REDHILL, England, February 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Procurement software supplier Office Canopy Group (OCG) has just announced a new partnership with HW Expense Control (HWEC), the cost reduction consultancy division of Haines Watts Chartered Accountants, to help businesses reduce the cost of buying a wide range of commodity products and services, such as stationery, print and utilities.

Controlling overhead costs is a key consideration for companies looking to improve profitability in a difficult economic climate. The partnership between OCG and HW Expense Control is designed to provide HWEC customers with a straightforward solution to this challenging cost-management issue.

BURLINGTON, Vermont, February 21 /PRNewswire/ --

- kluster Goes Live Days Before Their Unveiling at the TED Conference

kluster (http://www.kluster.com) launches its free public beta and ideas are welcome.

kluster is a web-based platform that enables communities to collaborate and decide. kluster's philosophy is that development and decision-making is better served by engaging groups.

GOTHENBURG, Sweden, February 21 /PRNewswire/ -- With two successful international product launches, Swedish biotech firm Cellectricon is entering a new expansion phase. The share issue will strengthen Cellectricon's financial capacity prior to a number of significant product launches in 2008-2009. These products have been developed in close collaboration with leading global pharmaceutical companies to meet the industry's increasing demand for fully automated, highly efficient systems for pre-clinical pharmaceutical development.

CHARENTON-LE-PONT, France, February 21 /PRNewswire/ --

- New Acquisitions in Canada and Puerto Rico

Essilor is pursuing its external growth strategy with three new acquisitions.

The Company is stepping up its development in Eastern Europe by setting up operations in Bulgaria. Its new subsidiary Essilor Bulgaria Eood has acquired Optymal Ood, which currently distributes Essilor lenses and instruments in Bulgaria and has sales of nearly EUR1 million. The acquisition will enable the Company to enhance its competitive position in the fast growing corrective lens market, especially the progressive lens segment.

PHILADELPHIA and LONDON, February 21 /PRNewswire/ --

- Report Examines Recent Developments at Major Patenting Authorities Worldwide

Thomson Scientific, part of The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC) and leading provider of information solutions to the worldwide research and business communities, has published its 2008 Patent Focus Report. Authored by Joff Wild, editor of Intellectual Asset Management magazine, and published in Thomson Scientific's KnowledgeLink(SM) eNewsletter, this report explores recent activities at each of the world's major patenting authorities (USA, Europe, Japan, China and India). The report is available free at scientific.thomson.com/newsletter.

PHILADELPHIA and LONDON, February 21 /PRNewswire/ --

- New content expands English-language coverage of Asian patent data via Derwent World Patents Index and provides essential resources for prior art research