oceanhouse media , inc. is a publisher of ios , android and windows 8 apps .

their offerings include digital book apps from brands such as dr. seuss , the berenstain bears and little critter , as well as self-improvement apps from hay house authors , and chicken soup for the soul .

oceanhouse media was founded in january 2009 by michel and karen kripalani in encinitas , california .

the company released its first ios app , bowls - authentic tibetan singing bowls , on the apple app store in march 2009 .

oceanhouse media currently has licensing agreements in place with dr. seuss enterprises , hay house , mercer mayer , harpercollins , random house , houghton mifflin harcourt publishing company , chronicle books , chicken soup for the soul and many others .

oceanhouse media

oceanhouse media has released a full suite of apps based on dr . seuss books
oceanhouse media talks dr . seuss , book - apps and mobile edutainment | technology | the guardian
i received this email from oceanhouse media today and my heart melted . . . again . . . .
michel kripalani is the founder of oceanhouse media . he’s responsible for “green eggs and ham” on your ipad .
9 : 30 michel kripalani , oceanhouse media . five stars or no stars : tips for young interactive designers
- stability and performance enhancements all of us on the oceanhouse media team appreciate your support . visit us at urltoken
the oceanhouse media facebook page is a community for parents , teachers , librarians , and more to con . . .
oh , the thinks you can think ! and the thinks you can do . oceanhouse media makes it possible for you .
please take a moment of your time and thank the oceanhouse media team for this super special gfaotd on their facebook page .
oceanhouse media ' s corporate focus is to uplift , educate and inspire through technology . for more information , visit urltoken .
the reason behind oceanhouse media making this app free for a limited time is super - special and a very thoughtful gesture on their part .
- minor bug fixes and improvements thank you for your purchase ! all of us on the oceanhouse media team appreciate your support . visit us at urltoken
oceanhouse media is dedicated to building high - quality products that educate , uplift , enlighten and heal the planet . http : / / directory . usgreencha… | pinteres…
oceanhouse media , the company responsible for a collection of dr . seuss book apps , has released a digital version of the children’s book classic leo the lightning bug .
for troubleshooting and other assistance with oceanhouse media apps on your nook color or nook tablet , please contact barnes and noble customer care : 1 . 800 . 843 . 2665
oceanhouse media , inc . is a leading publisher of more than 400 apps . the company’s mantra is “creativity with purpose , ” developing apps that uplift , educate and inspire .
© 2018 guardian news and media limited or its affiliated companies . all rights reserved .
this is the first time the rediscovered stories have been published in book or digital form and the first time that oceanhouse media has launched an ombook simultaneously with a physical book’s release .
“this marks a continuation of our terrific partnership with oceanhouse media , ” said susan brandt , president of dr . seuss enterprises . “as they’ve done with the original dr . seuss books , oceanhouse media has taken this collection and developed apps that promote education and encourage children to be curious about the world around them , all in the spirit of dr . seuss . ”
oceanhouse media , inc . has released its dr . seuss’sthe bippolo seed and other lost stories app for apple and android devices . the new oceanhouse media digital book ( ombook ) features a collection of seven short stories written and illustrated by dr . seuss for redbook magazine back in the 1950s and is being launched on the same day as the random house release of the hardcover book .
download
the cat in the hat - read & learn
press kit which includes screenshots from and more information about this milestone kids app release from dr . seuss enterprises and oceanhouse media .
download the
green eggs and ham - read & learn
press kit which includes screenshots from and more information about this milestone kids app release from dr . seuss enterprises and oceanhouse media .
itunes is the world ' s easiest way to organize and add to your digital media collection .
enjoy dr . seuss ' s classics on your ipad , iphone , ipod touch and android device . oceanhouse media ' s interactive digital books let you conveniently take your dr . seuss library with you on the go .
in this interview , i speak with michel kripalani , oceanhouse’s founder and president , about the plan behind their success .
- iphone 5 support added ! - lock feature now stays locked when app is closed - bug fixes and improvements thank you for your purchase ! all of us on the oceanhouse media team appreciate your support . visit us at urltoken
an interesting thing about oceanhouse media is that the
ombooks
engine it uses for its book - apps isn ' t packed to the gills with interactive wizardry , compared to some of the rival apps for kids out there .
fox in socks is one of the latest dr . seuss titles to come to the ipad and ios from oceanhouse media – and it’s currently on offer at an ‘introductory price’ of $ 1 . 99 ( down from $ 3 . 99 ) .
148apps is an independent publication of steel media ventures that has not been authorized , sponsored , or approved by apple inc .
oceanhouse has since launched book - apps based on other publishing brands , including the berenstain bears , elmer the patchwork elephant and smithsonian .
based in encinitas , california , oceanhouse media was founded in january 2009 by michel kripalani , a veteran of the video gaming industry . kripalani gained acclaim as a founder and ceo of presto studios , creators of the journeyman project series and myst iii : exile .
one company that ' s doing rather well , though , is oceanhouse media . the californian firm has launched more than 300 apps for ios , android and webos , and has sold more than 1m paid downloads of its dr . seuss apps on ios alone .
we ' d love your help in spreading the word about this new catalog . if you love dr . seuss as much as we do , please comment below and share this message with your friends and family . thanks so much from all of us at oceanhouse media .
dust or magic fall is a must attend event to help increase chances of making successful children ' s new media products .
michel kripalani is president / ceo of oceanhouse media , a leading developer and publisher of apps for the mobile market . he is a serial entrepreneur , having founded three successful ventures over the past 25 years . he lives and breathes entrepreneurship and will serve as the president of entrepreneurs organization - san diego for the 2015 - 2016 year . oceanhouse media is michel ' s third start - up . the company has licensing relationships in place with dr . seuss enterprises , hay house publishers , zondervan ( harpercollins ) , random house , houghton mifflin , chronicle books and many others . t . . .
on beyond bugs is an ebook app beautifully designed by oceanhouse media . parents and children can choose to have the book read to them by the narrator , or they can choose to read it themselves . the included narration is professional and very well done—a funny , very
seussian ,
male voice .
about oceanhouse media , inc . creators of the award - winning dr . seuss digital book apps , oceanhouse media , inc . is a leading publisher of more than 320 mobile and desktop apps for ios ( iphone® , ipad® , ipod touch® ) , android™ , nook tablets™ , kindle fire™ , hp touchpad™ and windows 8 devices . the company was founded in early 2009 by michel kripalani , a veteran of the video gaming industry . eighteen of the company’s apps have reached the number one spot within their categories on apple’s app store℠ . in addition , google has selected the company as one of its top developers , a designation granted to only 150 groups worldwide .
if your bookshelf is distant , oceanhouse media ' s rendition of dr . seuss ' s green eggs & ham will do the trick . in fact , it stands as a highlight amongst a new media form that , enhanced by animation and sound , serves as a companion rather than a replacement to books . young readers can begin by having the story read to them and , when they ' re ready , they can switch off its narration and tap on individual words when they need help .
oceanhouse meida are officially licensed to bring dr . seuss’ works to ios – so their ebooks all use wonderful original artwork and are faithfully and lovingly rendered versions of his books .
he comes back to oceanhouse ' s educational ambitions , filing misguided use of freemium billing alongside unnecessary multimedia and interactivity on the company ' s not - to - do list .
hardware news : larger tablets , wearables , watches and augmented reality ( especially oculus 3 and google cardboard ) . how interactive media is moving beyond the touch screen .
oceanhouse media , inc . in partnership with dr . seuss enterprises , l . p . , has been selected as a winner of two prestigious parents’ choice gold awards for the book apps “ice is nice : all about the north and south poles” and “on beyond bugs ! : all about insects” , both part of the cat in the hat’s learning library series . the gold award is the highest honor awarded by the parents’ choice foundation , the nation ' s oldest nonprofit program created to distinguish quality children ' s media since 1978 .
three ways to read this ombook ( oceanhouse media digital book ) : ★
read to me
— listen to the narrated story with words highlighted as they are read ★
read it myself
— read the book in its traditional form ★
auto play
— plays like a movie , automatically reading and turning pages . great for younger children !
oceanhouse media has been working diligently to bring many beloved dr . seuss classics to life in their apps . recently they began producing titles from the learning library , which have also appeared on the pbs series the cat in the hat knows a lot about that . children familiar with the books or the television show will surely enjoy listening , reading and interacting with the apps .
