Call today to set up your Stretch Film Value Analysis!!
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Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Profitable Reasons Why You Should Audit Your Stretch Film!!
Yes...with the constant introduction of new technologies...there are numerous new product introductions that can really impact your bottom line...
Call today to set up your Stretch Film Value Analysis!!
Call today to set up your Stretch Film Value Analysis!!
You Can Ship Safely With Mushrooms and Help Our Planet!!!
Yes...Sealed Air has partnered with a firm that uses mushrooms to pack with!!!
Check out this video!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UavTqmhaiQ
From this
To this
US based Sealed Air will partner with Ecovative Design to jointly produce, sell and distribute the new packaging material from Ecovative called EcoCradle Mushroom Packaging. The material is home compostable and is cost effective since it is made of renewable and non-food agricultural materials.
Check out this video!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UavTqmhaiQ
From this
To this
US based Sealed Air will partner with Ecovative Design to jointly produce, sell and distribute the new packaging material from Ecovative called EcoCradle Mushroom Packaging. The material is home compostable and is cost effective since it is made of renewable and non-food agricultural materials.
At present many Fortune 500 companies are using the product. The material has also won many important awards such as the DuPont Packaging Innovation Diamond Award, “Best of What’s New” from Popular Science and Greener Package “Innovator of the Year” award.
According to the President of the Protective Packaging Business division of Sealed Air Ecovative has the ability to alter the characteristics of materials in terms of its density, texture, appearance and strength in order to meet the specifications of its customers. He also added that a combination of Sealed Air’s expertise and Ecovative’s technology will help them to enhance innovations and meet their customer needs in a better manner. Sealed Air owns various other brands such as Bubble Wrap, Cryovac for food packaging and Diversey for cleaning. Ecovative was formed at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with major investments from DOEN Foundation and 3M Company. The company was named the Tech Pioneer at the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland during 2011.
According to the President of the Protective Packaging Business division of Sealed Air Ecovative has the ability to alter the characteristics of materials in terms of its density, texture, appearance and strength in order to meet the specifications of its customers. He also added that a combination of Sealed Air’s expertise and Ecovative’s technology will help them to enhance innovations and meet their customer needs in a better manner. Sealed Air owns various other brands such as Bubble Wrap, Cryovac for food packaging and Diversey for cleaning. Ecovative was formed at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with major investments from DOEN Foundation and 3M Company. The company was named the Tech Pioneer at the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland during 2011.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Wrapnpack...What if you could??
Have you ever ordered something online and it arrived broken??
Well, this is what we do...we help over 5000 active customers like you to have their products arrive with no damage!!
Please call me so you can save on your boxes, tape, bubble wrap, stretch film and other packaging solutions!!
"If Your presence doesn't make an impact....your absence won't make a difference"!!!
Paul Pileggi
Cell 631 805 8714
Packaging Consultant
Wrap-N-Pack
email: ppileggi@wrapnpack.com
You Can Check out my Blog: http://paulpileggi.blogspot.com
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Is your profit growing???? visit http://linkedin.com/in/paulpileggi
Friday, January 27, 2012
Did you know there is a plastic that can bio-degrade in the ocean???
I think you will enjoy this article...
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a vortex of trash in the North Pacific, spans hundreds of miles. The waste, much of it plastic, is suspended like confetti under the waves and on the surface. “It’s so dilute, it’s probably impossible to clean up,” says Henry Carson, a professor of Marine Science at the University of Hawaii. “Our best bet is to start by not putting any more plastic in.”
Keeping litter out of the ocean isn’t easy, though, and most biodegradable plastics don’t break down well in marine environments—they require the relative warmth of soil or a compost heap. A new plastic on the market degrades quickly both on land and in seawater. Polyhydroxyalkanoate plastic, better known as PHA, has been around in labs for decades but became commercially available only in October 2010 through a joint venture between Cambridge (Mass.) startup Metabolix and Archer Daniels Midland. In the past year, 57 companies, including PaperMate and Cortec, started using the Mirel-brand plastic to manufacture products like pens, packaging, and fishing nets. “It’s like a miracle material,” says Jo Ann Ratto, a polymer research engineer with the U.S. Army who has studied the plastic.
