Category Archives: Business

NanoMarkets Announces Upcoming Reports on Organic (OPV) and Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) Markets

April 26, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

NanoMarkets has added two new reports to the firms schedule titled “Opportunities in the Organic Photovoltaics Market – 2012” and “BIPV Encapsulation Markets – 2012.”

Glen Allen, Virginia – April 26, 2012 — Industry Analyst firm NanoMarkets has added two new reports to the firms schedule titled “Opportunities in the Organic Photovoltaics Market – 2012” and “BIPV Encapsulation Markets – 2012.” The reports will be available in May of 2012 and continue the firm’s coverage of the increasingly challenging PV market. Details of the reports are available at http://www.nanomarkets.net.

The reports follow recent releases on dye sensitized cell (DSC) photovoltaics and BIPV glass markets.

Opportunities in the Organic Photovoltaics Market – 2012

The OPV market continues to struggle to get off the ground. The last year has produced a few bright spots – some new investments, some modest performance enhancements, additional demonstration and/or niche product launches, etc. – but the industry still needs a big breakthrough, or at least a clear path toward a large-area, large-scale application that can take OPV to the next level commercially.

Unfortunately, the value propositions that have been claimed for OPV in the past continue to get harder and harder to make: costs are still very high, flexible encapsulation is still a problem, and a big market pull for portable, small-scale charging has not materialized. Meanwhile, development and commercialization of DSC photovoltaics has outpaced that of OPV, and now it looks as though time for OPV may be running out.

In this report NanoMarkets looks at the changing prospects for commercialization of OPV in off-grid applications like solar chargers, as well as emerging – and larger-scale – opportunities for OPV in the BIPV market, particularly in BIPV glass and flexible BIPV applications. We also pay particular attention to the activities of the key OPV firms, and we examine the shifting market prospects brought on by technical achievements, commercialization efforts, demand patterns, and competition from other technologies. Based on these analyses, we have also updated our eight-year forecasts for both OPV materials and modules.

BIPV Encapsulation Markets – 2012

As the solar industry turns towards BIPV there will be a growing opportunity for the encapsulation business. Flexibility is often required in BIPV and this means that manufacturers of BIPV often have an immediate need for an effective flexible PV encapsulation system. In addition, as monolithic integration becomes more common, specialist encapsulation systems are required to protect the relatively delicate CIGS, OPV and DSC absorber materials that are commonly used in such products.

This report identifies and quantifies the emerging market for encapsulation systems and materials in the BIPV market. It investigates both how the leading suppliers of encapsulation products are viewing BIPV as a market for their products and the current and future demand for encapsulation from the BIPV industry itself. This NanoMarkets report includes a granular eight-year forecast of the BIPV encapsulation markets and assessments of the leading product/market strategies being adopted in this business.

About NanoMarkets:

NanoMarkets tracks and analyzes emerging market opportunities in energy, electronics and other markets created by developments in advanced materials. The firm is a recognized leader in industry analysis and forecasts of this kind and has been covering the photovoltaics sector for more than six years. Visit http://www.nanomarkets.net for a full listing of NanoMarkets’ reports and other services.

Media Contact:
Robert Nolan
NanoMarkets, LC
PO BOX 3840
Glen Allen, VA 23058
804-270-1718
rob@nanomarkets.net

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Georgia Electrical Contractor Thriving in the Commercial Construction Industry

April 26, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Over the past several years most construction companies have been faltering and many have been failing, but one Georgia electrical contractor has been thriving.

West Palm Beach, FL, April 25, 2012 – Over the past several years most construction companies have been faltering and many have been failing, but one Georgia electrical contractor has been thriving. Instead of hunkering down and trying to survive the storm, Karim Karimifard, owner of Nuvolt Electrical Services, made a smart business decision and decided to get aggressive and search for new business.

Since Nuvolt Electrical Services’ founding in 2002 through 2010, Karim shied away from larger commercial construction projects, deciding to focus on residential installations and light commercial repairs. Karim had utilized construction leads services in the past, but he found none to be beneficial to his business. He was still left with the daunting task of trying to communicate with each project contact, hunt down the project plan and specs, as well as assemble a bid on each project. Even after submitting his bid, he rarely heard any response from the General Contractors. After a while it just wasn’t worth the effort. That’s until January of 2011 when Senior Account Manager Wendy Best of EliteProNet contacted Karim, offering a new approach to “getting awarded work.”

