Basingstoke based RFI has announced record quarterly sales of its OmniPass products. Even before the end of the current quarter, it is clear that sales will be significantly ahead of the previous record and the current level of enquiries indicates that this growth should continue into 2008.

RFI’s Technology Development Manager, Stuart Thomas, commented:

We have been using OmniPass technology within the RFI group for some time and it has transformed the way we manage and perform the testing of cellular mobiles. For example we can now manage testing remotely and debug products from anywhere in the world; this is particularly useful in a 24 x 7 environment.

During 2007, we have seen a significant rise in interest from companies outside the RFI group who want to use OmniPass technology. As well as applications in conformance testing, we are also seeing increasing interest in the use of OmniPass for regression testing and other applications earlier in the design process.

DICOM Group plc, a global leader of Intelligent Capture & Exchange solutions based in Basingstoke, announced that it has been recognised by Document Manager, a leading publication in the document and content management industry, as part of its annual DM Awards 2007, which seek to honour companies at the forefront of the market and give industry-wide recognition to the leading technology, tools, solutions and products.

It’s a great honour for DICOM to be recognised by the readers of Document Manager, which represent the industry-at-large,

said Andrew Pery, VP of marketing, DICOM Group.

We continue to hear positive feedback from our partners and customers regarding our strategy with Intelligent Capture & Exchange, which has positioned to adapt to an evolving market and to address the industry’s most challenging capture needs.

The DM Awards Program is largely influenced by reader votes. DICOM was recognised with an ‘Editor’s Choice Award’ for its Document Scan Server, a key element of Intelligent Capture & Exchange, which serves as the centerpiece of DICOM’s strategy to help organisations streamline business processes by capturing documents in the front office, where they originate, and moving such information in real time to transactional business processes. Pery added:

2007 has been an exciting year for DICOM and we look forward to continued success from Intelligent Capture & Exchange throughout 2008, This award is further proof that DICOM is cementing its leadership position in the software capture market.

Cobalt Telephone Technologies based on Wade Road in Basingstoke has recently celebrated 10 years of successful trading.

The company which formally opened its doors to business on the 15th October 1997 was founded with a clear commitment to offer its customers the very best in automated transaction handling. Early customers included the National Refrigeration Company and Lloyds UDT, the leading UK motor finance house.

West Ham United FC and latterly Manchester United FC were both important customers for Cobalt’s transaction handling expertise. The contract with the latter, signed in the year in which they won the treble and which continues today, marked a major turning point in the fortunes of the company.

Subsequent focus on the UK’s fast growing parking market has been key to more recent growth. Constant expansion of the company’s hosted services has taken place in each of the years since 2001 and cumulatively Cobalt has now processed almost £200m of parking transactions on behalf of local government parking authorities.

Today, its customer base for parking related services includes over a third of all London Boroughs, the Cities of Edinburgh and Birmingham and the whole of Northern Ireland. Turnover and profitability continues to rise at a pleasing pace with both on target to have increased by 35%, when compared with 2006, by the close of 2007. The company remains wholly privately owned.

This tenth anniversary is a significant milestone. The Board of Directors took the opportunity to thank the many customers past and present who have placed their faith in Cobalt and in doing so have contributed to its success. The company remains pledged to continue to offer transaction handling services of the highest standard as it continues to trade, delight and grow.

DICOM Group, a global leader of Intelligent Capture & Exchange solutions based in Basingstoke, today announced its inclusion on the Software Magazine’s Software 500 ranking of the world’s largest software and service providers, now in its 25th year. This year, DICOM cracked the top 100 and ranked at 96.

DICOM’s inclusion in the 2007 Software 500 validates our position as a leader in the global information capture market,

said Rob Klatell, chief executive officer of DICOM Group.

The launch of Kofax Intelligent Capture & Exchange this past year has resonated well throughout the industry, and we have continued to receive recognition for the ability of our solutions to help organisations streamline business processes.

The Software 500 is a revenue-based ranking of the world’s largest software and services suppliers targeting medium to large enterprises, their IT professionals, software developers and business managers involved in software and services purchasing.

The Software 500 helps CIOs, senior IT managers and IT staff research and create the short list of business partners,

said John P. Desmond, editor of Software Magazine and Softwaremag.com.

It is a quick reference of vendor viability. The software industry continues to be dynamic with more than 98 new companies on the list this year for the first time.

The ranking is based on total worldwide software and services revenue for 2006. This includes revenues from software licenses, maintenance and support, training and software-related services and consulting. The financial information was gathered by a survey prepared by King Content Co. and posted at www.Softwaremag.com, as well as from public documents.

Magellan Duplication based in Basingstoke is making a splash within the music market, they are hitting the social network sites with a music band competition on Facebook.

So if aspiring music bands want to spread the sound of their music and become the next Arctic Monkeys or Klaxons, then to enter simply join the Magellan duplication group on Facebook and post a link to the submitted track, upload it on the Magellan website or send a file of up to 5Mb in size to marketing@magellanworld.com

The next step is to spread the word via social networks. To make votes count anyone voting must add Magellan duplication as a friend on Facebook - so the more friends who get involved the better the chance of winning.

The winner will be selected from the artists who have the most votes during a specified period during December 2007.

The winner will receive 100 professionally produced CDs in jewel cases with printed inserts. The CDs will be printed via thermal re- transfer which is the same quality as any CD you purchase in HMV.

