Archive for the ‘Franchise’ Category

    Heatsetting

    Crinkling tendency

    Tensions in yarn

    The cringel tendency is due to the technological conditions of the spun yarn production and the physical fiber properties. Above all, the echnological conditions of the spun yarn production means the turning moment of the thread. A twisted thread will always try to twist when it hangs freely between two fixed points in the form of a loop. In doing this, it gives up a part of its original twist which becomes spirals whose twisting direction is opposite to the original twist direction. This development of twist in the opposite direction occurs as the twisted yarn attempts to reach equilibrium.

    diagram by Mller

    Twisting in the opposite direction is due to the tensions resulting from the yarn twisting that Mueller indicated in the diagram of tension and pressure. The total tension acting against the twisting is increased in relation to increased twisting due to the increasing tension and pressure of the bundle of fibres in the yarn. It may become so strong that the thread core buckles when it can no longer withstand the compressive strains. The yarn curls, meaning that the yarn tries to reach a state of equilibrium in which twists in the opposite direction from the original twist direction balance the yarn torque.These twists are also called negative twists. In this state of equilibrium, the inner torsional tensions cancel each other out. The thread always buckles at a spot where the cross section is small due to the unevenness of the thread. During the spinning process this spot took up more twists and is therefore subjected to higher inner tensions, which ultimately break the thread core. Although thicker yarns are less twisted than fine ones, the inner tension rises opposite to the yarn size. Smaller yarn is more weakened by steaming. Further positive aspects of steaming are the reduction of curling and, at the same time, the setting of the physical properties of closeness and extension imparted to the yarn by twisting.

    The chemical process

    There are completely different behaviors depending on the kind of yarn material. Much is known about the steaming of woolen yarns but more research is needed on the steaming behaviour of artificial fibers and cotton.

    Wool

    As soon as steam enters, the yarns quantity of moisture rises at once, caused by the heating of the yarn and by steam condensation. According to Speakmann the following phenomena can be seen in the stretched woolen fiber: The cystine side chains are subjected to a hydrolysis at the sulphur bridge, where cystine is dissolved into cysteine and a not yet isolated sulphonic acid.

    Physical and chemical forces between two polypeptide chains

    An ionization can be seen at the bridges that were produced from salt liberation. Due to the increase of temperature in the fibers during steaming an oscillation of the molecules is produced which leads to the bursting of the hydrogen bridges; now residual valencies are set free which are able to saturate with the dipole water. The water then acts like a lubrication between the individual molecules. Thus the bonds of the main chains between each other are dissolved by the side chains, the individual polypeptide chains can shift against each other and the tensions find their equilibrium (see illustration 4). When the steaming of the yarn is continued, new side chains are formed between the individual components of the main chains. When finally the yarn is dried, i.e. the moisture balance occurring within the yarn, salt is liberated again and hydrogen bridges are formed. Now the individual polypeptide chains can no longer be shifted against each other and the fibers regained their former closeness, however without having remarkable tensions inside. The yarn or doubled yarn twist is set. Of course, the morphological structure of the fibers must be considered when equalizing the tensions by steaming. Since the woolen fiber very quickly gets the temperature for breaking up the hydrogen bridges and the steam for hydrolysing the cystine bridges, a relatively quick twist modification is possible which roughly corresponds to the values of an autoclave moderated yarn; however, the steaming quality of the Steamatic steaming process is much better with reference to the evenness of moisture absorption.

    Synthetic fiber

    Fiber strength and elongation

    Synthetic fibers can be divided up into two fiber domains, the crystalline (organized) domain

    and the amorphous (unorganized) domain. In crystalline domains physical forces of attraction are acting between the closely parallel lines of polymers. These forces acting transversely to the fiber axis make up the closeness of a fiber. If tension is applied to the fiber, these forces hinder the fiber from breaking.

    In contrast, the amorphous fiber domains act like links of the fibers. They are responsible for the flectional strength of the fibers. Additionally, the amorphous fiber domains make it possible for water or dye to enter.(13) .

    During steaming, the heating of the fiber causes its molecules to start oscillating. The increase of oscillation that can be influenced by the degree and the period of heating dissolves the electric bond forces in the fiber; at first in the amorphous domains, later in the crystalline ones and at last in the polymeres. As with wool,

    the tensions brought in by spinning are set free. During drying or cooling of the fiber, the binding forces are rebuilt without having tensions in the inner part.

    The problem of synthetic fibers is that the reduction of the binding forces only takes place between the so-called deformation point (start of changing the firm – solidified – amorphous fiber domains into a visco-elastic – easily deformable state) and the distortion point (the crystalline fiber domains change into a visco-elastic state, too) which is in a relatively high temperature range

    Glass transition temperature – and deformation point von artificial fiber

    Some examples:

    Material

    Deformation point

    Distortion temperature

    Polyester

    80-85C

    230-240C

    Nylon 6

    80-85C

    180-200C

    Nylon 66

    90-95C

    220-235C

    This is also an explanation for the fact that wool mixed with synthetic fibers is more difficult to set than pure wool. Setting synthetic fibers is only possible beyond a temperature range of 85 to 95C. In contrast, pure wool can set very well at these temperatures.