EliteProNet utilizes a completely unique method of helping their subcontractors throughout the bidding process. Unlike traditional “lead services”, EliteProNet is based on establishing relationships. Each customer is assigned a dedicated Project Coordinator that works with them on a daily basis. Nuvolt Electrical Services has the luxury of working with Georgia Senior Project Coordinator, Kyle Conlan. As with all EliteProNet Project Coordinators, Kyle sends all his subcontractors emails daily with new projects and status updates, keeping them up to date on every bidding opportunity. All projects are organized in an easy to use online dashboard including all plans, specs and project contacts. But that’s not even the best part. Once Nuvolt submits their bids through EliteProNet’s system, Kyle immediately goes into overdrive. He will seek out every general contractor bidding the project, delivering the bid to each one of them and more importantly seek feedback that can assist Nuvolt in negotiating an award.

Since joining EliteProNet, Nuvolt has been awarded 9 projects directly totaling over $290,000. Not to mention the numerous additional projects awarded from the new contractor relationships. Prior to 2011, Nuvolt generated very little revenue from commercial construction projects. Today the largest part of their business is in commercial work generated from EliteProNet.

Karim is a proud to be a member of the EliteProNet Construction Network, thanking Kyle and Wendy almost on a daily basis.

EliteProNet provides services in Florida, New Jersey, Virginia, Washington D.C., Maryland, Delaware, North Carolina, and Georgia. EliteProNet corporate headquarters are located at 224 Datura, St. Suite 101, West Palm Beach, FL 33401. For more information please call (877) 656-4706 or visit www.elitepronet.com.

Contact:
Kevin Priddy
EliteProNet™
224 Datura Street,
Suite #101
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(877) 656-4706
kpriddy@elitepronet.com
http://www.elitepronet.com

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Fish for Life Announces its 2nd Annual Texas Hold’em Tournament

April 26, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Saturday May 5, 2012 at the Bella Collina Golf Course, San Clemente, CA

San Clemente, CA, April 25, 2012 – Today, Fish for Life announced that it will host its 2nd Annual Texas Hold’em Tournament on Saturday, May 5th at the Bella Collina Golf Course clubhouse in San Clemente. The event is set to start at 6:00pm and will accommodate 150 players. It will help raise money to sponsor Fish for Life’s unique fishing trips for special needs children and young adults for the 2012 summer season.

Fish for Life, a nonprofit organization has been “spreading the love one boat at a time” since 2009, with its first maiden voyage launching out of Dana Point Harbor. Since that time it has hosted several more half day fishing trips off the coast of Southern CA and expanding into Chicago in 2011. Later this year, the organization will be adding trips in Toronto on Lake Ontario.

These “trips” start with each special angler honored with a bio introduction as they proceed down a red carpet to cheers and high-fives before boarding. They are partnered in small groups with experienced fishing team leaders and support crew where they receive some basic fishing skills before dropping their lines in the water. Additional volunteers peruse the decks seeing if they can cater to any needs and serve food. As the boat returns to the dock, awards are given to each angler in recognition of their skills. The energy on the boat is always fun, loving, and caring with most families commenting, “Words can never express our sincerest appreciation for the amazing Fish for Life event.”

“We’re excited to kick off our second annual event since we had such a great time last year and were able to fund a couple of trips. This year, we’re planning another fun evening with great prizes, food and entertainment. But really, we’re excited about how this evening will raise money to give special needs kids and their families a life changing experience of love and appreciation,” said the special needs organization’s founder, Jim Holden.

Poker players will enjoy this special tournament as they get the chance to play should-to-shoulder with former NFL stars, including former Rams quarterback Jim Everett, Hoby Brenner and Dave Wilson from the New Orleans Saints, Lance Scott form the Giants, and Kirk Dodge from Detroit. Plus, the events MC will be World Poker Tour pro, Kenna James, with live blues performed by Ty Moss, a Grammy member and songwriter for Carlos Santana.

In addition to Texas Hold’em, participants can try their luck at Blackjack, Craps and Let-It-Ride with chances to win big prizes including a 3 night stay with a day of fishing at the Van Wormers luxury resort on the East Cape, a 2 night stay at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, a foursome golf pass at the Bella Collina Golf Course, and more. Those interested should go to the Fish for Life website at: http://www.fishforlife.org/pages/texas-holdem-registration.php and reserve their spot before they’re gone. All this fun, entertainment, prizes and food only requires a $100 tax-deductible donation. For more information, call Jim Holden at (949) 285-8819.

