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VBRA Approved horsebox manufacturer
Nikki is the first point of contact for all customers and reps in our busy offices; you will find Nikki enthusiastic and helpful at every turn.
Apart from the top requests for a full paint job and the free horsebox this rated one of the most popular requests for a prize, therefore Kevin Parker Horseboxes Ltd are giving away vinyl stickers including fitting up to the value of £500!!!
To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, please visit our new Facebook business page by clicking on this link Facebook page and simply LIKE our page, SHARE the post and comment underneath telling us what your choice of graphics would be and why you deserve to win! GOOD LUCK! Closing date 29.08.2014
We have now settled into our new workshops, offices and paint booth/oven. The new premises are much larger with top of the range facilities for the team and customers alike. We look at this new location as the start of another chapter in our history and the future looks very exciting indeed! One of the main reasons for the move was space and we now have plenty of room for expansion. For customers' goods in trust, we have a security fence around the perimeter with 9 monitored cameras, security lighting, infrared and microwave sensors. Our new Dalby spray booth and oven is just over 2000 square feet and is large enough to accommodate any spray work. We have built a separate wash down room with 2 oil separators for steam cleaning vehicles and parts before we start work on the chassis. Our Coat-X and Sign-X departments have new spaces and we have invested in new machinery and recruited new team members too.
Over the previous few years we have expanded our workforce at a sensible pace and now that we are here, we have taken on new team members and have further posts to fill. Due to this increased demand for our Helios and Aeos horseboxes we are recruiting 5 more team members to join our company. Our goal for 2014 is to add another full build team and this is to cut build times yet further. Vacancies and apprenticeship details can be found here on our Job vacancies, apprenticeships and investing in young people page.
Looking forward we are very excited and have started many new projects. One of our first is a very prestigious one! We have received the first brand new Euro 6, DAF LF 12 tonne chassis off the production line, this is in build now and is a deluxe Helios horsebox for 4 horses (this is the second build for the same customer). Customers are welcome to visit at any time and we always give a guided tour of the facilities. At any one time we will have 3 x Helios 7.5 tonne horseboxes and 2 or 3 Aeos 3.5 tonne horseboxes in varying stages of manufacture. We will also have 1 horsebox in the paint shop and one in the Coat-X room, so there is always something to see.
Further reducing the carbon footprint of our brand
Looking at horseboxes on the road today, the majority are still shoe box shaped with no thought about aerodynamics. The cost of transport increases each year and almost any other transport related item we buy, has been designed with fuel economy and aerodynamics in mind; this includes everything from cycle helmets to the shape and design of cars. With this in mind, we included weight reductions and an aerodynamic shape as an integral part of the Helios horsebox design. More than 20 years ago we tested our first curved roofs and realised there were clear advantages both with fuel savings and wind noise. Over the years we have refined our curved roof design and further reduced CO2 emissions by increasing the aerodynamics of the range. This in turn reduces fuel consumption. Other key benefits include increased internal volume and an aesthetically pleasing, striking design. Using this innovative design we have managed to increase our horse area headroom to 8'' 2" yet reduced our overall vehicle height by more than 6". In turn this has reduced our load height, ramp height and ramp angle. With our innovative approach, each Helios horsebox we manufacture benefits from full solar charging and our curved roof system as standard. Sadly for genuine customers, our curved roof is already being copied; this is very flattering for us, but not at all good for customers. Considerable time and effort goes into all our designs and our websites, the content is factual and there for customers to make an informed choice, not for others to copy!
Video insight into our company
The following video is a brief insight into our company. We are an approved horsebox manufacturer and we hope this clearly shows our commitment to our product quality and innovative design features.
We have a conscientious team of skilled craftsmen and invest heavily in young people, always with an eye to the future. Our apprentices are enthusiastic and a good source of inspiration for the whole company!
We hope the video demonstrates our attention to detail and our unique horsebox designs. Rather than blindly following others, we have innovated at each turn and this is evident with the very first view of the Helios shape. Unlike other horseboxes on the market, every Helios horsebox has a sweeping roofline with our curved roof system flowing into the Helios pod. This in turn incorporates solar panels and our solar charging system.
Designed by horse owners for horse owners
Probably the single most important statement customers will see on our website is that we are so confident in our horseboxes, we include a comprehensive two year warranty with everything we produce.
If you would like more information, please email Kevin direct or call 01995640079 or 07956222678.
What makes us stand out?
- All customers deal directly with Kevin
- We have a conscientious team of 16 who are very proud of our product
- Each Helios and Aeos horsebox is a completely bespoke build, finished to the highest standards possible
- Alluring design with strength and longevity in every build
- Unique features, like Coat-X spray on polyurea, full solar charging and air extraction and our curved roof system
- A comprehensive two year warranty with every Helios and Aeos horsebox
- One of the lightest and strongest horseboxes on the market today with more than 2.5 tonnes of payload (Helios) and 1.22 tonnes of payload (Aeos)
- We innovate and use the very latest manufacturing techniques and materials
- As standard for longevity and strength we use stainless steel for our ramps, hinges, back frames, safety cages and horse partitions
- We have our own commercial spray shop and graphics businesses, so do not contract our painting out
- Over 30 years experience
Why choose a Helios horsebox?
Choosing a horsebox can be a very exciting, yet daunting task. To make choosing one as simple as possible, we have laid bare our build process and included quality images and videos throughout the website. It is noteworthy that we were the first to include weight certificates and send pictures and updates of the builds to customers. Even the VBRA have included items we have recommended for years into their best practice guidance notes! One of the most noticeable things you will see on the website is that we actually post our vehicle weights, rather than just saying we provide them! We have noticed that on a regular basis, both our designs and website content are copied. Having other manufacturers emulate our concepts and designs is extremely flattering and does highlight our enviable position. All we would ask of potential customers is that when they do the rounds, to please include us as our service, horseboxes and finish speak for themselves.
Our standard builds have a high specification with most items being exclusive to ourselves. These include solar charging and air extraction, Coat-X spray on polyurea coating, stainless steel ramps, rear frames, horse partitions and horse safety cages. Our builds are simply made to outlast our competition! Using our years of experience, we have designed the Helios range to be stronger, lighter and have a lower load height than older design horseboxes. Through innovation and starting from the ground up with the lowest possible load height and together with our exclusive curved roof system, the Helios design benefits by reducing fuel consumption, wind noise and swaying. This increases internal height and makes a smoother and safer ride for the horses. Reduced load height also means that we have extremely shallow ramps, making them safer and easier to load horses. This saves weight, as we do not need heavy hydraulic rams and the added weight of extended ramp feet. Another benefit to the extremely low load height is that we do not need ladders to climb into the living. Instead we install custom made steps which have just 2 treads making access much easier and safer, especially for children.
Amazing payload with more strength and safety
Payload and horse safety must be amongst the top considerations when buying a horsebox. Our lightest Helios weighs just 4.7 tonnes and our heaviest Helios with all the extras just 5.38 tonnes. To boast these high payloads and at the same time manufacture a horsebox that is stronger and safer, has taken years of expertise, considerable research and innovation. All our horseboxes benefit from Coat-X polyurea coating sprayed on our aluminium floors to replace the older heavy rubber mats and kick sheet. This product alone has many benefits and has transformed our horse areas and ramps into something quite unique.
From our Coat-X spray on protective coating business, Sign-X signs and graphics business to our commercial spray shop, we keep every aspect of the build in house and retain total control over quality. This is one the reasons we are able to include a two year warranty as standard on all our builds.
The new 10, 11 and 12 tonne Helios horsebox range
The standard 3.5 tonne Aeos horsebox
The standard 3.9 tonne Aeos weekender horsebox
The ultimate in longevity - groundbreaking design in stainless steel
Our ground breaking Helios design now includes a stainless steel ramp, ramp hinges, rear frame, safety cage and horse partitions as standard on each horsebox! Through extensive research and with a clear goal, we have increased durability, added value for money and furthered our reputation for quality and longevity. This is a practical step forward that our customers will appreciate for many years to come. Stainless steel is the ultimate material for longevity. It way outperforms the alternatives like aluminium and has integrated into our manufacturing process seamlessly.
In addition, if required we are able to manufacture the whole Helios build in stainless steel. With a sensible approach to strength and overall vehicle weights and using the latest stainless steel sections, we are able to increase the payload even further. We already include a two-year warranty as standard and if customers really want a horsebox that is stronger, lighter and will outlast any of the competition, then we truly have something to offer that is unique in the industry!
Full air extraction - included as standard
Following on from our ground breaking solar charging system, fitted as standard on every Helios horsebox, we are proud to introduce another new innovation, adding greater value for money and comfort for horses. Fitted as standard to each Helios horsebox is our high flow air extraction system. This is not just a token extraction fan, as it easily outperforms DEFRA regulations on air extraction for horseboxes. It can swap all the hot air in the horse area approximately 20 times in one hour (removing up to 316 cubic metres of hot air per hour).
7.5, 10, 11 and 12 tonne Helios horsebox model information
Adding to the 7.5 tonne Helios horsebox range, we now include 10, 11 and 12 tonne versions. Rather than baffle customers with pages of sizes and extras, we have included a very comprehensive standard specification. This is just a starting place and customers can add or remove items as required. To make choosing the 7.5 tonne version as simple as possible we have just one model and 2 sizes. The 7.5 tonne ladies Helios horsebox is 20' 6" in overall length (massive payload of 2.8 tonnes) and the larger version 7.5 tonne Helios horsebox is 23' in overall length (payload of 2.6 tonnes) We have deliberately chosen these lengths to offer customers strong, light horseboxes with good payloads whilst remaining within the legal weight limits. Our HGV Helios horseboxes can be built to customers chosen lengths as they have greater payloads available.
