Fuel prices have reached new records in recent weeks. Here are some recommendations to use less fuel:

• Maintaining your vehicle: Certainly a cost but a poorly maintained vehicle can consume more than 2l/100km. Check the motor engine and your filter.
• If air conditioning is not necessary, turn it off. This increases your consumption by 20%. If you still want to use it, first open the windows to exhaust hot air. The temperature in the car will drop faster and air conditioning will need less energy.
• Do not overload your vehicle: Empty your trunk of everything that is not essential.
• Turn off the engine if you are stopped for more than 20 seconds. You’ll save over 10% fuel. Many vehicles are now equipped with a start-stop system.
• Avoid traffic jams and keep a safe distance from other vehicles to avoid braking and start that increase your consumption
• Limit your speed: Driving at 120km/h instead of 130 will save you 2 liters of fuel per hour, while the loss of time will be minimal.
• Watch your tachometer: Go to top gear at 2000 rpm for a diesel, 2,500 rpm if you drive with gasoline. Downshift when the regime falls below 1,200 or 1,300 rpm
• Check your tire pressure regularly. A tire loses about 0.1 bar of pressure per month. The ideal pressure is around 2.5 bar. Too little pressure reduces grip. The car will need more energy to move forward.
• Buy a low consumption car

To motivate your employees in the way of eco-driving, organize a contest with incentives. You can easily measure the progress with online tools of your fuel cards or leasing companies.

Source: L’echo

Categories : Advices | Tags : CO2 emission, Fuel | 0 commentaire associé

Did the liberalization of energy sector change something for consumers and businesses? The liberalization was possible from 2003 in Flanders, 2005 in Wallonia and 2007 in Brussels.

While new suppliers brought competition in a sector held by the monopoly of Electrabel. Many problems still exist:

 The mobility rate is very low (- 10%). Clients remain loyal to their energy supplier and are not eager to compare prices due to contractual terms including tacit renewals or penalties for breach does not always encourage the client to do so.

 The price of energy (depending on the energy supplier), is only a part of the bill for the customer. Indeed there are other components, such as distribution, transportation and taxes. On these components, the customer has no negotiating leverage since they remain the same regardless of the provider you choose.

In the graph, the energy component for electricity accounts for only 41% of the total, where it represents 60% for gas. Price increases in recent years, a part is explained by the increase in energy prices but also other components which have risen sharply.

 For the electricity part, providers such as Electrabel, Nuon or Luminus base their prices on a formula that combines the price of oil, coal and gas. For the gas, these suppliers base their prices on Zeebrugge gas prices and Rotterdam oil prices. Other suppliers base gas prices on the gas stock market in the Netherlands, currently more interesting financially.

Finally, Belgium attracts more and more energy companies and that will continue to boost significant potential savings.

In order to provide our customers with the best market prices, our consultants at Bridgewater negotiates the most interesting market rates based on our expertise and on a high trading volume. Call our experts to get an idea of ​​potential savings, you’ll probably be surprised at the results.

Source: Creg

Categories : Advices | Tags : Energy | 0 commentaire associé

The federal Government Di Rupo decided to fight the abuse of professional expenses. The current legislation is still very unclear to employers.

Professional expenses: What is it?

According to the NSSO, a worker who incurs expenses in connection with his employment for professional reasons, seeks reimbursement of these costs to the employer by delivering expenses.

However to facilitate the administrative management related to these reimbursements, the employer may grant a lump sum.

However, he must:

• Justify the lump sum with supporting documents (Paid by the employer to provide such evidence in case of control)
• Conclude a written agreement stating in particular, the nature of covered expenses and the amount of compensation.

These benefits, although exempt from NSSO and taxes, can not be considered as salary.

If an employer could not justify the reality of these costs, the NSSO may reclassify them into earnings subject to payroll taxes.

What are the expenses set by the Tax administation?

• Home office expenses: office furniture, maintenance costs, paper, internet, electricity, heating ...
• Entertainment and representation: As related gifts, entertainment expenses, events ...
• Car parking expenses, car wash, taxi, tolls
• Tips to restaurant

To determine what amounts to allocate, it is important to ensure that fees reflect the actual amounts paid by the employee. The tax authorities indicated however that compensation must be in accordance with the position held by the employee within the company.

In two decisions made by the tax authorities, amounts expected of 315 to 350 € per month for senior positions, from 200 to 250 € per month for senior managers, from 125 to 150 € for middle managers and € 90 for lower level managers.

However, to avoid problems, we recommend that you made an agreement with the tax authorities. This agreement takes the form of a ruling.

Di Rupo Government: What will change?

