Vertique, Asheville, N.C., was granted several new patents in 2005. The patents are directed to the pallet-build process using both automated and manual pallet building processes. Vertique first installed a system in 2001 and has since followed with an additional seven installations through the Spring of 2005.

Eleven Technology, Cambridge, Mass., opened Eleven Technology Co. Ltd., a China subsidiary in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, PRC. The new office will serve three functions for Eleven Technology: software development, customer implementation and support service for existing customers in China.

Owens-Illinois Inc., Toledo, Ohio, intends to relocate more than 300 employees from the current headquarters to its Levis Development Park campus in Perrysburg, Ohio. Some employees joining the 550 already there will move into vacant spaces at Levis Park resulting from the divestiture of the blowmolded plastic container business in October 2004. The company also is planning on remolding three buildings in the park and building a 75,000 to 100,000-square-foot corporate building.

Material Systems Engineering Corp., Tampa, Fla., has undergone a name change. The new name, Nextconveyor Corp., links the company’s Web site and the brand name of its sanitary conveyors, the Nextgen line.

Ryder System Inc., Miami, has partnered with Instructional Technologies Inc. to host, market and distribute an Internet version of ITI’s interactive driver training program called TREAD-1. The program, which will be marketed under the name Ryder Pro-TREAD, is designed for Ryder customers, drivers and the transportation industry, and is available through Rydersafetyservices.com.

United Kingdom-based Rexam plc sold its glass business in Barnsley, England, to Ardagh Glass for approximately $90.6 million. In 2004, the Barnsley business, which employs 700 people, had an operating profit of more than $5.4 million on sales of more than $183.1 million.

UPM Rafsec, Tampere, Finland, will build a new RFID tag production facility in Fletcher, N.C. The new factory, located near Raflatac’s U.S. pressure-sensitive labelstock production facility, will specialize in the production of ultra-high-frequency tags.

FKI Logistex, St. Louis, has opened a new regional office in Atlanta to increase support for the company’s customers in the southeastern United States. Personnel from the company’s manufacturing systems unit offices in Alpharetta and Marietta, Ga., and its warehouse and distribution unit office in Norcross, Ga., have relocated to the new site, which opened on June 11.

Pi Star Communications, Louisville, Ky., has partnered with Otter Products LLC for its primary mobile handheld protection. Pi Star will use the OtterBox Armor 1900, a waterproof, drop-proof case to protect PDAs installed with the PiMobilePOD software.

Alcan Inc., Montreal, Canada, sold its European Beauty blowmolded bottle business to IPH Groupe Spid, a French leader in plastic conversion.

Omron Electronics LLC, Schaumburg, Ill., is a sponsoring member of the RFID Research Center established at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, Ark. The sponsoring members will participate in the Center’s research activities and public policy.

International Paper, Stamford, Conn., has announced a three-part transformation program that includes narrowing the company’s portfolio to two key platform businesses — uncoated paper and industrial and consumer packaging. The company will evaluate strategic options for its other businesses. “Our portfolio changes will allow us to better focus management attention and financial resources on these key businesses, which represent over 70 percent of our sales, and can achieve both cost-of-capital returns and profitable growth,” said International Paper Chief Executive Officer John Faraci.