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H.B. Fuller Acquires Electronics R&D Firm Engent
H.B. Fuller said Monday that it has acquired Engent, Inc., a provider of manufacturing and research and development services to the electronics industry.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
H.B. Fuller, a Vadnais Heights-based manufacturer of industrial adhesives, said that the acquisition will add new development and testing capabilities and help it to better serve the growing electronics market. Norcross, Georgia-based Engent provides microelectronics development, testing, and manufacturing services to the military, medical, and industrial sectors.
“With this acquisition, we add advanced application technology, people, and process knowledge that will enhance our growing business in electronics,” H.B. Fuller President and CEO Jim Owens said in a statement.
H.B. Fuller currently provides adhesives to electronics manufacturers. The company plans to bring its customers to Engent’s manufacturing facility in order to demonstrate how H.B. Fuller’s adhesives products can be integrated into the manufacturing process, according to spokeswoman Kimberlee Sinclair.
H.B. Fuller is one of Minnesota’s 30-largest public companies based on revenue, which totaled $1.6 billion in its most recently completed fiscal year. The company did not specify Engent’s annual sales but said that it generated less than $10 million in revenue in 2011.
Shares of the company’s stock were trading up 1 percent at $33.43 early Tuesday afternoon.
H.B. Fuller has recently increased its emphasis on adhesives. Last year, it acquired Liquid Polymer Corporation, a small Ohio-based adhesive maker. It also bought the industrial adhesives business of Switzerland-based Forbo Group for $394 million.
Last month, H.B. Fuller sold its paints business for $120 million.


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Prospect of rate cut sees pound tumble
The pound slumped again today amid fresh expectations of a cut in interest rates, possibly next week.
Yesterday's shocking report from the Bank of England, which predicted banks will massively rein in how much they lend to people, put the markets on red alert ahead for a second rate cut in as many months.
Economist fear that, if the banks scale back their lending, it will have a dramatic impact on the amount of consumer spending and the already stagnating property market.
Today's regional survey from the Nationwide building society showing London house prices cooling served to stoke up those concerns. That could ease serious worries among the members of the Bank's monetary policy committee about inflation and make them prepared to cut rates beyond the current 5.5%.
However, with the oil price rocketing, and agricultural goods inflation pushing up the price of groceries, next Thursday's decision by the MPC is far from certain.
But most economists think there will be at least one quarter percentage point cut in the first three months of the year. Predicting such cuts, investors have pushed the pound repeatedly to all-time lows against the euro in recent sessions. It has also fallen back spectacularly against the heights it saw before Christmas against the dollar.
Today sterling was down 0.16 of a cent at $1.9694 and off 0.05p against the euro at 74.75p.
'General bearishness regarding sterling is being perpetuated again today,' said Jeremy Stretch, strategist at Rabobank.
'There are concerns about the interest rate environment and at the same time there are inflationary pressures, so the balancing act for the Bank of England is getting more difficult.'
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Hoteliers in the region are targeting global and domestic demand, rather than intra-regional tourism, sources said.
GLOBAL REPORT—Concern over the eurozone credit crunch is casting a shadow over most of the intrinsically linked Eastern European economies, but a changing guest landscape gives the hospitality sector a reason to look to the future with optimism.
The winning recipe seems to be a mix of global and domestic demand, rather than intra-regional tourism, sources said.
STR Global, sister company to HotelNewsNow.com, identifies Eastern Europe as comprising the following countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.
“The economic crisis left its mark on the Eastern European travel and tourism industry with arrival numbers down by 5.6% in 2009 … (and hotels hit by) decreased visitors in combination with dropping (average daily rate),” said Mantas Kaluina, Euromonitor International’s senior research analyst for travel and tourism.
But the hospitality industry since has been on a recovery path. Arrivals grew by 7.2% last year, earning Eastern Europe the title of the strongest performer globally, according to Euromonitor.
“Recovery in the hotel sector started with an increase in occupancy, as well as rising ADR, which also led to a 12% growth in hotel retail values in 2011. However, they haven’t reached pre-crisis levels yet,” Kaluina added.
Swings in performance should be taken with a grain of salt, said Sophie Perret, an associate director in HVS’ London. Some of the declines in certain markets, such as in St. Petersburg, Russia were artificially large, “so any bounce back would be similarly dramatic.”
Still, a rebound across the broader Eastern European region is tangible.
According to STR Global occupancy in Eastern Europe increased 2.7% to 60.4% year to date through September. Absolute occupancy is the lowest among Europe, although not by much.
During the same period, ADR in euro terms increased 6.2% to €89.14 ($114.25) and RevPAR increased 9% to €53.82 ($68.98).
“I reckon occupancy and ADR will stabilize or continue growing slowly. The region is now getting a lot of traveler demand from the Middle East and Asia. Before it was mainly the U.S. and Western Europe,” said Frédéric Le Fichoux, associate partner and head of hospitality Central and Eastern Europe for Cushman & Wakefield.
Hilton Worldwide, which operates several hotels in Eastern Europe, reported positive growth in both RevPAR and rate as well for its brands Hilton Resorts & Hotels, DoubleTree by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn in the region, according to Didier Martin, assistant VP Eastern Europe, Israel, Russia and Turkey at Hilton.
Istanbul, on the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Asia, is one of its winning destinations, benefiting from significant convention business.
HVS International’s “2012 European Hotel Valuation Index” points to a bright future for Russia’s hotel performance as well. Commodity prices and business activity are up as the country prepares for the FIFA World Cup 2018 with airport expansions and relaxed visa regulations.
“Russia accounts for one-third of the region’s hotel market, and with only 10,000 hotels the market is undersupplied. In contrast take Bulgaria, which is experiencing an oversupply with 3,500 properties,” Le Fichoux said.
Hilton, which recently published a report titled “Balancing Russia’s Tourism Deficit: A Report on the Future of the Industry,” found that tourist spend in Russia could double to more than $15 billion by 2016. Russia, together with Turkey, holds the chain’s largest European hotel development pipelines.
“In Russia and Turkey, our mid-priced brands Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton by Hilton have been particularly popular in secondary and tertiary cities,” Martin said.
Concerns over consumer spending
Still, economic experts remain concerned about sluggish consumer spending, despite earlier forecasts setting growth in the double digits compared to the West’s single-digit figure for the period of 2011 to 2015. Eastern Europe’s gross domestic product is also expected to grow faster than in the West, thanks to lower unemployment rates, according to Euromonitor.
Frédéric Le Fichoux
Cushman & Wakefield
“Whether the current and future economic woes will lead to a drop in demand as in Western Europe, probably yes, but Central Europe is always six months behind the West in terms of reaction,” Le Fichoux said.
But it is difficult to paint the region with one brush. While Romania and Latvia already suffer from large budget deficits, Russia and Poland are able to weather many storms thanks to large domestic markets.
Hilton sees opportunities at both ends of the scale. “The likes of Poland and Romania are exciting destinations where our portfolio of brands are being actively sought to provide greater choice to guests,” Martin said.
Countries such as the Czech Republic, Croatia and Hungary, which are mostly visited by Western Europeans, are benefitting from the influx of travelers from the Middle East and Asia. Inbound tourism from further afield versus intra-regional demand is vital for hotel performance to pick up.
“There is quite a bit of cross-border travel between Hungary, Ukraine and Slovakia, locals going to neighboring countries for a cheap vacation, but it’s all low-cost, secondary-type of accommodation,” Le Fichoux said.
Interested in international demand
According to Euromonitor, the five largest Eastern European countries in terms of inbound tourism are:
- Russia, which attracts visitors from the Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan;
- the Ukraine (Russia, Moldova and Poland);
- the Czech Republic (Poland, Germany and Russia);
- Hungary (Germany, Romania and Austria); and
- Croatia (Germany, Italy and Slovenia).
Hilton, which has hotels in several of these countries, including Russia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria, counts international travelers as a large proportion of its business in major gateway cities.
“We see a higher level of domestic business in less well-known locations such as Gdansk in Poland and Konya in Turkey, which are less visited by international travelers but often hidden gems,” Martin said.
Most intra-regional travelers typically visit friends and family and thus do not stay in hotels at all, Kaluina pointed out, although Russians do favor adjacent markets over Europe, due to the difficulty of obtaining visas for “Schengen” countries, which are countries in Europe where transiting from one country to another is done without border controls.
“They only stay for a few days and don’t dine out often. As a result their average spending is much smaller compared to Western European tourists,” he said.
And many of the Eastern Europeans who do have coveted discretionary income are using it to venture out of the region via a wider choice of flights, packages and online deals.
“The purchasing power of Eastern Europeans in general is actually improving, and they have more choice than just to visit Bulgaria. For example, new flights have opened up so they tend to visit Morocco or Egypt,” Le Fichoux said.
This leaves Eastern Europe really no choice than to turn the tables by likewise attracting foreigners into their region. “Many of these markets would have relied, historically, on national and regional travelers, whereas now they are rapidly increasing their source markets through marketing and relaxing visa requirements,” Perret said.
Poland has jumped onto this bandwagon, albeit from a more favorable starting position. The country sailed through the economic crisis and now boasts a strong domestic market. Warsaw’s RevPAR in 2011 topped 12% and hotel values increased by 9%, according to HVS International.
“Poland is taking the lead in the region as it hasn’t suffered from GDP correction, the demand is generated from local guests. Warsaw receives mainly corporate travelers and has held up well during the crisis with an average occupancy of 55%, due to an oversupply of hotels,” Le Fichoux said.
Poland’s year-to-date occupancies hover just above the Eastern European average at 61.2% after posting year-to-date growth of 2.9%, according to STR Global. Although Warsaw saw little movement through September, it is still outperforming the region in general with occupancy of 68.6%.
Le Fichoux highlighted Prague and Budapest as the next two strongest performers in the region. Both markets saw year-to-date RevPAR increases of 10% or more in local currencies, according to STR Global.
“There was a hotel price war in these countries during the crisis, causing a drop in ADR. But since 2010 Prague improved, followed by Budapest. Occupancy picked up, and ADR stabilized. The recovery was led by occupancy to a point not far from pre-crisis levels but still very far away in terms of ADR,” Le Fichoux said.
Looking ahead to the future, the opportunity for further growth requires a unified approach toward addressing key issues, “such as transport infrastructure, visa processing and destination promotion,” according to Hilton’s Martin.
LONDON—Poland hosted the most hotel transactions during the past year and remains a top pick for investment activity, according to HVS International’s “2012 European Hotel Valuation Index.”
“The volume of transactions might be a result of the country’s strong economic performance throughout the recession (within the European context that is), which I believe is a similar case for other types of assets in this market as well. As a result of this, both debt and equity has been available and deals have been done,” said Sophie Perret, an associate director in HVS’ London.
Poland managed to maintain interest in hotel investment during the downturn, while very few assets changed hands throughout the rest of Central and Eastern Europe.
“A lot are below 100 keys, which are simply not interesting to brand by international hotel operators. Poland is probably an exception with Accor having taking over Orbis, in a strategic acquisition but continuing to operate the properties under that name,” said Frédéric Le Fichoux, associate partner and head of hospitality Central and Eastern Europe for Cushman & Wakefield.
He also highlighted Budapest and Prague as two additional countries that are ripe for investment.
“Prague and Budapest are also quite strong markets with a good mix of demand. There is an opportunity now to pick up a hotel at a good price with yields promising good income growth,” Le Fichoux said.
But investment is expected to increase throughout the region.
“(Central and Eastern Europe) should be enjoying more transactions in 2013,” Le Fichoux said.


