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CHICAGO, il, – While seasonal weather patterns in 2014 have had a larger-than-normal impact on the lawn and garden industry, GE Capital’s Commercial Distribution Finance business, a leading provider of financing to the lawn and garden industry, says the industry today is healthy, with dealer financing volume up 9% year to date in the United States and 12% in Canada.

“The long winter and late spring this year contributed to strong snow-products sales but a slow start for lawncare products,” said Mike Horak, president of CDF’s outdoor products group. “I expect robust ordering of snow products for next year to replenish depleted inventories. And, since mower sales stabilized after that slow start, our outdoor products dealers are in good shape as we head into the end of the year.”

CDF outdoor products dealer portfolio data shows U.S. inventory turnover running at a strong annual rate of over 2X, and inventory-aging rates, reflecting inventory over 18 months old, also healthy at only 7%. The Canadian market is seeing stronger signs, as inventory turnover is 3X, and inventory-aging rates are 5%. Generally improving macroeconomic drivers like consumer spending and housing starts are also giving dealers more confidence.

In advance of the annual Green Industry & Equipment (GIE) Expo, which will be held October 23-24 in Louisville, KY, CDF has released a new audiocast featuring Horak and Jim Tokarski, owner of A-1 Repairs in Elgin, IL, a lawn and garden dealership and service shop. Horak and Tokarski discuss how technology has played a big role in the evolution of the industry and other headwinds and tailwinds impacting the industry.
To listen, go to CDF’s Facebook page.

GIE+Expo will take place Oct. 23–25, 2014 in Louisville, KY. Attendees are invited to visit GE Capital at booth #11108 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. For information about the event, go to http://gie-expo.com/gieexpo/.

CDF has supported the lawn and garden industry for more than 30 years with flexible inventory financing products. Inventory financing, also known as floorplan financing, enables dealers to stock, market and sell lawn care products. Manufacturers may generally benefit from enhanced product flow and potentially increased sales opportunities, while dealers may obtain improved credit availability and terms.

About GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance
GE Capital, Commercial Distribution Finance provided $34 billion in financing for more than 30,000 dealers and more than 3,000 distributors and manufacturers in the U.S. and Canada in 2013. Programs include inventory and accounts receivable financing, asset-based lending, private label financing, collateral management and related financial products. For more information, visit http://www.gecdf.com/ or follow company news via Twitter (http://twitter.com/GEInventoryFin).

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ge.com.

London/Munich. Soho House Group (SHG) and BMW i today announced a global partnership across all of SHG’s 12 sites in Europe and North America. As Soho House Group’s global automotive partner, BMW i will provide BMW i3 vehicles for driving experiences for members and guests at many of its sites and cultural events. Soho House and BMW i will also collaborate on an international arts program throughout Soho House locations in Europe and the US. The two brands will co-create events and experiences focusing on contemporary art, innovation and design.

On Tuesday, October 14, 2014, the partnership kicks off at Shoreditch House in London, with an exclusive art talk between the photographer Juergen Teller and Chris Dercon, director of the Tate Modern: “The Naked Truth? Nudity, fashion, and the photographic image today.” The discussion will be followed by a rooftop reception in celebration of the partnership.

Nick Jones, Founder and CEO of Soho House said: “We were drawn to BMW because they share our passion for innovation across art and design. Our membership will see a range of co-curated members’ events and cultural celebrations such as Art Basel Miami. The launch of BMW i3 marks an exciting new era for electric cars and we are delighted to be able to offer our members and bedroom guests the opportunity to be among the first to drive them.”

Steven Althaus, Senior Vice President Brand Management BMW, Marketing Services BMW Group said: “BMW i and Soho House share a common mindset: both brands strive for innovation, creativity as well as a special sense for aesthetic setting new design standards. What I look forward to most about our partnership is our determination to create memorable and sophisticated experiences together.”

BMW i
BMW i stands for visionary vehicles and mobility services, visionary design and a new understanding of premium that is strongly geared towards sustainability. The BMW i brand redefines individual mobility by creating totally new and ground-breaking possibilities for networking in urban traffic. The BMW i3 is the world’s first premium electric vehicle purpose-built from the ground up for electric power using carbon fiber, creating a car that guarantees typical BMW sheer driving pleasure with zero emissions. Driver assistance systems and BMW ConnectedDrive mobility services specially developed for BMW i, combined with the services of 360° ELECTRIC, make emission-free mobility in the urban environment a fascinating everyday experience.
Further information: bmw-i.com

BMW’s Cultural Commitment
For over 40 years now, the BMW Group has initiated and engaged in more than 100 cultural partnerships worldwide. The focus of its commitment to culture is modern and contemporary art, jazz and classical music as well as architecture and design. BMW has worked with artists such as Gerhard Richter, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Olafur Eliasson, Jeff Koons or Zaha Hadid and is a partner of museums such as the Guggenheim in New York and the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin. In London, BMW in partnership with the London Symphony Orchestra, hosts the BMW LSO Open Air Classics, a yearly live concert free of charge in Trafalgar Square, and supports both BMW Tate Live as well as Frieze Art Fair.
Further information: bmwgroup.com/culture and bmwgroup.com/culture/overview

The BMW Group
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2013, the BMW Group sold approximately 1.963 million cars and 115,215 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2013 was € 7.91 billion on revenues amounting to approximately € 76.06 billion. As of 31 December 2013, the BMW Group had a workforce of 110,351 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

Soho House
Soho House was founded in Greek Street, London, in 1995, as a private members’ club for those in film, media and the creative industries. The portfolio has since expanded to include clubs, hotels, restaurants and spas across the UK, Europe, the US and Canada. Each site is different, maintaining its own personality, but all have a sense of shared DNA as homes from home for members and guests.