“we are honored to have the cat in the hat’s learning library digital book apps recognized with two prestigious parents’ choice gold awards , ” said michel kripalani , president and ceo of oceanhouse media . “less than 20 % of the products submitted to the parents’ choice awards program receive any level of accolade , so we are thrilled to be dually recognized as a gold award winner . ”
claire is president of parents ' choice foundation and cofounder of sandbox summit® . she looks for toys and media that will unleash children ' s interests , and celebrate the fun of learning .
ice is nice ! is an ebook app beautifully designed by oceanhouse media . it explores the north and south pole through the eyes of the cat in the hat . parents and children can choose to have the book read to them by the narrator , or they can choose to read it themselves . the included narration is professional and very well done—a funny very
seussian
male voice .
if you are in children ' s interactive media it ' s like coming to church . you got to go for spiritual reasons . and it ' s only once a year !
it has already happened with dr . seuss . oceanhouse released the dr . seuss band music game for ios in december 2011 , and educational app there ' s no place like space ! in november 2011 .
fun educational app is thrilled to give a chance to win many free apps from top book app publisher : oceanhouse media a leading publisher of more than 230 apps for the mobile market . apps are available for ios ( iphone® , ipad® , ipod touch® ) , android™ , nook tablets™ , kindle fire™ and hp touchpad™ devices . the company’s mantra is “creativity with purpose , ” developing apps that uplift , educate and inspire .
magic : what lies at the heart of a “magical” engaging interactive media product ? child development theory . but don’t worry — this talk is short , sweet and to the point ; and it’s based on the new ibook child development 101 for the designers of children’s interactive media , by warren buckleitner ( note — dust or magic participants get a free download code ; and a hard copy of the book is provided ) .
that problem is also currently being solved on android as well as ios , with oceanhouse having been notably bullish in its support for google - powered smartphones and tablets – in contrast to a number of its book - app rivals .
to date , oceanhouse has put out seven of the dr . seuss titles , and is in the process of bringing all 44 works to the ios platform , alongside interactive games like what it did last december with the release of
review excerpt : this is an official smithsonian institution licensed app , with dinosaurs that are listed alphabetically ( from a to z ) . as with other oceanhouse media apps , you get highlighted narration , tappable words and pictures , and the ability to record your own narration to share it with others . subscribers , please log into our database using your password to read the full review along with our rating , and see why this received our editor’s choice award .
appabled apps articulation autism back to school book apps creation apps david mckee dr . seuss educational fine motor skills free apps giveaways gripcase usa interactive apps ipad ipad case ipad for children ipevo itunes jellybeans app little critter mobile education store oceanhouse media read across america reading reviews school supply science sesame street slp smarty ears social skills spec ed special education special needs speech & language speech - language apps speech and language staff weekly pick storybook tactus therapy thinkamingo virtual speech center writing
its first app wasn ' t based on a book – music app bowls : authentic tibetan singing bowls launched in march 2009 – but according to chief executive michel kripalani , oceanhouse quickly realised there was an opportunity to work with book publishers .
oceanhouse media , inc . is a premier publisher of ios and android apps that uplift , educate , and inspire . enjoy beloved children’s book apps from dr . seuss , the berenstain bears , little critter and more . our diverse offering of inspirational apps by hay house authors and more help you relax , heal , and reach your goals . from daily affirmation apps , oracle card apps , meditation apps and more , living a better life is just a tap away !
our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the children , parents and educators in newtown , ct . in support of the 1 , 600 copies of
the kissing hand
physical book being donated to the children of newtown by tanglewood press , oceanhouse media is offering the digital book app free on the app store to children everywhere for a period of time . we hope this story about the power of love will offer comfort to your family as we all heal .
the solution from oceanhouse media , which acquired the digital publishing rights for the dr . seuss series less than a year ago , was to turn to apple ' s iphone and ipad . the company had already put out a number of ios self - help book apps for publisher hay house , and was able to sway dr . seuss enterprises to take a chance on bringing the series to that platform by using the company ' s book reading engine as an example of what could be done .
the most famous tonque - twister in the book :
a tweetle beetle noodle poodle bottled paddled muddled duddled fuddled wuddled fox in sox , sir !
is often referenced in popular media . try saying that out loud ! is your tongue numb ?
that support will continue , as will oceanhouse ' s ongoing development work on the ombooks engine to add new features . the company is also keen to break out of its book - apps pigeonhole again , taking some of the brands it works with into other kinds of apps .
a one - shot deal to turn how the grinch stole christmas into an iphone book - app for christmas 2009 went so well , oceanhouse asked if it could license more titles .
they said well , why don ' t you do the whole library of 44 ?
says kripalani .
2 : 00 dust … . what goes wrong and why ? demonstrations of one reviewer’s opinion of low rated products , and the most common errors ( aka “see seven kisses of death “ ) when designing children’s interactive media . this is your chance to learn from someone else’s mistakes .
★ winner of 2011 parents’ choice award – silver medal ★ included in “best travel apps to ease your journey” – urltoken ★ “perfect for younger children still learning their alphabet . ” – cnet ★ “superb implementation” – wired ★ “a spectacular adaptation . ” 4 . 5 out of 5 mice – macworld ★ “the app will grow with your child as they become more advanced ! ” – stuff parents need ★ “highly recommended . encourages ( kids ) to make connections with sounds , letters and their meanings” – appmodo ★ the same commitment to quality oceanhouse media demonstrate with their other dr . seuss apps – macworld
special features : ★ record your own voice ★ share voice tracks with others that own this app ★ page selector ★ retina main menu ★ new options for sound effects , hot spots and alerts three ways to read this ombook ( oceanhouse media digital book ) : ★
read to me
— listen to the narrated story with words highlighted as they are read ★
read it myself
— read the book in its traditional form ★
auto play
— plays like a movie , automatically reading and turning pages . great for younger children ! additional features : ★ picture / word association — words zoom up and are spoken when pictures are touched ★ individual words highlight and are read aloud when tapped ★ professional audio narration ★ custom background audio for each scene ★ pages pan & zoom to accentuate the beautiful , original artwork ★ this ' universal app ' is optimized for retina displays and the ipad ★★★★★ ombook™ -
beyond the ebook
learn more about oceanhouse media digital books at urltoken follow us : urltoken like us : urltoken gift this app ! - click the
buy app
arrow on the itunes® app store ★★★★★ official tanglewood press licensed ipad , iphone and ipod touch app .
around the world , parents , educators , retailers and members of the media look for the mca mother - and - child honoring excellence seal of approval when selecting quality products and services for children and families . learn more about the mom’s choice awards by visiting their website : www . momschoiceawards . com .
the mom’s choice awards® ( mca ) evaluates products and services created for children , families and educators . the program is globally recognized for establishing the benchmark of excellence in family - friendly media , products and services . the organization is based in the united states and has reviewed thousands of entries from more than 55 countries .
new york – the mom’s choice awards® has named bluebee pals as among the best in family - friendly media , products and services . the mca evaluation process uses a propriety methodology in which entries are scored on a number of elements including production quality , design , educational value , entertainment value , originality , appeal , and cost .
