Author: Creative Programs and Systems - page 220

The Difference Between Mortgage Brokers and Banks

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Are you looking into financing the purchase of a new home?  You may be overwhelmed at the possibilities that exist within the mortgage industry.  There are numerous options and channels that can be used to obtain a mortgage.  In this article we will focus on two specific areas, mortgage brokers versus banks.

Mortgage brokers work as a middle man between lenders and borrowers.  The broker works to secure several best case scenario’s for borrowers to choose from a variety of lenders.    A borrower is allowed to compare and contrast the options that are available, using the knowledge and assistance of a mortgage broker.  Mortgage brokers account for more than ten percent of the mortgage financing on all home loan originations.     When the real estate market was in full bloom mortgage brokers peaked, accounting for thirty percent of loan beginnings.

Borrowers working with a bank are in more of a retail situation.  A bank or financial lending institution states what their best available offer is, given the borrowers situation and they can either choose to accept the offer or continuing searching competitors for a better offer.

As with all financial transactions there are positives and negatives of both channels of obtaining financing for your mortgage.  Some situations leave you with no alternative but to choose one over the other.  If you are a borrower working with a poor credit or a loan situation that is a bit trickier than what is normal a mortgage broker may be your only option to finding a loan that works for you.

Most homeowners find themselves turning to their bank or financial institution when they find they are in need of a mortgage or begin looking into refinancing options.  However, when they have trouble qualifying for a loan through their own bank many turn to mortgage brokers.  Don’t assume that rates and loan options won’t be as competitive when using a mortgage broker over a bank.  Many times options that brokers find for borrowers are as competitive as those from a bank.  Be sure to work with a broker that is not taking abundance off the top before selling borrowers the loan.  In actuality, wholesale mortgage rates can often be cheaper than what borrowers can find at local banks.

Bank Positives

  • Relationship building and the connection between community and your finances
  • Adding to an existing financial profile
  • Personal relationship with the lender

Broker Positives:

  • Brokers do all the leg work
  • Brokers compare rates from numerous banks and lenders all at one time
  • More loan options available
  • Can help with poor or tricky credit situations

Bank Negatives:

  • More conservative loan options
  • Lengthy and bureaucratic process
  • Incompetence because of high turn over

Mortgage Negatives:

  • May overcharge for services
  • Access to select bank programs
  • Lack of control for the borrower

Mortgage brokers are a great option for borrowers who are looking to compare multiple options all at one time without spending day in and day out searching around for available options.  Borrowers with excellent credit and a solid relationship with their banks may find that working with their bank to locate a mortgage is better for them.

Cross Country Mortgage in Brighton, Michigan provide mortgage services for clients including new home loans, refinancing, reversed mortgages, new purchase home mortgages and home equity loans to the entire Livingston County area including Brighton, Howell and Livingston County. Cross Country Mortgage Brighton, MI at http://brightoncrosscountry.com/.

Brighton Cross Country Mortgage

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Don’t Install That New Roof Yourself Instead Hire A Roofing Contractor

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Let’s face it there are certain jobs that homeowners should feel confident about tackling on their own and others that should be left to the professionals.  New roof installation is one of those home improvements that even the most experienced DIY homeowner shouldn’t tackle on their own.  No matter how many YouTube videos you watch or books you read there are more benefits to hiring a professional then trying to do it yourself.

Consider the benefits you receive when you hire a professional roofing contractor:

  • Experience
  • Safety
  • Time

Let’s look into each one of these separately to fully understand why hiring a roofing contractor is better than installing or repairing a roof on your own.

Experience: Most homeowners don’t specialize in roof installation or roof repair.  Most of us don’t have the expertise it takes to properly install a new roof.  Roofing contractors are like all other professionals, they spend hour upon hour on roofs perfecting their techniques.  In fact many professional roofers have spent a majority of their time before starting their own business working under roofing contractors with years of experience.  Contractors, no matter what their specialty, are required to become licensed to work in their area of expertise.

Roofing contractors are also knowledgeable on the materials it will take to cover a variety of different roofs.  Whereas many do it yourselfers tend to overestimate or underestimate just how much they will need in materials.  It won’t matter how much preplanning or research that is done installing a new roof on your home for the first time is an experiment.  Do you want that for your home?

