SAMSUNG AIRCONDITIONERS

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has unveiled its new range of premium air conditioners and an ionizer device in MENA, which feature a cutting edge “Virus Doctor” air filtration technology. The technology has been incorporated in both, an air purifying electronic device of the same name and the Crystal air conditioners. The technology claims to improve indoor air quality, enhancing consumers' wellbeing and kills more than 99.9 percent of harmful airborne viruses including SARS and H1N1, to guarantee contamination-free indoor air. "Recent outbreaks of infectious diseases such as Avian Influenza, SARS and H1N1 have brought increasing attention to the health hazards posed by indoor air pollution. Samsung has therefore invested heavily in R&D and leveraged its technological innovation to develop the groundbreaking Virus Doctor technology, which is featured in both these products, to address a growing need for protection against airborne infections," said Myungsoo Koo, regional senior manager of digital air solutions, MENA Headquarters, Samsung Electronics. Samsung's Virus Doctor technology neutralizes dust mites, moulds and viruses that cause skin irritation and respiratory problems, fungi, high-allergen agents that cause allergies, active oxygen that speeds up the skin-aging process, airborne bacteria and viruses such as influenza, chicken pox and life-threatening viruses including H1N1 and SARS.
 
HDH

The Healthcare Development Holding Company (HDH), a specialized company in health care sector, and a subsidiary of the Bin Laden Group of companies, has launched an intensive campaign against smoking among the Saudi youth, in collaboration with MBC Media Group and in conjunction with the World Day to Quit Smoking, which is marked every year on May 31. The campaign, which lasts about two months, focuses on finding effective methods to prevent this phenomenon, and to raise awareness in the Saudi society about the dangerous effects of smoking. It also addresses decision makers to enact laws prohibiting the sale of cigarette and tobacco products to those under the age of 18, and calls for popularizing the Makkah and Madinah initiative in the rest of Saudi cities. It is forbidden in the two holy cities to sell cigarette or smoke in public. The first phase of the awareness campaign has been launched by Fulstop agency, by broadcasting a series of TV ads on the MBC channels, targeting young people who are tempted to experiment with smoking. It also targets parents and caregivers who could contribute, unintentionally, in enticing their children toward this bad habit. Dr. Wael Kaawach, CEO, HDH, and orthopedic surgery consultant at Harvard University, said: "The campaign demonstrates the HDH's responsibility to educate the local community about the health risks of smoking, especially as the Kingdom is ranked fourth in the world in the number of smokers, who account for about 30 percent of its population."
 
FORD

For the first time, the Ford brand has the highest initial quality among all non-luxury brands in J.D. Power and Associates' 2010 initial quality study (IQS). The Ford brand moved to fifth place among all brands from eighth last year. This is the highest rank position Ford has achieved in the IQS since ranking 23rd in 2004. Both the Ford and Lincoln brands demonstrated significant improvements, with the Ford brand moving to the best in the industry among all non-luxury brands. Lincoln, which was 26th on the list last year, now sits at eighth. The Ford brand, which continues to outpace the overall industry's quality improvement, has posted nine consecutive years of gains in the closely watched quality study, based on consumer evaluations after the first three months of new-vehicle ownership. "These results are remarkable in many ways," said Bennie Fowler, Ford group vice president, global quality and new model launches. "Steady and meticulous attention to new model launches along with consistency in how we do them across the brand and the globe are having a very positive effect on the initial quality of our all-new or redesigned products. These results are a true testament to the strength of the One Ford plan." Some of Ford's most popular nameplates received top honors for their respective segment, including Ford Focus, Taurus and Mustang. As a company, Ford has eight models in the top three positions within their respective award segments.
 
SCHLUMBERGER

Schlumberger, a major supplier of oil services technology, has opened the new Al-Khafji Oilfield Services base in Saudi Arabia. The facility, located in Al-Khafji City, represents an investment of more than SR20 million and supports the full complement of Schlumberger services. The new base is built on a property provided and supported by Al-Khafji Joint Operations (KJO). It consists of workshops and maintenance laboratories as well as office space and an equipment storage yard that is designed to support current KJO operations, future expansion needs and Schlumberger's Saudization strategy. The state-of-the-art facility houses more than 300 employees and encompasses the full repair and maintenance of specialized oilfield technologies and equipment in addition to engineering, planning and operations support expertise for the entire range of Schlumberger Oilfield Services during the life of an oil and gas reservoirs. The facility was officially opened with support of Joint Operating Committee Chairman Nizar M. Al-Adsani and attended by Aramco Gulf Operations Company President and CEO Mohammad A. Al-Shammary. Schlumberger Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain VP & GM Sherif Foda, said: "Just over 50 years ago, in July 1959, we ran our first wireline log in Al-Khafji in well No. 1. Since then, we continue to build strong relations with KJO represented by Saudi Aramco Gulf Operations and Kuwait Gulf Oil Company and contribute in the oil sector and social development in the area." Joint Operating Committee Chairman Nizar M. Al-Adsani, said: "Schlumberger continues to be a valuable partner in Al-Khafji and we look forward to continued collaborations in technology, research and workforce development in the oil and gas sector."
 
