THE GROUNDBREAKING McLAREN SUPER SERIES CONTINUES TO BREAK RECORDS

• McLaren Super Series comprising McLaren 12C, 650S and Asia-only 625C becomes the highest volume carbon fibre supercar range ever 
• 5000 examples assembled since the production commenced in early 2011
• Latest addition to the Super Series, the McLaren 675LT, is confirmed for global premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2015 

McLaren Automotive today celebrated the build of the 5,000th model based on the groundbreaking carbon fibre MonoCell chassis, which forms the recently announced McLaren Super Series, in only the fourth full year of vehicle production. Launched initially with the 12C in 2011, and followed by the 12C Spider and then 650S and Asia-only 625C, the Super Series is now the highest volume carbon fibre supercar range ever. This milestone comes shortly after McLaren announced a third consecutive growth in sales, with more than 1,400 Super Series models being delivered during 2014.

The 5,000th car, a Volcano Yellow 650S Spider commissioned for a customer in Australia rolled from the assembly line in the McLaren Production Centre on Monday, 2 February. It was joined at the end of the production line by the first production 12C, which has now become part of the McLaren Heritage Collection.

Production of the 12C began at the start of 2011, with these early models assembled by approximately 30 employees in a designated manufacturing facility within the McLaren Technology Centre. Deliveries commenced globally from June, before the state-of-the-art McLaren Production Centre opened its doors in November, becoming the birthplace of all McLaren roadcars. The bespoke facility was designed by Foster + Partners, and combines outstanding quality with highly efficient production methods. It is now a home to over 500 employees working across the manufacturing and logistics operations.

In March 2014, the assembly line was updated to accommodate the production requirements for the new McLaren 650S in response to strong customer demand.  

‘McLaren has come a long way in four short years. The completion of the 5,000th vehicle in the Super Series is a fantastic milestone for the brand. The 12C was, and still is, a groundbreaking supercar and, true to the values of McLaren, we have continued to develop and build on this great product into the 650S which has delighted our customers and won countless awards across the world,’ said Mike Flewitt, Chief Executive Officer at McLaren Automotive.

‘We have built a solid foundation for the business, delivering record numbers year on year, and I look forward to our next production milestone with the addition of the 675LT  to the Super Series, and the new Sports Series later in the year.’

Close to 450 of the 5,000 cars produced so far have been sold or allocated to the Middle East & Africa region, with the United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia leading the demand.  This is a relatively small number of cars when compared to the numbers produced by McLaren Automotive competitors, however, this is a key component of the company’s business strategy to ensure exclusivity.  As such, the Middle East region has a strong 650S order bank, as exclusivity is one of the attractions of McLaren ownership along with greater power performance and technologies than the competition.

The McLaren Super Series forms the core range of McLaren supercar offering and sits above the recently announced Sports Series in the model hierarchy. The family of models will be soon expanded with the recently-announced McLaren 675LT, confirmed for global reveal at the 2015 International Geneva Motor Show in March. The announcement follows an internal staff ceremony attended by over 1,400 employees at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, Surrey.

Dubai’s Centre Point Logistics to expand into Oman

·       Company signed lease agreement with Sohar Freezone

·       CPL will start its Oman operations with 50,000sqm of land

·       Sohar Freezone will be a step towards CPL KSA expansion

Dubai: Centre Point Logistics, Dubai’s leading provider of logistics, warehousing, and storage, has expanded its operations in the GCC after a deal was signed with SOHAR Port and Freezone in the Sultanate of Oman.

The agreement will see CPL manage a 50,000sqm plot of land on the Freezone, and represents the first phase of expansion into KSA. It is also a significant coup for the Omani port authority, as UAE firms seek to take advantage of competitive energy and land rates, and transport links to KSA from outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Centre Point Logistics, with its pioneering Open Architecture model currently operates from several locations in UAE. CPL Logistics Hub in Jebel Al Free Zone, spanning over 200,000sqm, provides various value-added services to the logistics and supply chain sector and boasts an impressive range of local and global customers.

