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Soncell announces major strategic acquisition

Soncell North America, the Homeland Security Division of Bowmer & Kirkland Group – one of UK’s largest privately owned construction and development companies – announced today that it has completed the strategic acquisition of US-based industry leaders in the public safety sector. Ten companies including: AEP-Arizona, AEP-California, AEP-Colorado, AEP-Nevada, AEP-New Mexico, AEP-Utah, Auto Additions, AZ EP Fleet, Emergency Vehicle Solutions and Patrol Power have been strategically acquired by Soncell to create AEP North America

By fusing ten leading companies, AEP North America brings together the industry’s most comprehensive portfolio of services, technologies and expertise. The combined organization has the technical resources and intellectual property required to deliver maximum value to customers. With leading technology, a premier partner network and an organization dedicated to public safety, the company will be able to compete more effectively in new and expanding markets and provide value for its most important stakeholders – its customers, partners, and employees.

Soncell North America offers the industry a single source with a complete range of high quality, enterprise-class solutions and multi-channel execution with its three distinctive business units: AEP North America, Soncell Products and Soncell Services.

Bringing together companies with complementary strategic visions, services, and technologies allowed us to expand our reach across the United States and gain market share. We have become the nation’s largest emergency vehicle up-fitter with coast-to-coast service and product support. We now have a tremendous opportunity for further growth based on our mutual strengths and experience.

"For Bowmer and Kirkland, this strategic transaction provides our collective teams a unique opportunity to enhance customer service, advance product development and most importantly, service the communities in which we do business.“ – Melvin Sheldon, Group Finance Director, Bowmer & Kirkland, Ltd.

The Bowmer & Kirkland Group is one of the largest and most successful privately-owned construction and development groups in the UK with sales in 2008 exceeding $1.7 billion.

2009-04-16_105442 Press Release – Download

Overview – Download

2009-04-16_105746

Facing Bankruptcy, Tomar Seeks To Stay Traffic Case

Facing Bankruptcy, Tomar Seeks To Stay Traffic Case

Law360, New York (February 27, 2009) — Tomar Electronics Inc. is asking a court to stay enforcement of an injunction and $6.75 million damage award in a patent suit filed by Global Traffic Technologies LLC over traffic preemption systems for emergency vehicles, saying that the judgment will send the company into bankruptcy.

In its motion, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, Tomar asked the court to stay enforcement of the judgment pending consideration of various post-trial…

See the full article here: LAW360

Articles leading up to this decision:

Pulled from: BusinessWeek

Global Traffic Technologies Wins Comprehensive Permanent Injunction against Tomar Electronics Inc. in Patent Infringement Suit

01/27/2009

A judge in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis issued a comprehensive permanent injunction on January 22 in favor of Global Traffic Technologies, LLC. Chief Judge Michael J. Davis enjoined defendant Tomar Electronics Inc. from any future manufacture or sale of products found to infringe U.S. Patent No. 5,172,113. The injunction ruling comes three months after a U.S. District Court jury awarded Global Traffic Technologies $6.75 million in damages for past infringement by Tomar Electronics. The original patent infringement claim against Tomar Electronics was filed on April 13, 2005. Global Traffic Technologies won an order of infringement against Tomar Electronics on December 27, 2007, when the court found infringement of multiple patent claims. The monetary damages verdict was awarded on October 22, 2008. Faegre & Benson LLP has represented Global Traffic Technologies in all phases of this suit.

Global Traffic Technologies Awarded Default Judgment in U.S. Patent Suit Against Tomar Electronics

01/30/2008

Global Traffic Technologies has won a default judgment of infringement in its U.S. Patent infringement lawsuit against Tomar Electronics Inc., Gilbert, Ariz. U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Davis issued the ruling in Minneapolis on Dec. 27, 2007. The lawsuit involves GTT’s traffic signal preemption technology, marketed under the name Opticom(TM) Infrared Systems, and Tomar’s Strobecom(R) II System. The impact of the court’s ruling is that Tomar has been found to infringe multiple claims of GTT’s U.S. Patent No. 5,172,113. Additional proceedings will be scheduled to address the issue of remedy, including damages and an injunction.


