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News Archive |
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Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Healthcare self-service provider Greatwater Software has announced it has changed its company name to PatientPoint Inc. PatientPoint is the name of the company's flagship line of self-service kiosks, which allow patients to check in at physicians' offices and are integrated with existing physician office-based practice management and electronic medical record systems.
Chakri Toleti, COO of PatientPoint Inc., says the name change will allow the company to maintain consistent branding with its signature product:
By adopting the name of our core product offering, PatientPoint, as our company name, we are simplifying our brand to better represent our core mission of enabling physician practices to deliver value-added services to patients at the point of care. Under the PatientPoint brand, we will continue to broaden our product line and find new ways to leverage self-service technology to help physicians eliminate inefficient, paper-based processes, reduce administrative costs and minimize wait times while also improving care delivery.
PatientPoint Inc. also has launched a new Web site, patientpointkiosk.com, and says it will conduct all future business activity using the new PatientPoint name and brand.
Thursday, 10 December 2009
Protouch, a maker of touchscreen kiosk and digital signage solutions based in the United Kingdom, has unveiled its new Web site, Protouch.co.uk. According to a news release from the company, the new site covers touchscreens and interactive kiosks in greater depth than before and focuses particularly on Protouch's Xen line of multifunctional kiosks.
The company says the new Web site features additional tools for potential kiosk customers:
Visitors can access videos demonstrating the key functions, features and benefits of touchscreen kiosks and experiment with the configuration tool, which allows users to personally customize and design their own kiosk online.
Also featuring on the new-look website is a bustling blog containing a mix of quirky and informational articles, plus two revamped news sections; one for Protouch and the other for the touchscreen industry as a whole.
Thursday, 10 December 2009
NCR Corp. has announced its acquisition of Campbell, Calif.-based DVDPlay, which operates approximately 1,300 DVD-rental kiosks in the United States and Canada. In a news release, NCR says it will convert the DVDPlay kiosks to add to its Blockbuster Express-branded line of kiosks and is revising its installation forecasts from 2,500 to 3,800 by the end of 2009. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Alex Camara, vice president and general manager of NCR Entertainment, says DVDPlay's presence in California, Colorado and Illinois will allow NCR to extend its DVD-rental reach to new markets, bolstering its efforts to compete with redbox.
Our acquisition of DVDPlay accelerates NCR’s growth in the DVD-rental business as we expand our operations, technology leadership and consumer experience in key markets with premium retail partners. Over the past six months, we’ve seen tremendous enthusiasm from consumers and retail partners for our DVD-rental kiosks. We’ve been able to deploy quickly and maintain high levels of availability. This further investment will help us bring our kiosks to even more consumers in even more locations around the United States, especially in major markets in California and other parts of the western U.S.
Coinstar Inc., whose redbox brand is NCR's primary competition in the DVD-rental kiosk market, today announced it has exceeded its forecast for 20,000 redbox kiosks installed by the end of the year.
Monday, 30 November 2009
DropStation Inc., a provider of self-service solutions for parcel delivery logistics, today announced the appointment of Rich Stillman, past president of Coinstar Inc., to DropStation's advisory board.
DropStation provides a network of self-service Automated Delivery Machines (ADMs), which the company says help streamline customer pick-up and delivery of packages and goods and allow parcel carriers to increase first-delivery success, operational cost savings and customer satisfaction.
John Matsuo, CEO of Dropstation, hopes Stillman's experience managing a nationwide self-service network will help the company expand its network of ADMs:
The addition of Mr. Stillman to our advisory board will provide valuable insight that comes with experience and a pioneering mentality as it relates to a large-scale self-service deployment. Rich’s understanding of working with retailers and managing a network of self-service kiosks will aid in our pursuit to provide a complete solution for the first and last mile distribution of small- to medium-sized parcels.
According to DropStation, Stillman has spent 30 years in executive management, marketing and sales positions and helped double coin revenue and pioneer electronic payment services and "coin-to-card" products during his time at Coinstar Inc. Stillman is now founder and president of the Upswing Group in Seattle.
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
Curiosk Marketing Solutions Inc., a provider of wine and spirits information kiosks, has announced that Alex Richardson, founder and former CEO of kiosk and digital signage software provider Netkey, has joined Curiosk's advisory board. Richardson is now managing director of New York-based Selling Machine Partners.
David Weinberg, founder and president of Curiosk, says Richardson's presence on the board will help position Curiosk as a leader in its niche market:
Having Alex join our advisory board adds a tremendous layer of expertise and provides our business partners with an enhanced level of confidence that Curiosk can and will become the No. 1, top-of-mind solution for retailers seeking an affordable solution for the wine aisle. In addition to his technology insights, Alex’s strategic leadership will help us to reach our goals and maintain our reputation for innovation and customer focus.
Richardson has more than 20 years experience in the retail and technology segments. In addition to pioneering the development of an enterprise software market for retail self-service devices as the founder of Netkey, he also worked with a $4 billion luxury brand to develop the first interactive store window and cross-channel iPhone application in retail. Richardson has an MBA from Yale University and was a founding member of the Digital Signage Association, in addition to his former role as president of the Self-Service & Kiosk Association.
Friday, 13 November 2009
IER, a provider of self-service technology for the airline industry, has announced the launch of its Local Partner Program. The company says it will certify "Local Business & Service Providers" (LPs) to resell and service IER equipment, as well as "Local Service Providers" (LSPs) to focus strictly on servicing the company's equipment.
IER says that selecting skilled, customer-oriented specialists in countries where the company doesn't have a direct presence will allow it to deliver a higher level of expertise and innovation. Pascal Monserand, vice president of indirect channel sales for IER, says the company wanted to expand on its existing local partnerships by developing a dedicated program:
With the LPP, we wish to help partners continue to develop the in-depth technical expertise, market knowledge and highly specialized skill sets needed to implement, deploy and support the cutting-edge solutions expected by our end-customers. Over the years, local partnerships have proved successful, but today we are pleased to launch a dedicated and comprehensive indirect channel program, which will enable the industry to take full advantage of IER's innovations through unmatched worldwide local services and skills.
IER is sourcing localized providers to partner with and says information about the program can be found on its Web site.
Wednesday, 11 November 2009
At this week's KioskCom Self Service Expo, Esprida Corp., a provider of remote device-management products, showcased its enhanced Esprida Enterprise and Esprida LiveControl products.
The company says Esprida Enterprise is a Web-based remote-management solution that the user can host on its own network and configure to manage self-service devices and business applications. The product includes open application programmable interfaces (APIs) for integration and data exchange with third-party hardware and applications, and its features include asset management, dynamic grouping, device configuration, software and media updates, diagnostic testing, self-heal repairing, and automated maintenance and remote control, among others.
Esprida LiveControl is built on the Esprida Enterprise platform and shares many of the same features, but is available in a hosted and shared SaaS model.
Anila Jobanputra, president and founder of Esprida Corp., spoke about the updated platforms:
Esprida is continually evolving its products to ensure its clients are growing their businesses through substantial cost savings and improved management and performance of self-service deployments. Both Esprida Enterprise and Esprida LiveControl are optimally primed to do just this with newly enhanced platforms.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Paderborn, Germany-based Wincor Nixdorf AG says the economic downturn has impacted its business, but not so severely. The company today released year-end results for fiscal year 2008/2009, with only a slight decline in sales.