    Cotton

    In in-line steaming, cotton plays a more or less subordinate role. We don’t know the exact physical or chemical process in the fiber either. Therefore we will not discuss cotton in our reflections.

    Applications in the carpet industry

    The quality of cut pile carpets is improved significantly by a reduction of inner tensions in the yarn. This essential benefit results from the effects of steaming and heatsetting.

    Carpet classification

    Loop-Pile Carpet

    Cut-Pile Carpet

    Carpet Styles are divided into two basic types. These types are loop pile carpets and cut pile carpets. Especially for cut-pile and its variations (saxony, shag, frieze) the heat setting process is of highest importance.

    Tip definition (pinpoint tip definition)

    inpoint tip definition after Heatsetting

    Usually, when yarn is cut, the ends fray similar to the way the ends of a braid or rope would fray when they are cut and a kind of a brush forms. This fraying must be avoided in cut-pile carpets by all means. A cut pile carpet with frayed yarn ends would have a poor appearance, a shorter life cycle and ergonomic disadvantages for the alker as scientific research has proven. The carpet is less elastic and doesn absorb the steps of the user as well as a heat set carpet would. A carpet manufactured from heat set yarn is more attractive, durable and comfortable for the user. The added value of heatset carpet is significant. Normally a heat set carpet can be identified by its grainy structure, which is called inpoint tip definition in the industry. The appearance of the cut pile ends is similar to pin points.

    Current heat setting processes

    Several different heat setting processes are known in the textile industry. The most important are presented here.

    Autoclave heat setting

    The oldest heat setting process is autoclave heat setting. Mostly, it is a discontinuous process.

    Autoclave Heatsetting

    Autoclave installations use vacuum and/or pressure. Textile material is brought into the autoclave either on bobbins, in skeins or loose in a container. As nearly all autoclaves are exposed to certain pressures they are usually built in cylindrical shape and mounted horizontally. Most commonly, autoclaves are loaded and unloaded from the end of the cylinder but some may be loaded from one end and unloaded from the other end. Autoclaves mounted vertically exist but are less common.

    Steamatic process

    Steamatik Heatsetting Machine

    For automation in link spinning/winding there is the so-called n-line steamer. The first known process of this type is the Steamatic process by Resch. In this case the heat setting process happens in between the ring spinning and the winding machines. As soon as the ring spinning frame has finished spinning, the loaded bobbins are transported into the in-line steamer. Those bobbins are steamed there with a vacuum method and dried again within seconds. After steaming and drying, the bobbins are transported on to the winding machine where they are re-wound onto a cross-wound package.

    The carpet industry currently utilizes two continuous processes, the Power-Heat-Set process and the TVP process which was derived from the autoclave technology.

    Power-Heat-Set technology

    Continue Power-Heat-Set process

    The Power-Heat-Set process, formerly known as Suessen process, was developed in the beginning of the 1970 and was the first continuous heat setting system worldwide. The process itself was revolutionary in that it was the first system not operated with saturated steam and pressure, but with a superheated steam/airmix at atmospheric pressure. Using this innovative technology, completely new carpet collections were created. In the Power-Heat-Set process, the yarns and filaments oxidize slightly on the surface due to the existing oxygen in the surrounding atmosphere and the higher temperatures. This capillary oxide film causes the complete carpet later to be more stain resistant. Dirt particles adhere less to the fibers.

    TVP process

    In addition to the Power-Heat-Set technology there is the TVP process which is also a continuous process. In the TVP process yarn is placed on a conveyor belt and inserted through a lock into a pressure tunnel that could be up to 15 m long. Inside the tunnel, it undergoes a heat setting process with saturated steam. At the end of the tunnel the yarn is taken out through a second lock. The yarn which is still hot and moist is dried and cooled after heat setting and fed to the winding process. Up to 48 yarn ends can be processed at the same time.

    Process description (exemplary with the Power-Heat-Set process)

    Power-Heat-Set Line

    In the Power-Heat-Set process yarn is heat set with superheated steam in an open system at atmospheric pressure. All the materials normally used in the carpet industry such as polyamide 6, polyamide 6.6, polypropylene, Acrylic, PET, polyester and wool can be processed.

    Frieze and straight Yarn after Power-Heat-Setting

    The unprocessed yarn is provided on packages in a creel (up to 48 packages). At a speed of up to 700 m/min, the yarn is pulled off the packages and entered into the heat setting process. There are two basic ways of transportation of the yarn through the process. One way is to place the yarn in coils or a igure 8 pattern on a belt or to wrap it onto ropes arranged as a polygon in order to convey it through the process. With Frieze yarns only belt conveying is utilized. Frieze is produced by a special stuffer box, the so-called Twinroll-Box (TRB). The heat setting process takes place at temperatures between 110C and 200C in a steam-air-mix. After heat setting, the yarn is cooled and wound onto packages again at the winder. In general a heat setting machine consists of six lines at eight ends (fibers) each. A daily production of up to 10.5 tons is possible.

    Literature

    Nr.