Safety:   When working on a ladder or roof there is always a certain aspect of risk involved.  A number of accidents occur each year that are related to well meaning DIY homeowners that have fallen off their roofs resulting in injury or death. Consider the last time you took on a new skill.  It is almost guaranteed that the all of your concentration went into completing the task at hand verse your surroundings.  In certain situations this may be just fine but in roofing it could be incredibly dangerous.

Professional roofing contractors have the tools to get the job done while having the tools to keep them safe doing it.  Changes occur within every specialty in construction, the same is true of roofing.  Let the professionals who are skilled in their job, using their tools and techniques take on the job of replacing or repairing your homes shingle roof.  It will keep you safe on the ground where you belong.

Time: Most homeowners don’t have the time it takes to spend replacing their homes roof.  A full crew of skilled contractors can take up to a week to strip off old roofing shingles, replace worn out roofing and install the new roofing.  A lot of things factor into this: the weather, the number of crew members and the type of roofing material being applied.  The time you estimate that it will take you to complete your roof will be added to if the weather doesn’t cooperate, more materials are needed or any other number of factors.

Before you commit all of your free time to installing a new roof to your home really consider all of the benefits found with hiring a professional roofing contractor to do it for you.

Home Pro Roofing contractors offer a variety of roofing services throughout Brighton, East Lansing, Ann Arbor, Fenton and Commerce Township, including installation of shingle roofs, metal roofing and roof repairs.  You will find them at http://www.homeproroofingmi.com today.

Home Pro Roofing MI

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Rid Your Roof Of Stains

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Let’s face it shingle roofing, especially that installed on homes in the northern, humid states will develop some sort of unsightly dark staining or streaking from an accumulation of dirt, defective shingling, mold growth, mildew or the most common culprit algae.  Algae are easily spread because it is spread via airborne spores.  Little harm is actually done to roofing from algae however the stains are unsightly and decrease the value of your home.

There is a method that can be used to avoid algae stains or various inexpensive techniques to clean them from roofing once they have occurred.   Metal flashing can be utilized to prevent algae growth from occurring.  This occurs because the copper and zinc coating on the galvanized sheet metal is toxic to algae.  When it rains small amounts of metal get washed down the roof preventing the algae from growing.

Another way to prevent algae from growing on shingles is by installing shingling that is resistant to the growth of algae.  Many roofing material manufacturers have started offering shingles that have copper granules mixed into their product.  This development in roofing technology is something that homeowners should request when meeting with their new roof contractor.

Most important though, what do homeowners with algae growth already present on the roof do to clean their roofs?  As suggested with any home improvement project requiring a ladder or being up on the roof the first suggestion is to hire a professional roofer.  Professionals have the knowledge, time and tools available to remove the algae from your roof in a safe manner.

When using chemical cleaners to remove the built up algae from shingling the following items come in handy:

Roof Cleaner

Pump Sprayer

Garden Hose

Hose Nozzle

Safety Glasses

Rubber Gloves

Ladder

If you do decide to clean the algae off of your roof on your own it is important to take safety precautions to ensure your safety.  Shingles that are wet even more dangerous so make sure to wear slip resistance footwear and a safety harness.  Be sure to also protect your eyes and skin when working with chemicals.  Another thing to consider is the vegetation beneath to avoid damage to landscaping.  Try to pick a cloudy day to work on to prevent the cleaner from evaporating before it has time to set into the shingle.

The basic recipe for the cleaning solutions is a quart of bleach, a gallon of water and a quarter cup of TSP.  Pour the ingredients together and transfer the solution into a sprayer.  After applying the cleaning solution to the shingles rinse them using a garden hose.

If you wish to prevent the algae from growing but aren’t ready for a roof replacement with the newer algae resistant shingling try installing a small strip of copper or zinc coated sheet metal along the side of the roof ridge.  This will offer those same benefits without having to replace your home roofing.

Home Pro Roofing contractors offer a variety of roofing services throughout Brighton, East Lansing, Ann Arbor, Fenton and Commerce Township, including installation of shingle roofs, metal roofing and roof repairs.  You will find them at http://www.homeproroofingmi.com today.