The company also says it has prepared itself for a possible continuation of the economic downturn.
Wincor’s net sales for the year were down 3 percent from FY 2007/2008, totaling €2.25 million (U.S. $3.37 million) compared with €2.32 million (U.S. $3.48 million) the previous year. The company’s net income was down 10 percent year over year, totaling €114 million (U.S. $170.9 million), down from €127 million (U.S. $190.5 million).
Wincor Nixdorf president and chief executive Eckard Heidloff says the earnings are positive, and show that the company responded proactively to the economic crisis.
“Thanks to the successful management of our solutions portfolio and costs over recent months, we have been able to adapt to the major changes in the wider economy,” he said. "Wincor Nixdorf has made a steady start to the new fiscal year; but once again, we don’t expect it to be easy.”
Wincor Nixdorf saw a 5 percent increase in net sales of software and services, while hardware saw a 9 percent decline.
“Given the challenges facing us in the first half compared with the same period last year, we expect to see another decline in net sales and operating profit for the fiscal year as a whole, although it should be no greater than in the preceding year,” Heidloff said.
As of Sept. 30, the company’s global workforce totaled 9,381 employees, a 70-employee reduction from the previous year.
But Heidloff says continued pressure to be more competitive will push Wincor to higher levels of investment spending, creating new business opportunities for the company. He says Wincor will maintain medium-term targets of achieving average annual increases of 6 percent in net sales and 8 percent in EBITA.
“We remain committed to achieving this level of growth even if the economic situation remains tough for a while to come. Thanks to the measures we have put in place, we are confident that we can emerge from the crisis in a stronger position,” Heidloff said.
Regional performance inconsistent
In Germany, net sales were up 7 percent, while overall European net sales were down 12 percent. Europe, excluding Germany, accounts for 47 percent of Wincor’s overall net sales.
In Asia-Pacific and Africa net sales were up 9 percent and accounted for 16 percent of the company’s net sales.
Net sales in the Americas also increased, up 7 percent from last year. The Americas region now accounts for 9 percent of the company’s net sales, up from 8 percent last year.
In the banking segment, net sales dropped 1 percent, while net sales in the retail segment were down 7 percent.
Revenue from hardware sales was down 9 percent.
Monday, 09 November 2009
Nanonation, a Lincoln, Neb.-based provider of software for kiosks and digital signage, has announced it will showcase enhancements to its products at this week's KioskCom Self Service Expo. According to a news release from Nanonation, the company will show attendees new technologies to deploy and manage digital marketing assets across a variety of customer touchpoints. The company's booth also will feature stations where attendees can see a firsthand demonstration of its CommandPoint tools to monitor, manage and measure enterprise deployments.
Brian Ardinger, Nanonation's chief marketing officer, says the company's exhibit will give attendees an idea of how its customer experience technologies can benefit their enterprises:
We’ve enhanced our software platform to provide a wider range of customer experience technologies than ever before. These technologies enable businesses to cut costs, leverage investments, and deliver differentiated experiences across the enterprise. This show will give marketers and IT professionals a way to see, feel, and experience real-world examples.
Nanonation says the new product features it will exhibit include:
- User interface and functionality enhancements to its software platform
- Enhanced data-tagging intelligence to automate and improve content management
- Intelligent, SKU-activated merchandising solutions for customers and employees
- Digital menu board solutions for hospitality environments
- Customer-driven digital signage
- Mobile integration solutions, including Microsoft Tag and SMS messaging
- Digital audio solutions for management of the in-store audio experience
The company also has announced that CEO Bradley Walker will moderate a panel, "Creating the Intelligent Customer Experience," Tuesday at 10:30 and that Ardinger wil present a "Tech Talk" on the show floor entitled "Better Shopper Marketing Through Technology: Creating Innovative, Immersive and Intelligent Customer Experiences."
Nanonation is a platinum sponsor of the KioskCom event and will showcase its solutions in booth #307.
Monday, 02 November 2009
Managing digital marketing assets across a variety of customer touch points will be the focus of Nanonation as it exhibits at KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show next week. The Lincoln, Neb.-based software company will showcase a number of new technologies for both kiosks and digital signage.
Positioned at booth #307, Nanonation will feature demonstrations of client work and highlights of new enhancements and technology innovations based on its software platform. Stations will be set-up to demonstrate Nanonation’s CommandPoint tools to monitor, manage and measure enterprise deployments, including its new Data Tagging functionality to streamline and automate content management of digital signage networks.
New items that will be showcased include:
- User interface and functionality enhancements to Nanonation’s software platform
- Intelligent, SKU-activated merchandising solutions for customers and employees
- Digital Menu Board solutions for hospitality environments
- Customer-driven digital signage and mobile integration such as Microsoft Tag
- Digital audio solutions for management of the in-store audio experience
- Enhanced data tagging intelligence to automate and enhance content management
In addition Bradley Walker, Nanonation’s CEO, will be moderating a panel on Tuesday at 10:30 A.M. entitled “Creating the Intelligent Customer Experience.” Panel participants for the session will include representatives from Target and Outcast Media.
Brian Ardinger, Nanonation’s CMO, will present at 2:00 P.M. at a session titled “Better Shopper Marketing Through Technology: Creating Innovative, Immersive & Intelligent Customer Experiences.” Each session will delve into specific industry case studies and insights gained from the past decade of work in the digital media marketplace.
Monday, 02 November 2009
NCR Corp. announced this morning that it has purchased the assets of Netkey, a digital signage and kiosk software provider based in East Haven , Conn. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
Netkey’s software platform is used to manage digital signage networks as well as self-service applications like gift registry, guided selling, endless aisle and human resources functions.
Netkey has more than 75,000 kiosks and digital signs installed by more than 400 clients in the retail, finance, transportation and government sectors. Many of these customers also use NCR ’s kiosk, self-checkout or point-of-sale solutions.
NCR will combine Netkey’s software platform with its own software to create an enterprise software solution to accompany NCR’s hardware portfolio and suite of services. NCR will continue to provide multivendor hardware support with the Netkey solution.
Mike Webster, vice president and general manager for NCR ’s retail line of business, commented on the acquisition:
Consumers increasingly expect to interact with companies when and how they wish, and businesses are responding by offering their customers a seamless experience across the channel of their choice. This acquisition will enable NCR to help its customers across multiple industries with kiosk and digital signage solutions that deliver more effective transactions, promotions and information as part of a merged-channel strategy.
Friday, 30 October 2009
Wireless Ronin Technologies has announced the expansion of its digital signage relationship with ARAMARK to include ARAMARK's newly launched Burger Studio brand through its Higher Education division.
Through the partnership, Wireless Ronin will provide the hardware and RoninCast digital signage software for digital menu boards and touchscreen ordering kiosks. The Burger Studio kiosks allow college students to build their own burgers and customize them with more than 30 topping options. As they make selections, the kiosk displays their burgers being built with their topping choices. Once the order is complete, the kiosk prints a receipt while another order receipt prints in the kitchen area.
ARAMARK Higher Education provides professional services to more than 600 colleges and universities throughout North America and launched Burger Studio, the first brand created entirely by students, this fall at the University of Delaware, University of Hartford, Middle Tennessee State University and Missouri Western State University. ARAMARK plans to open additional locations through the remainder of 2009 and early next year.
