Founded in the mid-1980s, ENGlobal is a specialty engineering services firm that focuses on providing automation and engineering solutions. The corporation caters to the energy industry and other markets within the United States and around the world.

While ENGlobal operates through two business segments (automation and engineering), a key portion of its business comes from the automation segment. This segment offers integrated services linked to designing, fabricating and implementing advanced automation, distributed control, instrumentation and process analytical systems – and its solutions fall under two categories: integration and engineering.

Automation Integration

The ENGlobal team brings together years of automation know-how and widespread industry experience to deliver a comprehensive set of wholly-integrated process, power and control solutions for projects worldwide. Systems fabrication, programming, assembly, testing and documentation are all done internally to guarantee reliable solutions each and every time. ENGlobal’s integration solutions fall into an assortment of categories including:

Analytical
• Analyzer maintenance data acquisition system
• Continuous monitoring systems
• Data acquisition systems

Control systems
• Burner management
• Control system panels
• Fire and gas protection systems
• Supervisory control and data acquisition

Hydrocarbon transportation and distribution
• Pipeline facilities
• Rail / truck and sea terminals

Industrial HVAC
• Advanced PLC-based diagnostics and health monitors
• Configurations for most Installations
• Health monitoring capabilities

Modular enclosures / buildings
• Blast resistant
• General purpose

Power solutions
• MCC / switchgear shelters
• Micro turbine power islands
• Power distribution bus stops

Automation Engineering

ENGlobal’s automation staff has the experience and knowledge to provide a variety of services for a broad range of automation and control system applications. The company can easily assemble a team to manage an automation project from conception through start-up and optimization, as well as to handle most of the tasks associated with automation and control systems.

Generally, ENGlobal’s automation engineering services comprise the project management, construction management and construction coordination of automation projects, such as plant re-instrumentations and expansions and grass roots instrument, electrical and control system installation. Other automation services include loop check, commissioning and start-up support of process control, power distribution and generation, analytical and EPA-regulated systems.

For more information, visit www.englobal.com

Net Element, a global technology provider in mobile payments and value-added transactional services, recently announced its acquisition of PayOnline, a leader in transaction processing services and payment technology. Through the acquisition, Net Element will gain a profitable subsidiary that provides an important growth catalyst through immediate access to over 10 million active consumers and thousands of merchants in the Russian Federation, Europe and Asia.

“PayOnline and Net Element’s assets are highly complementary and we can now leverage them to grow revenues by attracting more merchants and consumers to our omni-channel payments platform,” stated Oleg Firer, Chief Executive Officer of Net Element.

In particular, an opportunity to build on its established foothold in Russia makes this an exciting time for Net Element. The company has grabbed a significant share of the mobile payments market in the vital country in recent years through the continued expansion and adoption of its TOT Money platform. For two consecutive years, TOT Money has been ranked among the Top 3 mobile payment providers by one of Russia’s largest telecommunications operators, demonstrating the overall popularity and marketability of the company’s existing portfolio of brands.

By increasing its presence in Russia, Net Element should be in a strong position to realize significant growth moving forward. According to the 2014 McKinsey Global Payments Map, Russia represents the sixth largest payments market on the planet with approximately $50 billion in completed payments to go alongside a rapidly growing online population. With card issuance continuing to grow at 30 percent annually, the company’s potential for future growth in the region is effectively limitless.

Recently, Net Element prepared to expand its global presence by improving access to credit and reducing general and administrative expenses. In 2014, these efforts helped the company realize a 13 percent increase in net revenue, as compared to the previous year. With the global mobile payments market expected to grow by more than 65 percent by 2017, according to Statista, Net Element is in a strong position to realize significant investor returns moving forward. Look for the company to continue to increase its global market share in the years to come.

For more information, visit www.netelement.com

View Systems, a manufacturer of weapon detection identification systems, video management platforms and tele-data communication networks, today says it continues to install its integrated, non-invasive weapons detection systems at banks, police stations and additional schools in Michigan, Texas and California.