Home Pro Roofing MI

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Aluminum Fencing Is A Solid Return On Investment For Homeowners

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

There are a ton of options for homeowners to choose from when looking into purchasing a fence for their home and landscape.  The one material that stands out from the rest is aluminum.  Aluminum fencing is a popular choice amongst homeowners when installing a fence as it offers numerous benefits over other materials in fencing.

Aluminum fencing requires less cleaning and maintenance then most other types of fencing.  This is a major advantage of installing aluminum fences in your home or business.   The last thing busy home and business owners need is another thing to clean or maintain making aluminum fencing a top choice.

Unlike other metal fencing, aluminum is resistant to corrosion.  Aluminum retains its finish for quite some time and does not easily corrode. Once an aluminum fence is installed the finish retains it shine for a substantial period of time.  To ensure that the surface of aluminum fencing is protected it is finished with a powder coat that improves the surface of the fence making it smooth.

Another reason that aluminum is a popular choice is that it is available in a number of styles and designs to choose from.  There are also a number of colors available for homeowners to choose from to compliment the exterior of the home.  Aluminum offers a great deal of flexibility when it comes to choosing a fence.

Aluminum fencing is simple to install and is a popular choice for DIY homeowners.  Taking away the cost of installation keeps aluminum an affordable option for all budgets.  Compare the cost of materials and installation of wood fencing, wrought iron and aluminum fencing and you will see just how reasonable it is to purchase and install wholesale aluminum fencing.

A number of materials in fencing are durable and built to withstand the climate changes of homes in the north but only aluminum comes with a lifetime warranty direct from the manufacturer.  In case of an accident or minor damage to the fence it is important to note that aluminum is easy to repair.  If the damage is minor all homeowners need to do is to remove the affected part and replace it or have it repaired.  In cases of more severe damage the part of the fence that is damaged can be removed and replaced without affecting any other parts of the fence.

The above benefits make aluminum fencing a popular option.  It doesn’t hurt that aluminum is said to offer solid return on investment as well.

iFenceUSA offers the widest variety of maintenance-free, no-rust aluminum fences and gates in the industry! Whether you are a pool contractor, a building contractor, an architect, a landscaping professional, or a “do-it-yourself” homeowner looking for exceptional value and installation advice, you’ll benefit by buying wholesale aluminum fences shipped factory-direct to your home or business anywhere in America from www.iFenceUSA.com!

iFenceUSA

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Aluminum Fencing For Pet Containment

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

There are numerous options to consider when searching out fencing that is marketed for pet containment.  The main considerations when choosing pet fencing is to assure the safety and protection of your pet.  Consider the following to ensure the fencing you choose will maximize your pet’s wellbeing.

It is important to consider the type of dog that the fence is going to contain.  Different breeds require different needs out of a fence.  Does your dog require a great deal of space to run around in?  Do you have a breed that needs to be worked and will need a large fenced in space pull sleds or gather herds of animals?  Are you trying to keep an ultra intelligent variety of dog that will need to a fence that resembles a prison yard? The type of breed normally can help pet owners establish temperament ahead of time.  If the space within your yard is incompatible with the breed of dog you choose then it isn’t going to be fair to either you or the dog.

Another aspect to consider when choosing a fence g for pet containment is the size of dog.  Different size dogs have different requirement.  Smaller dogs will most likely need a style fencing that offers puppy pickets.  With aluminum fencing, puppy pickets are in additional pickets in the lower railings of fence that are put into place to keep smaller dogs from squeezing through the small picket opening of the fence.  No matter the size if you have a dog that likes to dig you will want to consider the additional option of protruding pickets that fill the gap between the ground and the fence.  Dogs that are taller generally require taller fencing or fencing without horizontal beam above the base of the fence.  This beam allows dogs the additional bit of height required to push them over the top.

Is your fence going to be in place to contain both your pet and children?  If this is the case many homeowners choose two different aluminum fencing options that complement one another to create a realistic space for both.  With this option in place your pet is free to roam about without worry of escape when children accidentally leave the fence gate open while also containing their output.

