Mandala International is a leader in regulatory, financial and administrative consulting services for businesses seeking to grow in the Brazilian health-and-cosmetics sector. Regardless of a company’s size and whether it is established in the Brazilian market or not, Mandala International provides bespoke solutions to optimise every step in its client-company’s development. The specialist consultancy firm, acting as a hosting company and master distributor, focuses on the health, cosmetics and food sectors. Mandala International, a hosting company and master distributor specialising in the Brazilian market, works with interested parties in the fields of health (including the medical sector), cosmetics and wellness, along with the food and food-supplement industries. The company holds all the licences and accreditations required for authorisation as a bona fide importer, exporter and distributor in Brazil, therefore facilitating international businesses’ access to the Brazilian market by becoming their trusted third-party partner. The Mandala team is known and acknowledged by local parties for its competence, which provides credibility to any working relationship involving the main players in the market, such as distributors, investors, hospital managers, pharmacists and embassy officials. Brazilian legislation stipulates that only companies governed by Brazilian law and duly authorised by Anvisa, the national health regulatory agency, may import and commercialise medical products. Businesses seeking to penetrate this market are therefore given three options: to establish a subsidiary; to find a local distributor (who will generally represent several brands), which is an option that usually results in failure within a 24-month period; and, finally, to contact Mandala International. Mandala International’s service constitutes a smart alternative to creating a Brazilian subsidiary — a lengthy and costly procedure that can turn into a joint venture or an acquisition, which will be followed by the registration of both the company and its products with Anvisa. Mandala International’s solution is also an alternative to working with a local Anvisa-vetted distributor who is qualified to market goods in Brazil. These distributors are required to be the sole registering entity, which, in Brazil, is tantamount to transferring confidential information — relating to know-how, product intelligence, design and manufacturing — free of charge. In the event that the contract is signed, the distributor then becomes the de facto owner of the company’s products for a five-year period. To ensure a smooth settlement in Brazil, Mandala International provides a full range of short-, medium- and long-term administrative, financial and legal solutions to handle issues such as address registration (for the business), sales administration, logistics, and human-resources management. Mandala International is a hosting company and master distributor that helps businesses to retain autonomy, to decide at what pace and in what volumes they wish to market their products, and to choose freely their local distributors. Mandala International makes it possible to separate the legal and the commercial aspects of the business, managing all regulatory and administrative matters, so that companies may focus on their core business activity. About Mandala International Mandala International is a hosting company and master distributor that helps businesses export to Brazil. Mandala International works with players in a range of sectors, from health and the medical field to cosmetics and wellness, along with the food and food-supplement industries. The company holds all the licences and accreditations required for authorisation as a bona fide importer, exporter and distributor in Brazil. Mandala International will take part in the following trade shows:   HOPITAL EXPO, from 22 to 25 May 2012, in Paris (France) http://www.hopitalexpo.com/     Hospitalar, from 22 to 25 May 2012, in Sao Paulo (Brazil) http://www.hospitalar.com/ingles/     FCE Pharma, from 29 to 31 May 2012, in Sao Paulo (Brazil) http://www.fcepharma.com.br/en/     FCE Cosmetique, from 29 to 31 May 2012, in Sao Paulo (Brazil) http://www.fcecosmetique.com.br /   Cosmoprof North America, from 22 to 24 July 2012, in Las Vegas (USA) http://www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com/     Fime, from 8 to 10 August 2012, in Miami (USA) http://www.fimeshow.com/     Medica, from 14 to 17 November 2012, in Düsseldorf (Germany) http://www.medica-tradefair.com/     For further information about Mandala International, please go to: www.mandalabrasil.com  

The French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London will present 12 innovative French companies on the French Pavilion at the Infosecurity trade show, which will take place at Earl’s Court (in London) from 24 to 26 April 2012. These French companies will showcase their proven expertise in IT security, covering both products and services. France is home to numerous, internationally renowned players that specialise in protecting high-integrity networks and in supplying IT-security devices and services, which play a crucial role in securing the IT infrastructure of companies and other entities. At Infosecurity 2012, the French participants are looking to develop partnerships in the UK and will be available for one-to-one business meetings on the French Pavilion (Stand K75) during the Infosecurity trade show, due to take place at Earl’s Court 1, in Central London, from 24 to 26 April 2012. Companies on the French Pavilion are listed below; further information is available on request. AriadNext   AriadNext is a provider of advanced solutions for electronically capturing and securing data. Created in 2010, the company is an innovative and successful start-up in the paperless-solutions market. www.ariadnext.com Arxsys Arxsys is a newly created company that develops open-source solutions in the field of computer forensics. Founded in 2009, the company combines strong technical skills with an impressive selection of free-access software packages. www.arxsys.fr Avencis Avencis is an independent software vendor (ISV) that provides identity access management and single sign-on solutions in order to reduce operational risks within the client entity. www.avencis.net Bertin Technologies Bertin Technologies offers innovative products designed to meet the needs of client entities in relation to information security and tactical intelligence. The company has developed high-value-added products and services in a range of sectors such as defence, homeland security, energy, the environment, pharmaceuticals, and life sciences. www.bertin.fr/en www.polyxene.fr Conscio Technologies Conscio Technologies is a software house that was founded in 2007 by Michel Gerard, Fabrice Frade and Grant & Partner, a business angel. Conscio has developed Sensiwave, initially