3.5 and 3.9 tonne Aeos horsebox model information
For the Aeos 3.5 and 3.9 tonne version, strength, improved safety and a good payload were the defining factors. Added extras have a bigger impact on payload, so we include a sensible standard specification and customers can add or remove items as required. For added safety we always include new alloy wheels and tyres, these are filled with Puncture safe. To make choosing an Aeos horsebox as easy as possible, we have one model and just 2 sizes.
Customer care and the Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association (VBRA)
A good name cannot be bought, it must be earned and with our 2 years warranty and exceptional customer care program, we aim to be amongst the best. Continued product improvement and customer care has become our driving force. For many years we have been a VBRA approved manufacturer, giving our customers extra peace of mind. Of course all these words are only as good as the team behind them. We have an excellent, long serving team that are skilled and proud of what we produce. By being as transparent as possible and placing all the information and quality pictures on the website, customers are able to make better informed decisions. We have no sales team and each customer deals directly with Kevin. We put great emphasis on ease of use and comfort for horses and owners alike, with over 30 years of experience we can advise customers on the best ways to incorporate their requirements whilst staying within the legal limits and load capacity of the horsebox.
Responsible coachbuilders and manufacturers and our 2 year warranty
We have a commitment to our customers that all our horseboxes for sale have to be fit for purpose and legally carry the horses they are stalled for. With high fines and many prosecutions, weight has become probably the single most important issue when buying a horsebox today and for this reason other builders are now following our lead, although still not posting weights! From the very start we have designed the Helios horsebox to be stronger and lighter with more internal space and have limited the maximum size of our 7.5 tonne horsebox bodies to 18'. This allows our customers to buy and drive a Helios horsebox with complete confidence. Most customers would assume all horsebox manufacturers have this approach, but unfortunately this is not the case, we would advise customers to be extra careful when making your choice. Time and time again we see new build horseboxes at 7.5 tonnes on the market advertised with 'All aluminium builds' and 'weight ticket provided' these bodies are in excess of 20' long and no amount of lightweight materials will make these horseboxes able to carry more than one large horse, fuel, water, passengers and tack without being over the legal weight limit!
Many manufacturers are now looking to reduce vehicle weights and what we are seeing is quite flattering; new horseboxes for sale are being reduced in length to the sizes we have specified for over 10 years, manufacturers are trying to copy our Coat-X and other unique design features like our curved roof system just to compete. For years we have had weight tickets and actually posted the weights for every horsebox we produce! With a more informed public, other manufacturers are being forced to provide weight tickets too. This can only be good for the industry as a whole and especially for customers buying any horseboxes for sale.
We are so confident in the quality of every Helios horsebox that we include a two year warranty as standard and 3 months warranty on the chassis. We only require a small deposit when the order is placed and the balance on collection. Again this is to give customers peace of mind, especially in the current economic climate. For many years we have included a 12 month test, full service, gas safety certificate, electrical installation safety certificate and weight certificate with each horsebox. We post pictures to customers each week throughout the build and keep a detailed record for future reference.
The Helios and Aeos horsebox names
The names Helios and Aeos are derived from Greek mythology. Helios was imagined as a handsome god crowned with the shining aureole of the sun, he drove the chariot of the sun across the sky each day. Helios's chariot was drawn by four solar steeds, one of which was called Aeos.
The Helios horsebox design and dimensions
When we started designing the Helios horsebox, we had a clear goal to aim for. The Helios had to be pleasing to look at from all angles, very strong and incorporate the latest materials for strength and lightness. We have embraced only the best of new materials and technologies when they give clear benefit to performance and our overall design. We are very pleased with the outcome and know our customers feel the same. This alluring design also sets us apart from the boxy delivery wagon shape! It is aerodynamic with greater strength and more internal space.
One of our main intentions was to make the load area as low as possible and we have managed to reduce the overall vehicle height to just 3.43 meters (11' 3") with a internal horse area height of 2.48 meters (8' 2"). The extremely low ramp at just 0.81 meters (2' 8") is almost the full width of the horse area and allows horses to turn and load more easily. The horse area is designed around the largest of horses and is maximum width at 2.43 meters (8') and we allow 0.91 meters (3') for each horse.
Bespoke build for each customer, made with pride
Every Helios horsebox is a bespoke build. This gives customers much more choice in their horsebox design. From years of manufacturing experience, we know customers already have a preference that suits their own and their horse's needs, so we have designed the Helios and Aeos horsebox ranges to be very flexible. Through solid research, innovation, unrivalled build quality and customer care the Helios and Aeos brands have become synonymous with quality and value for money. It is very rare for any of our vehicles to appear for sale second hand and this is testament to the desirability and quality of the Helios and Aeos horsebox brands. Because of the quality materials used and our very high standard of workmanship, the finish on our horseboxes for sale stay like new for many years, making our range of horseboxes for sale very sought-after. This translates into low depreciation costs and the highest of resale prices, making them extremely good value for money.
What's included?
These are just a few of the standard features included on each Helios build.
Many of our items below like gas certificates and weight certificates, including hidden security stamp on the horsebox body have been adopted by the VBRA are now recommended as best practice for all horsebox manufacturers.
- 12 months test
- Full service
- 2 years warranty on all bodywork
- Gas safety certificate
- Hidden security stamp on the Helios body
- Electrical installation safety certificate
- Weight certificate at 4.7 tonnes with nothing to add
- Can legally carry 2.5 ton of horses and tack
- Chassis fully painted
- All underside sprayed in Waxoyl
- Ramp and horse area fully coated in Coat-X
- Full solar charging system as standard
- Solar hot air extraction system as standard
- Insulated curved roof as standard
- Stainless steel ramp and hinges, back frame, horse safety cage and horse partitions
- Option of a complete build in stainless steel
Coat-X our spray-on polyurea protective coating to replacing rubber mats and kick sheet
We lead the way with Coat-X our spray-on polyurea protective coating. Sprayed in all our horseboxes it is proven to outperform rubber based sprays and heavy rubbers mats and kick sheets. It has many design advantages, including an unrivalled finish. For every statement on the website we have corroborating evidence and this is true of the properties of Coat-X. We are so confident in the extra grip Coat-X provided over the best premium rubber matting available, we commissioned an independent Slip test to BS 7976-2 standards. Sadly in our research we read on some websites very misleading statements claiming 'one piece DEFRA approved maximum slip resistant premium rubber matting' any customer reading this would believe it to be true. The truth is DEFRA do not endorse, recommend or approve any manufacturer's individual products for horsebox ramp surfaces or horse area floors. We wanted absolute proof of the superiority of our product so here is an excerpt from the 10 page report:
'Independent slip testing experts, tested "Coat-X" and a standard rubber mat side by side for slip resistance to BS 7976-2, the HSE's preferred slip test method. "Coat-X" clearly provided an increased resistance to slipping in water wet conditions compared to a standard mat. "Coat-X" achieved a Pendulum Test Value (PTV) of 44 in the wet, comfortably falling within the 'Low risk of slip' category as determined by the HSE, whilst the standard mat achieved a PTV of 29, falling within the 'Moderate risk of slip' category.'
Add to this the noise reduction properties of Coat-X and we have probably the quietest and most comfortable horse transport available. One of the ways we achieve this is by replacing all the heavy rubber mats and kick sheets in our horseboxes with our Coat-X spray-on protective coating. Finish in the horse area is paramount and any coach built horsebox must be able to withstand power washing and disinfectants on a weekly basis. It is a fact that even aluminium floors let water through to the components below, this is not just at the edges, but the full length of each plank where they click together. One of the advantages of Coat-X is that there are no seams which eliminate the problem of water ingress causing damage and rot, our customers can be confident that they have bought something made to last and it will look like new after each wash. We fit long drain tubes to take any water out of the horse area and past any chassis parts underneath the horsebox. These are not just holes drilled in our aluminium floor! Coat-X on our ramps has removed the need for capping, when a ramp is open, Coat-X stops water getting behind the edges and in turn stops swelling and rotting. Coat-X is sprayed at a very high temperature and completely seals all edges for the life of the horsebox. This product alone is revolutionising the industry. It saves weight and totally waterproofs any horse area or ramp. It is not affected by chemical cleaners like rubber and it can be power washed or steam cleaned safely. It does not degrade or distort with heat, cold or age and another great advantage is that we spray it in a light grey, making our horse areas inviting, light and airy.
If you would like more information or a quote for paintwork or Coat-X, please email the paint team direct or call 01995640079.
