Industry News
Nortel to Spend $38 Million in Mexican Center of Excellent
Representatives of Nortel announced the opening of its new Customer Service Center of Excellence (CoE), in Mexico City, where more than 300 newly-hired professionals will focus on delivering services and telecom solutions to service providers across North America, Europe, Caribbean and Latin America.
Nortel plans to invest and spend US$38 million in the new Customer Service CoE over the next five years which is focused on next-generation network (NGN) engineering, VoIP solutions, multimedia, databases and radio-frequency technologies for global service providers and carriers. The CoE will be powered by state of the art tools, quality processes such as Lean Six Sigma and the latest in Nortel technology. It will support order management and network engineering and field operations such as delivery and application of remote software integration. Nortel intends to hire recent graduates from public and private Mexican universities to staff the CoE and should have 300 employees working at the CoE by June 2007.
Nortel's new Customer Service CoE adds to the previously-established VoIP CoE, which has been operating in Mexico for over one year, now under the management of Rafael Velasco.
Nortel will drive process excellence at its new Customer Service CoE through three major focus areas: supplier life-cycle management; design or parts standardization; and a data-intensive best practice that examines product or component pricing and then uses that data to drive down costs through supplier negotiations.
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Lockheed Martin Awarded $110 Million Contract for Upgrades
Lockheed Martin has entered into a contract to upgrade and enhance the capabilities of the C-130J Super Hercules transports flown by four international operators. Valued at approximately $110 million, this enhancement will allow the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy and Denmark to benefit from a joint program that represents a significant milestone in international cooperation on a major weapon system.
This program is designed to provide a value-for-money approach to upgrading aircraft with common components and also provides flexibility, allowing each nation to add national capabilities unique to their operations. As new requirements are placed on operators and operational use of the C 130J grows, this joint program will allow countries to stay at the very forefront of tactical airlift capability.
Known as Block 6.1, the upgrades to the aircraft systems include:
- Communications Navigation Surveillance/Air Traffic Management enhanced identification friend or foe
- A common flight management system
- Takeoff and landing data update enhancements
- A terrain awareness warning system with both audio and visual cues
- Development of a PC-based system called the data transfer and diagnostics system (DTADS) to enhance aircraft diagnostics and health management
- An updated loading ramp and door hydraulics system to support high altitude airdrops
- A safe/gunbox /storage unit on the aircraft
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Raytheon Names Former CIA Executive to Lead Multi-Int Strategy for Intelligence and Information Systems Business
Raytheon Company has appointed Michael P. "Mike" Morgan, a 26-year CIA veteran, to lead its multi-int strategy for its Intelligence and Information Systems (IIS) business, a $2.5 billion unit specializing in intelligence, information systems and technology.
In this role, Morgan will develop business development initiatives to strengthen and expand IIS' expertise in the intelligence sector, helping to assure that IIS intelligence solutions are responsive to operational priorities of the intelligence community.
Morgan's most recent assignment was with the CIA's Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Prior to this post, he held a variety of senior level intelligence positions with the CIA.
Morgan holds a bachelor of arts degree in government from Dartmouth College. He is the recipient of the Intelligence Commendation Medal, the Director's Medal and several other prestigious awards.
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Caroline Guillaumin Appointed Vice President, Corporate Communications of Alcatel
Representatives of Alcatel announced that Caroline Guillaumin has been appointed vice president of corporate communications effective immediately. She will also coordinate the company sustainable development policy. Caroline Guillaumin will have the same position in the combined company with Lucent Technologies. She will report to Claire Pedini, the senior vice p resident of corporate human resources and communications of Alcatel.
Caroline Guillaumin was communications and corporate social responsibility director of SFR, since May 2003. She was previously corporate internal and external communications director of Alcatel, from June 1999 to May 2003, and from 1998 to 1999, senior marketing and communications manager at Alcatel Answare, an Alcatel company. From 1997 to 1998, she was Europe marketing and communications director for Verity, Inc. From 1990 to 1998, Caroline Guillaumin held several positions in marketing and communications at P.C. Publishing, Inc. in France and in the United States (Los Angeles and Boston). Caroline Guillaumin is a graduate in political sciences (IEP Bordeaux), and holds a Master of Arts in international relations from the Boston University, MA.
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Toshiba Completes Westinghouse Acquisition
Representatives of Toshiba Corporation announced the acquisition of BNFL USA Group Inc. and Westinghouse UK Limited (collectively Westinghouse), following completion of the final arrangements with British Nuclear Fuels Limited on October 16. Westinghouse Electric Company is now a Toshiba Corporation consolidated group company.
The integration of Westinghouse into Toshiba, along with its extensive expertise in nuclear power generation and nuclear fuel and worldwide market presence, is of great significance in terms of taking Toshiba Group's energy systems business to the global level. The powerful combination of Toshiba and Westinghouse's respective strengths, complementary technologies and businesses, will position Toshiba as the world's leading nuclear power group, with an unrivaled business range extending to both Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) and Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) systems.
Toshiba established two holding companies in the U.S. and the U.K., Toshiba Nuclear Energy Holdings (US) Inc. and Toshiba Nuclear Energy Holdings (UK) Limited, to carry out the acquisition. Through these holding companies, Toshiba has invested US4,158 million dollars in acquiring a 77 percent share of Westinghouse, giving Toshiba management control of the company. The remaining 23% is held by two strategic partner companies: the Shaw Group Inc. of the USA invested US$1,080 million dollars in a 20% stake, while Japan's Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. (IHI) invested US$162 million dollars in a 3% stake. Toshiba discussed capital participation with potential partners in terms of mutual understanding of long-term business strategy, a shared market vision, and complementary relations and maximized synergies in conducting business. Toshiba continues discussions with several potential partners.
Following the acquisition, Westinghouse will retain its operating autonomy and remain headquartered in Pennsylvania. By strengthening Westinghouse's operational structure to maximize synergy with Toshiba and its partners, Toshiba will seek to promote the expansion of Westinghouse's business.
There is renewed global interest in nuclear energy, driven by concerns to secure stable electric power supplies, promote conservation, and develop environmentally friendly energy technologies. Public awareness of the need for additional nuclear energy capacity is emerging in the United States and Europe, and in the fast-growing Asian economies. China and other growing economies have already planned new investments in plant construction. There are currently 439 nuclear power plants in operation worldwide, and demand for nuclear energy is expected to grow, as it complements the resource-saving and recycling-oriented society of the 21st century. From 2002 to 2020, the global nuclear energy market is expected to grow 130-gigawatt, equivalent to 130 1-gigawatt plants, the typical plant size anticipated in future.
By integrating Westinghouse's operations and promoting operational and technological synergies, Toshiba expects sales in its nuclear power business to expand to 700 billion yen by 2015 and 900 billion yen by 2020, compared with 200 billion yen today.