to better tackle the issue of information-security awareness. Over the past six months, Conscio has been focusing on the broader issue of change management, and how best to address it. www.conscio-technologies.com Lineon Lineon provides consultancy services in information security and IT security. Lineon focuses on four specific areas, where its security expertise lies — security scorecard, line OTP, risk management, and ISMS. www.lineon.fr    LOGIN PEOPLE As the developer of Digital DNA Technology®, LOGIN PEOPLE supplies its clients with secure access to public and private networks. Digital DNA Technology® allows network users to authenticate with ‘what they know’ and ‘what they own’ — i.e. via a piece of equipment such as a personal computer, a smartphone, or a USB key. www.loginpeople.com Navista Navista is a developer of solutions for virtual private networks (VPNs) with 10 years’ experience. The company provides security-and-control solutions that may cover several client sites, which can be centrally controlled and managed. www.navista.fr NTX Research NTX Research is a developer of security software for information systems, and a specialist in the network security of client entities as well as the protection of their information assets. The company provides robust authentication solutions for internet, intranet and extranet platforms. NTX’s technology covers access control, confidentiality and sign-on protocols, as well as the management of key IT infrastructures.   www.ntx-research.com Oikialog Oikialog specialises in the integration of log-analysis solutions that can leverage various sources of information, which are, in turn, generated by the full range of network equipment and security architecture — firewalls, routers, probes, proxy, operating systems, antivirus, web servers, DBMS, etc. www.oikialog.com Qosmos Qosmos sells network-intelligence/DPI technological solutions that identify and analyse data as it moves across networks. Qosmos’ advanced technological solutions go to a deeper level than mere data classification: they can recognize thousands of protocols and traffic metadata at multi-Gbps throughputs, in order to build a highly accurate picture of network activity in real time. www.qosmos.com Vade Retro Technology Vade Retro Technology specialises in the development of solutions that protect client messaging systems against unwanted emails. The company’s clients include ISPs, companies, public-sector entities and private individuals. Vade Retro is a world leader in email protection, with over 150 million email boxes that are protected by the company’s technology. www.vade-retro.com About the French Trade Commission The Trade Commission of the French Embassy in London promotes trade development between France and the UK by offering a range of services to French-based companies. The New Technologies Department organises B2B events in the form of conferences and networking opportunities, mainly in London.   Infosecurity will take place at Earl’s Court 1 (at the Earl’s Court exhibition centre), in Central London (UK), from 24 to 26 April 2011, between 9.30am and 5.30pm. (On the last day, the trade show closes at 4.00pm.) The French Pavilion can be found at Stand K75. For further information, please contact Ms Katherine Woods, Press Officer, or Ms Myriam Sengayire, Senior Trade Development Advisor.   Ms Myriam Sengayire Senior Trade Development Adviser New Technologies Department French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London Email: myriam.sengayire@ubifrance.fr   Tel: +44 (0)20 7024 3643 (direct line)   For further information about the trade show, please go to:   http://www.infosec.co.uk/     For further information about UBIFRANCE in the UK, please go to: http://www.ubifrance.com/uk/  

Travel Institut has just opened in Orléans, one hour south-west of Paris (France). This international language school offers a range of standard or tailor-made courses for those seeking to learn French in pleasant and relaxed surroundings. Travel Institut is offering British journalists the chance to experience one of its courses in April, in Orléans. Intended for anyone from students to business leaders, and from professionals to expatriates, the courses organised by Travel Institut meet the specific individual needs of those looking to learn French. Travel Institut is offering journalists the chance to experience one of its courses in Orléans. Journalists have the opportunity to dine with the directors of Travel Institut, spend a night at the Les Portes de Sologne hotel, with access to the Balnéades spa, and participate in the French classes provided by the school. Journalists will also be given the option of visiting the Loire châteaux, which are not far from Orléans. (Please see the About section of this press release for further information.) Travel Institut is a partner of Cité Formation, an exam centre for the French Proficiency Test, which is a French-language qualification recognised by the Centre National d’Etudes Pédagogiques (CIEP, France’s national centre for pedagogical studies). Travel Institut provides lessons in business French; summer packages; courses to learn French specially designed for everyday life; and, finally, intensive courses. Travel Institut can provide specialist courses on request, in fields such as tourism and travel, as well as the medical and legal professions. Travel Institut’s courses help students to develop genuine language skills in French, to acquire specialist vocabulary that is appropriate to a given business sector, to explore French culture in a convivial way, and to share experiences with participants from various walks of life, while enjoying the many leisure activities that the region surrounding Orléans has to offer. Travel Institut’s priority is to ensure the success of all its students. It bases its expertise on a methodology that uses group dynamics and a respect for individual needs, along with both written and verbal learning. Included in the Travel Institut package are guided tours of Paris and of the nearby châteaux in the Loire Valley (or Val de Loire). There is also the option of combining French classes with a trip to one of the five golf courses located near Orléans or with tours of the region’s natural environment. The Val de Loire is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just a single click on www.travelinstitut.com is enough to enrol online for private tuition, courses for small groups, or, indeed, specialist courses. About Travel Institut Travel Institut is offering journalists the opportunity to sample its French-learning experience. Journalists will spend a night at the Les Portes de Sologne hotel, enjoying access to the Balnéades spa and the excellent cuisine on offer. Additionally, they will participate in a French class, and have the chance to visit the Loire châteaux. Journalists who wish to experience what Travel Institut has to offer should contact Katherine Woods, Press Officer of the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Dates suggested at this stage (to be confirmed) would be 15 & 16 April 2012 for a trip over two days, arriving late morning on Sunday 15 April and returning to the UK the next day, Monday 16 April (with departure from Orléans c.3.00pm). For further information about CIEP, please go to: http://www.ciep.fr/en/   For further information about Travel Institut, please go to: http://www.travelinstitut.fr/en/

