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New Web Video: NAPA's "The Art of Braking"
Optimus and ONE at Optimus recently teamed with Chicago-based automotive branding agency 426 Inc. to direct, edit and finish a spot for the National Auto Parts Association (NAPA) website. "The Art of Braking"--directed by ONE at Optimus director Mark Pallman and cut by Optimus editor Jim Staskauskas--leverages 22 ReplayXD cameras mounted at various points on a Ford Mustang and a Ford 4 x 4 in action to capture the power and responsiveness of Reactive One� performance brake rotors, sold at NAPA.
Production Company: ONE at Optimus Mark Pallman, director; Kipp Christiansen, exec producer; Craig Leffel, director of production; Drew Wehde, DP. Editorial: Optimus Jim Staskauskas, editor; Therese Hunsberger, Gretchen Praeger, exec producers/managing directors; Katie Smith, sr. associate producer; Dan Swierenga, assistant editor; Joel Signer, colorist; Jeff Greco, assistant colorist; Marina Bacci, sound designer; Scott Yurks, online editor; Matt Bregger, online assistant editor.
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|By Business Wire||
|May 9, 2014 07:00 AM EDT||
OBJ Enterprises, Inc. (OTCQB: OBJE) and partner My Go Games LLC (GO) are proud to announce how its growing portfolio of brands will serve as a catalyst and delivery portal as we prepare for multiple game releases in 2014.
My Go Games and OBJE plan to combine strategies that leverage product placement and established brand networks that utilize social, mobile and online platforms to deliver revenue generating games and product sales channels to a booming marketplace.
Said Danny Hammett, CEO of My Go Games, “We are excited to announce how our library of sponsor partners including Remington, Real Tree, BuckedUp, Vert, Spool and WileyX will drive the upcoming launch of our new mobile and online game, “GO” Hunting; the first in a series under the “GO” franchise. Following our legacy of partnering with market leaders in each category, we will leverage the growth of handheld devices to deliver our newest branded games via online, Android and iOS devices.”
Hammett further adds, “The synergies that are created for the player, brand and company are tremendous as enthusiasts of all ages can enjoy the real brands they love. If they like it in the ‘Virtual’ world we create, they can use our many portals to purchase the actual item through a litany of online shopping partners who work with us.”
About Obscene Interactive
Obscene Interactive, a subsidiary of OBJ Enterprises, Inc. (OBJE), is an emerging global developer of mobile applications for smart phones and tablet computers. OBJE is building a portfolio of popular gaming titles crafted to appeal to a broad audience of consumers all over the world, supporting multiple mobile platforms for maximum marketing value. Obscene Interactive is focused on delivering the best in social gaming solutions to a mass market in order to capitalize on the rapid expansion of the mobile app marketplace.
For investment information and performance data, please visit www.ObsceneInteractive.com/investors.
My Go Games, LLC
My Go Games, LLC (“GO”) is a global, on-line, ethical action game developer for outdoor enthusiasts. The company is led by an industry veteran, Danny Hammett, who sold his first gaming company to Activision in 1997 and is known for a range of popular outdoor titles, such as Cabela’s Big Game Hunter. GO takes a proven outdoor action formula - recognized branding combined with fast paced hunting/fishing/riding/boating/camping, and outdoor enthusiast activities with a low barrier to entry - and puts it in a graphically rich MMO world specifically crafted for the over 500 million hunting, fishing, and outdoor enthusiasts, globally
For more information visit: http://www.mygogames.com
Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements that include the words "believes," "expects," "anticipate" or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, description of anyone's past success, either financial or strategic, is no guarantee of future success. This news release speaks as of the date first set forth above and the Company assumes no responsibility to update the information included herein for events occurring after the date hereof.
More and more brands have jumped on the IoT bandwagon. We have an excess of wearables – activity trackers, smartwatches, smart glasses and sneakers, and more that track seemingly endless datapoints. However, most consumers have no idea what “IoT” means. Creating more wearables that track data shouldn't be the aim of brands; delivering meaningful, tangible relevance to their users should be. We're in a period in which the IoT pendulum is still swinging. Initially, it swung toward "smart for smar...