Saleh Saeed Lootah, Chairman of Centre Point Logistics, commented:

“With our local and regional growth and changing dynamics of UAE logistics and supply chain market, there has arisen a more challenging business environment that needs ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking in order to provide more tailored solutions that meet the changing needs of customers. From the time business negotiations began, CPL has received a welcoming response from SOHAR Freezone and we’re excited to start operations.”

“We are glad that we have found what we consider the best possible solution for our customers, who have businesses in UAE and Oman. We believe that SOHAR Freezone will be a step towards CPL KSA expansion and serving both markets with our unique Open Architecture model,” he added.

With its strategic location and road network linking UAE, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, the agreement with SOHAR Freezone was described as a milestone expansion for CPL and will enable the company to offer its clients the most efficient and cost effective services. The road distance between Dubai and Sohar, via Al Ain, is just 243 kilometers and the drive time is two hours and 36 minutes. The business benefits are also comprehensive.

CPL plans to have its Oman Logistics Hub ready at the beginning of first-quarter of 2015, and will offer its services to local as well as to international companies. CPL also plans to grow its operations in Oman, from the initial with 50,000sqm of land, with the option to strengthen its footprint in the country in the near future.

As in Dubai, CPL will dispatch a highly skilled operational team to SOHAR Freezone, where it will serve the company’s Oman-based customers with added-value services that cater to new and existing customers.

Centre Point Logistics (CPL) was founded in 2005 by its visionary chairman Saleh Saeed Lootah, who is also the Executive Director of well-known UAE business conglomerate S.S. Lootah Group, established in 1956.

Cegedim Relationship Management Announces New Release of Global, Cloud-Based Transparency Compliance Solution, AggregateSpend360

Latest Version of AggregateSpend360 Enables Life Sciences Companies to Deploy Globally and Meet EFPIA and CMS Disclosure Requirements

PARIS. Jan. 29, 2015 (BUSINESS WIRE/ME NewsWire) Cegedim Relationship Management today announced the availability of the latest release of its global aggregate spend and transparency compliance solution,AggregateSpend360™. This new release enables life sciences companies in Europe and the US to meet the most current disclosure obligations imposed by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) and the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Keeping Up with Rapidly Changing CMS and EFPIA Disclosure Requirements
The latest version of AggregateSpend360 provides extensive capability and flexibility to ensure that manufacturers submit reports based on CMS and EFPIA guidelines while adhering to their individual corporate practices. Life sciences companies in the US can utilize AggregateSpend360 to meet the latest CMS requirements, including the March 31, 2015 deadline for 2014 data submissions. It provides functions to comply with CMS validated physician and teaching hospital lists and re-submission requirements; and provides tools to validate submission reports against CMS rules, special characters and error checking. And for life sciences companies in Europe, the latest version enables efficient payment data collection and consent management as required by EFPIA starting on January 1, 2015.

“In the last few months, we have observed a significant acceleration in the global demand for transparency reporting solutions due to the implementation of the EFPIA code,” stated Dario Ghoddousi, Senior Vice President, Global Transparency and Master Data Management Solutions for Cegedim. “AggregateSpend360 has been selected by several new customers, confirming our leadership position, and pushing us to accelerate the development of the global functionalities that the market expects from us.”

“Cegedim continues to be the leader in global transparency and disclosure solutions by being in the forefront of a rapidly evolving global environment,” stated Don Soong, Vice President of Strategic Solutions for Cegedim Relationship Management. “The latest evolution in AggregateSpend360 not only enables life sciences companies around the world to meet their reporting requirements, but also provides the capability for manufacturers to easily create and verify the accuracy of reports.”

AggregateSpend360, which is being leveraged by more than 60 Life Sciences companies around the world, is an out-of-the-box, cloud-based solution that streamlines the tracking and reporting of expenditures per global, national and local disclosure and transparency requirements – by collecting expenditure transactions, linking them to a single customer view, and automatically generating reports to satisfy unique compliance requirements through prebuilt templates according to each transparency regulation. AggregateSpend360 is pre-integrated with Cegedim’s Compliance ID powered by OneKey, Mobile Intelligence and Nucleus360 solutions. Integration is also available with a wide range of enterprise applications for CRM/SFA, ERP, Finance and HR.