    Sources

    1

    Textil-Praxis (1958), 401 – efeuchtung oder Dmpfen von Wollgarnen

    2

    Textilbetrieb (1981), 29 – leichmige Effekte beim Garndmpfen

    3

    Dr. H.-J. Henning, Dr.-Ing. Cl. Sustmann – Melliand Textilberichte ntersuchungen ber das Vakuumdmpfen von Wollgarnen (1966), 530

    4

    Jens Holm Dittrich, Paul Naefe, Johann Kreitz – Melliand Textilberichte erfahren zur Drallberuhigung von Wollgarnen durch Kurzzeitdmpfen (1986), 817

    5

    Jens Holm Dittrich, Attila Bereck, Gnter Blanckenburg – Melliand Textilberichte ntersuchungen ber das Vergilben von Wollgarnen beim Dmpfen (1983),

    6

    Jens Holm Dittrich, Gesine Tpert – Melliand Textilberichte rsachen der Vergilbung von Kammzugsbumps und Kreuzspulen bei der HF-Trocknung (1988), 288

    7

    Dr. Oskar Becker – Melliand Textilberichte pannfden in Wollgarnen (1977), 97

    8

    Patenanmeldung DP 3601099.5 H. Kranz GmbH & Co. 5100 Aachen erfahren zum Fixieren von Garnen

    9

    W. Schefer – Eidg. Materialprfungs- und Versuchsanstalt, St. Gallen ern-derung der Wolle durch Wrmebehandlungen im Veredelungsbereich,

    10

    Hans Erich Schiecke – Verlag Schiele & Schn olle als textiler Rohstoff

    11

    K. Krll – Springer Verlag, Heidelberg, Berlin, New York rocknungstechnik Band II/I

    12

    Peter Toggweiler, Simon Gleich, Freddy Wanger, F.Steiner Meliand Textil-berichte 9/1995 ualittsverbesserung der mit Contexxor konditionierten Baumwollgarne

    13

    Dipl.-Ing. Gisela Axt – W. Bertelsmann Verlag KG Bielefeld 1986, eurtei-lungsmerkmale textiler Faserstoffe, Band1/2/3Dr. Oskar Becker – Melliand Textilberichte pannfden in Wollgarnen (1977), 97

    External links

    power-heat-set

    Categories: Textiles | Industrial processes
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    Chip heater

    History

    The chip heater is embedded in Australian and New Zealand social history as many people can remember using one or someone who had one. The precise history of the chip heater is unclear.

    The original idea surely must be derived from vertical steam boilers. Professor Miles Lewis notes that he ‘instantaneous water heaters’, which were being sold by Douglas & Sons of Melbourne by 1888 were probably of this sort. In 1892 the Melbourne iron founder Angus McLean was advertising as the sole proprietor and manufacturer (presumably for Victoria) of Fischer’s Patent Bath Heater, which could be heated with wood in three minutes at the cost of one farthing.

    Catalogues from the National Radiator Company (Hull, United Kingdom) from 1913 and 1919 which were marketed in Australia do not show chip heaters suggesting that the chip heater was local innovation.

    Variants

    The chip heater was very similar to the gas and kerosene powered eyser hot water heaters popular in Australian suburban residences from the 1920s. The main difference was the fuel source. The Australian producer etters supplied gas geysers for city clients with access to gas and chip heaters for country clients.

    Manufacturers

    There were a number of manufacturers and brands. According to Professor Miles Lewis the early twentieth century brands included the Royal, Little Hero, Silver Ace, Kangaroo, Empire and Little Wonder. Peter Wood recalls a orrens brand being popular in Adelaide.

    The Australian producer etters have a variety of chip heaters in their 1936 catalogue including oil and kerosene powered chip heaters as well as four varieties of chip heater. Metters claimed a flow of 2 gallons of ery hot water per minute.

    References

    Archer, John, 1998, Your home: the inside story of the Australian house, Port Melbourne, Lothian.

    Metters Ltd 1936 Metters’ bath heater and hot water service : sectional catalogue, Metters Ltd.

    Oliver, Julie. The Australian home beautiful: from Hills hoist to high rise, McMahon’s Point, N.S.W. Home Beautiful, 1999.

    Postings on the NSW Heritage Office Heritage Advisors Discussion Group by Peter Benkendorff, David Beauchamp, Susan Duyker, Elizabeth Roberts and Peter Woods, April 2007.

    Posting on Engineering Heritage discussion group by Professor Miles Lewis 26/04/2007

    Categories: Plumbing | Heaters | Residential heating | Home appliancesHidden categories: Articles lacking in-text citations from September 2008 | All articles lacking in-text citations
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    Intumescent

    Types of intumescents

    Soft char producers

    These intumescents produce a light char, which is a poor conductor of heat, thus retarding heat transfer. Typically, these materials also contain a significant amount of hydrates. As the hydrates are spent, water vapour is released, which has a cooling effect. Once the water is spent, it is only the insulation characteristics of the char that was produced, which can slow down heat transfer from the exposed side to the unexposed side of an assembly. Soft char producers are typically used in thin film intumescents for fireproofing of structural steel as well as firestop pillows. Typically, the expansion pressure that is created for these products is very low, because the soft carbonaceous char has little substance, which is beneficial if the aim is to produce a layer of insulation.