Elsewhere in London is the Dean Street Townhouse – a four-storey 39 bedroom hotel and all-day dining room, located in Soho; Shoreditch House, an East London club with rooftop pool, gym, restaurants and 26 rooms; High Road House, a quiet outpost, featuring club, bar, brasserie and 14 rooms in Chiswick; and Little House, Mayfair’s best kept restaurant, bar and lounge. Moments away from Little House sits the first outpost of Cecconi’s, a modern day classic Italian restaurant open to the public for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week.in the last 10 years, Cecconi’s has travelled to West Hollywood and Miami, with further international restaurants on the horizon. Babington House, set in 18 acres of rural Somerset is home to 32 individually designed bedrooms, a 24 hour restaurant and the flagship Cowshed Spa.

Soho House Berlin opened in May 2010, in Berlin’s Mitte district and was the first venture in continental Europe. Occupying eight floors, the House has an expansive club floor, roof top pool and bar, 85 rooms and short let apartments, a fully equipped gym, screening room and Cowshed Spa with Hammam.

The company has been building its US footprint since Soho House New York opened in June 2003. Covering six floors, it’s housed in a 45,000 square feet period warehouse building in the Meatpacking District. The club offers extensive facilities; a restaurant, bar, 44-seat cinema and a rooftop pool as well as 30 spacious bedrooms and a Cowshed Spa. Soho House West Hollywood opened in May 2010 at 9000, Sunset Boulevard, it’s club floor, screening room, event spaces and garden terrace restaurant occupying the top floor and roof of an iconic office building.
Miami followed in October 2011, with 50 bedrooms situated over fifteen floors. Designed to combine vintage furniture and vibrant textiles to create an aura of South American glamour, the club is home to a screening snug, 2 pools, a beach club, Cowshed spa and Cecconi’s restaurant. In 2012 we opened Soho House Toronto, which launched with an array of events to celebrate the Toronto International Film Festival. Most recently, in August 2014, Soho House opened its largest property to date in Chicago.

London/Munich. The BMW Group has renewed its partnership with Frieze London, Frieze Masters and Frieze New York for another three years. Since 2004, the BMW Group has been a supporter of Frieze London extending its support to Frieze Masters and Frieze New York at launch in 2012.

The 12th edition of Frieze London, one of the world’s most important fairs of contemporary art, will take place from October 15 to 18, 2014 in Regent’s Park with an invitation-only Preview Day on 14October.

Frieze Sounds 2014 will be presented with BMW again in the VIP cars at Frieze London and Frieze Masters. Sounds will also be accessible via a listening station inside Frieze London and streamed online. Frieze Sounds is a programme of sound works featuring three specially commissioned audio works by international artists. This year Frieze Sounds presents works by artists Keren Cytter, Cally Spooner and Hannah Weinberger. Frieze Sounds 2014 is programmed and curated by Cecilia Alemani and presented with BMW.

This year’s fair was designed by Universal Studio of Barber & Osgerby. In collaboration with BMW Group Design, the studio’s designers Ed Barber and Jay Osgerby created the installation “Double Space for BMW – Precision & Poetry in Motion”. Also dating from this year, it premiered at London’s Design Festival 2014. The installation will be shown until October 24 at the Raphael Gallery of the Victoria & Albert Museum.

As part of the activities taking place during Frieze Art Fair London, an afternoon tea will be prepared on October 13 in the rooms of the private Zabludowicz Collection. For the private collectors portrayed in the “BMW Art Guide by Independent Collectors“, this will present an opportunity for exchange, and a guided tour of the first exhibition of Ryan Trecartin and Lizzie Fitch will be offered. To this day, the “BMW Art Guide” is the first and only publication of its kind that presents a comprehensive overview of international private collections of contemporary art open to the general public.

On the occasion of the London Frieze the recorded performances of BMW Tate Live: Performance Room will be shown at Tate Modern for the very first time, allowing visitors to experience this novel kind of live performances. BMW Tate Live is a pioneering artistic programme created exclusively for live broadcast and available for online audiences only. From October 13 to October 16, the multiple award-winning series of events BMW Tate Live: Performance Room will be presented at Tate Modern.

BMW is cultivating sustainable long-term partnerships with the most renowned art fairs worldwide including Art Basel, Art Basel Miami Beach, Art Basel Hong Kong, Frieze Art Fair and Frieze Masters London, Frieze New York, Paris Photo in Paris and Los Angeles, TEFAF Maastricht, art berlin contemporary and the Gallery Weekend Berlin.

BMW’s Cultural Commitment
For over 40 years now, the BMW Group has initiated and engaged in more than 100 cultural partnerships worldwide. The focus of this long-term commitment to culture is modern and contemporary art, jazz and classical music as well as architecture and design. BMW has worked with artists such as Gerhard Richter, Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Olafur Eliasson, Jeff Koons, Zubin Metha, Daniel Barenboim and Anna Netrebko and commissioned architects such as Karl Schwanzer, Zaha Hadid and Coop Himmelbau. In London, BMW in partnership with the London Symphony Orchestra, hosts the BMW LSO Open Air Classics, a yearly live concert free of charge in Trafalgar Square, and supports Frieze Art Fair. The BMW Group takes absolute creative freedom in all the cultural activities it is involved in for granted – as this is just as essential for groundbreaking artistic work as it is for major innovations in a successful business.