KAU

King Abdulaziz University (KAU) gained further prominence when it bagged the top prizes in the recently held Pan Arab Web Awards Academy. The University added another feather to its cap when it won the Best Educational Academic Website awarded by the internationally recognized Pan Arab Web Awards Academy in collaboration with Arab Administrative Development Organization - Arab League, outshining a large number of educational websites in a tough competition. On the same occasion, KAU Dean of IT Khalid Mohammad Sami Hussein was conferred the “Man of the Year” title in IT at Arab world level by the organizing body. Winning "The Best Educational Academic Website Award" on the Arab world catalyzed a series of accolades the university previously received. Recently, the deanship of IT obtained the IT security certificate ISO 27001, making it the first university to get the certificate among the Middle Eastern universities. Moreover, KAU joined the club of the world's First Top 500 Universities as classified by the renowned Spanish Webometrics classification over its distinguished electronic services, which serve the interest of more than 150,000 beneficiaries. Khalid said: "Such achievements would not been achieved without the support the of our senior administration represented by KAU President Professor Osama Sadik Tayeb who spares no effort in supporting all sectors of the university." He added: "We are not the only ones involved in this great recognition received by our deeply-rooted University. It is a crown on the heads of all University employees, and we all have the right to be proud of it."
 
MKI

The final installation and commissioning certificate of "Oceasoft's COBALT Wireless Temperature monitoring System" was handed over to the CEO of Al-Borg Clinical Laboratories, Jeddah by President of MK International Est. Mohiuoddin Khan in presence of Vice-President Faisal Khan and GM/CEO Shakeel A. Shaikh of MKI. Oceasoft-France, a pioneer in the world for developing physical parameter's real time monitoring and alarming probes and monitoring advanced software, has been introduced in the Kingdom for the first time by the authorized distributor, MK International Est. The first of its kind innovative solution developed for the cold chain monitoring, especially for clinical laboratories and blood banks to assure the temperature conditions of refrigerators and freezers with live and real-time update at the central PC wirelessly loaded with advanced data logging software simultaneously to receive signals from various probes, for example, temperature, humidity, CO2 percent and differential pressure. Al-Borg Clinical Laboratories pioneer in the private Medical diagnostics industry with several quality accreditations in the Kingdom has introduced "COBALT-Wireless Temperature monitoring system" to streamline and assure the temperature conditions of their refrigerators and freezers, and the sample transportation within the Kingdom, since the adverse temperature conditions of the kingdom can affect the blood samples biological status which ultimately shows great impact on the lab diagnosis results.
 
ARABASCO

Arabasco and Royal Jet and are celebrating the first year of their association that has made them make available elite business aviation services across Saudi Arabia. "This week marks the first anniversary of the commercial and operational alliance with Arabasco, our partners in the Kingdom," said Royal Jet President & CEO Shane O'Hare. "The past year has been a great success and we have worked very closely with Arabasco to build a close working relationship. Over the last few weeks there have been several meetings with our Saudi partner and earlier today we signed a new agreement, moving our partnership a stage further. On this occasion, we were delighted to welcome to our offices Arabasco President & CEO Ret. Brig. Gen. Mohammed Al-Shablan. O'Hare added: "We are committed to the growth of this market and we are perfectly placed to capture the busy summer traffic expected from the Kingdom." Al-Shablan, said: "Integration of Royal Jet services and Arabasco's existing operations went smoothly from the very beginning thanks to the professionalism and commitment to excellence of both parties. Together, we combine extensive experience and expertise in luxury private jet travel to meet the needs of the most demanding private individuals or groups of corporate executives." Based in Saudi Arabia, Arabasco is described as the premiere Fixed Based Operations and maintenance facility company in the Kingdom, offering a variety of aircraft maintenance, management and ground handling services to private, VIP and business jets.