PHA is produced by bacteria, which use it to store energy in the same way that humans store energy as fat. It will degrade in any microbe-rich environment because bacteria recognize the material as food and gobble it up. “If a bag made from PHA plastic is put into a natural lake, the ocean, a home compost facility, the woods, or any place where there are natural microbes present, they will consume it and it will disappear,” says Richard P. Eno, chief executive officer of Metabolix.
Ratto’s group at the Army’s Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center recently ran a study on how well biodegradable materials decompose in ocean waters. After 26 weeks submerged in seawater with sediment, samples of cellophane and polylactic acid, two commonly used biodegradables, lost less than 20 percent and less than 1 percent of their mass, respectively. The PHA samples completely disappeared in less than five weeks. “It’s very rare to get something that degrades in a marine environment, never mind rapidly like PHA,” says Ratto.
Metabolix was spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1992 and has spent the decades since then perfecting its production process. The biggest challenge was genetically modifying microbes to produce large volumes of the plastic. They also had to figure out how to produce different grades of PHA plastics appropriate for products as diverse as shopping bags and hard hats. “It took us a while, but we accomplished it,” says Oliver Peoples, the company’s co-founder and chief scientific officer.
PHAs are more versatile than most competing biodegradables because they maintain their structure at up to 300F. Some alternatives can’t even be used “to make a spoon or a fork because you can’t put them in a hot coffee—they would just melt,” says Ratto. She adds that the Army has found all commercial grades of Mirel to be nontoxic. Zoë b Organic, a manufacturer of sustainable children’s products, is making Mirel beach toys that will go on sale this spring at Pottery Barn Kids. “Like with any material, there’s a learning curve to using it,” says the company’s founder Valerie Lecoeur. “But then it’s perfect, very sturdy.”
The major hurdle is price. PHA costs $2.25 to $2.75 a pound, while petroleum-based plastic costs as little as 60¢ a pound. “We see substantial demand for the product at current pricing levels,” says Eno. Metabolix also wants to move away from corn, which it currently uses as a feed source for its microbes. Peoples says the company is looking into greener alternatives like switchgrass. “The more Mirel gets out there, the more innovation that happens, the better it will get,” says Peoples. “The most challenging thing you can do is introduce a new material.”
Metabolix’s plant has the capacity to produce 110 million pounds of plastic annually—about 0.02 percent of global production. The company hasn’t released revenue numbers for 2011 but Eno says that international interest in the product is high and the company is helping 100 new customers develop products. Still, he’s under no illusion that Mirel means the end of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. “The ocean is the single biggest landfill for plastic in the world,” says Eno. “The problem is just so big.”
The bottom line: Metabolix’s biodegradable plastic completely breaks down in seawater but is up to four times more expensive than traditional plastic.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a vortex of trash in the North Pacific, spans hundreds of miles. The waste, much of it plastic, is suspended like confetti under the waves and on the surface. “It’s so dilute, it’s probably impossible to clean up,” says Henry Carson, a professor of Marine Science at the University of Hawaii. “Our best bet is to start by not putting any more plastic in.”
Keeping litter out of the ocean isn’t easy, though, and most biodegradable plastics don’t break down well in marine environments—they require the relative warmth of soil or a compost heap. A new plastic on the market degrades quickly both on land and in seawater. Polyhydroxyalkanoate plastic, better known as PHA, has been around in labs for decades but became commercially available only in October 2010 through a joint venture between Cambridge (Mass.) startup Metabolix and Archer Daniels Midland. In the past year, 57 companies, including PaperMate and Cortec, started using the Mirel-brand plastic to manufacture products like pens, packaging, and fishing nets. “It’s like a miracle material,” says Jo Ann Ratto, a polymer research engineer with the U.S. Army who has studied the plastic.
PHA is produced by bacteria, which use it to store energy in the same way that humans store energy as fat. It will degrade in any microbe-rich environment because bacteria recognize the material as food and gobble it up. “If a bag made from PHA plastic is put into a natural lake, the ocean, a home compost facility, the woods, or any place where there are natural microbes present, they will consume it and it will disappear,” says Richard P. Eno, chief executive officer of Metabolix.