Further information: bmwgroup.com/culture and bmwgroup.com/culture/overview

The BMW Group
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 29 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2013, the BMW Group sold approximately 1.963 million cars and 115,215 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2013 was € 7.91 billion on revenues amounting to approximately € 76.06 billion. As of 31 December 2013, the BMW Group had a workforce of 110,351 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

DETROIT – A 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray will become a canvas on wheels when threeGeneral Motors automotive designers transform it into a “performance art car” during the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) Gala Fundraiser on Friday.

Through paint and brush, the designers will bring to life Detroit’s “creative corridor,” consisting of industries that merge art, technology and business.

“Creativity is the basis of everything in life, from fine arts to innovation, from design to manufacturing,” said Ed Welburn, GM vice president of Global Design and honorary chairman of the MOCAD gala. “What better way to demonstrate inspiration and creativity than by having these young GM designers, who helped create the new Corvette Stingray, transform it into an art car during this event.”

The idea for the Corvette art car was inspired by such famous artists as Andy Warhol, Peter Max and Frank Stella, all of whom transformed race cars into rolling works of art.

“There is a lot of creative energy in the city and helping our youth harness it early is essential to a vibrant Detroit and museum,” said MOCAD Executive Director Elysia Borowy-Reeder. “In the past year, MOCAD’s Teen Council, workshops, teacher K-12 advisory group, and student docent programs have made contemporary art and design accessible to nearly 12,000 youth.”

GM and the GM Foundation have long supported organizations such as MOCAD, which focus on the role of art and design in contemporary culture while seeking to inspire future generations to pursue careers in creative arts that could help grow Detroit’s economy.

“Thanks to the support of industry partners like GM, we can continue the vital work of inspiring and empowering teens in middle and high school to reach their full potential, provide pathways to creative professions, and increase diversity in those important innovative fields,” Borowy-Reeder said.

The Corvette will be painted by three GM Design employees:

Casey Swanseger, 30, a creative designer and graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art
Tyler Mars, 28, digital sculptor and a graduate of Detroit’s College for Creative Studies (CCS)
Haneif Katebi, 25, creative designer, sculptor and a graduate of Detroit’s College for Creative Studies
The trio will use acrylic, water-soluble paints to create a contemporary art design on the white vinyl-wrapped Corvette. Using brushes and paint bottles, the designers will use a mix of patterns to paint the car in 45 minutes, accompanied by music played by a disc jockey.

Although the designers experimented in advance, the final creative concept will be kept under wraps until the gala.

Welburn said the Corvette art car project combines experimentation, design and passion, which can help create awareness of the possibilities of careers in creative arts and the impact on Detroit’s economy.

“This is a great opportunity to encourage and inspire creativity in young people, either in the automotive industry or other professions,” he said.

Tickets for the MOCAD Gala Fundraiser and Art Auction can be purchased at the MOCAD website, http://mocadetroit.org/gala/.

About General Motors Co.
General Motors Co. (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM) and its partners produce vehicles in 30 countries, and the company has leadership positions in the world’s largest and fastest-growing automotive markets. GM’s brands include Chevrolet and Cadillac, as well as Baojun, Buick, GMC, Holden, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. More information on the company and its subsidiaries, including OnStar, a global leader in vehicle safety, security and information services, can be found at http://www.gm.com.

About the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD)
Established in 2006, MOCAD’s mission is to present art at the forefront of contemporary culture. As a non-collecting institution, MOCAD is responsive to the cultural content of our time, fueling crucial dialogue, collaboration and public engagement. The museum is an innovative addition to Detroit’s vibrant Midtown neighborhood and functions as a hub for the exploration of emerging ideas in the contemporary arts. The 22,000-square-foot building, a former auto dealership, has been renovated carefully to maintain its historic character. With its raw, flexible and light-filled cavernous spaces, the building is well-suited to the exhibition of contemporary art. MOCAD’s ambitious series of public programs aims to engage diverse audiences and includes lectures, musical performances, films, literary readings and educational activities for children.

Starting this month, IKEA U.S. will begin selling a new living room storage series called REGISSÖR that uses an innovative technique for faster and easier furniture assembly.
Customers can assemble the new REGISSÖR series – which includes a bookshelf, cabinets and a coffee table, using a new IKEA-developed solution that was designed on the factory floor together with suppliers. Featuring special wedge dowels, furniture pieces assembled using this technique require no tools and have no loose pieces; you can put them together using only your hands. Click HERE to see a video [NOTE: You can click the Closed Caption (CC) button in YouTube to view English subtitles during Swedish language sections of the video].

The new assembly technique will be used in an additional storage units slated for spring 2015 and is already being used in select pieces from the STOCKHOLM range (sideboard and cabinet). REGISSÖR is the first product where the new assembly solution is used in full-scale production.

“The new solution gives consumers more choices,” says Janice Simonsen, Design Spokesperson, IKEA U.S. “By making it even easier to assemble our furniture, we want to give people who may find it challenging a new reason for choosing IKEA.”

REGISSÖR also includes a new board-on-frame technique, allowing IKEA to use fewer raw materials and still offer a product with great quality at an affordable price.

