Tech Watch: OTI enters French electronic-parking market

Tech Watch takes a look at some of the overseas activities and partnerships that local Israeli companies have been involved with.

By MATT KRIEGER
hitech88 (photo credit: )
hitech88
(photo credit: )
As the height of the summer travel season has once again arrived, this week's Tech Watch takes a look at some of the overseas activities and partnerships that local Israeli companies have been involved with over the last few weeks. On Track Innovations Ltd., headquartered in Rosh Pina, recently announced that it has acquired, through its subsidiary PARX Ltd., 100 percent of the share capital of ID Parking, a Paris-based company that provides electronic-parking solutions. This acquisition The transaction provides OTI with a platform to readily access the French electronic-parking-payment market and offer multiple solutions for parking payment, including OTI's patented in-vehicle electronic parking meter - the EasyPark(TM) product. The EasyPark(TM) business model is one in which revenues are generated from product sales, transaction fees and customer support. PARX is OTI's subsidiary responsible for marketing, operating and distributing advanced parking solutions, including the EasyPark(TM) product, in the international markets. ID Parking, which will operate under the name of PARX France, currently provides electronic parking solutions for approximately 40 municipalities in France. IncrediMail Ltd., an Internet content and media company based in Tel Aviv, announced last month that it has signed a direct agreement with Google Inc., reflecting negotiated terms for the company's participation in the Google AdSense for Search ("AdSense") program. Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The AdSense program is a significant revenue-generating channel that IncrediMail has been using since the end of 2006 to monetize its user base. The program enables IncrediMail users to carry out Google searches and provides compensation to IncrediMail from Google for IncrediMail users' clicks on sponsored links. IncrediMail's products bring a new level of fun, personality and convenience to e-mail, desktops and screen savers, and have been downloaded more than 80 million times. Yahud-based Magal Security Systems, Ltd. announced late last month that it has received an order for the installation of a municipal security command and control system in a capital city in Asia, based on its FORTIS System. The first stage of this order, which is expected to be completed by the end of this month, is valued at approximately $650,000. Following completion of the initial stage, management expects the project to be expanded, and the total sum of the whole project is expected to reach about $3 million. This order was received following customer review of the FORTIS System's performance in a number of major Israeli cities and local municipalities where the systems have been operational since July 2005. The FORTIS System will integrate the command and control of the security systems in this Asian capital city, while protecting public areas, parks and educational facilities from acts of vandalism, burglary and sabotage, and increasing the sense of security for the residents in the city. The FORTIS System is based on an advanced technology that includes dozens of sophisticated cameras, unique graphic control-centers, and real-time live video of the protected perimeter zones under alert. The system enables the operator to promptly receive and dispatch live video and alerts, to and from security vehicles, via wide range wireless, optimizing the operational response. Wavion, a company transforming the Metro and Rural Wi-Fi market with a new category of Wi-Fi Base Station, announced last month the opening of a local office in India. Yokne'am-based Wavion has recently signed partnership agreements with three distinguished and experienced Indian distributors to support the growing need for broadband wireless connectivity throughout India. Wavion's powerful WBS-2400 spatially adaptive beam-forming base stations provide extended range and higher throughput connectivity to standards-based Wi-Fi clients, such as those embedded in laptops and other notebook computers. Wavion's outdoor Wi-Fi solution requires one-third fewer units than other competing Access Points (APs) to cover the same area, with superior indoor penetration and fewer dead spots. Wavion's National distribution partners in India include V LINK SYSTEMS Pvt. Ltd. in Chennai, eROADS Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. in Delhi and Brij Infotech Pvt. Ltd. in Mumbai. ClickSoftware Technologies Ltd., based in the US and Israel, is the leading provider of mobile workforce management and service optimization solutions. It announced last month that one of the largest banks in North America is deploying ClickSoftware for Installation, Maintenance and Repair Services (ClickIMRS) to automatically schedule hundreds of field technicians who keep telecommunications systems and computers running smoothly. The bank is also deploying ClickAnalyze Insight to gain detailed information on service efficiency and identify opportunities to improve future performance. Street-level-routing features ensure that field technicians take the most efficient routes between jobs to increase productivity and reduce travel time. The bank will use ClickAnalyze Insight business analytics software to enable managers to track key performance indicators such as arrival time, productivity, second visits and travel time. mattkrieger@gmail.com