Coatings World - March 2009

Fresh Paint

IP Germany named Meyer Werft Partner of the Year

Pictured at the Meyer Werft Partner of the Year Award Ceremony are, from left to right, Ralf Sempf, director of purchasing, Meyer Werft; Lambert Kruse, managing director, Meyer Werft; Volker Schumacher, general manager, International Farbenwerke (retired); Andrew Rayner, marine manager, International Farbenwerke; Bernard Meyer, owner, Meyer Werft; and Hans Thieke, senior purchaser, Meyer Werft.

International Paint Germany ( International Farbenwerke GmbH) has been named Shipbuilding Partner of the Year 2008 by Meyer Werft Papenburg. This is the third year running that Meyer Werft has awarded the Partner des Jahres prize to their top suppliers. The award is part of the shipyards supplier management initiative, which continually assess-es the performance of suppliers and rates them accordingly. The award, which also includes the categories mechanical engineering, outfitting, interiors and innovation was based on the results of supplier ratings during the construction of the Celebrity Solstice and AIDAbella cruise vessels, and the Gunung Dempo passenger ship and container carrier.

for its ingenuity and effectiveness. The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) cited the initiative at its recent annual awards gala, with Benjamin Moore taking home the Silver Award in the “International” category, a win earned because the campaign is conducted in both the U.S. and Canada.

According to Alistair Linton, director of retail development for Benjamin Moore, the company’s first ever web-based rewards program has enjoyed success as it offers incentive to a store’s sales professionals to sell Benjamin Moore’s new Gennex formulation Aura and Natura paint products. For every gallon sold, the retailer receives a specified number of points. It’s up to the individual retailer to decide and manage how the points are distributed—whether they’re pooled and shared among staff, or each sales professional responsible for the paint sale directly banks them. The points are redeemable for a wide array of gifts, from Starbuck’s and American Express gift cards to plasma screen TVs and Apple iPods.

X-RITE COMPLETES

SALE OF FORMER HEADQUARTERS X-Rite, Inc., has completed the sale of its former headquarters and manufacturing facility located in Grandville, MI, to CWD Capital, LLC for a purchase price of $7.225 million. X-Rite said it will use the net proceeds from the sale to retire the $5.2 million mortgage on the property and pay down first lien debt by $1.7 million.

BENJAMIN MOORE RETAIL PROGRAM HONORED BY THE CMA Benjamin Moore Rewards, a program designed to recognize those on the retail frontlines, was itself recently recognized