SYDNEY, Aug. 19--AsiaNet/InfoQuest NZ ACQUISITION... AUCKLAND: Mercer Human Resource Consulting, a global leader for trusted human resources and related financial advice, products and services, Friday announced signing an agreement to acquire the shares of Watson Wyatt New Zealand Limited. PVB FILMS... ST. LOUIS, Mo.: Solutia Inc., the world's leading supplier of polyvinyl buytral (PVB) films for automotive, architectural and specialty laminated glazing applications, Friday announced it will increase the price of its Saflex and Vanceva brand PVB films by up to 10 percent globally from Oct. 1, 2005. http://www.Solutia.com http://www.saflex.com http://www.vanceva.com http://www.solutiaautomotive.com TOKYO BRANCH... CUPERTINO, Calif.: Proofpoint, Inc., the leader in large-enterprise messaging security solutions, Thursday announced the launch of its Japan operations and early momentum in the Japanese market. http://www.proofpoint.com PREVENTION PROGRAMS... CHELMSFORD, Mass.: Magellan Biosciences, a leading provider of advanced instruments, automated systems, point-of-care products, and consumables for biomedical research and clinical diagnostics worldwide, and its subsidiary, ESA Biosciences, Thursday announced that a high-level delegation from Beijing will visit Chelmsford, Massachusetts next week to learn about US public health policies and testing programs that are responsible for a reduction in childhood lead poisoning over the past 30 years. http://www.magellanbio.com AGREEMENT SIGNED... ATLANTA, Ga.: Global Payments Inc., a world leader in electronic transaction processing solutions, Thursday announced that MUZO, a.s., Global Payments' Prague-based, majority-owned subsidiary, has executed an agreement with BAWAG Bank to provide credit card issuing services including card management, card personalization, PIN printing and distribution, as well as card statement printing and distribution in the Czech Republic. http://www.globalpaymentsinc.com DATA PUBLICATION... SUNNYVALE, Calif.: Nuvelo Inc. Friday announced the publication of data from a study of NU206 (R-spondin1), a secreted protein in preclinical development, showing that it acts as a specific and potent stimulator of the human epithelial cells that line the gastrointestinal tract and mouth. http://www.kirin.co.jp http://www.nuvelo.com VOIP SOLUTIONS... SUNNYVALE, Calif.: Marvell, the leader in development of storage, communications, and consumer silicon solutions, Thursday announced a family of highly integrated VoIP solutions targeted at the rapidly growing, Internet voice communications market. http://www.marvell.com VALUABLE BRANDS... SINGAPORE: With a valuation of more than RMB 3.8 billion, "Power Dekor", the flagship product of Asia Dekor Holdings Limited, was ranked 160th among the "Top 500 Most Valuable Brands in China" announced by the World Brand Laboratory at the World Brand Summit in Beijing on 6 August 2005. (AsiaNet is a consortium of leading news agencies distributing unedited, translated news releases for worldwide clients. Visit www.asianetnews.net for full-text versions.)