The new federal government has decided to fight against the abuses in this area. According to newspaper L’Echo, 22.2% of employees receive an average of € 145.8 per month professional expenses. A text will soon be included in the program law to better fight fraud.

We advise you to make sure the actual amounts paid to your employees are justified and keep the supporting documents or make an agreement with the Tax administration for a ruling. It seems that more and more companies are choosing the second option.

Categories : Advices | Tags : Tax | 0 commentaire associé

Electronic invoicing has become an important element of the strategy to reduce business costs.

The benefits of electronic invoicing

• Financial gains: reducing paper use and costs of an invoice treatment . The cost of paper invoice amounts on average to 17 €, the cost of a paperless invoice (incoming or outgoing) is around € 4.
• Increased productivity: an integrated paperless solution that uses one or more trusted third party (for sending, certification, and archiving) prevents the mobilization of personnel on non-value added.
• Electronic archiving allows you to find an invoice immediately, on request of the tax administration or customer.
• Consultation in mobile context (via electronic safes)
• No deadline for transmission of documents (collection faster)
• Can be integrated with software and billing software (SAP)
• Electronic invoices have probative value / irrefutable
• Challenges, very expensive to treat (cost 5 times higher than for an undisputed invoice), can be greatly reduced and alleviated if the process is entirely electronic;
• System Availability: Most large companies have set up an electronic billing system for their input or output streams, which facilitates the transition to paperless for their suppliers.

Studies in Europe consider the financial gain of a switch to electronic invoicing at least 1% (or 2%) of total purchases, a significant impact on the overall competitiveness of European industry.

Besides these financial benefits, electronic invoicing should save a significant ecological impact in terms of CO2 impact (less transport of documents, for example, between a company and its trustee, and lower consumption of paper, an estimated 15,000 tons of CO2 per year in Belgium).

In theory, both legal and technical requirements are now met to adopt electronic invoicing. In practice, the most favorable context is when the company:

already has an accounting software that can handle electronic invoices, and:

• either, works regularly with a few large suppliers or outsourcers that are already able to receive electronic bills (and are sometimes willing to accept to honor such invoices more quickly);
• ie, sends a large volume of invoices national BtoB (eg multiple invoices per month to the same customers).

In other cases (less than 500 invoices per year, a significant proportion of incoming invoices and outgoing international or inconsistent accounting software), it seems more prudent to wait for greater international harmonization of administrative requirements and adoption of a threshold higher billing solutions and electronic archiving.

The main players of the Belgian electronic invoicing

• Certipost: A subsidiary of La Poste has for several years an electronic invoicing solution whose main asset is to be licensed in other European countries.
• Zoomit: Isabel, created by Fortis, KBC, Dexia and ING, developed the application Zoomit that is attached to the application of multi-bank payment widely used in enterprises. They can also issue electronic invoices that could be delivered (and paid) by client companies but also by the general public, Zoomit being available via several web-banking applications (currently AXA, CBC, KBC, Credit Agricole, Dexia , Fortis, Fortis, ING, KBC, Landbouwkrediet, Van Breda);
• Babelway: Young startup Walloon who has distinguished herself in the industry by offering a multi-translation application protocols including electronic files to send electronic invoices comply. This application is available on a SaaS (software as a service). Through the purchase of credits, anyone can make from Internet electronic invoices certified. The service is aimed rather at BtoB market and has the advantage of running quickly without the need to invest in specific IT developments;
• Ekyona: Other startups, which also has application in SaaS, but limited to electronic invoicing. This online service is well suited to the SME market who want to get easily in electronic invoicing, and is fairly easy to use also BtoC, with the ability to export invoices. Docx format;
• Eway Solutions Corporation, a SaaS offering NETiKA including dématérailisation tax bill.
• The e-ID Company that has an authentication solution for people who can also be used for sending and receiving electronic bills at the national level, and which does not require the other party has previously subscribed to this solution .
• UnifiedPost: Company specialized in optimizing the flow of electronic invoices and other paperwork. It offers a platform of communication which sends electronic invoices in a format suitable for delivery to the channel selected by the customer (a. Pdf signed an EDI message, Zoomit, Isabel, etc..).

Source:

• Agence Wallonne des Télécommunications
• Commentcamarche.net

Categories : Advices | Tags : Archiving, Contracts, General expenses | 0 commentaire associé

Companies do not always have proper monitoring of their technical equipment. Poorly maintained facilities can be expensive: successive problems or failures, malfunctions, over-consumption, replacement of equipment ...

These consequences could have some impact directly on your business and cost you much more than what you thought you would save.