CHICAGO — GE Antares, a unit of GE Capital, announced today it served as administrative agent on a $315 million senior secured credit facility to support the acquisition of The Home Décor Companies by Nielsen & Bainbridge, LLC, a portfolio company of Kohlberg & Company and GE Antares borrower. GE Capital Markets served as joint lead arranger and joint bookrunner on this facility.

Headquartered in Southaven, MS, The Home Décor Companies is a leading provider of home décor products, services and solutions to North American retailers such as HomeGoods, Lowe’s, Wal-Mart and Target. Combining the company with Nielsen & Bainbridge (N&B)’s custom and ready-made picture frame business significantly expands N&B’s product lines and customer base and provides new revenue opportunities. The combined company will operate under the name NBGHome.

“GE Antares is a longstanding trusted business partner to Kohlberg,” said Seth Hollander, partner at Kohlberg. “Their responsiveness and their syndication expertise made them an ideal financing choice for creating NBGHome”.

“We’re pleased to provide debt financing to NBG Home and Kohlberg in support of the acquisition of The Home Décor Companies,” said Chet Zara, senior managing director of GE Antares. “We look forward to continuing to support Kohlberg and management as they pursue the exciting growth opportunities at NBGHome.”

The Home Décor Companies
Headquartered in Southaven, MS, The Home Décor Companies combined to be the market leader in portable lighting in the United States as well as the #2 supplier of wall décor and a rapidly growing player in the decorative soft goods and accent furniture categories. THDC’s products are marketed under various labels, including Jimco, J. Hunt Home, Patton Picture and Thro.

Nielsen & Bainbridge, L.L.C.
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Nielsen Bainbridge is an international company owned by Kohlberg & Company, a New York-based private equity firm, and is one of the world’s leading producers and distributors of high quality picture framing products, marketed under brands such as Pinnacle, Burnes, Nielsen and Bainbridge. A world leader in research, innovation and ground-breaking new products, Nielsen Bainbridge anticipates the latest styles and trends, to give customers the most desirable products.

About Kohlberg & Company, L.L.C.
Kohlberg & Company, LLC is a leading U.S. private equity firm headquartered in Mt. Kisco, New York. Since its inception in 1987, Kohlberg has completed more than 62 platform investments and more than 100 add-on acquisitions, with aggregate transaction value in excess of $9 billion.

About GE Antares Capital
GE Antares is a unit of GE Capital. With offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco, GE Antares is a leading middle market lender, offering a “one-stop” source for GE’s lending and other services offered to middle market private equity sponsors. GE Antares was recognized by Private Debt Investor and Private Equity International as 2013 Lender of the Year, North America and Mid-Cap Lender of the Year, North America, respectively. For more information, visit geantares.com.
GE Capital offers consumers and businesses around the globe an array of financial products and services. For more information, visit www.gecapital.com or follow company news via Twitter (https://twitter.com/GECapital).

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.ge.com

IKEA GreenTech, an IKEA Group venture capital company, announced today that it has invested in Design LED Products Ltd, a Scottish company with a unique technology for a whole new generation of lighting products using energy efficient “light tiles” – LEDs embedded into clear resins and films. The tiles are unique as they are extremely thin, flexible and low cost and can be seamlessly joined together in exciting new designs.

The investment will support the delivery of the IKEA Group Sustainability Strategy, People & Planet Positive, which includes goals to enable customers to save energy and live more sustainably at home.

“This technology opens up fantastic possibilities for innovative designs using energy efficient LEDs. The partnership is a clear strategic fit for IKEA and our goal to make living sustainably affordable and attractive for millions of people,” says Christian Ehrenborg, Managing Director, IKEA GreenTech AB

LED lights use 85% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 20 times longer. IKEA will switch its entire lighting range to the technology by September 2015.

The investment will enable Design LED to expand its business and to increase its offer of products that can be used in lighting designs for the home.

“This strategic investment allows Design LED to significantly accelerate plans to deliver highly differentiated products to an international market desperate to conserve energy, and hungry for exciting new form factors in LED lighting” says Stuart Bain, CEO, Design LED Products Ltd

Existing Design LED Products shareholders have also invested alongside IKEA GreenTech, including most significantly Scottish Enterprise. A number of Scottish “business angel” investment groups also participated in this investment round, including Strathtay Ventures, Tricap Ventures, and Highland Ventures.

About Design LED Products Ltd,

Design LED, head-quartered in Livingston near Edinburgh, Scotland, is an internationally regarded LED lighting system technology business. The company is taking unique and innovative products to a global lighting market, which itself is growing rapidly on the back of international government and environmental legislation and increasing consumer demand for low energy, highly differentiated and low cost lighting solutionsMore information about Design LED Products Ltd is available at http://designledproducts.com

About IKEA GreenTech AB
IKEA GreenTech was established in 2008 and focuses mainly on the EU area. The company is wholly own by IKEA AB with the aim to explore and invest in companies and funds that will help IKEA Group to deliver on its sustainability strategy, People & Planet Positive.

IKEA GreenTech has made investments in the following companies; Exibea AB (energy management, Sweden), BoFood AB (vegetarian food, Sweden), DyeCoo Textile Systems (waterless dyeing), El-Seed Corp (LED-technology, Japan), Alelion Batteries AB (energy storage, Sweden) and Mountain Cleantech Fund II (Cleantech Growth Fund in the DE/AT/CH region).