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Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) Shares Bought by CIBC Asset Management Inc
CIBC Asset Management Inc increased its position in Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) by 2.8% during the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 17,699 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 489 shares during the period. CIBC Asset Management Inc’s holdings in Hasbro were worth $1,974,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
A number of other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its stake in Hasbro by 5.4% in the first quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 12,186,806 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,216,486,000 after buying an additional 622,946 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. boosted its position in shares of Hasbro by 1,141.5% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 9,179,728 shares of the company’s stock worth $916,321,000 after buying an additional 8,440,294 shares during the last quarter. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its position in shares of Hasbro by 2.4% in the first quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 5,474,161 shares of the company’s stock worth $546,431,000 after buying an additional 127,849 shares during the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its position in shares of Hasbro by 1.0% in the first quarter. State Street Corp now owns 5,013,445 shares of the company’s stock worth $500,457,000 after buying an additional 49,888 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN boosted its position in shares of Hasbro by 7.1% in the first quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 2,741,570 shares of the company’s stock worth $273,664,000 after buying an additional 182,384 shares during the last quarter. 78.23% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) opened at 101.43 on Wednesday. Hasbro, Inc. has a 52 week low of $76.14 and a 52 week high of $116.20. The firm has a market cap of $12.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.97 and a beta of 0.90. The company has a 50-day moving average of $110.10 and a 200 day moving average of $100.89.
Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS) last announced its earnings results on Monday, July 24th. The company reported $0.53 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.07. Hasbro had a return on equity of 32.24% and a net margin of 11.44%. The business had revenue of $972.51 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $974.19 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $0.41 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.6% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts predict that Hasbro, Inc. will post $5.07 earnings per share for the current year.
The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, November 15th. Investors of record on Wednesday, November 1st will be paid a dividend of $0.57 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, October 31st. This represents a $2.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.25%. Hasbro’s dividend payout ratio is currently 49.35%.
A number of equities analysts have recently commented on the stock. Stifel Nicolaus reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $108.00 target price on shares of Hasbro in a report on Thursday, August 3rd. DA Davidson reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $121.00 target price (up from $118.00) on shares of Hasbro in a report on Saturday, July 22nd. Jefferies Group LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $125.00 target price on shares of Hasbro in a report on Friday, July 21st. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Hasbro from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 target price on the stock in a report on Friday, July 14th. Finally, BidaskClub raised shares of Hasbro from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Saturday, July 8th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $106.69.
In related news, CEO Brian Goldner sold 205,656 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, July 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $105.69, for a total transaction of $21,735,782.64. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 354,891 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $37,508,429.79. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, EVP Wiebe Tinga sold 25,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $104.01, for a total value of $2,600,250.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 85,630 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,906,376.30. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 814,917 shares of company stock valued at $86,222,617 in the last ninety days. Company insiders own 11.00% of the company’s stock.
Hasbro Company Profile
Hasbro, Inc (Hasbro) is a play and entertainment company. The Company’s operating segments include the U.S. and Canada, International, and Entertainment and Licensing. From toys and games to content development, including television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a consumer products licensing program, Hasbro fulfills the fundamental need for play and connection for children and families around the world.
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Car Vending Machines or Mechanised Parking Lots - DirectAsia
Thu, 05/15/2014 - 14:52
Relative late comers to the world of the personal automobile, the Chinese now embrace the car with real gusto. By the end of the decade there will be 200 million vehicles in China, a huge leap from the current estimate of 120 million. But as anyone who has experienced the air pollution in ever-growing cities such as Beijing or Shanghai will know, it is clear that the environment – and the general population – is already under huge strain from the vast emissions that go hand-in-hand with mass vehicle use.
Enter, Kandi Car
But there’s no turning back to the days when China’s transport system was based on the bicycle and the scooter. And so Kandi Car, a bold new car sharing network concept being rolled out in Hangzhou, eastern China, is perhaps all the more important to help the country deal with such challenges.
Pick Up and Drop Off in Different Locations
Operating in much the same way as bicycle sharing schemes in New York, London and Barcelona, the new network will allow citizens of Hangzhou to rent a car from one of hundreds of garages, and then drop it off at a garage near their destination. This one-way rental facility sets it apart from regular rentals, as does the speed at which a car can be picked up and dropped off. If an individual has a meeting to attend, for example, they can return their vehicle beforehand – at the nearest outlet –and avoid clocking up rental fees while the car is not in use.
Cheap, Hassle Free and Plentiful
Not that the rental fees are exorbitant; at US$3.25 per hour, renting a Kandi Aar is a cost effective option, and as far as many Hangzhou citizens are concerned, is far preferable to the hassle and cost of actually owning a car; no maintenance, no car insurance – not even any petrol to deal with. And there will be plenty of cars to go round if the firm have their way; 100,000 vehicles are planned, being housed in garages with capacity for 30 to 300 cars.
50mph Top Speed
But these cars will be work horses, and won’t be imbued with the status boosting power of the latest Lexus or Range Rover. These automobiles – built in partnership with Chinese automaker Geely – will have more in common with the Mercedes-Benz Smart Car, powered by electricity and able to hit a maximum of just 50mph. But while that may seem modest, most of Hangzhou’s roads have speed limits of just 30mph.
One of the major stumbling blocks of the electric car, however, has been how to charge the batteries easily, quickly and efficiently. Kandi Car, in common with American electric car builder Tesla, has opted for a simple solution: when a battery is dead, it will be swapped for a fully charged one, and the empty cell will be re-charged later on at a Kandi Car garage.
Arguably, one of the biggest issues this system addresses is parking. If the Chinese warm to this idea and shun the idea of owning their own vehicle, they will not have to deal with the constant question of where to park their car – which is as big a problem in Hangzhou as any large global city. With hundreds of proposed Kandi outlets, being able to return one's rental should be quick and easy – and finding a parking space will become a thing of the past (at least as far as the customer is concerned, if not the Kandi Car staff!). Automated systems are likely to underpin the entire Kandi network, in a similar way as bicycle-sharing systems work in the cities mentioned above.
Vending Machine Car Rentals in Singapore?
Harnessing automated systems in making car use more efficient, more cost effective and more environmentally friendly is a priority for Singapore's authorities too. But there are currently no plans to introduce a ‘car vending machine’ rental network in Singapore. Given the substantial cost of owning a car here, some might be very attracted to the idea of a low-cost car sharing network such as this. And with a similar scheme being developed in the United States by Tesla Motors, the movement for more efficient inner city car travel is getting stronger as each year passes, and as ever increasing pressure is applied to the world’s road networks.
Mechanised Parking Lots
But while such a network might be given short shrift by Singapore’s authorities, there are at least plans to begin automating the parking process. Pilot mechanised parking lots are to be built in three HDB estates with a view to address car parking shortages. In such a building, once a car owner has parked their vehicle on a lift and exited on foot, the car is automatically transported to the most appropriate parking space.
The notion of mechanised car parks may seem futuristic to some of us, but they have been used in Japan and South Korea for some years, and have helped fast-track car parking – a process that, when done the old-fashioned way, can be extremely time consuming – as many Singaporeans will know only too well.
So while we may not be able to rent an electric car in the CBD for a few dollars and hour anytime soon, introducing automated parking lots in Singapore should at least mean we car owners can spend more time socialising and shopping and less time hunting down a parking space.
What Do You Think?
Would you like to see a car sharing network like Kandi Car in Singapore? Or do you think the current COE system works well? And do you think mechanised parking lots will make parking quicker and more efficient?
As always, tell us what you think below.