The Brussels Enterprise Agency has issued a reminder of the frequency of the monitoring that should be made on your equipment:

• Boilers must be inspected by a licensed boiler technician every 3 years if the fuel is gaseous and every year if the fuel is liquid.

• Electrical installations: high voltage installations must be checked every year and low voltage installations every 5 years.

• Refrigeration facilities subject to environmental permit (ie that contain 2 kg or more substances that deplete the ozone layer or gas or greenhouse gases whose nominal electric power is greater than 10kW) must, in the Brussels region, undergo a leak test once a year. If facilities do contain thirty kilograms or more of refrigerant, the control takes place once every six months and if they contain three hundred kilograms or more, once every three months. Checks are made by certified refrigeration technicians.

• From September 2012, air conditioning systems (ie, the component refrigeration and air conditioning system that are connected to a common control) of 12 to 100 kW must be inspected every 15 years and those of 100 kilowatts or more every 5 years by a certified auditor.

• Elevators must be inspected thoroughly once a year and partly every 6 months when the preventive maintenance of the lift is performed by a maintenance company certified ISO. Otherwise, control must be done every 3 months. The inspection is performed by an external service for technical inspections of the workplace (SECT).

• The protective equipment against fire are audited annually by a specialized organization.

Remember to use a calendar to keep in mind all technical controls to be made .

Source: ABE

Categories : Advices | Tags : Energy | 0 commentaire associé

A system of electronic archiving, if well designed, offers several advantages both organizationally and in terms of cost reduction.

According to a study conducted by the company ooPartners solutions, a tool for electronic data management can save up to 10 to 20% work efficiency and 10% business efficiency. The time to research and collect information is only a matter of seconds.

Archiving has always been a key concept in information management within an enterprise. Indeed archiving ensures its continuity in time and its exploitation. The current trend towards dematerialisation , causing companies to replace their traditional media archiving (paper) by electronic records management system. Companies can implement their project "internal" with creating their own archiving services, or "external" via a third party archiver.

Archiving will also bring opportunities for cost reduction. According to some sources the storage is much cheaper in electronic method. For the cost of classifying documents, companies can realize in most cases 50% gain. The search costs are divided by two or even three if it is an archival research and distribution costs are reduced by 80-90%.

The centralization of data is also a strength for a system of electronic data management. In fact the information is stored on a single server and the operations are done via queries written by the designer. Access control becomes easy, making the system much more reliable and more secure for administrator due to a single server.

The benefits of an electronic records management system in the company

• An electronic records management system can also meet the legal requirement to archiving requirements. Thus the data once stored under certain constraints will retain their legal values ​​and therefore be a way of evidence (tax audit, legal process...).

• Some information in the company may be of a strategic nature. An electronic record management system to develop different means of encryption or digital signature guaranteeing the confidentiality of the information stored.

• Dematerialization coated by the establishment of an electronic records management system allows a space saving significantly in the business and therefore lower costs.

• Finally, an electronic records management system greatly facilitates the consultation of the data archived by optimizing the access time, access frequency,...

Today, less than 10% of companies are equipped with an electronic archiving system. However, 90% of multinational companies operating in Europe have a successful archiving solution.

How to implement an electronic records management system?

Before the actual establishment of a secure electronic archiving system, it is essential to question the existing system of archiving taking into account the context of both technical and legal. This preliminary study should determine and assess the issues of secure electronic archiving, identifying needs and general constraints.

Finally, management must consider the different software and services and then analyse costs in order to compare different solutions.

In terms of constraints, the notions of formats must be taken into account, that is to say what form will present information to archive. For example, is it a text or an image? The XML is widely recommended for his extensible open standard format but also as a metalanguage.

Regarding software offerings, the market today offers a broad and diverse range of archiving solutions that are accurate and complete. The types of products will vault to the general solution that includes archiving in managing full life cycle data (ILM).

At the software level, we must also choose between a solution on the market, open source software or a custom application. It is important to take the measure of this choice, regarding the fact the policy changes will cost it is better to know in advance if possible and avoid or at least anticipate. It is also important to consider the technical issues of data retrieval and maintenance.

The fact to identify all costs in a comprehensive way, both in terms of direct investment (hardware, network, security, services ...) and recurrent costs from operations (telecommunications, premises, personnel, maintenance ...) or other costs such as consumables, appears as a delicate and appropriate operation to carry out rigorously.