Ratto’s group at the Army’s Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center recently ran a study on how well biodegradable materials decompose in ocean waters. After 26 weeks submerged in seawater with sediment, samples of cellophane and polylactic acid, two commonly used biodegradables, lost less than 20 percent and less than 1 percent of their mass, respectively. The PHA samples completely disappeared in less than five weeks. “It’s very rare to get something that degrades in a marine environment, never mind rapidly like PHA,” says Ratto.
Metabolix was spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1992 and has spent the decades since then perfecting its production process. The biggest challenge was genetically modifying microbes to produce large volumes of the plastic. They also had to figure out how to produce different grades of PHA plastics appropriate for products as diverse as shopping bags and hard hats. “It took us a while, but we accomplished it,” says Oliver Peoples, the company’s co-founder and chief scientific officer.
PHAs are more versatile than most competing biodegradables because they maintain their structure at up to 300F. Some alternatives can’t even be used “to make a spoon or a fork because you can’t put them in a hot coffee—they would just melt,” says Ratto. She adds that the Army has found all commercial grades of Mirel to be nontoxic. Zoë b Organic, a manufacturer of sustainable children’s products, is making Mirel beach toys that will go on sale this spring at Pottery Barn Kids. “Like with any material, there’s a learning curve to using it,” says the company’s founder Valerie Lecoeur. “But then it’s perfect, very sturdy.”
The major hurdle is price. PHA costs $2.25 to $2.75 a pound, while petroleum-based plastic costs as little as 60¢ a pound. “We see substantial demand for the product at current pricing levels,” says Eno. Metabolix also wants to move away from corn, which it currently uses as a feed source for its microbes. Peoples says the company is looking into greener alternatives like switchgrass. “The more Mirel gets out there, the more innovation that happens, the better it will get,” says Peoples. “The most challenging thing you can do is introduce a new material.”
Metabolix’s plant has the capacity to produce 110 million pounds of plastic annually—about 0.02 percent of global production. The company hasn’t released revenue numbers for 2011 but Eno says that international interest in the product is high and the company is helping 100 new customers develop products. Still, he’s under no illusion that Mirel means the end of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. “The ocean is the single biggest landfill for plastic in the world,” says Eno. “The problem is just so big.”
The bottom line: Metabolix’s biodegradable plastic completely breaks down in seawater but is up to four times more expensive than traditional plastic.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Did you know what the most recycled product in the waste-stream is?
Corrugated boxes are the most recycled product in the waste stream by weight.
Corrugated boxes are named for the fluted inner layer that is sandwiched between layers of linerboard. Corrugated boxes need to be resistant to damage from impacts, drops and vibration, and still be light enough to ship products. Corrugated packaging is the largest segment of the packaging industry, with more than 1,500 box plants in North America.
Paper recyclers call used corrugated boxes “old corrugated containers” or “OCC.” Consumers often call them “cardboard boxes,” but those boxes do not have a fluted inner layer and thus lack the strength of OCC. The term “double-lined kraft” refers to cuttings generated from the manufacture of OCC.The extensive use of corrugated boxes in the U.S. makes them the biggest manufactured product in the waste stream by weight.
Fortunately, OCC is easily recyclable, which also makes it the most recycled product by weight and greatly diminishes the amount sent to disposal. Since 1960, OCC generation increased by 305 percent; its MSW market share increased by 43 percent; its recycling rate more than doubled; and its disposal share decreased by one quarter.
While some corrugated boxes are made of plastic, this profile is limited to paper boxes.
Fortunately, OCC is easily recyclable, which also makes it the most recycled product by weight and greatly diminishes the amount sent to disposal. Since 1960, OCC generation increased by 305 percent; its MSW market share increased by 43 percent; its recycling rate more than doubled; and its disposal share decreased by one quarter.
While some corrugated boxes are made of plastic, this profile is limited to paper boxes.
Corrugated Boxes MSW Facts
Generated:- 29.7 million tons, or 11.9% by weight.
- 195 pounds per person per year.
- 22.76 million tons, a 76.6% recycling rate.
- 24.2 million tons, or a 81.2% recycling rate, including kraft paper (2008 industry figures).
- 43% in 2006 (industry data).
- Corrugated medium usually has more recycled content than linerboard.
- Compostable if shredded properly.
- 6.95 million tons, or 4.2% of discarded MSW by weight.