    Hard expanding char producers

    Harder chars are produced with sodium silicates and graphite. These products are suitable for use in plastic pipe firestops as well as exterior steel fireproofing. In those applications, it is necessary to produce a more substantial char, with a quantifiable expansion pressure. In the case of the firestops, a melting, burning plastic pipe must be squeezed together and shut so that there will be no hole for fire to go through an opening in an otherwise fire-resistance rated wall or floor assembly. In the case of the exterior fireproofing, a hydrocarbon fire must be held off with quite potentially more kinetic energy than a house fire. Intumescents that produce hard chars are not typically used for interior spray fireproofing as they are not suitable for that application.

    Uses of intumescents in passive fire protection

    Applications

    firestopping

    fireproofing

    gasketing applications

    windows

    Occupancies

    buildings

    offshore construction

    ships

    aircraft.

    Problems with intumescents

    Some intumescents are susceptible to environmental influences such as humidity, which can reduce or negate their ability to function. DIBt approvals quantify the ability of intumescents to stand the test of time against various environmental exposures. DIBt approved firestops and fireproofing materials are available in Canada and the U.S.

    Gallery

    Low Pressure Intumescent Resin: This product is suitable for use in passive fire protection in general, firestopping and interior fireproofing in particular. The small, orange chunk on the bottom right hand side is capable of growing into that large black shape. This type of intumescent is typically highly endothermic. It contains a lot of chemically bound water, in hydrates. As this is released, it cools adjacent materials. Such intumescents are useful as ingredients in firestop pillows and in paints, which are used for fireproofing purposes. These intumescents do not produce enough expansion force to be used in plastic pipe devices, where the intumescent must squeeze a melting plastic pipe or conduit shut.

    Pipes covered with a thin-film intumescent spray fireproofing product called unitherm. As the flame from the blow-torch is applied, the intumescent sodium silicate expands, forming a layer of insulation, which slows down heat transfer to the pipe below. Hydrates within the coating give up their water content, maintaining a temperature near the boiling point of 100C. The critical steel temperature is ca. 540C. Once the water is spent and enough heat has gone through the char, the steel can reach and exceed its critical temperature and then lose its strength. The time this takes determines the fire-resistance rating.

    In this picture, the flame has been removed after the thin-film intumescent spray fireproofing product has been completely expanded. Some intumescents can undergo shrinkage shortly after full expansion has taken place. The important thing to remember, however, is the need for listing and approval use and compliance of the installed configuration.

    Intumescent gasketing used in passive fire protection, for fire door applications. Typically, such gasketing is needed to pass positive pressure furnace testing, a recent change in North America.

    Intumescent putty, permanently pliable, used in a cable penetration firestop. Permanently pliable putties are similar in consistency to play-dough used for children’s toys. Putties of this nature also lend themselves to be used as pads to cover electrical outlet boxes inside drywall assemblies required to have a fire-resistance rating. The endothermic and insulative action of the pads reduce thermal transfer through the metallic outlet box to the unexposed side of the rated drywall assembly. All intumescents must be installed in a manner consistent with listing and approval use and compliance requirements.

    A passive fire protection example of an intumescent with strong expansion pressure. This intumescent is called Palusol. It is based on waterproofed sodium silicate. Another high-expansion intumescent popular for use in plastic pipe firestop devices is graphite. Graphite tends to be less affected by atmospheric conditions than many water-bearing intumescents.

    Construction of a test sample, consisting of a mock-up concrete floor frame, complete with penetrants. The concrete frame measures approximately 5 x 9 x 4″ (ca. 1.5m x 2.3m x 10cm). It has a large hole in the centre with many mechanical and electrical services traversing. The penetrants extend 1 (30cm) into the furnace and 3 (91cm) on the unexposed side. A firestop mortar is being applied here. Notice the intumescent wrap strip surrounding the fibreglass pipe insulation. When the fire starts, this embedded intumescent will swell to take up the place of the melting insulation. The test was conducted in accordance with the Canadian firestop test method ULC in Scarborough, Ontario.

    References

    ^ DIBt – Deutsches Institut fr Bautechnik

    ^ http://www.ulc.ca/]S-115

    See also

    Fire test

    Fire-resistance rating

    Hydrate

    Fire protection

    Passive fire protection

    Firestops

    Putty

    Fireproofing

    Firestop pillow

    Endothermic

    Sodium silicate

    Graphite

    Penetrant

    Bounding

    Construction

    External links

    “The proof is in the fire” Chemical Innovation Magazine, American Chemical Society

    Article about intumescent materials

    Translation of DIBt test procedure for intumescent building products

    Translation of DIBt test procedure for reactive spray fireproofing materials

    American Chemical Society: Fire Retardancy of Polypropylene Composites Using Intumescent Coatings

    Categories: Materials | Passive fire protection | Fire | Firestops
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    Franchising your way to retirement…

    WAITSFIELD, VERMONT…

    Owning and operating a franchise may be a great way to fund your retirement. Yet for more and more people who take an early retirement, it’s become a way to ease into full-time retirement. Franchising has even become a vehicle for some semi-retirees to move to their desired retirement destination.

