Following our recent release about our landmark deal, supplying € 30 million worth of ground service equipment to Bahrain International Airport, media from around the world published news items.  Please read a few of the excerpts below.

In our home market of New Zealand:

New Zealand Trade & Enterprise, December 9, 2009

FinData, November 26, 2009

Scoop, November 26, 2009

Europe-based publications:

NZNewsUK, December 9, 2009

Travel Daily News, November 27, 2009

Defense File, November 26, 2009

AeroMorning, November 26, 2009

Asia-based publications:

Shipping China

From the US:

Airport Business, December 1, 2009

From the Middle East:

PC Magazine, December 9, 2009

Khaleej Times, December 10, 2009

Arabian Aerospace, November 27, 2009

Gulf Daily News, December 10, 2009

Global publications:

AFP, November 26, 2009

Reuters, November 25, 2009

Green Car Congress, November 26, 2009

ASD News, November 27, 2009

Last week we announced the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer, Diego Fiorentini, who will relieve John Polatz on January 1, 2010.

Diego Fiorentini, Cavotec CFO

Fiorentini comes to Cavotec MSL after nine years with Italmobiliare, the holding company of the Italcementi group, an Italian publically listed company with revenues of EUR six billion.  It is ranked as the fifth largest cement producer in the world. At Italmobiliare, Fiorentini held positions ranging from Corporate Finance Director, Co-Head of Finance and Corporate Treasurer. Before Italmobiliare, Fiorentini served as Head of Financial Back Office for power and automation group ABB, at their Treasury Center in Milan.

Fiorentini is an Italian citizen, resident in Switzerland and is fluent in both Italian and English. He holds an MSc in Corporate Finance from Bocconi University, Milan. He will be based in the Lugano headquarters and replaces Cavotec MSL’s outgoing CFO, John Polatz, who will remain at Cavotec as Investor Relations Manager.

Send him a welcome email at: diego.fiorentini@cavotec.com

Image credit: blog.michellekaufmann.com

With world leaders meeting in Copenhagen now for the United Nations Climate Change Conferences, it make sense to discuss who should take responsibility for the well-being of the Earth and its resources. At the end of last month, the Financial Times published an article that acknowledged government’s responsibility to provide the framework, but called on companies to “deliver results” when it comes to clean technology.

With products such as Cavotec’s AMP or PCAir systems, we certainly hope to be contributing to the business side of the effort.

The article goes on to cite that revenues for low-carbon industries rose 75% in 2008, meaning revenues would exceed $2,000 billion by 2020 if the current trends continue.  Though beset by initial setbacks early in the recession, with $500 billion of the global stimulus package earmarked for “green” projects, the industry saw a big boost.  In fact, the large government investments stimulated the private industry to take a greater interest in clean technology.

With governments upping their “green” commitments and businesses following suit, “the future is bright, the future is green,” according to the FT.  We are interested to see what kind of commitments and actions come out of Copenhagen this week.

Read the article in full here (site requires registration).

HB-SIA cockpit, ©Le Truc/Solar Impulse

We have been following the Solar Impulse project since this past summer, here, here and here.  What began as a fascinating idea is now a reality – at 13.11 today, the Solar Impulse HB-SIA, the first airplane designed to fly day and night without fuel, left the ground for the first time.

After overwhelming positive ground tests conducted over the past few weeks, test pilot Markus Scherdel got the go-ahead to take the prototype up to its take-off speed. After some 350 metres of flight at an altitude of one meter, the prototype landed on the center of the runway.

Starting in early 2010 onwards, the aircraft will be making its first solar test flights, gradually increasing flight duration until it makes its first night flight using solar energy.

As Bertrand Piccard, initiator and President of Solar Impulse said, “It’s a long way between these initial tests and a circumnavigation of the world” but we are excited to follow the journey.