Aralco News Archives
There has been a lot of exciting news in the past few months at Aralco.
Remote Installations
Over the past 20 years, we have installed systems across Canada and USA, however, the system installations always involved a lot of manual tasks such as personal demonstrations, Installations that involved shipping out disks and CDs followed by dialing into clients’ machines and doing a lot of the manual work over the phone.
Long distance training also was challenge unless we arranged traveling to the client site which became expensive.
In the past 18 months, we have implemented a fully web-based demonstration system whereby companies around the world have had access to see our product strengths and main features.
We have extended the web-based educational video applications to the training of the Aralco Back Office and POS Systems where the Aralco clients can have unlimited access for all their company staff at their convenience.
The demonstration and training videos are extremely useful tools when dealing with clients who are not within immediate reach or in different time zones.
Our new multi-language and user-definable system designs will also be instrumental in enabling Aralco to reach markets beyond North America.
Here are some of the territories we have successfully “remotely” installed the new Aralco systems into and had the clients complete their training using our web-based training videos:
- Mainland China
- Alabama
- Florida
- Ontario
The amazing part about the above installations is that we have never met these clients in person and have mostly used the electronic methods to communicate with them.
We are very excited about the potentials we have ahead of us.
Back to top
Partner Program
Due to an overwhelming interest from professionals around the globe wishing to participate in a partnership program with Aralco and promote our products in their regions, we are starting a new division to handle their individual needs and to accommodate their geographic and regional requirements.
We are currently negotiating with a number of companies, namely in Europe, USA and Eastern Canada.
Back to to
New Marketing team
Regardless of how powerful the Aralco products are, the key is to making our potential markets aware of the wonderful contributions Aralco can make to their operations.
In the past year, we have hired some top professionals with extensive experience in marketing of business software and IT arena and in a very short time they have produced amazing results.
Back to top
New Programmers
Our constantly expanding client base and new developments that take the Aralco products into new territories have resulted in a bigger demand for development expertise.
Over the last six months, we have been actively searching the market for to recruit talented programmers and have been extremely successful in training a great new team.
Back to top
New Support Team
We have always been committed to providing an excellent after sales support and related services. As our client base grows, we continually assess the support call throughput and make sure all the calls are handled in a timely manner.
In the past year, we have searched for, found and trained a number of talented individuals who in time will prove to be the key to our success in “winning our customers hearts”
Back to top
New Offices
Although the current offices have served Aralco very well over the past number of years, with the recent expansions we are planning on moving to new premises with approximately four times the capacity of the current location. The new building will house our expanding research and development as well as the technical support and marketing team. We will also offer training/ group training facilities at the new location.
212-828 Harbourside Drive, North Vancouver, V7P 3R9
Back to top
Wal-Mart Abandonds Possible Site
Source: Vernon Morning Star, Lachlan Labere, August 11, 2006
Salmon Arm.
Plans for a Wal-Mart in Salmon Arm appear to be on hold. For over a year the retail giant has been involved in negotiations with the Adams Lake Indian Band for the
development of a shopping centre on band land between 10th Street SW and 17th Street SW.
But the Salmon Arm Observer has learned from a Committee for a Strong and Sustainable Salmon Arm member that Wal-Mart has pulled away from the table, and the site is now being
looked at by Loblaw Properties Ltd. “We don’t have any confirmed plans at this time,” replied Wal-Mart spokesperson Christie Gallagher, who said she could provide no further information at
this time.
Adams Lake Chief Nelson Leon was also vague about what has transpired with Wal-Mart, and what plans are in store for the subject property. “No deals have been concluded on what’s going
on there,” said Leon. In January negotiations fell through between Wal-Mart and the Cowichan.
Tribes band in Duncan, B.C. If successful, the agreement would have served as a template for Salmon Arm’s Wal-Mart.
Back to top
Employment down 5,500Inventory control software Vancouver BC Canada | Point of sale News Toronto ON Canada in July
Source: CanWest News Service, Meagan Fitzpatrick, August 5, 2006.
Ottawa- Canada's unemployment rate edged up 0.3 percentage points to 6.4 per cent in July, fuelling speculation Canada is following the United States into an economic slowdown.
Employment fell for the second month in a row, dropping by 5,500 jobs in July, Statistics Canada reported. Full-time jobs were up 21,600, short of the 23,500 analysts were expecting. Coming on
the heels of a surprisingly weak gross domestic product report Monday that showed flat growth in May, evidence is mounting that growth in the Canadian economy is slowing. "When you put the
whole picture together, the Canadian economy looks to be slowing down," said Avery Shenfeld, senior economist at CIBC World Markets. "The GDP and employment numbers both suggest
that, and it's consistent with what we're seeing in the United States."
