BUSINESS BRIEFS
Mercedes dealer receives award
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Mercedes-Benz of Honolulu received the prestigious Mercedes-Benz Best of the Best Dealer Recognition Award in 2006 for the third year in a row.
The award is presented annually to the top 20 percent of Mercedes-Benz dealers nationwide that demonstrate superior performance in various areas of their business including customer service, sales and management. The Honolulu dealership is one of only 71 nationwide that received the 2006 award.
STATE'S CEMENT IMPORTS RISING
Shipments of Portland cement to Hawai'i rose 12.3 percent in February, indicating the state's construction business is still doing well.
The shipments compared to a decline of 8.8 percent nationally, according to Bloom-berg News. Portland cement is a common type of cement used in making concrete.
COMPANY OFFERS NEW TECHNOLOGY
Ho'okele Personal Health Planners is offering new technology that allows diabetes and other chronic disease patients to more easily track and control their health problems.
The system makes use of mobile telephones and other wireless technology to automatically transmit health readings to healthcare providers and then receive feedback.
The firm is offering a system developed by Confidant Inc., a North Carolina-based firm. Confidant is one of several firms developing wireless monitoring systems to collect and transmit medical measurements outside of hospitals and doctor's offices.
CAFEMAKERS TO ADVISE IN TURKEY
Cafemakers LLC, a Waimea, Hawai'i-based coffee consultancy, said it has been contracted to help provide guidance on growth and quality assurance initiatives to John's Coffee, an Instanbul-based specialty coffee company.
Cafemakers will provide retail-consulting services, training as well as advise on wholesale coffee roasting to the Turkish coffee roaster.
INOUYE SEEKING FUEL EFFICIENCY
WASHINGTON — A key Senate panel proposed raising fuel efficiency requirements on all vehicles, including tractor trailers and large trucks, in an attempt to respond to concerns about energy security without crippling the domestic auto industry.
Sens. Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawai'i, and Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, released legislation that would achieve a nationwide fleet fuel economy average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020 for passenger cars, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, or about 40 percent higher than the current average of about 25 mpg.
Following 2020, cars and trucks would need to show improvements of 4 percent a year in efficiency. But the Transportation Department would have leeway to require lower standards if the industry cannot meet the rules.