The first CARTES in North America trade show and conference will bring companies specialising in smart technologies and m-commerce, digital-security authorities, as well as leading technology providers to Las Vegas, in Nevada (US), from 5 to 7 March 2012. There will be 70 conference sessions, over 80 speakers, and technology and application demonstrations by a sold-out roster of 100 exhibitors.   The CARTES in North America trade show and conference will focus on the widespread adoption of global mobile payments that is driven by the combination of technology convergence, business partnerships and consumer acceptance. The trade fair will take place in Las Vegas, in the USA, from 5 to 7 March of this year, and will welcome 100 exhibitors.   CARTES in North America will also host 70 conference sessions with more than 80 speakers on topics inclu ding Near Field Communications (NFC); mobile payment; Europay, MasterCard and VISA (EMV) deployments; trust and privacy; and, finally, IT security.   James Anderson, Senior Vice President of Mobile and Emerging Payments at Mastercard, states, “Today, people want the freedom to pay in a way that best fits their needs and lifestyles with a simple tap, click or touch.”   “As we continue to focus on innovation and developing technologies like NFC, we’ll be able to further enhance the consumer experience from search to purchase opportunities, to instant rebates and e-commerce,” continues James Anderson.   In 2012, new mobile-payment technology is expected to move into the consumer mainstream. This can be demonstrated by, for example, the advent of Google Wallet and a new mobile-phone-payment system from ISIS (the mobile-payment network joint venture formed by AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon), as well as global wireless carriers supporting standards for NFC-based payments.   CARTES in North America will host two day-long discussions on 5 and 6 March on the theme of Global Mobile Payment and Services Initiatives. The discussions will feature speakers from Canada, Europe and the United States, who will address topics ranging from deploying NFC payments and the evolution of the business environment for banks, to retailers’ technology adoption, consumer acceptance and security.     Tim Jefferson, managing director of The Human Chain – a UK-based practice specialising in management consultancy, thought leadership, and technical consultancy for mobile and wireless technology – will present a keynote address on mobile payments and NFC on 5 March. He will also chair the discussion entitled Global Mobile Payment on the same day.   “Making payments via a smartphone really represents a threshold for wider adoption of a whole host of new NFC-driven mobile smart technologies connecting companies with their customers,” states Tim Jefferson.   Other mobile payments highlights on 5 March include platinum sponsor ABnote, a global supplier of secure documents, services and systems, presenting a session devoted to A Pathway Approach to Deploying NFC Payment. A representative of gold sponsor MasterCard Worldwide will also speak on The Commercial Launch of Mobile Payments Using NFC-Enabled Phones.   In addition, Canadian-based market-research company Ipsos will present the results of a consumer survey on mobile payments during the session named Are Consumers Ready for Mobile Payments?   Security will be the focus of the CARTES in North America Global Mobile Payment and Services discussion on 6 March.   Dawood Khan, a partner at Canadian management consultancy Red Mobile, will chair this track, which will feature nine sessions on subjects ranging from The Mobile: A Trusted Environment? to Certificates and Standardisation and Secure Identity on the Mobile Device.   About CARTES   The CARTES netwo rk is made up of the leading international and regional exhibitions and conferences devoted to smart technologies. It was founded in Paris (France) in 1985 and has grown to become one of the world’s leading events on security and payments.   Since 2010, CARTES exhibitions and conferences have taken place in Asia and are now being introduced in North America. CARTES events are organised by COMEXPOSIUM, the leading French-based professional trade show organiser that offers a high level of service and premium quality standards for both exhibitors and visitors.   Sponsors and exhibitors of CARTES in North America include 3M, ABnote, American Express, CPI Card Group, HID, MasterCard Worldwide, Oberthur, Renesas, Thales and Verifone.   Event partners include the BayPay Forum, Eurosmart, GlobalPlatform, Global Prepaid Exchange, the Human Chain, the MULTOS Consortium, NFC Forum, OATH, SIMalliance, the Smart Payment Association, and WIMA NFC USA.   The CARTES in North America trade show will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada (USA), at the Mirage Hotel, from 5 to 7 March 2012.   Accredited members of the media are invited to register for CARTES in North America for free at: http://www.cartes-northamerica.com/Forms/Press-Accreditation     For further information about COMEXPOSIUM, please go to: http://en.comexposium.com     For further information on CARTES in North America , please go to: www.cartes-northamerica.com

First of all, here at the press office of the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London, we hope that you had an enjoyable end-of-year break and that the new year has started in positive fashion for you.  Despite the widely reported travails affecting the British and European economy right now, more particularly in matters monetary, fiscal and financial, we are finding that, as in previous years, January is a busy period with many clients — existing and potential — contacting us in order to finalize their blueprints (and budgets) for PR campaigns extending into 2012.  Among our existing clients, Ports of Normandy Authority (PNA), which manages and owns the French ports of Caen-Ouistreham and Cherbourg, has renewed its contract with us for 2012. There will be a lot to talk about in relation to PNA in coming months, if only because the port of Cherbourg has won a big contract from transport-and-engineering group Alstom , in connection with the construction of wind turbines. The wind turbines in question are due to be assembled in the region with a view to being deployed in the Channel, where several large offshore wind farms are being planned by the French and the British authorities.  