More information about IKEA GreenTech is available at http://www.ikea.greentechab.com

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio –GE’s Lumination™ LED DownLights are now available with new reflector finishes and anodized color options, offering even greater versatility and customization of the energy-efficient Lumination DI Series for new construction of high-end retail, commercial office and hospitality spaces.

In addition to new configurations and finishes, GE’s Infusion™ technology gives users more options, including a variety of lumen output and color temperatures, to illuminate key products or focal points with the simple switch of an LED module.

“GE’s Lumination DI Series LED DownLights come in a wider range of finishes and colors—from wheat, semi-diffused and white colors to specular, clear and even black—giving designers and architects more versatile options than ever before,” said GE Indoor LED Product Manager John Koster. “Adding in the Infusion technology, which provides outstanding efficacy and color rendering—including high R9 values across all color temperatures—this truly is the ideal downlight solution for retail spaces and other areas where the color, richness and detail of merchandise and key interest areas can pop.”

Additionally, the Lumination DI Series is available in a wall washer option, which helps highlight walls, artwork and architectural features, allowing the lighting to make a room appear brighter, bigger and livelier. With wide, even illuminance, the DI Series wall wash optimizes uniformity horizontally on the wall while delivering light all the way up to the ceiling line.

With lumen package options from 1,000 to 4,000 lumens, the Lumination DI Series is an energy-efficient alternative to a range of traditional downlights, from 13-watt CFL to 100-watt metal halides. It also gives more future-friendly versatility than typical LED downlights, ensuring the lowest total cost of ownership. The GE Lumination LED DownLight modules can be effortlessly upgraded in seconds through the Infusion twist-fit design that doesn’t require a fixture change.

A product of GE ecomagination℠, the LED modules of GE Lighting’s Lumination LED DownLights come in a variety of lumen outputs and color temperatures. With up to 90 CRI color rendering and high R9 values, colors appear more vibrant—ideal for retail, hospitality and other environments where lighting quality is essential, especially for spaces with 10- to 20-foot ceilings.

Additionally, the Lumination DI Series has a 50,000-hour rated lifetime, providing considerable maintenance savings compared to the 20,000-hour rated life for many CFL downlights. It is available in 4- and 6-inch round and square shapes that allow users to choose the perfect light for each application.
To learn more about Lumination LED lighting fixtures, visit www.gelighting.com. Read more about GE’s commitment to innovative solutions to today’s environmental challenges at www.ecomagination.com.

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs about 13,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the reveal® and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx™, Immersion™, Infusion™, Lumination™, Albeo™ and Tetra® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.

50 Years of LED Innovation
Oct. 9, 1962, GE scientist Dr. Nick Holonyak, Jr., invented the first practical visible-spectrum light-emitting diode (LED). In the 50 years since, GE has been on the forefront of LED innovation. The company has released inspired LED products for both residential and commercial settings, from the first ENERGY STAR®-qualified A19-shaped LED bulb to LED street lighting that illuminates cityscapes the world over.

Montvale, NJ – Benjamin Moore, North America’s favorite paint, color and coatings brand, is commemorating its 12-year partnership with the Boston Red Sox with the launch of The Fenway Collection, a limited-edition collection of paints featuring the iconic colors of Fenway Park. The Fenway Collection is now available exclusively at select New England-area Benjamin Moore retailers.

The Fenway Collection encapsulates the spirit of Fenway Park by bringing together the ballpark’s five most iconic colors, including Green Monster, Boston Blue, Boston Red, Baseline White and Foul Pole Yellow. Each color is available in Benjamin Moore Regal® Select Interior Eggshell, ideal for living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms and hallways. The collection’s hallmark color, Green Monster, is also available in Benjamin Moore Regal® Select Exterior Low Lustre. In addition to being sold by the quart, Green Monster is available by the gallon. Suggested retail prices for all colors in the collection are $24.99 per quart and $54.99 per gallon.

To celebrate the collection’s launch, Benjamin Moore and the Boston Red Sox joined forces to transform Bunker Little League Park, located in West Roxbury, MA, into a “mini Fenway Park” by repainting the field with the collection and constructing a miniature Green Monster. The surprise renovation of the remodeled park, which was completed overnight, was a group effort made possible by local Benjamin Moore volunteers, retailers and contractors to bring this gift to the neighborhood. Players from the Parkway Little League enjoyed their newly renovated field in a match up on July 18, 2014.

“Our collaboration with the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park is truly special, and we’re excited to bring these colors beyond the stadium and into the lives and homes of their fans,” said Rich Gaudino, Benjamin Moore Director of Sales, New England. “Fenway is such an important ballpark and brings together so many people, and we are really privileged to be able to help transform New England little league fields with this collection.”

“We have had a long and successful partnership with Benjamin Moore and we’re pleased the colors of Fenway Park will be available to people throughout New England through this limited edition paint collection,” said Red Sox Senior Vice President Corporate Partnerships Troup Parkinson. “It’s a great way to pay tribute to our 12-year relationship, and we look forward to our continued collaboration with Benjamin Moore.”
As an affirmation of its commitment to this American heritage sport and the Boston community, Benjamin Moore is committing a percentage of sales from The Fenway Collection to repainting additional little league ball fields in the Boston area.

To learn more about The Fenway Collection and to find your local retailer visit, BenjaminMoore.com.

