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Week of December 14, 2000 |
TRUCKING AHEAD: Ryder System Inc. announced a pact between its Internet-based pFreight and Internet Truckstop and ProMiles Software Development Corp. Internet Truckstop's site can be used by freight haulers to find loads ready for shipment, minimizing the number of miles a driver has to cover with an empty truck. The site, says Kim Fricke, vice president for pFreight, "started with basic load-matching and has progressed to a full-service program for drivers. Our aim is to work with Internet Truckstop and ProMiles to create the next step in the evolution of Internet-assisted trucking." Tony Stronheck, ProMiles president, said the basic idea to ease the amount of paperwork a truck driver has to deal with. FURTHER DISCOVERY: Miami-based Discovery Networks Latin America-Iberia announced it will launch in Venezuela and Colombia two of its shows — Discovery Health and Discovery Travel & Adventure — in a pact with carrier Supercable. Supercable executives put the number of their subscribers at more than 3.5 million in the two countries. Discovery executives say the deal means the entire Discovery lineup of shows will reach both countries. Discovery Health, they say, features the latest in medical breakthroughs while the travel channel features "dynamic hosts, nonstop action and the world's most exotic locales." ONLINE CONTAINERS: The Container Store in Dallas launched containerstore.com this month. More than 1,200 of the retailer's most popular products are sold on the site, according to publicists. "We are the best in the business of what we do — storage and organization," said John Trailkill, e-marketing director at Container Store. Among features, he said, the site has a Plan-A-Space function that lets customers work with Container Store personnel to custom-design storage space using Elfa, a brand-name wire drawer and shelving system. VOLANDO ACQUISITION: Miami Beach-based Volando travel services has acquired Stella Barros in Brazil to tap that nation's estimated $43 billion annual travel market. "The acquisition," says Esteban Torbar, Volando CEO and president, "is a very important step towards accomplishing Volando's vision to solidly itself as the leading travel organization across Latin America." He said Stella Barros was founded in 1961 and through a network of 30 offices now handles travel for more than 15,000 teens who annually visit Disney World. DOTS & DASHES: Cogent Communications, self-described as an optical Internet service provider, signed on to occupy Suite 1410 in the New World Tower, 100 N Biscayne Blvd.... North Shore Medical Center, 100 NW 95th St., launched QuikWeb where patients get a temporary website to share news and photos about their new babies over the 'net.... Flowergrower.com — a Miami-based B2B wholesale florist — said it is signing up more than 20 retail florists a week nationwide to trade directly with independent floral farms through Latin America and Holland.... The global consulting firm NetJuice-Network — which specializes in Internet business solutions — announced it has acquired Simedia, a Spanish software consulting company in Spain, bringing to 300 the number NetJuice now employs at offices in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Lisbon, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Miami. |
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