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Culture Lifestyle Local News Politics

County of Mercer to devote $3M in ARPA funds to assist local municipalities

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes and County Commissioner Chair Nina D. Melker together announced Tuesday that Mercer County will set aside $3 million from its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation to assist Mercer municipalities.

Courtesy photo: Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes and County Commissioner Chair Nina D. Melker present a ceremonial check for $3 million to Mercer County mayors. Front, from left: Hopewell Borough Mayor Paul Anzano, Commissioner Lucylle Walter, Hopewell Township Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning, East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov, Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann, Commissioner Melker and County Executive Hughes. Rear, Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin, Commissioner Samuel Frisby and Lawrence Mayor John Ryan.

 

The funds will support county programs and services aimed at older adults, veterans and people with disabilities.

 

“Commissioner Melker and I are pleased to further support our 12 towns, and these funds for the municipalities will go a long way toward supporting our residents in need,” Mr. Hughes said at a news conference at Mercer County’s Hopewell Valley Golf Club.

 

“This set-aside grant program to provide additional funds directly to our local municipalities is a win for all of our residents and taxpayers here in Mercer County,” Chair Melker added.

 

Specifically, the funds set-aside must be used to support, create or augment municipal programs and services in the areas of health, social services and transportation.

 

The program will be administered by GrantWorks, the firm managing the county ARPA allocation, which provides ARPA program compliance, documentation management and reporting.

Under the federal ARPA, Mercer County received $71.25 million in fiscal recovery funds intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“As decided through a collaborative process, Mercer County plans to distribute our allocation in such a way to ensure we touch as many of our residents as possible, especially those most disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the County Exec. added.

 

Among the county programs under development are a new grant assistance program for small businesses; more transportation opportunities to job sites; and expungement services to give those who are eligible a fresh start. The county is also creating a more robust health department in response to numerous public health challenges.

 

“Commissioner Melker and I recognize that meaningful and effective change can only occur when we work together, and we are excited to hear from the mayors about projects, programs and solutions that will strengthen our communities,” Mr. Hughes said.

 

“The collaboration between the County Administration, the Commissioner Board and our local elected leaders is a perfect example how together we can work diligently in the best interests of our residents,” Chair Melker added.

 

In attendance were Mayors Janice Mironov, East Windsor; Bert Steinmann, Ewing; Jeff Martin, Hamilton; Paul Anzano, Hopewell Borough; John Ryan, Lawrence; and Courtney Peters-Manning, Hopewell Township. County Commissioners attending were Lucylle Walter, Terrance Stokes and Samuel Frisby.

 

Also in attendance were individuals representing the disability and disability rights community including Steve Cook, Executive Director, of The Arc Mercer, along with staff and clients; from the veterans’ community, Larry Rosenthal, New Jersey State Commander of the Jewish War Veterans, and Luddie Austin, State Commander of the New Jersey VFW; and members of the aging community.

 

In addition to the Mercer County ARPA allocation, municipalities received the following in ARPA funds:

East Windsor: $2,680,560
Ewing: $6,070,873
Hamilton: $16,894,038
Hightstown, $521,023
Hopewell Borough: $187,230
Hopewell Township: $1,741,165
Lawrence: $3,186,161
Pennington: $253,046
Princeton: $6,057,088
Robbinsville: $1,428,591
Trenton: $73,786,424
West Windsor: $2,740,187

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Business Healthcare Local News Science

TransPerfect Life Sciences hosts ‘Conversations on Clinical Content’ event series

2022 C3 Summit Program Concludes October 20 in Princeton, New Jersey

 

NEW YORK — (BUSINESS WIRE) — TransPerfect Life Sciences, a leading provider of services and technologies to support global clinical trials and product development for the biopharmaceutical industry, today announced a final call for registration for the 2022 Conversations on Clinical Content (C3) summit. The event is the third in a three-part series and takes place on Oct. 20 in Princeton, NJ. Registration and details can be found at https://thec3summit.com/princeton/.