- 7,047 Btus per pound, compared to 4,500-5,000 Btus for MSW.
- The third largest disposed-of product by weight.
- 26.3 million cubic yards, 6.2% of landfilled MSW in 1997.
- The second largest item in landfills by volume.
- Landfilled OCC weighs 750 lbs. per cubic yard (lbs/cu.yd.).
- Loose, unbaled OCC weighs 50-100 lbs/cu.yd.
- Loose, unbaled, stacked OCC weighs 350 lbs/cu.yd.
- Baled OCC weighs 1,000-1,200 lbs/cu.yd.
- 10% to 15% weight reduction in last decade due to linerboard lightweighting.
- Compression, stacking strength and burst tests limit the ability to lightweight corrugated boxes. Heavy use of recycled fibers can increase box weight to meet these tests.
- 60% goes into corrugated medium or linerboard.
- 21% is exported.
- 15% goes into recycled paperboard.
- ISRI Paper Stock Guidelines #11 (Corrugated Containers), #12 (Double-sorted Corrugated) and #13 (New Double-Lined Kraft Corrugated Cuttings).
- Contaminants include wax coatings, plastics, chipboard, mill wrappers.
You can be a hero at your company using this list of ways to save money!!
Check out this list of 78 Money Saving ideas for you!!
With the economy struggling, every business is trying to cut costs to make ends meet. Small businesses, which have fewer resources, especially feel the burn.
Not to fear. We’ve come up with a mega-list of ways to trim the fat off your enterprise so you don’t become a casualty of the latest economic downturn.
With the economy struggling, every business is trying to cut costs to make ends meet. Small businesses, which have fewer resources, especially feel the burn.
Not to fear. We’ve come up with a mega-list of ways to trim the fat off your enterprise so you don’t become a casualty of the latest economic downturn.
- Go green! Energy-efficient technology will save you money over the life span of your computers, phone systems and other tech tools. There are often tax benefits to green technology, too. Not to mention it'll help out the environment.
- Switch to open-source software. An open-source solution isn't the scary, "You're on your own!" proposition that larger software providers lead you to believe. Open-source software costs a fraction of the price as commercial products while still offering all, if not more, of the features.
- Consider a smaller ISP. If you don’t have a big-business budget, smaller ISPs offer good value for their cost. Check out The List to compare prices.
- Check out VoIP. VOIP is basically a phone service that uses the Internet. Many small businesses are opting for this cheaper alternative that can save them up to 60% over their traditional telecom costs.
- Get a cheaper business phone service. Try a hosted PBX system, like Virtual PBX. Unlike a standard PBX, there is no hardware or software to buy or maintain, so costs start low and stay low.
- Switch from a merchant account to an online payment service like Paypal. Say goodbye to statement fees and monthly fees. These services, however, do have a higher "per transaction" cost, so do some number crunching to see if making a switch will really save you money.
- Reduce the number of phone lines. You could accomplish this simply by configuring office PCs to send and receive faxes. The Windows XP operating system and Small Business Server both make it easy to set up fax services.
- Look for cheap or free web hosting. Check out this list of free Web space or read the reviews of hosts at Web Hosting Unleashed to see which providers have saved businesses money.
- Buy recycled printer cartridges. Printer ink is one of the most expensive liquids on the planet. Much of it is margin, so find low-cost sources.
- Reassess your phone plan. Even if you don't switch to VoIP, you can get service for cents per minute depending on your call volume.
- Eliminate unnecessary lighting. Install motion detectors to control lighting in frequently unoccupied areas, such as restrooms and copy rooms.
- Turn off equipment when it's not being used. This can reduce energy consumption by 25 percent; turning off the computers at the end of the day can save an additional 50 percent.
- Lighten up. Dark walls require more power to produce the same amount of light.If possible, repaint your walls or lighten up your office space with wall hangings to reduce the amount of energy you use.
- Time yourself. Install timers on outdoor lighting systems so they only operate from dusk to dawn.
- If appropriate, use laptop computers. These portable computing machines consume 90 percent less energy than standard desktop computers.
- Stop paying for software. Visit sites like Download.com to try hundreds of software products for free through trial downloads, freeware and limited versions. Also check manufacturers' Web sites for free trial downloads.