But analysts were quick to point out that overall unemployment levels are still near 30-year lows. The dip in employment should be taken in context, said Douglas Porter, deputy chief economist
at BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc. "Clearly the headline numbers are disappointing," he said. But "the drop in June and July followed a tremendous increase in May. In hindsight that May reading really
was a fluke. [July's reading] basically took us right back to where we were in April." There was a jump in the number of people entering the labour force in search of work in July, and the gains in full-time employment were offset by similar declines in part-time work, said the agency.
Analysts said Friday's figures confirmed the likelihood that the Bank of Canada will hold steady on interest rates in September at its next setting. "The widespread view was that the Bank of Canada was not going to raise rates in September and probably not in October either. This will simply cement that view," said Porter.
The Canadian dollar weakened following the Statistics Canada report, but pared those losses quickly when jobs data south of the border also came in weaker than expected, fuelling thoughts
the U.S. Federal Reserve will also refrain from future rate hikes. The currency finished at 88.63 cents US, well off its daily lows but still down from Thursday's North American close of 88.84
cents. Employment was little changed in almost all provinces for the second month in a row.
Alberta's employment growth remained three times higher than the national average, Saskatchewan experienced strong growth again and Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia
stayed virtually the same.
But Ontario is a source of concern, said Porter. Its unemployment rate climbed 0.6 percentage points in July to 6.5 per cent. "Ontario is clearly suffering, especially compared to the west," said Porter. "It's partly a function of just how tremendously well the four western provinces are doing, they are effectively at full employment because of the resources boom. The downside to the story is the fact that the manufacturing sector is struggling mightily and that's largely concentrated in Ontario."
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business
/story.html?id= 41519363-1a9d-4281-b417- 30186c232167
Back to top
B.C. Ski Resort to Spend Another C$100 Million
Source: First Tracks Online Ski Magazine, August 5, 2006.
Golden - With an estimated C$150 million already invested at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort turning the new British Columbia ski and snowboard resort's vision into reality, the momentum is
expected to continue over the coming three years with additional infrastructure and real estate projects.
Resort officials announced yesterday that they anticipate new commitments of over C$100 million by 2010 which will facilitate the continued growth and evolution of the ski resort's
plaza amenities, base village, mountain terrain and an enhanced overall guest experience.
“Six years of stable growth have paved a bright future for Kicking Horse Mountain Resort,” said Arijan van Vuure, President, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. “From the very beginning we’ve set
achievable visitation targets and have exceeded industry growth averages year over year.
We have pursued selective real estate projects unique to the market and have focused on establishing strong business fundamentals which has put us in a strong position moving forward,” he said.
To continue to stimulate growth Kicking Horse Mountain Resort’s primary shareholders have committed to invest over C$15 million in the coming three years to enhance mountain infrastructure and add complementary amenities. More details of the resort’s capital plan are
expected to be released in September. Over the coming three years, more than C$85 million in property development is expected to be attracted to the resort. Ongoing resort development will
further stimulate the addition of resort amenities including restaurants, bars and retail.
Some of the project highlights include:
• the completion of the luxurious 48-unit Palliser Lodge in December 2006;
• the completion of the high end 18-unit Selkirk Resort Homes;
• development of a new lodge in Gondola Plaza adding 50-units and additional retail and shopping;
• development of the exclusive Cabins of Kicking Horse project;
• development of the Aspens - town homes featuring 30 upscale one and two bedroom units.
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort currently boasts over 2,750 acres of ski and snowboard terrain, two condominium hotels, three boutique lodges, six restaurants, four retail locations as well as a number of ski-in/ski-out town homes and private mountain residences. The complete build-out of the resort will blend town homes, single family estates, condominium lodges and hotels together with shops, bars, ski terrain and additional recreational opportunities, including golf.
http://www.firsttracksonline.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=211
Back to top
The Ins and Outs of Purchasing an Established Business
Source: Kelowna Capital News, Donna Gallagher, August 23, 2006
Kelowna-As Kelowna is currently experiencing a lively economy, we are seeing many startup businesses as well as business purchases. If you are considering the purchase of an incorporated business, you need to understand what you are buying and what your options are. There are basically two methods by which an incorporated business can be purchased, either the shares of the company can be purchased, or just the assets and the business operations. The question then becomes: Which method is best for you and will that option be available? The following discussion is related only to the purchase of a Canadian controlled private corporation.