C3 brings together leading industry executives with expertise in product development and decentralized clinical trials (DCTs) for regional meetings and virtual sessions. The series serves as a platform for industry leaders to share knowledge on important industry trends and topics, including best practices around DCT, patient diversity, patient centricity, and outcome assessments.

 

The 2022 C3 events have been held in Raleigh, North Carolina, and London, England. Speakers included representatives from Walgreens, Pfizer, Parexel, AstraZeneca, Roche, Evidera/PPD, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Red Nucleus.

 

Katja Rudell, Senior Director, COA, CDDS, at Parexel and London C3 Summit panelist, said, “The C3 sessions were packed with great questions. As a panelist, I appreciated the questions and opportunity to share perspectives with others on stage. As an audience member, the event served as an effective forum to demystify a number of topics related to patient centricity.”

 

Scheduled presenters at C3 Princeton include clinical leaders from CVS Health Clinical Trial Services, Bristol Myers Squibb, Decentralized Trials & Research Alliance, Kyowa Kirin, Savvy Cooperative, Exponent, ProofPilot, ObvioHealth, and MANA RBM.

 

“As a solutions provider assisting companies with their increasingly virtual operations, we work every day with thought leaders who have knowledge that can benefit others on similar journeys,” said Michael Smyth, Division President, TransPerfect Life Sciences Solutions. “The enthusiasm and willingness to share shown by our speakers has created many thought-provoking discussions.”

 

TransPerfect President and CEO Phil Shawe stated, “C3 is a unique opportunity for thought leaders in the clinical community to discuss trends, see recent innovations, and better prepare for the future.”

 

For more information on the C3 Summit series, visit https://thec3summit.com/.

 

About TransPerfect Life Sciences

TransPerfect Life Sciences specializes in supporting global development and commercialization of drugs, treatments, and devices designed to improve and save lives. Our comprehensive solutions include eTMF and eClinical technologies, paper TMF migration, pharmacovigilance and safety solutions, translation and language services, and call center support. With offices in over 100 cities worldwide, TransPerfect is the ideal partner to ensure that your global launch makes a global impact. For more information, please visit our website at https://lifesciences.transperfect.com/.

 

About TransPerfect

TransPerfect is the world’s largest provider of language and technology solutions for global business. From offices in over 100 cities on six continents, TransPerfect offers a full range of services in 200+ languages to clients worldwide. More than 6,000 global organizations employ TransPerfect’s GlobalLink® technology to simplify management of multilingual content. With an unparalleled commitment to quality and client service, TransPerfect is fully ISO 9001 and ISO 17100 certified. TransPerfect has global headquarters in New York, with regional headquarters in London and Hong Kong. Visit https://www.transperfect.com for more information on TransPerfect.

 

Contacts

Ryan Simper +1 212.689.5555
mediainquiry@transperfect.com

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Business Local News Science

US LBM chooses Billtrust to provide enterprise-wide automated accounts receivable capabilities

Specialty Building Materials Distributor Adopts Billtrust Solutions for its 56 U.S. Divisions

 

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Billtrust (NASDAQ: BTRS), a B2B accounts receivable automation and integrated payments leader, announced today that US LBM, the largest privately owned, full-line distributor of specialty building materials in the U.S., has chosen Billtrust as its enterprise-wide accounts receivable platform. By standardizing their automated accounts receivable capability with Billtrust, US LBM can grow electronic payments and maximize cash flow while optimizing the order-to-cash process.

Leveraging Billtrust Credit, Invoicing and Payments and Cash Application solutions, US LBM’s more than 400 locations nationwide are now able to provide B2B buyers with more digital payment options and an enhanced customer experience.

 

“Many of our local divisions have already seen AR automation success with Billtrust, and expanding our collaboration supports our growth strategy while driving substantial operating efficiency and improved cash flow,” said US LBM Executive Vice President and CFO Pat McGuiness. “Billtrust offers us an integrated solution which scales and standardizes our processes across the organization while supporting electronic invoicing and payments.”