About Fish For Life (www.FishForLife.org)
Fish for Life is a non-profit organization based in southern California with chapters in Chicago and Toronto. Its charter is to enhance the lives of special needs individuals by inviting them to enjoy a life-changing half-day fishing trip on the sea. For more information, log onto http://www.fishforlife.org/ or contact Jim Holden at (949) 285-8819 or jim@fishforlife.org.

Contact:
Jim Holden
Fish For Life
42 Calle Ameno
San Clemente, CA 92672
(949) 285-8819
jim@fishforlife.org

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Kasasa Changes The Face of Local Banking in Portland

April 25, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Northwest Resource Introduces Kasasa, a Striking Alternative to the Mega Bank Rollercoaster

Portland, OR, April 24, 2012 – Northwest Resource asks consumers, “Do you Kasasa?” as it becomes the first financial institution in Portland to launch the country’s most innovative financial products.

Kasasa® is a new brand of free checking and savings accounts that pays consumers to use their account with what interests them most—high interest or automatic savings. These accounts, combined with the personal service that only community financial institutions can deliver, are offering residents a better checking account option than the mega bank experience.

“Consumers deserve to wake up to happier days of banking and leave behind the nightmare of mega bank fees and mistreatment. We are pleased to be the first in Portland to offer these unique products,” said Kim Faucher, VP of Marketing at Northwest Resource. “Kasasa delivers what research shows people really want but believe they can’t have—great financial products with the personal service of a community based financial institution.”

Northwest Resource is offering two Kasasa financial products, including Kasasa Cash? and Kasasa Saver?. All Kasasa products are free, reward-based accounts, with no minimum balance to earn the rewards, no monthly service fee, free online banking and nationwide ATM fee refunds.

Kasasa Cash – A free checking account that rewards consumers with high interest for every month they qualify.

Kasasa Saver – A free, high interest saver account linked to a Kasasa Cash checking account. The interest and ATM fee refunds earned in the Kasasa Cash account are automatically deposited into the Kasasa Saver account when the account holders qualify. The balance in the Kasasa Saver account also earns a high rate of interest.

To receive the Kasasa account benefits, each monthly qualification cycle account holders are asked to do a few simple things like, receive an eStatement, use a debit card a minimum number of times, and have an electronic transaction (such as direct deposit) post and clear their account. If an account holder does not meet the qualifications in a given month, Northwest Resource will alert the individual, who will be eligible the following month for the benefits.

“Extensive research has shown us that consumers would prefer to do business with community financial institutions, but feel they would lose access to products,” continued Faucher.

“Kasasa is opening people’s eyes to a new banking model where no sacrifices are necessary. It’s a win-win because account holders get innovative products and personalized service.”

In 2009, Kasasa was piloted in six other markets across the U.S. In just the first two months of offering Kasasa, participating community financial institutions reported growth rates upwards of 150% on new account openings and 372% in deposits at institutions focused on deposit growth.

Kasasa is being introduced with an aggressive, highly engaging marketing campaign. It comes to life through a fresh mix of eye-popping advertising, the likes of which exceed the typical mega bank’s high-budget programs. The ads feature America’s top slam poets www.kasasa.com/news-and-media/advertising riffing lyrical threads around the theme of “Do you Kasasa?”

Kasasa is distributed to Northwest Resource from BancVue, the leading provider of innovative products, dynamic marketing, and data-driven consulting solutions to community financial institutions nationwide to help them win the war against the megabanks.

For more information on Kasasa accounts, consumers can visit www.nrfcu.org or www.kasasa.com/nwresource.

Do you Kasasa?
Kasasa® is the first national brand of the most innovative checking accounts available today. The accounts, offered exclusively by the finest community financial institutions, are designed to be the first and only accounts that actually take an interest in their account holders by paying them to use their account with what interests them most—high interest, cash back, automatic savings, money to donate to charity or iTunes® or Amazon.com downloads. Kasasa, developed and distributed by BancVue, marries innovative banking products with the personal touch of community financial institutions. For more information, visit www.kasasa.com.

About Northwest Resource:
Northwest Resource Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative established in 1935 as the credit union for NW Natural employees. Today, Northwest Resource has $91 million in assets and is federally chartered to serve people who live, work, worship, or attend school in Portland’s central city neighborhoods. For more information, visit www.nrfcu.org or call (503) 220-2592 or (800) 942-9408.