    “The common perception of owning a franchise is that it becomes your life 24/7 unless you have deep pockets and can hire somebody to run your business,” said Peter Hans, owner of Resort Maps Franchise, Inc. “There are many franchise opportunities out there, like Resort Maps, that are cyclical or seasonal that you can adapt to your lifestyle and that’s drawing a lot of retirees who are not ready to completely slow down.

    Resort Maps publishes customized travel maps in more than 95 communities across the United States, England, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. Resort Maps are colorful, hand-drawn maps of towns and cities, distributed free to area visitors at rest and travel information areas, by advertisers and at other locations. The owners of the Charleston, South Carolina Resort Maps typify the new trend in franchisees.

    Hailing from central Pennsylvania, David and Mary Kay purchased a second home in Charleston in 2006. Since that time, both David, a clinical psychologist, and Mary Kay, healthcare and retail sales, retired from their respective careers. Not quite ready for full-time retirement and looking for a way to assimilate into their new hometown, the couple purchased the Best of Charleston Resort Maps franchise from their then neighbor.

    “Resort Maps is a great business opportunity for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it’s a great product that provides a great vehicle for advertisers to showcase their businesses while offering invaluable service to people visiting Charleston,” said David McLane. “The other main appeal of the Resort Maps business opportunity is that it fits our lifestyle and gives us a chance to meet and know more people in the Charleston community.”

    Allan Groves, 68, first became familiar with Resort Maps in the 1990s while living in Massachusetts. An economist and entrepreneur, Groves was semi-retired when he and his wife Camille relocated to Monterey to be closer to their two grown daughters. Faced with the realization that their nest egg might not be enough for full-time retirement, he purchased the Best of Monterey map in 2005 and the Best of Carmel map in 2007.

    Besides providing an income, the Resort Maps opened other doors for Groves. “One of my passions is politics. As someone who has been deeply affected by the healthcare situation in this country it was very important for me to be a part of the most recent presidential election,” said Groves. “Because Resort Maps is seasonal, I had the flexibility to be a three-county volunteer coordinator for President Obama’s California efforts and I ended up overseeing 500 other volunteers. I don’t want to overstate my role in helping get the President elected, but I am grateful that the Resort Maps franchise opportunity offered the freedom to work for him.”

    Resort Maps began creating and publishing maps in the northeastern U.S. back in 1986. In an effort to continue the company’s growth and simultaneously maintain the quality of the product, Resort Maps became a franchisor in 1993. Since adopting the franchise model, Resort Maps has grown steadily to more than 95 maps distributed across 20 states as well as towns and cities in England, Costa Rica and Puerto Rico.

    Adds Hans, “We’re probably a little different than most franchise opportunities. It’s the charge of our franchise owners to find advertisers for the map in their territory. The time frame in which the franchise owner finds those advertisers is totally up to them. So they’re not stuck in the 9-to-5, Monday through Friday, 12 months a year grind. An opportunity like that fits into the lifestyle of many sixty-somethings as well as single mothers, couples, recent graduates or even current college students.”

    About Resort Maps

    Headquartered in the Green Mountains of Vermont, Resort Maps has been creating and publishing advertising maps in the northeastern U.S. since 1986. In 1993, Resort Maps expanded its reach by creating a franchise model for distribution of its colorful, hand-drawn maps of resort towns and cities. Today, that network of franchises has grown to over 95 Resort Maps in publication in the US and the UK, with several more in the process of being published. More than 20 million Resort Maps will be printed and distributed in 2009.

    For more information on Resort Maps and/or the franchise opportunity, visit www.resortmaps.com or call 802-496-6277.

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    Notting Hill College: Success through Partnership

    If you’re looking to start or develop your own enterprise in the field of continuing education, you would do well to consider Notting Hill College and the business openings this growing institution offers. Whether you’re a fledgling entrepreneur or established course provider, the College fosters an array of opportunities for mutual business development that should not be overlooked. Notting Hill College is a British based institution specialising in further education and vocational training. Since its inception in 2004 the College has rapidly expanded its global reach thanks in no small part to its unusually successful franchising network. In this and other areas the key to NHC’s remarkable rise seems to be its genuinely people-centred ethos, which enables it to embrace policies that are mutually beneficial for the mother organisation and its partners and franchisees. The College is more than just a business however, and its people-centred attitude is reflected in its programmes, methodology and materials. Joining the College’s network of Partners, Agents and Accredited Course Providers is therefore a truly cooperative venture. Perhaps the most promising of the openings that Notting Hill College offers is what it dubs its Unique Business Opportunity. Aimed at potential partner centres, this venture represents a short-cut into the higher echelons of three lucrative and intrinsically trans-national training fields: language training, teacher training and business and soft skills training. Partners are expected to deliver Notting Hill College courses from one or more of the above fields, using syllabi and course materials exclusive to the College. In addition to access to these core training resources, NHC Partners are also provided with substantial support in setting up and running their centres that goes far beyond the usual technical guides and corporate identity manuals. Rather, franchisees are assigned a dedicated Business Development Manager who is available to provide technical, marketing and other support in person when necessary. The whole process is made refreshingly easy thanks to the online systems Notting Hill College already has in place for the benefit of its network. These include a Learning Management System for students, an Online Operational System for the use of NHC Partner Centres and an Online Administration System for Master Franchisees. Collectively these online systems drastically reduce the resources required to manage training centres efficiently and effectively so that they meet the high standards of customer service that the College has already established for itself. It goes without saying that NHC Partners also benefit from association with the College as a market-leading training provider with a flawless reputation, growing stature and mounting accolades for innovation. This takes the form of direct promotion via links on the College’s main website – a virtual hub for potential learners worldwide – as well as the more subtle influence of branding and design. Another venture worth considering, especially for established training providers, is accrediting your courses for credit transfer into Notting Hill College’s Master of Arts in TEFL. Again this enables you to buy into the College’s global reach and internationally respected status. Moreover, it gives your students and potential students access to a cutting-edge higher education teacher training programme that fills what has until recently been a striking gap in the TEFL market. Notting Hill College is an organisation that is clearly going places and in the spirit of twenty first century global partnership, it’s not closing the door behind it but opening doors for others to follow. Perhaps the most compelling thing about the College, though, is that it has maintained the integrity of its aims and methodology whilst hosting such a broad range of training solutions under its umbrella. Students of business will agree that such strongly articulated aims are gold dust in respect of the limitless potential opportunities today’s global market affords.

