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Phosphate Expert Joins the Lateegra Team

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:21:54 +0200

Tag: Calcium phosphate Lateegra Gold Corp. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:LRG)(FRANKFURT:LTG) is pleased to announce that the company has engaged Mr. Stephen Butrenchuk, P.GEOL, to review and author a National Instrument compliant 43-101 report. Mr. Butrenchuk will also provide consulting services to Lateegra Gold Corp. to aid advancement of the Company's recently acquired Fernie Formation phosphate claims.Mr. Butrenchuk is recognized as one of the leading authorities on phosphate deposits in British Columbia. He began his career with Cominco Ltd. where he spent 16 years as an exploration geologist. He then worked four years on contract to the B.C. Geological Survey during which time completed numerous commodity studies and authored several publications on industrial minerals including:1999 - Fernie Phosphate Project Assessment Report, BCMEMPR1998 - Cabin Creek Phosphate Project- Project Summary, BCMEMPR1998 - Bulletin - Phosphate Deposits in British Columbia, Ministry of Employment & Investment, BCMEMPR1987 - Phosphate Inventory of Northeastern British Columbia, BCMEMPR1987 - Phosphate in Southern British Columbia (NTS 82G and 82J) Open File, BCMEMPR1986 - Phosphate Inventory published by the Legislative Library of British ColumbiaMr. Butrenchuk states: "I am excited to have an opportunity to work with Lateegra Gold Corp. I have always believed in the potential of the Fernie Formation to host economic phosphate deposits and that could not be truer in today's economic climate. Lateegra has secured a large area of very prospective phosphate ground that has potential for economic development."Mr. Butrenchuk has been contracted to complete a detailed NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Company's current claim holdings which will include re-evaluation of historical drilling completed in the area by Cominco, Imperial Oil, Formosa Resources and First Nuclear Energy.The Company believes that Mr. Butrenchuk's intimate knowledge of the Fernie Formation will enable them to focus in on the most prospective phosphate areas and quickly identify drill targets.The Company believes the worldwide economic outlook for phosphoric acid, the principal derivative of phosphate production, will remain strong for the coming years. The Company has recently acquired Fernie Formation phosphate claims totaling in excess of 120,000 acres of land along the contact between Jurassic and Triassic aged rocks where the highest grade phosphate beds are believed to be present. The Company believes that it currently owns the vast majority of the prospective phosphate lands of the Fernie Formation and plans to fast track an exploration program to identify the most economic deposits in the area.The Fernie BC region is strategically located in proximity to target markets for phosphoric acid with excellent infrastructure including rail, power, labor and abundant supply of sulphuric acid from a nearby smelter.Concurrent to the Company's planned 2008 summer drill campaign the Company will look to form strategic business partnerships to determine the economic potential of the development of a phosphoric acid plant in the Fernie BC region.Phosphate, in the form P205, is an essential fertilizer component. It is a nutrient for plants and a constituent in food production. In modern intensive agriculture it is necessary to boost natural phosphate levels in the soil through the addition of phosphate fertilizers. Phosphate fertilizer products such as ammonium phosphate and triple superphosphate form 85% of the primary market for phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid is created through a wet process when sulfuric acid is added to calcium phosphate rock.Canada consumes 1.15 million tonnes per year of phosphoric acid, importing 600,000 tonnes annually from central Florida producers. The largest shortages of phosphoric acid in Canada are currently in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The Company believes that a phosphoric acid plant located in Fernie BC would be ideally situated to supply the shortfall of phosphoric acid in western Canada.In Canada, the phosphoric acid market is currently dominated by Agrium Inc. which operates a phosphate fertilizer production facility in Redwater, Alberta. Agrium Inc. receives the calcium phosphate rock in Alberta from their mine in Kapuskasing, Ontario.Phoscan Chemical Corp. is the only other junior phosphate exploration company in Canada focused on the advancement of their Martison phosphate deposit, also in Ontario. They plan to develop a phosphoric acid facility near Hearst, Ontario. Phoscan Chemical Corp. trades on the TSX-Venture Exchange having a market capitalization of approximately $260 million dollars.Fai Lee at RBC Capital Markets states "Morocco-based OCP Group's second quarter prices for phosphate rock is between $350 and $400 per tonne, which is roughly $150 to $200 per tonne higher than they were in the first quarter of 2008."Mr. Chris Verrico, President of Lateegra, states: "We have some very serious problems developing globally within the food and energy sectors. We believe fertilizer demand will continue to be extremely strong in the coming years and we are pleased to have acquired the Fernie Formation phosphate claims. The Company will now be focused on defining an economic phosphate deposit and exploring the potential of developing a phosphoric acid plant in the Fernie region. We especially look forward to working with Mr. Butrenchuk whom we believe will provide valuable assistance in fast tracking our planned exploration."Cautionary note: This report contains forward looking statements, particularly those regarding cash flow, capital expenditures and investment plans. Resource estimates, unless specifically noted, are considered speculative. The company has not filed a National Instrument 43-101 report on any property, but will do so as soon as the information is available. Any and all other resource or reserve estimates are historical in nature, and should not be relied upon. By their nature, forward looking statements involve risk and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on factors that will or may occur in the future. Actual results may vary depending upon exploration activities, industry production, commodity demand and pricing, currency exchange rates, and, but not limited to, general economic factors. Cautionary Note to US investors: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission specifically prohibits the use of certain terms, such as "reserves" unless such figures are based upon actual production or formation tests and can be shown to be economically and legally producible under existing economic and operating conditions.