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Auto manufacturer Honda Motorcycle and Scooter has hiked the prices of its entire range of two-wheelers by up to Rs. 800. The prices of the vehicles have been hiked due to the impact of the prices of diesel.
Y S Guleria, the vice president of sales and marketing at Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India said, “We have hiked the prices of all our models by Rs 200-800 from April 1. It is done mainly because of the impact of diesel price increase in recent times”. The hike in prices of diesel results in a rise in the freight charges which has done a major effect on all the expenditures.
Guleria went on to say that the insurance charges have also been increased, due to which they decided to pass on some burden to the consumers. After the hike, three popular vehicles of the company, namely the Activa, Dio and the Aviator have been priced between Rs. 44,718 and Rs. 53,547.
The current range of the eight of the vehicles which are locally manufactured are now priced between Rs. 45,101 and Rs. 1.77 lakh. Honda, on April 17, 2013 launched its new motorcycle Dream Neo, which has been priced at Rs. 43,150. This has made it the cheapest two-wheeler in the country. The prices of the vehicles are ex-showroom price New Delhi.


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Drought could force Alberta ranchers to thin their herds further in a desperate attempt to stay in business, the latest blow to a reeling industry.
Alberta’s 1.85-million-head herd of beef cattle will likely shrink by at least 10 per cent and as much as 28 per cent this year, said Kevin Boon, vice-chairman of Alberta Beef Producers.
A cold spring topped by drought has stunted pasture growth, but the biggest concern is a shortage of winter feed, he said. Multiple late frosts this spring damaged the hay crop and some farmers have had to graze cattle on hayland because of the poor condition of pastures.
“We’re in very serious trouble,” said Boon, who raises 100 head of cattle west of Edmonton.
The price of hay, currently $60 to $70 per tonne, could double this year, Boon said, but short supply is a bigger concern than price. Saskatchewan is also coping with drought and poor pasture growth.
Alberta’s herd declined 11 per cent in the past year. Cattle farmers are already borrowing against their equity to stay afloat, while smaller producers have been liquidating their herds altogether, Boon said.
Farmers would cull herds even faster but weak demand has prompted auction marts to stagger deliveries to ensure the market isn’t flooded with cattle, said Scott McKinnon, market analyst with Canfax.
Many farmers are selling cow-calf pairs at a discount, instead of waiting until the calves are old enough to separate and sell at a higher price, said Ken Ziegler, a beef specialist with the Alberta government.
Farmers were getting $1,150 to $1,400 per pair on May 9 before the drought took hold, but received as little as $775 on June 5 at auction due to a glut of cattle for sale, he said.


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Producer Groups can help address the dominance and lack of competition of the powerful processors and retailers, which is driving the beef industry to its knees, the National Beef Association (NBA) has said.
Groups of farmers have a long-standing tradition of organising themselves in agricultural cooperatives.
Following the promotion of transparency and Producer Groups in the UK Agricultural Bill, the NBA believes these cooperatives are now essential in bringing the balance of power back to the centre instead of being totally with the processor.
Chris Mallon, NBA chief executive explains: “Producer Groups can concentrate supply and improve the marketing of products, optimise production costs, carry out research and share and disseminate their individual experiences to the wider co-operative.
“If new Groups have any chance of being able to stand up to the dominance of the powerful retailers and processors, they will require ongoing support, especially in the early years. They need to be looking towards direct contracts with retailers, creating a distinct brand to build up a consistent quality of product,” he adds.
The NBA says both future and present groups should consider how they sell their stock, moving away from bid prices on a Friday, and towards tenders with processors and direct contracts with retailers. Any new Producer Groups would also need to be well funded and organised, with potential to be marketing a significant percentage of UK cattle, perhaps over 40%.
“Farmers need to start to control the supply of cattle, and work together, if they want to have a future supplying beef,” says Mr Mallon. “Size matters, and as we see at the moment, no one farmer matters on their own.
“Producer groups will need to be farmer-owned and independent of the processor and retailer. Retailer and processor owned groups only satisfy the needs of those who ultimately control it and that is not the farmer,” he adds.
The NBA says independence from those further up the food chain is critical, and any relationship needs to be under normal commercial rules. The day of farmers giving over their commercially sensitive information to third parties needs to end.
“Giving over your costs only drives down the price. We need to take back control by coming together and sticking together for the common good,” concludes Mr Mallon.
The National Beef Association remains the only dedicated voice for British Beef Farmers. Its mission is to continually promote and support the UK beef industry at all levels, including the organisation of Beef Expo event every year. The organisation also engages with the Government and Devolved Administrations to defend the interest of beef farmers across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.


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Half of us think recycling and reusable mean the same thing, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that 76% of the country are completely clueless about what circular design and economy is, despite the fact it’s billed to be the next, and permanent, trend in green sustainability.
On average, 1 in 5 people would simply throw their reusable cup in any bin once they were done with it, rather than recycle, creating a long-term issue for landfill.
The findings come from new research conducted by Circular&Co, which also discovered that on average, Brits have 3 reusable coffee cups at home, which they never use. Of those of us that own a reusable cup, 3 in 4 still confess to using disposable plastic or single-use cups on a frequent basis and make little effort to change our ways due to laziness or ease. All of which create a plastic nightmare for landfill, by well-meaning public who think they are doing ‘their bit’.
According to the Environmental Audit Committee, approximately 2.5 billion coffee cups are discarded after one use each year in the UK - enough to stretch around the world roughly five and a half times. However, less than 1 in 400 are recycled.
A British inventor is leading the way in tackling the issue with circular thinking. Circular design involves extending the life of our resources so we can constantly reuse and stop waste from harming our oceans and polluting the planet, creating a circular loop. This means material is constantly repurposed, rather than ending up in landfill.
The British Coffee Association stated that in the UK alone we drink 95 million cups of coffee a day. Without using sustainably sourced materials, those cups go directly into landfills or oceans. With circular design, this creates the opportunity to repurpose the used cups into new, reusable ones.
Expert in the field Dan Dicker is a former Dyson product designer turned inventor and circular design guru. Dicker works with government bodies on policy change, driving regulations and support for those operating in circular design. Japan, Netherlands, and Wales are world-leading in circular reform, with many calling on the UK government to follow suit. Founder of Cornish based Circular&Co., Dicker and his team have been providing advice for nearly 18 years to some of the globe’s largest brands, including McDonald’s and Starbucks. Dicker is on a mission to educate and inspire everyone to rethink the way products are made and how they last.
Dicker comments “The problem of plastic and single-use cups isn’t going away on its own, nor is it an easy battle to win. However, the key to problem solving is finding the source, and we are all guilty of ‘carefree consumption’ even during our daily routines. It’s common for us to pick up a cup and throw it away on our way to work without a second thought of the bigger picture - where will it end up? How could we have acted differently? We need to move away from this carefree mentality to a conscious culture. We all have busy lives, but that doesn’t mean we can't be busy and sustainable at the same time.”
With the way things currently are, we are predicted to throw away a third more takeaway cups by 2030, rocketing our plastic waste up by 20% . This will continue to cause irreversible damage to our ecosystems of the future.
Dicker continues, “Circular design and lifestyle is easy to integrate into our daily lives, whether it be using a circular cup, buying sustainably sourced clothing or opting to ‘mend and make do’; look for products and companies using this model, educate yourself on the changes you can make to give your products a circular lifespan, and support initiatives that will give our planet the best chance of survival. Giving us the best chance of sustaining our lifestyles- the circular way.”


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It's been a hot minute since we looked at a controller for review, but the Brook Vivid controller for the Nintendo Switch caught our eye!
Today Idea Factory International released a new trailer for the upcoming Neptunia: Sisters VS Sisters and pre-order details!
Thursday, October 13th, 2022
The Abyss is full of death!
Thursday, October 6th, 2022
Spike Chunsoft has released a statement saying that CHAOS;HEAD NOAH will be launching on Steam after all.
Tuesday, August 9th, 2022
The trailer provides an overview of the game including the basics of exploration and how to fight.
Saturday, July 2nd, 2022
Chaos;Head Noah Coming to Steam
Wednesday, June 1st, 2022
Spike Chunsoft has announced their upcoming release of Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness will be in September.
Thursday, May 19th, 2022
The game launches this summer for Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Tuesday, May 10th, 2022
The delay is due to unforeseen manufacturing delays and global shipping slowdowns.
Tuesday, April 12th, 2022
Spike Chunsoft has released details about their upcoming release of Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness.
Monday, April 4th, 2022
Spike Chunsoft has announced that Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness will be coming to PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Stea
Thursday, March 10th, 2022
Ready to get your mind blown?
Thursday, January 27th, 2022
In addition to announcing the release date, Spike Chunsoft has also put out a new story trailer.
Tuesday, December 14th, 2021
NIS America has released a story trailer for their upcoming Switch release of Crystar.
Monday, November 22nd, 2021
Spike Chunsoft has revealed new details about their upcoming release of Made in Abyss: Binary Star Falling into Darkness.
Thursday, September 30th, 2021
You can either play the game via Xbox Game Pass or you can purchase a digital copy.
Monday, July 19th, 2021
Will you picking up a physical copy of Danganronpa Decadence?
Tuesday, June 15th, 2021
Spike Chunsoft has already announced two different physical editions that'll be available for purchase.
Wednesday, May 5th, 2021
Down into the Abyss we go!
Friday, December 4th, 2020
Prepare for another adventure with Subaru and the gang.
Wednesday, August 5th, 2020
Hack, Slash, Parry, Repeat!
Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc is available for smartphone devices, right now!