Wireless Ronin has worked with ARAMARK over the past year providing digital signage solutions for multiple ARAMARK divisions, including Healthcare, Business Dining Service, K-12 and Higher Education. Wireless Ronin has provided consulting, creative design, project management, custom development, training, installation and hosting through the Network Operations Center located in Minneapolis.
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Tempe, Ariz.-based Phoenix Kiosk Inc. today announced it is a recipient of the 2009 Comerica Bank Arizona Companies to Watch award, presented by the Arizona Small Business Association, Comerica Bank and the Edward Lowe Foundation.
Alan Work, Phoenix Kiosk's CEO, says a collaborative effort within the company has made such recognition possible:
"We are extremely proud of this accomplishment and recognize that it is the ongoing energy from all of Phoenix Kiosk's employees that helped to get us here. This is yet another validation that the determination we have as a team to stay the course and keep our eyes on our values is paying off."
According to a news release from Phoenix Kiosk, the Comerica Bank Arizona Companies to Watch awards program considers privately held, second-stage companies based in the state. Award recipients are selected for demonstrating the intent and capacity to grow based on employee or sales growth, exceptional entrepreneurial leadership, sustainable competitive advantage or other notable strengths.
The awards will be presented to 37 Arizona companies at a gala Nov. 6 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel.
Friday, 23 October 2009
Olea Inc. today announced that Frank Olea has been named CEO of the company; former CEO Fernando Olea will take the position of Chairman. According to a news release, Frank Olea has overseen the company's kiosk product division for more than 15 years.
Olea provides custom self-service kiosks, as well as standard off-the-shelf models. The company also has traditionally manufactured tradeshow exhibits for its client, but Frank Olea says under his leadership, Olea will narrow its focus:
The company is now entirely focused from top to bottom on kiosks and self-service systems. The move to make me CEO is going to allow me to focus more on the company's future and the products we offer.
Olea Inc. has been in the self-service business for more than 35 years and is based on Los Angeles.
Thursday, 08 October 2009
Reuters reports that NCR Corp. chief financial officer Anthony Massetti will resign and take a similar post at Avaya Inc., a provider of enterprise communications solutions.
Massetti's resignation is effective Oct. 23, when he will be replaced on an interim basis by Robert Fishman, NCR's corporate controller. Massetti will continue as CFO until NCR announces its third-quarter financial results.
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Hoeft & Wessel, a German information technology and engineering company, has announced it will deploy 720 of its Almex stationary self-service ticketing kiosks for Transports Publics Genovois, or TPG.
In a news release announcing the deal, Hoeft & Wessel says the kiosks' unique solar-power technology will afford the deployer a new level of flexibility:
200 machines feature a new, pioneering technology that makes it possible to reduce electricity consumption. Solar cells are sufficient for an independent power supply, making the new terminals completely independent from the electricity grid. As a result, transport companies are given absolute freedom in choosing their locations.
The company says it also will provide application software for the ticketing kiosks, which will be deployed in 2010 and 2011.
Tuesday, 08 September 2009
Cash-management solution and kiosk provider Corporate Safe Specialists has announced its inclusion on Inc. Magazine's top 5,000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the United States for the second consecutive year. In a news release, CSS says it was ranked 2,429th on the list overall and 42nd in the security industry.
Ed McGunn, CSS' president and chief executive, attributes the company's recognition as a leader to its innovation and customer service:
Corporate Safe's success can be attributed to our unyielding dedication to provide our customers innovative solutions to directly meet their cash-management needs in today's rapidly changing business environment. This, coupled with the leading customer service in the industry, is the fundamental force driving our growth and success.
Corporate Safe Specialists was founded in 1988 by McGunn, Rosemary Leonard and Lisa Marth.
Wednesday, 02 September 2009
Seiko Instruments USA Inc., maker of thermal printers and other electronic components, has announced the appointment of Satoshi Kanesaka as its new president and chief executive. Kanesaka replaces Akira Yamamoto, who is retiring after leading Seiko Instruments USA for eight years.
According to a news release issued by Seiko Instruments, Kanesaka has more than 25 years of management, technology and international business experience. Before joining Seiko Instruments, Kanesaka held leadership roles in executive management, international marketing and sales and engineering in Europe, Asia and North America. He most recently served as executive manager of corporate planning for Chiba, Japan-based Seiko Instruments Inc., the parent company of Seiko Instruments USA.
Kanesaka holds a degree in precise mechanical engineering from the Tokyo University School of Engineering and served as an adjunct professor at Chiba University.
Tuesday, 01 September 2009
Mebane, N.C.-based ArcaTech Systems, a supplier of cash-automation solutions, has been named to Inc. magazine's 2009 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States for the for the third consecutive time.
Known as the Inc. 5000, the list has been published since 2007.
ArcaTech’s cash recyclers, dispensers and transaction technology components are used in a range of applications for banks, retail stores, gaming and parking facilities, car washes and companies that develop kiosks for self-service checkout and bill payment.
Inc. magazine ranks Inc. 5000 companies according to revenue growth over the preceding three years.
Mort O'Sullivan, president and founder of ArcaTech, says ArcaTech’s financial success has been fueled by partnerships with companies such as NCR Corp., Diebold Inc., Fujitsu, Sagem Denmark and CTS Cashpro:
We’re an Inc. 5000 company because of our customers, and we’re committed to serving them. We’re enhancing our service and investing in client support systems — in short, using our growth to fuel ongoing, dramatic improvements in the way we work with customers.
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
KODAK today announced a partnership with Medina, Ohio-based Discount Drug Mart Inc. to place KODAK Picture Kiosk G4 Digital Stations in each of the chain's 70 locations throughout its home state.
According to a news release, the deployment will increase the number of KODAK picture kiosks per Discount Drug Mart location, adding the newer model that creates prints up to 70 times faster than the older version.
John Graycar, director of photo operations for Discount Drug Mart, commented on the initiative:
Giving our customers an exceptional photo-creation experience is an integral part of our mission, and we felt that KODAK, as the market leader, best delivered that experience. KODAK is providing both an integrated suite of photo-finishing solutions and the technical and business expertise needed to enable all our locations with one-stop access to award-winning photo products and services.
The companies report that Discount Drug Mart will use KODAK's APEX thermal dry lab system chain-wide, as well.
Friday, 14 August 2009
EuroTouch Kiosks has announced the rebranding and launch of a new Web site:
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EuroTouch has carefully and consciously rebranded itself to better reflect the elegance, quality and contemporary brand of its European strategic design and manufacturing partner, Rosendahl Concept Kiosk. This rebranding is well-timed and coincides with the official North American release of the generation III Flexi series kiosks and digital signage products.
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Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Devlin Electronics, an electromechanical components manufacturer, has introduced the new KSM-096 stainless-steel keyboard for kiosks. According to a news release from the company, the keyboard achieves a compact layout without the removal of the number pad or function keys. Its other features include vandalism protection, a waterproof seal, USB connectivity and a choice of 27 standard languages.
Martin Baker, managing director of Devlin, says the keyboard meets the needs of deployers whose kiosks are compact but require the functionality of a full keyboard:
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We found that in many applications customers required a full keyboard layout but often would struggle to design in a full-sized keyboard, as this would bloat the workspace to an unsuitable size. We feel the new KSM-096 solves that problem.