Prototype military vehicles protected inside with Coat-X spray on Polyurea and sprayed externally with the latest Glasurit paint by our paint team
As predicted other manufacturers are now following our lead. Word has spread throughout the horse community and many customers are asking for Coat-X in their builds as a lightweight alternative to heavy rubber mats and kick sheets. It is worth noting that any spray on protective coating is only as good as the people doing the job. It is the preparation and their experience and skill that count. Our commercial spray shop team pride themselves in the quality of our Helios and Aeos horsebox horse areas and ramps. It is easy to cut corners and hard for a customer to tell a good job from a bad one. However, we are so confident in our product and workmanship that we cover Coat-X as part of our 2 year warranty. Coat-X is keeping us very busy and we have ongoing commissions for spraying Coat-X in state of the art prototype military vehicles, horse stables, ranges of engine hoods for industrial machines, service vehicles, work top sales counters, plus our usual through put of horseboxes and ramps. Customers who have heavy manufactured horseboxes are amazed at the lightness, finish and quality of each commission. To read more about Coat-X visit www.coat-x.co.uk
Solar power system as standard
Again we are leading the way with a two panel, full solar charging system now fitted as standard to all our Helios horseboxes for sale throughout the range. The system is maintenance free and the quality panels and charge regulator have been thoroughly tested over many years. This is not a token system to tick boxes, but rather a large 2 panel system powerful enough to run all the LED lights on the Helios horsebox and keep the batteries topped up. The panels are so efficient they charge even on the dullest of days, keeping the batteries topped up all year round. LED lights and solar power is really the future for horseboxes, campers and motor sport vehicles. When you consider that the time between each trip can be weeks and on standard vehicles batteries can run down completely during this time, a vehicle with solar panels will remain fully charged and ready to go. When using the new LED lights they will last for days instead of hours like the old bulbs.
Full solar powered air extraction system as standard
Moving forward from our ground breaking solar charging system, we have designed an extremely quiet full solar powered air extraction system and include this in every Helios horsebox build as standard. This innovation is not a token extraction fan, it easily outperforms DEFRA regulations on air extraction for horseboxes. When the horsebox is parked it extracts hot air throughout the daylight hours replacing it with cool air from the underside of the horsebox. Then when the horsebox moves away the system cleverly swaps over to power from the alternator and will cool the horses even travelling at night. To avoid scaring the horses the system is designed so the fan starts and runs quietly whilst removing hot air from the living and horse area alike. It is thermostatically operated so you can set the desired on/off temperature and the system runs even in low light conditions, keeping the horse area and living cool with efficient air flow.
We predict these modern solar systems will become very popular indeed, keeping the horses cool and at a set temperature with fresh airflow and the batteries charged all year around must be the future for any horsebox.
Helios horsebox tilt cab
All our 7.5 tonne and HGV horseboxes for sale have tilt cabs and with the Helios design, tilting a cab is now a five minute job. It is just not possible to service a modern chassis when the cab is fixed down and there are several important points to consider when choosing a tilt cab system. The first and most important is safety, installing a walk through needs considerable manufacturing experience. Our walk through design actually adds strength and is welded securely to the rear of the cab. Some manufacturers offer aluminium frames just to save weight and boast aluminium frames! If you consider this part of the cab is structural and also where the safety belts are fastened, you will see our unwillingness to compromise on this aspect. Soon all horseboxes will need vehicle type approval. Customers will need a certificate to get through an MOT test. This will ensure any vehicle alterations are done in a safe way and should remove some of the dangerous practices from the industry and thus give customers peace of mind. To this end we became members of the VBRA (Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association). The second consideration is the weight of the pod and ears. This was taken into account when we designed the Helios fibreglass kit. It had to be super strong yet light, so as not to add too much to the front axle weight. We researched this thoroughly with both VOSA and DAF UK for permissible axle weights and the overall cab weight, including the allowance for the tilt cab jacking system.
Light stainless steel ramp and stainless steel parts
When evaluating all the available materials, stainless steel had the most advantages for our manufacturing process. Although aluminium is indeed lightweight, we have worked with it for many years and we are more than familiar with its weaknesses. One of its downfalls is that for the equivalent strength, aluminium would need to be much thicker and have a profile height many times that of steel or stainless steel. It also has very little tolerance for flexing so not at all suitable for the horse ramp. These characteristics would have compromised our build severely as we needed the load height and ramp slope as low as possible. There is a considerable price difference moving forward to stainless steel, however the benefits far outweigh the cost. As an innovative manufacturer wanting to offer real value for money to our customers, we have chosen stainless steel for many of our parts. Our ramps are manufactured from stainless steel and are perfectly balanced; in fact, we pride ourselves with making light ramps that can be closed easily. We use large stainless steel hinges and grease nipples and they are a one piece smooth faced finish on the outside with no screws, rivets or joining strips to spoil the lines. At the conception stage of the Helios design, one of the items high on our list was to remove any screws, fixings and especially joining strips on the sides and ramp. Our commercial spray shop has seen so many horseboxes with damaged paintwork around these joining strips, they definitely had no place on our horseboxes. One of our main selling points has always been our light ramps and our unique design allows us to have an extremely low ramp, making loading the horses much easier.
We wanted our horse area to be as clutter free as possible and the whole design is aimed at ease of loading and transporting horses safely. Customers will not find unnecessary items, just a clean smooth finish made to steam clean and look like new each time. Adding further safety and strength, we build a stainless steel box section cage in the horse area that is welded to the centre partition and to the stainless steel ramp frame. The stainless steel horse partitions also swing from this, adding to the strength and quality of the build.
When looking at any horseboxes for sale, weight must be one of the most important considerations
Whilst we understand that weight is an important issue, we will not compromise on the strength or the stability of our builds. We have tested each innovation thoroughly and have only incorporated them in our manufacturing process when they offered both improved lightness and strength. These modern materials are tried and tested products in both the aircraft and automotive industries. They offer many benefits over previous materials. One quick example is the use of modern engineered composites panels and adhesives. These latest technologies represent a leap forward from the old style of wood filled fibreglass panels (GRP) and unlike these old panels they are not affected by water and don't need lining with aluminium sheets and joining strips. If you consider a 24' body, that's an extra saving 202 kg! In the aerospace industry the use of these materials is established practice and their very light weight combined with high shear strength and high compressive strength enables the panels to carry high loads. The adhesives and tapes have considerable advantages too; added strength, stiffer construction, reduced vibration and noise, improved appearance and reduced corrosion to name a few. For these reasons, we use these technologies in nearly every part of the Helios and Aeos manufacturing process. More information about our construction process, materials and sizes are documented throughout the pages of the website.
If you consider that a typical horse can weigh up to 655kg, a pony up to 455kg, feed 20kg, add to this, fuel, water, tack, driver. Fines for overloading can be up to £5,000. If you are stopped and found overloaded a prohibition notice will be issued, banning the vehicle from being driven. To clear a prohibition notice, another vehicle may have to transport the excess load or temporary accommodation for your horses may have to be arranged. You could then face prosecution, as well as license penalty points. If your vehicle is overloaded, insurance cover also becomes void. We recommend that you always ask for a weight certificate for the finished vehicle as there are many horseboxes both old and new that do not comply with legal requirements when loaded, so BEWARE!
From the start of our company and with our honest approach, we have openly posted our finished vehicle weights and payload on the website, we do not believe posting "weight certificate provided" is good enough for customers to make an informed choice and is more of a sales gimmick and very misleading. Our standard ladies Helios horseboxes are 4.7 ton, so they are all legally capable of carrying 3 of the largest horses (they can legally carry over 2.5 ton of horses and tack). We weigh each horsebox on completion and give a certificate with every horsebox for sale. At the other end of the scale our heaviest Helios horseboxes for sale with all extras fitted, fuel and water weigh just 5.3 tonnes. Recently we have seen an increase in the number of customers wishing to trade in their horseboxes because of weight issues. These vehicles range from self-builds to coachbuilt horseboxes by some of the larger manufacturers. In addition, we have had many requests to reduce the weight in existing horseboxes and vehicle weight has definitely become one of the most important factors when choosing a horsebox today.
Quality manufacturers and coach builders
Our reputation for product longevity is a major factor and key to our build quality and we go to great lengths to paint, glue, seal and Waxoyl every part where appropriate. Having our own spray shop is of great benefit in this area. Our commercial spray shop department have over 30 years of paint experience in both the commercial vehicle and aerospace industries (military and commercial aircraft) and we spray parts at all stages of the build rather than just painting at the end of manufacturing. We do not have to complete a build and drive it offsite to a spray shop for painting. After we service and prepare each chassis, it goes into our steel fabrication workshop where the sub-frame and horse cage are fitted. Next, it moves into our paint shop where the cab, engine, chassis and all steelwork are sprayed with oil resistant paint. At the very end of the build it goes back into the spray shop and the underside is painted yet again, finally Waxoyl is applied as the last job. Where appropriate we have used stainless steel and this keeps a quality finish for the life of the horsebox, on the same theme, we use sealer glue on every part fitted. On the Helios and Aeos ranges, we have removed nearly all the outside fixings and any rivets and screws we use are stainless steel.
Research and development - horsebox coachbuilders and manufacturers with an eye to the future
As forward thinking manufacturers, at the design stage of the Helios horsebox we decided to lead the competition rather than react to what others do and follow. We have pioneered the use of our Polyurea spray (Coat-X) for horse areas and constantly search for any new manufacturing techniques, components or materials that are lighter or stronger and incorporate them in our horseboxes, but only where they provide a clear benefit over existing items. With this a sensible approach to materials, weights and sizes we design the whole box around each customer's needs. For these reasons any Helios horseboxes for sale will boast one of the strongest and lightest builds on the market today. Rather than copy we innovate wherever possible, choosing the best possible options to make owning a Helios horsebox trouble free for years to come. Some examples of our pioneering approach are the large solar charging and solar air extraction systems the curved roof system that adds interior space and reduces wind noise and fuel consumption whilst making the Helios shape even more alluring, Stainless steel ramps, safety cage and horse partition and the light grey Coat-X spray on Polyurea in the horse area and on the ramps replacing heavy rubber mats, all fitted as standard. Looking to the future, we know that each customer is potentially our best salesperson and that to be successful we have to get everything right first time and offer instant help if something should go wrong. For this reason we include a 24 hour contact number direct to Kevin and offer the highest quality of customer service backed by our 2 year comprehensive warranty on all bodywork.
