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Airbus Defence and Space, The Forest Trust (TFT) and SarVision have jointly developed a service enabling companies to provide evidence of how they are implementing their No Deforestation commitments.

The service is called Starling and uses a combination of high-resolution optical satellite and radar imagery to provide unbiased monitoring of forest cover change. After 14 months of development Starling is now in operation with Ferrero and Nestlé as pilot customers and will be available to the market early 2017.It will be the first time a technology of this kind is made available to companies, from producers to global brands, to help them make the right decisions and meet the promises set out in their forest conservation policies.

“We believe Starling is revolutionary,” said Bastien Sachet, Chief Executive of global environmental and social non-profit TFT. “Not only does this service provide a level of accuracy never before seen, thanks to a combination of 1.5m SPOT images and cloud-independent radar data, it also goes beyond the traditional concept of ‘auditing’”.

Until now, brands and producers could only rely on auditing houses to verify Zero Deforestation commitments. However, auditors can’t get the overall view of the situation: they can’t access all forest areas, and are only spending a limited number of days in the field. Imagery from space offers a powerful alternative, bringing extensive, impartial and cost-effective information in real time, including the ability to easily differentiate replanting from deforestation. It allows companies to manage their operations, make fully informed decisions and demonstrate to buyers and consumers that they are true to their commitment. Starling will be available to the market starting January 2017. In the meantime the service is being piloted with early adopters.

“Most companies strive to do the right thing, and the aim of Starling is to give them the true capacity to do so,” said Bernhard Brenner, Head of Intelligence Business Cluster at Airbus Defence and Space. “Our constellation of satellites offers them a reliable tool to track and verify their actions and better protect the world’s resources.”

The partnership between Airbus Defence and Space, TFT and radar remote sensing specialists SarVision began in 2015. Airbus Defence and Space is responsible for activating its satellites, pre-processing the imagery and distributing the service worldwide. TFT’s experience in land use planning and forestry and SarVision’s expertise in radar imagery analysis complement the design of the solution. Complex, expert satellite data is turned into information that can be directly used and understood by agro-industries.

Ferrero and Nestlé are piloting Starling to verify the responsible sourcing commitments they made for their palm oil supply chains.

Find out more about Starling at: www.intelligence-airbusds.com/starling

About Airbus Defence and Space

Airbus Defence and Space, a division of Airbus Group, is Europe’s number one defence and space enterprise and the second largest space business worldwide. Its activities include space, military aircraft and related systems and services. It employs more than 38,000 people and in 2015 generated revenues of over 13 billion Euros.

About TFT

TFT (The Forest Trust) is a global non-profit organisation focused on transforming supply chains for the benefit of nature and people. Its supply chain, social and environmental experts work in over 25 countries to ensure that commodities are sourced with respect for people and planet. TFT leverages the transformational power of companies to innovate and bring value to everyone in the supply chain – from grower to customer. Its members include Nestlé, Wilmar International, Golden Agri-Resources, Cargill, Ferrero, Mars, ADM, 3M, Asia Pulp and Paper, B&Q and Lindt. www.tft-earth.org

About SarVision

SarVision is a spin-off from Wageningen University in the Netherlands. SarVision pioneers the operational application of systematic satellite and airborne monitoring and mapping systems for environmental and natural resource management. Its innovative systems provide partners with the latest maps and information on land and forest cover. www.sarvision.nl

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Airbus Defence and Space has launched One Atlas, a new satellite image basemap, which covers the earth landmasses with professional grade imagery. Available online 24/7 and refreshed within a 12-month period, One Atlas provides customers with easy access to cost effective, high-quality and homogeneous imagery.

One Atlas will bring value to all our clients for a wide range of applications such as military operations planning, infrastructure preparatory studies or even tree cover change detection in regions prone to deforestation, just to name a few.

The service offers a streamlined workflow, and the costs related to updating, selecting, processing and hosting imagery are drastically reduced. Seamlessly integrated into the customer’s system, One Atlas facilitates the sharing of data across teams or partner organisations, with no compromise on security or privacy. It also enables users to plan, map and locate their teams, assets or areas of interest, anywhere on the globe, allowing operators to devote more time to their core mission.