 

“We are proud and thankful for the trust and belief that US LBM has in Billtrust,” said Steve Pinado, Billtrust President. “This enterprise-wide collaboration will enable US LBM to centralize their digital transformation efforts and support strategic growth.”

 

About Billtrust

Billtrust is a leading provider of cloud-based software and integrated payment processing solutions that simplify and automate B2B commerce. Accounts receivable is broken and relies on conventional processes that are outdated, inefficient, manual and largely paper based. Billtrust is at the forefront of the digital transformation of AR, providing mission-critical solutions that span credit decisioning and monitoring, online ordering, invoice delivery, payments and remittance capture, invoicing, cash application and collections. For more information, visit Billtrust.com.

 

About US LBM

US LBM is the largest privately owned, full-line distributor of specialty building materials in the United States. Offering a comprehensive portfolio of specialty products, including windows, doors, millwork, wallboard, roofing, siding, engineered components and cabinetry, US LBM combines the scale and operational advantages of a national platform with a local go-to-market strategy through its national network of locations across the country. For more information, please visit uslbm.com or follow US LBM on LinkedIn.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes certain statements that are not historical facts but are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the benefits and synergies that may be realized by Billtrust (“the Company”) and US LBM as a result of the collaboration. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including our ability to integrate with customers’ and partners’ application programming interfaces for their billing and payment systems and with third-party technologies; our ability to develop partnerships with financial institutions, third-party service providers, processing providers and other financial services suppliers; our ability to implement services provided by us or our partners; our ability to adapt and respond effectively to rapidly changing technology, evolving industry standards, changing regulations and payment methods, demand for product enhancements, new product features, and changing business needs, requirements or preferences and the risks discussed in Billtrust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 9, 2022, under the heading “Risk Factors” and other documents of Billtrust filed, or to be filed, with the SEC, including Billtrust’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 filed with the SEC on August 9, 2022. If any of these risks materialize or any of Billtrust’s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that Billtrust presently does not know of or that Billtrust currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect Billtrust’s expectations and views as of the date of this press release. While Billtrust may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Billtrust specifically disclaims any obligation to do so other than to the extent required by applicable law. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.

Contacts

Investors

John T. Williams

IR@billtrust.com

Media

Paul Accardo

PR@billtrust.com

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Local News Politics

Registration open for upcoming 2022 General Election

TRENTON, N.J. — The voter registration deadline for the upcoming General Election is Oct. 18, 2022.

 

Voters must pre-register to vote in the upcoming General Election set for Nov. 8, 2022. To register to vote, fill out your application online here, or request a paper application here.

 

There are a few changes to the election this year based on new laws. For example, ballots are printed by election district, so that means that when we tally the results, we will have more accurate reporting on the district level (not simply by town, but down to the district level). The sample ballots are now published on the Mercer County Clerk’s website here: https://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk/election-sample-ballots.

 

Also, there are no Statewide or County questions this year. However, there are local questions in Robbinsville and the City of Trenton. They will be on the reverse side of the ballot, as will Trenton City races and School Board races. You can view them on the sample ballot pages link above.

 

The Mercer County Board of Elections will be able to start counting vote-by-mail ballots five days prior to Election Day this year, which should allow for faster results on Election Night. We will have a majority of the vote-by-mail ballots counted and posted by 8 p.m. on Election Night. There will, of course, be some that are outstanding, as many ballots come in on Election Day and for 48 hours after by mail.

 

Election workers play a critical role in ensuring that New Jersey residents can exercise their right to vote. Earlier this year, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law a bill that increases the compensation of election workers from $200 per day to $300 per day. In July, the governor signed legislation amending existing law to allow minors between the ages of 16 and 18 to work a full day at the polls on Election Day.

