Intelex recently attended two conferences that took place in the Middle East, both with a focus on addressing growing HSE challenges in the workplace. John Phyper, Intelex's EVP of Sales, Marketing and Alliances travelled to Doha Qatar first to participate in the 5th Annual HSE Forum in Oil, Gas & Petrochemicals. Taking place over 4 days, the Forum followed in the footsteps of the outstandingly successful 4th Annual HSE Meeting in 2008 and had over 150 regional and international senior level HSE professionals gathered to share their opinions and insights with their industry peers. This series of HSE Forums has proven itself to be the focal point for discussion on the best practices, innovative solutions and creative ideas on successful HSE compliance in the oil and gas industry. John also attended "Managing HSE in the Construction Industry," hosted by the Oman Society of Contractors which took place in Oman and specifically looked at recently introduced health and safety legislation as well as health and safety standards in the construction industry. Intelex's Middle Eastern partners, the Barik Group, were also in attendance at both events.

The conferences both addressed the shifting culture of safety in the workplace and the importance of implementing and maintaining a HSE Management System to have a pro-active and re-active solution to workplace safety. "There is a significant shift by companies to put in place robust systems to ensure their workers and contractors mitigate environmental damage and practice safety in the workplace," commented Phyper on the emerging industry trends.

Intelex's web-based HSE Management solutions provide a single, organization-wide platform for all safety data, policies, objectives and initiatives. Find out how an Intelex Safety Management Solution or Environmental Management Solution can help your organization save time, money and resources.

When one of North America's leading food companies first approached Intelex, they were in search of a solution that would improve their system for tracking and re-distributing product that has been placed on hold in both their manufacturing and storage facilities. With their product being sensitive to expiration, any units that are not re-distributed efficiently must be discarded resulting in lost production and revenue. Historically the company used standard email as their communication method and Excel spreadsheets to store and track the data. They required a more sophisticated and individually tailored communications tool to better connect all parties involved, streamline the process and decrease lost revenues.

The Intelex System provided the ideal platform to track both internal and external holds of product and seamlessly foster a two-way avenue of communication between manufacturing and storage facilities, with all data in one easily accessible location. Specifically, Intelex's web-based iForm® application allowed for a custom "Product Hold" module to be created which was designed collaboratively with the client and Intelex development team to track the quantity, type, expiration and location of all product placed on hold and generate custom core reports and dashboards to manage the data.

With the development of the custom iForm®, implementation and roll out to approximately 30 manufacturing facilities and 50 cold storage facilities taking place in a three month period, a significant margin of savings was quickly realized as all product placed on hold was much more easily and efficiently tracked and re-distributed. With a first year recorded savings of $13.1 million and a second year savings of $9.8 million, in comparison to the email/Excel method baseline, Intelex's custom iForm® solution cultivated an impressive $22.9 million in savings in the two year period post implementation.

Find out how an Intelex iForm® Solution can help your organization save time, money and resources today.

Intelex has ranked as one of the fastest growing technology companies in North America in Deloitte's annual Technology Fast 500 program. The program, which was launched in 1997, ranks the 500 fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and clean technology companies in North America. The rankings are based on percentage of fiscal-year revenue growth over the past 5 years, in this case from 2004 to 2008. Intelex grew 317% over this period.

Mark Jaine, Intelex's President and CEO, attributes the company's growth to a focus on innovation and a growing global demand for sustainability solutions. "It is a high level accomplishment as an organization to be recognized in the prestigious Technology Fast 500™ program," commented Jaine. "To be identified as a leading force within the North American technology industry is an amazing achievement and something we are very thrilled about and proud of here at Intelex. This recognition really reinforces our commitment to innovation and steady growth as a company. With most corporations and regulatory bodies now embracing sustainability, our growth reflects our efforts to be on the cutting edge of this trend."

The ranking is compiled from nominations submitted directly to the Technology Fast 500™ website, and public company database research conducted by Deloitte. Qualifying companies for the program must own proprietary intellectual property or proprietary technology that contributes to a significant portion of the company's operating revenues. Additionally, companies must have been in business for a minimum of five years, and be headquartered within North America.

Congrats to the whole Intelex team on this success!

Intelex Technologies, Inc. is proud to announce that we have joined the prestigious Deloitte Technology Fast 50™ ranking. The program, which was launched eleven years ago to celebrate the world-class achievements of the Canadian Technology sector, ranks Canada’s fifty fastest growing technology companies based on the highest percentage of revenue growth over the past 5 years, in this case from 2004 to 2008.

Commenting on the achievement, Intelex’s President and CEO, Mark Jaine had the following to say, “We are very thrilled to have ranked in this year’s Fast 50 program and be recognized at such a prominent level. It is really a testament to the vision of the company and dedication of our employees who strive to make us an innovative leader in our industry.” Jaine also attributes Intelex’s success to a focus on collaboration with our customers. “For us to continue to rapidly grow, especially during turbulent economic times, is a great achievement and a real indication of the value of our product. We strongly believe in collaboration with our clients, involving them in both product development and direction, and thus improving their return on investment while expanding our business. This has ultimately proven to be a highly successful formula.”

