RSS Feed of BMG News & Views http://www.barlowmktg.com/newsarchive.htm http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:24:16 -0400 Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:23:11 -0400 FeedForAll Mac v2.1 (2.1.0.1) unlicensed version; http://www.FeedForAll.com/ http://www.barlowmktg.com/BMG_Logo.jpg http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/newsarchive.htm 144 81 “Search engine optimization” has been around since the existence of the web. Things have changed in the way search engines index web pages; metatags, descriptions and other standard optimization techniques no longer work. They had their time and place, but with web programmers cheating the system, search engines are smarter and more stringent on what is allowed and what isn’t. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news007d.htm 0F83DAFC-444A-11DC-AC4E-000A95A69C8E-1060-0000034C97AB2940-FFA Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:24:14 -0400 E-mails are being sent to manufacturers as a scare tactic to purchase Chinese domain names from a Chinese registrar. BMG has been contacted by manufacturers who have received these messages, and BMG has received them. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news007c.htm 1091BD84-41FA-11DC-93CD-000A95A69C8E-977-0000028D58792360-FFA Fri, 03 Aug 2007 15:46:17 -0400 The jury is still out on the effect Canada’s legendary oil sands deposits may have on North American energy prices, as well as on the economic future of Canada itself. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news007b.htm EE568D81-33B1-11DC-B3E8-000A95A69C8E-3647-00000EDAD8E45211-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:11 -0400 U.S. manufacturing is already feeling the pain.  While 2006 started out hot for most manufacturers, slowing demand left them with bloated inventories by the end of the year.  Part of the reason for sagging demand was auto production cutbacks, but a significant portion was attributed to the slowdown in the housing market. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news007a.htm 2D24AA44-33B2-11DC-B3E8-000A95A69C8E-3647-00000EDBAA3BA012-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:10 -0400 With so much of our business communication at BMG being done electronically, we try to be very careful in writing e-mails to our clients and to coworkers. Such instant communications can be immensely helpful in gathering information and making decisions, from the first cup of coffee to the last moment of energy at the end of the day. Or, they can raise your blood pressure to unhealthy levels. And nobody needs that. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006o.htm E0A80618-33B4-11DC-B3E8-000A95A69C8E-3647-00000EE4AB2C62C3-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:09 -0400 As the daily wrap-up speaker at Caterpillar’s recent Quarry Days, a two-week biennial customer and dealer event held in Tucson in September this year, I was invariably asked before each presentation, just what is the “Future of Aggregates”? http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006n.htm 2C5E503F-33B5-11DC-B3E8-000A95A69C8E-3647-00000EE5A7891F69-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:09 -0400 A long time ago almost all major brands had separate dealer networks for each of their product categories: construction, agriculture, landscaping and consumer products. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006m.htm 698C3BC0-33B5-11DC-B3E8-000A95A69C8E-3647-00000EE673752F00-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:08 -0400 It is difficult to read the mixed signals appearing daily on the status and the direction of the economy. If you’ve been following interest rates and gas prices, then we’re doomed. If you’ve followed the GDP and the manufacturing sector, then we’re experiencing an expansion as companies build additional facilities, hire personnel and increase construction spending. Most companies are accomplishing this by increasing prices to cover higher material costs and implementing low-cost sourcing. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006l.htm F6DE8A4C-33B6-11DC-B3E8-000A95A69C8E-3647-00000EEB9FCDAF1A-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:08 -0400 The allure of China is overwhelming. Huge market opportunities, the world’s fastest growing economy, low labor costs that boggle the mind – the attraction just seems too much to ignore. However, and there is always a “however,” entering the China market – either as a manufacturer or an exporter – has many hidden costs. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006k.htm 334C826F-3476-11DC-AAAB-000A95A69C8E-427-0000002F18EC00C9-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:07 -0400 The gold mining industry in Nevada is booming – but paradoxically, that doesn’t mean mining companies are seeing everything through gold-colored glasses. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006j.htm 6EBCE343-3476-11DC-AAAB-000A95A69C8E-427-0000002FDF0AFDF1-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:06 -0400 Recently the State of Indiana leased a portion of its toll road to a Spanish-Australian consortium. This 157-miles of Interstate 80-90 going from the Ohio border to the Illinois border, was leased for 75 years at the cost of $3.8 billion. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006i.htm A2AA86D0-3476-11DC-AAAB-000A95A69C8E-427-000000308C2122AB-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:06 -0400 The Latin America region has been taken for granted by most manufacturers over the last five years. Business has been good, national economies have been growing, construction markets have been active and machines have been selling. Overall U.S.-Latin trade is up 13.7 percent, driven both by U.S. imports and exports to the region. The combined GDP (gross domestic product) of Latin America is a US$2.8 trillion, according to the latest World Economic Outlook released April 2006. The top three economies – Brazil, Mexico and Argentina – accounted for a huge 73.5 percent of this total GDP. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006h.htm DB843A93-3476-11DC-AAAB-000A95A69C8E-427-00000031499F4E3E-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:05 -0400 Analyzing the frenzied pace of acquisitions during the past 10 years or so has generated some fascinating results related to branding. Here is a brief overview of our findings and observations. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006g.htm A43F993E-3477-11DC-AAAB-000A95A69C8E-427-00000033E6B2DC9B-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:04 -0400 BMG has noted a parallel trend between requests for research projects and the upside of the construction cycle. Right now, things are good and manufacturers are seeking research regarding new markets, new products and trends in the industry. Some manufacturers not currently selling to the construction market are seeking to “jump on the bandwagon,” since the level of activity in this market segment is high and they see it as very promising. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006f.htm FFD21AD7-3477-11DC-AAAB-000A95A69C8E-427-0000003517ED0C4A-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:03 -0400 There’s little time to breathe between major global equipment shows any more. Especially when you add the more recent newcomers: World of Concrete Mexico, bauma China and CONEXPO Asia. The cost to attend all of them, or even some of them, is a challenge for any manufacturer – large and small. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006d.htm 1B7E9057-3544-11DC-BFFA-000A95A69C8E-557-00000141B5D419E2-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:02 -0400 Not to beat a dead horse, but higher employee, raw material and equipment costs are definitely hurting the number of projects let by states these days. And we believe this may catch up to the industry. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006c.htm 3F976AEC-3544-11DC-BFFA-000A95A69C8E-557-000001422E259186-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:02 -0400 In the past two years, diesel fuel costs have risen 88%. Iron & steel prices have climbed 60%. Asphalt paving mixes 10%. Sand, gravel and crushed stone 11%. Ready mix concrete 18%. Construction machinery 10%. 2006 should see some stabilization in specific raw materials and others will increase further. The stats and economist predictions are easy to find. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006b.htm 7AB14335-3545-11DC-BFFA-000A95A69C8E-557-00000146486FABCE-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:01 -0400 We are glad to see that the World of Asphalt Show is finally moving forward. To anyone in the road building, pavement maintenance and asphalt markets, it's about time. http://www.barlowmktg.com/NewsAndViews/news006a.htm AE52B3DD-3545-11DC-BFFA-000A95A69C8E-557-00000146F487D4B8-FFA Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:50:00 -0400