tim leverett is an entrepreneur living in rochester , ny . tim created the giggles computer funtime for baby software series and club toddler , and is considered an expert in children ' s media and software products . he is dad to an 11 year old boy and has many nieces and nephews spanning the ages of newborn to 19 years old .
winter is coming , so you might as well embrace it with all of your might ! here are some great apps that put winter fun into your digital world . snowy games and fun snowboard party world tour pro maple media holdings , llc / $ 1 . 99 this amazing high - resolution game is the next best thing to having your …
like oceanhouse ' s dr . seuss titles , these offer three viewing options : auto play , read it myself , and read to me . professional narration accompanies all three , though in read it myself mode , it ' s optional . each word gets highlighted as it ' s read - - a nice little educational perk that the paper editions can ' t match .
om bookshelf is an exciting new way to organize , browse and launch your oceanhouse media digital books ! stop searching through pages of apps to find that special ombook for bedtime . with the om bookshelf you can easily locate the desired title , organize titles in the order you prefer , or make it a favorite for instant access ! conveniently browse over 75 children ' s ombooks in the store . sort by brand , price or age , or use the search feature to find exactly what you ' re looking for . plus , the featured section offers up - to - date information on new releases , sales , and ombook suggestions for holidays , special occasions , and more ! the om bookshelf contains : my apps - view all ombooks that are currently on your device - launch your ombooks directly from this shelf - rearrange their order ( ipad only ) the store - browse the oceanhouse media ombook library for new titles ! - sort ombooks by brand , price or age - use the search feature to find exactly what you ' re looking for featured ( ipad only ) - see new releases - take advantage of introductory pricing ! - know when ombooks are on sale or free - discover holiday and special occasion ombooks favorites ( ipad only ) - add frequently read ombooks here to make them a favorite - rearrange favorites in any order note : the om bookshelf works on all ios devices - ipad , iphone and ipod touch . however , some features are only available on the ipad .
the cat in the hat’s learning library is a bestselling nonfiction book series from dr . seuss enterprises and random house children’s books that introduces children to basic science concepts including dinosaurs , maps , marine life , outer space and much more . oceanhouse media began adapting the series to digital book apps for ios devices in november of 2011 , launching with “there’s no place like space ! : all about our solar system . ” the apps feature animated objects , instant glossary terms , and interactive diagrams to reinforce specific subjects , all led by classic dr . seuss characters including the cat in the hat , thing one and thing two , and even the fish ! the cat in the hat ' s learning library digital book apps are meticulously designed to promote learning and encourage curiosity in young readers .
the legend of spookley the square pumpkin by oceanhouse media is about a little pumpkin that just doesn’t quite fit in with the other “rounder” pumpkins . he is taunted and teased and left out of many of the pumpkin games because he couldn’t roll like the others . but once a great storm harbors down on the pumpkin patch , putting all in peril , spookley’s special attributes help save the day . as the farmer took note of little spookley’s courage , he then planted his patch the next year with spookley’s seeds . and what to his surprise were a rainbow of spookley’s heirs in all sizes and colors for the world to see . this is a wonderful story to learn about tolerance and appreciating those around us who may be different . this version of spookley stays true to the book , and the illustrations are absolutely beautifully rendered in watercolor . narration is over the top fun , and a little spooky – just right for holiday readings .
that engine was one of seven the company has built from scratch , and something oceanhouse ' s development director greg uhler last week told cnet has been designed specifically around the dr . seuss content .
we looked at the physical product , and what interactive features might it need ,
he explained .
we started not with a ' what can we do from the technology perspective ? ' but ' what should be done ? ' ' how did geisel write these books , ' and ' how did he design them ? '
entrepreneurial leader , team builder , and experienced maker of forward - thinking interactive media products for children , scott traylor is on a mission to help organizations create digital product successes in the consumer and classroom marketplace . out in front technology trend seeker , driving excellence in new product innovation . business advocate who shares insights and advice with seasoned companies as well as startups to help “all boats rise . ” accomplished speaker , writer , brand builder , and team leader . career highlights online & interactive television development part . . .
to get the source content on there in the first place , oceanhouse starts with print - ready digital artwork from dr . seuss enterprises . the company then sizes it , along with the text for what device it will end up on .
for the iphone 3gs , or ipods it ' s the native resolution . for iphone 4 and ipad it ' s the highest resolution ,
uhler explained . each app contains all three of these assets in a universal application , so that users need only buy one copy that will work on all the different devices .
aleen stein is a founding partner and principal shareholder of the criterion collection . she’s also ceo and publisher of organa l . l . c . , a new media publishing company . organa seeks to bring the best in children’s animation from around the world to american families , and include art , science , culture and physical health to them . its partners are mothers and grandmothers , working on original apps , and welcomes partnerships with other creators . she has been director of international licensing for scholastic , inc . ’s soft . . .
warren buckleitner is an educational psychologist who reviews children ' s interactive media . he ' s been a preschool , elementary and college teacher ( currently an assistant professor at tcnj ' s imm program ) . he is the founding editor of children ' s technology review ( www . childrenstech . com ) . he speaks at education and library conferences , and contributes content books and publications , including a decade of children ' s tech coverage for the new york times . he holds a degree in elementary education from central michigan university ( cum l . . .
daren carstens founded carstens studios inc . , where he authors , designs , programs and develops educational products for children . he has worked in k - 12 educational publishing for 20 years , and his work has received many awards including the prestigious international bologna children ' s book fair new media prize in the best educational software category , 2010 & 2011 parents ' choice gold awards - parents ' choice foundation , and 2010 & 2011 editor ' s choice awards - children ' s technology review . daren combines the rare talent of a thorough understanding of learning processe . . .
björn jeffery is the ceo and co - founder of toca boca , a play studio that makes digital toys for touchscreen devices . since 2011 , they have released 27 products that has sold in over 215 countries worldwide , and downloads of over 85 million in april 2015 . toca boca has won numerous awards for their apps , including nappa gold and ikids twice , 10 parents choice awards and the 2013 kapi for most pioneering team in children’s technology . in 2015 , toca boca was acquired by canadian toy maker spin - master . previously , he was director of future media & technology at bonnier rese . . .
about random house children’s books random house children’s books is the world’s largest english - language children’s trade book publisher . creating books for toddlers through young adult readers , in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books , novels , ebooks , and apps , the imprints of random house children’s books bring together award - winning authors and illustrators , world - famous franchise characters , and multimillion - copy series . random house is the longtime home of the beloved and bestselling dr . seuss books which continue to make learning to read fun for millions of children everywhere . the company’s website , kids @ random ( urltoken ) , offers an array of activities , games and educational resources for children , teens , parents , and educators . random house children’s books is a division of random house , inc . , whose parent company is bertelsmann ag , a leading international media company .
the best - selling dr . seuss classic “the lorax” comes to life with playful interactivity , delightful animations and fun activities ! * * * parents’ choice award silver honor winner * * * * * * academic ' s choice
smart choice media
award winner * * * * * * best new apps - apple * * * features - tap and drag to find playful surprises throughout the book - find hidden stars on every page to reveal fun activities - read along with highlighting narration , read it yourself , or enjoy auto play - explore new vocabulary by tapping words and pictures - track minutes spent reading , pages read , and more in the parents section activities - play nine different mini - games like memory match , jigsaw puzzle , word search , sequence , and more ! - find all 32 unique games hidden throughout the book - enjoy activities again and again , directly from the main menu - try to beat your high score and best time - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - download today ! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - official dr . seuss licensed app . dr . seuss properties ™ & © 2016 dr . seuss enterprises , l . p . all rights reserved .