About Benjamin Moore & Co.
Benjamin Moore & Co., a Berkshire Hathaway company, was founded in 1883. One of North America’s leading manufacturers of premium quality residential, commercial and industrial maintenance coatings, Benjamin Moore maintains a relentless commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices and continues to develop the most eco-responsible formulations possible. In 2012, the company’s Natura® paint received the Green Good Housekeeping Seal, acknowledging its high degree of sustainability plus rigorously tested performance. Other superior products in the Benjamin Moore Green Promise® portfolio include Aura®, Regal® Select, ben® and Ultra Spec® 500 paint for commercial interiors — all built upon our patented Gennex® platform that has changed the industry and earned the passion and loyalty of homeowners and professional painters by delivering extremely low-VOC and peerless beauty and performance. J.D. Power and Associates 2014 Interior Paint Satisfaction Study ranked Benjamin Moore highest in consumer satisfaction, marking the fourth consecutive year and fifth time the company has earned this rating. Benjamin Moore paints deliver authentic Benjamin Moore colors and are available exclusively from Benjamin Moore’s network of paint and decorating dealers.

CLEVELAND — Architects, designers and green building professionals now have free access to certified continuing education courses 24/7, with the new Sherwin-Williams Online Learning Center. Professionals can visit swceulearn.com to earn CEU credits for courses covering a broad range of topics, from paints and coatings to color and design. Certified by the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC) and Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), credits are processed within days of completion. New courses will be added to the site on an ongoing basis.

“Providing rich opportunities for continuing education benefits the entire construction and design community, as it helps professionals to gain competencies and knowledge that are essential to their growth and success,” said Joe Kujawski, director of marketing, Sherwin-Williams. “Sherwin-Williams is pleased to provide this complimentary Online Learning Center to make it easy for architects and designers to complete high quality CEU courses at their convenience and at their own pace.”

To access the course offerings, professionals can log on to swceulearn.com to register and sign in. A link to the Online Learning Center can also be found in the Architect/Specifier/Designer section of sherwin-williams.com. There are descriptions and objectives for more than a dozen CEU courses under the categories of “Paint & Coatings” and “Color & Design.” Once a course is selected, the site enables users to learn as their schedules permit. A personalized “Courses in Progress” page helps users track their efforts, including the date they started a course, when they last visited it, the percentage completed, and actions left to take. Once they’ve finished a course, users can simply click on the course title to print a certificate of completion. CEU credits are automatically processed to AIA and IDCEC.

Paint & Coatings Courses
Professionals can explore a broad choice of topics within the Paint & Coatings category. For example, with the “Paint 101” course they can discover the evolution of paint technology and the functional properties of paint and coatings, as well as the four basic components of paint. Other topics range from courses on protective architectural coatings to decorative concrete finishes.

Color & Design Courses
Courses in the Color & Design category also cover a broad spectrum of topics. For example, in the “Seeing Red” course, professionals will learn the origins of the color and why it the most popular color in the world. Or, users can also learn about the principles of color and light by taking the “Color, Light & Metamerism” course, which describes the phenomenon known as metamerism.

Resources for Professionals
Professionals visiting swceulearn.com will also find links to a variety of additional resources to help them in their work, including the ability to order Sherwin-Williams paint color samples, explore colors by family and collection, view product specifications or download guides for complying with green building standards and local VOC regulations.

ASK SHERWIN-WILLIAMS™
Through its more than 3,900 stores and 2,200 sales representatives, Sherwin-Williams provides fast, flexible, responsive service and personalized, expert advice to meet the coating and color needs of builders, designers, specifiers, property managers and contractors. Recently, Sherwin-Williams was ranked “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Paint Retailers, Two Years in a Row” and “Highest in Customer Satisfaction Among Exterior Paints” by the J.D. Power 2014 Paint Satisfaction Study. As North America’s largest single-source supplier of high-quality paints, stains, masonry coatings and brand-name wall and floor coverings, Sherwin-Williams is proud to have earned the EPA Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for its innovative acrylic alkyd technology. Visit sherwin-williams.com

LOUISVILLE, Ky. In the home, gray is more than a shade between black and white. According to the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA), gray will be the fastest growing color scheme in the kitchen in 2014.1 GE’s (NYSE: GE) Slate premium finish is the answer for consumers who want to bring gray into their kitchen with slide-in and built-in Profile™ Series appliances available beginning in August.

Inspired by the rich texture and appearance of stone, Slate has a deep, warm and inviting look that exudes refinement and sophistication. Slate’s low-gloss metallic finish is adaptive, allowing it to seamlessly blend into kitchens that flow into the living room and rest of the house, making it ideal for today’s open-concept living.

“Open-concept design puts the appliances front and center, visible whether you’re sitting in the kitchen or the adjacent living space,” said Lou Lenzi, director of GE’s Industrial Design Operation. “Slate’s neutral, matte qualities make it visually interesting without causing a distraction.”
When it comes to kitchen design, according to the NKBA, transitional style was the most popular in 2013, and is expected to remain strong in 2014.1 Slate gray fits, complementing a wide spectrum of materials and finishes found in transitional design, while delivering on today’s muted color scheme.

Slated for expansion
Slate’s expansion is the second one for the finish, which originally launched in September 2012 and more than doubled after one year as popularity exceeded expectations. In a recent GE survey of consumers who have purchased Slate, 97 percent were either “extremely” or “very” satisfied with the appearance of Slate appliances in their kitchen.