Not only is the fencing itself important but also the type of gate you choose.  For most homeowners looking to contain a pet it is crucial to have a gate that is self latching that closes automatically.  This is extremely helpful when your hands are full or your pup is a little Houdini.

iFenceUSA offers the widest variety of maintenance-free, no-rust aluminum fences and gates in the industry! Whether you are a pool contractor, a building contractor, an architect, a landscaping professional, or a “do-it-yourself” homeowner looking for exceptional value and installation advice, you’ll benefit by buying wholesale aluminum fences shipped factory-direct to your home or business anywhere in America from www.iFenceUSA.com!

iFenceUSA

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Tips On Making An Aluminum Fence Purchase

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

When it comes to making a purchase for your home there are many places you can turn to.  From local home improvement centers to online wholesalers there are many companies looking for your business.   When you can’t seem to find what you are looking for the best place to turn is the internet.  Online you can find a number of retailers that will ensure you are offered a quality product at an affordable place.  When you are searching for the right residential aluminum fence for your home or business and are looking for a variety of options an online aluminum fence wholesale reseller is your best option.

You should keep in mind the following tips when looking for a residential aluminum fence for your home and landscape.

The first order of business is measuring your yard.  Every homes landscape is unique.  With that in mind it is important to make sure you purchase the right fence for your space.  When taking measurements for your landscape take into consideration not only the length and width of the yard but also the various slopes found within your space.  Whether you have a large sloping landscape or several small slopes it is important that you take measurements with that in mind. Most online aluminum fence suppliers will offer a number of options for rackable aluminum fencing options.

Companies looking for your business will do whatever it takes to gain your trust and secure you as a client.  One of the ways that online fencing companies do this is through free online aluminum fencing quotes.  Aluminum fencing doesn’t cost the same across the board.  Fencing prices are based on the style, length, height and additional extras.  So many things contribute to the final cost of aluminum fencing; be sure to ask for a free detailed quote from the online wholesale aluminum fence suppliers you are considering.  Don’t only look at the bottom line, consider everything that is included, or not for that matter, in the quote.

Aluminum fence panels are available in many lengths, heights, styles, colors, designs and with a number of accessorial options.  Be sure you understand all of the options that are available to you before choosing a fence; with aluminum fencing there is never a reason to settle.  Researching a fence for your home takes time but trust us when we say it is worth every second to find the right fence and an acceptable supplier.

With the above tips in mind it should be much simpler for you to find the best residential aluminum fence for your home and landscape.  Consider all of your research and you will make a smart aluminum fencing purchase.

iFenceUSA offers the widest variety of maintenance-free, no-rust aluminum fences and gates in the industry! Whether you are a pool contractor, a building contractor, an architect, a landscaping professional, or a “do-it-yourself” homeowner looking for exceptional value and installation advice, you’ll benefit by buying wholesale aluminum fences shipped factory-direct to your home or business anywhere in America from www.iFenceUSA.com!

iFenceUSA

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Creating an Appealing Product Label

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems - Updated

Making your product label appeal to buyers is the goal for all product manufacturers.  There are numerous ways that graphic designers work with custom label manufacturers to ensure that your product will stand out above the completion.  Below we will discuss different techniques that product label designers can use to enhance products to gain consumer interest.

A product that is sold or stocked within large outer containers can easily show the quality of their product by using a large colored photo of the interior product on the exterior label.  This method is commonly used in hardware stores where many smaller parts are encompassed within a larger box.  Think of plumbing materials, electrical supplies, furniture knobs and numerous accessorial pieces.

Another method that is popular is creating a label that can be customized to the buyer.  This is an extremely popular labeling technique especially in smaller boutiques.  If your products label can make your customer feel unique or like one of a kind it helps them to connect. Some smaller manufacturers have great success with in-house label printing.

Another popular option in labeling right now is integrating web marketing into your label.  When creating a label include a QR code, a SMS text message code or social media links that consumers can use to get more information about your product or contests sponsored by your brand.  Web-based marketing is an increasingly popular technique that brings an end user into engaging with your brand and product.