the best - selling dr . seuss classic “the lorax” comes to life with playful interactivity , delightful animations and fun activities ! - - - - 20 % off for a limited time ! - - - - * * * parents’ choice award silver honor winner * * * * * * academic ' s choice
smart choice media
award winner * * * * * * best new apps - apple * * * features - tap and drag to find playful surprises throughout the book - find hidden stars on every page to reveal fun activities - read along with highlighting narration , read it yourself , or enjoy auto play - explore new vocabulary by tapping words and pictures - track minutes spent reading , pages read , and more in the parents section activities - play nine different mini - games like memory match , jigsaw puzzle , word search , sequence , and more ! - find all 32 unique games hidden throughout the book - enjoy activities again and again , directly from the main menu - try to beat your high score and best time - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - download today ! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - official dr . seuss licensed app . dr . seuss properties ™ & © 2016 dr . seuss enterprises , l . p . all rights reserved .
the best - selling , classic book
green eggs and ham
comes to life with playful interactivity , delightful animations and learning activities ! * * * parents’ choice - gold award winner * * * * * * academic ' s choice
smart choice media
award winner * * * * * * best new apps - apple * * * * * * kidsafe listed * * * features - tap , drag , and tilt your device to find playful surprises throughout the book - practice spelling , phonics , rhyming , and reading comprehension in new learning activities - read along with highlighting narration , read it yourself , or enjoy auto play - explore new vocabulary by tapping words and pictures - track minutes spent reading , pages read , and more in the parents section learning activities - hidden stars on every page reveal fun learning activities - developed in collaboration with early literacy experts - designed specifically for beginning readers - aligned with kindergarten level english language arts ( ela ) standards - enjoy activities again and again , right from the main menu ! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - official dr . seuss licensed app . dr . seuss properties ™ & © 2015 dr . seuss enterprises , l . p . all rights reserved .
everyone ' s favorite bear family is now available in ipod , ipad , and iphone form , with three e - books from the same folks who brought you the dr . seuss titles .
the berenstain bears e - book apps are perfect for car rides , long waits in a restaurant , and other times when only a good book will do .
the berenstain bears and the golden rule , the berenstain bears go to sunday school , and the berenstain bears say their prayers are now available in the app store for an introductory price of $ 2 . 99 each .
if you have kids , you probably don ' t need me to introduce the series . these books are classics ; i think i may have read a few back when i was a kid ( the first title appeared in 1974 ) . although a handful of the books have religious themes ( including two of the three new apps listed here ) , the majority of them focus on everyday life lessons .
there ' s an interactive element as well : when the reader taps something in the accompanying picture , the corresponding word is pronounced - - and displayed as zooming text . this is another great learning tool for younger readers .
the apps are designed for both iphone and ipad , meaning you get full - screen hd goodness if you run them on the latter .
as with the dr . seuss titles , i wholeheartedly recommend the berenstain bears e - book apps . they ' re the perfect entertaining and educational diversion for young kids .
be respectful , keep it clean and stay on topic . we delete comments that violate our policy , which we encourage you to read . discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion .
angels around us from chicken soup for the soul is the first in a series of new apps from chicken soup for the soul - offering 21 stories that bring comfort , happiness , and inspiration . the app features a personal journal to record your own experiences , quotes , story audio , and soul work that can be shared with friends and family through email or facebook . angels around us is available for $ 2 . 99 , and more apps from the series will be available soon .
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interactive and entertaining , this 1975 classic that has been introducing kids to the potty for years adapts well to the ipad , integrating amusing sound effects , interesting use of page transition and even a sing - a - long .
the app is available in both male and female versions , and the differences between the two are limited to the anatomically obvious and slight variations in color . in both texts , the child’s mother is the primary narrator , pouring on the enthusiasm as she energetically cheers on prudence or joshua ( depending on the edition ) . a gender - neutral child’s voice is heard throughout and is used effectively as a teaching tool , especially when tapping illustrations of the child . an early page introduces the child’s body , and a tap of the child’s head announces
head
; the critical body parts are
pee - pee
and
little hole ,
regardless of gender . however , some body parts , such as the belly button , trigger musical sound effects that are silly but not informative , which helps to keep the instructional tone light . additional sound effects , which are activated by tapping various objects , lean toward the comical . for example , a tap of the potty elicits cheers and fanfare when the child finally succeeds in appropriately using it . finally , where possible , tapping objects in the illustrations highlights the text word as it is pronounced .
a familiar story and illustrations enhanced with interactivity give this classic new life . ( ipad storybook app . 1 - 3 )
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designed for ages five through eight , the cat in the hat learning library books make attaining new information fun by integrating it into the classically zany dr . seuss writing style . this particular series of the franchise trades moral lessons for scientific exploration and discovery of real life objects , concepts , and more .
takes children on an adventure to outer space to explore the many interesting items that make up our solar system . kids will learn facts about the sun , moon , and our many planets but in a manner that isn ' t going to drive them away . in fact , the book even includes a wonderful seussian mnemonic device to help memorize the planet names . the app has two ways to experience the story :
read it myself
allows reading and viewing the material in the same manner that traditional books would offer and
read to me
highlights each word as it is professionally narrated pages come alive with animations and sounds . it ' s even possible to drag floating objects around . for more fun and opportunities to learn , readers can tap on objects to identify what they are , including highlighting words if the item was referenced in the narration . words in bold type contain even more information . tap on them to initiate a pop - up of the full glossary entry .
is a universal app compatible with ipad , iphone , and ipod touch running ios 3 . 0 or later , and available in the app store at the introductory price of $ 3 . 99 . [ gallery link =
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in this fun - filled , interactive reading adventure app , young children are invited to learn along with little critter on his family’s road trip . rich in learning activities , games , and exciting surprises , kids will be entertained as they discover a new adventure on every page .
gamepak includes five fun game themes with over 30 engaging activities featuring little critter . introducing digistix—colorful , interactive animated stickers with fun sound effects can be used over and over again . enhances the experience of the trip – little critter reading adventure app by mercer mayer !
little critter is looking forward to all the fun things he can do with his little brother . they ' ll go trick - or - treating on halloween , ride bikes , build a snowman , watch spooky shows on tv , and more . little critter is eager to share these exciting experiences with his brother , but he ' ll have to wait since his baby brother must first learn how to walk !
little critter ombooks are available for iphone ® , ipad ® , ipod touch ® , android ™ , nook tablets ™ , kindle fire ™ and hp touchpad ™ devices .
it ' s easter and little critter is ready to celebrate ! join little critter and his family as they enjoy traditional easter activities . plus , go on your very own easter egg hunt to find 100 eggs hidden throughout this charming story . can you find all 100 ?
in this sweet and sentimental story , little critter and his grandpa go on a shopping expedition for a new suit . the day is filled with exciting events for the adventurous little critter and his loving ( and patient ! ) grandpa . little critter proudly tells how he keeps a watchful eye on his grandpa throughout the day . the amusing illustrations , however , show a slightly different story !
little critter has quite an adventure at the mall when he gets separated from his mom ! he bravely keeps calm , asks for help from a security guard and is soon reunited with his lost mother . young children will be reassured by the happy ending and learn what they can do in a similar situation .
little critter dreams a magic potion turns him into a scary , disagreeable monster . in his dream , he does whatever he wants . he has cookies and ice cream for breakfast , doesn ' t brush his fangs , never changes his clothes , and stays up late watching tv . when little critter is sleepy and ready for bed , no one ' s there to read him a story . luckliy , it ' s just a bad dream !
little critter ' s sister imagines all the wonderful things she ' ll do when she grows up . she envisions being a great ballerina , a courageous fire chief , a world - famous doctor , a winning race car driver and more ! her enthusiasm will inspire young readers to think about what they ' d like to be when they grow up !