Qualifying companies for the program must have been in business for at least five years, have revenues of at least $5 million, be headquartered in Canada, own proprietary technology, and conduct research and development activities in Canada. Those who qualify are then evaluated and judged by a panel of experts based on four key criteria: competitive advantage; size, growth, and market attractiveness; management effectiveness and organization; and financial performance. Congrats to the whole Intelex team on this great accomplishment!

Intelex Technologies is pleased to announce the FBI’s Aviation Section as one of our newest clients. The Aviation Section will be implementing both the Intelex Safety and Quality Management Systems which were selected for their high level of configurability, range of functionality, ease of use and implementation, as well as their capability to securely track and report confidential and sensitive data.  The Intelex systems will be implemented across all locations and will be accessible to employees bureau-wide.

In search of a solution that would foster the collection of all safety metrics from multiple locations into one central and easy-to-access platform, the FBI’s Aviation Section also required the capability to generate a 360-degree view of all safety-related incidents across the entire organization, permitting internal audits, increasing transparency into processes, and identifying problematic areas. Intelex’s web-based Safety Management System allowed for this functionality, giving each location the ability to independently log incidents which can then be tracked and reported on organization-wide. A flexible system with the ability to customize components (configurability) was another essential priority which Intelex’s custom iForm® application was able to address. Using the iForm® application the section was able to create an FBI specific hazard reporting iForm® to track all non-conformances related to flight operations, and from which problem reports can be generated from.

Intelex Executive Account Manager Bryden Waggott worked with the FBI - Aviation Section to identify the key requirements needed in their management systems and create an implementation plan that focused on safety in the first phase and quality in the second. “The main goal of the FBI – Aviation Section is to consolidate all aspects of safety, including incident reports, hazards reports, and training management into one central place,” said Waggott, “By implementing the Intelex system, the section will be able to significantly reduce the amount of time, effort, and resources that was previously required to produce safety-related reports and metrics. These are elements that will be critical to internal and external audit preparedness as well as gaining an overall visibility into areas for improvement. In Phase I, the primary focus will be on implementing Intelex’s safety management system while Phase II will address the capture and management of the metrics associated with the division’s quality management system.”

Intelex held its first iForm Knowledge Exchange this week with approximately 20 of our clients coming to Toronto to participate. The Knowledge Exchange was the first of many that are proposed with our valued customers and covered three main topics:

• Intelex update on the direction of iForms – introducing new certified iForms (iForms that can be configured but whose regulatory or best management practices content is updated by Intelex) and collaborative iForms (iForms that are shared between customers)
• Presentation of 16 iForms by 10 clients covering the gamut of Environmental Metrics, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Risk Information, Product Holds, Product Shelf Life, Compliance Tasks, Supplier Management, Manufacturing Audits, Online Tests (with automatic training update), Contractor Induction, VOC & Ammonia Management, Regulatory Agency Contact, Continuing Improvement, Change Management and Stage Gate.
• Ask The Expert Q&A Session that allowed the exchange of ideas on how to improve both clients use of the solution and Intelex offering.

With Intelex representation present from upper management, business development, client services and members of the iForm configuration team, the general consensus from both clients and Intelex personnel is that Intelex's "collaborative" approach to assisting customers address their business requirements is the wave of the future. "The event was a great success with nothing but positive feedback from all the participants," commented Intelex President and CEO Mark Jaine, "In addition to clients sharing knowledge and providing input for future development, it was really exciting – clients and Intelex alike – to see the various types of iForms being built by Intelex users throughout various industries."

Intelex Technologies is proud to announce Ocean Spray Cranberries as one of our newest clients. Ocean Spray Cranberries is the leading producer of canned and bottled juice drinks in North America and are using the Intelex Training Management Module to streamline their training program.

Ocean Spray approached Intelex seeking a more comprehensive mode of managing and tracking their employee training records. Assigning training to groups of employees with similar requirements was a key feature the managers at Ocean Spray were looking for in order to improve and enhance business processes. With individual managers having their own specific training requirements, Ocean Spray was looking to adopt a solution that allowed each manager the flexibility to track and maintain their own training programs.

One of Intelex’s account managers, Simran Sharma, worked with Ocean Spray to review the current system being used and identify components they were looking to improve upon as well as provide some new features that they required. After exploring all possible options, Ocean Spray selected Intelex’s Training Management module as the solution to fulfill their needs. Intelex’s Training Management module is designed to enable organizations to effectively implement best-in-class employee training practices with organizations consistently recording an increase in overall organizational performance after implementation.

As August came to an end so did another successful edition of Intelex’s annual tradition of Beach Month. As an effort to embrace the warm summer temperatures and latest fashion styles, during the month of August, the staff here at Intelex is encouraged to sport their casual summer attire to the office for the duration of the month. To celebrate the conclusion of Beach Month, Intelex hosted a delicious catered BBQ lunch for all their staff to enjoy. Featuring such menu items as BBQ beef ribs, jerk chicken, grilled veggies, corn on the cob and plenty of sweet desserts, it was a great finish to what was a very enjoyable month.