“With One Atlas, we propose a radical change to our clients for the way they access our data”, said Bernhard Brenner, Head of Intelligence Business Cluster at Airbus Defence and Space. “We take care of everything: updating, selecting, processing and hosting – all to make it easier, cheaper and faster for our customers”.

Contact:
Fabienne GRAZZINI
+33 5 62 19 41 19
fabienne.grazzini@airbus.com

EARTH-I, Ltd. (www.earthi.space), the innovative British distributor of Earth Observation and data services is attending InterGeo 2016, held in Hamburg, Germany.

The company is exhibiting its capabilities and expertise to the assembled audience of more than 15,000 visitors, from nearly 100 different countries around the globe.

Held annually, InterGeo provides companies in the Space, Earth Observation and Geospatial sectors an opportunity to meet one another and to promote their goods and services. The event showcases the entire satellite data supply chain under one roof, stretching from data capture right through to finished products, visual representations and solutions.

The focus of this year’s show will be ‘knowledge and action for Planet Earth’, seeking pioneering solutions to environmental and humanitarian challenges.

At the event, Earth-i will be exhibiting the latest examples of 1m GSD satellite imagery from the DMC3/TripleSat constellation. These images benefit from a very high temporal resolution and provide an additional level of detail and actionable data achieved through higher resolution imagery and the commercial potential it offers.

The team from Earth-i will be demonstrating the particular advantages a constellation of three identical very high resolution satellites offers its customers. Orbiting 33 mins apart, the DMC3/TripleSat constellation offers the ability to revisit target areas of interest on the same day, tasking two satellites to collect stereo images from which a digital elevation model (DEM) can then be created.

Earth-i will demonstrate this capability using an example of images and DEMs created recently from the Nottingham area in the UK.

Speaking about Earth-i’s attendance at the show, Richard Blain, CEO of Earth-i, commented: “The whole team is excited to be exhibiting at InterGeo 2016 and have the chance to demonstrate our products and services to such a large and international audience. Events such as these are a vital part of our industry as we get an opportunity to engage in proactive discussion with industry partners about ways in which we can collaborate and better serve our customers through innovation. We look forward to welcoming visitors to our booth and showing what we can deliver.”

Visitors will be able to discuss the capabilities of the DMC3/TripleSat constellation with Earth-i’s team in the UK Pavilion (Hall A1), D1.049 / Stand 14.

About EARTH-i Ltd:
Earth-i is a British company dedicated to facilitating the distribution of data from the DMC3/TripleSat Constellation. As the master distributor appointed by 21AT, Earth-i provides a portal for data users wishing to take advantage of the advanced data and services made possible by this uniquely capable Earth Observation satellite constellation.

Earth-i is co-located on the Surrey Research Park in the UK with Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, the manufacturer of the DMC3/TripleSat constellation. www.earthi.space

- Four very high-resolution (VHR) optical Earth observation satellites to be launched in 2020 and 2021 will ensure continuity of Pléiades mission
- Highly responsive dual VHR constellation will offer state-of-the art service to the Airbus Defence and Space imagery user’s community for the next decade
- Recognised operational Pléiades system features will be improved to match the market requirements expected to be the norm at the time of launch, and will deliver new applications such as business intelligence and analytics

As announced at World Satellite Business Week by Nicolas Chamussy, Head of the Business Line Space Systems within Airbus Defence and Space and confirmed by Bernhard Brenner, Head of Intelligence Business Cluster at Airbus Defence and Space, Airbus Defence and Space is designing and building a new constellation of optical satellites, comprising four identical and very agile sensors delivering very high-resolution imagery.

Along with the space segments, to be launched in 2020 and 2021, innovative ground segments offering multi-mission capabilities, large-scale image processing and easy data access incorporating “bigdata/cloud technologies” will be developed and deployed. This will not only enhance applications in traditional markets but will also open up new applications in developing markets, analytics and intelligence.

Offering intraday revisit capacity of any point on Earth, improved reactivity in satellite tasking, and the ability to capture millions of km² per day, this constellation, entirely funded, owned and operated by Airbus Defence and Space, will respect the continuity of Pléiades and all French laws and regulations.

About Airbus Defence and Space

Airbus Defence and Space, a division of Airbus Group, is Europe’s number one defence and space enterprise and the second largest space business worldwide. Its activities include space, military aircraft and related systems and services. It employs more than 34,500 people and in 2015 generated revenues of over 13 billion Euros.