The company leverages a network of representatives and dealers to expand its customer base and installation of its products in widely distributed states. Its ViewScan product, in particular, is gaining popularity among schools, prisons, police stations, events and building lobbies seeking heightened and efficient security.

“Our ViewScan weapon detection system boasts numerous advantageous over ordinary metal detectors on the market,” View Systems Chief Executive Officer Gunther Than stated in the news release. “We’re excited about the momentum we have moving forward as more customers recognize the benefits of our system in providing efficient security measures for their facilities.”

ViewScan is an advanced walk-through Concealed Weapons Detection System (CWD) powered by highly sensitive, completely passive sensor technology that accurately detects the location and number of threat objects such as knives, guns and razor blades while ignoring personal artifacts like coins, keys and belt buckles. This unique ability accelerates throughput while reducing false positives.

Experts say that within the last 10 years the security industry has performed as one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy, conservatively estimated as a $100 billion-a-year industry. View Systems says it plans to continue to expand the installation of its revolutionary weapons detection system to better serve the demands of this growing market.

For more information, visit www.viewsystems.com

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Precision Optics Corporation, Inc. (OTCQB: PEYE) is a leader in the design and development of state of the art optical components and products for medical, biomedical and industrial applications. The company’s unique in-house approach to the design and manufacture of optical systems has helped Precision thrive in a collection of competitive market sectors for well over three decades. Whether clients need to see the inside of the heart or brain or visualize the effectiveness or usage of a drug or device, Precision has the tools needed to unlock near limitless possibilities.

Recently, Precision released its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2015, providing significant promise for the company in the months to come. In addition to recording its highest revenues in over a decade, the company realized a 16.6 percent improvement in gross margin.

“Our gross margin percentage was significantly higher than recent quarters… due to our focus over the last six months on increased manufacturing efficiencies, especially as we bring new products into production,” stated Joseph Forkey, Chief Executive Officer of Precision.

Among the leading causes of Precision’s boosted revenues was a significant increase in interest surrounding the company’s Microprecision™ technology, including its use in producing optics for reusable and single-use medical devices. Using this proprietary technology, the company is able to produce lenses as small as 0.2mm in diameter without the need to sacrifice on quality. New techniques in spinal surgery, neuro surgery, and other specialties require precise visualizations in very small spaces, demonstrating the existing demand for Precision’s revolutionary production technology. As the medical industry continues to advance in the coming years, the demand for these micro-optics should increase exponentially.

“We continue to see solid demand for our traditional products as well as early market acceptance of products based on our latest technology,” continued Forkey.

In December, Precision leveraged its Microprecision™ technology to aid in the completion of a new surgical microscope video adapter for Sony Electronics’ Medical Systems Division. Continued collaborations with high caliber customers will provide additional validation as to the quality of the company’s product offerings moving forward.

“Looking forward, we continue to see a strong pipeline of opportunities, particularly in the area of micro-optics and micro-assemblies,” concluded Forkey.

On the heels of one of the most successful financial quarters in recent memory, Precision is in a strong strategic position to increase its market share in the optics industry for years to come. Look for the company to continue expanding its pool of clients in order to provide further proof of concept regarding its unique ability to design, prototype and manufacture a host of optical components. Building on recent performances, Precision appears primed to provide substantial investor returns for the foreseeable future.

For more information, visit www.poci.com

Today marks day two of LD Micro’s 2015 Invitational investors conference in Los Angeles, where a lineup of more than 150 companies spanning a diverse range of industries are presenting their corporate initiatives to attending retail and institutional investors.

The conference lineup includes high-potential publicly traded companies operating within the biopharmaceutical, technology, energy, oil and gas, mining and many other exciting markets. Presenting companies are given the opportunity to raise their visibility in the investment community and make valuable networking connections over the course of the three-day event.

In a highly digital age, investor conferences like LD Micro’s invitational event provide companies the ability to physically make an appearance and meet with investors face-to-face.

Companies benefit from heightened market visibility, strong networking opportunities, and experience communicating their operations and innovations, while investors benefit by getting a first-hand look at some of the micro-cap markets most progressive emerging players.