Sibur Holding mbo from Gazprom

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:20:24 +0200

Tag: PE Sheet Senior managers of a top Russian petrochemicals company Sibur Holding JSC are leading a management buyout of the firm from the country's oil and gas giant Gazprom.Gazprom's banking arm, JSC Gazprombank, has agreed to sell a 50% stake plus one share of Sibur to Hidron Holdings. This is the company formed by the managers and led by Sibur president Dmitry Konov for the buyout.The deal will be worth in total $5.4bn (€3.5bn) Reuters news agency reported.In a surprise move last year the Gazprom group transferred its petrochemicals operations, described by it as a non-core asset, to Gazprombank which holds 70% of the shares.Gazprom said it wanted to focus on oil, gas and power production. But Sibur is still heavily reliant on gas supplies from Gazprom.The deal comprised payment by the buyout consortium of a cash sum of 53.5bn roubles (€1.4bn) along with 25% of Sibur's net profit for 2007, and its assumption of Sibur's substantial debts.The cash component will be split into 16.6bn roubles (€452m) that should be paid immediately, another 11.9bn (€321m) payable within three months, with the rest to be paid within three years, Reuters reported.Apart from Konov, the management group included Sibur's senior executive vice president Vladimir Razumov; economic and finance vice president Alexei Filippovsky; organisational issues vice president Vitaly Baranov and vice president Mikhail Karisalov.Financial backing for the buyout will be provided by New York based investment group United Capital Partners LLC.Moscow-based Sibur Holding has 34 plants across Russia producing petrochemicals, synthetic rubber, vehicle tyres, fertilisers and polymers, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, PVC and PET.It also produces a variety of downstream processed plastic products such as packaging, automotive parts, PVC and PE sheet and consumer goods.Sibur has just reported record annual sales to December 2007 of 143bn roubles (€3.8bn). It is currently carrying out or planning a number of major capital investments including several significant polymer capacity expansion projects. Investments for 2008 total more than 40bn roubles (€1.1bn).

Perfume concentrates consumption increas...

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:19:40 +0200

Tag: Toilet Soap KARACHI: The imports of cosmetic concentrates exceeded to 35 percent while the industrial imports rose by around 45 percent during January-April 2008 against the same period in 2007, importers and traders said Tuesday.“Because soap and detergents makers continued launching new household products, while a number of domestic perfume makers introduced variety of products in the country for all and sundries”, an importer Javed A Khan said.Lahore is the main centre for imports of scent concentrates used for cosmetic and industrial purposes. He said the manufacturers of branded toilet and washing soaps, detergents etc import scent concentrates, generally known as soap compounds, according to their manufacturing capacity, mainly from France and Switzerland and also from Germany but in a limited quantity, importers and wholesalers said.Khan said some 50 percent imports of concentrates are made from France and around 35 percent from Switzerland. The remaining imports of the concentrates are made from Germany.He said in 2007 the imports of cosmetic concentrates exceeded to 25 percent while the industrial imports rose roughly to 35 percent against the same period in 2006, because consumption rose for new soap and detergents products by the makers.“Toilet soaps and washing detergents, as a matter of fact, are daily consumable items while perfumery is not used in a big way,” he said.He said the wholesalers do not have to worry as they meet their requirements through auction of lots offer by the toilet soap and washing detergents manufacturers from time to time in the open market after fulfilling their own needs.“Every detergent, washing soap and toilet soap is made with a number of fragrance to attract more and more users,” he said. “The big manufacturers attract the customers with fresh and new ideas through advertisements on print and electronic media.”Wholesalers in the Bottle Gali Market, the main hub of wholesalers and retail outlets of concentrated and dilute perfumes said that since they are un-organised, the industrial sector imports cosmetic concentrates according the limit mentioned in their licences.“We mainly meet our requirements from main importers like SMC in Lahore,” wholesaler Munir Ahmad said. “However, we also meet our requirements from the lots marketed by the industrial sector,” he added.“Perfumes made at the local level are available on cheap rates to all and sundries who can afford these products on all occasion”, he added. Demand of local small perfume makers: The wholesalers said use of perfume concentrates in production of body lotion, body sprays, body mist, different kinds of fragrance, toilet waters, colognes, after-shave lotions, soaps, detergents and vanishing and cold creams is also increasing day by day. Irfan Ali, a wholesaler said that during last three years, he noticed increase in cost of living, small perfumery makers were still catering to the fragrance and cosmetics needs of a large number people.They said the market also caters to the requirements of small producers of perfumery in other parts of Sindh. “Customers from Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Larkana and other provinces, including Quetta, also visit us,” they said.Ismail A Ghani, a wholesaler said that usually the concentrates are imported in aluminium and plastic containers. “We buy concentrates in sealed aluminium bottles of 500 ml to two litre capacity,” he said. “We do not purchase expensive material in large quantity as the medium quality product is in demand.”The perfumers of traditional “Ittar” also purchase these concentrates and use them in making tradition products.Ghani said he prepares traditional ittar with these concentrates after diluting them according to his specifications.

