Business

Compass Datacenters has implemented a unique new training program for customers that helps ensure that when they get the keys to their new data center facility, the handover and startup processes are seamless and successful. In collaboration with Schneider Electric and Lee Technologies, Compass has created a series of 16 video-based training seminars that are designed to prepare customers and each member of their data center team to successfully assume control of their new data center facility and begin operations. The training videos are designed to work hand-in-hand with Compass’ detailed operational documentation, including both Standard Operating Procedures and Emergency Operating Procedures.

“The data center industry does a lot of things well, but one clear area of weakness has always been the way we as an industry hand over completed data center facilities to customers. Customers too often get inadequate support once they get the keys to a new data center, and that’s not fair to them, especially when you consider the complexity of data centers today,” said Chris Crosby, CEO of Compass Datacenters. “Data center providers should do more, and Compass is setting a new standard for that level of support with our CompassCare program.”

“Handing over the keys to a new data center isn’t the end of the process for a data center provider. It should be the beginning of a new phase of a data center provider’s work with a customer,” said Rebecca Brese, Senior Vice President of Quality and Service at Compass. “This new video training program is one of the ways Compass is helping set customers up to succeed as soon as they walk into their new facility no matter if they buy or lease the facility. In addition, this training resource also ensures operational excellence over time by allowing new employees to receive the same training that a data center’s original staff receives.”

This video training program expands the support services that Compass provides to customers through CompassCare™. For customers that choose to operate their Compass data center with their own personnel (rather than have Compass manage it on their behalf), Compass Datacenters provides a full set of support services including:

• This new video-based training and hands-on training about key issues such as BMS operation, HVAC and electrical system maintenance, fire alarm/protection system operation, generator maintenance and more
• A comprehensive suite of documentation for all aspects of the facility’s operation, including both standard operations and emergency operations
• A warranty program that provides peace of mind and risk mitigation for customers, including the availability of extended warranties for key components that customers may want to back with stronger protection
• Special support for upgrades and changes that customers may want to make in the future, via Compass’ preferred relationships with vendors for enhanced solutions related to BMS, DCiM, security, HVAC and more
• Quarterly performance and business reviews to ensure aligned priorities.

ATK (NYSE: ATK), a world-leading producer of ammunition, precision weapons and rocket motors, announced today that it has received $65 million in contracts for medium- and large-caliber ammunition. These awards provide training and tactical ammunition for air, land and sea platforms, and advanced capabilities for existing ground platforms, providing combat overmatch against current and future threats.

The contracts awarded include both domestic and international orders for 25mm, 30mm and 120mm tactical and training ammunition.

The contracts were awarded through U.S. Army Maneuver Ammunition Systems in its role as the Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition.

“The cornerstone of our business remains the production of proven tactical and training ammunition,” said Dan Olson, vice president and general manager of ATK’s Armament Systems division. “Also, providing advanced rounds such as programmable air bursting ammunition for platforms armed with our MK44Bushmaster^® Automatic Cannons enables superior warfighting capabilities for existing systems to defeat future threats without the requirement for new weapons and weapons platforms.”

“ATK’s broad ammunition expertise, proven through its production of millions of rounds and development of advanced capabilities, enables us to meet the continued demands of our customers,” said Mike Kahn, president of ATK’s Defense Group. “We are focused on providing both the U.S. military and our allies with safe, reliable and high-performing ammunition for everything from individual weapons to large-caliber tank rounds.”

The large-caliber ammunition award included funding to deliver 120mm, M1002 Multi-Purpose Anti-Tank, Target Practice with Tracer, designed for use with the M1A1/A2 Abrams main battle tank. This award provides for the final year of a multi-year contract previously awarded to ATK for tank training ammunition.

Medium caliber orders included an international order for the MK310 Programmable Air Bursting Munition (ABM) with Tracer from the Belgian Army for use with their Piranha III combat vehicles outfitted with ATK-produced MK44 cannons with ABM fuze setting capability.