 

Once again, there will be three ways to vote in the upcoming election. You can vote by mail, vote at your polling place on Election Day, or vote on a machine during the Early Voting period. As a reminder,Early Voting begins Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022.Hours for Early Voting are as follows:Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.,and Sunday,10 a.m. to 6 p.m.No matter where you live in Mercer County, you can vote your specific ballot at any of Mercer County’s designated in-person Early Voting locations. There are seven Early Voting sites located throughout the County.

 

The locations are as follows:

East Windsor – Mercer County Hickory Corner Library, 138 Hickory Corner Road

Ewing – Mercer County Office Park, 1440 Parkside Ave.

Hamilton – Colonial Fire Company, 801 Kuser Road, Hamilton

Lawrence – Mercer County Lawrence Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence

Pennington – Pennington Fire Company, 120 Bromel Place, Pennington

Princeton – Princeton Shopping Center Unit 260, 301 N. Harrison St.

Trenton – Trenton Fire Department, 244 Perry St., Trenton

 

Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello said that she and the other County election officials urge you to plan your vote so that you can participate in this important democratic process.

——-

POLLING LOCATIONS & SECURED DROP BOX LOCATIONS can be found here.

Please Note: For questions about voter registration, please contact the Superintendent of Elections Office at 609-989-6750.

 

To apply to be a poll worker, please contact the Mercer County Board of Elections at 609-989-6522 or by email at BoardofElections@mercercounty.org. Applications can be found at https://www.mercercounty.org/boards-commissions/board-of-electionsunder “Board Worker Application.”

 

For any questions regarding the upcoming 2022 General Election, please call the County Clerk’s Election office at 609-989-6075 or 609-989-6495. You can also call the Superintendent of Elections Office at 609-989-6750 or the Board of Elections at 609-989-6522. For more information, visit the Mercer County Clerk online at https://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk or call 609-989-6465.

Categories
Culture Lifestyle Local News

Annual NJ Senior Citizen Art Show now open

The public is invited to enjoy the 56th annual New Jersey Senior Citizen Art Show now on display in the hall galleries of the main building at Meadow Lakes Senior Living, 300 Meadow Lakes, East Windsor.

 

The exhibit, featuring more than 270 works of art created by New Jersey artists over the age of 60, will remain on display through Thursday, Oct. 27. Artists from 18 of New Jersey’s 21 counties have work on display in this year’s exhibit, the first in-person show since 2019.

 

The exhibit, with artwork by both professional and non-professional artists in 11 categories (acrylic, craft, digital imagery, mixed media, oil, pastels, photography, print, sculpture, watercolor, and works on paper), was juried by a three-person judges panel of professional artists who selected first-, second- and third-place winners and honorable mentions in each category. This year, exhibiting artists range in age from 60 to 101.

 

This year, Lisa Hendrickson’s (Burlington County) mixed media, Wary: Living with Scarcity, was named Best in Show/Professional, and Susan Lauricella’s (Middlesex County) watercolor, She is Fragile and Beautiful, was selected as Best in Show/ Non-Professional.

 

The annual exhibit, a co-sponsored project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Mercer County’s Division of Culture & Heritage, caps a year of county-based Senior Citizen Art Shows throughout the state.

 

All work on display represents first-place winners from the county shows. Work may also be viewed on the New Jersey Senior Citizen Art Show website at www.njseniorarts.com

 

The show is open to the public Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Groups of six or more are asked to contact Meadow Lakes in advance by calling 609-448-4100. For more information, contact Mercer County Division of Culture & Heritage, 609-278-2712 or tfagan@mercercounty.org

 

The New Jersey Senior Citizen Art Show is a project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the Mercer County Division of Culture and Heritage. It receives additional support from the County of Mercer, Meadow Lakes (a Springpoint Senior Living Community) and the New Jersey Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

Categories
Environment Local News Science

Meadow Management: A growing concern at Mercer County Park

 

Mike Long, Director of Stewardship 

 

Park goers recently voiced their concerns over the mowing of common milkweed and other wildflowers in meadows at Mercer County Park.