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Monday, 03 August 2009
Despite this year's challenging economic environment, Coinstar Inc. has had a monumental 2009, so far. In the past two months, the company has announced the addition of prepaid cards to its Coinstar kiosk offerings, a nationwide redbox installation deal with Albertson's grocery stores, a pilot financial-services program with TIO Networks and a redbox/Sony Home Entertainment agreement worth $460 million.
Today, Coinstar announced a deal with The Kroger Co. that will put redbox DVD-rental kiosks in Kroger grocery stores nationwide. According to a news release from Coinstar, within the next year, redbox's Kroger footprint will grow from 200 to more than 2,600.
Coinstar's coin-counting kiosks already exist in Kroger stores, and Gregg Kaplan, CEO of Coinstar Inc., says the redbox rollout is a natural expansion of that relationship:
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Kroger has been a valued customer of Coinstar for a number of years, and we're very pleased to expand our relationship with this industry leader beyond our self-service coin-counting kiosks to now include redbox DVD kiosks. Our products are designed to deliver convenience and value to the consumer while increasing foot traffic for our retailers, and we look forward to partnering with Kroger to serve their customers.
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Coinstar Inc. will announce its second-quarter earnings during a conference call Aug. 4.
Monday, 03 August 2009
Electronics manufacturer Flextronics last week released its earnings for the first quarter of fiscal year 2010.
The company, which designs and manufacturers kiosks and other electronic equipment, announced net sales of $5.8 billion, up 4 percent from $5.5 billion last quarter, which ended March 31. But the company's net sales year-over-year are down 31 percent. Flextronics posted record net sales of $8.4 billion in Q1 FY 2009.
Net income for the quarter came in at a loss of $154 million. In Q1 FY 2009, net income was $130 million.
During Flextronics' Q1 earnings call July 29, CEO Mike McNamara said an overall decrease in market demand adversely affected the company's earnings:
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The overall demand climate has remained subdued, but we have made measurable strides to adjust to the current market positions and position ourselves for improving profitability. We have balanced these challenges with new business wins and successful executions. We will continue to act with speed and agility to adjust our operations, keep disciplined cost controls in place and optimally position Flextronics in the market.
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Flextronics chief financial officer Paul Read's says the company's gains since last quarter are a reflection of efforts to cut costs and restructure after a disappointing quarter.
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As discussed last quarter, we have quickly executed our restructuring plans to resize our business and are seeing the benefits in sequential margin expansion. As we continue to execute on our restructuring plans, we are confident that our activities will achieve their intended cost savings and contribute to further margin improvements.
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Read said Flextronics has recognized $215 million in restructuring charges since restructuring plans were announced in March, and the company expects to recognize about $35 million more in those charges over the course of FY 2010.
Monday, 03 August 2009
Tempe, Ariz.-based Phoenix Kiosk Inc. has announced an alliance with supply partner Epilog Laser for a green initiative. From now on, the companies will coordinate efforts to recycle all the packaging Epilog uses to ship industrial lasers for Pheonix kiosks. Epilog will simply reuse the packing materials for future shipments.
Alan Work, president and CEO of Phoenix Kiosk, says the initiative will have a long-term ecological impact and will help the company reduce costs for its customers:
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At the end of 2008, we made the commitment as a company to find ways to 'green out.' The simple idea of reusing the packaging for this key component of one of our kiosk projects will reduce the amount of landfill waste that our operations would have created by nearly 450 cubic feet per week. Since this is a multiyear project, the reduction is enormous, and we've been able to make this economically viable as well, reducing the overall acquisition cost of the component for our customer.
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Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Germany-based printer manufacturer HECON/Hengstler has announced a new 12-volt version of its C-56 thermal printer. In a news release, the company says the popularity of its original C-56 model led to the upgrade:
"The popular HECON/Hengstler C-56 thermal printer is used extensively in gas dispensers, kiosks, car washes and any other application where a robust, reliable receipt printer with a wide temperature range is needed. Now, due to customer demand, HECON/Hengstler has created a 12-volt version of this workhorse printer."
HECON/Hengstler says the printer is especially useful for mobile or battery-powered applications, such as remote or solar-charged kiosks.
Monday, 27 July 2009
In the past, Netflix chief executive Reed Hastings has said the company won’t be expanding its service to include DVD-rental kiosks, despite increasing competition from redbox and other kiosk companies. The Baltimore Sun reports a recent exchange regarding the kiosk issue between Hastings and an attendee to Netflix’s second quarter earnings conference call:
"QUESTION: Last quarter you said you had no interest in entering the kiosk business. Has that sentiment changed at all, now that it appears studios are warming up to the concept?
REPSONSE: No, not particularly.
The kiosk businesses are very good vending machine businesses. Coinstar (has) been doing vending machines on a global basis for a long time and they have a wide range of vending solutions and presumably they will come up with more and more vending innovations. So they're organized horizontally as a vending machine company.
We're organized vertically and we happen to be in DVDs now. It's DVD and (Internet) streaming as a movie brand. Netflix will always be in movies, not in various ways to ship or move discs or any other aspect. So the businesses are really organized quite differently and we have no incentive to go into kiosks. We are putting all of our innovation efforts ongoing into streaming."
The paper reports that redbox estimates about 5 percent of its renters are former Netflix subscribers.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Coinstar will announce its second-quarter earnings Tuesday, August 4, the company has announced in a news release. The company will hold a conference call the same day to discuss its performance and comment on recent developments. The call will be simulcast on Coinstar’s Web site and will be accessible following the live event.
Coinstar has been busy in recent months. The company acquired the redbox brand earlier this year, and the DVD kiosk operation has experienced impressive growth since. Coinstar and redbox are reportedly exploring new functionality in the face of increased competition from other DVD-rental kiosk makers.
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Global Axcess Corp., an independent provider of self-service kiosk solutions, today is providing an update on its latest sales initiatives.
According to a news release, the company has recently closed two ATM placement deals for a combined 61 new ATMs; expanded an existing client relationship by placing 65 new ATMs; renewed a major placement contract for five years; closed a bank-branding deal on select ATMs in Texas; renewed an existing financial institution-outsourcing deal on ATMs; and signed three pilot deals for it self-service kiosk business. Global Axcess expects the installation of the kiosks to begin this week.
"I am excited to provide an update on our progress in both our ATM sales and in our new self-service kiosk initiative,” said George McQuain, CEO of Global Axcess Corp. “In early 2009, we retooled and refocused our sales team to include the hiring of two seasoned sales professionals. As a result of these efforts, we now have a very robust sales pipeline and have seen an increase in the amount of requests for proposal relating to new business opportunities”
The company estimates the ATM sales to add or maintain $100,000-plus per month to its gross profit.
Friday, 26 June 2009
MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — NCR Corp. has named Luc Villeneuve the new president of NCR Canada.
According to a news release, Villeneuve comes from the information-technology industry, where he has more than 20 years of experience. At NCR Canada, he will oversee sales, client services, marketing and the management of NCR Canada's financial and retail businesses, as well as travel, gaming, entertainment and healthcare.
"Luc's primary objective will be to help businesses in the Canadian financial and retail industries," said John Di Leo, region vice president of North American sales and marketing. "Luc will work with business to adopt and optimize self-service solutions to help lower their costs and open new channels of revenue. There is tremendous growth of the self-service market in Canada. Luc will have close contact with our customers in Canada, helping them to be successful with their self-service strategies."