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    Wedding Industry Development of China's present situation and prospects

    With the rapid growth of China’s national economy, the people continuously improve the quality of life; the concept of continuous improvement with the dress code, people chasing the pace of fashion more and more quickly, new wedding dress is also higher for the expectations and requirements; the same time This is a blend of East and West era, the West’s social etiquette also recognized by us to accept and follow the implementation of all that our dress has entered a new era. Therefore, the growing market demand for wedding, wedding garments rate increased year by year, wedding production and sale of a large number of companies chasing hot spots.

    1, wedding market demand conditions

    (A) to dig gold wedding market

    According to the China Private Economy Weekly, 2008-03-08 “wedding market and gold could be dug” in reports: “the last century, before and after the baby boom in 1980 led directly to the peak in recent years, the marriage. National Center for Marriage Industry Survey March 2006 published “China’s wedding industry development report” shows that in recent years, in China each year there are about 10 million pairs of couples tie the knot, married people are willing to put their savings to 31% for and wedding-related spending in 2005, for example, only the new urban consumer spent on the wedding as many as 418.3 billion yuan. ”

    “According to incomplete statistics, in wedding consumption, about 90% of the newcomers are willing to spend the entire wedding budget is about 15%, to buy or rent wedding wedding wedding photography. A large market demand makes the Chinese market continues to heat up wedding also contributed to the wedding consumer market. ”

    Industry analysis, and now the market in China, most of the wedding wedding photo studio in the city is close to saturation point, after only strive for perfection and integration to achieve a breakthrough, a wedding in this market growth is limited. But the wedding consumer market is just getting started, and has great potential.

    (B) The wedding dress needs survey

    The author in Fuzhou for 20 — 30 years old women, conducted a questionnaire survey, a total of 500 questionnaires were sent. Its findings are as follows: on the assumption that select only the premise of wearing a wedding dress, there is 72.3% of people choose to wear wedding wedding day, 25.2% of people choose to wear a Chinese dress, 2.5% of people choose to the general package. Wedding has a choice of ways as follows: 38.2% of people choose to rent, 49.5% of people choose to buy 12.3% of the people to produce their own.

    Needless to doubt, wedding, or an absolute appeal, but can not be ignored, there are a considerable number of people deeply in love with Chinese-style wedding dress, while the board is how the package is not popular. The analysis concluded that the questionnaire: the growing popularity of wedding, showing the wedding market, strong vitality. In the past, individuals buying pieces of a very extravagant wedding dress is a matter can only be leased, but with the improvement of living standards, have their own wedding many people have become an essential part of marriage. To buy a wedding dress belonging to his own wedding —– props of marriage was finally divorced from the “Destiny”, the real meaning of love is given.

    (C) changes in consumption patterns wedding dress

    According to 2007 Chinese wedding market research report shows that the choice of consumer items in the marriage ,2006-2007 just right after we were married couples need to choose the main services and products, its first choice for wedding photography (85.6% of the newcomers need to take wedding photos) ; followed by wedding services (78.74% of the newcomers went to restaurants and wedding preparations); and then followed by a wedding services, honeymoon travel and purchase wedding, or 56.2% of the new plans to ask the company for their wedding weddings; 46.4% of the newcomers will be arrangements for the honeymoon tourism; 36.6% of the purchase of new wedding dress for the bride.

    90 years ago, mostly wedding wedding wedding photography shops or rental hi, and style, color choices is relatively small. In recent years, wedding industry, as domestic development and newcomers to the wedding of health and personal requirements, triggered a wave of buy a wedding dress, wedding dress the surge in consumption. At present, the wedding “to buy on behalf of the rent” consumption trend has been accepted by a majority of married people. In many newly married people, the price of renting wedding RMB 180 Yuan / times — 600 yuan / time (depending on wedding Xinjiuchengduo may be), high-end is necessary to a thousand dollars, in fact, buy a new wedding costs much better than this, but the couple who have a permanent commemorative value. Therefore, most consumers tend to purchase wedding dress. And the reprocessing of the old wedding dress can not guarantee that many new people in order to avoid cross-infection, but also chose the “buy on behalf of the rent” consumption patterns.