Source: Wikipedia, Sécurité informatique, Gestion électronique documents

Categories : Advices | Tags : Archiving | 0 commentaire associé

If travel costs are a major cost in your company, here are some tips to reduce these costs:

• Set up a good Travel Policy with your employees
• Anticipate your reservations to benefit from lower fares
• Centralize bookings. It allows better control of expenditures and enables you to find out mutual purchases.
• Regularly analyze trends and statistics on your travels
• Negotiate agreements with airlines, railways, taxis, hotels or car rental companies. You will need to rely on a minimum volume of reservations, although other marketing arguments can also be taken into account.
• Book online, there is always lower administrative costs
• Report travel expenses to employees in order to reponsibilize them
• Finally, educate your employees on use of videoconferencing. Besides economic gain, these systems represent an environmental argument.

Categories : Advices | Tags : Travel | 0 commentaire associé

Traditionally, companies decrease the cost of fuel in two ways. Firstly, they negotiate better prices with their supplier. Secondly, they try to decrease the number of miles. Video conferencing, home working, car pooling and public transportation are some well known ways to reach this goal.

A third solution saves fuel in a structural way, while maintaining the level of miles. The solution exists in having ecological driving lessons for employees.

There are many (small) suppliers and driving schools which offer green drivings lessons. It is key that employees who follow these lessons, will still benefit from the education on the long term, in order to have the company financially benefit from it. One shot green driving education classes should be avoided.

To guarantee the long term effects of green driving lessons, two aspects are crucial: information while driving and follow-up after driving.

The following two companies make sure drivers are aware of the consequences of their driving. The return on investment in the long term is therefore positive, which makes this type of green driving lessons an interesting solution.

Keydriving and Drivolution

They make sure:

• drivers are confronted with hard data while driving (by adding a laptop in the car)
• drivers have a follow-up on the long term via webtools and personal sessions
• the fleet managers of the companies get feedback

By doing all this, fuel economy of 10% to 20% is achieved. On top of that, less accidents occur and CO2 emissions are reduced.

Categories : Advices | Tags : Car Fleet, CO2 emission, Fuel, Travel | 0 commentaire associé

The worldwide demand for used paper has recently boomed. Direct consequence: European papermakers fear the risk of shortages.

You’ll never throw away your used paper as before ... This waste has taken an unexpected value in a few months. It has become a rare commodity. While the recovery of this material in Europe increased from 40% to over 72% in twenty years, never supply has been as difficult.

cc Stefan

Manufacturers are struggling to get recycled paper and cardboard. "Prices are rising, the material is scarce," says Stéphane Thiollier, the president of the manufacturer of recycled paper Careo. In six years, the price per ton of recovered corrugated increased from 45 to 151 euros. A ton of magazines and newspapers from 48 to 127 euros.

China, major client

The 60 million tonnes collected, sorted and valued each year are no longer sufficient to meet the appetite of European manufacturers. This considerable amount attracted very quickly the envy outside the borders of the Old Continent. The market for used paper has gone global and the world’s largest consumer of materials of all kinds, China has positioned itself as a client.

"Our supply difficulties are explained primarily by the thirst of China for all raw materials and paper in particular," an administrator Revipap analysis, the grouping of French papermakers use of recycled paper. From 2000 to 2009, Chinese imports of recycled paper and paperboard increased from 3.7 to 27.5 million tonnes. An annual growth of 30%. These imports could reach 35 million tons by 2014.

As for exports from Europe to China, they have exploded since 2003, as in any other region from 4.8 to 13.2 million tonnes in 2009. Why the greed? "Numerous production capacities have been opened in China in recent years. Reservoirs of wood and recycled paper are low," said Bernard Lombard, Director at the Confederation of European Paper Industries.

The recyclers in question

China (India tomorrow) attracts the more recycled paper and cardboard. It fills the container ships that previously returned empty to its ports. The material collected is used to produce packaging that package the products made in China shipped to Europe and the rest of the world.

Between 2001 and 2010, prices for paper and paperboard European export doubled. Only the period between late 2008 and early 2010 at the height of the crisis, has seen prices fall. Whatever types of paper, their prices are already above their level before the crisis.

Consequence of the shortage and rising prices: the relationship between industry players stretch. On the one hand collectors and recyclers by providing the resource. The other, cardboard and paper manufacturers, which supply recycled paper. Between them, the barometer is not looking good.

Recently, the leader of a paper manufacturer based in France has made known his complaints concerning the liability of recyclers in the leak of documents. "This has triggered the wrath of professionals, testifies he anonymously. I have received threats of retaliation if I continued to talk." His speech, however, is in step with the rest of his profession. "France is becoming a third world country. It gets a raw material and exports, creating value added outside the European territory, asserts an administrator Revipap without fear of caricature. We ’third Worldization. "

CEO of ArcelorMittal France and President of the Union of Recycling Industries, Hervé Bourrier concerned about the flight of recycled materials outside Europe. "Recycled products are a resource to become a competitive advantage for developed countries that have invested in infrastructure for collection and processing industries valuing these materials locally and sustainably," says he.