Another of our key clients, CIV Corse , the syndicate of Corsican winegrowers, has also renewed its contract with us, so that we will continue to promote a range of quality Corsican wines throughout 2012. We have pledged not to miss a single wine tasting that CIV Corse may organise in the UK this year... Among our new clients, ARIANE commercialises a unique variety of apple under the same name, whose origins can be traced back to the orchards of Central Asia.  Thanks to the fact the ARIANE apple is naturally resistant to apple scab — a fungus ( Ventura inaequalis ) that attacks apple trees — the amount of chemicals needed to treat ARIANE apples can be cut by 50%, as compared to ordinary varieties. Besides, ARIANE apples, which have been on the market since 2003, are particularly tasty and keep very well. All this makes ARIANE apples very attractive to consumers.  ARIANE will attend the Fruit Logistica trade show in Berlin (in February, from 8 to 10), and the press office is going to issue a press release very shortly about the ARIANE apple, so as to alert the British media to its unique health and environmental benefits, apart from its intrinsic quality.  Closer to home, the press office is sending a total of five journalists to Paris to take part in a press trip on the topic of e-health at the end of January. The press trip, at the French end, is organised by ParisRegion , the economic development agency for Paris and its region. Three British journalists will join two Nordic ones (from Denmark and Sweden) in the French capital over two days (26 and 27 January), which will give them the opportunity to learn more about new technologies and electronic systems, as applied to the management of healthcare in the Paris region.  Among the companies that the press delegation will visit is Diabeo , a pioneer in innovative solutions that monitor diabetes, taking advantage of the most advanced web and mobile technologies that are available. Acclaimed by its first users — both doctors and patients — Diabeo aims to optimise the management of diabetes; pharmaceuticals group Sanofi has been instrumental in the deployment of Diabeo . Still in the field of technology, French companies were very much in evidence on the UBIFRANCE Pavilion at the B ETT show, held at Olympia (in London) from 11 to 14 January. The BETT show (formerly known as the British Educational Training and Technology Show) is one of Europe’s biggest trade fairs on technology applied to education, the trend being towards mobile and computerized applications, which enable you to brush up on your conversational Uzbek while on the move. (I have tried it and recommend it — conversational Uzbek, I mean.) Several other, recent trade events have been of direct interest to us at the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London, such as Top Drawer (15 to 17 January), which specialises in gifts, stationery items, and well-being products, or the Independent Winegrowers’ B2B event organised by our colleagues in the Food & Drink Department at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 18 January. Apart from the fantastic venue, it was hard to resist the temptation to try all the fine wines presented by the 80 French participants, whose winemaking expertise more than makes up for their lack of any knowledge of cricket. (Then again, being good at cricket would not necessarily help you produce good wines.) We will have more exciting trade events and press trips to talk to you about in the coming months, and the range of topics and sectors we cover remains broad and varied, even if this bulletin’s crop is skewed towards IT and telecommunications. Be it offshore energy in relation to the Pays de Loire region of Western France or the attractiveness of the Lille region, in Northern France, we have it in stock. Should you be interested in yaw bearings, you can turn to ROLLIX . If it is the combination of gastronomy and computing that tickles your fancy, Unowhy has the answer with its QOOQ touchpad, which can beat any celebrity chef you can think of at the touch of a screen. As for me, I am thinking of purchasing one of Aldebaran Robotics’ near-human robots: I am dreaming of a fully programmable humanoid that can do the cooking, the washing, the ironing, the hoovering, the gardening, and change the odd light-bulb, so that I may have more time to devote to worthier pursuits, such as watching TV. So, NAO Next Gen, as the latest robot is known, is here with us to stay and may soon attend the BETT show in order to brush up on his conversational Uzbek. Last but not least, the press office is proud to announce that it has launched a Twitter feed that will keep all our fans — within the media and without — informed in real time as to what the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London gets up to. Katherine Woods, press officer, herself a bit of a Twitter fanatic, will keep you updated. Indeed, she has been Tweeting non-stop of late, so as to gain ever more followers in the UK and across the globe. We already have a British MP, various interior designers, a champagne importer, and a senior American IT executive among our devoted "followers", and I would strongly encourage you to join this in-crowd: it is all happening as we speak.  The next issue of UBIFRANCE UK will come out towards the end of March. Till then, and if you can’t wait, please log on to https://twitter.com/ and follow us at @UBIFRANCE_UK   in order to be kept informed of the manifold activities of the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in Britain and the companies that we promote. Philip Jolly Manager — Press Office Mission Economique UBIFRANCE, the French Trade Commission in London Business and manufacturing Vialog starts contract-manufacturing revolution out of Normandy Contract-manufacturing specialist Vialog is a collaborative group of 13 companies, based in the region of Dieppe, in Normandy. Providing a combination of industrial services and manufacturing capabilities, while covering related areas such as logistics, Vialog is the partner of choice for any international player keen to subcontract and outsource industrial production at the heart of Europe. For further information, please go to:   www.vialog.fr   To get the full story click here Lille region given thumbs up by 85% of foreign investors International auditing firm KPMG has confirmed the appeal of the Lille region for non-French investors. According to the independent survey conducted by KPMG and published in November 2011, 85% of respondents, representative of the 1,077 subsidiaries of foreign-owned groups established in Northern France, recommend the region.  