    Second, the status quo of China’s wedding industry development

    (1) My wedding production and sales of regional

    A broad outlook and large market demand-led industrial development of the wedding, wedding dress industry in China, has a certain size, grade and efficiency of wedding dress manufacturers mainly concentrated in Chaozhou, Guangdong, Zhongshan, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Suzhou, Jiangsu, Xiamen and Quanzhou, Fujian and other places, they are mainly engaged in trade processing. China engaged in producing and selling wedding dress body of more than 1500 business, employing more than 3 million people. As the wedding of one of the main producer of Suzhou, the current wedding industry has developed rapidly in Shanghai, Chaozhou and other places of the wedding followed by processing industries.

    Now China has become the wedding wholesale market in Guangzhou, the two major distribution center in Suzhou, Guangzhou Jiangnan Avenue, a wedding, North Street, was formed in the early 80s of the last century, is well-known wedding street in Guangzhou, which is the country’s largest distribution center for one of the exclusive wedding of the transaction . Wedding in Guangzhou market has formed a high-middle and low irregular scattered industrial layout, but in recent years by the wedding, Suzhou Street, the impact of micro-effects gradually.

    China, one of the four famous embroidery embroidered tidal producer Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province, in 2004 by China Textile Industry Association, China National Garment Association awarded “China’s city wedding dress,” the honorary title of China’s largest wedding dress design center and export production base. The relevant department, out of Paris, the European elite senior social sites like the evening gown worn by most produced in Guangdong’s Chaozhou; and the United States of America’s annual appraisal wedding, the Composite Index ranked the top 3 products are from Chaozhou. Statistics show that annual production of Chaozhou evening dress wedding nearly 20 million (sets), output value of more than 40 billion yuan, more than 70% products are exported to Europe and the United States more than 20 countries and regions.

    (B) the status of my wedding dress brand

    In China the fierce market competition, on an international wedding Cai, Guangdong FAMORY wedding, Ella Wedding Gown, Li Yisha Wang-Cheng, VIVAN brand wedding, wood really a dress, rich and beautiful wedding dress yarn, Century bride wedding dress, princess dress, Lin Li stand out as the “2006 China Top Ten brisk sales wedding dress brand.”

    (3) Wedding production model

    Processing of the current domestic wedding to go 2 the main road, one domestic, two are exported, export sales, but the whole is far greater than domestic sales. Some of the large factory in Guangzhou wedding Zhizuo export. More than 80% of the world’s wedding brands are OEM in China’s domestic processing, because of prior agreements signed, the wedding will not be sold in the country.

    Wedding abroad a very mature industry, wedding, or processing of export production are generally provided by foreign businessmen image processing, risk, profit thick. The wedding industry in the domestic market started late in the development of immature, many people in our understanding of the wedding is not enough, so for the wedding of the consumer and abroad are very different. The domestic market is not much profit, the majority of manufacturers believe that the domestic wedding market risks, low profits. Therefore, the domestic wedding market is basically low-end product, low cost, working poor.

    On China’s wedding industry proposals and the prospects for

    According to China’s Marriage Fair for research related to industry experts, national wedding photo studio an average annual rate of increase of 10%. The same time, wedding services, wedding photography, wedding dress production, wedding services, driven by four industry leaders, and gradually formed a marriage of consumer products and services as the core of the industry cluster. Wedding industry, the rise of China and a huge consumer market has attracted attention world counterparts.

    The past five years, in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and other places, wedding industry, the exhibition for the industry to rely on the exchange, promotion of relevant trade and local market sales, has become the consensus of businessmen and manufacturers. Among the many wedding exhibition, China International Wedding Fair has developed into China and the world’s best-known wedding industry exhibition. Self-organized three years, the China International Wedding Expo in succession to meet the world’s top brands in more than 30 exhibitors. February 29, 2008 Seventh China (Beijing) International Fair of the success of marriage, has attracted the attention of many. It is reported that it introduced in the southern, central, southwest and the northeast, the region’s major cities overflow, which will become the China International Wedding Expo Wedding Fashion weathervane.

    Problems on China’s wedding market, some suggestions: 1. Attention to the wedding culture, and to promote caring service, honest service. 2. To carry out market research to fully develop the domestic wedding consumer market. 3. Create wedding industry, well-known brands, build the core competitiveness, improve enterprise management level. 4. Wedding design should follow the “wedding and the dress,” while the textile industry standard specifications to meet the individual needs of wedding. 5. Make full use of Internet and other modern technological means, so that in the wedding industry to play a greater role in advocacy and sales.

