Capstone Turbine Corp. (CPST) Receives $2.6 million follow-on Order From Switzerland-based Distributor For C200 MicroTurbine® Systems

Capstone Turbine, the world's leading producer of low-emission microturbine systems, announced April 3, 2008 that the Company received a follow-on $2.6 million C200 turbine order from Verdesis Suisse SA, its Switzerland-based distributor.

Verdesis Suisse SA ordered the systems, which will be sent out to multiple biogas sites throughout Austria, Germany and Spain. Verdesis's previously ordered microturbines have been deployed in an array of applications at sites throughout France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.

Jim Crouse, Capstone's Executive VP, Sales and Marketing said, "Europe continues to be a strong market for Capstone, and we continue to receive repeat business for our products from our distributors in Europe. Verdesis, in conjunction with its Micropower partners, Wels Strom, VTA Technologie GmbH and AESA SpA, provide expertise in deploying a number of multiple unit biogas applications as well as others that offer customers effective and reliable solutions."

Darren Jamison, President and Chief Executive Officer of Capstone said, "I continue to be pleased with the preproduction orders that we have received for our C200 product."

Tony Hynes, VP Sales, Europe, the Middle East and Africa commented, "Headquartered in Switzerland, Verdesis and its Micropower partners have developed marketing, application, sales and servicing expertise in the power generation industry and in the supply and service of energy for a variety of customers. We are very pleased to be working with the Verdesis team and are looking forward to continued business opportunities in the future."

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Mizati Luxury Alloy Wheels, Inc. (MZTI.PK) - Green-lighted for Success

"The machine of a dream. Such a clean machine. With the pistons a pumpin. And the hubcaps all gleam." The words are from the song I'm in Love With My Car, by British rock group Queen. For many car owners, truer words were never spoken. The specialty automotive market in the United States is $34 billion strong, proving that Americans are willing to spare little to no expense when it comes to gleaming those hubcaps.

One company poised to fuel car owners' love for gleam is Mizati Luxury Alloy Wheels, Inc. (MZTI.PK). As a wholesaler of luxury alloy wheels, Mizati has seen revenues grow 77 percent annually from 2003 to 2007, and that could just be the tip of the iceberg. The company is already planning to build on those strong sales with an organic growth model and targeted acquisition strategy that includes everything from tackling the off-road market to going green.

Mizati operates in the tight niche of wheels, tires and suspensions, a highly fragmented and burgeoning segment of the automotive aftermarket industry. The segment has grown at an annual rate of 7 percent from 2000 to 2006 with annual sales of almost $9 billion in 2006, according to the Specialty Equipment Market Association. Mizati is the only public company operating in this niche segment.

Mizati offers three luxury wheel lines – the trademarked Mizati, Hero and Zati lines – which are sold at over 400 retail outlets. The wheels are also sold via the internet, catalogs, and wheel and tire distributors. The wheels are designed to accommodate most SUVs and cars including BMW, Toyota, Cadillac, Mercedes, Nissan, Acura, Lincoln, Ford, and GMC. The company is already setting sights on broader markets with plans to penetrate new markets, such as the off-road, restoration, and racing, as well as other lines of aftermarket automotive accessories.

There are virtually no limits to the luxury alloy wheel market, and that includes the eco-friendly driver as well as the car owner on a budget. New popular hybrid car models include the Toyota Camry and Highlander, Chevy Malibu and Tahoe H, Mercedes ML450, and Porsche Cayenne. "All the cars mentioned here accommodate the wheels that Mizati offers, and we expect there will be more hybrid models available in the future," Chief Executive Hazel Chu said. "If getting a new car is not in the budget, rent-to-own is still an alternative way for consumers to get shiny new wheels with an affordable weekly payment plan, and this is the biggest advantage that Mizati has."

Mizati says its mission is to be the premier brand and designated source for high-quality, value-priced wheels, rims, and automotive accessories, within 5 years. With an eye for the cost-conscious consumers, a strong footing in the niche market, solid financials, and an awareness of today's green car owner who still loves a gleaming set of wheels, Mizati is well on its way to reaching that goal.

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My Take-Aways From The Book Meatball Sundae

What the heck is meatball sundae?  As it sounds, it is a dish with balls of meat and whipped cream and a cherry on top.  Not necessarily something you would want, would you?  Replace the meatballs with ice cream and you have something you'd like – something that works well together and is a tasty treat.

This harmony, and the converse lack of harmony, is the crux of the book Meatball Sundae by marketing consultant and author Seth Godin.  He uses this graphic example to state how you take your business products and services (the meatballs) and market it with today's marketing tools, namely online (the whipped cream and cherry).  Godin's premise is you just can't slap today's progressive marketing techniques (blogs, viral videos) on staid products and services just as they are and how you have marketed them in the past, or New vs. Old Marketing as he refers to it.  New Marketing is making a personal connection between the consumer and the emotion of the product or service, where Old Marketing is broadcasted, interruptive promotion as it has always been done in the past.

My greatest takeaway from this book is not necessarily a positive one – it is more unlikely to happen in an older organization than a newer one.  In a newer company or firm, New Marketing is all they know, or could even have been the prevailing catalyst for the start of the business.  Therefore, the firm is more in sync with what needs to be done to practice New Marketing.

In older companies, where marketing has happened "that way" for a long time and has worked, this understanding may not be in place, and unless it is guided throughout the organization, it will never happen.  In most older, traditional companies, people are concerned more for their own jobs in a fluctuating economy than anything else, and are less likely to champion the cause of New Marketing.  Despite this, many companies have taken a fresh look at what they do and sell and have made personal connections with their audience.  It takes a different allocation of money and resources than before, but with such a perspective, they can see their results, measurable more than a billboard on a highway.

Meatball Sundae is a quick, lively read and full of many examples of companies and what they did well – and didn't do well – in practicing New Marketing.  I recommend it to newer or old companies, to help them in their thinking.  Depending on the company, making such a leap may not be as wide as crossing an ocean.

When I read Meatball Sundae, it made me think of a book Godin wrote back in 2002, Purple Cow.  I think I'll re-read that one next.