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Shopee Indonesia launched the Shopee Export MSME Campus in Bandung, West Java.
Jakarta, TechnoBusiness ID (English Edition) ● Shopee Indonesia, a leading e-commerce company in Indonesia from Singapore, on Thursday (5/8) launched the MSME Shopee Export Campus in Bandung, West Java.
The launch of the MSME Shopee Export Campus, which is located in a three-story building in the Pasirluyu area, aims to bring micro, small, and medium enterprises in West Java to become an exporter.
In launching the Shopee Export MSME Campus, Shopee Indonesia is collaborating with the West Java Government – which targets 10,000 MSMEs to be able to export with Shopee by 2022.
In addition, Shopee Indonesia and the Government of West Java are also collaborating to develop the Shopee Vocational Curriculum Program for more than 200 Vocational High Schools through 400 teachers and 2,200 students.
The Shopee Vocational Curriculum provides hands-on teaching and training on digital business development. Then, giving graduates the opportunity to take part in an internship program at Shopee.
“As part of the realization of Curriculum 4.0 for empowering and developing the quality of human resources, SMK students in West Java will receive the Shopee curriculum, namely the digital entrepreneurship curriculum,” said West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil.
This is a continuation of Shopee Indonesia’s commitment to supporting the growth of West Java MSMEs through West Java MSMEs Go Digital and distributing computers to rural areas via the Shopee Center.
“Today, we inaugurated the Shopee Center headquarters in West Java, namely the MSME Shopee Export Bandung Campus,” said Christin Djuarto, Executive Director of Shopee Indonesia, on Thursday (5/8).
So far, Shopee Indonesia has recorded an increase in daily transactions of up to six times in half a year (June 2020-January 2021) in the Shopee Export Program.
As of February, Shopee’s Export Program has exported 1.5 million local merchant products to Malaysia, Singapore and the Philippines. A month later, it expanded to Thailand, Vietnam, and Brazil.
Christin added that collaboration with the West Java Government is one of Shopee Indonesia’s contributions in producing 500,000 new exporters by 2030.
Jeffrey Bahar, Group Deputy CEO of Spire Research and Consulting, assessed that Shopee Indonesia’s move was very good, namely not only making Indonesia a market, but also an export player.
Also Read: Multipolar Technology Offers MailApp App
“It must be admitted that the movement of e-commerce players to help Indonesian MSMEs go global occurred after there was encouragement from a number of parties not to just make Indonesia a market,” he said.
This movement will be very good if all e-commerce players do it. Shopee, who understands the Southeast Asian market, said Jeffrey, is very likely to turn Indonesia from an importer to an exporter.●
—Purjono Agus Suhendro, TechnoBusiness ID ● Photo: Shopee Indonesia
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At a time when European citizens were reflecting on their vote and who will be sitting in the next European Parliament, COTANCE member associations and their tanners gathered to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of their common representative body. They chose for this Paris where COTANCE was born and the Auditorium of the Académie de l’Agriculture de France for the open session of the Assembly General.
COTANCE, created in 1969 in Paris, has been representing the leather industry and Its interests at European and international level over the last 50 years. This celebration, besides being a moment of festivity, has been an occasion to pause and reflect over this fifty-year journey, and at the same time, to look into the future of the European leather industry. “European Leather for the Future” was indeed the leading thread of the event’s interventions: from the welcoming speeches hold by Jérôme Verdier, President of Tannerie ALRAN SAS and President of FFTM (Fédération Française de la Tannerie Mégisserie – French Federation of Tanners) and by Andreas Kindermann, current COTANCE President from Wollsdorf Leather (Austria), passing through the European and international institutional’ views of Anna Athanasopoulou from DG Grow at European Commission and Maria Teresa Pisani from the Economic Cooperation and Trade Division at UNECE, and last but not least with the perspective of a luxury brand by Chiara Morelli (Group Operations Sustainability Manager at Kering).
“COTANCE serves as a shield”, asserted COTANCE President Andreas Kindermann. “In all these years which have passed, we have seen many successes also some failures, highs and lows, times of booming business and times of crisis… But the European leather industry is resilient. It never ‘gave up’ and cooperation was decisive!”.
Anna Athanasopoulou reminded the audience how “sustainability, smart investments, innovation, fair competition and skills are the main keywords in the current European policy for industry.” These priorities are highly relevant for a robust EU leather industry to remain sustainable and globally competitive and continue holding a strategic position in the international markets. “The European Commission promotes different types of interventions in order to create a favourable environment for growth, as direct funding, instruments to stimulate investments in research, innovation, sustainability and skills, as well as new initiatives for the establishment of industrial clusters. In working together SMEs can be more innovative, create more jobs and register more international trademarks than they would alone.”
Chiara Morelli, Kering Group Operations Sustainability Manager, shared in her keynote speech how collaboration among the different actors of the leather supply chain is key and at the core of Kering activities with suppliers. This approach can strengthen the industry’s value and will enable tanners to strive for innovation and more sustainable processes. Besides working on the reduction of carbon emissions and use of hazardous substances, according to C. Morelli – -, the leather industry should strengthen the cooperation with farms and slaughterhouses in terms of animal welfare with the final aim of improving the traceability of hides and skins and the transparency of the supply chain.
Enhancing Transparency and Traceability for Sustainable Textile and Leather Value Chains is emerging as a key priority to make the industry achieve more responsible production and consumption patterns, and it is indeed also the main objective of the UNECE UN/CEFACT project coordinated by Maria Teresa Pisani, and jointly implemented with the European Commission, ITC, ILO and key industry partners. This initiative aims at setting up a multi-stakeholder platform, and developing policy recommendations, global traceability standards and its implementation guidelines for sustainable textile and leather value chains.
Drawing the conclusions of the event, COTANCE President Kindermann, stressed how the importance of sustainability in the leather value chain was highlighted by each panellist. He emphasised that sustainability is a key priority of COTANCE, as it had been demonstrated with the setting at EU level the rules for calculating the environmental footprint of leather. He also pointed out that the European leather industry with its high standards is well positioned for the future and further improvements of the environmental performance of the European industry. “For the future of the leather industry, we aim at zero-waste if we want the tanning industry to be recognised as excelling in the circular economy”.
The festivities continued with a private visit to the nearby Orsay Museum and a dinner in the Museum restaurant, where we welcomed a number of former COTANCE Presidents: Mr Nalle Johansson (Sweden), Mr Jean Claude Ricomard (France) and Mr Jonathan Muirhead (UK). Guests attending the event included distinguished representatives from UNIDO, Ivan Král and from the International Council of Tanners, Paul Person.


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Hold Security has recently discovered the mass breach of FTP servers, now they are releasing news via a blog post stating “we identified nearly 360 million stolen and abused credentials and 1.25 billion records containing only email addresses.”
This discovery is much more of a threat to consumers and firms than stolen credit card details due to the possibility the sets of user names and passwords could open the door to online banking accounts, corporate networks, health records and just about any other secure location on the internet.
Alex Holden, founder of Hold Security LLC, stated in an interview that his firm acquired the info within the last 3 weeks, which means an unparalleled volume of stolen credentials is available on the black market.
“The sheer volume is overwhelming,” Holden stated, whose firm this past year helped discover a significant data breach at Adobe Systems where tens of millions of records were taken.
Holden explained he thinks the 360 million records were acquired in different attacks, which includes one that yielded 105 million credentials, which may make it the most significant single site breach seen date.
He then went on to say that he feels the credentials were compromised in breaches which have not yet been openly revealed. The firms attacked may continue to be oblivious until eventually they’re informed by third parties who uncover proof of the hacking, he explained.
“We have staff working around the clock to identify the victims,” he said.
Along with the 360 million credentials, the criminals are selling around 1.25 billion emails, which can be used in phishing attacks.


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DALLAS — Gov. Greg Abbott spent time in Dallas speaking with small business owners on Friday.
The governor visited Dallas Farmers Market for a mini-tour of a restaurant and butcher shop, before a planned meeting with a group of small business owners from across the state.
“Ninety percent of all the businesses in the State of Texas are small businesses,” Abbott told the group.
The roundtable discussion included about 15 entrepreneurs. All of the business owners are graduates of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Voices community.
Quincy Robert, owner of Roberts Trucking in Dallas, was among those present. He shared some of the ongoing challenges small businesses are facing during the pandemic.
“The biggest thing for me as a small business owner is hiring. There’s not enough people coming in, putting in applications,” Roberts explained.
Gov. Abbott took notes as the business owners discussed issues including access to capital, supply chain problems, and other concerns.
“We know you need employees to be able to make your businesses work,” Abbott said.
Steps away from that discussion, the controversy over the heartbeat abortion bill the governor recently signed remains top of mind for some residents. A couple of women held signs in silent protest.
“It’s not his business what women do with their bodies. Period,” said Larisa Gomez.
Abbott also took time to address the ongoing issues at the border, as thousands of Haitian immigrants fleeing disaster gather under a bridge in Del Rio, Texas.
Abbott said state and federal resources are helping in that area.


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Excerpted from the Cleveland Jewish News. Full article can be read at https://goo.gl/cmEbNi:
Malka Rosenberg said her husband, who died in 2016, had no plans to sell the store. And she said she hasn’t found anyone to take over the store, but she knows the kind of person she is looking for.
“Somebody who will do everything and anything,” she said. “Over here, you can’t just say I’m doing one thing, you can’t. If a customer walks in asking for something, you have to help. That’s the first thing, you have to take care of them at the register, you have to take care of their needs.”
For now, Malka Rosenberg plans to continue helping customers every way she can, whether it’s passing on savings or providing “the best selection” of kosher wine in the area.