To learn more about AggregateSpend360, please visit the Cegedim website.

About Cegedim Relationship Management:
Cegedim Relationship Management is the Life Sciences industry’s leading provider of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions. Designed specifically for Life Sciences, the company’s innovative business solutions incorporate a thorough understanding of local, regional and worldwide trends. Cegedim Relationship Management enables approximately 200,000 users in many of the world’s most innovative companies to stay ahead of market challenges. In addition to CRM, Cegedim Relationship Management also provides marketing, data optimization and regulatory compliance solutions in more than 80 countries. Cegedim Relationship Management is part of the France-based Cegedim S.A. Group.

To learn more, please visit: www.cegedim.com/rm.
Follow Cegedim Relationship Management on LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Cegedim:
Founded in 1969, Cegedim is a global technology and services company specializing in the healthcare field. Cegedim supplies services, technological tools, specialized software, data flow management services and databases. Its offerings are targeted notably at healthcare industries, life sciences companies, healthcare professionals and insurance companies. The world leader in life sciences CRM, Cegedim is also one of the leading suppliers of strategic healthcare industry data. Cegedim employs almost 8,000 people in more than 80 countries and generated revenue of €912 million in 2014. Cegedim SA is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: CGM).

To learn more, please visit: www.cegedim.com.
Follow Cegedim on Twitter: @CegedimGroup.

*Source: ME NewsWire

The press release can now be viewed online:

http://me-newswire.net/news/13511/en

سيجيديم لإدارة العلاقات تعلن عن إصدار جديد من الحل العالمي المرتكز على السحابة أجريجيت سبيند 360 للامتثال للشفافية

تمكّن النسخة الأحدث من "أجريجيت سبيند 360" شركات علوم الحياة من تحقيق الانتشار عالمياً وتلبية متطلبات الافصاح من الاتحاد الأوروبي للصناعات والجمعيات الدوائية ومراكز خدمات الرعاية والمساعدة الطبية

باريس29 . يناير 2015 (بزنيس واير/ميدل ايست نيوز واير): أعلنت اليوم شركة "سيجيديم" لإدارة العلاقات عن توفر أحدث إصدار من حلها العالمي للامتثال للشفافية والإنفاق الكلي "أجريجيت سبيند 360". ويمكّن الاصدار الجديد شركات علوم الحياة في أوروبا والولايات المتحدة من تلبية أحدث متطلبات الافصاحات المتبعة حالياً والمفروضة من الاتحاد الأوروبي للصناعات والجمعيات الدوائية ("إي إف بي آي إيه") ومراكز خدمات الرعاية والمساعدة الطبية ("سي إم إس").

مواكبة المتطلبات المتغيّرة  للاتحاد الأوروبي للصناعات والجمعيات الدوائية ومراكز خدمات الرعاية والمساعدة الطبية

تقدم النسخة الأحدث من حل "أجريجيت سبيند 360" قدرات ومرونة موسّعة لضمان تقديم المصنعين للتقارير بموجب توجيهات اتحاد "إي إف بي آي إيه" ومراكز "سي إم إس"، فيما تلتزم في الحين ذاته بالممارسات المؤسسية الخاصة بشركاتهم. ويمكن لشركات علوم الحياة في الولايات المتحدة الاستفادة من "أجريجيت سبيند 360" في تلبية آخر متطلبات مراكز "سي إم إس"، متضمنة الموعد النهائي المحدد في 31 مارس 2015 لتقديم البيانات. كما وتقدم الوظائف التي تضمن الالتزام بقوائم مراكز "سي إم إس" للأطباء المصدّقين والمستشفيات التعليمية، ومتطلبات إعادة التقديم، بالإضافة لأدوات المصادقة على تقارير الالتزام بموجب قواعد مراكز "سي إم إس"، والرموز الخاصة والأخطاء. وتتيح أحدث نسخة من الحل لشركات علوم الحياة في أوروبا جمع بيانات الدفع بشكل كفؤ وإدارة الموافقة بالشكل المطلوب لدى اتحاد "إي إف بي آي إيه" بدءاً من 1 يناير 2015.