- Do it online. Do all of your sales calls need to be in person? Internet-based technologies like Web conferencing and tools like Microsoft Office Live Meeting let you make online presentations to customers.
- Share printers. If you purchase and maintain multiple printers at your office, you could save money by setting up a network that allows employees to share devices. Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 is an easy-to-use and easy-to-operate server solution that allows you to share printers and create a more secure and productive computing environment.
- Reduce your variable expenses. Variable expenses change depending on your consumption of a good or service. They can add up, so see where you can regulate or scrap spending all together.
- Do house cleaning on your weekly unneeded expenses. If you’re spending $50 a week on pizza for the office, you might want to consider brown bagging it.
- Get a freelancer. Don’t let Larry in accounting eat up your electricity as he checks his fantasy football league stats. Hire freelancers, consultants or contractors to work for you from home.
- Keep a close watch on energy consumption. Set your thermostats to a lower temperature, turn off all appliances when they're not in-use and encourage staff to shut down their computers when they're out of the office.
- Sublet office space. You’ll always need to pay rent, regardless of the economy. But try to avoid any additional bills and contracts that will come with having your own office. Subletting is a great way to accomplish this.
- Keep it in the family. Got kids? Hire them! You’ll get cheap help, your kid will learn responsibility and you may get some tax breaks, too.
- Hire college students or interns for credit. An internship program is a win-win situation for your business. You get bright, young and ambitious employees to do your dirty work for little or no pay.
- Take advantage of member rewards. Maximize your rewards points by double-dipping on programs for many of your office and electronics purchases. You can get points from your credit card provider as well as stores like Best Buy.
- Plan shipping or mailings. You can schedule your shipping, mailings or deliveries to take advantage of bulk transactions.
- Don't pay retail. Get purchase orders at trade shows, buy wholesale or even check out the local offerings on Craigslist to save big bucks on office essentials.
- Eliminate unnecessary paper waste. Implement paper-reducing strategies such as double-sided printing and reusing paper. You'll save some trees, too!
- Barter. Thought the days of trade were over? Think again. You can now exchange countless number of goods and services online on sites like Barter.net.
- Free form it. Don't waste time and resources finding writers to produce forms for your business. Search online for free forms you can download and print. Entrepreneur.com specifically has ones for small businesses.
- Buy used equipment. One person's trash is another guy's treasure, right? Sites like Capasset.com sell used computer equipment and copiers.
- Check out going-out-of-business sales. You're business isn't going to tank because you're reading this article. But other companies are bound to fail during this recession. Update your business's digs by capitalizing on the misfortune of others.
- Get creative and recycle. Refurbish old treasures with ideas from sites like Suite 101.com.
- Opt for industrial space over commercial office space. True, you won't be in the trendiest neighborhood in town, but you'll save a wad of cash each month.
- Clean up your mailing list. The U.S. Postal Service will clean up your mailing list for free, correcting addresses, noting incomplete addresses and adding ZIP+4 numbers so you'll be eligible for bar-code discounts.
- Use online coupons. Scour the Internet for coupons and promotion codes hardware, software and electronic equipment.
Advertising
- Word-of-mouth marketing works. Use your associates to get referrals.
- Create an e-newsletter. It's much cheaper to market to previously acquired customers than creating new direct-marketing collateral.
- Use YouTube. YouTube is a great free way for you to get the word out on your business.
- Place an ad on local television stations. If you're not into YouTube, or want to reach additional audiences, local shows are amazingly easy venue to access. Advertising rates for local TV stations are much more negotiable than what you'd expect.
- Communicate on online forums and message boards. You’ll interact with potential clients and customers — for free.
- Start a blog. You can advertise, review your offerings and give free tips as often as you’d like without worrying about running up your budget.
- Use email. Similar to the newsletter, email marketing campaigns will let you interact with specific customers about new products that might interest them.
- Get to know your neighbor businesses. They might be up for splitting local advertising and promotion costs, such as sidewalk sales and mailing lists.
- Get your clients to advertise for you. Ask them to write a testimonial on your Web site or tell their colleagues about your products or services.
- Be a guest speaker. Speak at a community meeting or teach a business course to reach new potential customers.
- Join trade associations. You’ll get industry-specific information, advice, sales opportunities and other member benefits.