Additional advantages
The matte quality is resistant to fingerprints, a frequent consumer complaint about stainless steel appliances
Mix and match: brushed stainless steel handles and knobs add contrast while also complementing stainless steel appliances in the kitchen
The 2014 Slate expansion includes:
Slide-in gas and electric range models PS950EEFES ($2,899*), JGS750EEFES ($2,499*) and JS750EFES ($1,899*), available in August.
Wall oven models PT7050EHES ($2,499*) and PT7550EHES ($3,499*), available in August.
Electric cooktop models PP932EHES ($1,299*) and PP962EHES ($1,299*), available in August.
Countertop microwave PEB7226EFES ($379*), available in August, and over-the-range convection microwave PVM9179EFES ($649*), available in September.

Counter-depth French door bottom-freezer refrigerator GYE22KMHES ($2,899*), French door bottom-freezer refrigerator GFE28GMH ($2,499*), 30″ bottom-freezer refrigerator GDE20GMHES ($1,649*), and side-by-side refrigerators GSS23HMHES ($1,649*) and GSS25GMHES ($1,399*), available in October.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter or check out our website for more information
Friend GE Appliances on Facebook to view how-to videos, learn about new GE appliances and join in the discussion with other GE appliance owners. Join today and follow @GE_Appliances on Twitter or just locate detailed information about our products at geappliances.com.

GE Appliances
GE Appliances is at the forefront of building innovative, energy-efficient appliances that improve people’s lives. GE Appliances’ products include refrigerators, freezers, cooking products, dishwashers, washers, dryers, air conditioners, water filtration systems and water heaters. General Electric (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information on GE Appliances, visit www.ge.com/appliances.

CONSHOHOCKEN, PA – IKEA announced today that the new 2015 IKEA U.S. catalog, filled with design inspiration and new products for every area of the home, will be available to the public starting this August. Themed “Where the Everyday Begins and Ends,” this year’s catalog highlights the two important rooms where people sleep and get ready every morning and night – the bedroom and the bathroom. Readers will learn how IKEA can help them make the beginning and end of their days more comfortable, more calm, and more organized by designing their spaces based on their own routines, utilizing smart space solutions, and expressing their personal styles.

To gain a better understanding of how the start of the day impacts a person’s well-being, IKEA recently released its first global Life at Home Report. The report, which includes an interactive “Data Mixing Board,” took a deep look at people’s morning routines from waking up to walking out the door, and how their morning habits impact their days.

“Everyone goes to sleep and wakes up, but everything in between those moments is very personal. We all have individual needs when it comes to our morning and evening routines,” says Patty Lobell, Sales Manager, IKEA U.S. “IKEA understands how people live and we use that knowledge to create solutions to help you make the most of your personal spaces so you can make the most of you.”

Bedrooms and bathrooms are places to refresh and recharge. The bathroom is a personal retreat but often also a small shared area. In fact, 70% of Americans share their bathroom with a spouse or partner*. IKEA can help make the most of the limited space you have by providing space-saving products that grab every square inch and clear out the clutter. In addition, IKEA offers soft and cozy textiles that help create a relaxing, spa-like feel. The bedroom is your comfort zone, where you can relax and recharge. People cite their biggest challenge in the bedroom as a lack of space or insufficient storage**. IKEA has well-organized storage solutions that help you find your things quickly and easily, leaving you with more time to spend with the kids or have that extra cup of coffee. And, since a good day starts with a good night’s sleep, you can customize your sleep experience with IKEA products that that meet your needs for warmth, support, and softness.

The 2015 catalog will be available in 67 printed editions, 32 languages and 46 countries/territories. The IKEA catalog is now the largest print production ever to be printed on 100% FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council) certified paper. The entire IKEA catalog production chain, from forest to printer, is FSC-certified to ensure a more sustainable origin of the wood.

U.S. consumers can access the new catalog in multiple ways:
Printed Version – Request a printed copy of the catalog at www.getmy2015catalog.com.
Digital Version – Visit www.2015digitalcatalog.com to view the digital version of the catalog online beginning on July 24. New for this year, user will also be able to save lists of their favorite products from the digital catalog and create shopping lists.
Catalog App for smartphones and tablets (iOS and Android) – Download from your app store beginning on July 24. The app gives users access to extended catalog content by scanning designated pages of the printed catalog. The extended content includes: an augmented reality “Place in Your Room” feature which allows users to virtually place and view nearly 300 IKEA products in their own homes; shareable videos featuring quick DIY tips and stories behind IKEA products; 360º views that allow users to look all the way around a whole room; and image galleries. Select content will also be available in the digital catalog.
Fans can connect with IKEA on Pinterest (https://pinterest.com/IKEAUSA), Twitter (@DesignbyIKEA) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/IKEAUSA). Join the conversation via the hashtag #IKEACatalog.

*Source: IKEA U.S. Consumer Panel – Life in the Home: Bathrooms, November 2013
**Source: IKEA U.S. Consumer Panel Bedroom Report, June 2013

NOTE FOR PRESS: Please visit our press site at IKEA-USA.com/2015catalog for downloadable press information on the catalog, hi-res product images, videos and additional materials. Also available at the site is a press preview of the digital catalog via a link to a beta version. Contact IKEARequests@Ketchum.com for additional information, product loans or images.