Cabot Corporation to Host Analyst Day

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:17:57 +0200

Tag: fumed silica Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT: 31.58, -0.41, -1.28%) announced today that Patrick Prevost, President and CEO, and senior management will host an analyst day on Thursday, May 29, 2008.Cabot's presentations and remarks will be webcast by Thomson beginning at approximately 8:00am (ET) and can be accessed at Cabot's website at http://investor.cabot-corp.com .If you are unable to participate during the live webcast, the event and accompanying slide presentation will be archived on the Company's website at http://investor.cabot-corp.com .Cabot Corporation is a global specialty chemicals and materials company headquartered in Boston, MA. Cabot's major products are carbon black, fumed silica, inkjet colorants, capacitor materials, and cesium formate drilling fluids. The Company's website is: http://www.cabot-corp.com .

Longgang commissions slag granulation fa...

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:16:34 +0200

Tag: Granulating Production Line It is reported that a new production line with an annual output of 600,000 tonnes slag powder at Longgang Xingda Company successfully put into production at the beginning of March, through the meticulous organization and debugging by technical staff, it is running well.Granulated blast furnace slag powder is an economy and environmental protection new construction material. It adopts advanced technology and modern management method, process the water residue, non-magnetic steel residue and culm cinder etc solid waste resources from Xigang Group, is a sustainable development industry that change waste to treasure.It can be said that the granulated blast furnace slag powder can substitute cement on 20% to 70% large proportion, it can greatly ease the world’s cement raw materials crisis, and reduce the air pollution. At the same time, the concrete collocated by this material has good mechanical properties, good corrosion resistance, and can lower the construction cost.

Investments in Belarus’light industry up...

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:16:02 +0200

Tag: Knitted Yarn In January-April 2008, the companies of the Belarusian light industry invested Br25.2 billion in the fixed capital (up 4.4% from the same period in the previous year), BelTA was told in the Bellegprom concern.Over the four months, industrial production was up 5.6% in comparable prices, the output of consumer goods 10%.In January-April 2008, production of yarn increased by 42.8% from 2007, that of linen yarn by 28.2%, staple fiber yarn 2%, linen fabric 6.7%, wool fabric 2.3%, silk fabric 11.5%, carpets 4.9%, sewing threads 14.3%, knitted goods 4.7%, corsetry 12.3%, clothes 9.7%, knit pile fabric 4.5%, chromic leather goods 12%, delft ware 17.3%, zips 20.8%.In January-March 2008, the concern boosted exports by 14.5% to $159.5 million. The exports to the CIS countries were up 18.8% to $125.4 million, to the Russian Federation 19.1% to $115.8 million, other foreign countries 1.1% to $34 million.In January-March, imports of light industrial goods totaled $86.6 million, up 14.9% from Q1 2007. The growth of imports was due to the setting up of new competitive and export-oriented facilities and upgrade of existing companies. The Bellegprom concern posed a foreign trade surplus of $72.9 million, up 13.9% from January-March 2007.The light industry companies are working on extending the commodity distribution network and improving the quality of services on the domestic market. As of April 1, 2008, there were 250 facilities of the Bellegprom commodity distribution network in Belarus, BelTA was told in the concern

Art: Immigrant-themed exhibits straddle...