For more information on the presenting companies visit http://ldmicro.missionir.com/2015invitational/

Something that the highly adaptable engineering, product development and manufacturing wizards at Galenfeha, Inc. (OTC: GLFH) have known for years, and which is just now really starting to be understood by the investment community, is that not all lithium battery technologies are made the same. Certain variations to the design and underlying chemistry can make a world of difference when it comes to crucial factors like discharge rate, output capacity over the life of the system, overall weight, and safety. The company has been steadily advancing the state-of-the-art in lithium iron phosphate cells and with Tesla so much in the news lately, it makes sense to take some time out and look at the compelling advantages of this technology compared to the off-the-shelf lithium ion cells in use by Tesla.

The recent announcement by Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), commonly known for their high-end EV sedan, the Model S, that they are getting into the home power game with a new division called Tesla Energy, focused on developing home backup battery systems using technology similar to the lithium-ion array of small cylindrical cells used in the Model S, has sparked renewed interest in battery technology within the investment community. Tesla has made great strides in recent years to address the safety risks of their high energy density battery arrays, with the development of a proprietary cooling system that snakes through the pack and tighter system monitoring controls. The new home based battery systems, designed to work in concert with rooftop solar power or store energy from the grid during off-peak hours when electricity is cheapest, could be mounted on consumer’s walls in the very near future.

The initial rollout system, called the Powerwall, has already been described as essentially a boutique solution, much like the Model S is within the car market, sporting a sticker price in the $3k range for a 7kWh unit. Nevertheless, the Powerwall is being built to be hooked up in series, allowing as many as nine units to be stacked together to create a large uninterruptible battery backup for homes and businesses, meaning that if Tesla can effectively scale up to mass market penetration, such systems could change the way we look at powering residences and businesses forever. With over 50 million commercial rooftops in America alone, the fact that this system is designed to work with solar, improving the logistical viability of rooftop solar by allowing energy to be stored during peak harvesting times and then used when needed, could trigger a big push in residential solar applications, something that has been stalled due to the absence of such a solution. This distributed model could change the utility-dominated energy sector forever, giving consumers the power to buy grid electricity when it is cheap and also easily hook up rooftop solar to a redundant and uninterruptable supply.

Tesla has been successful in the EV market due to using relatively cheap, off-the-shelf type lithium-ion batteries with an NMC (nickel, manganese, cobalt oxide) cathode and then proprietarily arraying them into specialized packs, helping to keep the costs down and the energy densities high, meaning that the Model S has an effective range of 265 miles, or more than triple that of the Nissan (OTC: NSANY) Leaf. The increased costs of having to offset the danger of large high energy density cells, by using numerous smaller cells with an added cooling system and stacking them into a skid array that sits at the wheelbed of the vehicle and actually makes up part of the undercarriage, have mostly been addressed by Tesla and the company is now looking to produce more affordable cars in the $33k range, as well as smaller, more affordable versions of the Powerwall, in the near future.

One of the keys to successfully realizing widespread adoptance of a potentially revolutionary distributed energy model based on home storage systems, given that the 7kWh Powerwall ($300/kWhr for a 10 year warranty battery) clocks in at around $0.12/kWhr-cycle (or just over the price of a genset), will be getting the unit costs down and the life cycle up. Luckily there are companies out there like Galenfeha, which already has an established lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, or LFP) cathode battery technology, offering a longer life cycle, greater energy density over the total life cycle of the battery, and electrochemistry that is inherently safer than lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2), due largely to the thermal stability of iron. LiFePO4, which was historically less viable from a commercial standpoint due to technical limitations of electrical conductivity, is now rapidly emerging as a leading alternative to the typical lithium-ion batteries developed by the electronics industry, given that the technical limitations have been overcome by a variety of cost-effective design innovations.