Additional orders include the 30mm PGU-13 High Explosive Incendiary (HEI) cartridge; the LW30mm M788 Target Practice and M789 High Explosive Dual Purpose tactical round; the 25mm M792 HEI-T using the ATK-developed self-destruct fuze; and the 25mm PGU-23 untraced target practice cartridge.

Ammunition production occurs at ATK-managed facilities located within Allegany Ballistics Laboratory in Rocket Center, West Virginia; Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, Missouri; and New River Energetics in Radford, Virginia. Program management for medium- and large-caliber ammunition is performed from ATK’s Armament Systems division in Plymouth, Minnesota.

ATK’s Defense Group is an industry leader in providing innovative and affordable ammunition, precision and strike weapons, electronic warfare systems, and missile components across air-, sea-, and land-based systems.

The snowy mountains of Maine will once again echo with the throaty roar of 900-horsepower off-road Pro 4 trucks as Red Bull Frozen Rush returns to the slopes for the second year in a row on January 8-9, 2015. The raw power and impressive speed of these machines will be put to the test by some of Mother Nature’s harshest winter conditions, as the trucks race head-to-head over jumps, around gates and down ski slopes. The action-packed competition will air on NBC as part of the year-long Red Bull Signature Series, the most progressive action sports event property in the world.

In 2014, Sunday River Ski Resort, just a few short hours north of Boston, played host to eight of the country’s best professional off-road truck racers, who ventured far from their usual dirt, sand and gravel tracks to tackle unprecedented terrain, including icy berms, snow-covered jumps and steep slopes.  In the end it was motorsports legend Ricky Johnson who was crowned champion in the first ever off-road truck race on snow.  He now looks to defend his title against this year’s stacked roster of industry greats and hungry newcomers.

“Winning the title last year was amazing, especially after going head to head with the best in the business.  It could have been anyone’s day, but I’m glad it was mine,” said the recent Motorsports Hall of Famer. “This year won’t be any easier.  Everyone wants that title now and like I said to Johnny (Greaves) last year… My a** is here, come kick it.”

Returning to compete this year alongside Johnson is Bryce Menzies, Todd LeDuc, Johnny Greaves, Scott Douglas, Rob MacCachren and Carl Renezeder. New to the wearies of winter weather racing will be decorated freestyle motocross rider turned off-road champion,Brian Deegan and young up-and-comer RJ Anderson.  Both are standout warriors in the 2-wheel drive off-road class and are stepping up to Pro 4 truck for a shot at the Red Bull Frozen Rush title.

The United States Auto Club, one of auto racing’s leading governing bodies and an international motorsports authority, has sanctioned the race for its second year and will again oversee safety and competition to ensure that Red Bull Frozen Rush will be an amazing experience for both spectators and competitors alike. One-of-a-kind, studded and specially designed Mud-Terrain tires from BFGoodrich’s Research and Development team will outfit each vehicle able to power up the hill. No lift access needed.

TrueCar, Inc., (NASDAQ: TRUE), the negotiation-free car buying and selling platform, announced that its Certified Dealers have sold more than 1.5 million vehicles to TrueCar users. More than 500,000 sales occurred in the last 12 months alone.

“The speed at which we’re growing validates our corporate blueprint to provide price confidence by allowing users to identify a fair price on a car and helping dealers build their brands by reducing friction in the buying process,” said John Krafcik, president of TrueCar. “With our Guaranteed Savings Certificates or their TrueCar app in-hand, users can look forward to great savings and streamlined, hassle-free car-buying experiences from TrueCar Certified Dealers.”

Since the company was founded in 2005, TrueCar users have completed vehicle purchases from TrueCar’s nationwide network of Certified Dealers totaling more than $36 billion, and saved $4 billion off MSRP in the process. The 1.5 millionth car purchased using the TrueCar platform was a 2014 Ford Focus ST 5-door hatchback purchased at Apple Ford in Columbia, Maryland, for $2,719 below MSRP.

“We supply the tools that allow buyers to find the cars of their dreams and get them for fair prices – even for harder-to-find models like this Focus ST,” said Krafcik. “We also help make the whole process quicker, with customers spending about an hour less in the showroom versus the traditional car-buying process.”