From the vendor's perspective, a share sale is usually preferable, while an asset purchase is normally preferable to the purchaser. Two main issues create these opposing preferences, legal
liability and tax consequences. Legal liability is the main issue to be considered by the purchaser. When you purchase the shares of a corporation, you are buying an entire company with its assets and liabilities (including any potential or contingent liabilities), current corporate structure and complete past history. If, for example, there is anything in the corporation's past that could give rise to a lawsuit, you may have bought yourself a problem. There is, therefore, always some risk in a share purchase, but it can be minimized.
Before purchasing the shares of any company, you should engage the services of a lawyer to perform what is known as "due diligence." This will involve procedures such as checking the past
legal history of the company, checking for registered claims or potential liabilities and confirming compliance with agencies such as the Canada Revenue Agency. Your lawyer will then draft a
purchase agreement that should address any possible future issues and specify how they will be handled. A contract however, is only as good as the word of the contracting parties. If one of the parties defaults on their responsibilities, the only real recourse available to the other party is to initiate a lawsuit. This can be very costly and is not a desirable option. The other issues to consider when deciding how to structure a purchase are the tax consequences to each party. When an individual sells the shares of a Canadian controlled private corporation, any gain on the sale is a capital gain for tax purposes, and thus is only 50 per cent taxable.
In addition, each individual taxpayer is allowed a tax-exempt lifetime maximum amount of $500,000 of this type of taxable gain. These tax rules generally make a share sale much more
attractive to the vendor. In a share purchase, the buyer will have a cost base on the shares equal to the purchase price and the corporation will retain the original tax cost on all its assets.
In an asset sale, the corporation itself actually sells the assets to the purchaser and incurs any resulting tax consequences. The gain and/or loss on each asset sold must be calculated and any resulting taxes paid by the corporation accordingly. A taxable recapture of previous capital cost allowance (depreciation for tax purposes) deducted may also be triggered. At this point, the
proceeds of the sale belong to the corporation. In order to get the funds into the hands of the shareholders (the vendors), they will have to be paid out to them (likely in the form of salaries or
dividends), and taxes must then be paid at the personal level.
An asset sale may result in more taxes and less net proceeds going to the vendor, often making it a less attractive option from the vendor's perspective. Whether you acquire the assets personally or incorporate your own company to purchase them, the cost base of each asset purchased will be the amount you actually paid for that asset. This cost will be the tax base used to depreciate the asset and/or to calculate future gains or losses on their disposition. In most cases, this will provide you with the most favourable future tax consequences. So how is a company ever purchased or sold, considering these competing interests?
The purchase price is simply adjusted up or down to offset the compromises each party is willing to make. To determine what price adjustment will be acceptable to you, the effects of each issue must be quantified. The risk of purchasing potential liabilities in a share purchase is very difficult to quantify, but an acceptable estimate must be calculated. Your accountant can assist you with this and can also determine the potential tax effects of each option. Although it is a general rule that a share purchase should be cheaper than an asset purchase, each situation will differ
depending on the type and age of the assets, the structure of the corporation, the type of business, the personal tax situation of the individuals, etc. Both accounting and legal advice should always be sought before considering any potential purchase.
Back to top
Back to School Season is Off to Early
Source: CanWest News Service, Wendy McLellan, August 20, 2006.
Vancouver-Just when you thought you had got rid of those worn-out magic markers and battered binders back-to-school advertising is, well, back, heralding yet another school year.
Is summer really disappearing so soon? Well, the rays are still with us, but hoping to lure customers back earlier to the second-most lucrative shopping season of the year, some retailers have moved up their back-to-school advertising to early August. A few even tested the waters in July, scant weeks after the little darlings had raced away from school to summer freedom. And many
parents seem to be in tune with the early start.
Port Coquitlam mom Debbie Callender used to leave back-to-school shopping until the last week of August, but has followed the trend and is shopping early. "I bought most of the school supplies last weekend because it can be so chaotic later and the selection is diminished," said Callender, who works at Vancity Saving Credit Union and has four children ages 11 to 16. "I wanted to beat the rush."
This weekend, she and the kids will shop for backpacks and then they'll tackle the clothes and shoes. "The backpacks are quite an issue and everyone wants something different," Callender
said. "They're also fussy about the running shoes, and the binders. Actually, they come with me for everything. "I have to prepare myself for the supplies -- I expect to spend about $300 to $400 per child, and that's not being outrageous." "We thought we'd get a jump on the season this year and people were definitely on it," said Christine Sommers, communications director for Future Shop, which started advertising just before the August long weekend. "We're busy already and it will keep going until after Labour Day. It's our second-busiest season after Christmas and it's going really well so far."