Prior to joining NCR, Villeneuve spent five years at Sun Microsystems Canada as the vice president of sales. During his career, he has held senior executive sales and marketing positions at BCE, GE Capital ITS and CNC Global Ltd.
Villeneuve is bilingual and holds a business administration degree from Algonquin College. He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario's Marketing Management Executive Program and is a certified Six Sigma practitioner.
Tuesday, 09 June 2009
SAN DIEGO — Asteres Inc., a provider of automated prescription pickup kiosks and makers of ScriptCenter, announced today that it has named retail pharmacy veteran Mark de Bruin as CEO to lead its rapid expansion into the retail, healthcare and military markets.
“Leading three of the largest U.S. retail pharmacies, Mark’s strategic leadership and national operations expertise are key,” said Ron Taylor, Asteres’ chairman. “Asteres is growing, ScriptCenter markets are expanding and Mark brings the right experience at the right time.”
“I am excited to join Asteres, the leader in automated pharmacy pick-up,” said Mark de Bruin. “With solid technology, Asteres allows pharmacy patients the opportunity to pick-up their prescriptions quickly, while providing the pharmacist additional time to provide clinical consultation to patients.”
Mark de Bruin joins Asteres from Sears Holdings, where he was senior vice president and president of pharmacy. Formerly, Mark was the executive vice president of pharmacy for Rite Aid and vice president of pharmacy for Albertsons. Mark also held several senior positions at American Stores Company, including general manager, and served as Vice President of RxAmerica, a pharmacy benefits-management company. Mark has previously served as chairman of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores-Policy Council, chairman of the National Association of Chain Drugstores Pharmacy & Technology Annual Meeting and as a member of the Federal Medicaid Commission, appointed by HHS Secretary, Michael O. Leavitt.
Tuesday, 02 June 2009
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — CVS/pharmacy and Eastman Kodak Company have announced a new long-term agreement naming Kodak as the national chain’s provider of in-store photo-processing systems, including the KODAK Adaptive Picture Exchange, or APEX dry lab system, KODAK Picture Kiosk, and Kodak Service and Support.
The agreement enables CVS/pharmacy to build on its leadership position within the photo retailing category by providing customers with multiple in-store photo-service options and an expanded portfolio of premium, high-value photo products, such as KODAK Picture Movie DVDs and Photo Books.
“CVS/pharmacy has a longstanding reputation for quality products and services, and consumers recognize and trust the quality associated with the Kodak brand. We believe our strong relationship with Kodak will continue to resonate with our consumers and help us to continue our growth in this important category,” said Grant Pill, vice president for CVS/Pharmacy.
An integral strategy for CVS/pharmacy will be to implement Kodak’s latest G4X consumer kiosks in stores and to significantly expand its fleet of KODAK APEX dry lab systems. The KODAK APEX system is a modular, behind-the-counter thermal dry lab system, which combines a number of new products into one powerful, integrated and industry-leading retailer solution.
“CVS/pharmacy has been a great business partner for Kodak. This new agreement will build on our already successful partnership by enabling more growth in premium photo products and by broadening the reach of Kodak’s state-of-the-art APEX system at CVS/pharmacy locations,” said Mike Saturnia, vice president of sales for Eastman Kodak Company. “Kodak is proud to be working with this innovative retailer to optimize its photo services fleet with advanced dry lab and photo kiosk systems.”
In 2008, CVS/pharmacy was the first national retailer to offer customers both KODAK Picture Movie DVDs and Photo Books. These innovative photo-processing products turn customers’ photos into hard-cover books and movies in minutes using the KODAK Picture Kiosk. Both of these products are now available in more than 5,600 CVS/pharmacy stores nationwide.
Tuesday, 02 June 2009
TradingMarkets.com: NCR Corporation, has named Alex C. Camara as the company's new vice president and general manager of NCR Entertainment Solutions. The role includes responsibility for NCR's Blockbuster Express DVD rental operations. Camara previously was with Coinstar as senior VP and general manager of Coinstar coin and Entertainment. According to reports, he has more than 25 years of experience in leadership roles in operations, sales, supply chain, business development and general management within the retail industry and self-service technology.
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Thursday, 28 May 2009
MEBANE, N.C. — ArcaTech Systems has promoted Kirk Nelson to associate vice president, OEM Solutions.
In his new role, Nelson will continue to manage the growth of ArcaTech’s OEM Solutions business in the Americas, which provides the cash automation components that power hundreds of self-service products around the globe. Nelson will also work to educate kiosk deployers about the benefits of building cash-enabled self-service systems.
“There are 28 million unbanked people in the U.S. and millions more who are underbanked or prefer to use cash for automated transactions,” said Nelson. “With those kinds of numbers, deployers can’t afford to leave cash out of the kiosk mix.”
Nelson has nearly a decade of experience in the self-service industry and is currently a member of the Self-Service & Kiosk Association Advisory Board.
“Kirk has a keen understanding of manufacturers’ needs and an extensive knowledge of the self-service and kiosk industry,” said Mort O’Sullivan, president of ArcaTech. “When customers work with Kirk, they know they’ll get the best possible solutions for their specific applications.”
“Helping kiosk manufacturers procure best-value components is my professional passion,” said Nelson. “In my new position, I’ll ensure our customers get the products and service that help them increase revenue and decrease operating costs.”
A resident of Mebane, Nelson has worked for ArcaTech since 2001.
Monday, 04 May 2009
Don’t let the fact that Virgin is closing its U.S. Megastores fool you: the high-tech, multi-department retailer rocked when it came to providing a cohesive, energizing customer experience. Even when it came to self-service technology and digital signs, the stores made headlines with innovative mass deployments that drew shoppers to the media and then helped them play it. It’s not the fault of the stores’ kiosks and digital signs that Virgin can make more money subleasing the real estate than selling CDs and t-shirts.
Robert Fort, Virgin CIO and vice president of information technology, will talk about the deployments Thursday, May 7, 2 p.m., in a keynote address at the KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show.
According to a show release, Fort will discuss how Virgin used customer-engaging technologies such as kiosk listening stations, Virgin TV and more to make a truly unique customer experience. He also will discuss how these customer engaging technologies help improve employee productivity and control costs throughout all of their retail locations and environments, and ensure better compliance and consistency.
Thursday, 16 April 2009
WRAL: Meridian Kiosks is acquiring Canada-based King Products and Solutions Inc.
"[This] was a strong, aggressive growth-oriented transaction in an awful environment for a great N.C. company," said Dave Gilroy of Scale Finance, which worked with Meridian on the acquisition.
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Wednesday, 15 April 2009
ABERDEEN, N.C. — Meridian Kiosks LLC announced that it is certified to the ISO 9001:2008 standard. The standards represents an international consensus on good management practices with the aim of ensuring that the organization can consistently deliver the product or services that meet the client’s quality requirements. The certification of compliance with ISO 9001:2008 recognizes that the policies, practices and procedures of the company will ensure consistent quality in the design and manufacture of kiosks.
"Our team does a tremendous job of designing and building kiosks on a day to day basis to meet and constantly exceed our client’s expectations. We wanted to obtain the ISO certification to be able to demonstrate that we are committed to continual improvement in every part of our business and have the processes in place to accomplish this," said Chris Gilder, Meridian Kiosks chief executive.