Contact
Fabienne GRAZZINI
+ 33 5 62 19 41 19
fabienne.grazzini@airbus.com

NOFO (Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies) and KSAT (Kongsberg Satellite Services) has signed an extended agreement for satellite-based remote sensing, on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, for detection of acute pollution from petroleum activity.

This agreement represents a solid boost for the detection of oil spills on the Norwegian shelf, enabling rapid deployment of an oil recovery operation by having all fields in production monitored daily by satellite.

KSAT has delivered its satellite-based oil spill detection service to the industry, through NOFO, since 2005. The service is based on oil spill detection using radar satellites. The images are downloaded at KSATs ground stations and analyzed by experts in Tromsø. The results are then delivered quickly to NOFO, which is then responsible for forwarding the results to the operating companies.

From 1.October 2016, the frequency of this service has increased significantly. The purpose of the new agreement is to ensure early detection and early warning of acute oil spills. Operators on the Norwegian shelf applied to the Norwegian Environment Agency for revision of the terms on remote sensing, and the use of satellites has been selected as the primary detection tool for detection of possible oil spills from petroleum activities on the Norwegian shelf. This technology has proven to be the most operationally, and cost effective method, for monitoring large areas of sea, and each field is now being monitored on a daily basis.

Over the course of many years of cooperation, KSAT, together with NOFO, has established a simple and cost-effective remote sensing system for the Norwegian shelf. KSAT is responsible for planning, ordering, acquisition, and analysis of the satellite data, and then reporting the results to NOFO, in addition to a 24/7 emergency support service. Radar Satellite imagery can cover such large areas that several fields are covered in the same image, which leads to cost savings for the operators, particularly when they team up for the service under the collaborative umbrella that NOFO provides.

NOFO has been working with KSAT more than ten years on the use of satellites for remote sensing. The use of this service is now increasing significantly and that our members put NOFO to manage this is a vote of confidence that we are looking forward to grasp and live up to, “says Leif J Kvamme, CEO of NOFO.

“It is very gratifying that the Environmental Directorate and the Norwegian Operating Companies again recognize satellite technology as the preferred tool for effective monitoring of the Norwegian continental shelf. The technology has been proven through many years of operational delivery and this increase in frequency will have a significant impact on Norwegian oil spill preparedness in the years to come. It could also have a positive impact beyond national borders by serving as an example of Best Practice when countries look to Norway as an example for the establishment of their own national requirements for oil spill detection monitoring, “says KSAT CEO, Rolf Skatteboe.

For further information, please contact:

Marte Indregard, VP of Energy, Environment and Security, KSAT, Tel: +47 48196720.
Leif J. Kvamme, CEO, NOFO, Tel + 47 484 02 333

  • NOFO manages and coordinates the oil spill response on behalf of the operators on the Norwegian shelf. Through research and development, training and exercises NOFO contributes a continuous improvement of methods, equipment, technology and operations within its area of responsibility
  • KSAT is the world’s leading commercial satellite center and is owned 50% by Kongsberg Gruppen (KONGSBERG) and 50% by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries via the company Space Norway. KSAT has a unique global ground network for reception of satellite data and has specialized since 20 years in satellite based near real-time monitoring services from its headquarters in Tromsø.

• Peru’s first satellite image reveals Cuajone, a large copper mine in the south of the country
• Latin America’s most powerful satellite gives 70 cm resolution

The PerúSAT-1 satellite, designed and built by Airbus Defence and Space, the world’s second largest space company, has delivered its first images after its successful launch on 16 September from Kourou.

“We constructed PerúSAT-1 in a record time of less than 24 months and now, after having completed the orbital maneuvers to reach its operational orbit at an altitude of 695 km, it has delivered its first image for the Peruvian Space Agency (CONIDA). I would like to thank all the teams for their efforts in achieving this latest milestone,” said Nicolas Chamussy, Head of Space Systems.

Airbus Defence and Space is the world’s leading exporter of Earth observation satellites, and PerúSAT-1 is based on the highly flexible, compact AstroBus-S platform featuring a state-of-the-art silicon carbide optical instrument system with 70 cm resolution. It will collect images for use in agriculture, urban planning, border control and drug trafficking, and will support the management of humanitarian aid and the evaluation of natural disasters, among other applications.