Contact:
Katie Weathers
CSG PR
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
(404) 791-8245
kweathers@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Business

BancVue’s Moneyisland Wins Eifle Award for instructional Game of the year

April 25, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

BancVue launched MoneyIsland in March 2011 as a customized, online financial literacy solution for community financial institutions.

Austin, TX, April 24, 2012 – BancVue, the leading provider of innovative products, dynamic marketing, and data-driven consulting solutions to community financial institutions around the country, today announced its MoneyIsland™ product has won an Excellence In Financial Literacy Education™ (EIFLE) award for instructional game of the year, electronic.

The Institute for Financial Literacy (www.FinancialLit.org), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization whose mission is to promote effective financial education and counseling, presented the EIFLE awards at the Annual Conference on Financial Education in Orlando, Florida.

BancVue launched MoneyIsland in March 2011 as a customized, online financial literacy solution for community financial institutions. A one-of-a-kind educational tool geared to ‘tweens’ age 8 to 14, MoneyIsland’s built-in curriculum addresses three key financial categories: Saving and Spending, Earning and Investing, and Using Credit Wisely.

MoneyIsland has been very successful since it’s introduction to the marketplace, and is currently offered by 97 community banks and credit unions across the U.S. and Guam.

According to Gabe Krajicek, Chief Executive Officer of BancVue, community financial institutions providing MoneyIsland to account holders, local schools, and non-profit organizations not only fulfill responsibilities of the Community Reinvestment Act, they help build a better future for America’s youth.

“MoneyIsland is clearly a compelling value proposition for our community banking partners and for their account holders,” said Krajicek. “We’re honored that The Institute for Financial Literacy has recognized the program and included us among the leaders in the field of financial literacy education.”

The EIFLE awards were created by The Institute for Financial Literacy six years ago as a way to acknowledge innovation, dedication, and a strong commitment to financial literacy education. The awards promote the effective delivery of consumer financial products, services, and education by acknowledging the accomplishments of those that advance financial literacy education.

“We’ve learned that the best way to get financial literacy programs like MoneyIsland into schools and in front of kids is through community banks and credit unions,” says Felix Brandon Lloyd, a former Washington, D.C. Teacher of the Year, creator of MoneyIsland, and BancVue’s Chief Professor. “It’s exciting to think how many children around the country will gain access to much-needed financial education through BancVue’s extensive network of clients.”

MoneyIsland is just one of the game-changing innovations BancVue has brought to community financial institutions. With offerings including Kasasa®, a national brand of superior products, and Kasasa 360®, a recently-introduced online money management platform that helps drive revenues and cross-sell opportunities, BancVue is empowering its network of over 5,000 branches nationwide compete and win against the megabanks.

About BancVue
BancVue is the leading provider of innovative products, world-class marketing, and data-driven consulting solutions to community financial institutions across the U.S. Featuring offerings like Kasasa®, a dynamic suite of banking solutions that make a difference with innovative accounts and money management tools, BancVue products are designed to deliver controlled new account growth, higher profitability, and increased customer retention. For more information, visit www.bancvue.com.

Contact:
Katie Weathers
CSG PR
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
(404) 791-8245
kweathers@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

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Kasasa Changes The Face of Local Banking in Louisiana

April 25, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Pelican State Credit Union Introduces Kasasa, a Striking Alternative to the Mega Bank Rollercoaster

Baton Rouge, LA, April 16, 2012 – Pelican State Credit Union asks consumers, “Do you Kasasa?” as it becomes the first financial institution in Baton Rouge to launch the country’s most innovative financial products.

Kasasa® is a new brand of free checking and savings accounts that pays consumers to use their account with what interests them most—high interest, cash back, automatic savings, money to donate to charity or digital downloads from iTunes® or Amazon.com®. These accounts, combined with the personal service that only community financial institutions can deliver, are offering residents a better checking account option than the mega bank experience.

“Consumers deserve to wake up to happier days of banking and leave behind the nightmare of mega bank fees and mistreatment. We are pleased to be the first in Baton Rouge to offer these unique products,” said Jeffrey K. Conrad, CEO at Pelican State Credit Union. “Kasasa delivers what research shows people really want but believe they can’t have—great financial products with the personal service of a community based financial institution.”