The Meridian Kiosks ISO registration covers sales, design, manufacturing, assembly and shipping.
Friday, 27 March 2009
NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Diebold Inc. announced Wednesday that Kevin J. Krakora, a Diebold executive vice president and chief financial officer, has stepped down following the receipt of a "Wells notice" from the Division of Enforcement of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with an ongoing investigation of the company's financial-reporting practices.
Diebold's prior CFO along with other former employees in the company's finance organization also received Wells notices. Diebold says the Wells notices relate to items addressed in the company's previously filed restated financial statements.
The Wells notices indicate that the SEC is considering recommending that civil enforcement actions be brought against the named individuals, alleging that they violated various provisions of the federal securities laws.
Under the SEC's procedures, recipients of a Wells notice have the opportunity to respond to the SEC before a formal recommendation is made to the SEC regarding any civil enforcement action.
Krakora will continue to serve the company in a non-financial reporting capacity, pending resolution of the SEC matter. Leslie A. Pierce, vice president and corporate controller, is fulfilling the role of interim CFO.
Diebold says it is continuing to cooperate with the SEC in connection with its previously disclosed investigation. As part of this process, the company has had preliminary discussions with the SEC concerning resolution, including the possibility of entering into a settlement agreement. It is possible that the SEC will issue a Wells notice to the company in connection with the investigation.
Pierce joined Diebold in 1990 as a senior accountant. Before joining Diebold, Pierce had four years of public accounting experience at KPMG in Cleveland. She holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from Kent State University and is a certified public accountant.
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
NORTH CANTON, Ohio -- Diebold Inc., a member of the Self-Service & Kiosk Association, has been recognized as one of the world's top outsourcing providers by the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals, according to a news release.
This is the third consecutive year that Diebold has received the distinction from the IAOP, which is awarded to companies that define the standard of excellence for outsourcing within the industry. Companies that earn the award are judged in four fundamental categories, including company size and growth, customer satisfaction, depth of competence and management capabilities.
"This recognition by the IAOP for the third consecutive year underscores our unwavering commitment to the industries we serve and the solutions we provide," said Charles E. Ducey, Jr., Diebold senior vice president of global development and services. "Diebold has uniquely positioned itself to offer customers a tailored, end-to-end outsourcing solution that delivers the most innovative technologies available without the need for large upfront capital expenditure."
Monday, 16 February 2009
POSEN, Ill. -- Corporate Safe Specialists, an association member, has announced a series of promotions across its leadership ranks.
The leaders promoted now hold these titles and responsibilities:
David Borkovec, chief financial officer. David will be responsible for all financial activities of the company. This will include all financial processes and reporting.
Mike McGunn, vice president of safe sales and service. Mike will lead all initiatives, and be responsible for all resources with respect to both traditional safe sales and safe service.
Tom Hartmann, vice president of ACCS Global. Tom will be responsible for all aspects and resources of CSS' Advanced Cash Control System Platform around the world.
David Murch, director of engineering. David will head all R&D and engineering activities for the Advanced Cash Control System product platform.
Jason Ercoli, production manager ACCS. Jason will oversee all production activities and capacity planning for Advanced Cash Control Systems.
"Along with bringing exceptional talent to the company, one of my top priorities is growing Corporate Safe's existing leadership team," said Ed McGunn, president and chief executive of the company. "Each of these individuals will play a critical role in leading CSS in 2009 and into the future. Today's promotions are a result of their demonstrated ability to think strategically, the respect they've earned from their peers, customers and partners, and their ability to move this company forward every single day."
Thursday, 12 February 2009
DAYTON, Ohio -- NCR Corp. has announced the appointment of Elton Birden as the new managing director of the U.K., Ireland and Nordics for NCR, according to a news release. In this newly created role, he will be responsible for leading the technology company in the region as it extends its focus beyond the financial services and retail industries into new travel, healthcare, hospitality, entertainment and gaming and public sectors.
Prior to joining NCR, Birden headed up IBM's Business Process Outsourcing group in the Financial Services Sector across Europe. Previously he spent over 20 years working at Unisys in general management, sales leadership, client management and service delivery roles. This included the position of managing director of a business process outsourcing company in the Netherlands owned by Unisys.
Monday, 09 February 2009
TORONTO -- Espresso Brand Infiltration, a Toronto-based integrated marketing agency that provides consulting services for deployers of digital signage and self-service technology (and a member of the Self-Service & Kiosk Association), has named a new chief executive officer.
Jacquelyn Corbett Cyr was named to the post by the company's board of directors. At 31, Cyr is one of the country's youngest agency chief executives.
Cyr joined Espresso (then named RetailCom) in 2004 as an account director and quickly rose through the ranks within the agency. In 2008, Cyr was promoted to chief operating officer and guided the agency through a major relaunch that included rebranding the company as Espresso, developing an internal philosophy around brand infiltration and expanding client services to include stronger consultative strategy, event marketing and social media tactics.
"I've been a passionate member of this brilliant agency for nearly five years and I am beyond thrilled to officially take the helm as its CEO," said Cyr. "Last year's relaunch was truly exceptional. Careful business design and an intense focus on client objectives have served us well, and I have no doubt that 2009 will bring even more success and growth for Espresso and its clients."
While providing overall agency direction will be Cyr's chief responsibility, she will continue to have a guiding hand with Espresso clients, including Samsung, Sorenson Communications Inc., United Way Toronto and emerging new businesses.
Friday, 06 February 2009
NORTH CANTON, Ohio — Despite a 2008 fourth quarter that saw a decline in sales from 2007's numbers, Diebold Inc. reported a slight increase in full-year profit compared to 2007.
Diebold reported fourth-quarter sales of $823 million, a 6 percent drop from $880 million fourth-quarter sales in 2007.
For the year, Diebold earned $93.4 million, on sales of $3.2 billion, up from 2007 income of $39 million, on sales of $2.9 billion.
The company used several cost-cutting measures in 2008, including plans to reduce its global workforce by 800 full-time positions, or about 5 percent of its overall workforce.
"During the year, we met or exceeded our targets in the areas of improved supply chain, manufacturing efficiency, quality and cost-reduction initiatives. Our company achieved the highest year-end non-GAAP earnings from continuing operations and free cash flow in its 150-year history, largely as a result of our significant improvement in profitability, continued growth in key international geographies, progress in our cost-savings efforts, and improvement in our already strong customer loyalty scores," said Thomas W. Swidarski, Diebold president and chief executive officer.
"As we look ahead, we believe the global economy will remain extremely challenging throughout 2009. While we're obviously concerned about this negative environment, Diebold is in a unique position to deliver value. The solutions we provide enable customers to reduce costs and improve efficiency, and market demand for financial self-service solutions remains relatively stable. Additionally, more than half of our revenue comes from services - much of which is recurring in nature. Finally, we have developed the infrastructure and expertise to continually focus on improving operational efficiency and reducing costs."
Wednesday, 07 January 2009
LONDON -- Scala, a provider of end-to-end solutions for the digital signage and management markets, has announced the appointment of Damon Crowhurst to the role of director of business development and services for Europe, the Middle East and Asia (EMEA).
