Briefs: Motorola invests in Tilefile
SCHAUMBURG -- Motorola Inc., through Motorola Ventures, its strategic venture capital arm, said Thursday it has made an equity investment in Sydney, Australia-based Tilefile Limited. Tilefile has developed a social media platform that connects users and communities through a content-neutral media format. Financial terms of the investment were not disclosed.
REI opens new Schaumburg store
SCHAUMBURG -- Recreational Equipment Inc. invites its co-op members and the community to celebrate the grand opening of its newest store in Schaumburg, today through Sunday at Woodfield Commons. The 26,000 square-foot store will include assembly and repair service shops for snowboards, skis and bikes, in addition to a rental department providing gear for outdoor activities, such as snowshoeing and camping.
TigerDirect pushes 'Pink Friday'
MIAMI -- TigerDirect.com, a retailer of consumer electronics and technology products, is changing Black Friday to "Pink Friday" to make the busiest shopping day of the holiday season a charitable day as well. Pink Friday runs through Dec. 31. TigerDirect expects to donate more than $250,000 from total sales and donations to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure for the fight against breast cancer. The company has stores in Naperville and Hoffman Estates.
Hub announces stock buy back
DOWNERS GROVE -- Hub Group Inc. said Thursday that the board of directors has authorized the purchase of up to $75 million of its Class A common stock. This authorization expires June 30, 2009. Hub intends to make purchases from time to time as market conditions warrant. Hub intends to hold the repurchased shares in treasury for future use. This new authorization is in addition to the current $75 million authorization.
Fannie May opening stores
CHICAGO -- Before the end of the month, Fannie May Confections Inc. will open six new retail stores in the area. With these, Fannie May will have 61 stores. Fannie May is also opening 24 seasonal kiosks in malls and shopping centers in the area. The new stores will be at: Hawthorn Center Mall in Vernon Hills; 144 S. Dearborn St. in Chicago; 984 Willow Road, Willow Festival Shopping Center, Northbrook; 14 Danada Square West in Wheaton; The Promenade, 631 E. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook; and in Granger, Ind.
Lime Energy Co. applies for Nasdaq
ELK GROVE -- Lime Energy Co. on Thursday announced plans to apply for listing on the Nasdaq stock market. The Elk Grove Village-based company, which currently trades on the Over the Counter Bulletin Board, said it has received shareholder approval to carry out a reverse stock split of between 1-for-2 and 1-for-10 before March 31.
Consumer prices rising here
CHICAGO -- Gasoline and electricity prices drove up the consumer price index by 4.7 percent for the Chicago metropolitan area in the past 12 months ended Oct. 31, abovea3.5 percent increasein the national CPI. "These readings show that the underlying strengths of inflation are there," said Adolfo Laurenti, senior economist at Mesirow Financial Holdings Inc. Despite the 12-months increase,in October the CPI rose just 0.1 percent for the Chicago region.
MUNDELEIN -- Medline, the nation's largest privately held health products manufacturer and distributor, said Thursday it inked a three-year agreement with Novation, whose alliance members represent more than half of all hospital admissions and total surgeries in the country. Under the terms of the dual source agreement -- valued at about $1.5 billion over three years and effective Feb. 1 -- Medline will manufacture and sell custom sterile surgical procedure packs to the alliances served by Novation.
Siemens gets $11 million grant
DEERFIELD -- The state of Illinois provided a tax incentive package of nearly $11 million for Siemens Medical Solutions Diagnostics to move its primary location to Deerfield, home of the former Dade Behring headquarters. Recently Siemens acquired Illinois-based Dade Behring. The newly merged company will create and retain 330 jobs and focus on in-vitro integrated diagnostics.