Pelican State Credit Union is offering two Kasasa financial products; Kasasa Cash® and Kasasa Saver®. All Kasasa products are free, reward-based accounts, with no minimum balance required to earn the rewards, no monthly service fee, free online banking and nationwide ATM fee refunds.

Kasasa Cash – A free checking account that rewards consumers with high interest for every month they qualify

Kasasa Saver – A free, high interest saver account linked to a Kasasa Cash checking account. The interest and ATM fee refunds earned in the Kasasa Cash are automatically deposited into the Kasasa Saver account when the account holders qualify. The balance in the Kasasa Saver account also earns a high rate of interest.

To receive the Kasasa account benefits, each monthly qualification cycle account holders are asked to do a few simple things like, receive an eStatement, access online banking, use a debit card a minimum number of times, and have an electronic transaction (such as direct deposit) post to and clear their account. If an account holder does not meet the qualifications in a given month, Pelican State Credit Union will alert the individual, who will be eligible the following month for the benefits.

“Extensive research has shown us that consumers would prefer to do business with community financial institutions, but feel they would lose access to products,” continued Conrad.

“Kasasa is opening people’s eyes to a new banking model where no sacrifices are necessary. It’s a win-win because account holders get innovative products and personalized service.”

Kasasa is distributed to Pelican State Credit Union from BancVue, the leading provider of innovative products, dynamic marketing, and data-driven consulting solutions to community financial institutions nationwide to help them win the war against the megabanks.

For more information on Kasasa accounts, consumers can visit www.pelicanstatecu.com or www.kasasa.com/pelicanstatecu.com.

Do you Kasasa?
Kasasa is the first national brand of the most innovative checking accounts available today. The accounts, offered exclusively by the finest community financial institutions, are designed to be the first and only accounts that actually take an interest in their account holders by paying them to use their account with what interests them most—high interest, cash back, automatic savings, money to donate to charity or iTunes or Amazon.com downloads. Kasasa, developed and distributed by BancVue, marries innovative banking products with the personal touch of community financial institutions. For more information, visit www.kasasa.com.

Contact:
Katie Weathers
CSG PR
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
(404) 791-8245
kweathers@csg-pr.com
http://www.kasasa.com

Business

Kasasa Changes The Face of Local Banking in Sycamore Bank

April 24, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

Sycamore Bank Introduces Kasasa, a Striking Alternative to the Mega Bank Rollercoaster

Senatobia, MS, April 24, 2012 – Sycamore Bank (MEMBER FDIC) asks consumers, “Do you Kasasa?” as it becomes the first financial institution in north Mississippi to launch the country’s most innovative financial products.

Kasasa® is a new brand of free checking and savings accounts that pays consumers to use their account with what interests them most—high interest, cash back and automatic savings. These accounts, combined with the personal service that only community financial institutions can deliver, are offering residents a better checking account option than the mega bank experience.

“Consumers deserve to wake up to happier days of banking and leave behind the nightmare of mega bank fees and mistreatment. We are pleased to be the first in the north Mississippi area to offer these unique products,” said David Dowdle, President and CEO of Sycamore Bank. “Kasasa delivers what research shows people really want but believe they can’t have—great financial products with the personal service of a community based financial institution.”

Sycamore Bank is offering three Kasasa financial products, including Kasasa Cash?, Kasasa Cash Back™ and Kasasa Saver?. All Kasasa products are free, reward-based accounts, with no minimum balance to earn the rewards, no monthly service fee, free online banking and nationwide ATM fee refunds.

Kasasa Cash – A free checking account that rewards consumers with high interest for every month he or she qualifies.

Kasasa Cash Back – A free checking account that rewards account holders with major cash back on everyday debit card purchases, without points or category restrictions like the big guys. The cash back amount is based on how much consumers spend on each debit card.

Kasasa Saver – A free, high interest saver account linked to a Kasasa Cash checking account. The cash rewards, including the ATM fee refunds are automatically deposited into the Kasasa Saver account when the account holder qualifies. The balance in the Kasasa Saver account also earns a high rate of interest.

To receive the Kasasa account benefits, each monthly qualification cycle account holders are asked to do a few simple things like, receive monthly e-statements, access Kasasa 360® Money Management Tool (when available), and use a debit card a minimum number of times. If an account holder does not meet the qualifications in a given month, Sycamore Bank will alert the individual, who will be eligible the following month for the benefits.