LiFePO4 batteries have a higher current or peak-power rating than LiCoO2, as well as a lower discharge rate (slower rate of capacity loss and thus longer life cycle), and the avoidance of cobalt saves quite a bit of money, while also eliminating the environmental risks associated with having to dispose of cobalt batteries. Perhaps more importantly, given the improved thermal safety, LFP technology works great in larger cell sizes, making the technology ideal for developing large uninterruptible battery backups like Tesla’s Powerwall. Galenfeha’s LFP technology can also be easily scaled into economy/compact or large array systems, without a great deal of technical hassle or the need to develop new linkage systems. This means that the company has a ready-to-go solution that could seriously help accelerate the trend towards a home-based energy storage model. This distributed energy model, built around home storage units like Tesla’s proposed Powerwall system, has disruptive potential that is already forcing utility companies who thrive on the basis of centralized architectures, racing to think up some way to contain the potential damage to their pricing schemes.

With a solid history developing robust battery systems that can meet even the taxing requirements of oilfield operations, with features like rugged external packaging that is still designed to meet a small form factor, internal chemistry that is able to accommodate an extended shelf life and provide power during even extended usage, the ability to tolerate extreme temperatures, as well as high shock and vibration, Galenfeha’s LFP technology is a natural fit for uninterruptible distributed energy systems. Moreover, the company’s extensive knowledge amassed developing their proprietary BMS (battery management system), including a field-proven, remotely accessible, cloud-driven, integrated and GPS-enabled performance and asset tracking system, puts the company’s advanced LFP systems at the forefront within this increasingly attractive market. The ability to inspect the status of a battery system using code division multiple access (CDMA, radio communications channel access method used in many mobile phone standards) and actively track the battery via unique ESN identifiers and standard satellite geo-location, a solution which has already proven successful as an anti-theft mechanism in oilfield operations, gives Galenfeha’s LFP a fully integrated, user interface driven, real-time monitoring capability that should appeal to homeowners and businesses alike.

The company’s proprietary BMS keeps tabs on LFP battery status parameters like voltage, current and internal temperature during charging and discharging, giving users peace of mind and real-time situational awareness about the operational health and safety of their battery system, while also ensuring that the maximum life cycle is achieved by keeping the cells balanced and operating within the appropriate ranges. With internal over-charge, low voltage and short circuit protection, Galenfeha’s environmentally friendly LFP batteries are already ahead of the curve, without even taking into account performance characteristics like LiFePO4 chemistry that delivers 90% charge efficiency resulting in faster charge times and extremely low discharge rates if left dormant for extended periods of time, despite these batteries being exceptionally light.

Take a closer look at Galenfeha’s innovative battery tech by visiting www.galenfeha.com

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Since legalizing cannabis for recreational use in 2012, Colorado’s marijuana industry has seen massive growth. According to MSNBC, the state’s growing network of dispensaries accounted for roughly $750 million in sales in 2014. Edibles, or marijuana-infused products, comprised nearly half of these sales, demonstrating the considerable demand for more innovative approaches to the cannabis industry. The MaryJane Group, Inc. (OTCQB: MJMJ), through its Bud+Breakfast™ cannabis-friendly lodges, is addressing this demand and building an increasingly significant presence in the industry.

Founded in 2014, The MaryJane Group is the leader and creator of the canna-lifestyle hospitality sector. The company has claimed a first-mover advantage in leveraging the state’s considerable marijuana tourism sector. According to Forbes, Denver International Airport logged record travel during 2014, and online searches for Denver hotels were up 25 percent. Analysts suggest that these statistics highlight the immense potential of the state’s cannabis industry in attracting tourists. During the first four months of 2015, The MaryJane Group capitalized on this potential, booking over $300,000 in new reservations for its two properties, the Bud+Breakfast™ at the Adagio and the Bud+Breakfast™ at Mountain Vista.

“We are very proud of our bookings during the first 4 months of 2015 and based on our future reservations it should enable us to achieve one of the highest occupancy rates in the State of Colorado,” stated Joel C. Schneider, President and Chief Executive Officer of The MaryJane Group.

