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Suppliers of US National Basketball Association jerseys have been warned of allegedly poor conditions in the El Salvador factories that produce them. A US national labour committee investigation has found that labourers are earning just 20 pence for a £97 shirt. It also claims they are subject to forced overtime and dangerous working conditions.
Rolls-Royce is to supply four Mermaid propulsion systems among other items for cruise operator Cunard Lines’ new luxury liner, Queen Mary 2. The vehicle equipment group is also to provide airline operator South African Airlink with spare engines, ground support equipment, logistics handling and technical support.
Microsoft and Dublin-based Baltimore Technologies are to provide banks with equipment to ensure secure Internet transactions. The Windows 2000-based system fits the security framework of Identrus, an alliance of 150 banks worldwide. Baltimore has separately announced that it will cut its workforce by 18 per cent, with the loss of 250 jobs.
Logistics and automotive parts supplier Unipart has bought National Railway Supplies (NRS) for an undisclosed sum. NRS supplies, services and repairs more than 15,000 pieces of signalling and telecoms equipment and materials to the global rail industry.
The closing date for entries for this year’s Kelly’s Awards for Excellence in Purchasing and Supply is tomorrow (20 July). Readers who intend to submit an entry, but have not yet done so, should contact the organisers immediately on 01342 718575.
Nancy Dixon
Harvard Business School Press, £19.95
The Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling is hosting a series of forums for electronics buyers in response to forthcoming European directives. They will include ways of evaluating suppliers and will also encourage buyers to voice their needs to the government and industry regulators.
Michael Arthur et al
Oxford University Press, £15.99
Rover is abandoning the requirement, imposed by BMW, that suppliers should invoice the car maker in euros. It is also halting the switch from purchasing parts from continental European suppliers instead of British companies.