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Bandai Namco and Mojo Bones have announced the launch of their post-apocalyptic survival adventure, Impact Winter.
Impact Winter is now out on PC, and the survival adventure will also be hitting PS4 and Xbox One for digital download later this year. As a pre-order bonus on console, you will receive the exclusive soundtrack composed by Mitch Murder.
For more information, go to the official Impact Winter site: impact-winter.com
To watch the trailer, click the video below.


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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – They are popular but often unwise Christmas gift, puppies and kittens. They’re cute in the beginning but by sometime in the new year that cuteness will wear off, and that means a busy time for area animal shelters.
Folks at the Humane Society of Indianapolis tell CBS4 that bringing a pet into your life, especially around the holidays, is like bringing home a baby. It’s a lot of responsibility that makes a pet so much more than a gift.
Sadly, some people realize after Christmas that owning a pet just is not for them. But Connie Swaim with IndyHumane tells us she preaches patience.
Her call volume will increase now and into the coming weeks, with concerned new pet owners. She said she’ll reassure them that their home is better than putting the animal in the shelter.
“The best long-term outcome for most pets is if the owner will keep it and work on that behavior issue,” she said, “People are mainly calling for issues related to the age of the animal they’re getting.”
Now in certain cases, an animal may not be the right fit. Swaim said they will work with those owners.
But they advise new pet owners with problems to wait it out and invest in dog or cat training. Swaim said it’s easily available in Indianapolis at all price points.


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REUTERS/Mike Cassese Activist shareholder William Ackman of Pershing Square Capital Management speaks during the Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. shareholders and analysts meeting in Toronto February 6, 2012. See Also This Could Completely Ruin ... Business Insider, 2 months ago
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Black Friday, which is the most awaited shopping day of the year, is soon arriving. Retailer giants like Walmart, Best Buy, Amazon, and Sam's Club are offering amazing Black Friday 2014 deals. These retailers will be various Black Friday 2014 sale ...International Business Times Australia, 2 months ago
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Calabash Water - Hydrating Humanity
This is one in a series of interviews for the 2018 Impact Challenge finalists at Business Today’s 44th International Conference.
Seven students from Emory University are creating a line of stainless steel water bottles. What sets their product apart from the competition? Their social impact: Calabash puts 20% of their profits towards creating clean water infrastructures in areas of need. The company pairs with local NGOs in impoverished communities to implement and monitor this infrastructure, checking up on their projects on a bi-annual basis.
Calabash co-founder Kwame Wireko realized the need for clean water when visiting his hometown in Ghana. He says, “my grandmother and I were passing a group of school kids, who were drinking what seemed like dark coffee from a gourd called a calabash… I asked my grandmother, ‘why are they allowed to drink this caffeinated beverage and I am not?’ She replied, ‘it’s not coffee, it’s contaminated water.’” This spoke volumes to Wireko, even as a young boy, and he realized the dire need to implement clean water infrastructure in Africa.
Wireko then approached co-founder Cole Holan about using a business model to improve water quality in impoverished region. Today, the core Calabash team is made up of seven Emory University students: co-founders Cole and Kwame, web-design director Loqman Adnane, photographer and social media director Elizar Alden Aspiras, marketing director Yun Ji, finance director Benedict Wong, and communications director Michael Pioso. The team plans to continue the initiative after graduating Emory, hopefully growing it in scale.
When asked about their business strategy, the Calabash team stressed the importance of Business to Business, or B to B, transactions. For a company that produces water bottles, B to B transactions entails producing large, customized bottle orders for companies or institutions, or for events such as conferences. By putting bottles in offices, school stores, or convention centers, Calabash gets exposure to multiple individuals. Co-founder Holan says, “most college students will not buy their own water bottles. They get free water bottles from conferences and events. So we realized it’s better to go up one level and sell to the large distributors. If we can sell more volume and make more money, then that money can go towards more projects.”
The hope is that through social media exposure and face-to-face referrals, the popularity of Calabash bottles will grow, allowing the team to implement more clean water infrastructure across Africa. Ask yourself: what water bottle are you drinking out of, and does it have the same social impact of a Calabash bottle?
To learn more about the Calabash team and how to order individual or bulk-order bottles, visit their website at https://calabashwater.com/


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Rite Aid has partnered with Instacart, which will allow customers to conveniently order and receive essential health care and grocery items delivered directly to their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Online-based delivery service Instacart is introducing additional safety measures for its growing shopper network including new in-app wellness checks.
Sam’s Club has partnered with Instacart to bring same-day delivery of groceries and everyday essentials to several markets across the U.S.
Instacart, a retail delivery service, has partnered with Sur La Table to allow customers to shop for housewares from their phones or laptops and have their orders delivered to their door, often in as little as an hour, according to the company.
Target can now deliver groceries to customers by offering a same-day delivery service through Instacart. The new program offers a…


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The federal government, which has pledged to stop selling new gasoline-powered cars by 2035, is on the right track, but there’s still a long way to go, experts say.
Posted at 6:00 am
Zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) accounted for 7.7% of newly registered motor vehicles in the first quarter of the year, according to Statistics Canada. Canadians bought more than 26,000 new ZEVs in the first three months of the year, a 50.5% increase from the same period in 2021.
The proportion of new ZEVs on the road increased by 32% between 1Ahem quarter 2020 and the 1Ahem quarter of 2021. Climbed to 68% between 1Ahem quarter of 2021 and the 1Ahem quarter of 2022, according to the federal agency.
If the trend continues, growth in ZEV sales is promising, says Daniel Breton, president and CEO of Electric Mobility Canada.
Remember that the federal government has set a goal for ZEV sales to reach 20% of new vehicle sales in 2026 and 60% in 2030. Thus, 100% of light vehicle sales will be zero emissions in 2035.
There is no shortage of demand: Some 71% of Canadians are considering electric cars for their next purchase, according to a recent survey conducted for KPMG. “Canadians are ready to make the transition,” says Andréanne Brazeau, a mobility analyst at Équiterre, who believes rising gas prices play into the hands of electric cars.
For his part, Robert Poëti, president and general manager of the Quebec Automobile Dealers Corporation (CCAQ), believes that it is still early to know if the government’s goal will be reached in 2035. One thing is certain: the car manufacturers they can’t provide everything they want, he says.
Transport Canada forecasts more than 300,000 ZEV sales in 2026, around 1,200,000 in 2030 and more than 2,000,000 in 2035.
Production problems continue to cause a drop in ZEV supply, says Robert Poëti. Shortages of labor and parts have weakened the supply chain and delayed deliveries since the pandemic.
Wait times for the most popular models can be up to two years. Currently, this is not encouraging.
Robert Poëti, President and CEO of the Quebec Automobile Dealers Corporation
In addition to the shortage, the supply of ZEV is unbalanced in the country, says Daniel Breton. Automakers are prioritizing deliveries to regions where there are regulations, to avoid supply penalties, he explains.
For example, Quebec, which regulates the market for zero-emission vehicles, receives almost half of all electric vehicles sold in Canada, says Robert Poëti.
According to Daniel Breton, regulation of the Canadian automotive market in ZEVs would require manufacturers to supply territories and provinces with a minimum number of battery electric or plug-in hybrid cars.
Last spring, Ottawa unveiled its plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which sets a “zero emissions” standard across Canada to force automakers to improve their ZEV offerings. This standard must be adopted as soon as possible to guarantee the electrification of transport throughout the country, emphasizes Andréanne Brazeau. Currently, only Quebec and British Columbia have regulations on the supply of ZEVs.
Québec at the forefront
Zero-emission vehicles accounted for 1% of car market sales in Canada in 2017. That proportion topped 5% last year, Statistics Canada says.
In Quebec alone, the number of ZEVs increased from 6,548 to 36,800 between 2017 and 2021. With more than 10,000 zero emission vehicles registered between January and March 2022, the province ranks first in the country.
As part of its Roulez vert program, Quebecers are eligible for a $7,000 rebate on the purchase of an electric car, plus a $5,000 bonus from the federal government.
Infrastructure and technology hurdles are holding back consumers who would like to switch to electric cars. Charging time appears to be the biggest issue, with more than half of Canadians refusing to wait more than 20 minutes to recharge. 79% give up making the transition if the car cannot travel 400 kilometers without recharging, according to KPMG.
- Number of zero emission cars registered in the first quarter of 2022
- Proportion of new zero-emission vehicles in circulation in 2021
#emission #vehicles #encouraging #progress


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With less than 24 hours to the much-hyped friendly match between Nigeria and England at Wembley stadium, residents of London have hit several shops across the city to purchase the super eagles world cup jersey.
The Nigerian jerseys were released outside London’s Nike Town store in Oxford Street on Friday.
The Independent of UK says the shirt alone is priced by Nike at £64.95 (about N31, 000).
Carl Craiglist, a twitter user released photos of London residents. mostly of Nigerian or African descent, flocking to various shops to buy what has been dubbed “THE BEST JERSEY FOR THE 2018 WORLD CUP.”
“This is the queue at Nike Town for the Nigeria kit launch, literally round the corner…” he tweeted.
This is the queue at Nike Town for the Nigeria kit launch, literally round the corner… pic.twitter.com/K3vzfL6psR
— Carl Craigslist (@conroy_bumpus) June 1, 2018
He expressed worry that the shops might not have his shirt size – being on the big side!
“Was very tempted to cop one myself, but I don’t think it’s really a look for an overweight white bloke in his mid thirties.”
Notwithstanding, Carl publicly announced his “newly adopted team” for the mundial.
“I am now supporting Nigeria at the World Cup,” he tweeted.
Nigerians on twitter cashed in on Carl’s pics with many showing enthusiasm for this new super eagles convert.
Hi Carl, on behalf of Nigerian twitter we would like to give you a title for proper identification just in case… “NWANNEDINAMBA” (Meaning… Brother in another town)..
— Uncle Buch (@ogbughalumc) June 1, 2018
Next step in your initiation is to pledge allegiance to ?? Jollof Rice ? pic.twitter.com/WTwx6SH0sD
— Tokunbo’s Kitchen (@tokunboskitchen) June 1, 2018
You see welcome…. our newest citizens pic.twitter.com/nvua19Rozd
— iam_Phemmy_Nice® (@phemmynice) June 1, 2018
Why the rush?
The kit, modelled by Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi, Leicester City’s duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi is regarded as the best kit to be seen at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer.
Nike extended the release date earlier this week due to high demand and the jerseys are now unavailable for purchase on the Nike website.
The kit was deliberately one of the last released for the World Cup, with the Nigeria Football Federation attempting to avoid the spread of fake replicas throughout the country.