- Prune your mailing list. Direct Marketing Association offers this checklist of cost-cutting ideas. Eliminate nonresponders and marginal prospects; print "Address Correction Requested" on your mail; investigate comingling your mail with that of other small businesses to take advantage of discounts available to large mailers; and stockpile mail to build up larger volumes.
- Be an early bird. Send mail early in the day, and you can usually expect to get one- to two-day delivery for the price of a first-class stamp.
- Shop around for an overnight courier. Overnight delivery rates for the major couriers are competitive; however, if you're willing to wait a few hours — or even an extra day — you could save.
- Piggyback your advertising. Include advertising material in mailings such as invoices and sneak announcements or coupons into newsletters and other promotional fliers.
- Re-evaluate your insurance coverage and policy costs. Ask your provider about an umbrella policy, which can be cheaper.
- Consider a four-day work week. Who's going to object to a three-day weekend?
- Bank on an early deposit. Make bank deposits early in the day so you get credit (and start earning interest) that day.
- Consider outsourcing your HR, benefits and payroll to an external provider. Handing over administrative responsibilities to another company will save you time and money.
- Order your checks from a printing company. Printing companies often charge less than banks.
- Consider raising your deductibles. Assess your risk against cash flow benefits by reviewing your insurance deductibles.
- Ask about cash management or sweep accounts. Visit Bankrate.com's Small Business account search for a comparison of corporate checking accounts.
- Take a stand on property taxes. If your business is new in the neighborhood, you may be at a higher tax rate than those who have been there longer. "Go to city hall to determine what your neighbors are paying, and use this to negotiate a better rate," advised Pete Collins of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. "Expanding businesses can often negotiate with community authorities, who want them to stay in town rather than move and take jobs elsewhere."
- Check up on your medical insurance. Before choosing a medical insurance carrier, ask for information on past claims and the loss ratio of paid claims to premiums.
- Consider a PEO (Professional Employer Organization). PEOs take over the administrative and legal responsibilities of managing your employees, effectively becoming "employers of record." This translates into lower HR costs, better benefits packages and reduced legal liability for your company.
- Try to bargin. The professionals with whom you work regularly are often amenable to bargaining, thanks to the rapport you've developed with them. Ask your insurance agent, accountant or attorney how you can cut back on their costs. You'd be surprised at their suggestions on ways to cut your premiums, reduce billable hours or avoid huge retainers. You might also barter your services as a substitute for payment.
- Time your payments. Ask suppliers if they give discounts for early payment. If not, it's to your advantage to pay your bills — including utilities, taxes and suppliers — as late as possible without incurring a fee.
- Seek at least three bids on everything. Even mundane purchases merit shopping around. If you quote a competitor's lower price, a supplier or vendor will often match that price to win your business.
- Commission your sales force. Overhead, salaries, incentives, training costs, fringe benefits and expenses add up when you're hiring your own sales representatives. Contracting independent manufacturers' sales reps, paid on commission only, is less expensive and often equally effective.
- Form a buying alliance. Join with another business or a trade association for bulk purchasing discounts.
- Don't overlook crucial tax deductions. In addition to being able to deduct a portion of your rent or mortgage interest and utilities as business expenses, you can also deduct a percentage of various home-maintenance expenses, along with a portion of the cost of services such as house cleaning and lawn care. Check out the IRS (Internal Revenue Service)'s Web site, or check with a knowledgeable tax adviser for more information.
- Save by association. When looking for insurance, check with your trade association. Many associations offer competitive group insurance.
- Temp it out. Rather than paying for employees who sit idle when business is slow, consider hiring temporary employees to handle surges in activity.
- Get the best business credit-card deal. Whether it's cash back or travel rewards, the right business credit card can yield big dividends.
Travel
- Shop for discounted fares online. Scour popular travel Internet sites for specials on major air carriers. Don't forget about regional and budget airlines, however
- Get your rental car through a discount broker. Companies like Rent-A-Wreck of America offer reduced rates as compared to mainstream rental-car businesses.
- Sharing is saving. Employees should share hotel rooms and rental cars as much as possible when traveling together.
- Go dutch. On the executive end of the spectrum, many private jet legs are empty or can be split with other business travelers.