Staples had its back-to-school flyers out a week earlier than last year, said Richard Foster, district manager for the retailer's B.C. region. "I guess it was a conscious strategy that we were going to
invest more into back to school marketing this season," Foster said. "It seems people are shopping earlier this year and it looks like we'll have a better year for sales than last year."
Even stores that waited until mid-August to launch their campaigns are benefiting from the early ads. "Shopping definitely started early this year," said Sally Parrott, director of marketing for the trendsetting Aritzia shops. "I don't know if it was natural or whether the retailers started it, but I was seeing back-to-school ads the last couple of weeks of July."
Parrott said the stores have recorded higher sales in the past couple of weeks than in the same period last year, likely due to the change in denim shape from flared to skinnier legs. And despite` the warm weather, sweaters and parkas are also big sellers. "The back-to-school season seems to be getting earlier and earlier, and it's starting to generate a pull with the customers," she said.
However, not everyone is shopping earlier says Kari Baker, senior consultant with Vancouverbased
retail analyst, Sixth Line Solutions. "The back-to-school season used to be the last two weeks of August, but it has shifted now to the last week of August and the first week of September, when the kids go back to school and find out what everyone else is wearing.
"Retailers are trying to push their stock earlier, but consumers are actually shopping later. The retailers are trying to spread out the season, and the early ads may have got a little pickup, but
consumers still tend to procrastinate."
Nevertheless, this year's back-to-school season should be good for retailers. Nationally, retail sales are up six per cent this year compared to 2005, and B.C. has been outperforming most of
the country. According to a new survey by the Retail Council of Canada, 42 per cent of Canadians are planning to shop for school this year and will spend an average of $337. Nearly 30
per cent say they will spend $400 or more. According to the survey, traditional school supplies, clothes and shoes are still on most people's shopping lists, but cellphones and electronic
gadgets, such as laptop computers and USB thumb drives, are also in demand. Not surprisingly women are the ones who will spend most of the money.
Scott Cronshaw, vice-president of sales for Opus Framing and Art Supplies, said this weekend is the real start of the back-to-school season for the stores, and he expects sales to be higher this
year because of B.C.'s strong economy and good employment numbers. "Even students seem to be getting better paying jobs this summer. "This is the happiest time of year for retailers. It starts now and it goes right through to Christmas. It's back to work, back to school and back to spending."
http://www.canada.com/topics/finance/story.html?id=ccead5e5-1c4b-4dd7-bb24- bb81226eb233&k=36715&p=1
Back to top
Small business battles for workers: Bonuses get people aboard, but keeping them's the hard part.
Source: Derek Sankey, CanWest News Service, October 2006
Many of the casualties in the intensifying war for talent are small business owners who lack the resources to compete with large corporations, causing many entrepreneurs to fight the problem on several new fronts, says a leading author on human resource issues.
"As a small business owner, you really have to position your company, put its strengths forward, show how solid and grounded you are and let people know there is security," says Michael Schell, president of Vancouver-based The Approved Group.
Schell was in Calgary recently to deliver seminars on HR topics, including how smaller companies can overcome the inherent disadvantages they face in such a tight labour market as Calgary.
The traditional standard -- a newspaper advertisement -- is still one of the most favoured and effective ways of attracting talent, but more and more people are incorporating other methods into their searches because of the lack of talent, says Schell.
Signing bonuses, for example, have become much more popular recently. Smaller firms now routinely offer bonuses of, say, $500 payable to employees who successfully remain on for three or six months.
Byrne Luft, vice-president of operations in Alberta for Manpower, says the trend toward signing bonuses helps attract more people, but the issue of retention is still a major problem.
"Bonuses work from an attraction perspective, but I think the issue is sustainability of the workforce," says Luft. "The challenge is what (owners) are prepared to offer a candidate and how you match up against these other companies who have deeper pockets."
Developing your brand image as an employer is difficult for entrepreneurs with little or no resources for advertising and promotion. Schell says small businesses need to focus on branding to potential hires from the first moment of contact.
Both parties involved are weighing the pros and cons, so it's not just a one-sided decision. "Let the candidate know about the important elements of your culture, like recognizing people for their efforts," says Schell.
There is good news for smaller firms, though. A recent poll by Workopolis.com shows that in the last five years, people's top priority has shifted from career to work-life balance.
"Money is not the N0. 1 attracting force for most applicants," Schell says, adding job seekers should take note there is often more opportunity in smaller companies for rapid advancement.
"If a small company is positioned for growth and is doing well, you can grow right along with it," he says.
Small businesses are also shifting their sights to career fairs.
"The applicants you meet at career fairs . . . are eager people that take the time to show up," says Schell. "A big part of life is just showing up."