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Yamaha Motor India launched its 110cc Alpha at 2014 Auto Expo in February. In the two months since, the company has clocked sales of 14,000 units with a target to sell 20,000 units each month in the future. Maximum number of sales are expected from South Indian states and in particular from Bangalore which is among the leading two wheeler markets in India.
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) will soon launch their new Activa 125 automatic scooter. Honda Activa 125, first Honda scooter in the 125cc segment is to be launched in two variants, Standard and Deluxe with a price tag of INR 56,000 and INR 61,000 respectively.
Spotted right at the Bajaj Auto Chakan plant where it is manufactured for the globe, was the soon to be launched KTM RC 390. This is not the first time that it has been spotted, but the recent spy pictures indicate that the RC390 is well into production with launch expected in India by mid 2014.
Japanese two wheeler manufacturers, Yamaha have announced new color options for FZ series of bikes in India. 2014 FZ-S, FZ and Fazer will receive new shades and have been spotted at company dealerships in their new avatar.
2014 Hero Pleasure facelift automatic scooter has been launched in India. The base model Pleasure Facelift is priced at INR 53,120 while the higher end trim Hero Pleasure Facelift Alloy Wheel is priced at INR 54,730. The 2014 Hero Pleasure sees installation of Hero‚Äôs new Integrated Braking System (IBS), a technology which the company has applied a patent for.
DSK Hyosung today launched the new 2014 GT250R, which embodies sporty graphics, futuristic styling, and an all new aggressive design element, including changed new headlamps.
Sporty in stance and stylish in appearance is the new 2014 Piaggio Vespa Sprint, an automatic scooter, which has been launched in Italy. 2014 Vespa Sprint offers much better riding comfort and handling as compared to the existing LX125 and S variants in the Vespa line-up, thanks to the stiffer and lower body.


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WASHINGTON (CBS) — Your carry-on luggage might have to get smaller.
One airline group is proposing to shrink carry-on size by about 20 percent.READ MORE: Norton Man On Scooter Dies After Collision With Another Car
The International Air Transport Association, which represents about 84 percent of total air traffic worldwide, says a standardized bag size of 21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 inches would “make things easier for everybody.”READ MORE: Man Allegedly Pulls Knife On Fellow Red Line Rider After Mocking COVID Mask
Many international carriers have already adopted the new recommendations, but so far there’s no word from American carriers.
The trade group says it wants to free up space in packed overhead bins.MORE NEWS: COVID Vaccine Passport Program Could Be Coming To Massachusetts Soon, Baker Says
Baggage manufacturers are working on luggage that will have a special label to let airlines know that they comply with the new guidelines. They’re expected to hit stores later this year, the association said.


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Driving relevance means driving growth. Join global brands and industry thought leaders at Brandweek, Sept. 11–14 in Miami, for actionable takeaways to better your marketing. 50% off passes ends April 10.
NEW YORK NBC plans to launch a new desktop application that will allow PC users to download full-length, ad-supported episodes of its prime-time and late-night shows for one week following their initial broadcast.
The new NBC Direct tool will eventually let users sign up to have episodes of their favorite series automatically pushed to their desktops each week.
NBC Direct, which will debut sometime in October, is the latest on-demand viewing option being offered by the network for its top shows.


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For those of us back at work and already dreaming of escape, this week's wanderlust-fuelling post sees a Picfair image used on the webpage for Ginger Juice, a London-based social media agency specialising in travel. Ginger Juice uses their 20 years worth of experience in the travel industry to help businesses 'harness the power of social media', and have worked with a wide range of companies across the globe!
The aerial image, shot in Canary Wharf, appears on Ginger Juice's homepage, and comes from photographer Ben Broomfield. The pic looks awesome, congrats to you Ben, and many thanks to Ginger Juice for using Picfair!
If you're a photographer who wants to license your images and make money like Ben has … sign up and start uploading your pics!


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SOUTH BELOIT—At any one time, roughly 100 dealers offer their goods at Angela’s Attic Antique Mall, 1020 Gardner St., South Beloit.
The same dealers may not be present every time customers shop there, nor will the spaces always look the same.
But that’s part of what makes the mall successful, say the owners. The dealers vary and many of their selling spaces change in appearance as they bring in other wares or offer holiday decor, for example.
For the past 15 years, four members of the Persico family have owned and operated the mall and continue to manage the site.
The shop offers 35,000 square feet of space and the building is a converted, historic factory.
Brothers Chuck and Joe and their wives Lynn and Cynthia, respectively, bought the building and land and named the site after the brothers’ mother.
Experience and a love for antiques seem to run in their blood.
Chuck Persico was a general contractor for many years in the Chicago area until COVID-19 came along, he said. Joe Persico was in the painters’ union and worked with his brother for 15 years, he said. Lynn Persico was a teacher and Cynthia Persico works as an office manager.
“We love antiques and we have business experience,” Chuck Persico said of taking on the mall.
The Persicos are on hand at the shop on Mondays and Fridays.
One major improvement to the property this year was the resurfacing of the parking lot.
In March of 2020, however, the business did have to shut down due to the pandemic.
“We saw it was spreading and we took it very, very seriously closing down about a week before everything was shut down. We have a lot of older customers and dealers,” Chuck said.
Nevertheless, work continued inside the shop and customers could order things online and pick them up outside the shop, he said. They were shut down for 10 weeks. Some customers still order things online.
During the time of the shutdown, the dealers were given 50% off their monthly rent charge.
And after things opened up again, “We follow the Illinois law and ask people to wear a mask.”
The shop is open seven days a week and has seven employees. But dealers also walk the floor once a month for a half day and help customers with any questions.
“We keep records of who walks when, but we also work with people who are older or injured,” for example, Chuck said. “We are a family-oriented place and we treat everyone with respect.”
The shop receives 10% of dealer sale profits and dealers are charged rent by the amount of square feet their space takes up; some spaces are larger than others.
The shop offers antiques, collectibles, jewelry, lamps, textiles, vintage items and more.
Some of the things that are currently sought after include: Nancy Drew books, handmade items, old clocks, furniture, radios and things people can tinker with, said cashier/dealer Jan Johnson.
“We sell hundreds of items per day,” Chuck Persico said.
The shop seems to draw from many generations.
“When our grandchildren come here they love sports memorabilia,” Lynn Persico said.
Items in the shop come from places like estate sales and auctions.
However, “It is not a flea market type of space,” Lynn Persico said.
Angela’s Attic is open from 10 a.m.—5 p.m. Sunday through Friday and from 10 a.m.—6 p.m. on Saturday. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. For more information, visit: https://angelas-attic.com or call 815-389-1679.


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As the Independent Brewers Association (IBA) prepares to judge a record number of entries for its 2022 Indie Awards it has opened voting for a range of peer nominated categories.
In a bid to recognise “the people who contribute so much to the rich fabric of our industry”, any IBA member can nominate one or more individuals, or a business, under the following categories:
• Service to the Industry – presented to honour an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Australian independent beer;
• Young Gun of the Year – presented to an employee of an IBA member, who is under 35, a high achiever, a strong promoter of indie beer and who has a collaborative, community minded nature; and
• True Indie Supporter – awarded to a retailer, publican or bar operator that strongly supports indie beer in store, via advocacy or marketing and promotion.
Nominations close 9 September. IBA members can vote here.
Last year the Service to the Industry award went to Guy Greenstone and Steve Jeffares of Stomping Ground, Cryer Malt’s Steph Howard won Young Gun of the Year while Melbourne home brew store Grain and Grape received the True Indie Supporter title.
The recipients of these awards, alongside all trophy winners, will be announced at the live Indies ceremony on October 13.