According to a news release, Crowhurst's career includes working at recognized companies such as AMX, where he held the position of market development director for the Inspired Signage product. He also served as the U.K. sales director for Interceptor Inc. Additionally, Crowhurst was an original member of the Interactive Advertising team responsible for the development of the Interactive Advertising proposition for the NTL Cable TV product offering (now Virgin Media.) His responsibilities included the technical specification of the proposition and its introduction and delivery to the wider advertising market.
"We welcome Damon Crowhurst to our team," said Oscar Elizage, vice president of Scala for EMEA. "Damon has a comprehensive background in digital signage software technology and services, with significant experience in market development, project structuring, management and delivery."
Tuesday, 06 January 2009
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Source Technologies has announced the inauguration of a corporate rebranding, according to a news release. That rebranding includes a new corporate logo, a new tagline and a brand new coporate color scheme.
For more than 20 years, Source Technologies has been a provider of secure printing, payment and self-service solutions.
"The nature of the company is changing," said William Bouverie, president and chief executive of Source Technologies. "We are transitioning from a successful value-added distributor to an organization that designs, develops and manufactures its own world-class solutions. We want to recognize this transformation with branding elements that reflect where we are going as a company."
The new green and grey logo was developed to reflect a more modern edge. The addition of a globe to the logo is intended to symbolize the relationships Source Technologies has with its international customers and business partners. The new tagline, "Innovate. Inspire. Achieve.," was created to represent the key aspects of Source Technologies' approach to business opportunities, according to the release.
Source Technologies, a vendor member of the Self-Service & Kiosk Association, has already begun converting to the new brand with the re-launch of their corporate Web site and a host of rebranding initiatives.
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
New Media Age: As head of Woolworths-owned Entertainment UK Digital, Matthew Porter explains the concept behind the company's retail digital media kiosks — self-service devices that enable the user to download music, movies and television shows. "The aim was to make the kiosk as simple as possible to use," says Porter. "Customers have access to a selected range of content, not the full Digital Vault database, because we wanted to ensure a shorter dwell time at the kiosk and so increase the number of people accessing it." The kiosks are being rolled out in the Middle East following a deal with the Al-Fozan Group's consumer electronics retail brand Zonik.
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Friday, 30 May 2008
Phoenix Kiosk, Inc. was born from the belief that quality products and tireless service are more important than polished image and parroted promises. We design kiosks, hardware and software for public environments and provide a host of related support services like installations, repair and maintenance, and online fulfillment of consumable kiosk supplies.
If it has to do with kiosks, digital signage or interactive public technologies, we have done it and will provide it to you with an unsurpassed level of service and quality.
Thursday, 29 May 2008
LISBON, Portugal — Paderborn, Germany-based Wincor Nixdorf International welcomed guests of its International Management Seminar, this year in Lisbon, with dinner and entertainment at the Páteo Alfacinha, a venue that offers visitors a taste of 20th-century Portugal.
Wincor Nixdorf’s 200 or so guests, representing 34 countries, were entertained by local students, who sang and performed in traditional Portuguese style.
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Attendees spent the evening at Lisbon's Pateo Alfacinha, an establishment known for its Portuguese flare.
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But today it was all business, with a morning announcement that the once-third-ranked global ATM deployer has now assumed the No. 2 position, trailing only Dayton, Ohio’s NCR Corp., according to 2007 shipment figures tracked by England’s Retail Banking Research Ltd.
RBR reports that Wincor Nixdorf increased its global ATM deliveries from 18 percent in 2006 to 21 percent in 2007.
“Moving up to the No. 2 slot is yet another milestone in our success story,” said Stefan Auerbach, Wincor Nixdorf’s executive vice president of banking as well as a member of the company’s board of directors. “Our portfolio, as a provider of integrated hardware, software, and services, strengthens our position as a leading IT-solution supplier in the international retail-banking business.”
Auerbach opened the day’s events with a presentation outlining Wincor Nixdorf’s growth. In 1994, Wincor Nixdorf was No. 12 in global ATM shipments. By 2000, the company had moved to the No. 3 slot.
Auerbach attributes Wincor Nixdorf’s growth to specific strategies in key markets, including the United States and Asia — two markets where Wincor Nixdorf has focused much attention over the last three years.
And the proof is in numbers.
Wincor Nixdorf’s first-half results for the 2007/2008 fiscal year are coming in higher than forecasted. From the first half of FY 2006/2007, the company’s business in the Americas is up 29 percent; in Asia-Pacific and Africa, it’s up 32 percent; and in Europe, it’s up 9 percent.
Only the company’s business in Germany saw a decrease, falling 7 percent from the same period last year.
“Despite the sub prime crisis, which is being felt in Germany and throughout the world, we continue to see growth in banking,” Auerbach said. “The good news is that the banking business worldwide is expected to grow by a multiple of four over the next 15 years, and we are positioning ourselves for the growth.”
Acting global, thinking local has contributed to the company’s growth, Auerbach says, and likely led to the 11 additional international participants Wincor Nixdorf welcomed to its event this year.
“Branch and ATM channels in every big, established market remain the strongest banking touchpoints,” he said. “And we developed a global strategy to meet those needs, because we understood that we had to be more global. So we have developed strong partnerships and service relationships in all of our markets.”
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The view from the Pateo Alfacinha.
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Organic growth is expected to remain the company’s strategy, said one Wincor Nixdorf spokesman, despite some rumors that Wincor Nixdorf could be in the running for an acquisition of the cash-systems business operated by England-based De La Rue.
Growth through acquisition has not been a method Wincor Nixdorf has had success with in the past. Internal growth, on the other hand, is working.
Since FY 1999/2000, when 51 percent of Wincor Nixdorf’s business was based in Germany, the company has increased its international penetration across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas.
In FY ’99/’00, only 38 percent of Wincor Nixdorf’s business came from European countries beyond Germany. Today the percentage is 52.
In Asia/Pacific, the business percentage in ’99/’00 was 7 — today it is 13 percent. And in the Americas, only 4 percent of the company’s business could be attributed to the region in ’99/’00 — today the breakdown is 8 percent.
In fact, over the next few months, Wincor Nixdorf has announced plans to install some 7,000 ATMs in Asia, namely because of a strong partnership with First Data Corp. in Australia.
All three regions represent key markets, but so does Africa, where Nigeria is quickly becoming one of Wincor Nixdorf’s most-prized markets, Auerbach said.
Tuesday, 06 May 2008
DUBAI, United Arab Emirites — MxN Middle East FZ-LLC, a Dubai-based digital signage and digital media company, has been appointed as distributor by KIOSK Information Systems. MxN is pleased to add the Self Service Kiosk products of KIOSK to the impressive list of products it distributes for the Digital Signage and Digital Media industry. KIOSK manufactures information kiosk solutions with functions such as touchscreens, ticket printers, card readers, card dispensing solutions, bill payment, money accepting, money dispensing, order entry, photo kiosk solutions, music download, public Internet access terminals, gaming kiosks as well as biometric solutions such as fingerprint readers.
"In today's digital world, solutions like the ones MxN provides will increasingly become the norm. MxN provides a full turnkey solution including the hardware, software, content and technical support," said Raad Raad, managing director of MxN.
Dan Stewart, director of international sales for KIOSK said, “I strongly support the fact that we are learning and growing together in a business where sharing our knowledge with the right partner is critical. Our partnership with MxN enables us not only to support our customers with a complete solution, but most importantly, brings their attention to cost effective and world leading products with partners they can trust.”