Havis-Shields and LEDCO-Chargeguard Announce Merger

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For Immediate Release – Havis-Shields 

Havis-Shields and LEDCO-Chargeguard Announce Merger to Provide Emergency Vehicle,     Transportation And Mobile Workspace Customers with Expanded Line of Industry Leading Products

WARMINSTER, Pa. — March 3, 2009 — Havis-Shields, the leading manufacturer of  mission critical products designed for public safety fleet and fire vehicles,  today announced a merger with LEDCO-Chargeguard, Plymouth, Mich.,  a leading manufacturer of mobile computing solutions and vehicle power management systems.  The merger of these two trusted industry leaders will define the new mobile workspace. This partnership truly delivers on maximizing worker productivity.

            The combination of Havis-Shields and LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD creates a broad portfolio that better serves the mobile workspace by offering a complete line of products.  This broad product portfolio includes emergency lighting, consoles, docking stations and security transport systems.  For the first time ever, customers will be able to utilize a single provider for fleet and IT solutions requirements, reducing total cost of ownership and improving service and support. 

            As part of the merger, current Havis-Shields president, Joe Bernert, will become the chairman and chief executive officer of the newly formed company.  Michael Bernert, currently the vice president of sales and marketing for Havis-Shields, will become the president of the merged companies, and current LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD president, Mike Zani, will become the new company’s chief operating officer. 

            Havis-Shields’ Joe Bernert said the merger is a win-win for both companies and will provide its respective customers with an expanded line of the most comfortable and safest solutions in the industry.   “We think the merger of Havis-Shields and LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD will give us the opportunity to increase the level of service and the quality of products we provide to our customers”.

            Michael Bernert further explained that “this merger will give our Fleet and IT sales channel partners access to both LEDCO-CHARGEGUARDS’s industry leading docking products and Havis-Shields innovative mounting solutions.” 

            LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD’s Mike Zani agreed, and said the merger will bring two industry leaders together to provide customers with a "one-stop shop" for all their mobile computing, mission critical fleet and vehicle power management solutions.  "Havis-Shields is one of the most trusted names in public safety and mission critical equipment.  That reputation,  coupled with the perfect  fit of LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD’s respective product lines gives us the ability to quickly respond to customer needs with the best and most complete mobile workplace equipment in the market, all from one source," Zani said.

            The company headquarters will remain in Warminster, Pa., and the current LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD manufacturing and marketing offices will remain in the Detroit suburb of Plymouth, Mich.  Joe Bernert said that each company will continue with a "business as usual" philosophy, and that current Havis-Shields and LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD customers will continue to work with their current company representatives for products and services.

About Havis-Shields

Havis-Shields Equipment Corporation, headquartered in Warminster, PA is the leading manufacturer of emergency vehicle consoles, computer mounts, prisoner transport systems, K-9 transports and emergency scene lighting.    Havis-Shields products support mission critical public safety and fire applications with its focus on fleet support and quick-to-market product design, development and fabrication. Havis-Shields maintains a state of the art manufacturing facility utilizing state of the art CNC equipment and a fully automated powder coating paint system.  Havis-Shields is uniquely qualified to provide vehicle installation services for public safety vehicles in its PA facilities.  This capability allows Havis-Shields to remain on the leading edge of automotive design changes resulting in the most efficient and thoroughly tested solutions on the market.  And with over 100 dedicated employees serving the public safety and fire marketplace, Havis-Shields is large enough to handle the most demanding jobs.  To contact Havis-Shields and learn more about these world-class products and services, please visit www.havis.com or call 1-800-524-9900. 

About LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD
A progressive private company with national presence, known for its innovative mobile computing solutions¾ LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD designs and delivers cutting edge products and services for its two core product lines. The LEDCO product line focuses on maximizing mobile worker productivity by providing mounting and docking equipment with the most comfortable designs, the industry’s safest solutions, tested to the highest quality standards. The CHARGEGUARDÒ product line offers the industry’s original battery saver and other power management devices that safeguard against dead batteries, high-voltage problems, stranded people and lost productivity. The people of LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD are committed to helping you solve your mobile computing needs with a passion for becoming the number one manufacturer of rugged peripherals and mounts. For more information regarding LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD, its products or people, please visit www.LEDCO-CHARGEGUARD.com or call 1.877.875.5524.