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Today marks the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first book in J.K. Rowling’s phenomenally successful series.
Since its publication in 1997, a box-office breaking film franchise has followed, but it’s the book series that most fans remain fiercely loyal to.
If you consider yourself a Potterhead, have a crack at our fiendishly difficult Harry Potter quiz and see if your knowledge of the books is “Outstanding” or “Awful”.
The i newsletter latest news and analysis
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Broadband activation software provider BroadJump has introduced a new software platform to address operator challenges in signing up, activating and delivering service to new broadband customers.
Dubbed ControlWorks Activation Edition, the new software "superset" combines many of the features of the company's popular Virtual Truck Qualifier and Installer activation platforms, and layers on new capabilities for handling multiple ISPs and customer migration. As operators look ahead to offering open access on their networks to competitive ISPs, activation and migration issues are sure to be new challenges network operators will face in reshuffling all of their disparate back office systems.
"We've brought to market solutions that help our customers really wring a lot of efficiencies out of their networks-from qualification, to activation, to migration," explains Kip McClanahan, BroadJump president and CEO. "Historically, we've talked about those as individual applications and uses with independent ROIs. What ControlWorks Activation Edition represents is the realization that a lot of those challenges exist simultaneously within our customers' networks. What we've done is bring in all of those individual use cases of our technology, and brought them to market with a single solution."
BroadJump also announced the first major customer to sign on to the new ControlWorks platform-embattled UK provider NTL, which currently offers a triple play of video, circuit-switched telephony and tiered high-speed data over cable to more than 9 million homes across the UK.
NTL has used BroadJump's market-leading Virtual Truck products to initiate service to more than 280,000 high-speed data customers so far, and it'll begin migration to the ControlWorks platform later this year. NTL is currently in the process of undergoing bankruptcy restructuring, the result of an aggressive acquisition spree taken on over the past couple of years.
In addition to offering a retail residential broadband product, NTL has, perhaps preemptively, inked a deal to open its network and offer wholesale service to the UK's largest dial-up ISP, Freeserve, who currently count 2.4 million dial-up customers. Unlike the open access situation in the US, there are no mandates from the government of the UK to open up high-speed cable networks to rival ISPs.


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Moto 360 To Get Wi-Fi Support With Rollout of Android 5.1.1
The rollout of Android Lollipop 5.1.1 to Motorola’s Moto 360 will soon begin, as well as all to other Android Wear devices, Google announced recently. A number of new features are being introduced in the update. Oddly enough, (or maybe not so oddly), the update announcement came out a matter of hours after Apple rolled out its first Apple Watch update.
This update of Adroid Wear includes Wi-Fi support. The feature will be available on:
LG Watch Urbane
Sony Smartwatch 3
Samsung Gear Live
Other new features include heads-up notifications, always-on screen, always-on apps, more gestures for accessing apps and contacts, and the ability to send emojis to your contacts by drawing them on your watch screen. Also, users can now adjust the font size from their watch’s settings.
A few owners of the LG G Watch and LG G Watch R have already gooten the update, according to Android Poice. (Unfortunately, the G Watch and G Watch R devices themselves are not getting Wi-Fi support in this update, despite the OS supporting it.) Typically new Android releases roll out gradually in the coming days and weeks, so if your watch is not yet receiving the update you’ll just have to wait a bit.
To use Wi-Fi support, you need to have it enabled in your Android Wear companion app. Open the Android Wear app on your phone and go to Settings (the gear icon in the upper-right corner), then tap on Cloud sync, and turn it on. You’re good to go.


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ICRC hopeful of N50bn income from Onitsha port concession
The Onitsha River Port is projected to generate N50 billion yearly when completed, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) has said.
The commission added that the port would equally serve as an alternative source of transporting goods to the South East from Lagos, Port Harcourt and other areas with adequate water connectivity.
The Federal Executive Council approved the 30-year concession under a Rehabilitate-Operate and Transfer (ROT) arrangement.
The approval followed a detailed process under the regulatory guidance of the ICRC, which commenced in 2011 with support from the World Bank.
The Onitsha River Port was officially opened over three decades ago but has been neglected and not been optimally utilized.
The port is one of the four River Ports in the country with others situated in Lokoja, Kogi State; Baro in Niger State and Oguta in Imo State.
A statement made available in Abuja yesterday by the Acting Head, Media and Publicity of the Commission, Manji Yarling, added: “This concession is part of the bigger Federal Government’s plan to concession the remaining river ports and enhance inland waterways transportation in the country.
“The 30-year concession is expected to generate over N50 billion to the Federal Government and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs while facilitating more efficient trade within the country through a cheaper, easier and cleaner method of transporting goods and services.
“The Port is equipped to deal with general cargo such as containers, bulk cargo and other packaged freight. The Port has a land area of over 12 Hectares. The wharf is 324 meters long with a further provision for additional expansion of 234 meters. The Port also has facilities such as storage workshops and parking areas to cater for operations.”


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The Kroger Co (KR) : Acropolis Investment Management scooped up 955 additional shares in The Kroger Co during the most recent quarter end , the firm said in a disclosure report filed with the SEC on Jul 15, 2016. The investment management firm now holds a total of 58,355 shares of The Kroger Co which is valued at $2,120,621.The Kroger Co makes up approximately 0.39% of Acropolis Investment Management’s portfolio.
Other Hedge Funds, Including , Independent Portfolio Consultants reduced its stake in KR by selling 270 shares or 9.46% in the most recent quarter. The Hedge Fund company now holds 2,584 shares of KR which is valued at $93,903. The Kroger Co makes up approx 0.03% of Independent Portfolio Consultants’s portfolio. Hollencrest Securities sold out all of its stake in KR during the most recent quarter. The investment firm sold 10,473 shares of KR which is valued $396,508.Washington Trust Bank boosted its stake in KR in the latest quarter, The investment management firm added 2,938 additional shares and now holds a total of 4,838 shares of The Kroger Co which is valued at $183,167. The Kroger Co makes up approx 0.05% of Washington Trust Bank’s portfolio.
The Kroger Co closed down -0.37 points or -1.01% at $36.34 with 85,63,976 shares getting traded on Monday. Post opening the session at $36.69, the shares hit an intraday low of $36.3 and an intraday high of $36.85 and the price fluctuated in this range throughout the day.Shares ended Monday session in Red.
On the company’s financial health, The Kroger Co reported $0.70 EPS for the quarter, beating the analyst consensus estimate by $ 0.01 according to the earnings call on Jun 16, 2016. Analyst had a consensus of $0.69. The company had revenue of $34604.00 million for the quarter, compared to analysts expectations of $34728.52 million. The company’s revenue was up 4.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $1.25 EPS.
Investors should note that on Jun 23, 2016, The Kroger Co announced a cash dividend of $0.1200. The company’s management has announced Aug 11, 2016 as the ex-dividend date and fixed the record date on Aug 15, 2016. The payable date has been fixed on Sep 1, 2016.
Many Wall Street Analysts have commented on The Kroger Co. Piper Jaffray Initiated The Kroger Co on May 10, 2016 to “Underweight”, Price Target of the shares are set at $29.Sun Trust Rbsn Humphrey Initiated The Kroger Co on May 3, 2016 to “Neutral”, Price Target of the shares are set at $39.
The Kroger Co. (Kroger) operates retail food and drug stores multi-department stores jewelry stores and convenience stores throughout the United States. The Company also manufactures and processes some of the food for sale in its supermarkets. The Company operated either directly or through its subsidiaries approximately 2625 supermarkets and multi-department stores approximately 1330 of which had fuel centers. Approximately 48% of these supermarkets were operated in Company-owned facilities including some Company-owned buildings on leased land. The Company operates its 2640 supermarket and multi-department stores under banners including Kroger City Market Dillons Food 4 Less Fred Meyer Fry’s Harris Teeter Jay C King Soopers QFC Ralphs and Smith’s. Of these stores 1330 have fuel centers. The Company also operates 782 convenience stores either directly or through franchisees 326 fine jewelry stores and an online retailer.