Lobbying papermakers

The three major recyclers Paprec, Sita and Veolia confirm export part of their products in China and Asia. But refute their responsibility for the shortage situation described by the paper manufacturers. "China is a scapegoat. We export what paper manufacturers do not take from us , protests Bernard Roth, the executive director of Sita Trading. We sell to the highest bidder, at market prices."

Recyclers highlight opportunities in the interest of Chinese demand, while the consumption of recycled paper and paperboard in Europe tends to stagnate. "We do not export recovered paper to China in 2010 and only 30% of our board," William tempers Lebec, the Director General for Trade at the recycler Paprec.

We advise our clients, companies and readers to not underestimate the value of paper and cardboard. Ask for prices to different providers. The main players in Belgium are Sita, Van Gansewinkel, Shanks, Vanheede, Indaver...

Source: www.usinenouvelle.com - Olivier James - 30 décembre 2011

Categories : Advices | Tags : Waste Management | 0 commentaire associé

A recent survey made by the "Test Achats" shows mobile Internet in Belgium would offer limited coverage and prohibitive tariffs against its European neighbors.

To surf on your laptop anywhere, even without a fixed Internet connection or hotspot, your computer must be equipped with an integrated 3G modem, or you need to buy a modem as a USB key with a SIM card . Most operators offer annual contracts, but you can also opt for a recharge. The transfer rate and monthly quota depends on the provider and the plan chosen.

Today coverage in major cities is good but is limited in the countryside.

In Belgium, only 2.7% of the Belgian mobile Internet use, while the European average is 7.2%.

Our market is suffering from a severe lack of competition. The consumer has little choice between Mobistar and Proximus and Telenet (which uses the Mobistar network, but the prices are higher) and Mobile Vikings (which uses the network of Base).

What to choose?

At Mobile Vikings, you pay € 12 for 2GB per recharge. The USB modem is purchased separately. The provider uses the network Base, slower than Mobistar and Proximus. Mobistar is more expensive, € 15 for 750 MB per month. When you subscribe, you sign up for 12 months. The modem is free and each additional MB, you will be charged € 0.10. Proximus subscription costs € 19.99 per month for 1GB. The modem costs just € 1 and you only pay € 0.03 per MB excess. Telenet up the rear with 1GB for € 35 (€ 20 if you are already a customer Telenet). Not recommended, especially since it is still necessary to add the price of the modem: € 69. It is better to use hotsports Telenet. Base offers no specific formula for laptop internet. You can still subscribe to the "surf & mail" in addition to your mobile phone tariff plan.

According to a thousand questionnaires collected by Test Achats, the results indicate exorbitant prices, instability and slow connections. Overall the respondents said they were "moderately" satisfied with the services of their operator.

Source: Test Achats

Categories : Advices | Tags : Telecom | 0 commentaire associé

The Belgian federal government is still searching for 11.2 billion euro to close the books for its 2012 budget, and nobody doubts the fiscal regime of company cars will be part of the discussion.

According to a study done by Copenhagen Economics for the European Commission, 4,1 billion euro is the amount the federal state spends each year on the fiscal regime of the company cars. It is therefore not remarkable that formateur Elio Di Rupo proposed to increase the taxation of company cars by 500 million euro by using a different taxation method.

What are the scenario’s which are possible? Currently, two options are being discussed:

• Doubling the taxation for the car user

The net taxation for the car user, (in Dutch: natuurlijk voordeel / in French: avantage en nature), could be doubled. This measure has a direct negative impact for the employee, since it adds up to its wage.

• Taking into account the price of the car when calculating the taxation

Until now, the taxation for company cars was calculated based on carbon emission, the type of fuel and the number of kilometre the car drove. By adding the purchasing price of the company car into the equation, the government can strongly increase the taxation amount it collects.

The impact these new measures could have, should not be neglected; they impact the users, the companies, but also the leasing companies and the car dealers.

Categories : Advices | Tags : Car Fleet | 0 commentaire associé

Is LED the lighting of the future? Probably yes, but why:

• The energy consumption of LEDs is lower than conventional lighting. They can make you save up to 90%.
• The variety of colors
• LEDs emit very little heat.
• LEDs contain no mercury and are much less polluting than the energy-saving lamps.
• LEDs light up instantly.
• LEDs have a lifetime much larger than conventional bulbs, up to 80,000 hours.