Trade News ALWAYS microfilm first! At the risk of being boring, it seems that I must repeat and repeat the same message — Microfilm first, then, if you wish, transfer it to any other medium. To illustrate the importance of that advice there follows some extracts taken, verbatim, from a letter put out by a division of 3M. It actually says more for the unreliability of scanning directly from documents than I have ever managed. “Dear Valued Supplier: 3M introduced a new paperless disbursement system in late June. This system is designed to provide faster, more accurate payments to our suppliers. Unfortunately, we are experiencing start-up problems in the scanning operations, resulting in considerable system downtime during these past five to six weeks. These problems have resulted in: 1. Payment delays 2. Loss o f some invoice data altogether We sincerely apologise fo r the situation and any inconvenience you may be experiencing.” “I f you have not received payment fo r 45 days or longer, please send a letter and second invoice . . . ” “Please review your invoices to ensure they are printed clearly, and remove unnecessary perforations. Our scanner is having difficulty with invoices smaller than 814 "format, faint images, shaded areas, blue print and perforations. A s we learn more about the scanner limitations, we will be working with suppliers individually.” These are not problems that would be experienced if the documentation was first microfilmed, then the film scanned.
Microvue prize winner On their stand at the IMC Show in Berlin, Microvue Products conducted a raffle which offered a free one week visit to Israel. This was won by Mr. Arno Walter Pahl of I.E.C., Sao Paolo, Brazil. Also on their IMC booth was the Wondervue — the all new 16mm reader — which apparently drew phenomenal positive comments from the industry. The reader will, hopefully, also be on display on the Microvue stand at Microfilm Showcase in London. Contact: Microvue Products Ltd., 112 Boundary Road, London NW 8 ORH. Tel: 071 328 8823. Fax: 071 624 1242. Aquired by Datacom On 14 September 1992 Datacom Services Ltd. acquired the assets and goodwill of the Computer Output Microfilm (COM) services bureau business of NCR Limited. The initial cash payment is £1,000,000. The COM services bureau of NCR had a turnover of £1,428,000 in the year ending 30 November 1991. The net assets acquired amount to £191,000. Contact: M. J. Elliott, Datacom Services Ltd., 47 Bast wick Street, London EC1V 3PS. Tel: 071 608 1351.
S IT U A T IO N W A N T E D 16 years in the Microfilm Industry — Diazo sales with technical background. Good knowledge of U.K. and European markets. Fit, willing to travel — would consider anything. W rite B o x N o. 0 0 0 8
