Saddle Creek Corp, a Lakeland, Fla.-based logistics company has acquired Buena Park-based ServiceCraft Logistics. ServiceCraft Logistics, a well known name in the trucking and warehousing company is all set to become a part of Saddle Creek Corp without even revealing the terms and conditions of the acquisition.

ServiceCraft offer their services to almost 25 companies. Their list of customers incorporates the maker of consumer, paper, cleaning, health and beauty as well as food products. Along with two warehouses occupying a space of 830,000 square feet in Buena Park, the company has expansions in Ontario, Chino Hills, Northern California and Texas. Altogether the company has more than 4 million square feet of warehouse space.

Based on reports, ServiceCraft had annual sales of about $80 million and was being paid $15 million by Japan’s Sumitomo Group in the year 2005. Later, Bayside Capital, which is a Miami-based private equity firm also made an investment in the company but there was no information about the cash and stakes involved in the process.

Saddle Creek has acquired ServiceCraft with an aim to meet their purpose of expansion in California. There are about 250 people hired by ServiceCraft. Based on the reports of trade publication Logistics Management most of them are looking forward to join Saddle Creek. John Monson and his family were the brains behind the formation of ServiceCraft until it was sold to May Logistics Services Inc in the year 1998.

Costa Mesa’s Wyndham Hotel has been sold for $21 million at an auction. The 238-room hotel was bought by Rosanna Inc. which is an Irvine based real estate developer and investor. In the year 2006, Costa Mesa’s Wyndham Hotel was bought for $42 million by an associate of Newport Beach-based Makar Properties LLC; Rosanna is associated with the Wincome Group. The Wincome Group is a Hong Kong-based company that owns two more hotels in Orange County.

According to the officials associated with the Los Angeles office of San Francisco-based PKF Capital Inc., the property went through a phase of failure. As a result Rosanna was advised to opt for the business deal. Later in July, proceedings were started by Bank of America Corp. regarding the former proprietorship. The property was managed legally and later the court records revealed that Wyndham was in a debt of $31 million.

The war for K-Cups still continues. Green Mountain raised their earlier offer of $265 million to $290 million for Diedrich. Diedrich is the common interest for the bidding war going on between Emeryville based coffeehouse operator Peet’s Coffee & Tea Inc. and Vermont based Green Mountain
Coffee Roasters Inc.

Diedrich showed its liking towards Green Mountain’s new offer of $290 million. Peet’s Coffee & Tea Inc. has been given time till Monday to reconsider their offer of $265.2 million. Based on reports Peet’s Coffee & Tea Inc. said that the stock and cash offer proposed by them was exceptional and above others. They have also agreed on considering other alternatives in the given period.

Diedrich is witnessing this bidding war for the past two weeks. It all started with Peet’s initial offer of $213 million in cash and stock, later a $247 million cash offer was made by Green Mountain. Since then the cash offer is going up and up. Both Green Mountain and Peet’s are keen to acquire Diedrich as it has a license to make K-Cups. They also sell a new type of single brewing cup that has become a hit formula for companies to lower down the cost of coffee.

On Wednesday, Aliso Viejo’s Networks in Motion Inc. reported of having being acquired by Annapolis, Md.-based TeleCommunication Systems Inc. The amount stated for the acquisition is $170 million in cash, stock and debt. Aliso Viejo’s Networks in Motion Inc is known for making navigation and local search software for mobile devices. They also offer location-based services for wireless phones and hand held devices.

The software allows you to access maps and driving directions. You can also search for local businesses, movies, review and local events. The newer version comes with an added advantage for parents. The “child trackers” facility will allow parents to keep an eye on their kids through their phone. The newer version also hits on a feature like friend finders through social networking.

TeleCommunication Systems Inc. has a recent market value of $435 million with annual sales of about $300 million. They work for both government and commercial customers by making text messages and offering them location-based services. Their government customers include the Defense Department and local law enforcement agencies whereas Motorola Inc. and Alcatel-Lucent of France are their commercial customers. Networks in Motion also have a long list of customers including Verizon Wireless and many other big wireless service providers.