From now until the end of the year, exhaustive in-orbit tests will be carried out from the CNOIS control centre (Centro Nacional de Operaciones de Imágenes Satelitales) built by Airbus Defence and Space, in Pucusana, south of Lima to ensure that all subsystems are operating properly. PerúSAT-1 satellite system will then be commissioned and handed over to the fully trained Peruvian engineers and technicians of the customer CONIDA.

Constructed in a record time of less than 24 months, PerúSAT-1 is currently the most powerful Earth observation satellite in the Latin American region. The result of a bilateral agreement between Peru and France, PerúSAT-1 gives Peru a sovereign capability and will play a key role in bringing the benefits of space to its society.

*****

About Airbus Defence and Space

Airbus Defence and Space, a division of Airbus Group, is Europe’s number one defence and space enterprise and the second largest space business worldwide. Its activities include space, military aircraft and related systems and services. It employs more than 38,000 people and in 2015 generated revenues of over 13 billion Euros.

Source

(Neustrelitz, Germany October 4, 2016) This year marks the 20th anniversary of signing an agreement with Antrix, the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), to receive and distribute Indian EO satellite data on an exclusive basis for European customers.

As a consequence of this contract, GAF also entered into a long term cooperation and service agreement with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) regarding the provision, by the latter, of downlink capabilities at its ground station in Neustrelitz. In order to handle the archiving and distribution of the data, GAF formed the wholly-owned subsidiary Euromap and based it on the DLR campus in Neustrelitz. This has resulted in 20 years of close cooperation with DLR and an important presence at Neustrelitz, consisting of a permanent staff that currently numbers 25 scientists and technicians. Euromap has now become a GAF branch, with offices on the DLR campus and in central Neustrelitz.

The creation of this business, which was a strategically important venture that was also initially associated with risks, has not only created a true European outreach but has also fostered links between GAF and DLR, and has had a tremendous positive impact on the economic development of GAF.

In the field of EO data distribution, GAF can be regarded as Antrix’s only continuously active international partner for the last 20 years. So far, the partnership includes six satellite missions, and thanks to both the ambitious Indian EO programme and the common understanding reached between Antrix and GAF, the partnership is set to be expanded further.

During the last 20 years, GAF has acquired and archived more than 1.4 million image scenes covering almost 40 billion square kilometres with medium, high or very-high resolution raw IRS optical satellite data. GAF has provided data products and related services to, for example, the Joint Research Center (JRC) of the European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA) for the Copernicus programme, and has developed the Euro-Maps 3D Digital Surface Model (DSM) product with 5 m post spacing.

“The access to Indian data is a core element in GAF’s and the Telespazio Group’s policy of securing preferential access to EO data sources that enable the development of innovative value added products, while still acting as a truly independent data broker for all the important data providers in the market,” says Peter Volk, CEO of GAF.

About DLR: www.dlr.de/eoc/
The German Remote Sensing Data Center (DFD) is an institute of the German Aerospace Center (DLR). Together with the centre’s Remote Sensing Technology Institute (IMF), it forms DLR’s Earth Observation Center (EOC), which coordinates DLR’s activities relating to Earth observation data from satellites and aircraft. DFD focuses on the reception, archiving, distribution and utilisation of data.
In addition to applied research, DFD has expertise in the development and operation of satellite ground systems.

About Antrix: www.antrix.gov.in/
Antrix Corporation Limited (Antrix) is a wholly owned Government of India Company under the administrative control of the Department of Space (DOS). Antrix is the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Antrix promotes and commercially markets the products and services emanating from the Indian Space Programme.