In both our Aeos and Helios builds the horse area was our first consideration and we have gone to considerable effort to make our horse areas as comfortable as possible for transporting horses. From loading horses to colours and sizes to prevention of noise and vibration, each aspect has been carefully considered. We use the latest adhesives and tapes throughout each Aeos and Helios build to reduce sound, vibration and add strength. We use light grey Coat-X and white ceiling and walls to make the horse area light and as inviting as possible, large windows also help with air flow and natural light too. One common concern amongst the equine community is the stress their animals endure every time they transport them. Equine experts have found that vibration and noise inside the horse area can cause both fatigue and stress to horses or ponies. This leads to long recovery times before horses are ready to show, race and event. It is widely believed that stress and fatigue during transport also lead to colic and other health concerns, not to mention poor performance. As part of our research and development, including recent independent studies by acoustic and vibration experts, tests have proven that our manufacturing technique using the latest adhesives and tapes offer noise reductions at highway speeds of up to 41% and vibration reductions up to 30%. Other benefits include stronger construction, longer lifespan and reduced corrosion.
Our commitment to improvement, innovative design and greater choice for customers continues with new products
- As part of our ongoing research and development and through our ties with a local equine Colleges we have run our own tests on the horse area and ramp colours. In addition, the very latest published studies show that grey wall and floor colours has the most calming effect on horses and has the lowest percentage of adverse reactions. Add to this a maximum width loading area and an extremely low ramp height and this results in ease of loading and safe transportation of horses.
- Pioneering stainless steel ramp frame, ramp and horse safety cage fitted as standard on every Helios horsebox. We also offer the option of a full stainless build
- Pioneering new technology with our solar power systems takes up a good proportion of our research and development commitment. We wanted to offer something unique that lasted the life of the horsebox and added a major benefit to our customers and their horses. These systems work independently of the vehicle batteries and need no input from the owner, they just work quietly in the background, charging and cooling the horsebox all year round.
- Over the past year we have been asked more often to fit trackers to our horseboxes for sale, mainly because insurance companies have specifically requested them. We are now agents for SmarTrack (The Thatcham Accredited Stolen Vehicle Tracking System) and offer a next day fitting service. We can demonstrate how the system works with a unit fitted to one of our company vehicles. It is worth noting that having a tracker fitted may reduce your insurance premiums.
- We now have available an option of bonded windows. These have been designed by Kevin Parker Horseboxes Ltd specifically for the Helios range.
- We have added an ultra modern Helios fibreglass back panel assembly for motor sport boxes and for horsebox customers who want side ramps as a complete solution to the rear in one panel. We have designed the fibreglass panel to complement the Helios fibreglass body kit. It has light recesses at the top and bottom, a moulding at the top to fit a reversing camera and at the bottom a number plate moulding with cut out for a tow bar.
Motor sport
Alister McRae - Rally Driver, collecting his horsebox
Click the image for a larger photo...
"Kevin and his teams ability to build exactly what was required into my truck would give me no hesitation in recommending them no matter what your requirements"
The new coachbuilt Helios shape is proving very popular with motor sport enthusiasts, so much so that we now build motor sport transporters with drop well workshops. Because each motor sport transporter is unique we build to individual customer specification and there are always several in build available for viewing. For people who want to build their own horsebox or race transporter we now sell the basic Helios fibreglass kit as well as our new bumper design, please phone for details or visit our parts page.
Our other sites
Visit Sign-X for signs and graphics
Visit Coat-X for our Polyurea protective coating
Our opening times
7.30am to 4.30pm on weekdays
7.30 am to noon on Saturdays
Our workshop phone number is 01995640079 and we realise it can be difficult to get away in working hours, so if these times are not convenient and you would like to arrange an appointment at an alternative time please call Kevin on 07956222678.
Click on the pictures below for larger images or for a full range of pictures visit our gallery pages


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The Big Sur International Marathon follows one of the most majestic coastlines in the world. Not a fast course by any means with relentless hills and the potential for cold weather and heavy winds, it's the scenery that attracts most marathoners to this race.
Vermont runner Dot Helling rallied together some girlfriends to do the marathon in late April and spend a long weekend exploring the California coast.
"It was the first time I didn't have a conflict with (the) Boston (Marathon) and have been in marathon form. I have always wanted to do this race," Helling said. Placing third in her age group, she felt steady and strong throughout the race while enjoying the sights and sounds the whole way. "The course was really superlative (with) lots of energy and music along the way," she said.
Fellow Vermonter Debbie Tirrito agreed.
"I like the openness of the course, the scenery, the hillsides and the wind, although it was challenging," Tirrito said.
This was Tirrito's third Big Sur, and although she was unable to train on hills, having wintered in Florida, she felt pretty good.
Tirrito's advice to others running Big Sur: "Don't be too quick to dump your clothes. It got so cold and windy after the first six miles and didn't warm up again until the last six miles."
Acknowledging her lack of training, Oregon resident Merill Creagh still appreciated the views and the beautiful music along the way.
"It was a testament of pain and suffering, but I can't complain. I didn't train," Creagh said. "I would definitely do it again, only next time I would train. That's kind of an important piece."
Spending a few extra days before and after the race was a luxury for all of the women, and their recommendation to others making the trip.
A huge factor at Big Sur is weather, which can range from gale-force winds, hail and fog to mild temperatures, clear skies and gentle breezes. This year, the wind proved challenging after Mile 5.
"I didn't expect the hellacious headwind and fog. That was kind of a surprise," Creagh said. "Bring gloves and extra clothes. I forgot it can be so cold on the coast. Be prepared for everything."
Race officials estimate that the wind can add up to 20 minutes to your best marathon time. This year, the gusts were formidable in some places. However, it's best not to worry and embrace whatever Mother Nature sends your way. This race is all about the scenery.
In addition to the splendid views, it was a weekend of friendship, fun and sightseeing. The group truly enjoyed each other and packed many memorable moments into the long weekend.
"It's been so wonderful to be around all these high-energy, positive women," Creagh said.
"I would do it again if my friends would do it with me," Helling said. "It was a great group of women, and I had a wonderful time."
The tough reputation of this race is definitely offset by the stunning views and beauty of the rugged California coastline. Taiko drummers, grand-piano music, whimsical mile markers and fresh strawberries are just some of the unique and special treats that will tickle your senses.
Registration for Big Sur 2013 will open July 16.
Reach Marjorie Brinton at email@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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ATLANTA – A mother is upset and wants McDonalds to pay up after she found a nose ring in her daughter's breakfast burrito.
Francis Rosario said her daughter was just about to bite into her burrito when she noticed a shiny nose ring.
She called McDonalds, but she said that they did not want to help.
"She gets on the phone and says, 'well I don't know what to tell you,' and I said, 'well is there a district manager I can get in contact with?' She said, 'Well it's none of your business,'" Rosario said.
Rosario said that McDonalds never return her phone calls. She said that she will not be eating there for a while.


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This article was originally distributed via PRWeb. PRWeb, WorldNow and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith.
Non-Stop Patriotic Songs Available For Free on Music Choice
New York, NY (PRWEB) June 30, 2014
Music Choice will celebrate the Fourth of July with non-stop patriotic tunes on MC s Sounds of the Seasons Music Channel Tuesday, July 1 to Sunday July 6, 2014.
MC Sounds of the Seasons will celebrate Independence Day by providing the ultimate patriotic soundtrack to keep the crowd moving all Fourth of July weekend long. Tune in to hear popular and patriotic themed music by orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, The Cincinnati and Boston Pops Orchestras and artists including Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles and many more.
MC Sounds of the Seasons celebrates the holidays yearlong with songs that capture the spirit of each and every season including Christmas, Valentines Day, St. Patricks Day, Oktoberfest, Halloween and many more. For a complete list of dates and music log on to http://corporate.musicchoice.com/files/2913/8720/9734/2014_Sound_Of_SEASONS_.pdf.
To locate Sounds of the Seasons on individual TV channel guides, log on to http://www.MusicChoice.com or follow us at Twitter: @MusicChoice | Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MusicChoice.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/06/prweb11972432.htm
Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. WorldNow and this Station make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you have any questions or comments about this page please contact firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Pittsburgh Steelers
Troy Polamalu - #43 - S
|5' 10"/ 207 lbs.
|Garden Grove, CA
|Years played
|2003, 1st round, 16th pick by Steelers
49ers aim to join Giants as San Francisco champs
Here's a look at the four times the same city has won the World Series in October and the Super Bowl a few months later.
NFL fines Steelers, WR Sanders
The NFL fined the Steelers $35,000 and WR Emmanuel Sanders $15,000 for faking an injury against the Bengals.
Week 10 handicapping column
In his Week 10 handicapping column, PFW's Mike Wilkening says the Bears are a good value vs. the Texans.