According to Doug Antone, Chief Executive of Networks in Motion, the acquisition will act as a platform for them to move towards their goals of being a leader in location-based services. By the end of the year 2009, the deal is expected to be closed. No information regarding the future plans of the company were provided as a spokesperson refused to reveal anything about what TCS holds for Networks in Motion’s local office and managers.

On Monday, National Diagnostics Inc., a North Carolina- based drug testing company was acquired by
HireRight Inc., an Irvine-based employment screening company. The acquisition took place with an aim to increase its employment screening capabilities. National Diagnostics provides drug testing as well as physical examination services. It offers such services to various industries and organizations. The list of industries also includes government organizations and the Department of Transportation.

The business of National Diagnostic will be operated from its North Carolina headquarters. The business activities will continue to take place under the supervision of Phillip Greene, chief executive and founder of National Diagnostic. National Diagnostics was acquired without even disclosing the terms and exact amount of cash involved.

HireRight, which is currently a part of Virginia-based Altegrity Inc., has itself gone through a phase of acquisition and merger. In the year 2008, HireRight was taken over by Altegrity, formerly Virginia’s US Investigations Services LLC for an amount of $195 million. Later HireRight was combined with US Investigations’ commercial services division.

The bidding war between Emeryville-based coffeehouse operator Peet’s Coffee & Tea Inc. and Irvine-based coffee seller Diedrich Coffee Inc. has come to a new front. Peet’s Coffee & Tea Inc. with its new offer of $265.2 million has decided to pay more cash and stock to Diedrich.

Last week, Vermont-based Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc made an offer of $265 million and Diedrich reported that they were interested in this proposal. The latest proposal of Peet’s has got the attention of Diedrich. In the beginning of November, Diedrich was offered $213 million in cash and stock by Peet’s Coffee & Tea Inc. Later Green Mountain made an offer of $247 million cash and then this latest $265 million offer of Peet’s continues the rivalry.

Diedrich is known for providing coffee to restaurants and workplaces. They are also involved in selling a new type of single brewing cup. K-Cups are the common factor for this ongoing bidding war for Diedrich. Keurig Inc., which is a part of Green Mountain, is the brain behind K-Cups.

Both Green Mountain and Peet’s are participating to the fullest in the bidding war as Diedrich is one of the few companies having a license to make K-Cups. These cups are considered as one of the best ways to reduce the cost of coffee by various companies. Stores like Wal-Mart along with other retailers sell them.

The month of November proved to be quite beneficial for the Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America Inc. Some of the county’s automakers saw a rise in sales including Hyundai, part of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co. In comparison to last year sales, Hyundai moved ahead with a 46% gain in vehicle sales this November. The growth rate of sales is up by 6.2% for the automaker from the beginning of this year to November. It falls in the category of a few industries that are into profit as compared to a year ago.

The total number of vehicles sold by Hyundai last month was 28,045 units in comparison to 19,221 vehicles sold last year. Based on reports the overall vehicle sales of Hyundai through November were found to be 401,267 units. This shows a rise in sales in comparison to 377,705 vehicles sold a year earlier. Kia Motors America Inc. of Irvine, also known as a sister company of Hyundai is also in the same race. The automaker sold 17,955 vehicles last month and the sales rate was up by 18%. Through November, Kia sold an overall of 261,060 vehicles and reported an increase of sales by 7%

Irvine-based Mazda North American Operations sold 14,255 vehicles with the November sales rising by 9.6%.The scene was found to be a little different for Mazda which is a part of Japan’s Mazda Motor Corp. The reports revealed a sale of 189,512 vehicles in comparison to 245,984 vehicles sold last year. The sales growth was down by 22.4%. November’s figure reflects a slow recovery of the industry after a long economic downturn. In November some of the automaker’s business could not pick up the same way and the U.S. Sales are down by 25% this year.

Canada’s Schneider Power Inc. has been acquired by Irvine-based Quantum technologies Inc., a maker of parts for alternative fuel powered cars in a stock deal worth $20 million. Using self-owned stock Quantum plans to buy completely the shares and warrants of the Toronto based firm which totals $71 million. Schneider develops wind farms and solar power.

