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With the Dollar Well Drying Up, Businesses Look to Bartering

Tough economic times are a magnet for new members � if you�re running a commercial or retail barter exchange.

�Businesses are looking for alternative ways to gain additional business and maximize their unused capacity,� said Ron Whitney, executive director of the International Reciprocal Trade Association, an industry group for barter exchanges with headquarters in Rochester, N.Y.

As for the exchanges themselves, �Now is a good time to start a barter exchange or grow the one you have,� said Catherine Cohen, who co-owns Phoenix-based Premier Barter with her husband, Barry. In March 2007, Premier acquired Barter of San Diego for an undisclosed amount in a cash-and-barter deal and recently partnered with previous clients to open a branch in Firestone, Colo., midway between Denver and Fort Collins. more

Imperial Tobacco Says Business Is Meeting Forecasts (Update1)

``Our operating environment remains challenging, but our business fundamentals are strong,'' Chief Executive Officer Gareth Davis said in the statement.

Imperial rose 18 pence, or 1 percent, to 1,768 pence in London trading yesterday. The stock has dropped 25 percent this year, heading for its first annual decline in nine years.

NYSE Delisting

The company also said today that it would delist its American depositary receipts from the New York Stock Exchange, citing administrative costs and low volumes. Over-the-counter U.S. ADR trading will still be permitted.

The maker of Golden Virginia tobacco and Rizla hand-rolling paper said in June it plans to cut 2,440 jobs in Europe after buying Altadis. Imperial aims to close six of its 58 factories in a restructuring plan that will cost 600 million euros. more

Brait, Illovo, Metmar, Telkom: South Africa Equity Preview

The company's shares were 90 cents, or 3 percent higher, to 30.90 rand.

Metmar Ltd. (MML SJ): The commodities trader said Kermas Ltd. has made an offer to buy 100 percent of the shares in PGR 17 Investments. The company's shares slipped 5 cents, or 0.8 percent, to 6 rand.

Telkom South Africa Ltd. (TKG SJ): Mvelaphanda Holdings Ltd. has launched a 90 billion-rand bid for Africa's largest fixed-line phone company, the Business Times reported, without saying where it got the information. Mark Willcox, chief executive officer of Johannesburg-based Mvelaphanda declined to comment. Telkom rose 2 rand, or 1.5 percent, to 137 rand.

Witwatersrand Consolidated Gold Resources Ltd. (WGR SJ): The explorer for gold in South Africa said it made a 736,627 rand profit in the year that ended Feb. more

Revitalization offers a new look

“The hope is that people can come and look in here at some ideas of what they can do to improve the outward appearance of their businesses," says Drost. “The hope is to inspire."

When you enter the office, you will now find a table full of pictures and ideas from different communities that have gone through similar revitalization projects to bring to the forefront some ideas for not only the storefronts but also the town as a whole. The hope is that the once Ministry of Transportation garage will one day hold examples of siding and roofing for businesses owners to see first hand the potential look of their shops.

All of the ideas are being motivated from a heritage prospective, an image that Drost says is the focus of the façade concepts for all three areas.

“From the feedback of the committee to the research we have compiled, the heritage look seems to be the most appealing and will attract a lot of people to our downtown," she says. more

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