“Extensive research has shown us that consumers would prefer to do business with community financial institutions, but feel they would lose access to products,” commented Ken Purvis, President – DeSoto County, Sycamore Bank. “Kasasa is opening people’s eyes to a new banking model where no sacrifices are necessary. It’s a win-win because account holders get innovative products and personalized service.”

Kasasa is distributed to Sycamore Bank from BancVue, the leading provider of innovative products, dynamic marketing, and data-driven consulting solutions to community financial institutions nationwide to help them win the war against the megabanks.

For more information on Kasasa accounts, consumers can visit www.sycamorebank.com or www.kasasa.com/sycamorebank.

Contact:
Katie Weathers
CSG PR
3225 East 2nd Avenue
Denver, CO 80206
(404) 791-8245
kweathers@csg-pr.com
http://www.csg-pr.com

Business

AAA welcomes Australian investment in Timberland

April 24, 2012 straightlinepr Leave a comment

AAA has reported that a high profile institutional investor in Australia has invested heavily in forest land.

Boston, MA, April 24, 2012 – Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA) has reported that a high profile institutional investor in Australia has invested heavily in forest land.

QIC’s Alternative Beta Fund has invested heavily with US based forestry timberland firm Molpus Woodlands Group. The investment involves the fund buying up some 42,000 acres of forests that will be grown sustainably and harvested at a profit some time in the future.

The investment is part of the QIC Alternative Beta Fund’s goal to invest a much as $233 million in alternative asset classes including timber, commodities, infrastructure and insurance-led securities.

AAA supports alternative investment of all kinds – but particularly ethical investments and forestry investment specifically. Its analysis partner, Anthony Johnson, said: “We are always happy to learn of major institutional investors putting their cash into alternatives, and particularly into forestry and timberland.”

Timberland has become an increasingly popular investment choice in recent years as it is far less volatile than equities and has regularly outperformed stocks and shares. It is also seen as a less risky asset class at a time when traditional investments have proven extremely volatile.

QIC’s head of Alternative Investments, James Dick, said, Timber has added significant value to our client portfolios in the past and we believe that it will continue to do so in the future.

“Timberland is an important asset class for QIC, as we like the low volatility, low correlations to equities and built-in inflation hedging characteristics that these investments provide. Timber has added significant value to our client portfolios in the past and we believe that it will continue to do so in the future.”

AAA supports a large number of timber investment funds and direct investment firms. Investors who want a tangible investment for their money often, like QIC, opt to buy up sections of plantation land or forests. Firms like Greenwood Management run plantations in which individuals can invest.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Business

Market Rates Insight’s New Integrated Study Helps Financial Institutions Avoid Costly Mistakes on Service Fees

April 24, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

New Study on Service Fees for Banks and Credit Unions Reveals How to Balance Consumer Preferences with Price Sensitivity and Competitive Offerings.

SAN ANSELMO, Calif. (April 24, 2012) – Consumers are demanding more value in exchange for service fees. Banks and credit unions need to reduce the risks associated with fee choices and balance those factors against the need for incremental income from services. In response, Market Rates Insight, Inc. (MRI, http://www.marketratesinsight.com), a leader in pricing intelligence for deposits, personal loans, mortgages, and fees, has created a unique research study designed to reduce risks and uncertainty and help financial services avoid a repeat of the failed debit-fee attempt, and to uncover value-added services consumers want and are willing to pay for.

Traditionally, decisions on service fees were based on a survey of the competitive landscape. Such an approach is no longer valid due to the increased risk associated with the uncertainty about consumers’ reaction to changes in service fees. The newly designed Integrated Study by MRI combines consumers’ preference and price sensitivity with competitive landscape information for a more balanced approach to decisions on service fees. This first-ever Integrated Study helps financial executives reduce the risk of poor decisions and increases the probability of generating incremental income from services.

This twice-annual Integrated Study is specifically designed to identify new and innovative services that consumers value and are willing to pay for. It is scheduled for release in the second quarter of this year, and will specifically assess consumer preference and perceived value for services such as credit score monitoring, identity theft alerts, mobile banking services, personalized couponing services, person-to-person payments, and other services. The Study will gauge likelihood to use and willingness to buy mapped against demographic data such as age, income, and gender. And the Study includes a review of the same service categories compared to the top five U.S. banks for competitive analyses.