Is Steelers' Miller NFL's most underrated tight end?
Heath Miller is often left out of the conversation regarding the NFL's top tight ends. He's proving this season he belongs in the discussion.
Steelers' formula has a familiar, old-time feel
A punishing defense. A strong running game. A deep bench. The 2012 Steelers have operated from an old, successful blueprint of late.
Week 11 Patriots-Colts game flexed
The NFL announced Monday that the Week 11 game between the Colts and Patriots will be flexed to a late-afternoon time slot.
AFC North Spin cycle: Ravens, Steelers separating from pack
At the season's midpoint, it's business as usual in the AFC North.
Redman sparks Steelers' upset over Giants
Isaac Redman ran for 147 yards and the winning touchdown with 4:02 remaining Sunday as the Steelers rallied past the Giants, 24-20.
Friday's 60-second rant: Rivers is the lost QB from 2004 draft
Philip Rivers and the Chargers have tumbled steadily out of relevance in the AFC, and it's hard not to blame the QB for San Diego's woes.
Hurricane aftermath forces Steelers to change travel plans
Hurricane Sandy hasn't canceled any games, but it did impact travel plans for the Steelers.
Steelers release S Cromartie-Smith
The Steelers released S Damon Cromartie-Smith on Wednesday to make room for NT Alameda Ta'amu, who re-joined the active roster.
AFC North Spin cycle: Here comes Pittsburgh
Here come the Steelers. And hey, look, the Browns won! We recap how the two AFC North teams in action fared in Week Eight.
Steelers bottle up RG3 in win
The Steelers swarmed Washington's precocious star on Sunday, keeping Robert Griffin III in check during a dominant 27-12 victory.
Steelers' rookies chipping in for team defined by veterans
The Steelers' rookies are playing their roles well, with several youngsters developing nicely of late.
More age than beauty for 2012 Steelers
Tom Danyluk remembers how age brought down the first Steelers empire. With 14 regulars age 30 and older, it might be happening again.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said he's encouraged by the way Troy Polamalu played against the Ravens on Sunday.||||||| It was the safety's first game in almost two months, and he could see a heavier workload on Sunday against the Chargers.
Polamalu will miss his fourth game of the season Sunday with a strained right calf.||||||| Polamalu said Wednesday he remains optimistic he won't be sidelined for a significant amount of time. Polamalu lasted one quarter in the Steelers' 16-14 win over Philadelphia earlier this month before aggravating his strained right calf.
Polamalu was active for Sunday's game against Baltimore.||||||| Polamalu had played just five quarters all season after injuring the calf in the opener at Denver and aggravating the injury against the Eagles on Oct. 7.
Polamalu practiced in full Friday and is expected to play Sunday versus Philadelphia.||||||| Polamalu's calf injury has heeled well enough for him to see significant time Sunday.
Polamalu and linebacker James Harrison did not take part in the Steelers' final practice of the week and will not play Sunday at Oakland.||||||| The defensive standouts - named to a combined 12 Pro Bowls - will not dress for the second consecutive game. Harrison, who had surgery on his left knee Aug. 15, has not played yet this season. Polamalu missed last week's win over the New York Jets due to a calf injury.


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The KPFA Community Advisory Board will meet on Saturday, January 21st at 4:30 PM at KPFA.
This evant in open to the public.
The KPFA Community Advisory Board will meet on Saturday, January 21st at 4:30 PM at KPFA.
This evant in open to the public.
The Middle East Children's Alliance is pleased to present:
An Evening with Ali Abunimah -- with Special Guest Alice Walker
Wednesday, October 5, 7:00pm
First Presbyterian Church of Oakland
2619 Broadway
Tickets: $15, $10 students/low-income, available at through Brown Paper Tickets, or at local bookstores: (East Bay) Books, Inc.; Diesel; Moe's Books; Walden Pond; (SF) Modern Times. Tickets available at all bookstores on 9/16, and at Modern Times on 9/19. No one turned away for lack of funds. Benefit for MECA's Maia Project: Clean Water for the Children of Palestine
Wheelchair accessible & ASL interpreted.
Cosponsored by KPF
The next CAB meeting will be July 15, 2012 at 11am at the KPFA studios
The International Society for Ecology and Culture and KPFA Radio present:
The San Francisco Bay Area launch of The Economics of Happiness
David Brower Center (Goldman Theater)
2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
Thursday, January 13th
6:30pm – 10:00pm
The Social Movements of South America
A Talk by Ben Dangl
Dancing with Dynamite
Tuesday March 8, 7 PM
Berkeley City College Auditorium
No Admission Charge
For more information go to www.upsidedownworld.org
Co-Sponsored by KPFA Radio 94.1 FM
"Lust For Justice: The Radical Life & Law of J. Tony Serra"
Author/artist Paulette Frankl and her subject Tony Serra, the greatest counter-culture lawyer of our time, will discuss Serra's life and some of his greatest political trials. Serra is known for defending Black Panther leader Huey Newton and winning death penalty acquittals for Chol Soo Lee, Patrick "Hooty" Croy and Bear Lincoln. He successfully defended Earth First! activist Judi Bari in the biggest win ever against the FBI.
Wednesday, March 6, 7:30 PM
Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar Street, Berkeley
On Sunday, September 29th at 7:00pm, the Guna Foundation premieres its new documentary film about the World Peace Ceremony in Bodh Gaya, India, Prayers of the Ancient Ones.
This event takes place in the David Brower Center at 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, CA 94704. Ticket price: each $20.00.
To view the trailer and buy your tickets in advance, please visit www.gunafoundation.org
KPFA Radio presents:
"Uncertain Justice: The Roberts' Court and the Constitution
Hosted by Norman Solomon
Wednesday, June 11, 7:30 pm
Hillside Club 2286 Cedar Street Berkeley
$12 advance tickets: brownpapertickets.com :: 800-838-3006 or Pegasus Books (3 locations), Marcus Books, Mrs. Dalloway's, Moe's Books, Walden Pond, DIESEL a Bookstore. SF: Modern Times ($15 door)
KPFA benefit
Compathos Foundation presents: the Social Impact Film Festival and RELEVATE Film Forum on November 15 – 16, 2013 at The New Parkway Theater in Oakland, CA
The forum brings together cultural creatives, social innovators and community leaders to deepen the understanding of subjects of relevance to Bay Area residents. Through storytelling and expert panel discussions, Compathos', in collaboration with its partners, ignites cross-cultural understanding and sparks inter-generational conversations that inspire social action, global citizenry and world transformation.
The festival's inspirational theme, New Worlds are Possible, is wholly demonstrated through award-winning documentaries and non-fictional shorts by filmmakers and young, Oakland-based media artists, who are dedicated to producing work on current events and controversial subject matters, such as human rights, immigration, crime and violence, environmental and related heath issues and social injustice.
Cynthia La Grou, Executive Director of Compathos Foundation, states that "the foundation's objective is to champion and promote the stories of independent filmmakers, activists and grassroots change-makers that too often remain overlooked, and to serve as a springboard for creative media that exemplifies excellence in its potential to inspire change."
Compathos' partners include: the Social Impact Media Awards (SIMA), an annual international documentary and educational impact media competition and showcase, which honors members in the independent film and global humanitarian industry; Youth Seed and United Roots are two Oakland based non-profits working together to support the development of community led multi-media social enterprises owned and operated by young, under-served innovators, who face barriers to economic opportunities. Youth Seed and United Roots Oakland recently create their own media production company, Simphony Productions to produce documentaryb shorts on local subject matters of economic and social disparity.
For more information about Compathos' RELEVATE! A Social Impact Film Forum and to purchase tickets log on to events.compathos.com
Ticket proceeds benefit Compathos' Youth Media Travel Abroad Program, which gives local media students and young professionals an exciting opportunity to broaden their communications skills while producing socially responsible media that promotes cross-cultural understanding and provides support to developing communities. Compathos Foundation is a nonprofit media production, education and research organization harnessing the power of the arts and media to inspire transformation, global citizenry and social action.
KPFA Co-sponsored Event.


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Availability: Cologne Marriott Hotel
Deluxe RoomMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Deluxe RoomMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Executive RoomMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Studio, 1 King BedMax Occupancy: 2 guests (up to 1 child, 1 infant)
Luxury hotel in Cologne (Old Town) near Cologne Cathedral
This luxury hotel is located in Cologne (Old Town), close to Musical Dome, Cologne Cathedral, and Romano-Germanic Museum. Also nearby are Great St. Martin Church and City Hall.
Hotel Features
At Cologne Marriott Hotel, recreational amenities include a health club and a sauna. The hotel also features a bar/lounge and a coffee shop/café.
Room Amenities
LCD televisions come with cable channels. Guestrooms also feature refrigerators, wireless Internet access (surcharge), and air conditioning.Information missing or incorrect? Tell us!
Cologne Marriott Hotel Amenities
- General
In addition to a health club, Cologne Marriott Hotel features a sauna and a steam room. The hotel offers a coffee shop/café. A bar/lounge is on site where guests can unwind with a drink. Public areas are equipped with complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access.
This hotel offers access to a 24-hour business center. Event facilities measuring 1938 square feet (174 square meters) include conference/meeting rooms. This luxury hotel also offers tour/ticket assistance, multilingual staff, and gift shops/newsstands. Parking is available onsite for a surcharge.