For further information, please go to:   www.investinnorthernfrance.com To get the full story click here Engineering and robotics Aldebaran Robotics’ latest humanoid robot says ’hello’ Aldebaran Robotics, a world leader in humanoid robotics, has released its latest version of the NAO robot — NAO Next Gen , a new fully programmable humanoid robot that has the most extensive worldwide use. For further information, please go to:   www.aldebaran-robotics.com To get the full story click here ROLLIX finds its bearings with Alstom offshore turbines ROLLIX, a key player in the French offshore wind-turbine sector, has developed pitch and yaw bearings for the new Alstom Haliade 150-6MW offshore wind turbine — the largest offshore wind turbine manufactured to date. For further information, please go to:   www.rollix.com To get the full story click here Pays de la Loire blows away EWEA OFFSHORE 2011 The Pays de la Loire region was present at the EWEA OFFSHORE 2011 trade show in Amsterdam (in The Netherlands), between 29 November and 1 December. The French region’s pavilion provided visitors with the opportunity to better understand its offshore-energy sector. For further information, please go to:   www.offshorewind2011.info/ To get the full story click here Software and IT security WALLIX is €2m better off and joins the big league WALLIX, a European IT-security company, has finalised an increase in share capital of €2 million to be carried out with Thierry Dassault Holding (TDH), the personal holding group of Thierry Dassault, and Auriga Partners, a venture-capital firm. As part of the deal, Thierry Dassault will acquire a stake in software developer WALLIX, which is to become a public-limited company. For further information, please go to: www.systematic-paris-region.org/en   To get the full story click here   WALLIX buttresses Admin Bastion with WAB 3.0 WALLIX has announced the launch of version 3.0 of the Wallix Admin Bastion (WAB) , a security solution for information systems. WAB 3.0 enables companies to conform to the highest of standards, whilst observing the regulations that are in force. For further information, please go to:  www.wallix.com   To get the full story click here CARTES & IDentification attracts 20,000 from 145 countries CARTES & IDentification 2011, held in Paris in mid-November, attracted close to 20,000 visitors, positioning itself as a key global event for digital security and smart technologies. The CARTES team has already announced the dates of the next trade show, i.e. 6 to 8 November 2012 in Paris. For further information, please go to:  www.blogcartes.com To get the full story click here Software and telecommunications France BETTs on its educational know-how For the fifth year running, there was a French pavilion at the British Education and Training Technology (BETT) trade show, a key event for educational technology. The pavilion showcased 10 cutting-edge French players from 11 to 14 January 2012, in London. For further information, please go to:  www.bettshow.com   To get the full story click here Generix Group directs Carrefour’s 60 million Generix Group’s on-demand exchange platform has processed 60 million messages from 20,000 suppliers across 14 countries for the Carrefour Group over the past 12 months, thanks to Carrefour Group’s decision to outsource its international electronic data interchange (EDI) and B2B workflow management on Generix Group’s shared data-exchange platform. For further information, please go to:   www.generixgroup.com To get the full story click here AddOnMail goes for V 3.5 After publishing Microsoft Outlook plug-ins for several years, AddOnMail has announced the arrival of the latest version of its leading product, PSTStation Corporate for Outlook — the PSTStation Corporate 3.5 , which is V.3.5 of the product in Exchange 2010 .  For further information, please go to:   www.addonmail.com To get the full story click here France goes further in Near Field Communication The card-and-identification market is expanding fast in France. Specifically, Near Field Communication (NFC), the technology used for contactless identification and transactions, experienced rapid growth across the sector in 2010-2011. For further information, please go to:  www.investinfrance.org To get the full story click here Target Skills makes planning and scheduling mobile Target Skills is the publisher of PlanningPME ©, a scheduling software suite that is available in seven languages. Target Skills is launching its PlanningPME© mobile application — PlanningPME© Mobile . For further information, please go to:  http://www.planningpme.com To get the full story click here Unowhy unveils QOOQ celebrity chef in Las Vegas QOOQ, the first touchpad of its kind in the field of gastronomy, which has been developed by Unowhy, was launched in the English-language market at the 2012 International CES®.  The trade event, the largest international consumer-technology trade show of its kind, took place from 10 to 13 January in Las Vegas (USA). For further information, please go to:  www.cesweb.org/ To get the full story click here

International auditing firm KPMG has confirmed the appeal of the Lille region (in northern France) for non-French investors. According to the independent survey conducted by KPMG and published in November 2011, 85% of respondents, representing the 1,077 subsidiaries of foreign-owned groups established in Northern France, recommend the region. According to KPMG, the international auditing firm, the prime reason companies choose to establish a subsidiary in Northern France is the strategic location the region offers. The Lille region lies at the heart of Europe’s leading consumer catchment area. Two-thirds of the companies surveyed highlighted their aim to reach the markets of northern Europe (including France) as having driven their decision to invest in the region: an impressive 82% of companies see this locational advantage as crucial to their success in these markets. The high quality of the local labour force also satisfies the companies: 60% were satisfied with the region’s labour force — a proportion reaching 75% of respondents in the field of trade and logistics. Undoubtedly, this is another reason businesses choose to settle in region surrounding Lille. Regarding the quality of life, seven out of 10 business leaders say that they are satisfied with the region’s cultural dynamism and tourist potential, and close to two-thirds approve of the sports facilities available in the Lille region. The local geography and environment are also a cause for satisfaction among foreign-owned companies: 80% indicate that they are satisfied (or fairly satisfied) with the region in this respect. Northern France is a region whose attractiveness is not always fully appreciated by outsiders: prior to their arrival, 46% of decision-makers surveyed had a good image of the region, but a third (33%) admitted to having a negative perception. Once established, however, only 1% of these decision-makers have retained this negative view, while 68% of respondents indicate that they are satisfied (or very satisfied) with the Lille region. With hindsight, none of the companies surveyed see their location in the Lille region as a handicap. On the contrary, 60% describe the move as an asset to their businesses, especially those hailing from the Benelux countries, and 27% see the relocation as strategic in terms of the company’s development in northern Europe.  