little critter has brought home an adorable puppy . his parents agree to let him keep it as long as he takes care of it himself . little critter is proud of the job he ' s doing , happily feeding , walking , training and loving his new friend . the funny illustrations show that the puppy is a lot of work and quite a handful ! in little critter eyes it ' s all worth it !
little critter goes shopping with his family it ' s an eventful day . his little sister becomes upset when she can ' t buy candy , makes a big mess , and then gets lost in the store . the next stop is the mall to find a dress for little sister . finally , little critter ' s patience pays off when mom finds a fun way to end the day !
this little critter ombooks is available for iphone ® , ipad ® , and ipod touch ® .
little critters search for his baseball mitt leads him to the doorway of his bedroom which is
just a mess .
little critter ' s nique attempts at cleaning , accompanied with humerous illustrations , will leave parents and children laughing adn wondering if he will ever find his baseball mitt .
little critter is off to the dentist ' s office . he gets a thorough checkup and cleaning , complete with dental x - rays . when dr . ghum finds a cavity , little critter bravely gets a filling . the visit is painless and little critter ' s good nature reassures young readers that going to the dentist is not that bad after all !
playful and energetic little critter resists his father ' s efforts to get him ready for bed . little critter plays a space cadet when his father wants him in the bathtub , and a race car driver when it ' s time to put on pajamas . will little critter ' s parents ever get him to bed ?
leap into the future of children’s books with this fun - filled and interactive app based on an adaptation of mercer mayer’s little critter lift - the - flap stories . this magical app goes beyond the book and will bring the world of little critter® alive with updated art and exciting surprises hidden under every rock .
this little critter digital is available for iphone ® , ipad ® , and ipod touch ® , and nook color . click here to view a sample !
accompany little red riding hood on her journey to grandma ' s house in this charming , funny , and engaging adaptation of the classic children ' s story . mercer mayer ' s little critter® characters bring a delightful air of whimsy to this traditional tale . based on the lift - the - flap edition of mercer mayer ' s story , the little red riding hood app creates an engaging world for children to explore .
little critter collection # 1 features 10 popular little critter stories that lovingly address all the major issues of growing up . children will easily identify with little critter ' s adventures as he maneuvers through childhood one day at a time .
mercer mayer ' s popular little critter shows us all the things he can do by himself . he starts by tying his shoes ( almost ) and continues by pouring his own juice and spilling just a little ! the wry illustrations often point to the fact that little critter doesn ' t do everything perfectly , but he always makes an effort to do the best he can !
little critter is adorable as he struggles to remember what he is supposed to do each day . he tries hard but hasn ' t quite mastered the art of how to get through each day without forgetting something . every young child will understand little critter ' s experiences and laugh along with him from start to finish .
one day , little critter was so mad because everyone was telling him no ! he wanted to keep frogs in the tub , but his mom said he couldn ' t . he wanted to paint the house , but his grandpa said no . he was so mad . this delightful story reassures children that even really bad days can be salvaged with a little help from your friends !
sweet little critter wants to do something special just for his mom . he tries doing big kid chores , but he ' s a little too little and a little too silly to get them quite right ! like when he drops the groceries in the driveway , or tries to take a bath but splashes too much ! still , thoughtful little critter wont give up . so , he rushes to his mom and gives her a great big hug and kiss ! now there ' s something very special , just for you !
little critter and his grandma spend a day at the beach . always a good helper , little critter helps when his grandma ' s hotdog falls in the sand and helps to blow up the inflatable sea horse . but , he needs a little help in the end . it ' s a very special summer day with grandma and is a favorite story by mercer mayer .
little critter enjoys a special day in the city with his mother . he means well , but gets himself in trouble all along the way . his mother is oh so patient when little critter loses the train tickets , picks up a dinosaur egg in the natural history museum , and misbehaves at lunch . in spite of his difficulties , little critter happily falls asleep on the train going home , exhausted from the big outing with his mother .
little sister tags along wherever little critter goes . when he plays football with his friends , she says ,
me too !
when he ' s hiding in his secret tree house she says ,
me too !
even when he finds the last piece of cake she chimes in ,
me too !
one day little sister has her very own candy cane . . . and little critter asks ,
me too ?
ultimately , little critter learns that sharing with his sibling is good because sometimes she shares back !
as the story unfolds our funny young hero , little critter , has to get used to a new baby sister . this is a problem as the baby doesn ' t pay attention when he reads to her . she always cries when he makes silly faces and she can ' t understand the jokes he tells . little critter finally figures out what you can do with a new baby , and in the process becomes a very good brother !
it ' s time for little sister to learn how to use her brand new potty . first , she learns she can read a book while on the potty . then , she uses the potty as a chair while watching tv . even her dolls like to sit on it ! she also learns that if she isn ' t careful she can miss the potty and get the floor all wet ! this charming tale of common potty training frustrations encourages children to keep trying .


ibstock plc is a large brick making business .

it is listed on the london stock exchange and is a constituent of the ftse 250 index .

ibstock plc

the last ic recommendation on ibstock plc shares was buy at 275 . 20 on 06 mar 2018
how tbc bank group plc ' s ( lse : tbcg ) 22 . 7 % roe fares against the industry ?
the headquarters for ibstock building products is in the village of ibstock , leicestershire .
ibstock merges with johnsen , jorgensen & wettre ltd . and becomes ibstock johnsen ltd .
the ibstock group of companies comprises ; ibstock brick , ibstock kevington , forticrete and supreme plus a us brick manufacturer glen gerry .
ibstock plc ( ' ibstock ' or the ' group ' ) , a leading manufacturer of clay bricks and concrete products with operations in the united kingdom and the united states , announces its unaudited results for the six month period ended 30 june 2016 .
on monday , ibstock plc ( ibst : lse ) closed at 283 . 00 , - 7 . 46 % below its 52 - week high of 305 . 80 , set on may 02 , 2018 .
ibstock plc is a united kingdom - based company , which is engaged in manufacturing of clay bricks and concrete products . the company ' s segments are the uk and the us . the company ' s principal products include clay bricks , brick
in 1999 , crh plc acquired ibstock . under crh’s ownership , the management of ibstock diversified the clay operations of crh in great britain with the acquisition of kevington building products ltd in 2001 and manchester brick in 2005 . the management of ibstock also expanded crh’s concrete products operations in great britain with the acquisition of supreme concrete ltd and anderton concrete products ltd in 2006 and 2007 , respectively .
ibstock plc is a leading manufacturer of clay bricks with a diversified range of clay and concrete products , and operations in the united kingdom and the united states . its principal products are clay bricks , brick components , concrete roof tiles , concrete substitutes for stone masonry , concrete fencing and concrete rail products .
ibstock plc is a leading manufacturer of clay bricks and concrete products with operations in the uk and the united states . our principal products are clay bricks , brick components , concrete roof tiles , concrete stone masonry substitutes , concrete fencing , pre - stressed concrete products and concrete rail products . we are headquartered in the village of ibstock in the east midlands of britain , where we were founded almost 200 years ago .
ibstock plc is a leading manufacturer of clay bricks and concrete products with operations in the uk and the united states . our principal products are clay bricks , brick components , concrete roof tiles , concrete stone masonry substitutes , concrete fencing , pre - stressed concrete products and concrete rail products . our range of products are manufactured , marketed and distributed by ibstock brick , supreme concrete , and forticrete in the uk , and glen - gery in the united states .
company is incorporated as a private limited company and is named ibstock collieries limited .
crh , which is headquartered in ireland , took control of ibstock in 1999 .
investors are always looking for growth in small - cap stocks like ibstock plc ( lse : ibst ) with its market cap of usd $ 1 . 30 billion . however , an important fact which most ignore is : how financially healthy is the company ? the significance of doing due diligence on a company’s financial strength stems from the fact that over 20 , 000 companies go bankrupt in every quarter in the us alone .