    My wedding industry should grasp the opportunity to calmly deal with in order in the wedding industry, “Nuggets” industries continued to expand, the wedding cake of growing consumer market in an invincible position.
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    Good things come in threes… DirectBuy of Pinellas County celebrates third anniversary

     

    PINELLAS COUNTY, FLORIDA…

    “We’ve enjoyed our first three years getting to know our members and helping families in the area realize their dreams, as well as establishing ourselves as part of our community,” said Debbie Wisniewski, co-owner of DirectBuy of Pinellas County. “We’ve made many friends over the last three years and are looking forward to making many more while helping them buy better and spend less.”

     

    The leading home improvement and furnishings club with direct insider prices, DirectBuy of Pinellas County offers products ranging from light fixtures to televisions to kitchen cabinets, from more than 700 manufacturers or their authorized suppliers at direct insider prices. DirectBuy Club also offers design and delivery services to its members, as well as a listing of local contractors who offer installation services, many times at a discounted rate.

     

    “There’s nothing like the feeling you get when helping members put together a new kitchen or bath they never thought was even possible,” said Pete Wisniewski, co-owner of DirectBuy of Pinellas County. “We’re also thrilled when members share their excitement over their new furniture or what they can now afford for Mother’s Day or any other holiday.”

     

    Since 2007, DirectBuy of Pinellas County has helped consumers enjoy enormous savings on home furnishings, home improvement items, entertainment and outdoor products, flooring, and accessories by providing an avenue to purchase directly from manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. Conveniently located at 8040 Bryan Dairy Road, Suite B in Largo, DirectBuy Club offers consumers a comfortable setting where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

     

    About DirectBuy Club

     

    For more than 39 years, DirectBuy Club has been showing thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories, and much, much more. With more than 150 locations in North America, DirectBuy Club offers its members access to more than 700 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in the U.S. and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers or their authorized suppliers in Canada. Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy Club’s savings, service, and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuy.com or www.directbuycares.com.

     

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    Dongguan bags, shoes and other export growth and stability

    Last year, Guan 113.3 billion U.S. dollars worth of imports and exports, the growth rate fell 20.7 percentage points; overall slowdown in processing trade.

    According to customs statistics, in 2008, Dongguan City, the value of total imports and exports 113.3 billion U.S. dollars, compared with 2007 (the same below) grew by 6.1%, growth rate down 20.7 percentage points. Around the city in Guangdong Province, Dongguan’s foreign trade import and export value, export value, import value is ranked second, behind Shenzhen’s foreign trade growth, but lower than that in Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Foshan, the three cities.

    Among this, exports 65.54 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 8.9% growth rate down 18.1 percentage points; imported 47.76 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 2.5% growth rate down 23.9 percentage points; to realize an annual trade surplus of 17.78 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 30.7%.

    In August, after a marked decline in foreign trade growth

    Early 2008, subject to international energy prices and the depreciation of the dollar impact of 1-July Dongguan’s foreign trade rose by 19.6% since August last year, began a marked decline in trade growth and even decline, showing a “pre-heat, cool” trend. Dongguan, in August last year, import and export growth fell to 4.3%; imports into a negative growth of 0.7%. The next four months, import and export decline is widening, in October last year the value of imports and exports since February 2005 appeared the first time since negative growth.

    Processing trade in 2008, Dongguan full deceleration. Dongguan last year 99.33 billion U.S. dollars of processing trade imports and exports, up 4.3%, an increase of 20.8 percentage points decline in the import and export value of Dongguan’s foreign trade import and export value accounted for 87.7%. General trade reached 9.43 billion U.S. dollars imports and exports, an increase of 29.4%, an increase of drop 9.2 percentage points. Professionals pointed out that the slowdown in processing trade, the total value of a direct drag on growth in foreign trade, and the general trade is the only way in a variety of trade, decline in the growth control within 10 percentage points.

    Shoes, bags export growth and stability

    In 2008, Dongguan exports 65.54 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 8.9% growth rate down 18.1 percentage points. Among them, mechanical and electrical products exported 48.37 billion U.S. dollars, up 10.8%, accounting for 73.8% of export value, the proportion of slight 1.3 percentage points; export hi-tech products (with the mechanical and electrical products have cross) 23.53 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 3.9%, an increase of drop 60.5 percentage points.

    Traditional bulk commodities, footwear, bags maintained a double-digit growth, but furniture, textiles, toys and plastic products are stagnating or falling. Of these, total exports of furniture and parts thereof was 27.8 billion U.S. dollars, Bi Zeng 1.3%; toy export volume was 14.7 billion U.S. dollars, down 3.7%; textiles (including clothing and textile yarn) exports of 4.66 billion U.S. dollars, Bi Zeng 1.6% plastic products 1.07 billion U.S. dollars, compared with 8.7% down.

    The major trading partners, both exports and imports are slowing

    In 2008, Dongguan on both exports and imports of all major trading partners are slowing. Hong Kong, the United States, the European Union is still in 2008, Dongguan’s foreign trade import and export of key partners and major export markets.

    Imports, the Chinese mainland China Taiwan and Japan continues to occupy a pre-3 source of imports. Dongguan’s industrial structure due to the “two out” as the mainstay, the international financial tsunami on the main source of imports and key market data on the performance of exports is equally clear, an increase largely down to single digits or even declined.
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