult patients resulting in the largest jump in it’s stock since October 2006.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the medicine in July 2007 for children between 6 and 12 years old with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. More than 1 million prescriptions have been written since then, the Basingstoke-based company said today in a statement.

Shire said in February that its target of $350 million to $400 million in 2008 Vyvanse sales hinged on adult patients, a group Shire says is the fastest growing segment of the ADHD market. The drugmaker needs Vyvanse to replace sales it loses when the treatment’s predecessor, Adderall XR, loses patent protection next year.

The medicine, which brought in $76.5 million for Shire by the end of last year, has a 6.9 percent share of the market for ADHD treatments, Shire said. That’s an increase from 6.3 percent market share as of Feb. 21. The six biggest managed care plans now cover the product, Shire said.

Shire surged 6.5 percent to close at 978 pence in London trading. Before today, the shares had lost 20 percent this year.

This news comes shortly after the company announced that it is looking to quit the UK.

Via Bloomberg UK

Orolia, an electronics technology group specialized in high-precision time and frequency generation, distribution and measurement, and Rapco Electronics Ltd based in Basingstoke, a leading high-precision frequency standards, time code and distribution provider, today announced that they have formed a strategic partnership to strengthen their competitive positions and provide tangible benefits to their customers and sales channel partners.

In a multi-phased approach, Orolia Group companies Spectracom and SpectraTime will join the existing alliance between Pendulum Instruments (recently acquired by Orolia) and Rapco Electronics to cooperate on several fronts to leverage global distribution channels, operations and new product development efforts. Key tenants of the partnership include the following:

Rapco Electronics will represent and distribute Spectracom and Pendulum products in the UK and Ireland. With this line up of strong industry brands behind them and together with their own products, Rapco will provide the most comprehensive range of high-precision time and frequency products for governmental, military, telecom, broadcasting and scientific customers in the UK and Ireland.

Outside of this region, both Pendulum and Spectracom will distribute key Rapco products under their own respective brands.

In addition to sales, Orolia and Rapco Electronics will combine service and support for the UK and Ireland in Rapco’s Basingstoke, UK headquarters. Serving as a single point of contact, Rapco will provide their and Orolia Group customers a high level of local service and support for standard time and frequency products, unique applications, systems and custom engineered solutions.

With access to Orolia’s state of the art technology, Rapco Electronics will enhance its ability to provide custom time & frequency systems for defense and space customers. In addition, technology sharing and operational efficiencies between the partners will enable a high degree of innovation and lower times to market for future synchronization needs of these important markets.

Jean-Yves Courtois, Orolia Chairman and CEO, comments:

Orolia and Rapco Electronics complement each other very well, and we are very excited about our new relationship. By joining forces, we believe we can boost Orolia’s presence in the UK and Ireland, and substantially accelerate our worldwide development in defense and space timing and synchronization, a corner stone to large system integration. The Rapco Electronics and Orolia teams should work well together: both companies are driven by innovation, passion, and demand success.

Margaret Reed, Rapco Electronics’ CEO, adds:

In essence, this partnership combines the substantial strengths and success of industry leaders with very similar, successful histories, but who do not compete directly today. It is a very natural fit for both of us.

Rapco Electronic Ltd., based in Basingstoke, UK, has over 40 years of experience in designing and manufacturing Time & Frequency Systems for highly critical fixed and mobile operations. These can include Satellite Ground Station Control & Communications Systems, Military Defence & Communication Systems, Radar, Wireless Telecom Systems, Commercial Broadcast, etc. Products include GPS Synchronised Time & Frequency Sources supported by a wide range of Signal Conversion and Distribution Modules.

Basingstoke is getting set for the start of a brand new online radio station with imminent launch of radiobasingstoke.com at 1pm on Wednesday 1st May.

Radio Basingstoke is set to give north Hampshire bands and artists of all genres a new and unique opportunity to showcase their work online around the globe.

Bands and artists are being invited to have the chance of having a half-hour programme dedicated to their work on a show hosted by Radio Basingstoke’s Station Manager, Lee Williams, who will interview the artists and play their promotional CD’s on air. The programme will air three times over a two week period at different times of the day.

The CD will also feature as their “Artist of the Week” on a new website to be launched soon.

Radio Basingstoke is a joint venture by local music management company Astrid Music Management and Public Relations consultancy Headline Promotions Press & PR, will play music of all genres round the clock and,
whilst there will be some presenters, there will be less chatter and more music.

Though the radio station is funded by commercials, these will be kept to three minute segments each half hour.

Station Manager, Lee Williams said:

Radio Basingstoke is a community radio station, at the heart of our local community, and support of local artists is part of our mission. During our early days, until such time as we obtain sponsorship for some programmes, we will ask for a contribution of £200 from our featured artists. Once we obtain commercial sponsorship then there will be no charge!