' reduced £19m loss at ibstock johnsen , ' financial times , april 20 , 1994 .
principal subsidiaries : glen - gery corp . ( united states ) ; ibstock building products ltd .
ibstock is holding a presentation to analysts at 0900 today at the offices of ubs , 1 finsbury avenue , london ec2m 2pp . analysts wishing to attend should contact ibstock @ urltoken to register .
ibstock re - joined the public markets when it listed on the london stock exchange in october 2015 .
ibstock kevington has appointed sarah clewlow as acting factory manager at our midlands factory . in her [ … ]
wienerberger announces that it has agreed to acquire a 29 . 8 % interest in ibstock from brierley investments limited
' crh pleased with ibstock acquisition , ' birmingham post , september 1 , 1999 , p . 20 .
' ibstock to sell its stake in portuguese forestry group , ' financial times , march 15 , 1995 .
nevertheless , ibstock continued to thrive , and in 1970 the company effected an important merger with the privately owned international wood pulp agency johnsen , jorgensen and wettre . while the two companies had virtually no common ground , ibstock wanted johnsen ' s healthy cash reserves to finance further expansion , and johnsen believed that ibstock could invest that capital to the companies ' mutual advantage . thus the company became ibstock johnsen , with the two operating divisions kept separate .
in 1999 , the stone factories were transferred to forticrete , a sister company in crh and ibstock group was formed of ibstock brick ltd and forticrete ltd . within the group the respective companies still exist and trade as individual entities .
ibstock takes its name from the original base in the village of ibstock in leicestershire , where the company headquarters are situated . brick making has taken place on the site pre 1830 . in 1899 , the company was registered as ibstock collieries ltd . its principal activity was coal mining as well as quarrying clay for the manufacture of bricks and pavers .
crh is offering 70p for each ibstock share , valuing the entire group at pounds 326 . 4m . however , the deal is a foregone conclusion because the irish group already controls 50 . 7 per cent of ibstock ' s share capital .
ibstock brick forms part of ibstock building products a group of companies in the uk and united states owned by bain capital , one of the world’s leading private , alternative asset management firms , with approximately $ 75 billion in assets under management .
' ibstock builds brick sales but chairman wants more , ' birmingham post , march 19 , 1998 , p . 34 .
pangalos , philip , ' ibstock to buy tarmac brick for pounds 65m , ' times of london , may 13 , 1995 .
during the next 30 years , the trading emphasis changed from coal to manufacture of brick from its original leicestershire base in ibstock .
the audacious deal , orchestrated behind closed doors yesterday and only announced after the stock market had closed , marks a victory for ibstock ' s chief executive philip mengel over wienerberger baustoffindustrie , the austrian group which had built up a 30 per cent shareholding in ibstock .
stevenson , tom , ' ibstock builds on bricks with redland deal , ' independent , april 26 , 1996 , p . 17 .
winnifrith , tom , ' double blow sends ibstock into a dive , ' evening standard ( london ) , september 25 , 1996 .
in addition to the factory sites are areas of non operational land within the portfolio in similar geographical locations as the factories . ibstock kevington is directly related to ibstock brick employing over 60 people manufacturing a special products range from simple cut and bond products to elaborate architectural solutions .
in 1999 , ibstock acquired the assets of the adjoining ellistown brickworks to consolidate its position of one third of the brick capacity in the uk .
- - - - - - , ' ibstock in brick talks with tarmac , ' independent , april 7 , 1995 , p . 32 .
“i am pleased to report another robust profit and cash generation performance by ibstock , combined with excellent progress with our major uk investment projects . ”
ibstock is the uk’s leading manufacturer by volume of clay bricks sold and offers a wide range of clay facing bricks . they are made at 19 factories across the country using a wide diversity of clays and manufacturing techniques to ensure that ibstock bricks will enhance the built environment wherever they are used .
ibstock set about creating a more extensive works with modern equipment , including a monnier kiln ( the first such to be used in britain ) , a novel tunnel kiln that fired bricks loaded on cars that moved through the kiln . requiring a substantial investment of £8 , 000 , the technological advance increased production capacity to nine million bricks a year . reflecting its new direction , ibstock collieries changed its name to ibstock brick & tile company in 1935 .
ibstock was first listed on the london stock exchange in 1963 . it acquired glen - gery in the united states in 1979 and the uk brick operations were expanded by acquiring tarmac bricks in 1995 , redland bricks in 1996 and hepworth brick in 1999 . ibstock also acquired certain concrete operations in the 1990s .
ibstock has a 40pc share of britain’s clay brick market and is a major player in the northeast and midwest of america through its glen - gery subsidiary .
buckley , christine , ' ibstock hit by shake - up and low prices , ' times of london , march 21 , 1997 , p . 30 .
wood , martin , ' wienerberger left in dark as ibstock agrees to pounds 326m takeover , ' birmingham post , december 22 , 1998 , p . 17 .
ibstock , one of the uk’s three biggest brick makers , traces its roots back to 1899 and employs just shy of 2 , 000 people in the uk .
in 1990 ibstock building products acquired two new companies ; hathernware ltd and ceba ltd . hathernware manufactured terracotta and architectural faience and ceba manufacture architectural wet cast stone .
over the next few decades , ibstock grew steadily by investing in further automation . in 1959 work commenced on a new 20 - chamber staffordshire kiln , bringing annual output to 41 million bricks , and the installation of yet another kiln soon afterward ( bringing ibstock ' s total to four ) increased that number to 56 million .
ps . if you are not interested in ibstock anymore , you can use our free platform to see my list of over 150 other stocks with a high growth potential .
ibstock brick , named after the leicestershire town where the company was founded115 - years - ago , started life as a coal mining company , using quarrying clay to make bricks .
ibstock kevington manufactures a variety of special shape bricks and brick components . the range includes prefabricated arches , chimneys and wall cladding systems designed to make using brick quick and easy .
cassell , michael , dig it , burn it , sell it ! the story of ibstock johnsen , 1825 - 1990 , london : pencorp books , 1990 , 193 p .
mcintosh , bill , ' crh acquires a 50 . 7 % stake in ibstock for cash , ' wall street journal europe , december 22 , 1998 , p . 3 .
crh , the ftse 100 building products company , has sold its 115 - year - old ibstock brick business , plus three other divisions , for £414m in cash and debt .
in 2003 , ibstock re branded to include ‘innovators in clay’ in the title , reflecting the company’s changing emphasis on business excellence through innovation and another chapter in ibstocks history started .
ibstock said it intends to raise £100m through the listing , which will go towards refinancing the debt that private equity firm bain put in place to seal a £414m takeover last december .
however , along with the other large uk brick makers , including hanson and wienerberger , ibstock was hurt by the drop in construction that was a direct result of the financial crisis .
around 25pc of ibstock’s shares , held by bain and members of the company’s senior management team , will be sold in the listing , meaning a swift windfall for the private equity firm .
we are delighted to acquire this substantial interest in ibstock . the investment is fully in line with our long - term strategy . we see the investment as a logical geographical extension to wienerberger´s core business , which has grown rapidly in recent years , mainly in central and eastern europe . we would like to work together with the management of ibstock in the future .
as market leader in the uk , ibstock is well - placed in the market and continuous investment in manufacturing equipment and people will ensure that it will prosper for many years to come .
but despite what is understood to have been significant interest for the whole division , crh has decided to retain its continental european brick business , and instead just part with ibstock and glen gery .
ibstock has secretly been trying to find a friendly buyer for more than two months after wienerberger bought its stake from brierley investments , the new zealand investment group , at a share price of 66p .