The Park Commission responded to those concerned individuals but wanted to share more information about meadow management for those interested in the habitat enhancement for pollinators. The mowing was not a mistake, but a key step in establishing new meadow habitat.

Populations of pollinators such as bees and butterflies have dramatically decreased due to habitat loss/fragmentation, diseases, and pesticide use. The Park Commission has made pollinator habitat creation and enhancement a focus to help combat the decline.

 

In 2021 the Stewardship Department partnered with the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Xerces Society to implement over 30 acres of lawn to meadow conversion at Mercer County Park. Xerces is an international nonprofit organization considered by many to be the foremost authority on pollinator conservation. The Stewardship Department followed the steps outlined by Xerces to create the meadows at Mercer County Park. These steps are described further below.

The first stage of lawn to meadow conversion requires preparing the site for planting. Many turf grasses found in lawns are capable of outcompeting native grasses and wildflowers. To establish a native plant community quickly, these grasses must be removed or killed by solarizing the soil or using herbicide. Once free of living turf grass, the area can be seeded with desired pollinator species, native grasses and a nurse crop like common oat or cereal rye.

Even under perfect conditions, many native wildflowers can take several years to appear. The nurse crop, also called a cover crop, is typically an annual species that establishes quickly and acts as a placeholder until wildflowers and desired grasses germinate. Despite successful cover crop germination, some undesirable annual species often find their way into the project area. Mowing is performed during the summer, as needed, in the first 1-2 years to prevent these undesirable species from going to seed. Desirable perennial species return and produce seed while the presence of undesirable annuals decreases. After year 2, invasive plants may be selectively spot treated with herbicide to reduce their presence and maintain the native plant community.

Once wildflowers and native grasses are well-established, these areas will be strategically mowed or burned in late winter or early spring to provide nectar and cover in line with the life cycle of pollinating insects. Mowing portions of the meadow, known as strip mowing, is a strategy sometimes used to provide cover and area to forage for overwintering birds.

 

To summarize the steps of meadow creation:

  • Prep site and remove existing vegetation
  • Seed with desired wildflowers and native grasses
  • Perform mowing during growing season as needed in first 1-2 years
  • After year 2 spot treat invasive species
  • Mow in late winter to reduce presence of woody species

The Stewardship Department appreciates concerns shared about the mowing of new meadows, but it is an important step in successful habitat creation. Keep an eye on the meadows in the coming years and enjoy the colorful display of native wildflowers. Take pictures, but please don’t pick them!

Categories
Business Local News

Enterra Solutions celebrates recognition in Promotion Optimization Institute Awards

PRINCETON, N.J. & CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Enterra Solutions, the pioneer in Autonomous Decision Science™ (ADS™) technology, today announced it received five Best-in-Class (BIC) award distinctions in the Promotion Optimization Institute’s (POI) Enterprise Planning (EPx) Vendor Panorama.


POI annually awards solutions vendors that achieve excellence in the fields of end-to-end enterprise planning, analytics, modeling, and growth management. Enterra Solutions was named Best-In-Class in the following five functionality distinctions:

 

  • Strategic War-Gaming – Utilizes new frontier modeling to run what-if scenarios to the multi-dimensions of: category, competition, consumer, manufacturer, and retailer considerations to enable enterprise, brand, and retailer strategies and gain a competitive advantage
  • RGM Suite – RGM process, analytics, and services enable the cross-functional practice of revenue growth management; advancing the 5 pillars of RGM–specifically in the areas of pricing strategy and analysis, promotion strategy and effectiveness, trade architecture-pay for performance, mix management and assortment
  • RGM-Supply Chain Connectivity – RGM capabilities specifically designed from a product deployment and supply chain perspective; with capabilities such as ensuring supply is available for promotion
  • Next Frontier – Advanced Modeling – Next frontier modeling utilizes highest level math and can handle highly nonlinear mapping and a high degree of interdependencies
  • Enterprise Planning IBP/S&OP Capabilities – Sales volume planning inputs that flow into the demand planning/ forecast/ Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process

