GSA Technology Council

$5 Million Investment to Bring 70 New Jobs to Greenville County

The South Carolina Department of Commerce joined the Greenville Area Development Corporation and Datran today in announcing the company’s intention to locate its U.S. facility in Piedmont, S.C. Datran will invest $5 million dollars and anticipates the creation of 70 new jobs at its U.S. operations in Greenville County.

“Already well established and highly recognized in Canada, Datran is committed to continuing our strong relationship with our Southern customers. Greenville is centrally located in relation to the automotive and recreational OEM’s. We are impressed by the dynamics and culture of Greenville. The people are professional and welcoming. We really feel the Southern hospitality,” said Michel Veilleux, South Carolina Plant Manager, Datran. “Datran’s new state of the art facility is fully equipped with high tech and robotic technology. Datran is pleased with the opportunity to become a vital part of the manufacturing community and to supply quality products from Greenville.”

Datran provides surface finishing for OEM’s and plastic parts manufacturers within the automotive, recreational vehicle, and sports equipment industries.

“Today’s announcement is another sign that our efforts to strengthen the economic soil conditions for business growth are paying dividends. We remain committed to continuing those efforts to keep creating jobs and opportunities for more South Carolinians,” said Gov. Mark Sanford.

“Datran’s decision to locate this new operation in the Piedmont area of Greenville County will help replace textile jobs lost over the past few years. This represents the continued transition in our area to the technologically-based economy of the twenty-first century where, through education and opportunity, people can achieve greater prosperity,” said Butch Kirven, Chairman, Greenville County Council.

“What great news to have Datran, a Canadian company, locate a new manufacturing facility in Greenville County,” said Jay Rogers, Chairman of the Board of the GADC. “Greenville continues to demonstrate that it is a business-friendly place for international companies and the community extends a warm welcome. An international focus combined with the community’s hospitality will continue to open economic doors for Greenville.”

Marcel Lepage founded Datran in Pointe-au-Père in the Lower St. Lawrence region in Quebec, Canada. Initially, the company refurbished telecommunications equipment. In its first year of operation, Datran won the provincial gold for entrepreneurship from Corporation professionnelle des comptables généraux licenciés du Québec. Datran has since broadened its focus to recreational vehicles by expanding its automated production.

Today, the Canadian-based company provides surface finishing for OEM’s and plastic parts for the automotive and sports equipment industries. Datran currently employs over 300 people at its three facilities in Pointe-au-Père, Bromptonville, and Sherbrooke in Quebec, Canada.

via GADC

Customer Effective, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and provider of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, recently implemented CRM to address the growing sales and customer service needs of Formetco. Product line expansions and increased customer demands triggered Formetco’s need to replace their contact management system.

Working with a core team from Formetco, Customer Effective led the implementation by determining CRM objectives and mapping a plan to interface the system with Microsoft Great Plains. Customer Effective assumed project management responsibility for the CRM deployment which involved schedule adherence, resource allocation, progress reviews and budget management. Proposed scenarios and suggestions on how to leverage CRM were presented through user training performed by Customer Effective.

As a result, customer and product issues are all addressed within CRM. With the integration to Great Plains, Formetco has single point access to complete customer data.

“We now have a total sales system where nothing slips through the cracks,” says Jock Gibb, vice president of sales. “Customer Effective tailored the system to our specific needs and met our aggressive implementation goals. All follow-up calls and scheduled activity are fully captured in CRM. Overall, we now have better customer service which is huge for us.”

Customer Effective continues to work with Formetco to fine tune Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) and dashboard reporting. This information will provide snapshots of sales performance, sales forecasting and assist in future buying decisions of product components based on customer use and demand.

via Customer Effective

The InnoVision Technology Awards Program, a program focused on innovation and technological excellence in upstate South Carolina, will be accepting entries through July 13.

InnoVision finalists will be featured in a 30-second video at the InnoVision Technology Awards Dinner on November 7, 2007. Each finalist will also be featured at a Finalist Reception to be held in September and will have the opportunity to host an InnoVision Technology Forum in 2008.

To submit a nomination, sign up as a sponsor or receive more information about the Awards Dinner or Technology Forum Series, visit www.innovisionaward.org or send an e-mail to info@InnoVisionAward.org.

Deadline for award entries: July 13, 2007
Awards Dinner: November 7, 2007

Winners in each award category will be announced and featured at the Awards Dinner.

via InnoVision Awards

Stratatomic has launched a new ecommerce website and internet marketing campaign for AnchorTrax at www.anchortrax.com. In addition to a new design and extensive Search Engine Optimization, the new website features information about the AnchorTrax Payload Security System products with the ability to purchase them online through the website.

AnchorTrax will use Stratatomic’s WebAdminâ„¢ ecommerce and site management technology to update their product inventory and manage their online storefront and transactions.

Located in Piedmont, SC, AnchorTrax markets an exclusive tie-down system for securing cargo in the bed of a pick-up truck or utility trailer. The AnchorTrax payload security system is easy-to-install in minutes and is constructed of heavy-duty aluminum with a 3,000 lb break strength limit.

via Stratatomic

Expert Doug Hubbard will give us a sneak preview of key ideas in his upcoming book about how to measure things usually considered “immeasurable.” In the last ten years, Hubbard has quantified such things as the value of the public health benefits from better information management at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the method the U.S. Marine Corps uses to forecast fuel for battlefield operations. He asserts that the idea that some things are immeasurable is based on a set of misconceptions about statistics and measurement in general or, in many cases, a lack of a clear definition of what the proposed “intangible” really is. Whatever is relevant to business must have observable consequences. The presentation will include:

• The three reasons why anything is ever (incorrectly) thought to be immeasurable
• Quick and simple methods for measuring any uncertain quantity
• Interesting examples of where “impossible” measurements had clever solutions

GSATC Learning Lunch

Topic: How To Measure Anything: Finding the Value of Intangibles in Business
Presented by: Doug Hubbard
Date: Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Time: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Location: Crowne Plaza (Map: I-385 at Roper Mtn.)

