function init() {
		//==========================================================================================
		// if supported, initialize TransMenus
		//==========================================================================================
		// Check isSupported() so that menus aren't accidentally sent to non-supporting browsers.
		// This is better than server-side checking because it will also catch browsers which would
		// normally support the menus but have javascript disabled.
		//
		// If supported, call initialize() and then hook whatever image rollover code you need to do
		// to the .onactivate and .ondeactivate events for each menu.
		//==========================================================================================
		if (TransMenu.isSupported()) {
			TransMenu.initialize();

			// hook all the highlight swapping of the main toolbar to menu activation/deactivation
			// instead of simple rollover to get the effect where the button stays hightlit until
			// the menu is closed.

			menu1.onactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_1").className = "products-over"; };
			menu1.ondeactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_1").className = "nav-link"; };

			menu2.onactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_2").className = "parts-services-over"; };
			menu2.ondeactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_2").className = "nav-link"; };

			menu3.onactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_3").className = "test-facilities-over"; };
			menu3.ondeactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_3").className = "nav-link"; };
			
			menu4.onactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_4").className = "remanufacturing-over"; };
			menu4.ondeactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_4").className = "nav-link"; };
			
			menu5.onactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_5").className = "company-over"; };
			menu5.ondeactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_5").className = "nav-link"; };
			
			menu6.onactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_6").className = "contact-us-over"; };
			menu6.ondeactivate = function() { document.getElementById("menu_6").className = "nav-link"; };
		}
	}

	// set up drop downs anywhere in the body of the page. I think the bottom of the page is better.. 
	// but you can experiment with effect on loadtime.
	if (TransMenu.isSupported()) {

		//==================================================================================================
		// create a set of dropdowns
		//==================================================================================================
		// the first param should always be down, as it is here
		//
		// The second and third param are the top and left offset positions of the menus from their actuators
		// respectively. To make a menu appear a little to the left and bottom of an actuator, you could use
		// something like -5, 5
		//
		// The last parameter can be .topLeft, .bottomLeft, .topRight, or .bottomRight to inidicate the corner
		// of the actuator from which to measure the offset positions above. Here we are saying we want the 
		// menu to appear directly below the bottom left corner of the actuator
		//==================================================================================================
		var ms = new TransMenuSet(TransMenu.direction.down, 1, 0, TransMenu.reference.bottomLeft);

		//==================================================================================================
		// create a dropdown menu
		//==================================================================================================
		// the first parameter should be the HTML element which will act actuator for the menu
		//==================================================================================================
		var menu1 = ms.addMenu(document.getElementById("menu_1"));

		menu1.addItem("Mixers", "/products/mixers/");

		var submenu10 = menu1.addMenu(menu1.items[0]);
		submenu10.addItem("Internal Intensive", "/products/mixers/internal_intensive/");
		submenu10.addItem("Tilt & Discharge", "/products/mixers/tilt_discharge/");
		submenu10.addItem("Lab Mixers", "/products/mixers/lab_mixers/");

		menu1.addItem("Rotors", "/products/rotors/");

		var submenu11 = menu1.addMenu(menu1.items[1]);
		submenu11.addItem("Tangential", "/products/rotors/tangential/");
		submenu11.addItem("Intermeshing", "/products/rotors/intermeshing/");

		menu1.addItem("Tire Curing Presses", "/products/presses/");

		menu1.addItem("Mills & Calenders", "/products/mills_calendars/");

		var submenu13 = menu1.addMenu(menu1.items[3]);
		submenu13.addItem("Calenders", "/products/mills_calendars/calendar/");
		submenu13.addItem("Mills", "/products/mills_calendars/mills/");
		submenu13.addItem("Lab Mills", "/products/mills_calendars/lab_mills/");

		menu1.addItem("Twin Screw Roller", "/products/extruders/");