ibstock now has 19 operational brick factories . the company employs nearly 1400 people across the uk and has the backing of one of the world’s leading private , alternative asset management firms , bain capital .
don godson , crh ' s chief executive , said :
ibstock provides crh with leading positions in clay products in britain and the us and forms a base for further development in these regions .
ibstock immediately embarked upon a new round of acquisitions , buying roughdales brickworks , north eastern bricks , nostell brick & tile , and the cattybrook brick company in 1971 and 1972 . because the company was reluctant to extend itself further domestically - - fearing that in doing so it would compromise its position at the more exclusive end of the u . k . market - - ibstock looked abroad for further acquisitions .
during the first half of 1995 , ibstock ' s pre - tax profits soared to £14 million , a 222 percent increase over the £4 . 36 million reported for the same period of 1994 . despite such a strong performance , however , ibstock warned that the second half of 1995 would not repeat the achievements of the first half - - efforts to sell wood pulp operation caima had been unsuccessful , and the housing market in the united kingdom was in a state of decline , negatively impacting demand for ibstock ' s products . the company made plans to cut back production and lay off some workers temporarily until demand increased .
while ibstock has a higher debt - to - equity ratio than my benchmark , its earnings and operating cash flows make it strong enough to get through difficult times or capitalize on attractive growth opportunities during good times .
after contacting several potential companies ibstock selected crh as its preferred bidder . however , the irish group , which has a legendary aversion to contested takeovers , was reluctant to bid if it could not be sure of securing control .
the combination of structural demand growth , supply - side constraints and government support have enabled ibstock to establish strong momentum within its business , with a significant acceleration in revenue and adjusted ebitda growth achieved in the last two years .
ibstock brick is the uk’s leading manufacturers of clay products and employs nearly 1400 people in the uk spread over 19 sites . the sites are located throughout the uk and most have associated quarrying operations at or near to them .
ibstock brick is the number one brick manufacturer by volume of bricks sold in the uk where approximately 80 % of new build houses use brick in their construction . glen - gery is a major regional brickmaker in the us , and supreme and forticrete also hold strong positions in their respective markets . subsidiary operations include ibstock - kevington , a leading manufacturer of brickwork components and anderton concrete , a specialist in the manufacture of concrete rail and infrastructure products .
at the end of the day , a company must pay bills and salaries , and must be able to invest in lucrative projects through cash . firms have a certain amount of control over revenue recognition , which makes an analysis of its operating cash flow even more important . over the past year , ibstock’s operating cash flows stood at 52 % of its overall debt . that means ibstock’s core operations are generating enough cash to comfortably service its debt .
crh , the irish building materials group , yesterday rode to the rescue of ibstock by launching a pounds 326m takeover swoop which saw it snap up more than 50 per cent of the brick manufacturer ' s shares in the market .
a £1bn flotation is a significant turning point for ibstock which in 2008 and 2009 suffered a 40pc slump in volumes which led it to mothball a plant and put 35pc of its workforce on reduced pay to avoid hundreds of redundancies .
the housing market began to improve the following year , and ibstock ' s 1997 profits increased from £8 . 3 million in 1996 to £23 . 5 million . the construction market had not completely recovered , however , and the market slowed during the second half of 1997 . ibstock ' s brick sales improved only 4 percent over 1996 sales . the company was helped by a strong performance by subsidiary glen - gery as well as by cost - cutting measures .
ibstock brick , named after the leicestershire town where the company was founded , started its life in coal mining and quarrying clay for the making of bricks , and over the following 30 years , transitioned solely to the manufacture of bricks .
ibstock has pointed to its rapid earnings growth over the past three years as justification for its £1bn price - tag . profits have swelled from £29m in 2012 to £87m in 2015 , while revenues have jumped from £278m to £395m over the same period .
wienerberger announces that it has agreed to acquire a 29 . 8 % interest in ibstock from brierley investments limited at a price of 66 pence per ordinary share . this amounts to a total investment of £ 91 . 5 million ( ats 1 . 8 billion ) .
wienerberger subsequently attempted to secure a seat on ibstock ' s board . but philip mengel , the company ' s chief executive , resisted .
we felt that developing a special relationship with one shareholder would not be in the interests of other shareholders ,
he said .
now when you know whether you should keep the debt in mind as a risk factor when putting together your investment thesis , i recommend you check out our latest free analysis report on ibstock to see what are ibst’s growth prospects and whether it could be considered an undervalued opportunity .
in the early years of its existence the colliery changed ownership several times . in 1875 samuel thomson became managing director , and the business soon became a family dynasty ; under samuel thomson ' s son , also samuel , ibstock collieries was incorporated as a private limited company in 1899 .
in 1963 , following the acquisition of himley brick company ltd , near wolverhampton , ibstock shares were offered to the public for the first time . there then followed a major expansion programme in the uk designed to extend the products and services by the company more widely throughout the country .
by the end of 1998 the paper pulp interests had finally been sold and the irish building materials group , crh , made a successful takeover bid for the company , valuing it at £376m . this involved the integration of forticrete , the crh concrete products and rooftile business into the ibstock group .
the company ' s first overseas acquisition came in 1973 , with the purchase of the dutch facing brick manufacturer van wijcks waalsteenfabrieken , followed closely by another dutch company , maatschappij tot exploitatie van steenfabrieken udenhout , voorheen weyers . these moves catapulted ibstock to the position of sixth - largest brickmaker in the netherlands .
crh acquired the shares after cazenove , the stockbroker , yesterday approached ibstock ' s leading shareholders and told them an unnamed bidder was ready to offer 70p per share if it could be sure of securing a majority stake . the takeover panel had approved the move , which is highly unusual , before the approaches were made .
not all the acquisitions proved successful . burwell was unprofitable and was retained only until 1971 ; shawell , renamed ibstock precast , was abandoned in 1977 ; and superbrix , makers of bricks from inferior grade sandline , rather than clay , was in retrospect a poor choice for a company that prided itself on producing quality products .
a substantially higher - debt poses a significant threat to a company’s profitability during a downturn . ibstock’s debt to equity ratio stands at 54 . 2 % and that means while ibstock’s debt could pose a problem for its earnings stability , it’s not at an alarmingly high level yet . a more empirical and universal test is to measure the interest payments against earnings of a company . in an ideal situation , earnings should cover interest by at least a 5x multiple ; thus , reducing any concerns related to high volatility in net income due to small fluctuations in operating performance . in ibst’s case the interest on debt is well covered by earnings ( 19 . 8x coverage ) .
ibstock brick is the number one brick manufacturer in the uk with a market share of approximately 40 % based on volume of bricks sold ( excluding imports ) . glen - gery is the regional leader in the us with approximately market share of 24 % in the northeast and midwest regions of the us based on volume of brick despatches .
in 1973 , ibstock set its sights overseas , buying the van wijck and then the udenhaut brickworks in holland . 1976 saw the purchase of the hudsons group , with factories at west hoathly and laybrook and a site at horam . further expansion in europe in 1977 came with the acquisition of the hennuyeres , wanlin and then the de ruiter brickworks in holland .
components , concrete stone masonry substitutes , concrete fencing , pre - stressed concrete products and concrete rail products . its range of products are manufactured , marketed and distributed by ibstock brick , which manufactures a range of clay bricks sold in the united kingdom ; supreme concrete , which manufactures concrete fencing products and concrete lintels with approximately seven manufacturing plants in the united kingdom ; forticrete , which manufactures concrete substitutes for natural stone walling and dressings and concrete roof tiles , with approximately seven manufacturing plants in the united kingdom , and glen - gery , which manufactures bricks in the north east and mid - west regions of the united states .
they were unwilling to come forward with a full offer and we felt it was untenable that only one shareholder should realise value . so the board focused on realising value for all shareholders .