- Don't eat where you sleep. Hotel restaurants are usually more expensive than other nearby options.
Think Outside the Box
- Get an "executive suite." You don't have to run your office full-time from an executive suite to benefit from its services. Many home-based entrepreneurs find executive suites meet a range of needs, including access to a private mailbox and a receptionist to answer or forward calls to your home office.
- Don't scrimp on disaster-recovery planning. It's cheaper to bend than break.
Technology
Overhead
Office Items and Office Space
Insurance and Finances
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Your 10 Tips To Be The Best Purchasing Agent!!!
Are these your commandments???
Thou shalt always make decisions in the best interest of thy employer. Good purchasing agents avoid any real, and even perceived, conflicts of interest.
Thou shalt always make decisions in the best interest of thy employer. Good purchasing agents avoid any real, and even perceived, conflicts of interest.
- Thou shalt always involve thy internal customers throughout the purchasing process. Good purchasing agents never act alone.
- Thou shalt never make price the only criterion in a purchasing decision. Good purchasing agents take quality, delivery, and other criteria into consideration also.
- Thou shalt measure thy performance and communicate thy performance to management. Good purchasing agents know and show their value.
- Thou shalt treat suppliers fairly. Good purchasing agents don’t attempt to take advantage of suppliers’ mistakes nor trick them to accept unfavorable terms.
- Thou shalt embrace change and new technologies rather than resist them.
- Thou shalt negotiate with the understanding that there may some day need to be a close relationship with the supplier across the table.
- Thou shalt realize that it is a global economy and never make assumptions that thou knowest every supplier available.
- Thou shalt acknowledge that thy manager’s job is to develop and implement a strategy for the department and, therefore, thou shalt challenge thyself to solve problems independently rather than involve thy manager in tactical crises that can reasonably be resolved at the purchasing agent level.
- Thou shalt commit to continuous improvement of thy skills, never letting a year go by without learning new practices used by other purchasing agents.
- Thou shalt always exceed expectations, consistently delivering more than anticipated. Good purchasing agents also fulfill obligations sooner than expected.
Friday, January 13, 2012
You Can Use Fill Teck for an Unbreakable Air Bag!!
Do you want an air bag that wont pop no matter what???
FillTeck™ Inflatable Cushioning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qRs2RDO6m7w
This versatile, cost-efficient system produces adjustable height cushions for various sized applications. FillTeck™ packaging is produced on-demand with limited operator involvement. Clear inflatable cushions created by the system can be re-used for an added eco-friendly benefit. The system provides excellent protection with minimum material storage space required, reduces shipping costs due to lightweight packaging material and offers clean, professional looking packages.
This versatile, cost-efficient system produces adjustable height cushions for various sized applications. FillTeck™ packaging is produced on-demand with limited operator involvement. Clear inflatable cushions created by the system can be re-used for an added eco-friendly benefit. The system provides excellent protection with minimum material storage space required, reduces shipping costs due to lightweight packaging material and offers clean, professional looking packages.
Features & Benefits
Perforated material allows operator to create cushions in different sizes and shapes
Quilt option creates one, two or four cushions across (see photo detail)
Allows operator to quickly and easily change lengths of cushions to adjust for eachproduct packaged
Produces up to 18 feet per minute, depending on cushion size
Choice of four film types for a variety of applications
- Standard Performance Film
- Plus Performance Film
- X Films (extremely high performance/high loading film)
- Anti-static Plus Performance Films
Equipment Options
Two equipment systems are available according to film width required. Both systems have the capability to create cushions of any length. Each versatile system offers a quilt option that creates one, two or four cushions across. The machine can either perforate or cut the film down the middle when dispensed.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Do You Know What Jobs Will Be Hot In 2012???
Yes...it helps you to know where to direct your efforts...Good Luck!!
1. Biomedical engineer
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, biomedical engineers apply knowledge of engineering, biology, and biomechanical principles to the design, development and evaluation of biological and health systems and products. This is one of the fastest-growing occupations, with an expected 72 percent increase in employment from 2008-2018.
Average salary: $82,421*
2. Computer software engineer
The computer systems design and related services industry has seen continued growth throughout the second half of 2011, according to the BLS. In addition, the NACE Job Outlook 2012 survey found computer sciences to be one of the top bachelor's degrees in demand by employers.