Moreover, a majority of the companies surveyed have felt genuinely welcome in northern France: close to 60% of respondents consider the welcome given to expatriates to be satisfying or very satisfying.  Despite being a border region and a hub for pan-European trade, the Lille region has a strong identity rooted in its history. Indeed, a third of respondents believe that the region stands apart from the rest of France, especially those from Germany and the Netherlands, who acknowledge a stronger cultural affinity with the region. Lastly, the Lille region is founded upon powerful ethical values that are important to businesses. Respondents were asked what “values” they associated with the region: “work”, “fighting spirit”, “energy” and “hospitality” were widely mentioned by those surveyed. This gives an overview of the positive image that the region enjoys with international investors. About Nord France Invest Nord France Invest is the publicly funded investment-promotion agency for Northern France (including the city of Lille and its surroundings). The agency helps businesses to develop and make the most out of their move to the region of Northern France. D rawing on expertise across a wide range of fields, Nord France Invest and its network partners offer personalised and fully confidential services to investors, free of charge, from the initial decision through to the launch and follow-up. In pursuing these aims, Nord France Invest draws on the skills of its own staff, combined with expert input from an extensive network of regional and international partners. For further information, please go to: www.investinnorthernfrance.com

July and August always constitute a slower period for us since most of our clients over in France are on holiday for at least part of the summer period — and a good few British journalists are in and out of town too over the summer months... However, I have quite a lot to talk about in this bulletin, and a few things to announce — so, please read on. Here at the press office of the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London, we have taken advantage of the summer recess, relative as it may be, to make sure we are fully ready for the peak of activity we can expect in September-October, and into November. I can confirm that the new team at the press office is up to the mark. (So that you may picture the members of the press office’s team, and for those who have not met my new colleagues yet, we have inserted a photo.) Indeed, between the end of May and the middle of July, a completely new team — apart from the author of these lines — has replaced the previous incumbents. The new project manager, Pierre Mancini, started on 1 June and is by now fully settled in his job. Subsequently, Marie-Aliénor Goillandeau, our trainee-cum-editorial-assistant, who is also from France, began her placement on 13 June. Since she is half-English, she has found adjusting to life in London a bit easier than other trainees did. (Pierre, for his part, has distant Russian roots and speaks the language, but this has not proved that useful, so far.) Last but not least, Katherine Woods took over from Mary-Ann Williams in mid-July. After about a year at the press office, Mary-Ann decided to return to journalism. (She had worked as a journalist for three years before joining the press office.) Katherine, who is from Leeds and was eager to start a career in PR in London, began working with us on 18 July. She is fast adjusting to the many demands of the job, and has found that her very good French is proving more useful than ever. Left to right: Philip Jolly, Marie-Alienor Goillandeau, Pierre Mancini, Katherine Woods The rentrée of September is always a busy time, and this year has confirmed the rule. First of all, we have signed (or prolonged) several big contracts with companies that were keen to entrust the press office with their PR in the UK.  The Port of Normandy Authority (PNA), which owns and runs three ports on the Normandy coast, i.e. Caen-Ouistreham and Cherbourg, has renewed its contract with us. Expect more information coming from us on what they are doing and planning in 2011-2012, some of it in relation to wind power in the Channel, as the latest press release illustrates. Another significant and exciting contract has been signed with HUET, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of high-performance acoustic- and fire-rated timber doorsets. Founded 65 years ago, HUET, which is headquartered in Western France, produces nearly 600,000 interior doors and over 150,000 exterior doors and windows every year! Recently, HUET took part in the multi-million-pound refurbishment of the five-star St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, London, near King’s Cross and the Eurostar terminal — a remarkable building if ever there was one. The French specialist company provided more than 250 of its Chorus 42 acoustic-rated doorsets, as part of the modernization of the iconic, neo-Gothic site. (Should you wish to have a look at the inside of the building, you do not need to be a guest in order to have a drink downstairs in the bar, on the ground-floor.) In addition to being a supplier to the hotel industry, HUET designs and produces fire- and acoustic-rated timber doorsets for a wide range of buildings, including hospitals, surgeries, health/medical centres, schools, colleges, universities, and television/recording studios. The company will be at Sleep Event, the trade show for the hotel industry, which will take place at the Business Design Centre, in London, from 23 to 24 November. If you work in the logistics press, you will have been in contact with Katherine, since we have a press trip taking place around this topic at the end of the month (26-28 September). Two British journalists, working for key logistics-sector titles, will be whisked away to Lille, in Northern France, by Eurostar — journey time: 90 minutes — and will be given the opportunity to visit various sites in and around the city. We have one or two more press trips on the cards between October and December of this year, which will also be organised, on the French side, by Nord France Experts (NFX), the agency for the development of Lille and its region. Katherine will get in touch with you over those, if they relate to your expertise, as and when we get the pre-programme from NFX. As you will see from our selection of news stories, we continue to cover a very wide range of topics, from marketing and retail to food and farming, and from wine or clinical research to rail transport and software development: Whatever you write about, we have something for you! (I think that is going to be our new motto for 2012, come to think of it.) We also continue to support our colleagues at the French Trade Commission UBIFRANCE in London. Among other events, they are working on the French Pavilion at 100% Design, due to take place at Earl’s Court (in London) from 22 to 25 September. As in previous years, the pavilion will provide an opportunity to showcase the best in creative and innovative French interior design. I have kept the best bit for the end, since I know where the heart of our readers is: please make a note of 23 November, because, on that day (from 6.30pm), we will be organising our Christmas party for the media. There will be food and there will be drinks, and we won’t even inflict a lengthy speech or a dull Power Point (or two, or three) on you; or expect you to write an article about the event afterwards; or demand that you interview someone or other; or check that you have taken some notes as you are leaving the venue; or complain if you do not Tweet non-stop right through the evening about the cocktail party, as opposed to actually taking part in (and enjoying) it… No, all we are asking you to do is to turn up, so that you may enjoy the press office’s end-of-year bash. It is our way to say ‘thank you’ to all the publishers, editors, journalists, staff writers, and freelancers who, whether they are in the trade press (in print and/or online) or in other media, work with us on an ongoing basis and appreciate what we do, just as we value what they do. Full details will be sent to you shortly, and all you need to do is confirm your attendance by email to Katherine Woods, press officer. The party will also give you the opportunity to meet the new team at the press office and, more particularly, Katherine herself, and that is another reason why we hope you can make it. The next issue of UBIFRANCE UK News will come out sometime in late November, after our Christmas party. See you on the 23rd! Philip Jolly Manager — Press Office Mission Economique UBIFRANCE, the French Trade Commission in London Business and Marketing French retail marketing solutions stand out at In-Store The French Trade Commission in London unveiled the French Pavilion at the In-Store Show, the retail marketing trade fair, held in London on 29-30 June 2011. For the second consecutive year, the French Pavilion showcased dynamic French companies from across the industry.  For further information, please go to: www.ubifrance.com/uk French Pavilion provides both at Insight Show  The French Trade Commission unveiled the French Pavilion at Insight Show, the market-research trade fair, held in London on 29-30 June. For the third consecutive year, the French Pavilion showcased dynamic French companies from across the industry. For further information, please go to: www.ubifrance.com/uk Northern France consumers sit pretty within 300km radius Experian pH, a specialist in information and marketing services, has conducted a detailed study that shows the city of Lille and its region to be at the heart of the wealthiest consumer centre in Europe within a 300-kilometre radius. For further information, please go to: www.investinnorthernfrance.com Energy and Environment ONET and BRADTEC DECON are an item  ONET TECHNOLOGIES, which operates in the civil nuclear industry, has strengthened its presence in the UK further to the takeover of BRADTEC DECON TECHNOLOGIES LTD, a company specialising in decontamination procedures. ONET wanted to boost its operations in Britain. For further information, please go to: http://www.onet-technologies.com/ ONET ventures jointly into India with PCI Ltd  ONET TECHNOLOGIES has decided to invest in India’s civil nuclear industry by setting up an engineering joint venture with PCI Ltd (part of PRIME Group of India), to be called ONET TECHNOLOGIES INDIA. ONET holds 70% of the shares in the joint venture and PCI Ltd the remaining 30%.  For further information, please go to: http://www.onet-technologies.com/en/ Overkiz makes Ray Bradbury’s sci-fi vision reality Overkiz has developed a multi-protocol software and hardware platform making possible the remote running and diagnostics of domestic equipment and appliances. The package offered by Overkiz consists of a secure plug & play gateway installed on the end-user’s premises – the kiz box . For further information, please go to: www.overkiz.com EcoVadis ensures RENAULT’s suppliers evince CSR  EcoVadis has been selected by RENAULT to set up an innovative platform in order to assess the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) performance of the car manufacturer’s suppliers. In a recent report, the United Nations Environment Programme recognised the validity of the tools offered by EcoVadis to help companies integrate Sustainable Development criteria into their supply chain. For further information, please go to: www.ecovadis.com Engin eering and Transport Northern France moves to Belgium for Transport & Logistics  The Chamber of Commerce of Nord-Pas-de-Calais is hosting the Northern France pavilion to showcase the region’s logistics expertise at the Transport & Logistics 2011 trade show, in Antwerp (Belgium). The trade fair is expected to attract 300 exhibitors between 20 and 22 September. For further information, please go to: www.cci-international.net RAILENIUM firmly on track with €550 million boost  RAILENIUM, the European Institute for Technological Research in Rail Infrastructure, has been selected by the French government as a leading investment project and has been awarded €550 million in funding. This major European and international project will be based in and around Lille. For further information, please go to: www.i-trans.org Legrand’s prefabricated cable pits are not Legrand, a manufacturer of prefabricated cable pits made from recycled composites, has developed cable pits that represent a lighter alternative to their concrete equivalent. The patented device offers many other advantages. Legrand is one of SNCF’s preferred suppliers. For further information, please go to: www.btp-legrand.com RONIS interlock systems can free you from security concerns RONIS has developed a full range of interlock systems designed specifically to ensure the safety of users and equipment during work on medium- and high-voltage machines and electrical installations. The systems developed by RONIS can be tailored to each company’s specific needs. For further information, please go to: www.ronis.fr APLIX gets to grips with inter-mold® in hook and loop  APLIX, a specialist in self-gripping fasteners, has developed the inter-mold® technology, making it possible to offer a new generation of fasteners for the hook-and-loop industry. Inter-mold® fastening technology allows hooks to be injection-moulded directly into plastic parts. For further information, please go to: www.aplix.com TIFLEX printer stamps