Cologne Marriott Hotel has designated areas for smoking.
- Health club
- Conference space
- Number of meeting rooms - 18
- Bar/lounge
- Express check-out
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- 24-hour front desk
- Free Wi-Fi
- Luggage storage
- Designated smoking areas
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Total number of rooms - 365
- Number of floors - 6
- ATM/banking
- Room service (24 hours)
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Conference space size (meters) - 174
- Self parking (surcharge)
- Conference space size (feet) - 1938
- Sauna
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Coffee shop or café
- Complimentary newspapers in lobby
- Concierge services
- Elevator/lift
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Multilingual staff
- Porter/bellhop
- 24-hour business center
- Number of buildings/towers - 1
- Steam room
- Television in lobby
- Wedding services
- Internet
Available in all rooms: Wireless Internet access (surcharge)
Available in some public areas: Free Wi-Fi
- Parking
Self parking (surcharge)
- Room Amenities
- Cribs/infant beds (complimentary)
- Wireless Internet access (surcharge)
- Pay movies
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- Air conditioning
- Climate control
- Daily housekeeping
- Private bathroom
- Hair dryer
- Bathtub or shower
- Cable TV service
- Iron/ironing board
- Desk
- Rollaway/extra beds available
- Complimentary newspaper
- Refrigerator
- Coffee/tea maker
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- In-room safe (laptop compatible)
- Soundproofed rooms
- Complimentary toiletries
- Pillow menu
- Dining
Buffet breakfasts are available for a surcharge.
Brasserie Fou - This restaurant specializes in French cuisine.
24-hour room service is available.
- Recreation
Recreational amenities at the hotel include a health club, a sauna, and a steam room.
- Accessibility
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible path of travel
- Accessible bathroom
- Roll-in shower
- In-room accessibility
- Braille or raised signage
Cologne Marriott Hotel Policies & Fees
- Check-in
Check-in time starts at 3 PM
Special check-in instructions:
The city of Cologne imposes a culture tax (Kulturförderabgabe). The amount is included in the total price displayed. Business travelers may be exempt from this tax and need to contact the hotel for further information or ask the hotel at check-in. Guests can contact the property using the information contained in the confirmation received after booking.
The city of Cologne imposes a culture tax (Kulturförderabgabe). The amount is included in the total price displayed. Business travelers may be exempt from this tax and need to contact the hotel for further information or ask the hotel at check-in. Guests can contact the property using the information contained in the confirmation received after booking.
- Check-out
Check-out time is noon
- Payment types
Accepted at this hotel: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Diners Club, Discover
- Pets
Pets allowed, Only dogs are allowed, Maximum number of pets per room 1
- General
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
- Fees
- The following fees and deposits are charged by the property at time of service, check-in, or check-out.
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
- Breakfast fee: EUR 27 for adults and EUR 13.5 for children (approximately)
- Fee for in-room wireless Internet: EUR 12,50 per 24-hour period (rates may vary)
- Fee for in-room high-speed Internet (wired): EUR 12,50 per day (rates may vary)
- Fee for wireless Internet in public areas: EUR 12,50 per day (rates may vary)
- Self parking fee: EUR 25 per day
- Pet fee: EUR 65 per room, per stay
- Deposit: EUR 50 per night
- Rollaway bed fee: EUR 25 per night
National Rating
- Details
This property does not have an official rating. For the benefit of our customers, we have provided a rating based on our rating system.


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text:
Google's Authorship program is still a hot topic. A constant string of blog posts, conference sessions and 'research' projects about Authorship and the idea that it can be used as a ranking signal fill our community.
Yet, the focus on the actual markup and clock-watching when AuthorRank might show up may not be the best use of time.
Would it surprise you to learn that the Authorship Project at Google has been shuttered? Or that this signals not the death of Authorship but a different method of assigning Authorship.
Here's my take on where Authorship stands today.
RIP Authorship Project
The Authorship Project at Google was headed up by Othar Hansson. He's an incredibly smart and amiable guy, who from time to time was kind enough to provide answers and insight into Authorship. I was going to reach out to him again the other day and discovered something.
Othar no longer works on the Authorship Project. He's now a principal engineer on the Android search team, which is a pretty sweet gig. Congratulations!
Remember that it was Othar who announced the new markup back in June of 2011 and then appeared with Matt Cutts in the Authorship Markup video. His departure is meaningful. More so because I can't locate a replacement. (That doesn't mean there isn't one but ... usually I'm pretty good at connecting with folks.)
Not only that but there was no replacement for Sagar Kamdar, who left as product manager of Authorship (among other things) in July of 2012 to work at Google X and, ultimately, Project Loon.
At the time I thought the writing was on the wall. The Authorship Project wasn't getting internal resources and wasn't a priority for Google.
Authorship Adoption
The biggest problem with Authorship markup is adoption. Not everyone is participating. Study after study after study show that there are material gaps in who is and isn't using the markup. Even the most rosy study of Authorship adoption by technology writers isn't anything to write home about.
Google is unable to use Authorship as a ranking signal if important authors aren't participating.
That means people like Neil Gaiman and Kevin Kelly wouldn't rank as well since they don't employ Authorship markup. It doesn't take a lot of work to find important people who aren't participating and that makes any type of AuthorRank that relies on markup a non-starter.
Authorship SERP Benefits
Don't get me wrong. Google still supports Authorship markup and there are clear click-through rate benefits to having an Authorship snippet on a search result. Even if you don't believe me or Cyrus Shepard, you should believe Google and the research they've done on social annotations in 2012 (PDF) and 2013 (PDF).
So if you haven't implemented Google Authorship yet it's still a good idea to do so. You'll receive a higher click-through rate and will build authority (different from AuthorRank), both of which may help you rank better over time.
Google knows users respond to Authorship.
Inferred Authorship
It's clear that Google still wants to do something about identifying authority and expertise. Any monkey with a keyboard can add content to the Internet. So increasingly it's about who is creating that content and why you should trust and value their opinion.
One of the first ways Google was able to infer identity (aka authorship) was by crawling the public social graph. Rapleaf took the brunt of the backlash for this but Google was quietly mapping all of your social profiles as well.
So even if you don't have Authorship markup on a Quora or Slideshare profile Google probably knows about it and could assign Authorship. All this data used to be available via social circles but Google removed this feature a few years ago. But that doesn't mean Google isn't mining the social graph.
Heck, Google could even employ usernames as a way to identify accounts from the same person. What we're really talking about here is how Google can identify people and their areas of expertise.
Authors are People are Entities
But what if Google took another approach to identifying authors? Instead of looking for specific markup what if they looked for entities that happen to be people.
Authors are people are entities.
This would solve the adoption issue. And that's what the Freebase Annotations of the ClueWeb Corpora (FACC) seems to indicate.
The picture makes it pretty clear in my mind. Here we're seeing that Google has been able to identify an entity (a person in this instance) within the text of a document and match it to a Freebase identifier.
Based on review of a sample of documents, we believe the precision is about 80-85%, and recall, which is inherently difficult to measure in situations like this, is in the range of 70-85%. Not every ClueWeb document is included in this corpus; documents in which we found no entities were excluded from the set. A document might be excluded because there were no entities to be found, because the entities in question weren't in Freebase, or because none of the entities were resolved at a confidence level above the threshold.
At a glance you might think this means that Google still has a 'coverage' problem if they were to use entities as their approach to Authorship. But think about who is and isn't in Freebase (or Wikipedia). In some ways, these repositories are biased towards those who have achieved some level of notoriety.
Would Google prefer to rely on self referring markup or a crowd based approach to identifying experts?
Google+ Is An Entity Platform
While Google might prefer to use a smaller set of crowd sourced entities to assign Authorship initially I think they'd ultimately like to have a larger corpus of Authors. That's where Google+ fits into the puzzle.
I think most people understand that Google+ is an identity platform. But if people are entities (and so are companies) then Google+ is a huge entity platform, a massive database of people.
Google+ is the knowledge graph of everyday people.
And if we then harken back to social circles, to mapping the social graph and to measuring engagement and activity, we can begin to see how a comprehensive Authorship program might take shape.
Extract, Match and Measure
Authorship then becomes about Google's ability to extract entities from documents, matching those entities to a corpus that contains descriptors of that entity (i.e. - social profiles, official page(s), subjects) and then measuring the activity around that entity.
Perhaps Google could even go so far as to understand triples on a very detailed (document) level, noting which documents I might have authored as well as the documents in which I've been mentioned.
The presence of Authorship markup might increase the confidence level of the match but it will likely play a supporting and refining role instead of the defining role in the process.
Trust and Authority
I'm reminded that Google talks frequently about trust and authority. For years that was about how it assessed sites but that same terminology can (and should) be applied to people as well.
Authorship markup is but one part of the equation but that alone won't translate into some magical silver bullet of algorithmic success. Building authority is what will ultimately matter and be reflected in any related ranking signal.
Are the documents you author well regarded by your peers? Are they shared? By who? How often? With what velocity? And are you mentioned (or cited) by other documents? Do they sit on respected sites? Who are they authored by? What text surrounded your mention?
So part of this is doing the hard work of producing memorable content, marketing yourself and engaging with your community. The other part will be ensuring that your entity information is both comprehensive and up-to-date. That means filling out your entire Google+ profile and potentially finding ways to add yourself to traditional entity resources such as Wikipedia and Freebase.