Special thanks go out to our Executive Assistant Jessica for all her work putting this great event together. Thanks to all who came out as we’re looking forward to next year already.

As announced in a press release on August 19th 2009, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has recently been established between two of the major players in the Canadian standards and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions industries. Leading Canadian standards-based solutions organization, CSA Standards, and the leading North American GHG registry, The Climate Registry, have come together through the MoU to more closely align the two organizations in regards to supporting a consistent GHG measurement and reporting culture in Canada. The partnership solidifies the collaboration between the two organizations to promote the voluntary reporting of GHG emissions to The Climate Registry as well as the adoption of The Climate Registry’s platform for mandatory reporting among Canadian jurisdictions. The MoU also strives to improve upon and create new training opportunities and capacity building programs related to The Climate Registry as well as for general GHG accounting, verification, reporting and tracking.

With over 340 members, The Climate Registry currently operates the foremost North American voluntary GHG registry holding a unique relationship with the 12 Canadian provinces and territories as well as the 41 states that all sit on their board of directors. The Climate Registry, by setting consistent and transparent standards for calculating, verifying and publicly reporting GHG emissions, plays an active role in supporting mandatory reporting schemes across North America. On the other side, CSA Standards serves industry, government, consumers and other interested parties in North America and the global marketplace and has been working with Canadian jurisdictions to build components that support GHG reporting, regional emissions trading systems, and program performance tracking.

Speaking on the newly established MoU, Suzanne Kiraly, president of CSA Standards commented, “This MoU highlights CSA Standards and The Climate Registry’s mutual purpose and common goal of building standardized methods for measuring and tracking GHG emissions. Continued collaboration between our two organizations will serve to further these efforts and, in turn, benefit various organizations, including government and industries.”  Alex Carr, Canadian Regional Director of The Climate Registry, also sees the benefit that the MoU will bring to both government and industry stating that, “By working together with CSA, we can better support Canadian governments and industry as climate policy continues to evolve and capturing high quality GHG emissions data becomes even more important – both to regulators and to companies wanting to manage their risks, improve energy efficiency, and demonstrate their leadership.” The establishment of this MoU is a positive sign that the standardization of GHG emissions reporting in Canada is moving closer to becoming a reality, ultimately creating a reporting climate where ingenuity and continuous improvement are held as key drivers.

Web-based Environmental Management Systems such as the one offered by Intelex provide a platform to track and report GHG emissions data across an entire organization in real-time, providing a 360 degree view of emissions performance fostering regulatory compliance as well as driving continual improvement.

EHS Today Magazine’s 2009 National Safety Survey was recently conducted with nearly 1000 industry professionals taking part and providing some qualified insight on the topics of EHS programs, work environments, targeted injuries/illnesses, management support, job duties, OSHA performance and more. The results of the survey are discussed in a recent article entitled “National Safety Survey: Can We Still Afford To Be Safe?” penned by Laura Walter which was featured on EHS Today’s website. Walter outlines some of the trends that surfaced from the respondent’s answers and provides us with a look at the various views that were expressed on some of today’s popular EHS industry topics.

It is no surprise that an area receiving a particular amount of focus was the current economy and how it has reflected upon EHS programs and budgets. When respondents were asked about this topic, as Walter writes, “EHS professionals reported lower morale among employees, reduced or eliminated incentive programs, reduced travel opportunities, reduced training, layoffs, facility closures and fewer new equipment purchases. One respondent even claimed he had just lost his job and was preparing to file for unemployment.” EHS budget fluctuations were also reported with 10 percent of respondents indicating their budget was decreased more than 10 percent in 2009, 13 percent indicated a decrease of 1 to 10 percent, 47 percent reported their budget had remained the same, 11 percent reported an increase of 1 to 10 percent and a happy 4 percent reported a budget increase of more that 10 percent in 2009. Although some felt cuts to budgets to be threatening to their safety, several respondents indicated that their organizations had utilized layoffs as a means of eliminating inexperienced employees who commonly took risks and shortcuts which as a result improved their safety performance.

In one area of the survey, respondents were asked to rate President Obama’s approach so far to occupational health and safety. The responses to this particular question yielded a variety of opinions on the subject. With 16 percent rating Obama’s performance as good, 26 percent felt it was average, 13 percent rated it as fair, 15 percent felt is performance was poor and 27 percent indicated it was just too soon to tell. Another question dealt with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the main federal agency charged with the enforcement of safety and health legislation in the US), asking what occupational safety and health challenge would you most like to see OSHA address during the Obama administration? This question also yielded a mixed bag of opinions with respondents expressing that OSHA focus on a range of issues such as ergonomics, workplace aggression, updating antiquated standards, the nomination of an OSHA administrator and spending more energy investigating the circumstances of violations before issuing out fines. Overall the 2009 National Safety Survey is a valuable tool for gaining insight into the current EHS landscape from the perspective of those who work directly within it. Surveys such as this one are important as they help to further understand the current trends and help to project where the industry is headed.