December 2011 
Two new Export Sales Managers    -   Stefano Cardelli and Nigel Wood    -   have recently joined the Lion sales team.  They are now well into their rigorous in-house training program, learning as much as they can about the science, the technology and the commercial aspects of the breath alcohol business:  plus, of course, how we do things here at Lion!

They are both well experienced in business, and, with each of their multi-European language skills, are very welcome to the Lion team as we spearhead our 2012 sales drives into the world markets.  Croeso!

December 2011 – Victoria Police [Australia] New Screening Program
Earlier this year Lion won the highly prestigious contract to equip the Traffic Police in Victoria, Australia, with 1,500 new screening devices.  Competition was predictably fierce, but the chosen product was our new lion alcolmeter^® 600    -    with fast alcohol analysis, touch-screen technology for simple data-logging, and an integral GPS function for the automatic logging of the precise location of each and every breath test, at the moment it is conducted.

These new instruments are now ‘on the road’, and as such will be used by Victoria Police in their ‘Booze Bus Campaign’, as well as in other areas of traffic law enforcement.

The new 600 will now be launched on to the general world market, all countries and all continents, in very early 2012.

November 2011- Visit to Lion by Alun Cairns MP
Mr Alun Cairns MP [Conservative], the Member of Parliament for the Vale of Glamorgan [in which constituency Lion is based] visited the company on 25 November, and had various useful discussions with senior management.

This picture shows Alun being instructed in the finer points of soldering by Mark Abella [one of Lion’s long-time production technicians], watched over by [left] Ian Jones [Managing Director] and Dr Paul Williams [International Marketing Director and Head of Forensic Support].

After the visit, Alun stated:

 “It was really interesting to find out how the breath-testing units have been developed.  Ian Jones and Dr Paul Williams highlighted business development issues and concerns that I will look to raise with the Minister in Westminster.

 “It was good to hear about the new technologies that Lion Laboratories are developing, including the ‘Interlock’ device which is fitted as an ignition immobiliser on commercial vehicles.  This leading technology provides law enforcement opportunities, as well as commercial and industrial opportunities from an essential health and safety perspective”.

In early November 2011, the lion DS^®-15 Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device was granted approval, by the MHF Test Laboratory in Sweden, to the international specification EN50436-2.  The product becomes only the sixth  system in the world to achieve this approval, with one of the other five also being largely designed and built by Lion for a third party.

October 2011- Lion Police UserGroup Meeting
Lion’s annual drink/drug-drive conference and UserGroup Meeting was held over two days in mid-October, at the Renaissance Hotel in central Manchester.  Despite the gloomy economic situation, the event was attended by around eighty people from some twenty-eight Police Forces, and was kindly supported by the Greater Manchester Police.  A series of speakers addressed various issues relating to operational drink and drug driving enforcement, hopefully so that lessons can be learned in how to deal effectively with such offenders   -   starting at the roadside, and going right though to the Courtroom.

The 2012 meeting will be held in Liverpool on 18 and 19 October, and is being kindly supported by the Merseyside Police.  The event is for Police and Government personnel only, who can obtain further information and registration details from Mary Allen at Lion   -   mallen@lionlaboratories.com

September 2011 – Meeting of Lion Distributors
Many of Lion’s international distributors travelled to South Wales in early September for a conference at the Future Inn in Cardiff Bay.  A range of technical and commercial subjects were discussed over this two day event, following which a series of technical workshops had been arranged back at Lion’s premises.

An evening dinner party was held at the Miskin Manor Hotel and Country Club, in the Vale of Glamorgan, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

This photo shows the group, just prior to the end of the meeting, and before [for many] the long trek home.