More than 90 percent of prospective buyers go online to research and compare vehicles. With TrueCar, a user has the ability to research a car, price it to his or her specifications, and lock in Guaranteed Savings off MSRP.

WidePoint Corporation (NYSE Mkt: WYY), a leading provider of Managed Mobility  Services (MMS) specializing in Cybersecurity and Telecommunications Lifecycle Management (TLM) solutions, announced today its collaboration with SPYRUS, Inc., to deliver the industry’s first Trusted Mobile device that guarantees device identity, personal identity and secure network access from any global location.

The comprehensive solution pairs WidePoint digital certificates and SPYRUS WorkSafe and WorkSafe Pro live drives to bring “one drive” capabilities to the telecommuting, desktop, and remote worker in high assurance environments, particularly with the hardware encrypted WorkSafe Pro series of drives.

“This integrated solution addresses a marketplace that is estimated over the next three to four years to be worth upwards of hundreds of millions of dollars annually,” said John Atkinson, WidePoint’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer.  “The solution clearly brings to this marketplace a secure and differentiated mobile solution that augments and offers up yet another option to ‘bring your own device’ (BYOD) by providing the convenience and security to ‘use your own device’ (UYOD) for a growing mobile workforce.”

WidePoint manages the identity credentials on SPYRUS WorkSafe and WorkSafe Pro drives while tracking the usage from any remote location.  Adding Microsoft Windows 8.1 To Go to the solution gives a new dimension to an organizations migration of transforming existing personal computers inventory into compliant enterprise-managed Windows desktops—with or without connectivity.

“SPYRUS certified Windows To Go live drives with FIPS 140-2 Level 3 security services, combined with WidePoint digital certificates authorized by the U.S. Government, creates the most secure PC-In-Your-Pocket solution to solve BYOD concerns for the enterprise,” said Tom Dickens, SPYRUS COO. “This all-in-one solution provides strong two-factor authentication services for deployed Windows 7 desktop infrastructures, cloud-based services, or when enterprise users are on travel. There is a significant ROI for the enterprise, with more than 75 percent savings when compared to purchasing new laptops or tablets for employees or contractors.”

WidePoint Certificate-on-Device digital certificates are being used to provide hardware based trust from the factory, authentication for WorkSafe or WorkSafe Pro drives and for the owner’s identity, enabling features such as two-factor authentication, smart card logon, secure VPN, encrypted email, digital signatures, and remote revocation of certificates on lost or stolen drives.

The Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI) today announced an agreement with The Makers Coalition (TMC) to partner on a nationwide workforce development initiative. TMC was started in Minnesota by a group of manufacturers to provide sewing machine operator training and fill unmet needs in the local manufacturing community. A curriculum was developed and offered at Dunwoody College of Technology, a Minneapolis-based technical school.

“There is an on-shoring trend in the United States which is creating a demand for skilled machine operators. At the same time, there is a shortage of people who have been steered into manufacturing careers and trained to operate equipment,” said Mary Hennessy, president and chief executive officer of IFAI. “As a local group of manufacturers, TMC has had phenomenal success and wants to play a role in helping other communities address this important issue.”

IFAI is a 102-year-old trade association with more than 1,500 corporate members. Both IFAI and TMC see opportunities to duplicate the model, and together they have the expertise and resources to help meet the demand for skilled labor in the sewing industry.

“Our goal has always been to create a national model that other cities could replicate in order to fill these jobs with the skill that the industry is in need of filling,” said Jen Guarino, founder of TMC. “This partnership will give us access to their considerable industry experience and outreach to achieve that goal and we are excited about all the possibilities.”

TMC will continue to exist as a foundation with its mission of developing curriculum and coordinating with training institutions, workforce development agencies and economic development organizations. IFAI will create a new division (one of 14 that serve specific member initiatives and markets) to be called the Makers Division, and will seek interested companies to support the training programs with industry expertise, trainers, apprenticeships and job placement.