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A major Alliance3 December 2009
Duratex has expanded, not just in terms of its recently-announced merger with Satipel Industrial, but with the launch in June of a huge, 77m-long, continuous MDF press line – the world’s longest to date – at its Agudos plant.
Duratex originally planned to install the 750,000m3/year eucalypt-based Siempelkamp line back in 2007, when markets in Brazil and abroad were booming. In the past five years, domestic sales of MDF have risen at up to 15% per year thanks to strong furniture industry growth.
Then, just as Duratex and other Brazilian MDF producers proudly made ready to launch their new lines, the global economic crisis hit, slamming the boom into reverse and leaving panel manufacturers saddled with substantial overcapacity. Duratex was forced to rethink its short-term plans.
Originally, the new MDF line was part of the company’s strategy to dedicate production of thin and standard thickness fibreboard products to different lines. Duratex also operates a 250,000m3/year pine based MDF production line at Agudos and a 450,000m3/year MDF/HDF unit at its Botucatu mill.
“The strategy was to have this big [new] line to produce basically 6x9ft products from 12-18mm [standard MDF], and to concentrate the Botucatu MDF line and Agudos Line I on special [thin] products,explained Carlos Gama, Duratex’s engineering, development and environment manager.
Speaking soon after Agudos MDF II start-up in late June, he told WBPI on a visit to the plant that the plan was to run the big line eight hours a day through to the end of August before the product’s planned market launch at that time.
“Then, depending on the state of the market, we will be ready to increase the output,the executive explained.
The super-press line comprises wood-yard and refining equipment provided by Andritz; Siempelkamp machinery from the dryer up to the end of the line, with the sanding section from Steinemann. The biomass energy plant was supplied by the Belgian company Vyncke NV.
Duratex was hopeful that Brazilian domestic demand for MDF, which fell in the first half of 2009, would benefit from lower interest rates and a government stimulation package in the final six months of this year. The home market is normally more buoyant in the second half of the year anyway.
However, the global recession has left its mark on even the strongest of Brazil’s panel manufacturers.
São Paulo-based Duratex is well aware that the sector’s recovery will not be short or sweet, and it will take the company several years before its sizeable panel production capacity is fully sold.
For Duratex, 2009 has already been a momentous year. The start-up of MDF II coincided with news that the company is spearheading a long-awaited industry consolidation through its merger with Brazilian MDP (medium density particleboard) major Satipel Industrial SA (WBPI Aug/Sept 09, p5). The new group, to be named Duratex SA, will have an overall capacity of around four million m3/year and rank as the biggest wood panel manufacturer in the Southern Hemisphere.
At the end of August, shareholders of both companies gave this deal the green light and the new US$1.6bn ‘super group’ was formed. In the meantime, directors and senior managers from the two companies have been discussing in detail the integration programme.
Asked about the new group’s likely future direction, Alexandre Coelho, Duratex commercial director told WBPI: “Right now we are consolidating our recent investments – Satipel and Duratex and we are focusing on integration”.
It is Mr Coelho who, as the ‘new’ Duratex’s wood business commercial director, will take on the challenge of marketing the group’s enlarged product portfolio in Brazil and abroad. He will also take on a wider industry role next year as president-elect of the country’s wood panel association ABIPA.
The new group has already given a clue as to how it means to recover business lost following the global economic setback. It is targeting foreign markets around the world in a concerted bid to expand exports which stood mid-year at a combined total of just 5% of sales.
“Our goal is to become the lowest cost producer in the world..,the group’s chairman Salo Seibel and its ceo Henri Penchas revealed in a joint statement at the time of the deal announcement.
The first major move in years to consolidate the industry was warmly welcomed in Brazil as a near perfect marriage between Satipel and Duratex. Their respective operations complement each other in terms of plants, products, customers, geographic spread and continuous line technology, while each brings around two million m3/year of panel capacity to the partnership.
The advent of MDF II at Agudos represents a US$150m chunk of a substantial US$350m Duratex investment programme, which also covers the construction of a US$50m formaldehyde and resin plant at the site and the purchase of new forest land nearby.
The company expects to make a significant cost saving by adding the Perstorp resin plant which will also supply raw materials to the Botucatu site 60km away. The plant equipment arrived on site in July and the unit is set to start up this December (09) and will deliver chemicals fully from early 2010, forecast Mr Gama.
The forestry investment involved the acquisition of the Lençois Paulista area close to the Agudos plant, comprising 18,000ha of forest land to provide additional planted eucalypt wood to feed the new MDF II line.
For years, Duratex has maintained and expanded its tree plantation resource around its panel plants in São Paulo state. Today, it owns more than 123,000ha of forest located on average 55km from the plants, ensuring it has the lowest wood cost in the industry.
Duratex is in the process of switching its forest base from pine to rapid growing eucalypt trees. New plantations are now of eucalyptus, though the firm has sufficient pine wood to fuel the MDF I line at Agudos for up to seven years, explained Mr Gama.
In the past year, Agudos has seen further spending on panel finishing facilities. A second low pressure melamine line with a 180,000m3/year capacity was supplied by Siempelkamp in July 2008, and a third line with the same output was being purchased for the site this year.
This investment, along with the installation of a small mouldings line, able to turn out five million moulded skirting board strips per year for Duratex’s laminated flooring products range, demonstrate the importance the firm now attaches to value-added products.
“We are not only a commodity [products] company, but an added-value company too. We started to develop a new market and business in civil construction last year,pointed out Mr Coelho. His company also planned to launch a door components business this year, he added.
A little over a year ago, Duratex revealed it was planning another revolutionary panel project when it announced its intention to build the world’s first one million m3/year particleboard plant. With its heavy focus on expanding fibreboard capacity and developing special thin MDF boards, the company was felt to be abandoning MDP. So Duratex’s answer to the market was the massive panel line scheme for its Itapetininga site.
The firm already operated a 500,000m3/year particleboard line, using 100% eucalypt fibre, which it had introduced back in 2000.
But late last year, Brazil was overtaken by the global recession and Duratex quickly announced it would postpone the huge Itapetininga line because of the international downturn. That decision proved wise in the light of the unforeseen merger deal with Satipel, whose wellinvested MDP operations to the north and south of São Paulo provided the balance its partner sought.
Duratex remains one of two major global suppliers of wet process hardboard, along with its fellow eucalyptbased panel maker, Eucatex SA.
However, last year, Duratex finally closed down its second hardboard production site in Jundiai, near São Paulo city. Duratex blamed a combination of the age of its three Jundiai 1950s lines and urban creep preventing expansion on the 150,000m3/year site for the shutdown. But export-reliant hardboard also suffered in 2008 from adverse exchange rates and the world recession.
The company still runs three newer wet process board lines, dating back to the 1970s and 1980s, with a 300,000m3/year output – two thirds of its former total capacity – at Botucatu. It was forced to switch the bulk of its business to the Brazilian market, according to Duratex’s commercial operations manager Giovanni Grossi.
Meanwhile, Duratex was developing special thin MDF products, including dry process super density fibreboard (SDF) and HDF panels which have begun to substitute for hardboard in certain market applications. The company has found that it is beginning to compete against itself with both hardboard and HDF in the marketplace, the commercial executive admitted.
Hardboard at home and abroad is still hugely profitable for its Brazilian producers and appears to have a future despite attempts to find an ideal replacement. “Hardboard is still recognised as a special product for certain applications. We intend to continue with the hardboard process at Botucatu, no doubt,confirmed Mr Gama.
The MDF line in Botucatu was originally installed to develop the thin HDF and SDF products. Although SDF, devised as a resin-free substitute for hardboard, entered the market two years ago, 80% of the line’s output in mid-2009 was still standard MDF. HDF and SDF had a 10% share each, according to Duratex.
Managers are convinced that greater economies of scale, attained partly through its merger with Satipel, will allow it to produce bigger thin board volumes and prove that SDF is the most cost-competitive product, said Mr Grossi.
“We have to get volume, scale and competitiveness in the cost of production in HDF lines,he declared. Once SDF is fully developed and can prove its value in the market, then the days of wet process hardboard could be numbered.
“SDF, at the right time, will certainly be the right [thin board] product to switch to in traditional hardboard markets, asserted Mr Grossi.
But for now, the well-tried characteristics and value of hardboard as a painted product are still very much in demand in the doorskin and civil construction markets, in Europe and the US particularly.
For Duratex, even the dark clouds of global recession have a silver lining, since it is clear the economic crisis spurred Brazil’s fragmented industry into the radical, but long overdue, consolidation process. Once the integration process with Satipel is complete a model group will emerge, leaner and fitter to take on the challenge of sector development.


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Former Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr is in hot water with fans after the 30-year-old re-posted an old photo on her Instagram account where her waist appears clearly thinner than the original photo, and RadarOnline.com has the details.
Posing front and center with models Alessandra Ambrosio and Doutzen Kroes backstage at the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and she posted the photo at the time to her Instagram account, and then on Tuesday Kerr re-posted the photo — with one glaring difference.
"Sending love and best wishes to the #vsangels from Japan xxx," Kerr captioned the new photo.
Speculation of a Photoshop scandal is running high among Kerr's 2.6 million followers, because in the photo she just posted on Nov. 12 — even though it's the exact same as the photo she posted a year ago — her waist is much slimmer.
"Are you going to talk about your blatant photoshop?" one commenter asked. "Horrible role model for women. You are the reason girls deal with anorexia trying to achieve the unachievable."
Another commenter chimed in, "Yes she can but she knows she's a role model to a lot of women and young girls. What is this telling them? It's not positive."
In all, Kerr's posting garnered more than 166,120 comments and nearly all of them allege she used Photoshop or some type of photo editing tool on the picture.
"Lol at her editing. Guess she's just self conscious after Orlando dumped her."
What do you think of the two photos — do you see the difference, and do you think Kerr did it on purpose? Sound off below…


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Changing downtown Brownsville comes with a price
Thu, 09 Jan 2014 02:11:29 GMT —
Brownsville City commissioners have put the brakes on at least for now, a city ordinance that would increase meter fees by 50 cents in the downtown shopping area.
The main reason this ordinance was not approved is because downtown business owners think it will kill sales. But city commissioners say the 25 cent fees are well below the national $1.25 average and it's time for change
Parra's furniture store on 7th and Washington in Brownsville has been in the downtown area since the early 1970's.
Owner Jaime Parra says in the past few years, business has been almost at a standstill. Now a proposed city ordinance calling for a parking meter increase from 25 to 75 cents has Parra worried that it could drive business even further away from historic downtown.
"You invite the customers to come back not scare them off by increasing this, as it the sales are already going north to the sunrise mall and that area over there," Parra said.
The downtown area falls under district one, overseen by City Commissioner John Villarreal.
He says there hasn't been a meter fee increase in over 35 years.
Already, the city collects over $300,000 from 1,000 meters yearly.
And while it's not necessarily expected to triple, the revenue increase will be significant, and will go right back to revitalization efforts in the area.
"We understand that's the heart of the city. It's our front door step to Mexico, and so many cities have invested in their downtown and it helps with their revenues," Villarreal said.
Downtown merchants have apparently been promised improvements to the downtown area for years, but he has yet to see any real changes...He says there are other ways to accommodate shoppers without driving them away. "I would like to see a parking garage that would help considerably. If you would've considered this maybe six, seven years ago, when the economy was a lot better, I don't think anybody would be talking about it right now," Parra said
Commissioner Villarreal said while he understands it's going to take time for people to make the adjustment , this change can be a positive move for the city.
"They say well this is Brownsville, it's not going to work and maybe that's why it doesn't work because we are already going into it thinking it's not going to work," Villarreal said.
City commissioners agreed to host a town hall meeting to reevaluate the proposal, but a date has not been set.