		var submenu14 = menu1.addMenu(menu1.items[4]);
		submenu14.addItem("Twin Screw Roller Head Extruder", "/products/extruders/twin_screw_roller_head/");

		menu1.addItem("Lab Equipment", "/products/lab_equipment/");

		var submenu15 = menu1.addMenu(menu1.items[5]);
		submenu15.addItem("Mixers", "/products/mixers/lab_mixers/");
		submenu15.addItem("Mills", "/products/mills_calendars/lab_mills/");

		menu1.addItem("Plastic Mixers & Extruders", "/products/plastic_mixers_extruders/");

		menu1.addItem("Tire Uniformity", "/products/tire_uniformity/");

		var submenu17 = menu1.addMenu(menu1.items[7]);
		submenu17.addItem("TUM Passenger Car (PC)", "/products/tire_uniformity/pcuxrp6/");
		submenu17.addItem("TUM Truck Bus (TB)", "/products/tire_uniformity/tbuxrp2/");

		menu1.addItem("Controllers", "/products/controllers/");

		var submenu18 = menu1.addMenu(menu1.items[8]);
		submenu18.addItem("NMC", "/products/controllers/nmc/");
		//==================================================================================================

		//==================================================================================================
		var menu2 = ms.addMenu(document.getElementById("menu_2"));

		menu2.addItem("Spare Parts", "/parts_services/spare_parts/");

		var submenu20 = menu2.addMenu(menu2.items[0]);
		submenu20.addItem("Service Assistance", "/parts_services/spare_parts/service_assistance/");
		//==================================================================================================

		//==================================================================================================
		var menu3 = ms.addMenu(document.getElementById("menu_3"));

		menu3.addItem("KSBI Facilities", "/test_facilities/facilities/");

		var submenu30 = menu3.addMenu(menu3.items[0]);
		submenu30.addItem("BB Intensive Mixer", "/test_facilities/facilities/bb_intensive_mixer/");
		submenu30.addItem("TSR 125 Roller Head Extruder", "/test_facilities/facilities/tsr_125_roller_head_extruder/");
		submenu30.addItem("10\" X 10\" X 20\" Mill", "/test_facilities/facilities/10_x_10_x_20_mill/");
		submenu30.addItem("Downstream Equipment", "/test_facilities/facilities/downstream_equipment/");
		submenu30.addItem("Laboratory Support Equipment", "/test_facilities/facilities/laboratory_support_equipment/");
		//==================================================================================================

		//==================================================================================================
		var menu4 = ms.addMenu(document.getElementById("menu_4"));

		menu4.addItem("Rebuilding", "/remanufacturing/rebuilding/");

		menu4.addItem("Components", "/remanufacturing/components/");

		menu4.addItem("Assemblies", "/remanufacturing/assemblies/");
		//==================================================================================================

		//==================================================================================================
		var menu5 = ms.addMenu(document.getElementById("menu_5"));

		menu5.addItem("Ads & Articles", "/company/articles/");

		menu5.addItem("History", "/company/history/");

		menu5.addItem("Locations", "/company/location/");

		var submenu52 = menu5.addMenu(menu5.items[2]);
		submenu52.addItem("Directions", "/company/location/directions/");

		menu5.addItem("News", "/company/news.php");

		menu5.addItem("Brochures", "/company/brochures/");
		//==================================================================================================

		//==================================================================================================
		var menu6 = ms.addMenu(document.getElementById("menu_6"));

		menu6.addItem("Request Information", "/contact_us/contact_form.php");

		menu6.addItem("Key Contacts", "/contact_us/key_contacts.php");

		menu6.addItem("Links to Kobelco Companies", "/contact_us/links_to_kobelco_companies.php");
		//==================================================================================================

		//==================================================================================================
		// write drop downs into page
		//==================================================================================================
		// this method writes all the HTML for the menus into the page with document.write(). It must be
		// called within the body of the HTML page.
		//==================================================================================================
		TransMenu.renderAll();
	}