Using vibrant colors in labeling helps to catch the consumer’s eye and bring them closer to making a purchase.  Consider your product, picture the colors that best represent your end goal and work them into your label.  Every color invokes a different feeling in consumers consider this when designing your label.  For instance, greens and browns give off an environmentally friendly vibe while blue gives off a sense of authority.

Another option that helps to make your label stand out is designing labels specific to seasonal changes.  Consumers are attracted to items that are specific to what is currently happening.  Consider the products you are most apt to purchase around Halloween or Christmas.  What are these product labels most often adorned with?  Yep, themes of the holiday or color that is specific to that period of time.

When creating a label you can also differentiate it from the competition with the type of material you choose.  Cut and stack paper labels are created from a different material then shrink sleeves.  Consider what the completion is doing and contemplate doing something different to make your product’s label stand out.

Let the tips above serve as a guide when creating a custom product label that will have customers lining up to purchase it!

At Anchor Printing, we take pride in offering our clients cut & stack labeling, pressure sensitive labels, roll-fed labeling, shrink sleeves as well as flexible packaging options. Contact us today at http://anchorprinting.com for all of your product label design, printing and packaging needs.

Anchor Printing

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Standing Out From The Competition

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Are you looking for ways to make your product stand out above the competition?  When shelves are lined with millions of products all claiming that they are better than the product sitting next to it what is it that helps you decide which one to choose?  A products label helps market your product at the exact moment, the point of sale, sell your product.

Labeling is one tool that manufacturers use to help bring awareness to products within your brand.  The label offers basic information such as the company name, business or product logo, information that is required by law and other important materials that are deemed important.  A truly effective label will catch consumer’s attention by standing out amongst its competition.  We have listed a number of tips below to help manufacturers design a custom product label that is truly successful.

Color is crucial when designing a product label.  The colors that are chosen for your label should reflect on your company goals while standing out without being too loud or distracting.  You may be thinking, “Whoa!” that’s a lot to ask out of the colors in your label.  Think about it though if the brand and company image is one of environmentally friendliness it’s natural to consider colors such as greens, browns and yellows.  If your brand commands authority consider choosing blues and red.

When choosing a font for your labels avoid the overused fonts such as Times New Roman or Papyrus.  Go for a font that is creative and reflects the unique characteristics that your product offers.  The font choice should reflect the personality of the brand while accentuating the product that is being sold.

One more think about font choice; be sure the font that you choose is easy to read.  If your label can’t be read at first glance most consumers won’t offer it a second chance.  Make sure that when choosing font you pick one or two compatible fonts that are easy on the eyes!

Using images is another way that label designers can make a products label stand out.  Graphic images are used to be eye catching and to draw attention away from the competition.  The images that are chosen should complement the text while avoiding distraction.  The image used should also make sense with your brand and product.

The type of material that is used in creating a label for your product needs to work with the overall design of the label.  There are a number of materials and types of labels to choose from including: cut & stack, pressure sensitive, roll-fed, shrink sleeves and flexible packaging.  Before moving too far into the design processes consider the best label material for your product.

With every decision in your business there are a million and one directions that you can turn.  A number of components working together can make any product successful and the opposite is true.  Make sure the components used to create your products label work together to ensure product success!

At Anchor Printing, we take pride in offering our clients cut & stack labeling, pressure sensitive labels, roll-fed labeling, shrink sleeves as well as flexible packaging options. Contact us today at http://anchorprinting.com for all of your product label design, printing and packaging needs.

Anchor Printing

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Elder Law Attorney’s Help Clients Avoid Probate

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

 

It’s true that as a society we work to avoid planning for the unpleasant inevitable, death.  It is easier to avoid the topic and go on about life living then to face the fact head on that eventually we will pass on and our families will continue to live without us.  However, if we plan ahead for what will happen to your property when you are no longer around it will save a great deal of time and money for those who you are leaving behind.  With a detailed estate plan in place you will ensure that your assets are dispersed accordingly.

Probate is the process that your assets will go through in observance of the terms set forth in your will often referred to as the probate litigation process.  This process is managed by your state’s probate court.  When assets are located outside of the state in which you live additional proceedings will take place in those states.  Assets that are jointly owned such as retirement benefits, life insurance proceeds, jointly owned property and bank account are considered non-probate assets.