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one of the country’s largest and oldest brick makers has unveiled plans for a £1bn stock market flotation , valuing it at twice the price it was bought for less than a year ago .
the us buyout group paid £295m in cash to buy the brick maker from crh , the ftse 100 building materials group , which has since refocused its business towards cement with a €6 . 5bn takeover of tarmac lafarge .
with uk brick demand now exceeding current manufacturing capacity , a significant opportunity has been created for a uk manufacturer to expand capacity ,
said wayne sheppard , chief executive .
the prices of clay bricks increased by 6 . 7pc in the 12 months to july 2015 as demand significantly outstripped supply .
since 2013 uk house builders have had to source more expensive bricks from the continent as demand at home has risen , while supplies have fallen .
the company recently won planning permission for a new factory in leicester which will boost production by 100 million bricks a year .
over the following 30 years , it exited coal mining to focus exclusively and brick manufacturing .
separately , equiniti , the financial outsourcing group which handled the controversial privatisation of the royal mail , is also planning a £1bn stock listing this week .
private equity firm advent has hired barclays , goldman sachs , credit suisse and liberum for the flotation , said sky news which first reported the plans .
we are a leading manufacturer of clay and concrete building products . our products have become a top choice for building the homes , places and spaces for people across the country .
our aim is to continue to extend our leadership in the building products industry by being our customers ' partner of choice through providing consistent high quality , reliable and innovative products . these products when taken together with our strong focus on the customer has been a core driver in increasing and sustaining our market leadership positions .
as a leading supplier of masonry cladding , roofing , utility and landscaping products we see opportunities to invest in new capacity , penetrate our markets further through innovative products and expand our existing product portfolios through either organic investment or opportune acquisitions .
glen gery is a leading manufacturer , by despatches , of brick in the northeast and midwest regions of the united states . established for over 125 years , glen gery has developed a diverse range of brick and reconstituted stone products offering wide appeal to architects , homeowners and builders alike .
forticrete is a uk manufacturer of concrete roof tiles to the new housebuilding and refurbishment sectors . it is leading producer of concrete based substitutes for natural stone walling and dressings . forticrete also makes a popular range of architectural masonry walling and blocks .
supreme is a leading uk manufacturer of concrete fencing products and concrete lintels . they provide high quality , durable solutions for building and landscaping projects .
anderton concrete supplies concrete cable trough cable protection products as well as offering a full range of concrete troughing products that are manufactured in a precast process .
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wienerberger , based in vienna and quoted on the vienna stock exchange , is the largest producer of bricks in europe and has leading positions in pipes . the group runs 166 plants in 23 countries . in 1997 , the group realised a consolidated turnover of ats 15 . 3 billion ( £ 789 million ) and an operating profit of ats 2 . 3 billion ( £ 120 million ) .
for wienerberger , this investment is a very important move forward in the consistent implementation of its strategy . the clear focus on the core business of bricks and pipes enabled wienerberger to build leading positions in europe . having integrated the sturm group ( acquired in 1995 ) and terca bricks , the leading facing brick producer in continental europe ( in 1996 ) , wienerberger is now entering the uk and the us market .
at the same time , non - core business activities , like the treibacher abrasive business and the business park vienna real estate project , have been sold .
all the dutch companies were rebadged as ruga . this expansion phase continued with the purchase in 1978 of marion brick in ohio and the following year , glen - gery in the north east of the usa , to give a total us of 500 million bricks per annum capacity .
in 2002 , kevington , the country’s leading manufacturer of brick special shapes , arches and prefabricated chimney systems was added to the group . these were followed by the acquisition of supreme concrete in 2007 and anderton concrete in 2008 to form the largest manufacturer of concrete building products and capitalise upon the groups excellent links to the refurbishment and new housebuilding markets .
source : international directory of company histories , vol . 37 . st . james press , 2001 .
one of the uk’s largest – and oldest – brick makers has been sold to us private equity giant bain capital .
us clay business glen gery and uk concrete product makers forticrete and supreme concrete were also part of the sale . the businesses being sold made a pre - tax profit of £16m last year .
bain capital will pay approximately £295m in cash , with the rest of the value accounted for in debt and pension liabilities .
crh is retaining the attached real estate assets , which it estimates are worth £30m ,
for future disposal
.
crh , led by chief executive albert manifold , had been expected to sell its entire clay brickwork business , after appointing investment bank jpmorgan to lead the process earlier this year .
bain , whose founders include former us presidential candidate mitt romney , already has a significant presence in the uk , with major investments including brakes , the food services firm , and securitas direct , which makes and installs security alarms for homes and business .
during the downturn , the three companies between them went from operating 55 brickworks in the uk to just 34 .
but in the last two years , all three have benefited from the return to a property boom in the uk , with reports of a brick shortage earlier in the year .
as well as bain , other buyers said to have been involved in the crh sales process include germany ' s braas monier and private equity rivals towerbook and apollo global .
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the businesses are major manufacturers of products for the new build housing and domestic repair , maintenance and improvement markets ( rmi ) .
we operate from 33 main sites in the uk and ten sites within the united states . we also have over 150 million tonnes of clay reserves across 23 active quarries in the uk and 29 active quarries covered by 20 active permits in the us .
we have a service - led ethos with many of our top customer relationships lasting over 40 years .
we operate from 49 sites and 23 active quarries in the uk and ten sites and 29 active quarries covered by 20 active permits in the united states . we have a service - led ethos with many of our top customer relationships lasting over 40 years .
group revenue for the six months ended 30 june 2016 was £210 . 0 million ( 1h 2015 : £148 . 9 million includes four months’ trading results only )
profit before taxation for the period of £37 . 9 million ( 1h 2015 : £77 . 0 million including net exceptional benefits of £51 . 8 million , excluding these gives a comparable profit before taxation of £25 . 2 million )
earnings per share of 7 . 4p ( 1h 2015 : 31 . 8p including net exceptional benefits and before increase in weighted average number of shares arising from pre - ipo share reorganisation )
the adjusted results for h1 2015 use the full six month trading period as comparative information , as set out in note 4 .
net debt to ebitda 3 remains at 1 . 4x after £21 million of capex on major projects
“the eu referendum result has added uncertainty to our outlook but , in advance of the important autumn period for new home sales , it remains too early to judge its full impact . it is reassuring however that , to date , current trading continues at normal seasonal levels . contingency plans will enable us to balance production with sales volumes in the remainder of the year as necessary . ”
“the fundamentals supporting the uk housing market remain in place . the sector continues to receive focused government support , mortgage availability is good and there remains an undersupply of new homes . our businesses are well prepared for the challenges and opportunities that our markets may present and we look to the future with confidence . ”
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1 adjusted ebitda is defined as earnings before interest , taxation , depreciation and amortisation , and excludes exceptional items as set out in note 6 . this is reconciled on the face of the consolidated income statement . 2 adjusted eps is defined as the basic earnings per share adjusted for exceptional items , amortisation and depreciation arising on fair value adjustments , as set out in note 8 . 3 net debt is defined as the sum of cash and total borrowings . the net debt to ebitda multiple is calculated using annualised adjusted ebitda , calculated using the 2h 2015 and 1h 2016 results . 4 return on capital employed is defined as the 12 month rolling adjusted ebitda ( defined above ) adding back depreciation pre fair value uplift , as a proportion of capital employed ( defined as net debt plus equity )
apart from geopolitical events such as political unrest and natural calamities , a company which is suddenly facing a hostile market environment must be able to fulfil short - term commitments with its reserves so that it can see another day . thus , it becomes utmost important for an investor to test a company’s resilience for such contingencies . in simple terms , i believe these three small calculations tell most of the story you need to know .
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