About GAF AG: www.gaf.de
Founded in 1985 by Dr. Rupert Haydn, the Agrar- und Hydrotechnik (AHT) GmbH, and the Wittelsbacher Bavarian Trust Fund, GAF has developed into a leading geo-information company. GAF has earned an international reputation as a skilled provider of data, products and services in the fields of geo-information, spatial IT and consulting for private and public clients. As a result of a merger with its former subsidiary Euromap GmbH, GAF has become the exclusive supplier in Europe of optical Indian Remote Sensing data from several satellites. The company’s archives contain systematic coverage of Europe and northern Africa from 1996 and onwards, and include raw satellite data from the high and medium resolution IRS missions IRS‑1C, IRS-1D, Resourcesat-1, Resourcesat-2 and Cartosat-1. GAF is also specialised in the production of orthoimage mosaics and digital elevation models from various high and very-high resolution satellite missions. For more than 13 years, GAF is part of the Telespazio Group, which belongs to Leonardo and Thales, two major European technology firms.

For more information, please contact:
GAF AG
Daniela Miller
Arnulfstr. 199
80634 Munich
Tel: +49 89 1215 28-0
Fax: +49 89 1215 28-79
info@gaf.de

Antrix Corporation Limited
Antariksh Bhavan Campus
Near New BEL Road
Bangalore-560 094
India
Tel: +91 80 2217 8338
remotesensing@antrix.gov.in

German Aerospace Center
German Remote Sensing Data Center
Department: National Ground Segment
Tel: +49 3981 480 111
Holger.Maass@dlr.de

Airbus Defence and Space launched its latest development in satellite imagery acquisition and distribution, One Tasking. Representing a major step change, One Tasking offers customers the most intuitive and cost-effective way to rapidly task an Airbus Defence and Space’s satellite – all from the comfort of their own desk.

The new One Tasking service provides 24/7/365 access to Airbus Defence and Space’s high-resolution and wide-swath satellite sensors. A team of dedicated in-house experts ensures that any requested area is captured on time and in line with the customer’s requirements.

30 years ago, Airbus Defence and Space was the first to offer bespoke satellite tasking services – helping to support a variety of unique challenges ranging from map updates, emergency response and land use analysis to mission planning and long-term asset monitoring. Today, with One Tasking, Airbus Defence and Space is resetting the bar once again, with a capability to only deliver the very best results. This commitment to customer centric flexibility goes far beyond the current “best effort” approach, where cloud cover and other environmental factors can too often reduce the extractable value from the resulting imagery.

“We wanted to create a product which was unlike anything already on the market and truly focused on the customer and their needs. To achieve this we asked our customers to challenge us. The result was a clear desire to eliminate some of the risk and simplify the longwinded ordering-process clients associated with tasking satellites” said Bernhard Brenner, Head of Intelligence Business Cluster at Airbus Defence and Space. “With One Tasking, those objectives have been met and in many areas exceeded, especially with our commitment to only deliver the very best results, which we believe is a real game changer.”

A variety of tailored One Tasking solutions are also available to meet specific industry needs and requirements:

· OneDay: Risk-free imagery acquisition for a specific day
Weather forecast will be sent 24 hours before the acquisition date, enabling customers to confirm, postpone or even cancel a tasking request, at no cost.
· OneNow: Immediate and useful imagery in an instant.
Satellites are tasked to deliver valuable insights in the shortest possible timeframe.
· OnePlan: Qualified coverage within an agreed timeframe
The qualified coverage is agreed and delivered according to customer selected timeframes and dates to meet specific project milestones.
· OneSeries: Repeat coverage
Imagery is acquired and delivered on a regular basis to monitor long-term changes or highly dynamic situations.

Contacts:
Fabienne GRAZZINI + 33 5 62 19 41 19
fabienne.grazzini@airbus.com

Eurosense presented its practical approach to detect and validate oil spills at the sea surface. The first successful test and evaluation of an airborne radar system dates back to 1983. Nowadays, Sentinel-1 and 2 images are used to map oil spills with a very high level of confidence.

Reducing the risk of oil spill disasters is essential for protecting the environment and reducing economic losses. Oil spill surveillance constitutes an important component of oil spill disaster management. Advances in remote sensing technologies can help to identify parties potentially responsible for pollution and to identify minor spills before they cause widespread damage.

Since 1983, Eurosense is elaborating and is continuously improving approaches and methodologies for oil spill surveillance. The fundamental principle consists in multi-data sensors fusion (optical, NIR, and radar) acquired at different scales (in-situ, airborne, spaceborne). The combination of geocoded data into a common spatial framework allows an easy cross-checking based on different physical mechanisms in the radio and optical windows of the electromagnetic spectrum. Practical experiences have been gained through projects related to refloating wrecks (e.g. Herald of Free Enterprise, 1987) and dredging.