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Governments around the world are adopting Safe Harbor privacy provisions to protect customer data from leaving sovereign territories. Increasingly, global companies are required to create new instances of their server clusters in multiple countries to keep abreast of these new Safe Harbor laws. Is it worth it? In his session at 19th Cloud Expo, Adam Rogers, Managing Director of Anexia, Inc., will discuss how to keep your data legal and still stay in business.
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Successful transition from traditional IT to cloud computing requires three key ingredients: an IT architecture that allows companies to extend their internal best practices to the cloud, a cost point that allows economies of scale, and automated processes that manage risk exposure and maintain regulatory compliance with industry regulations (FFIEC, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, FISMA). The unique combination of VMware, the IBM Cloud, and Cloud Raxak, a 2016 Gartner Cool Vendor in IT Automation, provides a co...
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P2P RTC will impact the landscape of communications, shifting from traditional telephony style communications models to OTT (Over-The-Top) cloud assisted & PaaS (Platform as a Service) communication services. The P2P shift will impact many areas of our lives, from mobile communication, human interactive web services, RTC and telephony infrastructure, user federation, security and privacy implications, business costs, and scalability. In his session at @ThingsExpo, Robin Raymond, Chief Architect...
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So you think you are a DevOps warrior, huh? Put your money (not really, it’s free) where your metrics are and prove it by taking The Ultimate DevOps Geek Quiz Challenge, sponsored by DevOps Summit. Battle through the set of tough questions created by industry thought leaders to earn your bragging rights and win some cool prizes.
Oct. 22, 2016 10:30 AM EDT Reads: 3,629
SYS-CON Events announced today that SoftNet Solutions will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. SoftNet Solutions specializes in Enterprise Solutions for Hadoop and Big Data. It offers customers the most open, robust, and value-conscious portfolio of solutions, services, and tools for the shortest route to success with Big Data. The unique differentiator is the ability to architect and ...
Oct. 22, 2016 10:15 AM EDT Reads: 528
SYS-CON Events announced today that Niagara Networks will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Niagara Networks offers the highest port-density systems, and the most complete Next-Generation Network Visibility systems including Network Packet Brokers, Bypass Switches, and Network TAPs.
Oct. 22, 2016 09:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,256
SYS-CON Events announced today that Embotics, the cloud automation company, will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Embotics is the cloud automation company for IT organizations and service providers that need to improve provisioning or enable self-service capabilities. With a relentless focus on delivering a premier user experience and unmatched customer support, Embotics is the fas...
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In an era of historic innovation fueled by unprecedented access to data and technology, the low cost and risk of entering new markets has leveled the playing field for business. Today, any ambitious innovator can easily introduce a new application or product that can reinvent business models and transform the client experience. In their Day 2 Keynote at 19th Cloud Expo, Mercer Rowe, IBM Vice President of Strategic Alliances, and Raejeanne Skillern, Intel Vice President of Data Center Group and ...
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SYS-CON Events announced today that Cemware will exhibit at the 19th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on November 1–3, 2016, at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. Use MATLAB functions by just visiting website mathfreeon.com. MATLAB compatible, freely usable, online platform services. As of October 2016, 80,000 users from 180 countries are enjoying our platform service.
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Virgil consists of an open-source encryption library, which implements Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) and Elliptic Curve Integrated Encryption Scheme (ECIES) (including RSA schema), a Key Management API, and a cloud-based Key Management Service (Virgil Keys). The Virgil Keys Service consists of a public key service and a private key escrow service.
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Data is the fuel that drives the machine learning algorithmic engines and ultimately provides the business value. In his session at Cloud Expo, Ed Featherston, a director and senior enterprise architect at Collaborative Consulting, will discuss the key considerations around quality, volume, timeliness, and pedigree that must be dealt with in order to properly fuel that engine.
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All clouds are not equal. To succeed in a DevOps context, organizations should plan to develop/deploy apps across a choice of on-premise and public clouds simultaneously depending on the business needs. This is where the concept of the Lean Cloud comes in - resting on the idea that you often need to relocate your app modules over their life cycles for both innovation and operational efficiency in the cloud. In his session at @DevOpsSummit at19th Cloud Expo, Valentin (Val) Bercovici, CTO of So...
Oct. 22, 2016 08:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,097

domain: news


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British PM backs UK games business
Speaking in a podcast directed towards the Global Investor Conference, British prime minister Gordon Brown has said that the UK games industry is at the forefront of the games industry.