“Financial institutions can no longer afford the risk of arbitrarily deciding on new services or fees,” said Dan Geller, Ph.D. Executive Vice President of Market Rates Insight. “Poor service fee decisions can be very costly in loss of customers, damage to reputation and now involvement of the newly established Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.”

The first Integrated Study on Service Fees is scheduled for release in May 2012. It is being offered as an integrated study across all seven services, or as individual studies on each of the seven service areas. Individual studies will be available on credit score services, identify theft protection, personalized couponing, prepaid reloadable cards, overdraft protection, personal money transfer, and mobile remote deposit capture. Each study features consumer research on preferences and perceived value, as well as demographic segmentation.

For more information, contact Market Rates Insight at info@marketratesinsight.com.

About Market Rates Insight
For more than two decades, Market Rates Insight (MRI) has been helping clients price with precision by providing banks, thrifts, credit unions, and other financial institutions with comprehensive market intelligence on deposits, loans, and fees. MRI uses deposit surveys, mortgage and consumer loan surveys, fees and features studies, new product alerts, benchmarking and market share analysis to give subscribers the intelligence needed to strategically position products, optimize pricing and react to emerging trends. MRI’s products include web-enabled, customizable report programming, proprietary product research tools, searchable databases, market alerts, and online dashboards that aggregate key client data to provide real-time interactive views on how they rank against their specific competitors.

Market Rates Insight is located in San Anselmo, California. For more information, see http://www.marketratesinsight.com.

Photos available upon request

For additional information contact:
Tom Woolf
Market Rates Insight
(415) 259-5638
tom.woolf@marketratesinsight.com

Business

NanoMarkets Says that Dye Sensitized Cell (DSC) PV Market Poised to Expand Greatly in the Next Several Years

April 24, 2012 staronepr Leave a comment

NanoMarkets announces the release of its latest report on the DSC market titled, “Markets for Dye-Sensitized Cell Photovoltaics 2012.”

Glen Allen, Virginia – April 24, 2012 — Industry analyst firm NanoMarkets announces the release of its latest report on the DSC market titled, “Markets for Dye-Sensitized Cell Photovoltaics 2012.” NanoMarkets believes that even as the overall PV industry is reeling from rapidly declining panel prices, cutbacks in government support, and failing firms, DSC is a technology with solid growth prospects.

In the report NanoMarkets estimates that the total market value of DSC modules at the application level will grow from about $40 million in 2012 to over $500 million by 2015. Then, after building-integrated PV (BIPV) applications for DSC PV take off, the firm anticipates that the market value will exceed $4.4 billion by 2019. At the same time, the market for DSC materials is expected to grow from a value of just under $12 million in 2012 to over $1.2 billion by 2019.

Additional details about the report are available at: http://nanomarkets.net/market_reports/report/dye_sensitized_cell_markets_2012. Members of the press can request a full executive summary from the report.

NanoMarkets is also set to release an update to its coverage of the organic photovoltaic (OPV) market within the next two weeks of this release. Details of that report are available at: http://nanomarkets.net/market_reports/report/opportunities_in_the_organic_photovoltaics_market_2012

About the Report:

In the past two years, the dye sensitized cell (DSC) market has come of age and has moved out of its R&D phase. The performance of DSCs is now comparable with amorphous silicon PV, but with much more potential than a-Si for performance improvements. DSC’s also offers an ability to be deployed on flexible substrates and perform under non-peak insolation.

This report provides an in-depth market analysis of recent developments in DSCs, examining the meaning of the latest products, strategies and technical developments. We identify how performance improvements are likely to help grow addressable markets for DSC and where these new markets are to be found. Specifically, we examine the potential for DSC in the BIPV sector and how DSC is likely to do in a world in which solar energy is not the hot topic that it was a few years ago.

The report also appraises the commercial significance of the developments that have taken place in the DSC over the past year such as the attempts to reduce the cost of dyes and electrodes. And, as always with NanoMarkets reports, this report also contains granular forecasts of DSC panel and materials shipments in volume and value terms.

Lastly, the report contains a discussion of some of the key players in the DSC marketplace, including 3GSolar, G24 Innovations, NLAB Solar, Dyesol, Oxford Photovoltaics, Solaronix, Solarprint, BASF, Merck, Umicore, Pilkington/NSG, Tata Steel, Everlight Chemical, Timo Technology, EPFL, Fujikura, and Peccell.

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Media Contact:
Robert Nolan
NanoMarkets, LC
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