Sachem Patch Business Notebook, December 15

This week turned out a range of updates and news regarding businesses in the area. From successful software to an underwater museum, here's a look at what's happened lately:

VAI's Enhanced Suggested Purchasing Module Achieves Immediate Results: Award-winning ERP software provider Vormittag Associates, Inc. announced success this week with its S2K Enterprise Software, according to Marketwire. VAI’s customer, transmission parts distributor Transmission Parts Supply (TPS), reported that usage of the upgraded software’s suggested purchasing, manufacturing, and transfer modules has enabled the company to greatly improve its purchasing decisions.

Through these guided purchasing and stock transfer assessments, TPS was able to strike an ideal balance of inventory to suit its needs, which involved avoiding over-ordering but still being able to meet consumer demands. By calculating the inventory needed to purchase, the new S2K Enterprise Software allowed the TPS sales team to save time, and the suggested manufacturing and transfers features similarly allowed TPS employees to easily determine necessary decisions at all its retail locations. TPS began using the beta version of the now-upgraded software in March 2011, going live on the latest version in September of that same year.

APFS Names Industry Leaders to Advisory Council: The Holbrook-based financial services provider American Portfolio Financial Services, Inc. (APFS) revealed this week the four industry leaders that it has named to the new Advisory Council for the Board of Directors of American Portfolios Holdings, Inc. (APH), according to Citybizlist. The new additions include Nathan & Lewis Securities founder Jay Lewis; former CEO of National Financial Norman Malo; former CEO of Integrated Resources, Inc. Arthur Goldberg; and former COO of Albridge Solutions Edward Morrison.

The Advisory Council was formed to provide the APFS with advice from outside sources regarding broker/dealer infrastructure, correspondence clearing, investment banking, and web-based enterprise data management and reporting financial service solutions.

Lakeland Industries' Third Quarter Results Are In: Last week Lakeland Industries, Inc. of Ronkonkoma reported that they would be announcing their third quarter results for its third quarter and first nine months of fiscal year 2012, and this week the numbers are in. According to Marketwire, net sales decreased by $1 million to $24.7 million for the third quarter ended October 31, 2011 (foreign sales increased by $2.6 million, but domestic sales decreased by $3.6 million).

Gross profit for continuing operations increased by $0.2 million to $7.4 million for the three months ended October 31, 2011, and operating expenses increased by $0.9 million to $7.2 million over this same period. For the nine months ended October 31, 2011, net sales increased $1.5 million to $76.2 million, gross profit from continuing operations increased $1.4 million to $23.5 million, and operating expenses from continuing operations increased $1.0 million to $20.6 million. Some other highlights: 3QF12 revenues increased from last year at most major international operations, and international revenues set 3Q record with $12.0 million, up 26.3% from the prior year. Within the U.S., sales of most Lakeland-branded product lines increased quarter-over-quarter, although sales of low-margin disposable products from DuPont declined significantly (with licensing agreement phase-out nearly complete).

Sigma Corporation Forms Partnership to Spotlight Underwater Museum: SLR lens manufacturer Sigma Corporation of America announced this week that it will be working with Jason deCaires Taylor to help share the sculptor's work with the world, according to Business Wire. Taylor, also a photographer and conservationist, began his underwater sculpture park to provide a habitat for underwater creatures while simultaneously drawing visitors away from the overtaxed natural reefs of the area.

The exhibit, known as the Museo Subacuático de Arte (MUSA) in Cancun, Mexico, serves as an artificial coral reef that can only be accessed via can scuba diving, snorkeling, or aboard a glass-bottom boat. For this reason, Sigma Corp. has agreed to photograph and share the artist's installations in such a way that will also display their products' underwater still and video capture capabilities. Taylor is also planning to use Sigma lenses while working with a team of underwater filmmakers to record Angel Azul, a film to spotlight his work.

Have business news for this notebook or a story idea? Email Sachem Patch editor Chris Vaccaro at Chris@Patch.com or Patch contributor Erin Rafferty at Erin.R.Rafferty@gmail.com.