On Wednesday, Quantum’s stock concluded at almost 5% to a market value of about $130 million. This deal widens its horizons to sell alternative energy in the commercial market, said a representative.
A new plug-in electric sedan is being produced by Fisker Automotive Inc. from Irvine and Quantum is providing it with the engine, transmissions and other parts. Quantum also works for automakers and the military by making power trains for hydrogen vehicles.

Despite having sales of $27 million for the 12 months through October, Quantum has suffered a loss of almost $67 million. The company has reportedly received an investment from Norwegian hydrogen energy company New Energy Systems LLC, worth $20 million from which it’ll build a solar panel factory in Irvine. Under the terms of this new deal, New Energy will have a 34% ownership share in Quantum from now on.

The acquisition game being played out since Monday has almost reached a conclusion. Vermont-based Green Mountain has won after Diedrich Coffee Inc. sided with the formers $265 million offer on Wednesday. Surprisingly, the heads of Diedrich said it was a “superior” proposal to Emeryville-based Peet’s Tea and Coffee Inc.’s offer of $265 million cash and stock arrangement.

The ball now is in Peet’s court who must decide whether to increase their offer or quit the game. Patrick O’Dea,  its chief executive made a statement saying, the company “over the next several days will consider all our alternatives and take the action we deem to be in the best interests of Peet’s shareholders.”

Since Monday, Peet’s and Green Mountain have surpassed or equaled bids for Diedrich, a distributor of coffee to offices and restaurants and vender’s of a recently developed type of single brewing cups. It begun with Pete’s offer of $213 million in cash and stock, followed by Green Mountain’s $247 million cash offer, topped by Peet’s $265 million cash and stock arrangement which was then matched by Green Mountain’s $265 million cash offer.

On Tuesday, Peet’s did not change its last offer, claiming the “potential upside for Diedrich’s shareholders through the Peet’s stock component.” K-Cups is the main attraction in bidding for Diedrich. You can easily brew one cup of coffee in a special machine with K-Cups where the coffee grounds get filtered out separately in different machines. They’ve been selling a lot in firms which are looking to economize on the coffee expenditure for employees. Other retailers including Wal-Mart Stores Inc. also vend them.

Incidentally, a subsidiary of Green Mountain called Keurig Inc. are the inventors of K-Cups. Diedrich is one of many with the rights to make K-Cups. Peet’s want to sell Diedrich’s K-Cups in grocery stores already selling Peet’s coffee for additional sales. In the grocery store business Green Mountain has also been doing good and wants Diedrich to help with that to overtake Peet’s.

San Clemente’s Swell.com a dot com clothes seller is being acquired by Irvine-based Billabong USA, a designer and distributor of clothes inspired by water sports, skateboarding and snowboarding. The points of the deal are yet to be revealed. “The internet plays a significant role in the recreational habits of the youth market so it is important for our group to ensure that we provide them with a premium brand experience when shopping online,” said Paul Naude, president of Billabong USA.
Water sports, skateboards and other gear plus surf- and skate-inspired clothes for gals and guys is sold by Swell, which begun in the year 1999. Several Orange County apparel companies like Costa Mesa-based Volcom Inc., Huntington Beach-based Quicksilver Inc. and Billabong sell their clothes through the site.

Two men, Jeffrey A. Berg and Nicholas Nathanson, a finance and new media executive and a former e-commerce analyst respectively started Swell.com a report in trade publication Apparel News revealed. Incidentally, Billabong is a unit of Australia’s Billabong International Ltd. and makes up to half of its parent company’s $1 billion in annual sales. This new purchase is the latest in a regular buying streak for Billabong.

Billabong acquired two companies last year including Oregon accessory maker DaKine and San Diego skateboard maker Sector 9. The company ventured into the retail sector in the year 2004 when they acquired two companies, Southern California’s Beach Access and Hawaii’s Honolua Surf Co. and combined them into a chain of stores now called BeachWorks that sells many brands including Billabong.