Just as links are the result and not the goal of your efforts, any sort of AuthorRank will be the result of building your own trust and authority through content and engagement.
The Authorship Project at Google has been abandoned. But that doesn't mean Authorship is dead. Instead it signals a change in tactics from Authorship markup to entity extraction as a way to identify experts and a pathway to using Authorship as a ranking signal.
The Next Post: Finding A Look As Well As A Sound
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Top generic injectable-drug maker Hospira HSP -0.19% Hospira Inc. U.S.: NYSE $51.72 -0.10 -0.19% July 25, 2014 4:02 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 814,612 AFTER HOURS $51.72 0.00 % July 25, 2014 4:43 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 905 P/E Ratio 63.07 Market Cap $8.64 Billion Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee $245,271 07/27/14 Hospira May Buy Danone Medical... 07/27/14 Secrecy Over Executions Faces ... 04/30/14 Hospira Swings to Profit on St... More quote details and news » is almost ready to throw off the IVs and get back to work.
Nearly three years after the Food and Drug Administration mandated that it improve quality control at one of its top drug-manufacturing plants, Hospira (ticker: HSP) is getting ready for an inspection of the Rocky Mount, N.C., facility, possibly in the first half of this year. A clean bill of health from the FDA could clear a path to boost the plant's production, which has been scaled back amid the remediation efforts. It also would enable Hospira to focus more resources on promising markets, including generic substitutes for biotech treatments whose patents are expiring. These new products could help unlock the substantial value in the shares, which some investors and analysts believe are worth at least 30% more than last week's $34.50.
CEO Michael Ball is cleaning up the problems in Hospira's manufacturing plants and expanding its global reach in injectable drugs and systems. James Schnepf/Hospira
Overseeing the plant's cleanup and the company's revamped strategy is Chief Executive Michael Ball, a veteran of the health-care industry brought onboard in March 2011 from Allergan AGN -0.30% Allergan Inc. U.S.: NYSE $170.06 -0.51 -0.30% July 25, 2014 4:00 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 1.33M AFTER HOURS $169.20 -0.86 -0.51% July 25, 2014 6:48 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 3,488 P/E Ratio 38.11 Market Cap $50.49 Billion Dividend Yield 0.12% Rev. per Employee $592,403 07/24/14 If Valeant Buys Allergan, Many... 07/22/14 Allergan to Lay Off 13% of Wor... 07/22/14 Deals of the Day: CIT Moves In... More quote details and news » (AGN), where he had worked for 16 years, the last five as president, and was responsible for building a substantial international business. Ball plans to expand the global reach of Hospira, which makes generic injectable drugs including morphine and antibiotics. He wants to increase its presence in France, Germany, and Japan as well as the emerging markets of China and Brazil. In cleaning up Hospira's plants, he has already made sweeping changes at the company, replacing all five plant managers in the U.S. and about 65% of the senior staff at those operations. There's a brand new head of global regulatory affairs and a new chief medical officer.
CEO Ball declined to be interviewed by Barron's.
After spending what's estimated to be more than $375 million on remediation since the third quarter of 2011—the bulk of it at Rocky Mount for consultants, a state-of-the-art quality-control laboratory, new automated visual-inspection equipment, and new managers—Hospira hopes to meet the FDA's standards. (On Feb. 6, Barrons.com reported on the company's progress in a Stock Alert column, "Give Hospira a Shot").
Hospira also hopes to work out a timeline for operating the North Carolina plant full-tilt, from about 60% currently. That would give a powerful lift to the Lake Forest, Ill.-based company's revenue and profit. Gross profit margins, now about 30%, will probably rise as the costs of upgrading its facilities decline, plant efficiencies improve, drug shipments increase, and prices rise. The Rocky Mount facility hasn't been the only focus of regulatory attention for Hospira, but it has the highest profile because it accounts for 25% of the company's $4 billion in sales.
Running the plant at capacity would also help alleviate a critical shortage of drugs considered vital to treating everything from cardiac arrest and seizures to pain management. Indeed, five other major manufacturers of sterile injectable drugs have also had to scale back production in the past three years after the FDA determined their processes also violated quality-control standards and procedures, leading in some cases to contaminated solutions.
The uncertainty surrounding Hospira's inspection weighs on the stock. At their current quote, the shares are down about 43% from their November 2010 high. Despite what has been a giddy time for many stocks, Hospira shares aren't far above their 52-week low of $28.62.
That has created an opportunity to invest in a company with the world's No. 1 market share—37%—in the generic injectable-drug market, a highly specialized class of drugs that require advanced handling techniques. The complexity of making these drugs creates a high barrier to entry. Hospira enjoys limited competition and higher margins as a result.
Despite its travails, the company has suffered only slight market-share losses. In all, about 63% revenue comes from these drugs. Hospira also ranks No. 2 in the market for intravenous-delivery systems and pumps used to supply and manage medications, boasting a 17% share. The systems and pumps kick in about 24% of revenue; other products like IV solutions comprise the rest.
Matt Sauer, a portfolio manager at Lateef Investment Management, which oversees $4.5 billion in assets, is confident that the company is on the right track. Hospira ranks among the firm's top 10 holdings. (For more on Lateef's strategy, see "Rumblings of the 'Great Rotation'.")
By 2014, Sauer expects Hospira to be operating at historic production levels. He sees the potential for the company to earn $3 to $3.25 a share. That's up from an estimated $2 a share the company expects for 2012 and the $2.31 Wall Street projects in 2013.
Sauer sees the shares hitting the high $40s or low $50s as revenue and profit increase and the earnings multiple expands, an appreciation of 30% or more. Hospira shares now trade at 15 times 2013 earnings estimates.
AS BULLISH AS THESE projections are, they don't include the growth potential from a new drug group known as biosimilars, or generic versions of expensive biotech drugs. Hospira is the leading U.S.-based producer of these drugs and among the world's top three, along with Israel's Teva Pharmaceutical TEVA +0.13% Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. ADS U.S.: NYSE $54.47 +0.07 +0.13% July 25, 2014 4:03 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 2.03M AFTER HOURS $54.47 0.00 % July 25, 2014 4:53 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 27,595 P/E Ratio 32.50 Market Cap $52.12 Billion Dividend Yield 2.57% Rev. per Employee $467,885 07/24/14 Pharmalot, Pharmalittle: We're... 07/23/14 Some Top Teva Investors Plan t... 06/18/14 A Cost of Doing Business? How ... More quote details and news » (TEVA) and Sandoz, a division of Switzerland's Novartis NVS -0.81% Novartis AG ADS U.S.: NYSE $88.41 -0.72 -0.81% July 25, 2014 4:00 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 667,930 AFTER HOURS $88.43 +0.02 +0.02% July 25, 2014 5:16 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 25,246 P/E Ratio 21.57 Market Cap $239.18 Billion Dividend Yield 3.12% Rev. per Employee $437,277 More quote details and news » (NVS). The existing biotech drugs, also known as biologics, are costly in part because they have highly complex molecular structures and are made with live organisms.
The Bottom Line
Hospira's stock could rise 30% or more once the company can spend more time and money on its products and less on regula-tory issues. A new generic offering could add even more.
An estimated $40 billion of the biologics are scheduled to lose their patent protection through 2020, providing lots of new opportunity for Hospira and its rivals. Datamonitor, a London-based business-research group, has forecast that the biosimilar market will reach nearly $4 billion by 2015 from $243 million in 2010.
Hospira's biosimilar for Amgen's Epogen, an erythropoietin (EPO) treatment for anemia in patients with renal failure, is in Phase III clinical trials with the U.S. FDA. The last patent on Epogen is scheduled to expire in 2015, which is when the U.S. market for a biosimilar version is set to begin. Hospira has been selling another EPO biosimilar, Retacrit, in Europe since 2008. It's also selling Nivestim, a version of Amgen's Neupogen, which boosts infection-fighting white-blood cells in cancer patients, in Europe and Australia.
Biotech companies, including Amgen and Genentech, a division of Swiss health-care giant Roche Holding ROg.VX -0.11% Roche Holding AG Part. Cert. Switzerland: SWX Europe CHF266.70 -0.30 -0.11% July 28, 2014 10:30 am Volume (Delayed 15m) : 106,760 P/E Ratio 21.40 Market Cap CHF229.38 Billion Dividend Yield 2.92% Rev. per Employee CHF546,063 07/25/14 Drug Companies Oppose Moves to... 07/24/14 Hepatitis C Pill Rockets Gilea... 07/24/14 Robust Euro-Zone Data Offset I... More quote details and news » (ROG.Switzerland), have been lobbying hard to limit generic versions of their treatments, questioning the safety of drugs that are similar but not identical to the originals. At the same time, pharmacy-benefit managers such as Express Scripts esrx -0.26% Express Scripts Holding Co. U.S.: Nasdaq $66.35 -0.17 -0.26% July 25, 2014 4:00 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 4.33M AFTER HOURS $66.35 0.00 % July 25, 2014 4:56 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 31,201 P/E Ratio 30.39 Market Cap $51.33 Billion Dividend Yield N/A Rev. per Employee $3,396,400 07/23/14 GlaxoSmithKline Reduces Full-Y... 07/23/14 HEARD ON THE STREET: U.S. Take... 06/17/14 Drug Delays Cost U.S. Health-C... More quote details and news » (ESRX) are working to make biosimilars available because of the tremendous cost savings they represent for their customers.
