MATTEL ACQUIRES FRENCH GAME COMPANY



EL SEGUNDO – 01/26/09 – Toy and game giant Mattel Inc. has acquired France-based Sekkoia SAS, which produces the Blokus family of games; Blokus was launched in September 2000 and now ranks as one of the best selling board game packages in the world.

GLOBAL DEMAND FOR CAL ALMONDS FALLS


SACRAMENTO – 01/12/09 – A decrease in international demand and a bumper crop have combined to reduce by half the price almond growers are receiving for this season's crop; prices for the nut are about $1 per pound, down from about $2 a year ago, says the California Almond Board.

DISNEY TO LAUNCH TV CHANNEL IN RUSSIA


BURBANK – 12/31/08 – The Walt Disney Company has said it will team-up with Media-One Holdings Ltd. to launch a Disney-branded television channel in Russia in 2009; Disney will have a 49% stake in the venture in exchange for a cash investment and content acquisition, according to a recent piece in the Los Angeles Business Journal.

GOLDEN SPOON ENTERS THE GLOBAL MARKET


RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA – 12/12/08 – Frozen yogurt giant Golden Spoon has accelerated its international expansion with the announcement of two additional stores for Japan; the new stores will be located within Tokyo Station and the Kansai International Airport and are slated to open for business this month.

PORT OF STOCKTON EXPANDS ITS FTZ


STOCKTON – 12/05/08 – The Port of Stockton has received approval from the US Dept. of Commerce (DOC) Foreign Trade Zones Board for expansion of its Foreign Trade Zone No. 231; the expansion at the nearly 475-acre Opus West Park in East Stockton is the eighth site approved in Stockton by the DOC and is sited adjacent to the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railroad line linking Central California with points throughout the country.

NETSUITE GOES LIVE IN SINGAPORE


SAN MATEO – 10/28/08 – Business management software developer NetSuite Inc. has launched a new venture - NetSuite OneWorld in Singapore; the move was spurred by forecasts that that Asia-Pacific software as a service (SaaS) revenues will grow from $274 million in 2007 to around $1.8 billion by 2011.

CHINA’S TASTE FOR CAL WINE GROWS


SONOMA – 08/09/08 – California-based vintner Bronco Wine has forged a deal with Legacy Wine and Spirits International to export a selection of its varietal Hacienda label wines to China; the first container of 750ml bottles of Bronco’s Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Viognier, White Zinfandel and Brut Sparkling Wine reportedly left the Port of Oakland last week.

SANDISK REJECTS SAMSUNG ACQUISITION BID


MILPITAS – 09/24/08 – US flash memory maker SanDisk Corp. has reportedly rejected a $5.9 billion bid by top memory chip-maker, Samsung Electronics Co., but said it would not rule out a deal at a better price; SanDisk said in a statement that Samsung's $26-a-share cash offer undervalued the company, but it remained open to a deal with Samsung at a price that recognizes its "intrinsic value."

DNP INTL INKS CHINA SUPPLY DEAL


SANTA FE SPRINGS – 09/08/08 – Southern California-based DNP International has signed a multi-year, $1.1 million supply agreement with Huifeng Bio-Pharmaceutical Technology of Xian, China; under the terms of the agreement, the Chinese company will deliver 62 metric tons of glucuronolactone, a naturally occurring chemical compound which has become a popular additive to energy drinks, over the next six months to DNP.

CANADIAN FIRM SNAGS AIRPORT PROJECT


SACRAMENTO – 08/11/08 – Canadian transportation multi-national Bombardier has snagged a $29.8 million contract to design, supply and install an automated people mover system at Sacramento International Airport; the automatic train system will transport airline passengers between a ticket terminal and security checkpoints and airline gates at a new Terminal B and, eventually, to Terminal A.

LOMBARD INVESTS $15 MIL IN TAIWAN MANUFACTURER


SAN FRANCISCO – 07/11/08 – Bay Area-based Lombard Investments Inc.
has said it will invest $15 million in Taiwan-based San Shing Fastech
Corporation, a major manufacturer of high quality automotive fastener systems; San Shing said it will use the proceeds to expand its product line and enter new markets.

SECTOR 9 ACQUIRED BY AUSTRALIAN COMPANY


SAN DIEGO – 07/03/08 – Sector 9, a major player in the international skateboard industry, has been acquired by Australia-based Billabong International; the US skateboard company, founded in 1994, is considered a market leader in the design and manufacture of long boards – a niche segment within the skateboard market.

See All Previous Page Two Stories