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:15:03 +0200

Tag: jacquard fabric Artists are, almost by definition, cultural and intellectual migrants. They cross boundaries, break down barriers and slip back and forth across borders — all without asking anyone’s permission.Many artists are also real-life immigrants. How different would the history of American art be, for example, if not for the contributions of foreign-born artists such as Willem de Kooning (Holland), Mark Rothko (Russia), Claes Oldenburg (Sweden) and Christo (Bulgaria)?It’s no surprise, then, that many artists have strong opinions regarding the current immigration crisis — or that most of them come down on the pro-immigrant side of the debate.As it happens, several new gallery exhibits tackle immigration-related topics, including the treatment and status of undocumented workers and the broader debate over American immigration policy. Two shows — one at the DeBlois Gallery in Newport, the other at the Hera Gallery in Wakefield — are already open. A third, at the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center in Pawtucket, is due to open next week.As a group, these shows share a number of common themes and outlooks.For one thing, they’re all staunchly pro-immigrant. (If you didn’t know it already, you’ll quickly find that immigrant-bashing isn’t nearly as popular in art circles as it is on talk radio.) They’re also relatively small-scale affairs. The DeBlois show, for example, features the work of three artists, only one of whom — Connecticut painter Rosemary O’Carroll — actually deals with immigration-related issues.Still, with Rhode Island currently embroiled in its own debate over immigration policy, these shows couldn’t arrive at a better time.Of the two exhibits that have opened so far, Hera’s “Crossing Borders/ Cruzando Fonteras” is both the largest and the most wide-ranging. It’s also a juried exhibit, meaning that the show’s 16 contributors were selected from a larger pool of artists by a guest juror — in this case, the RISD Museum’s contemporary art curator, Judith Tannenbaum.Subtitled “Artists Creating Civic Engagement and Dialog on the Theme of Immigration,” the show manages to pack a wide variety of styles and viewpoints under its pro-immigrant banner. Photographer Iris Falck Donnelly, for example, puts a human face on the immigrant debate by snapping pictures of schoolchildren wearing face-paint and paper masks. Though it’s hard to tell where the kids come from — which may be Donnelly’s point — her pictures also remind us that children are often the biggest losers when governments crack down against “illegal” immigrants.Christine LoFaso does something similar in Sweatshop Worker: Ovidia, a fiber-art portrait of an elderly factory worker. Interestingly, the “portrait” was woven on a jacquard loom, a type of loom that is widely used in the fabric and fashion industries.Sculptor Faith Hagenhofer, meanwhile, takes aim at the fortress mentality behind many of today’s border-control methods. Her mixed-media assemblage Neighbor to Neighbor consists of a single patch of (felt) grass bisected by a piece of chain-link fencing. (The point: that most borders are simply arbitrary lines separating otherwise identical groups of people.)Other artists remind us that border-crossing isn’t always done on foot.In History of Sea Voyages, South County sculptor Ana Flores depicts a primal scene of escape and separation — a family torn apart by the sea — using a group of carved-wood figurines. Another South County artist, Troy West, pays his respects to his own immigrant past in My Ancestors Crossed the Ocean, a folk-artsy mixed-media sculpture decorated with portraits of the artist’s Anglo-centric ancestors.Flores, who was born in Cuba, also contributes a group of hand-operated “Cuban Dancing Toys.” Made from tin cans that Flores has outfitted with tiny carved-wood dancers, these playful folk-artsy pieces bring a welcome note of humor into the exhibit. For a more satiric, even Orwellian look at immigration, try Valerie Mendoza’s Different, Naturally, a video display that imagines a not-so-distant future in which everyone is genetically coded and categorized at birth.Perhaps the show’s most striking work comes from Agustin Patino, a Ecuador-born artist who now lives in Rhode Island. Though Patino has two paintings in the show, one in particular stands out — a group portrait of five young Latino men and women painted with such precocious skill that it wouldn’t look out of place in a museum’s Old Master gallery.In fact, Patino may be the perfect embodiment of the show’s “Crossing Borders” theme: a Central American artist living in the United States who paints like a European Old Master.Several artists involved in the Hera exhibit are also part of “Crossing Borders: Redefining the Dream,” a companion show opening Thursday at the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center.Organized by the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative, the show will feature the work of 16 artists, including Pablo Alvarez, Maria Fernandes, Dusan Petran and Helena M. Stockar. Architecture fans will also recognize the name of Eric Owen Moss, a prominent California architect who will be exhibiting a recent series of drawings relating to the U.S.-Mexico border fence.A number of events and activities are associated with the exhibit.They include the opening night reception and lecture on Thursday and a closing reception and film screening on Thursday, June 12. Both events start at 5:30 p.m. For more information, call (401) 724-2200 or visit www.pawtucketartscollaborative.org.At DeBlois, Connecticut artist Rosemary O’Carroll focuses on another side of the immigrant debate: the widespread use (and occasional abuse) of migrant workers. In a series of large, sometimes brightly colored paintings, O’Carroll shows us migrant laborers picking fruit, tending fields under a blazing sun and hoisting boxes onto the back of a flatbed truck.Though O’Carroll clearly sympathizes with these workers, she also blunts her message somewhat by adding details — glowing sunrises, lushly colored fields — that seem more in keeping with traditional landscape painting. Indeed, it’s sometimes hard to tell whether we’re supposed to pity them for the hard work they do or envy them for their idyllic surroundings.

Regal Fabrics to launch Mastercraft, pic...

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:14:27 +0200

Tag: Jacquard Upholstery Fabric Middleton, Mass. – Upholstery fabric house Regal Fabrics has acquired exclusive rights to produce and sell the Mastercraft novelty tapestry designs for furniture, including best sellers such as Route 66, Rue de Paris, and Fly Away Home.Steve Kahan, president of Regal Fabrics, said that 14 patterns have been woven for introduction at June Showtime and more are on the way. “We are happy to have the chance to bring these great designs back to market” said Kahan. “We’ll be reaching a more diverse customer base and offering shipping availability from either Middleton or China to China.”Regal, which produces jacquard and high-end Krelan fabrics, called the agreement “a natural fit.”“Regal has been designing and weaving beautiful novelty tapestries for 20 years, said Herb Kahan, ceo of Regal Fabrics. “Now we can offer our own vast selection as well as provide our customers with continuity on the Mastercraft bestsellers.”With the deal, Regal becomes the producer of the residential furniture fabrics formerly produced by Hafner, Inc.“We regret that market conditions have led to the closing of Hafner’s production facilities in North America. We are pleased, however, to have made this agreement with Regal Fabrics that will allow our customers to continue to purchase the items they are running in their lines,” said Adrian Spoerry, president of Hafner, noting, “Any other companies offering Hafner designs will be in violation of our copyrights, which we intend to enforce.”Regal has started contacting select Hafner customers to review their needs so that early production can be focused on the most important items. Customers seeking Hafner fabrics are encouraged to contact Trish Horgan at Regal Fabrics, trish@regalfabrics.com or (978) 777-6868 ext. 20.

Slight growth of grey fabric price fails...

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:13:32 +0200

Tag: Grey Cloth With nearly one lakh powerloom units in Somanur and Palladam regions in Coimbatore district having stopped production for over a week following demand recession, there is a slight increase of 25 paise to 50 paise a metre fabric in the market for the last two days. However, the increase failed to enthuse powerloom weavers and cloth manufacturers to resume full-scale production as it did not meet the cost of production. Of the two lakh powerloom units in Avanashi, Palladam, Somanur and Mangalam, around Tirupur, nearly one lakh looms have stopped production a week ago following loss due to lack of demand for grey fabric. The stoppage of production was mainly to improve the demand for the fabric. After a week since cut in production, there has been no sign of yarn prices coming down or fabric prices going up significantly, complains R. Easwaran, joint secretary of the Somanur Cloth Manufacturers Association. Besides slight increase in labour wages, the industry was going through a difficult phase mainly due to hike yarn prices. A 51 kg bag of 30s yarn now costs Rs. 5,200 and it was less than Rs. 4,600 last year. But there is no proportionate increase in the prices of grey fabric抯 he points out. Most of the weavers and textile manufacturers have not taken initiative to produce end products like home textiles after value addition. A vast majority of them depend on north Indian businessmen to sell the raw material, grey fabric, sources said. Industry sources say that they could not understand why there was a dip in demand for the grey fabric. Another weaver says that whenever they reduce production, immediately the grey fabric rates go up. Many are confused why the price of fabric did not go up significantly despite stoppage of production for over a week. When the grey fabric sold for Rs. 14.50 a metre, according to a weaver, there was a profit of 50 paise. Now the cloth sells at Rs. 15.25 a metre and still the manufacturers complain of loss of at least 25 paise a metre. Uncertainty prevails in the industry circles whether to continue stoppage of production or resume it.