Some companies are also recruiting outside of their local markets, which can be as simple as placing a job ad in Maritime or other daily newspapers across the country.
The flexibility that small companies can offer over larger corporations is also a benefit that must be touted by employers during interviews, says Luft.
"If you have a small business, you're not this big elephant, (so) you can move very quickly and your policies can be extremely flexible," he says. There are lots of semi-retired workers and stay-at-home parents who prefer the flexibility offered by small employers.
Luft realized the potential of this small-business market, so he set up a dedicated service called DirectHire Plus, which allows small firms to place jobs on Manpower's existing online network to tap into that pool of talent.
"We understand that (small) companies don't have the budget to use executive search firms to recruit people . . . so they're now able to capitalize on the tools that Manpower has in its everyday business" at a reduced cost, says Luft.
There are also recruiters dedicated to serving specific niche markets, such as J. Ross Recruiters, which serves the retail and hospitality industry.
Schell says small businesses are also realizing that retention initiatives, such as recognition and rewards programs, play an increasingly bigger role in reducing turnover.
At the same time, he says owners need to develop better interviewing techniques. "It's one of those things that's easy to do, but if you've got enough fires to put out, you don't have time to be proactive," says Schell.
Using all of these strategies will help attract and retain better people, although he admits it takes time and effort.
"Finding the people is half the battle," says Schell. "Finding the right people and keeping them is the biggest part of that battle."
Back to top
PM allocates $321M for Asia-Pacific Gateway projects
Source: William Boei, Vancouver Sun, Thursday, October 12, 2006
The B.C. government welcomed Prime Minister Stephen Harper's commitment Wednesday of $321 million for Asia-Pacific Gateway projects, but Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon said it's just a down payment and the province will be back for more.
Harper earmarked the $321 million -- the first stage of a $591-million federal commitment -- for Asia-Pacific Gateway projects. Most of it will be spent on highway and railway projects in Greater Vancouver.
Harper, in a dockside announcement staged against the backdrop of Vancouver's busy container port, committed the federal government to helping British Columbia become the crossroads for Asian trade with North America.
But he offered much less money than the B.C. government had hoped for.
B.C. had asked for $365 million for one of its priority projects, the $800-million South Fraser Perimeter Road. Harper committed only $100 million for the new four-lane highway, which will be a major new truck route along the south shore of the Fraser River.
"We consider it a down payment on the South Fraser Perimeter Road," Falcon said. "We are looking for another $265 million.
"But having said that, we view it very positively, because it allows us to go forward."
Falcon said the Gateway initiative should be seen as the western equivalent of the St. Lawrence Seaway, a multi-billion-dollar project that galvanized the central Canadian economy.
"We view the Asia-Pacific Gateway as the same kind of opportunity that requires the same kind of financial commitment from all levels of government," Falcon said.
Harper kept a cap of $591 million on federal Gateway spending, the same figure he campaigned on last year and the same as the federal Liberals had promised. Money not committed Wednesday will be held in an infrastructure fund to be spent in future years.
Harper said Canada now handles only nine per cent of North America's west coast container traffic.
"That is just not good enough," he said, setting a target for Canada to grab 14 per cent of the fast-growing Pacific container business by 2020.
That will mean more than tripling container-handling capacity in B.C. ports, from two million containers a year now to seven million in 14 years.
"Canada should be the crossroads between the massive engine of the United States and the burgeoning economies of Asia," Harper said, listing China, Japan, South Korea, India and Indonesia as countries with which Canada should expand trade.
Harper touted the initiative as benefiting all four western provinces. However, the only financial commitment outside B.C. was $37 million to help twin the Trans-Canada Highway in Banff National Park, in Alberta.
Premier Gordon Campbell called the announcement "the launching pad of Canada's Pacific century."
"As the world shifts to the Pacific, Canada is in a great position to take advantage of this crossroads," Campbell said.
North Vancouver MP Don Bell, the Liberal critic for Gateway, also said B.C. got much less money than it had asked for.
Bell said the Conservatives had "delayed and diluted" the Liberals' plans. The Tories will spend the $591 million on Gateway over eight years, he said, while the Liberals would have spread the same sum over only five years.
"They seem to be simply taking what we did, dusting it off and adding no new money," he said.
But International Trade Minister David Emerson, asked what was different about the Conservatives' approach, said the Liberals never got past the talking stage.
"The difference is we're actually now beginning to act," he said.
Bell said it was noteworthy that Harper specifically endorsed expanding trade with China. Relations between Canada and China have been cool since Harper took over; the Conservative election platform called for more trade with democratic Asian countries and pointedly did not name China.
Back to top
For more information please contact us at info@aralco.com or go to www.retailbc.org