Since the early 1990s, radar antennas onboard satellites have largely demonstrated their capabilities to map efficiently oil spills. In 2012, experiments have shown the possibilities to identify different types of oils based on full polarimetric analysis. However, the revisit time and the cost of the images have always been limiting factors. With the launch of the Copernicus program in October 2014 (delivery of the first image), a “game changer” appeared. Sentinel 1 a/b and Sentinel 2 are able to provide valuable information owing to their free availability, imaging capabilities, and their short revisit period over a same area. This has been demonstrated and illustrated in the presentation done on Thursday 29th September at the “Black Sea from Space Workshop”: SAR-Based Tools for Organic Pollutions Detection and Analysis.

Source Eurosense

(Paris, Washington D.C., Montreal, Yokohama, September 15, 2016) – According to the 9th edition of Euroconsult’s report, Satellite-Based Earth Observation, Market Prospects to 2025, due to be published in the coming weeks, 163 satellites (>50kg) were launched for civil and commercial Earth observation (excluding meteorology) over 2006-2015. These were launched for entities in 35 countries and generated $18.4 billion in manufacturing market revenues. Most of these satellites were launched by government operators to support policy objectives spanning climate change, sustainable development and industrial support. In addition, EO remains the primary application for emerging space programs; growing funding into these programs is a key driver for overall investment growth. In 2015 civil government investment topped $10 billion for the first time.


“The EO industry is going through a significant supply increase. Over the next decade, 419 satellites are expected to be launched generating $35.5 billion in manufacturing revenues,” said Adam Keith, Managing Director of Euroconsult Canada and editor of the report. “Significant growth in the the number of commercial satellites launched in constellation is expected. When the number of satellites <50kg (such as the Planet and Spire constellations) are added, the number of supply solutions expands even further. As supply will increase faster than the demand for commercial data and services, some price pressure is expected to result. As well, operators will need to better differentiate themselves in the marketplace as to the capabilities of their respective systems.”

The commercial data market totaled $1.7 billion in 2015 and is anticipated to total $3 billion in 2025. Ongoing economic unrest in key Latin America countries and Russia, as well as lower oil and gas prices, are having an impact, as does anticipated price reductions for $/km2 of EO data. Nevertheless, the industry continues to develop positively. In the short term, growth is expected to continue to be driven by defense, with ongoing regional unrest and the limited ability of countries to operate capable image intelligence systems being the main driving factors. Further applications such as in the maritime, infrastructure and resources monitoring sectors are expected to support growth in the longer term.

The value-added services market reached $3.2 billion in 2015, and is growing at a faster rate than the data market alone (11% 5-year CAGR). Key markets for value-adding services do not mirror those for commercial data sales. Defense, while representing 61% of the commercial data market, represents only 15% of the VAS market; conversely, infrastructure projects (such as cartography, cadaster, etc.) are only 10% of the commercial data market, but 33% of the value-added market. The reasoning for this is relatively straightforward; defense end-users purchase data with much value-added analytics performed in-house. On the other hand, lower-cost, coarser resolution and geolocation accuracy data can be leveraged with value-adding to form higher value products and services. This approach is expected in emerging location-based applications – the focus of upcoming satellite constellations. While the data may be lower-cost, it will be able to build applications based on high frequency change detection with the focus on the product or service delivery over purely data sales.

About the Report
Satellite-Based Earth Observation, Market Prospects to 2025 is the only report providing industry forecasts, assessment of business opportunities and analysis of the entire value chain for this growing segment of the satellite industry. The report includes a detailed breakdown of application sectors within each region along with consolidated forecasts per application sector and per region.

About Euroconsult
Euroconsult is the leading global consulting firm specializing in space markets. As a privately-owned, fully independent firm, we provide first-class strategic consulting, develop comprehensive research and organize executive-level annual summits for the industry. With 30 years of experience, Euroconsult is trusted by 600 clients in over 50 countries. Euroconsult is headquartered in France, with offices in the U.S., Canada and Japan.

PRESS CONTACT
Andrew Smith
+1 (514) 903-1001
smith@euroconsult-na.com
www.euroconsult-ec.com