Bedrooms that grow from toddler to teen

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:13:03 +0200

Tag: Fabrics For Bedding It only takes a few minutes for 5-year-old Sara Jewel Simpson to start playing at her new vanity and mirror.The piece, which was painted black when her mom found it at an antique market, now is a bubble gum pink that fits with the girl's pink and green bedroom.Sara Jewel and her 3-year-old sister, Anna Catherine, quickly brought figurines, a jewelry box, a snow globe and a picture frame to the child-sized, two-drawer vanity. The mirror, surrounded by decorative plates, is her favorite piece in the recently renovated room. It gives the princess feel without "having to have the crowns and glitter," interior designer Catherine Gregory said.Creating a room that a child will enjoy doesn't have to mean giving in to filling the walls with Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers posters or buying a car-shaped bed with matching sheets and comforters, window treatments and pillows.Some simple steps can help transition children from crib to bed, and toddler to 'tween, without having to redo a room with each passing trend.Instead of going with a theme like princesses or pirates, Gregory said the overall look of a room should reflect the child's own personality."I like for it to look like the child who lives in that room, but also be a room that can grow up with them," she said. "I don't want it to be too theme-oriented."Gregory took on the task of updating rooms for Clifford and Seana Simpson's girls and their 9-year-old brother, Jackson, in their Norcross home.Seana Simpson describes Sara Jewel as "just all girl" who enjoys dressing up. Her room reflects that, with a silk coverlet in a pattern of tiny sunglasses, purses, shoes, lipstick and perfume bottles that Simpson believes her daughter will keep as she grows older. The pillows include one shaped like a purse."I expect them to be happy in these rooms when they get older," she said.Plain cream wooden clothes hampers were hand-painted with items such as hair bows and Mary Jane shoes, items Sara Jewel wears. Green bows were tied onto basic bathroom fixtures. The bathroom cabinets and doors also were updated with painted bunnies and flowers.Those touches, and keeping items like a pink plastic Disney princess clock and awards, personalize a kid's room, Gregory said."I don't want kids to feel like they can't have their trophies in their room," she said.Gregory also believes it's OK to display items made by family members and others. In the girls' rooms, needlepoint pieces by Seana's grandmother that have their birthdates and sayings such as "Thank heaven for little angels" are matted and framed.In Sara Jewel's room, a dresser bought when she was a baby stayed, and a queen size bed with a wooden headboard in the same style as the dresser was added.If guests visit, she can bunk in her younger sister's room, where a day bed and crib was replaced with two twin beds, which have a plaid pink and green dust ruffle. Headboards are upholstered with diamond and check patterns in the same color scheme. With a mix and match idea in mind, remaining fabric was used to create pillows for Sara Jewel's bed, too.But the rest of the bedding in Anna Catherine's room was chosen so the girls could play on the beds and the covers could be easily cleaned. Gregory bought cream matelasse coverlets from Linens & Things.Another Atlanta interior designer, Bobbi Kelman, also recommends buying a comforter that's easy to wash. She suggests fabrics such as cottons, microfibers, ultra-suede and soft minky, which often is used for baby blankets and robes."I usually try and make the comforter the simplest. When they're 2 and 3, we don't want to say, 'Ooh, don't touch your bed, honey.' It's their room," said Kelman, who owns Precious Cargo in Smyrna with daughter Dana.Pillows, dust ruffles and window treatments can be used to accessorize and be updated as the kids get older, she said.If your child has to have a room fit for a princess, incorporate the Cinderella aspect in pillows that are easy on the wallet. Or, if they absolutely love Elmo, Kelman said it's likely they're going to grow out of that in the next year, so buy stuffed animals that can be taken out later.Splurges for the Simpson girls' rooms included the headboards, which were custom made, and lamps, one with a silk shade with rosettes and beaded fringe, purchased from KooKoo Bear Kids in Roswell. Across the hall, a sports-themed Pottery Barn quilt replaced a bulky comforter that Seana said was too large for Jackson to easily make his bed. Curtain rods bring in touches of the past, made from his grandfather's first set of golf clubs. Instead of a wallpaper border, blue, green, white and red stripes were painted."There are ways of making it so that the child's happy but so is the parent," Kelman said. "You can meet them in the middle."

TEXT-Fitch release on Mudra Lifestyle Li...