وقال داريو غودوسي، نائب الرئيس الأول لشؤون حلول الشفافية العالمية وإدارة البيانات الرئيسية في "سيجيديم": "لاحظنا في الأشهر الأخيرة تسارعاً كبيراً في الطلب العالمي على حلول رفع تقارير الشفافية بسبب تطبيق قوانين اتحاد ’إي إف بي آي إيه‘. واختار العديد من العملاء الجدد حل ’أجريجيت سبيند 360‘ ما يؤكد موقعنا الرائد ويدفعنا لتسريع تطوير الوظيفية العالمية التي يتوقع السوق الحصول عليها من شركتنا".

وقال دون سونج، نائب الرئيس لشؤون الحلول الاستراتيجية في شركة "سيجيديم" لإدارة العلاقات: "تتابع شركة ’سيجيديم‘ ريادتها في حلول الشفافية والإفصاحات العالمية من خلال تصدّر البيئة العالمية المتطورة بشكل سريع. ولا تقتصر فائدة ’أجريجيت سبيند 360‘ على تمكين شركات علوم الحياة حول العالم من تلبية متطلبات وضع التقارير لديهم، بل يقدم المقدرة للمصنعين لوضع التقارير والمصادقة على دقتها بسهولة".

ويتم الاستفادة من حل "أجريجيت سبيند 360" في أكثر من 60 شركة من شركات علوم الحياة حول العالم، وهو حل مبتكر مرتكز على السحابة يسّهل متابعة ووضع تقارير الإفصاحات العالمية والوطنية والمحلية، ومتطلبات الشفافية، من خلال جمع عمليات الإنفاق وربطها مع رؤية عميل واحدة وإنشاء التقارير تلقائياً بهدف تلبية متطلبات الامتثال الفريدة من نوعها بالاستناد إلى قوالب مصممة مسبقاً وفقاً لكلّ قانون تنظيمي حول الشفافية. ويشار إلى أن "أجريجيت سبيند 360" مدمج مسبقاً في هوية "سيجيديم" للامتثال والمدعومة من حلول "وَن كي"، و"موبايل إنتيليجنس"  و"نوكليوس 360". ويتوفر الدمج أيضاً في تطبيقات طيف واسع من المؤسسات لأغراض إدارة علاقات العملاء/ نظام إدارة قوى المبيعات، وتخطيط موارد المؤسسة، والمالية، والموارد البشرية.

لمعرفة المزيد حول "أجريجيت سبيند 360"، يرجى زيارة الموقع الإلكتروني لشركة "سيجيديم".

لمحة عن شركة "سيجيديم" لإدارة العلاقات

تعتبر "سيجيديم" لإدارة العلاقات المزوّد الرائد للحلول في قطاع علوم الحياة في مجال حلول إدارة علاقات العملاء. وتم تصميم حلول الشركة المبتكرة للأعمال التجارية خصيصاً لتلائم علوم الحياة ولتضمن فهماً شاملاً للاتجاهات المحلية والإقليمية والعالمية. وقد مكنّت الشركة أكثر من 200 ألف مستخدم في العديد من الشركات الأكثر ابتكاراً في العالم من استباق التحديات التي يفرضها السوق. وبالإضافة إلى إدارة العلاقات مع العملاء توفر الشركة حلول التسويق وتحسين البيانات والامتثال التنظيمي في أكثر من 80 بلداً. وتعتبر "سيجيديم لإدارة العلاقات" جزءاً من مجموعة "سيجيديم إس إيه" التي تتخذ من فرنسا مقراً لها.

ولمزيد من المعلومات يُرجى زيارة الموقع الإلكتروني التالي: www.cegedim.com/rm.