"We're leading the way in creative industries. [We're] by far the biggest producer of computer games in Europe, and we're leading the way in digital communications in a country with only one percent of the world's population. More than a third of all internet traffic is routed through UK servers," Brown revealed, as reported by Edge.
"So this coming week is another chance to showcase the UK. This is not just a talking shop though. There will be new commitments of investment off the back of this conference."
UK pressure group TIGA backed Brown's comments, but urged the PM to push through tax breaks to support the industry.
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In full transparency, the following is a media release from Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s office. She was elected by voters in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to serve the state in Washington DC in the US Senate. She is a Democrat.
WASHINGTON DC – United States Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lisa Khan calling for a “broad” and “meticulous” review of Amazon’s acquisition of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) consistent with Section 7 of the Clayton Act, legislation that prohibits any acquisition whose effect “may be substantially to lessen competition, or to tend to create a monopoly” in “any line of commerce or in any activity affecting commerce.” Without thorough review, the deal has potential to harm consumers and workers, and reduce innovation by inhibiting competition in numerous markets.
“I urge you to use the FTC’s broad authority under this law to assess the possible anticompetitive effects this deal will have on streaming services and entertainment products in addition to the broader impacts that this transaction may have on workers, small businesses, and competition overall as Amazon-which already dominates numerous markets-accelerates its aggressive monopolistic behavior,” Senator Warren wrote.
Senator Warren calls into question the FTC’s typical approach when reviewing vertical transactions: a narrow assessment primarily focusing on price effects in the relevant product or service markets. However, because this deal will affect Amazon Prime, a service tied to a wide range of additional Amazon products and services that affect broad sectors of our economy, this transaction requires meticulous antitrust scrutiny. Senator Warren also raised concerns about the transaction’s broader effects on customers, sellers, and workers across all of Amazon’s retailing segments.
“Amazon is a large and powerful acquirer with expansive operations; an investigation into the ramifications of this deal should include both its direct impacts on streaming services and prices charged to consumers and its broader effects on small businesses, workers, and the economy as a whole,” Senator Warren wrote. “Dutifully scrutinizing this transaction is necessary to protect workers, small businesses, competition, and innovation.”


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There is no question that spirits sales in travel retail are suffering but some positive news from U.S. domestic off-premise markets indicates strong consumer demand that spells optimistic potential recovery for travel retail post-COVID, particularly among more premium brands.
The pandemic’s devastating impact on the U.S. hospitality industry in 2020 resulted in major shifts in consumer buying behaviors and innovative relief measures. These changes are expected to boost economic recovery, modernize the alcohol marketplace and increase consumer convenience for years to come, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).
“Tariffs and the pandemic left a wake of destruction in the hospitality industry in 2020,” said DISCUS President and CEO Chris Swonger. “Permanently enacting marketplace modernizations introduced in response to COVID-19, from online delivery to cocktails-to-go, will aid in the recovery of restaurants, bars and craft distilleries.”
Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. spirits industry experienced solid sales growth in 2020, with strong off-premise sales at liquor stores offsetting weak on-premise sales amid nationwide restaurant and bar closures and restrictions.
Supplier sales in the United States were up 7.7% in 2020 to a total of $31.2 billion, while volumes rose 5.3% to 251 million 9-liter cases. Overall, total beverage alcohol sales by volume grew 3%.
Off-premise sales were up 18%; on-premise sales were down 44%; and sales at global travel retail outlets dropped to nearly zero.
At the start of the pandemic in April, U.S. restaurants and bars lost 5.8 million jobs – almost one out of every two jobs, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Through December 2020, 2.3 million jobs have not been recovered.
Swonger pointed out that governors across the nation moved quickly in response to COVID-19, issuing temporary measures such as cocktails to-go and expanding delivery options. Now, state legislatures are pressing forward to make many of these effective relief measures permanent.
To date, 18 states have filed legislation to make cocktails to-go permanent. Legislation has also been filed in some states to permit direct-to-consumer shipping of spirits, which was expanded in eight states during the pandemic to support craft distillers who were forced to shut down their tasting rooms and tours.
U.S. spirits consumers gravitated to super premium products
Most relevant to travel retail, the DISCUS report shows that the strongest growth took place from higher-end, super-premium brands.