 

“In an increasing dynamic and uncertain world that is experiencing the highest inflation in forty years, geo-political risk, supply chain disruptions, and the lingering effects of COVID-19, Enterra’s strategic war gaming and other integrated end-to-end optimization solutions have been able to successfully assist clients in driving enterprise competitiveness and resiliency. In this environment, retailers and manufacturers continue to struggle to keep up with efficient and effective revenue growth optimization, channel shifts and commodity price increases,” Stephen DeAngelis, Founder and CEO of Enterra Solutions said. “Enterra’s recognition by POI in multiple distinctions demonstrates our commitment to helping our customers navigate these volatile times and advance revenue growth and enterprise planning opportunities.”

 

“Trade promotion and revenue growth management are more relevant today than ever before,” said Pam Brown, Chief Commercial Officer at POI. “We are impressed with the advancements vendors like Enterra are making to support manufacturer and retailer collaboration, help teams respond with agility, and grow profitably in challenging times.”

 

POI analyzed 19 leading vendors across 22 functional areas (including Revenue Growth Management, Optimization, Data, Artificial Intelligence, IBP/S&OP, Headquarter Planning, Trade Promotion Management, Food Service, Advanced Analytics and more) that are helping retailers and consumer goods executives manage enterprise planning and trade promotions effectively.

 

To learn more about how Enterra’s end-to-end value chain optimization and decision-making solutions are realizing outsized value for clients, click here.

 

The full POI EPx Vendor Panorama is available as a gated report through their membership portal: https://poinstitute.com/membership.

 

ABOUT ENTERRA SOLUTIONS:

Enterra Solutions is the leading Autonomous Decision Science™ company providing data-enabled prescriptive and anticipatory analytics and insights for companies across a broad range of industries. Enterra automates a new way of problem-solving and decision-making, going beyond advanced analytics to answer queries, generate insights, and make decisions at the speed of the market. This powerful capability allows clients to uncover and understand the inter-relationships that lead to innovative new product development and innovation, heightened consumer understanding and targeted marketing, revenue growth tactics, and intelligent demand and supply-chain planning. Enterra’s analytics and insights help the world’s leading brands and organizations operate smarter by finding higher meaning in their data. For more information visit: www.enterrasolutions.com

 

ABOUT POI:

POI brings together manufacturers, retailers, solution providers, analysts, academics, and other industry leaders. Members of the POI share cross-functional best practices in both structured and informal settings. Additionally, members benefit through our industry alliances, the Certified Collaborative Marketer (CCM) curriculum and certification, industry leadership virtual events, POI advisory, and the Promotional Collaborative Capability Matrix (PCCM). POI aims to instill a financial metrics and research-based discipline not typically found with other trade groups.

Contacts

Press:
Emma Gielata

Enterrapr@matternow.com
Matter on behalf of Enterra Solutions

Theresa Smith

1-818-704-8481

Categories
Business Local News

New study examines future of B2B eCommerce

Billtrust-Commissioned Research Highlights Organizational Impact of eCommerce Adoption and Identifies Gaps Between Buyers and Sellers

 

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — Billtrust (NASDAQ: BTRS), a B2B accounts receivable automation and integrated payments leader, has released new findings from a proprietary in-depth research study, commissioned by Billtrust and conducted by Paradoxes, Inc., defining the current state of B2B ecommerce experiences in the U.S.

The research, informed by input from 508 buyers and suppliers in the HVAC, electrical, janitorial/sanitation, plumbing and general contracting spaces, has uncovered significant shifts in how organizations are buying and selling today. Specifically, factors such as the global pandemic, a younger workforce and the evolution of B2C ecommerce experiences have accelerated the rate at which B2B organizations are conducting business online. In fact, 80% of buyers across verticals say that they frequently purchase supplies online.

