Strictly Business

From Business Today:

Manufacturing in the Western New York region is chugging along, growing slowly. That's about as good as it gets in manufacturing these days. The area purchasing managers index has been positive for four consecutive months, showing that the folks who make things around here are having some success. The expectations are that the growth will stay slow for a few more months before - finger crossed - really picking up.

How much is a brand worth? If your a bank, apparently billions. BrandFinance studies such things, and it's latest list puts M&T Bank's brand at No. 137, worth $1.15 billion. First Niagara Bank is ranked No. 407 with a brand worth $233 million. HSBC Bank, a global giant, is ranked third with a brand valued at $28.5 billion. The No. 1 bank brand on the list of 500 is Bank of America, weighing in at $30.6 billion.

The new Coffee Culture restaurant in Ellicottville has been sold to a franchisee called Sagittarius Serpentarius Holdings. Managing partners are Michael Meade, formerly of Buffalo, and Joe Ponti, of New Jersey. You coffee heads can all relax, the restaurant will remain a Coffee Culture.

Who is getting hired, promoted and  honored?



Speaking of a factory...