Average salary: $97,581
3. Customer service representative
This occupation is expected to experience faster than average growth, one reason being the high turnover rate in the field. This is also a good industry to consider if you are fluent in multiple languages, as opportunities for bilingual representatives are fruitful.
Average salary: $29,314
4. Home health aide
Home health aides provide in-home care, a service that will continue to be important as the elderly population continues to grow. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the number of Americans 65 and older is projected to be 88.5 million by 2050, more than double its estimated 2010 population.
Average salary: $28,173
5. Management analyst
Management analyst is an occupation in the management and technical consulting services field, a field that grew by 3.8 percent from September to October 2011 and has seen steady growth throughout the second half of the year. According to the BLS, management analysts study and analyze business-related issues and recommend solutions.
Average salary: $72,197
6. Medical assistant
The BLS predicts that the medical assistant field will grow by 33.9 percent from 2008-2018. Medical assistants often work at physicians' offices and perform administrative and clinical duties. Proper training and skills can be acquired by attending a one- to two-year program at a vocational school.
Average salary: $37,571
7. Network systems and data communications analyst
The BLS notes that this occupational category, with sizable employment growth projections through 2018, includes network architects and engineers, as well as Web administrators and developers. According to the Labor Department, the type of degree required depends on the position level.
Average salary: $48,316
8. Registered nurse
The registered nurse profession is the largest health-care occupation and is expected to grow by 22.2 percent from 2008-2018, according to the BLS. While RNs can be employed by physicians' offices, most work in hospitals.
Average salary: $71,692
9. Retail salesperson
The record-busting Black Friday and Cyber Monday retail sales show that consumers are starting to feel a little more confident about the economy. In fact, the retail trade has overall trended up since June 2011, with a slight dip from July to August. Due to this occupation's high turnover rate, employment opportunities are expected to be good.
Average salary: $25,557
1. Biomedical engineer
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, biomedical engineers apply knowledge of engineering, biology, and biomechanical principles to the design, development and evaluation of biological and health systems and products. This is one of the fastest-growing occupations, with an expected 72 percent increase in employment from 2008-2018.
Average salary: $82,421*
2. Computer software engineer
The computer systems design and related services industry has seen continued growth throughout the second half of 2011, according to the BLS. In addition, the NACE Job Outlook 2012 survey found computer sciences to be one of the top bachelor's degrees in demand by employers.
Average salary: $97,581
3. Customer service representative
This occupation is expected to experience faster than average growth, one reason being the high turnover rate in the field. This is also a good industry to consider if you are fluent in multiple languages, as opportunities for bilingual representatives are fruitful.
Average salary: $29,314
4. Home health aide
Home health aides provide in-home care, a service that will continue to be important as the elderly population continues to grow. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the number of Americans 65 and older is projected to be 88.5 million by 2050, more than double its estimated 2010 population.
Average salary: $28,173
5. Management analyst
Management analyst is an occupation in the management and technical consulting services field, a field that grew by 3.8 percent from September to October 2011 and has seen steady growth throughout the second half of the year. According to the BLS, management analysts study and analyze business-related issues and recommend solutions.
Average salary: $72,197
6. Medical assistant
The BLS predicts that the medical assistant field will grow by 33.9 percent from 2008-2018. Medical assistants often work at physicians' offices and perform administrative and clinical duties. Proper training and skills can be acquired by attending a one- to two-year program at a vocational school.
Average salary: $37,571
7. Network systems and data communications analyst
The BLS notes that this occupational category, with sizable employment growth projections through 2018, includes network architects and engineers, as well as Web administrators and developers. According to the Labor Department, the type of degree required depends on the position level.
Average salary: $48,316
8. Registered nurse
The registered nurse profession is the largest health-care occupation and is expected to grow by 22.2 percent from 2008-2018, according to the BLS. While RNs can be employed by physicians' offices, most work in hospitals.
Average salary: $71,692
9. Retail salesperson
The record-busting Black Friday and Cyber Monday retail sales show that consumers are starting to feel a little more confident about the economy. In fact, the retail trade has overall trended up since June 2011, with a slight dip from July to August. Due to this occupation's high turnover rate, employment opportunities are expected to be good.
Average salary: $25,557
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