About IKEA
Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good designand function at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currentlymore than 350 IKEA stores in 44 countries, including 38 in the U.S. IKEA incorporatessustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and theenvironment. For more information see IKEA-USA.com

(Conshohocken, PA) IKEA US announced today it will adopt a new minimum hourly wage structure for their US retail co-workers beginning January 1, 2015. The change will take the average minimum hourly wage in existing US stores (as of June 2014) to $10.76, a $1.59 or 17% increase, and $3.51 above the current federal minimum wage. The increase will impact approximately 50% of IKEA US retail co-workers. The hourly wage will vary based on the cost of living in each IKEA US location*. This is a departure from determining wages based on the local competitive situation and is centered on the needs of the co-worker.

“At IKEA, we are guided by our mission ‘to create a better everyday life for the many people,’ a vision that includes our co-workers, customers and the communities impacted by our business,” said Rob Olson, IKEA US Acting President and CFO. “The transition to the new minimum hourly wage structure is not only the right thing to do, it makes good business sense. We are basing our wages on our co-workers and their needs, rather than what the local employment market dictates. Our focus is to ensure that IKEA is a great place to work by providing an environment that develops our co-workers and also meets our customers’ expectations. All of this contributes to our business success.”

The wage increase is based on the MIT Living Wage Calculator, which takes into consideration housing, food, medical and transportation costs plus annual taxes.* The hourly wage will vary based on the cost of living in each IKEA US location. All 38 existing US retail locations, as well as IKEA’s three new locations which open before the end of 2015, will adopt the new structure. All IKEA US non-retail locations – including five distribution centers, two service centers and a manufacturing facility – have hourly wage jobs that are already paying minimum wages above the local living wage.This increase is just the latest in a series of investments that IKEA has made in its co-workers. In the past year, IKEA US has introduced the TACK! loyalty program which makes contributions to a new retirement fund, and has increased the employer-matched contributions to the co-worker’s 401(k) plan, as well as launched the new One IKEA Bonus program for all co-workers.

The new minimum hourly wage structure will be a significant investment but it will not increase IKEA prices. In fact, IKEA is committed to continuing to lower prices.

* The rate used is a single person with no children .Based on the MIT Living Wage calculator http://livingwage.mit.edu
Rate applies no matter what the hours per week a co-worker works.

Contact: Mona A. Liss, IKEA Corporate PR Director ~ Mona.Liss@IKEA.com, 610.834.0180, ext.5852 (until June 27 and thereafter contact Elizabeth Gray, APCO Worldwide ~egray@apcoworldwide.com, 646-556-9316.)

About IKEA
The IKEA vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. Our business idea supports this vision by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. There are currently 305 IKEA Group stores in 26 countries. There are 38 IKEA stores in the US. In FY 13, the IKEA Group had 135,000 co-workers, 684 million visitors to the stores and 1.3 billion visitors to IKEA.com. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment.
For more information, visit IKEA-USA.com, facebook.com/IKEAUSA, @IKEAUSANews, @DesignByIKEA, http://pinterest.com/IKEAUSA/, www.youtube.com/IKEAUSA, www.theshare-space.com, www.theshare-space.com/en/Blog

Montvale, NJ – Benjamin Moore, one of North America’s most respected paint and coatings brands, announced today the launch of Design By What Matters, an innovative, interactive online tool that utilizes social data, lifestyle information and style preferences to help consumers design rooms inspired by what matters to them.

Benjamin Moore developed Design by What Matters to help consumers discover their design personalities and create unique color palettes just for them. In a few minutes, by answering a few fun and simple questions, users generate a customized room featuring a palette inspired by a favorite image or color. Questions like, “What’s on your bucket list?” or “What does your dream view look like?” among others, lead to a personalized bedroom, living room, kitchen or dining room. Consumers can further explore Benjamin Moore palettes to create a space that feels like home. From there, users can also buy paint samples and get design tips to help turn that ideal look into a reality.

“Designing a space is a very personal process inspired by what matters in an your life,” said David Melançon, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “Whether you’re a design enthusiast or a novice choosing colors for your first home, Design By What Matters is a tool you can use to create living spaces that bring your personality, lifestyle and preferences to life virtually before you take the leap of committing to them in real life.”

Participants are encouraged to share their design creations on social media using #BenjaminMoore #DBWM. The platform also allows users to purchase paint samples and get design tips to help make your ideal look a reality. To get started and design a customized room and color palette, visit www.DesignByWhatMatters.com.

About Benjamin Moore & Co.
Benjamin Moore & Co., a Berkshire Hathaway company, was founded in 1883. One of North America’s leading manufacturers of premium quality residential, commercial and industrial maintenance coatings, Benjamin Moore maintains a relentless commitment to sustainable manufacturing practices and continues to develop the most eco-responsible formulations possible. In 2012, the company’s Natura® paint received the Green Good Housekeeping Seal, acknowledging its high degree of sustainability plus rigorously tested performance. Other superior products in the Benjamin Moore Green Promise® portfolio include Aura®, Regal® Select, ben® and Ultra Spec® 500 paint for commercial interiors — all built upon our patented Gennex® platform that has changed the industry and earned the passion and loyalty of homeowners and professional painters by delivering extremely low-VOC and peerless beauty and performance. J.D. Power and Associates 2014 Interior Paint Satisfaction Study ranked Benjamin Moore highest in consumer satisfaction, marking the fourth consecutive year and fifth time the company has earned this rating. Benjamin Moore paints deliver authentic Benjamin Moore colors and are available exclusively from Benjamin Moore’s network of paint and decorating dealers.