In the coming months, the company will continue to make the most of the popularity of its unique hospitality platform through an agreement with the owners of a 172-acre dude ranch neighboring the San Juan National Forest. In April, The MaryJane Group announced intentions to transform the dude ranch into a “Canna-Camp”, which will offer services similar to those available at the company’s existing properties in an outdoor environment. The company anticipates opening the new property to visitors in July.

As guests continue to flock to The MaryJane Group’s class-leading properties, all signs point toward continue expansion opportunities in the future. Maximizing on the publicity that accompanies innovation – including the company’s recent feature on CBS’s 60 Minutes – The MaryJane Group is in a strong strategic position to grow alongside Colorado’s booming cannabis industry moving forward.

For more information, visit www.themaryjanegrp.com

The national real estate market is continuing to rebound from the recession, and industry experts predict continued growth in the coming years. According to a study by the National Association of Realtors, new home sales are expected to rise by more than 65 percent by 2016, as compared to figures from 2013. RESAAS Services, Inc. (OTCQX: RSASF), through its social and global referral network, is giving real estate professionals the tools they need to capitalize on this growth while successfully adapting to the evolving market.

The Real Estate Social Network™ is a free-to-use social networking tool designed specifically for real estate professionals. As of December 31, 2014, the network had a North American user base of over 280,000 members. Using the company’s website, realtors can synchronize Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts in order to expand their online presence and increase brand exposure. By creating an attractive, marketable social profile page, agents can gain referrals, attract leads and generate improved results over traditional marketing efforts.

In recent months, RESAAS has continued to expand the presence of its revolutionary network in the industry through the addition of several well-known real estate firms throughout both the United States and Canada. The vigorous adoption of the company’s platform by various brokerages has shown the significant demand for RESAAS’s vertical-specific network. In January, the company began offering premium subscription services to its professional user base, which is expected to drive increased returns for investors in the future.

Through continued expansion, RESAAS is in a strong position to capitalize on significant advertising revenue moving forward. AdSAAS™, the company’s customized advertising solution, provides clients with direct access to an audience of hundreds of thousands of real estate professionals from vital markets around the planet. The flexibility offered by AdSAAS™ has already attracted a collection of major advertisers, including Sprint, Summit Funding and Lawyers Title.

In September 2014, the company’s continued growth helped it qualify for trading on OTCQX, which is designed for investor-focused companies that meet high financial standards.

“RESAAS’s innovative web and mobile social media platform helps real estate agents worldwide network, gain referrals and grow their businesses,” stated R. Cromwell Coulson, President and Chief Executive Officer of OTC Markets Group. “We are proud to welcome RESAAS to the family of established U.S. and international companies on OTCQX and look forward to working with the company for years to come.”

With an established presence on OTC’s top marketplace and continued growth within the real estate industry, RESAAS is in a strong position moving forward.

For more information, visit www.corporate.resaas.com

Youngevity International, Inc. (OTCQX: YGYI) is a nutritional and coffee company offering more than 1,000 high quality, technologically advanced products across a collection of consumer markets. The company’s primary brands include Youngevity® Essential Life Sciences, which offers consumers a wide selection of life-enhancing products, as well as CLR Roasters, one of the largest coffee roasters in the United States. Through these brands, Youngevity is adhering to an aggressive growth strategy through direct selling, traditional marketing, mergers and acquisitions.

In the first quarter of 2015, the company leveraged its growth strategy to post impressive financial results. For the period, Youngevity realized a 39.4 percent increase in year-over-year net revenue, posting $36.8 million, as well as a 28.1 percent boost in gross profit.

“In the first quarter, we remained focused on accelerating our revenue via targeted acquisitions, strengthening our geographic expansion, and steady organic growth in both our direct selling and coffee business segments,” Steve Wallach, chief executive officer of Youngevity, stated in a news release. “We are very excited about the opportunities ahead of us and believe that we are well positioned to deliver long-term shareholder value.”

In May, Youngevity took a major step toward securing future growth through the acquisition of Mialisia, a direct-sales company that specializes in interchangeable jewelry. Through the agreement, the company will add Mialisia’s patent-pending line of jewelry to its product offerings while effectively expanding its distribution network to include the existing customer base of its new subsidiary.