Most people believe having a will in place will be enough to avoid probate but in reality this is not the case.  Any and all assets that you personally own even if intending to pass them on to your beneficiaries are subject to probate.  The process of probate is time consuming and tedious.  The rules that each state follows vary, rarely is probate proceeded with in a timely manner.  The process can take anywhere between three months to three years to resolve themselves depending on the state and size of your estate.  This is an exceptionally long time for your loved ones to wait to finalize your passing, especially if they need the income from the estate to settle your affairs in full.

The process of probate in itself is costly with various fees.  Of course the larger your estate the more potential there is for expense.  Smaller estates with properties outside of your state can become quite costly to settle.  Taking this all into consideration there are steps that individuals can take to avoid the probate process. Having the following in place can help your loved ones to avoid the often lengthy process of probate.

1)      Have a revocable living trust in place.

2)      Convert personal accounts and individual retirement accounts to pay on death accounts.

3)      Establish joint ownership for any and all property through any one of the following: joint tenancy, tenancy by the entirety and community property.

4)      Distribute property to loved ones before you pass away.  Gifts proceeding death do not undergo probate when you die.

5)      Benefit from small estate laws and provisions.  Reputable, local estate planning attorneys can help a great deal with this.

The Law Office of Sean J. Nichols is dedicated to assisting clients throughout legal issues that come with aging including: elder law, estate planning, probate law and more.  Check out the Law Office of Sean J. Nichols at http://www.seanjnichols.com to contact an estate attorney today.

Sean J. Nichols

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Benefits Of Outsourcing Medical Equipment Repairs

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

In medical facilities there is a great debate when it comes to outsourcing and the hospitals bottom line. Leaders within the biomedical equipment repair industry agree on the overwhelming advantages that come with outsourcing.  The advantages of outsourcing discussed within this article also apply to several other departments within the healthcare industry.  In order to achieve long term goals amongst deep budget cuts medical facilities must create a solid foundation in asset management across the board including medical equipment service strategies.

Three Major Benefits of Outsourcing Biomedical Equipment Repair and Maintenance Strategies

Lower Operating Expenses:  This seems like an obvious benefit of outsourcing but many individuals overlook it when evaluating the concept on a whole.  Outsourcing allows medical facilities to retain less personal, reducing operating expenses while increasing the results gained through experienced vendors.  Without the need to hire and train these highly specialized personnel resources labor and operating costs can be reduced.

Outsourcing leaves the vendors responsible for providing highly skilled, trained individuals to repair medical equipment at a moment’s notice.  These services can be paid for on an as needed basis instead of the facility being required to pay the salary and ongoing benefits that they would need to pay a full time biomedical equipment repair specialist.  Thus saving the facility the expense of recruiting, training and the exceptionally expensive extras involved in maintaining a staff of professionals to maintain, care for and repair specialized equipment similar to linear accelerators and CT scanners.

Quality: With the ongoing changes and growth in the technology of medical devices it is crucial to have access to biomed service technicians that are up to date on training and available immediately.  Qualified technicians are vital in keeping life saving equipment functioning properly and providing accurate test results.  Outsourcing allows medical facilities to contract skilled biomed equipment repair specialists to accurately maintain, efficiently diagnosis and repair equipment in a timely manner thus keeping life saving equipment functioning properly.

Capital Budgeting: In order for all businesses to function and grow it is vital that medical facilities, large or small, manage all of their assets, including personal, in an efficient manner.  It is crucial that in-house programs as well as those that are outsourced are prioritized.

There are so many ways in which it makes sense to outsource the area of biomed equipment repair services including lower operating expenses, quality technicians while assisting medical facilities of all sizes to remain vital and competitive.

Radparts is the world’s largest independent distributor of OEM replacement parts for Linear Accelerators and Radiation Oncology equipment.  We provide high quality, user friendly, low cost parts support for linear accelerators and radiation equipment.  For more information on low cost parts for repairing Linac equipment find us at http://www.radparts.com.

RadParts

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