Hospira's small size—its market value is about $6 billion—makes it a potential acquisition target for big-pharma companies such as Merck MRK -0.10% Merck & Co. Inc. U.S.: NYSE $58.15 -0.06 -0.10% July 25, 2014 4:03 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 5.32M AFTER HOURS $58.15 0.00 % July 25, 2014 6:30 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 216,062 P/E Ratio 38.01 Market Cap $169.94 Billion Dividend Yield 3.03% Rev. per Employee $574,434 07/25/14 Merck Cuts 600 Sales Reps as P... 07/24/14 Hepatitis C Pill Rockets Gilea... 07/24/14 Invoking Anti-Fraud Law, Louis... More quote details and news » (MRK) and Pfizer PFE -0.49% Pfizer Inc. U.S.: NYSE $30.19 -0.15 -0.49% July 25, 2014 4:01 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 14.07M AFTER HOURS $30.20 +0.01 +0.03% July 25, 2014 7:40 pm Volume (Delayed 15m) : 437,956 P/E Ratio 17.98 Market Cap $192.57 Billion Dividend Yield 3.44% Rev. per Employee $650,283 07/25/14 Hedge Funds Bet Big on Oversea... 07/25/14 Three Ways Investors Can Play ... 07/24/14 Donziger Defense Lawyers Hit P... More quote details and news » (PFE). Investors were reminded of the takeover possibility when Hospira revealed in a recent government filing that new change-in-control agreements for its top management went into effect on Jan. 1.
HOWEVER THE VALUE IN Hospira's shares is realized, Ball is confident the company is rejuvenated. During a Jan. 8 presentation for investors at a JPMorgan conference, he said, "We're in great, growing markets. We've got great market-share position. We've got a great pipeline. We've got great new people. And that to me…indicates a great future."
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Alojamiento económico Hoteles económicos Europa Italia Campobasso
Four at the Forum
Refusing to give up on my great-grandfather's death date, we drove to Molise's capital city, Campobasso. Luckily a gentleman actually walked us to the Archivio di Stato, or we'd still be there climbing up and down the mountains of stairs searching for it. Once inside I said, English? She said, Italiano ...
Posted in Italy 2012 by victorybw
Sunny California
/C or gelato. The next day we got on the train to Campobasso in South Central Italy (the Molise) to meet my ...
Posted in Europe 2011 by arkfinitalia
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Packaging Waste
The European Commission (EC) Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (94/62 EC) (as amended) introduced producer responsibility into the management of packaging materials. If you are unsure as to the types of waste covered by these regulations, you should have a look at the Definition of Packaging Waste page.
The regulations aim to minimise the impact of packaging waste on the environment by reducing the amount going to landfill. Member states are required to set up return, collection and recovery systems and to meet targets for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste.
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 and amendments implement the Directive in Northern Ireland. These are designed to make sure that industry takes full responsibility for packaging wastes produced as a result of their commercial activities.
The regulations place a duty on us to monitor compliance with them in Northern Ireland. There is also a requirement for us to publish an annual monitoring plan. See NIEA Compliance_Monitoring_Plan_2014
Defra, together with ourselves, the other devolved administrations and The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS - formally known as BERR), have published a strategy called 'Making the Most of Packaging'. This sets a clear direction for packaging policy in the next ten years.
The relevant packaging waste regulation information can be viewed on the National Archives website:
- Packaging Waste Regulations
- Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008
- Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008
- Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Ammendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010
You will find some more useful information regarding packaging waste on the following websites:


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Linda Gay Slatt — Nov. 21, 1944, to June 22, 2013 — was a wonderful, loving, sharing, giving and elegant woman, mother and wife. She prided herself in her independence, even up to the time she left her earthly body. There never was a person who Linda Gay would meet without walking away with a new, mutual friend.
One of her greatest joys was traveling, and she touched the lives and hearts of many people both at home and abroad. Another of her passions was reading, and she would often devour a book at a single sitting. Wherever she lived, she always took her extensive library of what she called her "friends." She had many accomplishments, including raising her own family as well as two stepsons, zoo docent, Realtor, shop owner and her proudest time while in Norman, as elected president of the OU Faculty Spouse Association. She will be missed by many, many friends and relatives.
She was preceded in death by her father, Sonny Pickrell; mother, Ferol Jones; infant daughter, Crystal James; brother, Mickey Pickrell; and sister, Virgie Thomas.
She is survived by her husband, Roger M. Slatt; son, Clifford James and wife Kalette; daughter, Lacretia Roland; granddaughters Kourtlyn James, Whitney Smith and husband Rusty, Tyler Bosman and husband Zoren and Shayla Samarron and husband Frank; grandsons Copeland and Cutter James; great-granddaughters Austin, Abigail and Miracle; great-grandsons Dorrian and Caleb; brother, Bennie Pickrell and wife Linda; stepsons Thomas Slatt and Andrew Slatt; and step-grandson Alexander Slatt.
A celebration of Linda Gay's life will be 11 a.m. Saturday, July 13, 2013. For location, contact firstname.lastname@example.com or 802-9220.
Memorial donations may be given to a scholarship/student support fund that will be established in Linda Gay's name for OU graduate students in petroleum geology or geophysics. For information, contact Nancy Leonard at email@example.com or 325-3256.
Arrangements for Linda and her family were placed in the care of the Vice family at Havenbrook Funeral Home in Norman.
Online condolences may be shared at havenbrookfuneralhome.com.
Norman Transcript, Tuesday, June 25, 2013


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Ethnography: Tools for Reading Social Contexts
'I wish I understood the people!' Have you uttered this in exasperation? Can we really know people and their contexts at a deeper level? Are there tools to 'exegete' a community or parish, a kind of cultural hermeneutic? Ethnographic research aims to equip students to 'read' people in their contexts reliably and accurately. If contextualized ministry is being accountable to the hermeneutical obligations of the gospel, contextual analysis is fundamental to all Christian work. Skills of observation, in-depth interviewing, data analysis, and the preparation of instruments for testing generalizations in larger or contrasting settings will be developed. Facilitates the ability to carry out field research in the style, form, and discipline of anthropological inquiry.
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7 Killer Insurance Mistakes You're Probably Making
Why you should take out more insurance, not less.
For most people, talking about life insurance sounds almost as fun as eating rotten fish. And while ignoring it can compound a family tragedy by turning it into a financial nightmare, more and more people are doing just that. A recent survey by the nonprofit LIFE Foundation found that one in four Americans would consider canceling their life insurance policy in order to save money during the recession.
Before making that kind of drastic decision, consider these seven insurance mistakes you're probably making—and you might decide to buy more insurance, not less.
Thinking you have enough. In a recent survey of middle-income Americans, Allstate found that while respondents agreed everyone should have some level of life insurance, most believed that it should primarily cover bills and funeral expenses. Only two in ten said life insurance should replace the income of the person who died, in order to continue to support any children and other dependent family members. The idea of having a policy that paid out seven to ten times one's salary—an amount that could easily make sense for someone with young children—sounded like an attempt to sell a needlessly large policy to the respondents.
In fact, one in three adults have no life insurance at all, says Steven Weisbart, chief economist for the Insurance Information Institute. Of the remaining people, many of them have only the insurance that comes from their workplace policies, which is usually not enough for people who want to support dependents after their death.
Not talking about it at all. "It's a topic that nobody really wants to think about," says Matt Easley, vice president for Allstate Financial, partly because thinking about death is so uncomfortable.
But while life insurance isn't required the way auto insurance is, Weisbart says it is "morally required," because "if you have dependents, you owe it to them to protect them from the loss of your capacity to earn an income."
Relying on old rules of thumb. Traditionally, people relied on a standard "seven times income" rule to calculate how much insurance they need. But that's not a useful measure, says Easley, because people's situations are so different. A single person with no dependents will probably need much less insurance than someone with five young children, for example. Instead, Easley recommends sitting down and thinking about "the things you want to protect." How much would it cost to support your children in the way you want? To pay for their college, or pay off the mortgage?
Michael Bonevento, a senior financial adviser at Ameriprise Financial, also recommends making a "human life value" calculation, which looks at the economic loss that would come from a breadwinner passing away. For example, if he earns $100,000 per year and has 20 years left until retirement, then the value is $2 million. (Taxes then get subtracted out along with the amount the breadwinner consumes himself, and other benefits such as health insurance are added. Finally, the present value of that number is calculated.) The human life value is usually a higher number than what people come up with after considering what they'd like to be able to pay for if they were to die. Bonevento recommends purchasing insurance for somewhere in between those two amounts.
[For more, read: "Financially Preparing for Special-Needs Kids."]
Ignoring your non-monetary income. Many people, when adding up how much of their income they would need to replace, forget about the benefits that come with their job, such as health insurance and retirement account payments. "I have a job, and my employer pays my health insurance costs, but if I died, and that subsidy disappears, my wife would have to get health insurance without it, so it would cost more," he says. Life insurance, then, should pay enough money to cover the new health insurance bill.
Forgetting the long-term. People often lose track of how long the life insurance payout should support their children and other dependents after they die, says Easley. "If you have a child who's ten, in 15 years, they'll be out on their own," he explains, so in that case, term coverage that will provide support for those 15 years likely makes the most sense.


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