The company has also made significant strides toward growing its CLR Roasters brand in recent weeks. In particular, Youngevity announced a five year agreement with a leading specialty food sales and marketing company for exclusive rights to roast, grind and package eight different coffee products in single-serve capsules. The deal should provide the company with over $13 million in additional revenue over the five year period, in addition to providing for automatic renewals for successive five year terms upon its completion.

By building upon its presence in the single-serve coffee niche, Youngevity should be in a strong strategic position to realize continued growth in the future. The single-cup brewing market is expected to climb to $8 billion by 2017, which would be a 250 percent increase from 2012, according to a global leader in food and agribusiness financing.

For prospective shareholders, Youngevity’s recent growth across a collection of expanding markets makes the company an intriguing investment opportunity. The company should be kept on radar as the management team builds on its progress through a combination of strategic acquisitions and expanding distribution efforts.

For more information, visit www.ygyi.com

With news in just last week that the Republican-controlled House of the Texas Legislature has approved cannabis oil for medicinal purposes, as the passage of Senate Bill 339, known as the “Texas Compassionate Use Act,” means Governor Greg Abbott is now within striking distance of allowing dispensing organizations to obtain a license to dispense low-THC cannabis in the state, the medical marijuana industry is once again buzzing about the upper limit potential of this sector. Passage of SB 339 would make Texas the latest addition to a growing list of states in the U.S. passing similar landmark medical marijuana (MMJ) legislation, spurred on by mounting scientific evidence for cannabis-based therapies being able treat the clinically unmet needs of numerous types of patients, particularly in cases of intractable epilepsy, where conventional antiepileptic drugs have failed.

The Texas bill’s passage could be big news for a market that was already estimated to be running around $2.7 billion last year here in the U.S., according to data from cannabis industry investment and research firm, ArcView Market Research. ArcView calculated a 74% jump last year over 2013’s figures for what is, according to their broader analysis, now the fastest growing industry in the entire country. Projections for this year are in the neighborhood of $3.5 billion, a figure expected by ArcView to rise a whopping 208% or more by 2019, as more and more states pass not only similar compassionate care laws decriminalizing some form or other of medical cannabis, but perhaps even going for blanket legalization like in Colorado, which raked in some $53 million in tax revenues during their first year of legalization.

One of the more exciting companies in this fast-growing sector is GrowBLOX Sciences (OTCQB: GBLX), which has developed a host of key technologies needed to thrive in this yet-nascent industry. GrowBLOX Sciences has organized itself into three distinct divisions in order to pursue the company’s bold operational goal set, which spans big data-driven clinical R&D, as well as cultivation using their proprietary GrowBLOX™ Technology suite of systems.
The company has even organized a commercial product development division for targeting dispensaries and various other end markets. You can take a look at the company’s website by visiting www.growblox.com.

The company’s GB Sciences division, which focuses on scientific validation and new drug discovery, plans to use certified raw materials matured in the GrowBLOX™ cultivation chambers to develop novel cannabis-based therapies. Leveraging a data-driven biopharmaceutical development approach of running therapies through accelerated human phase IV clinical trials is visionary. This “fast-track” process will be supplemented and accelerated by the company’s proprietary Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO) smartphone app, which will also enhances the company’s ability to test and refine the chemical ratios of active ingredients. Investors should watch GBLX closely. The long-term patient data that the company will be aggregating via their patient-reported outcomes based smartphone app will also help improve the company’s predictive treatment algorithm approach to therapy development. Harnessing this data is one of the key advantages the company will have in the long run, something that will give GBLX a significant edge over competitors.

The current players in the medical cannabis space are just now scratching the surface of the opportunities that are manifesting at every turn when applying a comprehensive scientific approach to this booming cannabis market.

Investors will want to keep a close eye on companies like GrowBLOX Sciences. As the industry evolves into more than just cultivating a plant, it will be the new technologies, as well as the data that emerges from this, that will be of enormous value just around the corner.

For more information, visit www.gbsciences.com

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