Written on January 3, 2012 by Maragaret Harrison
Albany Molecular Research Inc. said late Thursday that it will cut jobs primarily in its domestic operations during the fourth quarter as it winds down all of its internal research and development activities. It also said it wold terminate the lease of one of its U.S. plants, although it didnt identify which one.
The company also didnt say how many jobs would be cut in this latest round of downsizing.
It expects to save $10 million to $11 million annually from the reductions. It will tax a restructuring charge of $5 million to $6 million in the fourth quarter.
AMRI lost $5.9 million in the third quarter ending Sept. 30, compared to a loss of $9.9 million a year earlier. In March, the company cut 20 jobs in the Capital Region. At that point, it employed about 640 people locally and 1,400 worldwide. Shares (Nasdaq: AMRI) gained 5 cents to close at $2.85.
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Written on December 29, 2011 by Nicole Hopkins
Call me a rebel… or a Scrooge… or a Grinch if you must, but I am so happy all this holiday nonsense is finally over. And as I sit here trying to come up with a blog for the new year, the word “resolution” keeps popping into my head and I absolutely REFUSE to give you marketing or business resolutions for the new year. You’re under enough pressure, I’m not going to give you a long list of more things you already know you should do. 
So… no resolution talk here, I promise. Instead, for the new year, let’s vow to not make a single resolution; no diets, exercise programs , no vows to spend more time with the kids, or call our mother more often, no promising to read, write, or volunteer more or spend less… Forget all that!
Resolutions are all about telling ourselves we need to do things we didn’t do last year to better ourselves and then we end up feeling like losers once again when we don’t keep them. I say “No more pressure, w
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Written on December 29, 2011 by Douglas R
The group, which has 579 stores in the UK, said pre-tax profits would be around break-even in the year to June, compared with £4.3 million in the previous year, as intense competition and weak consumer confidence continue to undermine the business.
Thorntons, which plans to shut 180 stores over the next three years as part of a turnaround programme, has suffered as cash-strapped consumers cut back on chocolate treats and previously warned it had lost a large corporate order at its internet division.
There has been a mixed picture in the run-up to Christmas with some major players, such as John Lewis, reporting healthy sales, while official figures for November showed a drop in monthly sales volumes.
Thorntons has struggled so far this financial year, which started in July, with its most recent update showing a near 8% decline in like-for-like sales at its company-owned stores.
The company said high levels of promotional activity in its market place had hit business along with the ongoing drag on consumer confidence.
The City had been expecting pre-tax profits of £3 million to £4 million for the year to June 2012.
The company unveiled a strategic review in June, which as well as the store closures will include improved merchandising, updated layouts and new products.
The group will close a minimum of 120 stores over the three-year strategy period, losing many to expired leases, and will explore opportunities to close up to a further 60 stores.
Thorntons added that it may look to re-site or open stores in the UK’s top 100 retail locations if opportunities arise.
PA
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Written on December 17, 2011 by Douglas R
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Police in Wisconsin’s capital city barely had to try to catch a pair of unlucky suspected thieves.
Madison police say two men in their late 20s stole DVDs and computer games from a Target store Tuesday and discussed their plans to fence the goods while driving away.
Investigators say the duo didn’t realize one of them had accidentally pocket-dialed 911. A dispatcher listened in for nearly an hour as they discussed what they had stolen and where they might sell it. P
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Written on December 12, 2011 by Nicole Hopkins
A SWOT analysis can identify a lot of exciting business opportunities that you were previously unaware of.
The SWOT analysis examines the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that might have an impact on your business. If you are having difficulty identifying new opportunities then you will need to do some research. Here are some of the best opportunities that are available for small businesses:
Physical Expansion: Before expanding, your business must have consistently made a profit over the course of a few years. Try to look at trends and predict whether your company is likely to continue being successful.
Online Expansion: You can easily increase your sales without much financial investment by working on your web presence. Online expansion allows you to target the global marketplace and reach potential customers all over the world.
Diversification: Often you can turn an unsuccessful small business into a much better one simply by altering or adding to your product range.
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Written on December 11, 2011 by Maragaret Harrison
China announces plans to slap duties on U.S. made cars with large engines.
The action comes as trade tensions between the U.S. and China are rising. It also comes after the United States placed a tariff on Chinese tires.
Experts don’t expect the move by China to deal a significant blow to U.S. automakers because many of the autos sold in China are also made there.
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