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:12:12 +0200

Fitch Ratings has today assigned an Issuer rating of 'BBB(ind)' to India's Mudra Lifestyle Limited (MUDR.BO: Quote, Profile, Research) (MLL). The Outlook is Stable. Fitch has also assigned a National Long-term rating of 'BBB(ind)' to MLL's INR1,302 million outstanding long-term fund-based bank limits and a 'BBB(ind)' rating to its INR580m cash credit limits. At the same time, Fitch has assigned a rating of 'F2(ind)' to its INR440m outstanding short-term bank loans.The ratings reflect MLL's goodwill from its 'Mudra' brand fabric, the change in revenue mix by the company's diversification into manufacturing garments, and its domestic focus resulting in a growth in revenues in FY07 despite the rupee appreciation.MLL specialises in the manufacture of fabric and garments, and for the past two years, has been mainly focused on the domestic market, protecting its revenues from the current rupee appreciation. Revenues have grown from INR80m in FY03 to INR1,631m in FY07, with a spurt in FY05 and FY06 on account of consolidation of the group. EBITDA margins have also increased to 16% in FY07 from 14% in FY06 and range between 7-16% for FY03-FY07, reflecting MLL's diversification into the high margin garment business as well as its ability to manage input costs.The ratings are, however, constrained by the relative small size of MLL's operations, low barriers to entry and sustainability of profitability in lieu of competition from peers much larger in size, as well as from other low cost producing countries namely China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The ratings also take into account deterioration in MLL's credit metrics in FY08 from FY07 levels and a further anticipated deterioration in FY09 consistent with the ratings assigned, due to steady negative cash from operations and the current ongoing capex plans, expected to be completed in May 2008 with commercial operations beginning in August 2008. However, Fitch notes that a consistent growth in revenues and profitability, with additional capacity going onstream, could have a positive impact on the rating. Fitch also notes MLL's plans for additional capex aggregates to c.INR3000m (the time frame of which is undecided), proposed to be funded through warrants issued to promoters as well as an FCCB (Foreign Currency Convertible Bonds) issue. The agency has not factored the potential expansion into the rating and will take a view as and when terms have been finalised.MLL was established in March 1997 as Bombay Fine Fabrics Private Limited. The company is engaged in the activity of fabric weaving, processing and garment manufacturing for the domestic as well as export market, with principal facilities located at Bhiwandi (Sonale and Kalher), Tarapur, Navi Mumbai, Daman and Bangalore. As of March 2007, the company has 177 weaving looms, a garmenting capacity of 10,500 pieces per day and a processing capacity of 80,000 meters per day.For FY07, the company reported revenues of INR1,631m compared to INR1,031m in FY06, and a growth of 11% in EBITDA margins which stood at 16% in FY07 versus 14.4% in FY06. Net profit for FY07 was at INR174m, translating into a margin of 11% compared to 9% in the prior year. In February 2007, the company entered the equity markets with an equity issuance of INR949m to fund its current ongoing expansion plans. From FY03 to FY05, the company has been seeing high debt levels mainly on account of working capital requirements -debt to EBITDA was 3.3x in FY03, 5.3x in FY04 and 4.1x in FY05. From FY05, the company on the back of increased sales saw an improvement in credit metrics to 1.8x in FY06, which however deteriorated to 2.7x in FY07 due to the capex plans being undertaken. The company for the nine-month period ended December 2007 saw a net profit of INR234m on the back of revenues of INR1915m, while EBITDA for the period stood at INR395m.

Ultrasuede Introduces Signature Colors O...

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:11:38 +0200

Tag: Embossed Fabric Ultrasuede?announced that it has named four top designers with distinctive points of view to develop signature colors for its line of luxury suede fabric. The designers and their colors are Barclay Butera, Barclay Butera Blue; Rick Lee, MagentaModern and South Beach; Vladimir Kagan, Kagan Red; and Stanley Jay Friedman, Stanley and Iris. The new colors for Ultrasuede?upholstery fabric collection will debut at Summer Showtime 2008, June 1-4, in High Point, North Carolina.The program is the brainchild of Jane Matteson, creative consultant for Toray Ultrasuede (America), Inc., TUA, who calls the program n organic concept.?She added, ltrasuede?does a great deal of work with Kravet in the design trade ?it a designer-based, highly sophisticated product with a loyal following at the top echelon of the trade. I looked to the best of the best to define signature colors associated with designers of note ?I call them the color boys.?br> Barclay Butera ?Barclay Butera Blue Ultrasuede?Uniquely adept at blending furniture styles with layered patterns of fabrics and textures, Barclay Butera is known for his love of iconic mid-20th century Old Hollywood, as well as for mixing influences of American, European and Far East styles to create his transitional, fashion-forward design. Barclay Butera Blue Ultrasuede? a calm ocean blue, was chosen to work with Butera fabric collection for Kravet, which will debut later this year.Rick Lee ?MagentaModern and South Beach Ultrasuede?by Rick LeeAward winning San Francisco industrial designer Rick Lee finds inspiration in everyday objects. An innovator at the vanguard of modern design, Lee combines rational thinking with radical influences to create minimalist pieces with deft whimsical touches. With his Bauhaus-tipped brushstroke, Lee has created MagentaModern Ultrasuede? a thoroughly modern deep pink hue with soft purple highlights ?ideal for fun, livable and clean-lined furniture designs. A vibrant teal called South Beach Ultrasuede?is another signature Lee shade for Designer抯 Choice.Vladimir Kagan ?Kagan Red Ultrasuede?br> Vladimir Kagan is an avant-garde designer known for innovative, sculptural designs and whose career has spanned more than 60 years. He developed Kagan Red Ultrasuede? a balance of red and orange that makes a perfect accent for the latest generation of Ultrasuede?neutrals developed by Matteson. The neutral palette ranges from pale, cool fog tones to warm French greys.Stanley Jay Friedman ?Stanley and Iris Ultrasuede?br> Stanley Jay Friedman, originally a contract designer, made his first foray into residential design in 2001 with a line of upholstery, accessories and case goods for Weiman featuring pure and clean architectural lines. Now a mainstay on the contemporary and modern furniture design scene, Friedman conceived the forward-thinking deep purple-blue called Stanley and Iris Ultrasuede?TUA will debut the new designer colors, along with a host of fresh patterns and embossed finishes, at its first-ever Market Square Textile Tower showroom during the Summer Showtime 2008 fabric fair.A unique showroom display is planned on the third floor of the tower, space 370, to attract attention for the company home furnishings initiatives. Ultrasuede?customers may contact their representatives directly to secure Showtime appointments and view the new products.