Preliminary research indicates that the out of home media industry is growing at a very fast rate. There are many underutilized opportunities for the integration of digital signage and information kiosks. More and more customers are requesting overhead LCD screens to be integrated into their service kiosks to promote their products or to generate extra revenue. MxN has developed innovative solutions for integrating digital signage into kiosk solutions. The main benefits of this are to leverage the kiosk placement and use an overhead screen for media sales or information distribution.
MxN is one of the only companies in the region to be able to provide a full turnkey solution for its customers. MxN is an example of a company committed to maintaining its dominant leadership position in the area of digital media.
"In choosing MxN, one of the determining factors was their ability to deliver on all aspects of a project from hardware, software and technology to content," continued Stewart.
"We are very excited about adding KIOSK as a product that MxN distributes. We are constantly looking for solutions and products that take our integration and installation abilities above those of our competitors. KIOSK is a very real example of a product that helps us achieve that goal," said MxN's Raad.
Wednesday, 30 April 2008
LOUISVILLE, Colo. — KIOSK Information Systems has taken an aggressive stance in doing business internationally in 2008, tripling its list of authorized kiosk distributors, according to a news release.
According to Dan Stewart, KIOSK’s international sales director, “Adding qualified distributors to compliment our pre-existing network and increase our representation on a global basis has been a top priority in 2007 and 2008. KIOSK’s reputation for quality and expertise in the self-service market has grown well beyond the U.S. market. By expanding our international distributor base, we’re significantly impacting the ease of implementing international deployments.”
Stewart added, “KIOSK’s proven expertise in such a vast array of vertical markets holds universal appeal to customers as they enter into their self-service projects. By providing quality KIOSK representation with distributors who add regional business culture expertise, we’ve been able to seamlessly implement every aspect of an international deployment — from financing and hardware design to application development and field services.”
KIOSK’s authorized distributor list has grown to currently include:
- Brazil - Ideas2Go
- Caribbean, Central, South America – Boxtite Systems Technology
- Columbia - Xchange Agent, Inc.
- Mexico – NBVO
- Venezuela – Harps / Go2 Pay
- Canada – Luge Promotions
- UAE - Aptec
- UAE - MXN
- Jordan – GESCO
- Kuwait - KTS
- U.K. - Kiosk Manufacturing, Ltd.
- U.K. - Amatica
- Ghana – Hubble Security Systems
- Nigeria – Cirrus Nigeria, Ltd.
- South Africa – Kiosk Africa
KIOSK has consistently been experiencing double-digit growth rates, and is coming off the strongest sales year in its 15 year history. In addition to natural market growth and demand, KIOSK attributes competitive pricing, international service capability and current exchange rates as strong contributors to international sales demand.
For more on KIOSK Information Systems' growth, check out SelfService.org's coverage of their KioskCom booth.
Friday, 30 December 2005
Evalue announces ECM-3512, a new 3.5-inch ADM GX2-based single board computer. The ECM-3512 is equipped with AMD Geode GX2 GX466 processor clocked at 333MHz that can operate with passive cooling. The processor consumes only 0.9 watt that is 50% less than any other comparable x86 processor on the market, while providing performance equivalent to that of the VIA C3 466MHz processor.
Other features of ECM-3512 include integrated TFT and LVDS display support, dual 10/100Mbps LAN, and 2-channel Audio. ECM-3512 is ideal for smart display, thin client and Internet access devices with its excellent streaming media and Graphics performance.
Expansion and I/O connectors include one PCI-104 interface, two serial ports, 16-bit digital I/O port, four USB 1.1 and two Ultra DMA 100 IDE interfaces. Onboard Type I/II CompactFlash socket offers alternative storage and operating system boot capabilities.
Designed with efficient power consumption, ECM-3512 is perfect for space conscious and harsh working environment applications including medical instruments, POS/POI, thin client, network appliances, test equipments, and industrial control systems.
The ECM-3512 is compatible with Microsoft Windows® CE .NET and other Windows operating systems, as well as Linux, QNX and VxWorks. Wide range software compatibility allows developers to bring powerful, connected devices to market quickly and easily.
ECM-3512 is fully compliant with the RoHS directive.
Key Features
- Onboard AMD Geode GX466 333 MHz CPU
- AMD Geode CS5535 Chipset
- 24-bit TFT, 1 x 24-bit LVDS
- AC97 Audio
- Dual Realtek RTL8101L or Optional Intel® 82551QM/82551ER 10/100Mbps LAN
- 1 PCI-104, Type I/II CF
- 2 COM, 4 USB 1.1, 16-bit GPIO
- Fanless Operation
About Evalue
Evalue positions itself as an innovative solution provider since its establishment in 2000. The company has successfully expanded its expertise from x86 platform into RISC-based hardware and software solutions. With over decade experience, Evalue provides a wide selection of products ranging from board level to system level products covering RISC computer, x86 based single board computer, ETX, motherboard, InnoFlex Panel PC, Box computer and more.
Evalue is a member of the Intel® Communications Alliance (ICA), a community of developers and solution providers utilizing Intel® technology in their product development and deployment. Members are committed to providing a strategic supply of standards-based solutions to the communications and embedded market segments. For more information, please visit: www.intel.com/go/ica.
Wednesday, 21 December 2005
Launching a kiosk initiative is a multi-faceted project. Working from the ground up requires managing the IT solution, finding the right hardware, finding the right locations, and installing and configuring the finished project. This is Bailiwick's Division K's bailiwick, or area of special expertise.
Please describe your company's primary product or service.
Bailiwick's Division K is a Minnesota-based company that specializes in the deployment of information technology solutions throughout North America.
What makes your company unique?
Our professional and experienced project management services group and our commitment to be the best in directing and managing our client's initiatives set us apart from other companies. We are able to be effective in delivery by hiring excellent people and providing an environment in which they can flourish and be successful. We have experience with national implementations for major hardware retailers, influential coffee shops and national department stores.
What is your marketing philosophy for the kiosk industry?
Let Bailiwick handle the integration and implementation of your mission-critical projects. We will take the pain of a national rollout away so you can focus on what you do best.
What other business sectors do you operate in?
Retail POS, ATM rollouts, HQ technology expansions, multi-site cabling, product asset management and national project management.
Give a brief history of the company
Founded in 1995, Bailiwick has grown its client, partner and project base since then. We work with major grocery chains and leading retailers in building their technology networks and providing up-to-the-minute information on their projects. We feel our integrity, passion and vision are the keys to our success.
Why did you join kiosks.org?
We have seen more opportunities in the kiosk marketplace in the last three years, and feel it's important for us to do what we can for the industry. We are excited to see what the kiosk industry will become as technology advances and as customers and users become more acclimated to the self-service interaction experience.
What do you like about our industry? What are some of the challenges?
We like the kiosk industry for its willingness to take risks and for its vision in using new technologies. The challenges we face are in getting a positive return for the deployer by providing an enjoyable experience for the user. Also, being mindful of the impact kiosks have on the workforce.
What does the future hold for your company's success in the kiosk industry?
As a premier kiosk installer, we feel the growth of the self-service kiosk industry will provide opportunities for us to continue our growth by providing the important task of national deployment.
What is your title?
We don't use titles in the New Business Development department of Bailiwick, but some people call me Dr. Kiosk.
Bailiwick's Division K
www.bailiwick.com
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