كما يمكنكم متابعة شركة "سيجيديم" لإدارة العلاقات عبر "لينكد إن" و"تويتر"

 

SOHAR reveals 2014 throughput figures signs new deals at annual business reception

·       Container throughput up 58 percent after transfer of commercial shipping from Muscat ·       Dry bulk unchanged, while break bulk and roro saw respective 51 and 99 percent growth ·       Contract signed with Sohar Flour Mills ahead of construction of 500MT per day flour mill ·       Centre Point Logistics also sign deal, plan to use SOHAR for Oman expansion

SOHAR Port signed a leased contract with Sohar Flour Mills on Wednesday 28 January 2015, ahead of the planned construction of a new flour mill with a capacity of 500 MT per day. The signing took place at the SOHAR Port and Freezone annual business reception which drew participation from public and private sector dignitaries and representatives from key diplomatic missions based in Muscat. Contracts were signed and exchanged by HE Sultan bin Salim Al Habsi, Chairman of SOHAR Port and Freezone, and Mr. Khamis bin Abdullah Al Farsi, Chairman of Atyab Investments. A second contract was signed with Centre Point Logistics (CPL), who will take up the option of a plot at SOHAR Freezone for the expansion of its logistics, warehousing, and storage facilities. Contracts were signed and exchanged by HE Sultan bin Salim Al Habsi, Chairman of SOHAR Port and Freezone, and Mr. Saleh Said Lootah, Chairman of CPL Dubai.  Centre Point Logistics represent one of the leading companies in the logistics and industrial sector from their main office in JAFZA, Dubai. SOHAR Port and Freezone has revealed throughput figures for 2014 at a press conference held before its annual business reception at the Chedi Hotel in Muscat. Speaking at the conference, CEO Andre Toet said that container throughput grew 58 percent, with cars and break bulk also performing well. The rise in container traffic can be attributed to the relocation of commercial traffic from Muscat. Break bulk cargo increased by 51 percent, while the number of cars handled by SOHAR grew 99 percent, to 122,000. This followed a deal to create a regional distribution hub, and together with existing throughput, this figure will grow to 200,000. The reception also provided the backdrop for the launch of the 2015 SOHAR Annual Magazine.

Sustainable Integration Is Key to Attracting and Retaining International Branch Campuses

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – (ME NewsWire)  Speaking at Michigan State University’s (MSU) third Dubai International Conference in Higher Education, Dr. Ayoub Kazim, Managing Director of TECOM Education Cluster, emphasised the three components critical for success when setting up an international branch campus (IBC); comprehensive due diligence, seamless operations, and sustainability were identified as crucial elements in the IBC model .

“Extensive research into the local educational landscape is an integral preparatory step for any university looking to set up an IBC”, said Dr. Ayoub during his keynote presentation on first day of the conference.

“International recognition remains the single most important criteria for students when choosing a country and institution, according to the QS World Grad School Tour Survey, so IBCs remain a huge draw for transnational students to the UAE. 19 per cent of the global IBC pool has chosen the UAE as their secondary habitat and with this number set to continue to rise, it is vital that we have the resources to accommodate an ongoing influx of word-class educational institutions to the region.

“Younger applicants are also more likely to be motivated by employment and career prospects, thus preferring to stay on in the destination country to work after graduation. So ensuring that universities are aligned with current industry skills gaps is also a core focus for the education sector.

“I am proud to be part of MSU’s higher education conference as it enters its third year. It provides an important platform for industry leaders to convene and discuss academic sector issues of significance,” he continued.

MSU’s three-day conference brings together higher education representatives from across the globe to participate in a dynamic and interactive forum. The event focuses on three main themes: education, employability, and employment; maintaining quality while widening access; and innovation in teaching and learning.

To remain competitive in the 21st century, higher education institutions should focus on three key areas. Firstly, they must demonstrate their relevance to the needs of the workforce in a landscape of constant and rapid economic and social change. Secondly, they must maintain the rigorous academic standards that are the hallmark of a quality institution. And thirdly, with the accelerating power and reach of the web, it is important that universities embrace technological innovation, incorporating it into their traditional business models to create a more contemporary and holistic learning experience for students.

“We welcomed delegates from over twenty countries at this year’s conference under the theme of ‘Relevance and Rigor’. We are challenging universities to demonstrate that they are meeting the needs of the workforce in a landscape of constant and rapid economic and social change, whilst still maintaining the rigorous academic standards that are a hall mark of any quality institution,” said Dr. Tessa Dunseath, Executive Director, Michigan State University in Dubai, at the conference.