Racecourse season under starter's orders

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:07:13 +0200

Tag: axminster carpet SALISBURY Racecourse opens its doors on the 2008 season with the first of 16 racedays on Sunday, when the popular Netherhampton venue hosts an entertaining seven-race card, featuring the £20,000 Bet totepool at totesport.com Handicap (2.25pm).The six-furlong contest, the highlight of totepool day, is live on Channel Four Racing and was won last year by the smart handicapper Lipocco, trained locally at Whitsbury by Ralph Beckett.Beckett ended Salisbury's 2007 campaign with six winners, making him the second most successful trainer at the course behind Richard Hannon, who saddled eight winners.Ryan Moore was the top jockey at Salisbury last summer, chalking up a dozen victories.The curtains go up on Salisbury's 2008 season at 1.55pm with the toteplacepot Maiden Stakes, while the opening day's action also features the five-furlong £10,000 totequadpot Fillies' Conditions Stakes (3.05pm) for juveniles.Last season's tasty victor was the Hannon-trained Cake, who subsequently gained distinction when finishing third in the Group Three Cornwallis Stakes at Ascot.The final race on Sunday's card is the first of this season's Bathwick Tyres Lady Riders' Series Handicap (5.25pm).Salisbury's opening fixture is traditionally the most popular of the season, and a bumper Bank Holiday Sunday crowd is expected so racegoers are advised to get there early.It is the first of three Sunday fixtures this year - the others being June 15 and June 29.Coinciding with the 1,000 Guineas, Sunday's racegoers will be able to view the Classic action at Newmarket on screens around the course.Sunday means Family Fun Day at Salisbury and the three designated fixtures offer a fun-filled day out for families, with an abundance of activities to occupy the children while mum and dad enjoy the thrilling action on the track.As ever, Salisbury will have a giant ADI Screen at every meeting to give racegoers an enhanced view of the action on the course.Salisbury is renowned as a schooling ground for future champions and many high-class performers can be seen in action at the picturesque course.The 2006 Epsom Derby winner Sir Percy graced the Salisbury turf on his second career start, en route to being crowned the 2005 champion British two-year-old.Other past winners at the course include the great Brigadier Gerard in 1970 and subsequent Group One winning sprinter Goodricke, who landed the 2005 renewal of the opening fixture's totesport.com Handicap.Legendary champion sprinter Lochsong was runner-up on her racecourse debut at Salisbury in 1991 and has a race staged at the course in her honour.Last season was no exception in bringing the usual array of classy performers to the course.Godolphin's 2000 Guineas hope Fast Company won division two of the Bathwick Tyres/EBF Maiden Stakes in July, while fellow Godophin Classic aspirant McCartney also triumphed.Maiden winner Max One Two Three is in line for a tilt at the 1000 Guineas.Several Salisbury winners went on to big-race glory, including subsequent Group Two heroines Hi Calypso and Miss Lucifer, while Promising Lead acquitted herself admirably in Group One company after taking the Listed Upavon Fillies' Stakes.The famous Royal colours were seen twice in the winner's enclosure last season with Fretwork and Hunting Tower both successful for the Queen.Chief among the stars who raced at Salisbury in 2007 is the blisteringly fast Sakhee's Secret, who blitzed a top-notch field of sprinters to win the Listed Axmin-ster Carpets Cathedral Stakes in June.The Hughie Morrison-trained star brushed aside some of the world's best speedsters to win the Group One Darley July Cup on his next start at Newmarket in July.Jeremy Martin, Clerk of the Course and General Manager, said: "We are looking forward to another good year, which hopefully will see some fantastic performances from horses who go on to show their merit at the highest level, as we do each season."We were privileged to see Sakhee's Secret show his phenomenal speed here last year in winning the Axminster Carpets Cathedral Stakes and he went on prove himself one of the best sprinters in the world."It was great to watch the fillies Promising Lead, Hi Calypso and Miss Lucifer go on to make an impact in Group company and we saw some really high-class two-year-olds in Fast Company and McCartney, who could both contest the Classics."We have some tremendous entertainment lined up with Killer Queen and Counterfeit Quo, as well as Ladies Night and the ever-popular Family Fun Days, so there is plenty to look forward to in 2008."

Latest Regulations Regarding Textile Tra...

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:04:18 +0200

Tag: Acetate Fabric U.S. Customs: Comments on Proposed Interpretation of the Expression "Sold for Exportation to the United States". Textile Detention Policy for Importer Self Assessment Partners.- U.S. CITA: NAFTA rules of origin for certain woven jacquard acetate rayon fabric.- U.S. International Trade Administration (I.T.A.): Proposed Changes in Antidumping Investigations.- European Union Commission: Q&A On The Double-Checking Surveillance System Of Imports Of Some Textiles From China.

