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Business News
Paul Rattle lifts the lid on what's happening in
the business world around Europe. If you have a business story, email him directly
at rattle@easy.com
APPLE, THE MAKER OF THE MASSIVELY SUCCESSFUL IPOD, FACES STIFF COMPETITION
FROM SONY as it plans to resurrect its
Walkman brand for a new mobile phone, which will allow users to store about 150
songs (or 12 CDs'-worth of music). Sony wants to 're-energise' the
Walkman brand, which has suffered in recent years as rivals Apple and Creative
caught Sony out with the launch of digital media players that hold thousands
of songs. Sony came to epitomise portable music when it launched the Walkman
portable stereo cassette player in 1979. The new Sony Ericsson W800i phone will
also compete alongside similar offerings due from Nokia and Motorola.
STELLA ARTOIS LAGER IS TO BE SOLD IN
HALF-PINT CANS FOR THE FIRST
TIME. Called Demi Beer, the 284ml cans—half of the old imperial pint—are
expected to be available this summer. Interbrew, which owns the Belgian brand,
hopes to appeal to 'occasion drinkers' who do not drink as a matter
of course, as the 'reassuringly expensive' beer tries to consolidate
its leading position in the market. It hopes that the smaller can will be easier
to market to 'caféculture', and appeal to those interested
in occasion drinking rather than binge drinking. The European beer market has
been hit by massive price decreases in recent times and two of the biggest brands—Stella
Artois and rival Beck's—have both suffered sales volume declines
as a result.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT HAS NO DIRECTORS,
MANAGERS OR SECRETARIES? THAT GIVES YOU STOCK IN THE COMPANY WORTH 10% OF YOUR
SALARY EVERY YEAR? AND THAT WILL DOUBLE YOUR 5% PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS? If you do, then you should send
a CV to Scottish-based fabric manufacturer WL Gore. The company, whose breathable
water-resistant fabric Gore-Tex has been a massive hit with outdoor types, is
famed for the way it treats its 429 staff. It has just been named—for
the second successive year—as the best company to work for in Britain,
according to The Sunday Times. But job satisfaction is not all about fat salaries
and generous perks. Manchester-based St Ann's Hospice, which treats people
with life threatening illnesses, came second in the paper's poll—yet
around 90% of its staff are paid less than £25,000 a year and receive free
tea and toast instead of pensions. 'Every member of staff can leave work
at the end of the day knowing they have made a positive difference,' says
the charity.
THE IMAGE OF GERMAN CAR MANUFACTURER MERCEDES-BENZ HAS
BEEN DEALT A SEVERE BLOW after its second most popular model was ranked as the least reliable car
on American roads. The annual reliability ranking by Consumer Reports magazine
put the E-Class—which makes up more than a quarter of Mercedes sales—last
among passenger cars. Mercedes has struggled to attract young buyers and its
vehicles have been dogged by quality problems, especially with their complex
electronic systems. By March, sales in the US plunged by around 20%.
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