 

Further illustrating a stark departure from relationships traditionally built on in-person interactions, 60% of service providers say that their supplier’s ecommerce experience is “very important” to their relationship with the supplier. Additionally, 67% of B2B buyers report switching to vendors that offer a “more consumer-like” experience.

 

“The reality is, the consumerization of B2B and the acceleration of ecommerce adoption is showing no sign of slowing,” said Flint Lane, Founder and CEO, Billtrust. “With Billtrust’s study illuminating buyers’ desire for B2B ecommerce experiences that resemble those they enjoy in their personal lives, it’s clear there’s a massive opportunity for suppliers to win business and boost ROI by tailoring their offerings accordingly. With the vast majority of buyers reporting an increase in profits from ecommerce buying, adopting a digital-first mentality is a win-win.”

 

The research is summarized in a new white paper, “The Future of B2B eCommerce: Bridging the Gap Between Buyers and Sellers,” and includes the following key findings:

 

  • eCommerce Buy-In Boosts Buyers’ Bottom Line: Notably, all service providers saw an increase in profits from using ecommerce, with 41% of B2B buyers saying their profits increased by 25 – 49% and just over a quarter (26%) saying their profits increased by 50 – 75%.
  • Covid-19 Accelerated the Shift to Online: The vast majority (88%) of wholesalers and suppliers to the contracting, electrical, HVAC, janitorial/sanitation and plumbing trades have deployed an online ecommerce ordering option. The majority of trade orders (52%) are now flowing through ecommerce platforms, and just under a third (30%) of service providers say they order solely via ecommerce portals.
  • The “Amazon Effect” is Impacting B2B: Among service providers, shipping speed, availability and price are the top-ranked performance factors in seeking a supplier. Beyond this, the ability to understand the quantity or depth of supply is an emerging requirement, raising the opportunity for ecommerce providers to offer integration with inventory management, logistics or ERP systems.
  • Efforts to Modernize CX is Paying Off for Suppliers and Wholesalers: eCommerce deployment has increased wholesale/supplier revenue by an average of 49%. Janitorial/sanitation organizations reported the largest increase in revenue of 55%.
  • Gaps Exist Between Buyer and Supplier Expectations: Suppliers told Billtrust that they think clear pricing, a simple search function and accurate product descriptions have the greatest influence on business. Buyers seem to consider features that prioritize speed and convenience – like fast shipping, better integrations and more flexible financing options – more favorably.

 

About the Study

Billtrust commissioned research firm Paradoxes, Inc. to conduct a qualitative and quantitative study of 508 total service providers in February 2022 to better understand the current state of B2B ecommerce experiences in the U.S. An online survey was administered to participants from target organizations who met the screening criteria of being within certain industries, including HVAC, electrical, janitorial/sanitation, plumbing and general contracting.

 

About Billtrust

Billtrust (NASDAQ: BTRS) is a leading provider of cloud-based software and integrated payment processing solutions that simplify and automate B2B commerce. Accounts receivable is broken and relies on conventional processes that are outdated, inefficient, manual and largely paper based. Billtrust is at the forefront of the digital transformation of AR, providing mission-critical solutions that span credit decisioning and monitoring, online ordering, invoice delivery, payments and remittance capture, invoicing, cash application and collections. For more information, visit Billtrust.com.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the acceleration of ecommerce adoption and the size of the opportunity for sellers. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of Billtrust’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as, and must not be relied on by any investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction or a definitive statement of fact or probability. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including the changing regulatory environment in which Billtrust operates, Billtrust’s ability to accurately forecast market growth, unstable market and economic conditions, and the risks discussed in Billtrust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on March 9, 2022, under the heading “Risk Factors” and other documents of Billtrust filed, or to be filed, with the SEC, including Billtrust’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2022 filed with the SEC on August 9, 2022. If any of these risks materialize or any of Billtrust’s assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. There may be additional risks that Billtrust presently does not know of or that Billtrust currently believes are immaterial that could also cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect Billtrust’s expectations and views as of the date of this press release. While Billtrust may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, Billtrust specifically disclaims any obligation to do so other than to the extent required by applicable law. Accordingly, undue reliance should not be placed upon the forward-looking statements.