New Speedo Suit Making Splash

zh4 — Thu, 29 May 2008 08:03:50 +0200

Tag: Weave Fabric TAMPA - As Golda Marcus walked along the pool deck at the Brandon Sports and Aquatics Center, she could hear people whispering the same thing: "It's the LZR Racer. That's the new Speedo swimsuit."Marcus, who will represent El Salvador in this summer's Beijing Games, had just received the new LZR Racer from Speedo. And not only was it turning heads, people also wanted to touch the swimsuit so controversial and revolutionary that some have called it "technological doping.""I had little kids coming up to me wanting to feel the little panels that were on the side of the swimsuit," said Marcus, who also competed in the 2004 Athens Olympics. "It looks different; it feels different from anything that's come before it."It is also performing differently - and radically so.Since Speedo introduced the LZR Racer to the elite swimming world in February, 37 world records have been eclipsed by athletes wearing the suit Speedo has spent more than three years - and millions of dollars - designing and perfecting.Clearly, there is substance behind the hype of the LZR. At this point before the 2004 Olympics, just five world records had been set."There's definitely something to the suit," said Brandon Blue Wave swim coach Peter Banks, who guided the careers of Olympic medalists Brooke Bennett and Maritza Correia. "Speedo has produced a suit that gives you an advantage. How far they go with that technology - or are allowed to go by FINA, the sport's governing body - remains to be seen. But it definitely helps performance."The LZR swimsuit has not only led to world records, but also lawsuits and allegations. Some claim Speedo's science and engineering, as well as the way it has marketed the suit, have created an unfair advantage over other swimmers and swimsuit makers.California-based TYR Sport recently went to federal court to allege Speedo has "conspired" with USA Swimming to stifle competition and lure top U.S. swimmers away from other companies. Italy coach Alberto Castagnetti, whose national team wears Arena swimsuits, has claimed anyone who wears the LZR is essentially cheating, calling the suit "technological doping."So what has swimmers going so fast in the suit, and why are Speedo's rivals scrambling to come up with their own version of it before the Beijing Games?Essentially, the LZR is one of the biggest technological leaps in swimsuit design since the introduction of polyester fabrics in the 1950s. It won't be available to the public until October, and when it arrives, the suit will cost $250 to $500, depending on the model.A Fabric RevolutionUntil now, swimsuits had been made by using traditional garment-making techniques, with gradual updates to the fabric and how it fits. The LZR, however, is the world's first fully bonded swimsuit, meaning all of its seams are ultrasonically welded together, without stitching and without overlap of the fabric. Even the zipper is bonded into the suit to minimize drag and to keep a lower profile in the water.The LZR also features compression - something of a swimsuit girdle - to provide support and hold a swimmer's body core to achieve a more streamlined form in the water. And the LZR's fabric, created by one manufacturer in northern Italy, is the world's lightest woven material. It compresses, repels water, resists chlorine and overstretching and dries faster than any racing suit Speedo has made.A closer look at the LZR also reveals several panels made from an extremely thin polyurethane membrane. The membrane is cut into panels by lasers and bonded into the suit."There were so many challenges in creating this suit," Speedo vice president Stu Issac said. "As opposed to using fabrics that already existed and using them in new ways, we had to create the fabric to our specs and find somebody who could do this incredibly fine fiber and weave it into one of the highest densities in stitch count per square inch of any fabric in the world."Long before the suit went into production at a lone factory in Portugal, Speedo had to pull together a wealth of researchers, designers, athletes and coaches from around the globe. Even NASA's Langley Research Center got involved for surface drag testing of more than 60 types of fabric. There was water flume testing, fluid dynamics analysis and even three-dimensional body scanning of more than 400 elite athletes to learn more about the precise shape of bodies.At each major step of the suit's development, FINA was asked for its approval, Issac said. Since the suit's introduction, FINA consistently has upheld the legality of its design. Nike, Arena and Diana are rushing to come up with an answer to the LZR and are expected to submit new suits for FINA approval at a June 3 meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. If they don't, some of their swimmers might be tempted to wear Speedo's suit at next month's U.S. Olympic trials."I would strongly advise them to wear the suit at the trials or they may end up at home watching the Olympics on NBC," U.S. Olympic swim coach Mark Schubert said.Records Likely To FallSpeedo says the LZR suit has 10 percent less drag than its Fastskin FSII suit and 5 percent less drag than the Speedo FS PRO. The records established in the LZR speak for themselves. And so do athletes who have tried the new suit."It's amazing," said the University of Georgia's J.P. Arnold, who is training in Brandon under Banks in preparation for next month's U.S. Olympic swim trials. "It's definitely considerably better than all the other suits, but I don't think it's unfair to use it. It's just the way the sport is progressing."TYR, meanwhile, claims Speedo has violated antitrust laws by making deals with Schubert to promote the advantages of wearing the LZR suit at the trials and in the Beijing Games. Schubert said he wouldn't be surprised "to see every swimming world record broken at the Games."Issac said there is going to be a team of Speedo staff at the U.S. trials in Omaha, Neb., to make the LZR suit available to any swimmer who wants one - including those who have contracts with other companies. If those swimmers decide to wear the LZR, some are expected to black out the Speedo logo during the meet. That, Issac said, would be "disappointing," but he's not too concerned about it."If they did that, I don't think there'd be much confusion on the starting block as to what they're wearing," Issac said. "Our suit looks and performs like nothing else."