 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||
|
China has discovered Israeli technology. Despite the political sensitivity, large Chinese communications companies and governmental venture capital funds are in contact with Israeli companies for investment purposes. Representatives of these companies - China Telecom, China Mobile, and China Netcom - participated in a conference held by seven Israeli start-up companies in Shanghai last week, as did representatives of Chinese venture capital funds like the Beijing Fund, the Shanghai Fund, and others, and furthered investment interests in Israeli companies. Strategic investors from China have already begun to increase cooperation with the Israel companies. Furthermore, the municipality of Shanghai has prepared a program outlining plans to set up a regional center in Israel for technological and industrial companies from Shanghai, which is China's largest business center. The center in Israel is intended to serve as a center for all the Chinese companies activities abroad; they are now waiting for the situation in the region to calm down so they can start with the program. A French court this week authorized the sale of the French company Zycon, which manufacturers digital printers, Zycon, to the Israeli investment company Conners, for $32 million. Zycon France is a subsidiary of Zycon Belgium, which is now inthe process of receivership. The Israel company immediately announced that it is initiating a policy of taking over companies abroad in order to diversify its investment portfolio, which is currently made-up solely of Israeli companies. In another deal with France: the Israeli meat enterprises Tivon-Veal began exporting to the French market for the first time. In the In the initial stage, the company is exporting 50 ton of kosher meat to France, with the goal of increasing exports to $12 million within a year. The company is also negotiating with other clients in the US and in a number European countries regarding exporting its products to them. A deal in Italy: the Israeli company Hazorfim, which manufactures and markets silverware, is opening a network of stores in Italy. The first shop will open in about two months and will be managed by the winner of a local tender. Two additional stores will open during the course of the following year. Electra Realties company, a subsidiary of Electra, has acquired a rental housing project in England for some NIS 100 million ($20 million). The project is located in the coastal city of Brighton in southern England on an area of some 8,000 square meters. A foreign financial institution put up most of the money for the deal, at an interest rate of 6.1% for seven and a half years. In Japan, the Israeli company e-Sim, which develops proprietary web-based simulation technology, has signed a contract with the Yamagata Printing Co. Ltd. giving the Israeli company permission to use its technology in Japan for an unlimited period of time. The Japanese firm develops product manuals in Japan, different types of electronic products including Sony products. The amount of the deal was not officially disclosed, but insiders say that it came to "millions of dollars." It is expected that the contract will be expanded to include other countries in addition to Japan. The Israeli company Healex Medical, which markets equipment and materials to medical laboratories and hospitals, and develops medical programming systems to mange information in diagnostic laboratories, received a license to disseminate GNC products in South Africa. The contract was signed with the American company General Nation International, which manufactures some 850 types of health products that do not require a doctor's prescription, such as vitamins and food supplements, and owns some 5,500 stores throughout the world. A senior official in the Israeli company said that according to the business plan, "36 new shops that market these products will be opened in South Africa." He declined to specify the amount of the investment.
|