Agenda

11:30 – 11:55 Registration, Networking, Lunch
11:55 – 12:10 Announcements
12:10 – 12:50 Presentation
12:50 – 1:00 Door Prizes, Adjourn

This meeting features easy access from I-385, plenty of free parking, ample networking opportunities, a great presentation, and door prizes. Plan to attend.

Lunch is $15 in advance, $20 at the door.

RSVP Online

Online registration is now closed. Please register at the meeting.

Product Highlights

· Optically isolated inputs, Reed and Form C relay outputs

· NEW SeaLATCH^TM locking USB connectors prevent accidental cable disconnection

· Powered from USB connection

· Compact, rugged design with versatile mounting options

Sealevel Systems, Inc. announces the SeaDAC Lite family of USB digital I/O solutions offering system designers a compact, low-cost alternative for interfacing any USB equipped computer with real world signals. The first two SeaDAC Lite products feature four optically isolated inputs and four Reed relays outputs (Item# 8111) or Form C relay outputs (Item# 8112). For maximum reliability, all SeaDAC Lite products include Sealevel’s patent-pending SeaLATCH^TM locking USB connector design to prevent accidental cable disconnection.

SeaDAC Lite modules are perfect for a wide variety of applications including process control, facility management, security, and broadcast automation. The optically isolated inputs protect the host computer from damaging voltage transients and ground loops commonly found in industrial and OEM applications. The 8111’s SPST Reed relays are rated to 500mA, and the 8112 uses high-current SPDT Form C relays to switch up to 6A loads. To simplify installation and troubleshooting, status LEDs display I/O activity and USB connection information. All SeaDAC Lite modules are powered by the USB connection to the host computer.

SeaDAC Lite modules are housed in rugged plastic enclosures ideal for mounting on walls, under counters, or inside equipment panels. For easy software integration, application programs or 3^rd party software can use Sealevel’s SeaMAX library or industry standard Modbus protocol. A variety of helpful diagnostic utilities and sample programs are included.

Standard SeaDAC Lite modules operate between 0°C to +70°C and designers can special-order extended temperature range (-40°C to +85°C) modules. SeaDAC Lite modules are available now and prices start at $159.

Sealevel Systems, founded in 1986, provides industrial computing solutions in addition to a variety of communications and I/O products including PCI Bus cards, Ethernet serial servers, USB serial adapters, PCMCIA cards, and PC/104 modules. Sealevel’s product line includes multi-port RS-232, RS-422/485, RS-232/422/485 multi-interface high-speed sync/async, and digital/relay I/O.

via Sealevel

The Upstate Women in Technology meet for lunch on Thursday, May 24 for a presentation by Adriel McIntyre, owner of An Orderly Manor. Adriel will present easy and practical ideas for office organization.  She will share clever strategies to maximize workspace, even spaces with limitations or those used for both personal and business projects or utilized as home offices.  Lunch is $10 at City Range Grill. RSVP to Jill at 675-1592.

Greenville based SpinningSilk Multimedia, a company that specializes in web and portable media solutions has a new office in downtown Greenville at 1 Cleveland Street.

Popular Greenville shoe store Barefoot Comfort Company takes their business worldwide with the May 17 launch of a new eCommerce website, www.barefootcomfort.com, created by Practical Business Systems. Featuring hundreds of styles from companies such as Birkenstock, Crocs, Dansko, and Naot, the Barefoot Comfort Company website will allow customers to shop and order at will from its extensive inventory of shoes, apparel, and accessories.

In 2001, Barefoot Comfort Company started a new era under the direction of Mike Kessinger and Joe Abi-arrage. Since then, the small but eclectic shoe store in downtown Greenville, SC, has flourished under its owners’ colorful personalities and service-oriented management style. Satisfaction guarantees, trend-setting diversity and, of course, comfort are the defining goals. “We try to have a little something for everyone,” says Kessinger, who even keeps a few “comfortable” products for pets on hand in the store.

The new website offers customers a chance to purchase styles and sizes not always available in the store itself, as well as the opportunity to enjoy online sales and specials available only to members of a “Loyal Customers Club.”  “We’re terrifically excited about taking the eCommerce plunge,” admits Abi-Arrage. “We think everyone deserves to be comfortable–even when they get dressed–and now they can be!”

via Practical Business Systems

Merge, a Greenville-based web development firm is proud to announce the addition of two new employees to its team.

Scott McGuire was hired as Merge’s Creative Director. Scott is an extremely talented designer and also holds a certificate as an advanced ColdFusion programmer.

Erin Oliver joined Merge to assist the firm in its sales and marketing efforts.

Merge CEO and President, Adam Landrum, said, “We are excited to add Scott and Erin to the Merge team. It is a great step for our firm to add such quality individuals and it is a testimony to Greenville’s economy that we have been afforded the opportunity to grow so quickly.”