its mark on traceability  TIFLEX has unveiled the HRP 1000 R3 , its new Very High Resolution inkjet printer, which was designed to meet traceability requirements in industrial-product logistics using the GS1 128 bar code. With the HRP 1000 R3, bar codes (and other data) can be stamped easily, straight on to a range of substrate materials. For further information, please go to:   www.tiflex.com Food and drinks   So French So Good , says French Trade Commission in London   Mr Pierre Lellouche, France’s Secretary of State for Foreign Trade, has launched a campaign for export promotion — So French, So Good — to showcase France’s food-and-drink sector and the country’s gastronomy. French gastronomy was recently added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.For further information, please go to: www.sofrenchsogood.com Sommet de l’Élevage celebrates 20 years in beefy style    Sommet de l’Élevage, the leading trade show for European livestock professionals, will celebrate its 20th year, when it takes place from 5 to 7 October in Clermont-Ferrand. This year’s trade show will feature 2,000 animals belonging to 64 breeds.   For further information, please go to: www.sommet-elevage.fr      VEGEPOLYS and SIVAL to reward those with breeding — in plants   VEGEPOLYS, the international plant cluster of excellence based in Western France, has launched a major European competition in plant-variety innovation in association with the SIVAL trade show (in Angers). The 2012 competition will be open to European plant breeders, whether they are exhibitors or not.   For further information, please go to: www.vegepolys.eu   Domaine de Trévallon builds on its 18/20 mark In 2011, winegrower Eloi Dürrbach has, once again, unveiled an outstanding Domaine de Trévallon red wine. The 2008 red vintage, which is recognised by French specialists for its subtle taste and fruitiness, was given marks ranging from 18 to 20 (out of 20) by Vins de France magazine.   For further information, please go to: www.domainedetrevallon.com Healthcare and Consumer goods   ONET supplies hot cells for ALGETA’s ALPHARADIN   ONET TECHNOLOGIES UK Ltd has agreed to manufacture specialised hot cells for the commercialization of ALPHARADIN. Developed by ALGETA SAS of Norway, ALPHARADIN is a highly targeted alpha-pharmaceutical, currently under clinical evaluation, intended to improve survival in patients with advanced cancer.   For further information, please go to: http://www.onet-technologies.com/en/   BORDEAUX CLINICAL RESEARCH NETWORK accelerates French healthcare   BORDEAUX CLINICAL RESEARCH NETWORK (BCRN) is the first public/private R&D accelerator for the healthcare industry to be set up in France. BCRN fulfills increasing CRO and industry sponsor requirements to boost patient inclusion rates and speed up Phase I-to-Phase IV tests.   For further information, please go to: contact@bordeaux-clinicalresearch.com   MINE4SURE irons out parents’ back-to-school season angst   With the MINE4SURE School Pack , school uniforms and personal belongings are sure to find their way back home: offering a combination of personalised iron-on labels and stickers, the MINE4SURE School Pack is an easy-to-use, long-lasting and affordable way to identify children’s belongings.   For further information, please go to: www.mine4sure.com     IT & Telecommunications   UBIFRANCE’s virtual trade show is for real   UBIFRANCE, France’s export-support agency, has launched a virtual trade-show platform, which will consist of six pavilions covering various industries such as fashion, health, infrastructure, transport, food and new technologies. In mid-June, the first virtual trade show took off, focused on the food industry and the So French So Good promotional campaign.   For further information, please go to: www.ubifrance-events24.com   Paris Chamber of Commerce accompanies 34 French players over Amsterdam weekend   The French Pavilion at IBC, the trade show for the electronic media, presented 34 companies from across the sector: IBC was held in Amsterdam (in The Netherlands) from 9 to 13 September. The French Pavilion was organised by the Paris Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCIP), in partnership with France Broadcast.   For further information, please go to: www.ccip.fr   E-Commerce Paris welcomes 30,000 visitors in the flesh   E-Commerce Paris is in its eighth year, and 30,000 visitors from across Europe were expected at the Porte de Versailles Exhibition Centre, in Paris, for the trade show, taking place from 13 to 15 September.   For further information, please go to: www.ecommerceparis.com   VAD e-commerce is 15 in Lille in October   The 15th VAD e-commerce trade show will take place from 18 to 20 October in Lille. Since its creation, this event has offered a multichannel approach for traditional distance-selling companies, established players and, more recently, retailers in the e-commerce sector.   For further information, please go to: www.vad-ecommerce.com   CARTES & IDentification 2011 has Turkey before Christmas   CARTES & IDentification will be held from 15 to 17 November in Paris. The event covers digital security, smart technology and contactless payments. This year’s CARTES & IDentification, which will welcome 450 companies, will place the spotlight on Turkey.   For further information, please go to : www.cartes.com   Taliance provides the perfect package for Internos’ assets   Taliance, a software provider for the investment-property market, has developed FinAsset , which is an asset-management software suite. Fund-management company Internos Real Investors has chosen the FinAsset system. For further information, please go to: www.taliance.com   XandMail delivers solution via Parallels Plesk Panel 10   XandMail, a provider of internet and mobile applications, has announced that its Web 2.0 Communication Solution is now available through Parallels Plesk Panel 10 . The solution offered by XandMail enables service providers to increase revenue and to cut customer churn.   For further information, please go to: http://www.xandmail.com   TalentSoft takes talent management to Windows Azure Cloud   TalentSoft, a provider of integrated SaaS talent-management solutions, has teamed up with Microsoft to deploy TalentSoft’s solutions worldwide, using Microsoft’s Windows Azure platform. Thus, TalentSoft has become the first talent-management solution to be optimised for Microsoft’s Cloud.   For further information, please go to: www.talentsoft.com   France investment in data centres worth a billion The Invest in France Agency (IFA) has supported 26 data-centre investment projects in France since 2006. Major multinational companies, including IBM and Equinix, have made investments in the French market, worth an estimated €1 billion per year, while the digital economy now accounts for nearly 5% of France’s GDP. For further information, please go to: www.investinfrance.org