Artists wishing to showcase their work can submit details by e-mail to john@radiobasingstoke.com

Asked if he was confident of the future of Internet radio, Williams said:

A recent report claimed that internet radio has hit the mainstream. More than 8 million people in the UK listen to web-based radio services every week and nearly 2 million download podcasts on a weekly basis, according to a survey that suggests internet radio has hit the mainstream.

Commissioned by the industry’s audience research body Rajar, the Ipsos Mori survey last autumn found that more than 12 million people have listened to the radio online and 8.1 million listen every week either through live streaming or “listen again” services.

Ipsos Mori found that 75% of users do not listen to less live radio as a result of listening again online, with 50% tuning into new shows as a result.

For Radio Basingstoke, this is good news. Williams (pictured with John Hicks, MD of Headline Promotions, Press & PR) said:

This survey proves what we in the radio industry already knew! We are looking forward to the forthcoming launch of Radio Basingstoke on 1st May and this news is very positive for us.

Tasked more about the use of “community” in their mission statement, Williams explained that two local schools, Bishop Challoner RC School and Costello
Technology College, are working on weekly shows produced by groups of students. In addition, local presenters will be featured and there will be
extensive “what’s on” coverage, through the website and on-air programming. Further, local job opportunities will be featured to help jobseekers.

There are also opportunities for the general public to become involved. These range from being able to text requests to the station (0787 401 6433) through to
volunteering to master their new MySpace presence at www.myspace.com/radiobasingstoke.

In particular, the station will heavily feature news of what is happening
in the local community so anyone with an upcoming event is asked to e-mail full details to events@radiobasingstoke.com.

For a radio station for north Hampshire, the name Radio Basingstoke was an obvious choice. Williams discloses though that it was actually a close run
thing with “Amazingstoke” until it was found that an enterprising author has already registered amazingstoke dotcom. However, he was happy for the
station to adopt it as part of their logo which will soon be displayed prominently around the district.

This is not the first time Williams and Hicks have collaborated. They are co-founders of the award-winning CMR Nashville Radio, Europe’s leading country music radio station.

Radio Basingstoke will be found on www.radiobasingstoke.com through your PC, internet radio and many popular mobile phones.

Kofax plc, based in Basingstoke, today announced it has been selected as a finalist in two major categories for the 2008 American Electronics Association’s (AeA) High-Tech Innovation Awards. Presented by AeA’s Orange County and Inland Empire councils, the awards recognize local companies, individuals and products in the technology field that drive innovation in Orange County, California where the company’s international operating headquarters are located.

Kofax was selected as a finalist for the “Outstanding Public Company” award for its success based on the Intelligent Capture & Exchange solution concept, the centerpiece of its strategy to help organizations streamline business processes. The company’s solutions automate document-driven business processes by managing the transformation and exchange of business-critical information arising in paper, fax and electronic formats in a more accurate, timely and cost-effective manner.

The company was also selected as a finalist for the “Product of the Year - Software” award for Kofax Capture 8.0, the latest version of the world’s leading information capture platform. This platform captures paper and electronic documents and forms in a digital format, transforms their content into accurate data, and delivers the resulting information into organizational applications and repositories.

We’re honored that AeA has recognized Kofax as a leader and innovator for providing companies with the most advanced intelligent capture and exchange solutions,

said Reynolds C. Bish, chief executive officer at Kofax.

Being named a finalist for the ‘Outstanding Public Company’ award is particularly gratifying as it highlights the efforts of our employees and many achievements we’ve realized in recent years.Kofax has continued its evolution during 2008 with several major initiatives designed to enhance its market position and growth potential. This includes adopting Kofax as a single corporate brand and name, restructuring the company around global business functions, realigning the company’s sales resources to be more consistent with the markets served, and introducing new revenue growth initiatives. Bish added:

Kofax has continued its evolution during 2008 with several major initiatives designed to enhance its market position and growth potential. This includes adopting Kofax as a single corporate brand and name, restructuring the company around global business functions, realigning the company’s sales resources to be more consistent with the markets served, and introducing new revenue growth initiatives. Bish added:

The AeA award nominations reflect the past achievements and future direction of the company. Kofax is and will continue to be at the forefront of our industry as we strategically evolve to deliver even better Intelligent Capture & Exchange solutions and help organizations run more efficiently, accurately and profitably.

Winners will be announced at the AeA High-Tech Innovation Awards ceremony on Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine, California.

A group aiming to help reduce crimes against businesses in Tadley is close to being set up after several meetings to discuss the possibility of establishing a Tadley Business Against Crime group, made up of the owners and managers of local firms.

As well as cutting shoplifting, the consortium would seek to stop anti-social behaviour that affects traders and local leisure and service providers in the town, through sharing information about repeat troublemakers.

A similar group in Basingstoke - called Basingstoke Business Against Crime - was established successfully in the town centre in 2006.

More details from This is Hampshire.