The top 20 entries (based on voting) will appear on a compilation CD which will be sent out to a list of A&R contacts in the UK music industry.

Visit the Magellan website for more information & competition rules on the Magellan music band competition including the prizes.

Basingstoke based Voller Energy Group PLC, a leader in portable fuel cell systems, today announced its preliminary results for the year ended 30 June, 2007.Highlights Include

• Maiden order from GenQuip for twenty 1kW fuel cell systems to be installed in welfare cabins
• Unipart Leisure and Marine appointed as fuel cell distributor
• Remain on track for commercialisation of systems
• Prototype systems installed in Cabin, RV and Yacht and trials underway
• Strong cash balance of £4.73m

Stephen Voller, Chief Executive Officer, commented:

Our progress to date has been very encouraging. Voller continues to lead the way in developing fuel cell generators running from alternative fuels. We are one of the first fuel cell companies worldwide to have products ready for commercialisation and first to have fuel cell systems running from LPG. We are delighted to have received our first order for our APU system called “Emerald” which will roll off our new production line in Basingstoke, United Kingdom in early 2008. We are cautiously optimistic for the year ahead.

Voller Energy is one of the world’s first commercial developers and manufacturers of portable fuel cell systems for use as battery chargers and mobile generators – ideal for anyone who has a need for reliable and versatile remote power. The company was founded in 2002 by Stephen Voller and Mike Clarke in Basingstoke.

Secure email and Internet gateway security provider Marshal, with head offices in Basingstoke, has today announced the appointment of Helmut Haslbeck as Director of Central and Eastern Europe. The move is designed to accelerate Marshal’s expansion into the rapidly growing Eastern European market. Haslbeck, who joined Marshal last year as Director of Central Europe, will now also drive sales growth in the Eastern European region.

“We see a great market opportunity for our content security solutions in this region and wanted to increase our local presence. The Eastern European market is still growing rapidly and we intend to establish our company as the leading vendor in this market”

says Michael Clifford, VP Sales EMEA at Marshal.

“Helmut Haslbeck brings extensive sales experience and a comprehensive knowledge of the security market in Central and Eastern Europe. He will be a vital asset to the business as we continue to expand our footprint in the region”

The former general manager of Motorola UK, Jim Michel, returned to the business this week after pulling out of a senior role at 20:20.

He told Mobile Magazine he was glad to return to the Basingstoke business adding:

“Motorola is looking to change direction in the way it works with the UK market.”

Michel spent two months in the top UK slot at Motorola, before setting his sights on a senior role at 20:20. Although he was recruited as business development director, the departure of 20:20 MD Peter Hubbard had paved the way for Michel to take on that role instead.

Michel added: ‘Mark Ryan and Matt Moulding [20:20’s bosses] have been very good about the whole thing.’

Motorola is looking to rebuild its position in the UK after a difficult year when the manufacturer has lost ground both in terms of market share and margins. The delayed Z8 is one of a series of new devices that the company hopes will restore its fortunes in the UK contract handset market, as its senior managers pledge to work more closely with their UK retail and operator customers.

Ref. Mobile Magazine.

DICOM Group, based in Chineham Business Park, Basingstoke, yesterday announced the appointment of Bradley Hall as the Group’s Vice President of Human Resources.

Prior to joining DICOM Group, Hall, age 48, was Senior Vice President and Global Head of Talent Management at ABN Amro Bank. Before ABN Amro, his experience includes four years spent at IBM, where he was Director, Global Executive and Organisational Capability for IBM Asia Pacific, and five years at AT&T Japan in a similar capacity.

Commenting on the appointment, Rob Klatell, Chief Executive Officer of DICOM Group, said:

We are delighted to welcome Brad Hall to the Group. The people of DICOM are our most important asset, and they are critical to our success in the fast-paced and constantly evolving environment in which we compete. Therefore the appointment of a global head of human resources is an important step for us. We believe Brad Hall brings to DICOM a wealth of experience that will be invaluable to our organisation as we face the challenges ahead and strive to expand upon our industry-leading position.

Dicom is a global leader of Intelligent Capture & Exchange solutions. Its leading edge capture and exchange technologies and solutions enable Business Process Automation by managing the transformation and exchange of business-critical information (residing in various formats such as paper, fax, electronic documents, e-mail, SMS) among people, applications and devices.

Through a global network of more than 1,200 authorised partners and its own sales and service organisations in the Americas, Asia Pacific and EMEA, DICOM Group helps blue-chip enterprises in more than 60 countries to reduce cost, increase efficiency and minimise risk in their critical business processes.

For more information, visit www.dicomgroup.com.

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, visited Huawei’s offices in Basingstoke earlier this week.

William Xu, president of Huawei Europe and Edward Chen, managing director of the vendor, were both on hand to welcome the Duke as he visited the offices as the UK’s special representative for international trade and showed the “down-to-earth [and] jovial side of his personality”, according to the Basingstoke Gazette.

It reported that the visit came about following a previous meeting with Huawei at the 3GSM World Congress 2007, earlier this year in Barcelona.

Huawei’s European headquarters opened in Basingstoke in 2006 and has about 300 employees, most whom are based in sites at the Viables and Faraday Office Park. The company has offices across the globe, including Silicon Valley, Dallas, Stockholm and Bangalore.

Story Ref. Zycko