Contacts

Investor Contact

John T. Williams

IR@billtrust.com

Media Contact

Paul Accardo

PR@billtrust.com

Categories
Business Education Local News

Mercer breakfast seminar to highlight Foreign Trade Zone benefits

TRENTON, N.J. — Mercer County invites businesses that import products from international markets to attend a free, informative seminar, The Mercer County Foreign Trade Zone Breakfast, on Thursday, Oct. 13.

The Trenton Makes Bridge…

 

The seminar, which includes a continental breakfast, will take place from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the Boathouse at Mercer Lake, 334 South Post Road, Mercer County Park in West Windsor.

The program will feature presentations by Christopher Kemp, a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) Board official at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Mercer County representatives who will offer insight into the benefits and expectations of the FTZ.

 

In addition, the County recently reduced its FTZ fee schedule, generating further savings for operators and making the FTZ rates the lowest in New Jersey.

 

“The Mercer County FTZ provides a unique opportunity for Mercer County businesses that import products from overseas to reduce costs and increase profit margins,” said County Executive Brian M. Hughes.

 

“Considering our significant reduction in overall fees in 2022, now is the time to reap even greater savings under this program.”

 

Located throughout Mercer County, the Mercer FTZ allows companies to achieve duty deferral, reduction and/or elimination on products that they purchase oversees.

 

For more information or to register, please contact Mercer County Business Advocate Darren Stewart at (609) 989-6912 or darrenstewart@mercercounty.org.

Categories
Culture Local News

Howell Farm’s ‘carousel’ corn maze opens Sept. 17

HOPEWELL TWP., N.J. — Howell Living History Farm continues its 26-year run as New Jersey’s longest-running corn maze with the grand opening of the all-new 2022 “carousel” maze on Saturday, Sept. 17.

Photo: A corn maze pathway.

 

The maze is open Saturdays and Sundays through the end of September, then Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October.

 

Visitors are invited to “get lost” in a 4-acre cornfield with pathways cut in the shape of an old-fashioned carousel — and find eight “puzzle pieces” located in hidden mailboxes to complete their personal map of the maze. Also hidden in the pathways are answers to trivia and crossword games about the history of carousels and other retro amusement park rides in New Jersey, New York and countries across the world. The maze design is inspired by a circa-1930s traveling carousel that was recently donated to Howell Farm.

 

Friends and families are encouraged to split into groups and compete for the best time from the maze entrance to “Victory Bridge,” which is calculated using “in” and “out” time stamps, with time penalties added for missing puzzle pieces and bonuses awarded for finding crossword answers.

 

The maze courtyard also features a pumpkin patch, hayrides, food tent and kids’ hay-bale maze.

 Photo: An aerial view of the 2022 “Carousel” corn maze.

 

Admission to the maze is $12 for visitors ages 13 and up, $10 for ages 5-12, and free for ages 4 and under. The maze is located at 17 Valley Road, Hopewell Township 08530, and is open on the dates below. For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.howellfarm.org/corn-maze.

 

SEPTEMBER
Saturday, Sept. 17 and 24: entry 12 to 4 p.m.; last exit 5 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 18 and 25: entry 12 to 4 p.m.; last exit 5 p.m.

 

OCTOBER
Friday, Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28: entry 5 to 8 p.m.; last exit 9 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: entry 12 to 8 p.m.; last exit 9 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: entry 12 to 4 p.m.; last exit 5 p.m.

 

The Howell Farm Corn Maze is operated by the Friends of Howell Farm, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Proceeds from the maze are used to support restoration projects and public programs at Howell Living History Farm, a facility of the Mercer County Park Commission.