“The increase in spirits sales revenue reflects consumers’ willingness to spend a little extra on super-premium spirits during the past year since they were not traveling, going on vacations or dining out as often,” said DISCUS Chief Economist David Ozgo, noting that sales of super-premium spirits represented 40 percent of revenue growth. “It also reflected consumers’ desire to bring that special restaurant and bar experience they were missing into their homes. We saw a renewed interest in home bartending as people stocked their bars with a range of spirits categories to experiment with new drink recipes and create craft cocktails at home.
Tariffs hurt U.S. spirits export growth
Christine LoCascio, DISCUS Chief of Public Policy, reported that retaliatory tariffs imposed on U.S. spirits as a result of unrelated trade disputes continue to stunt U.S. export growth. Since the EU’s imposition of a 25% tariff on American Whiskey in 2018, the value of American Whiskey exports to the UK and EU have decreased 53% and 38%, respectively. In June 2021, the EU tariffs on American Whiskey will automatically increase to 50%.
LoCascio stated that U.S. retaliatory tariffs on certain imported spirits have had a similar harmful effect, including a 37% decline in U.S. imports of Scotch Whiskies since the imposition of a 25% tariff on Single Malt Scotch Whisky in October 2019.
Discus’ number one legislative priority in 2021 on the federal level is to secure an immediate suspension of tariffs on all distilled spirits.
2020 Key Spirits Category drivers of sales growth in the U.S. included:
- American Whiskey sales up 8.2% or $327 million to $4.3 billion; Rye Whiskey was up 16.9% or $40 million, reaching $275 million;
- Tequila/Mezcal sales up 17.4% or $587 million to $4.0 billion; Mezcal up 7% or $19 million totaling $124 million;
- Cognac sales up 21.3% or $413 million to $2.4 billion; and
- Pre-mixed cocktails sales, driven by spirits ready-to-drink (RTD) products, up 39% or $137 million to $489 million.


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Expanding the network will help the capital city promote modern trade and boost tourism, she said.
Seeing this as a green light, producers are designing new machine models with extensive functions like touch screen, fall detection sensors, integrated billing and mobile payment via QRPay, Zalopay, Momo and others.
As a daily exerciser around Hoan Kiem Lake, a highly trafficked area where beverage vending machines are easy to spot, Nguyen Thi Thuan said she finds them very convenient.
Thuan, a senior citizen who lives in Hoan Kiem district in downtown Hanoi, said the vending machines come to the rescue whenever she feels thirsty and needs refreshment.
Prices of the drinks are clearly listed, ranging just from 5,000 VND to 10,000 VND (0.21 – 0.42 USD) per item, she said.
It is very hygienic, she noted, adding that the machines should be installed in more places.
Echoing Thuan’s view, Pham Kim Dung, a resident living in Hang Trong street, said it is very convenient to buy a drink whenever she wants. The products are well-arranged, she said.
However, she suggested these machines need regular maintenance and repairs to prevent malfunctions, for example items or banknotes getting stuck, giving consumers an unpleasant experience.
According to a source at VVM Investment and Trade JSC, one of Hanoi’s vending machine suppliers and operators, monthly revenue from the machines installed around Hoan Kiem Lake is quite high, ranging from 12 million – 15 million VND. A representative of Minh Lam Vending Machine Co., Ltd. said turnover of those in the inner districts of Ba Dinh and Tay Ho stands at around 5 million – 12 million VND.
Data from the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade shows there are 717 vending machines, selling beverages and snacks, across the capital city. They include 13 installed along pedestrians’ streets around Hoan Kiem Lake and the districts of Ba Dinh and Tay Ho, and four at Hanoi Book Street and Phung Hung Mural Street in the city centre.
The remainders are placed inside office buildings, apartment buildings, bus stations, shopping malls and others.
The department is making a list of public places, such as parks, gardens, monuments and relic sites, schools, hospitals, cinemas and shopping centres, potentially suitable for the installment of vending machines. After the installation is done, the network of these machines will be publicised in the city’s shopping map website at bandomuasam.hanoi.gov.vn as well as its tourist map.
In addition to beverages and snacks, the machines will probably offer fresh fruits, handicrafts, fine art products and souvenirs.
Developing the vending machine network will step by step change consumers’ shopping habits, accelerate non-cash payments and create a new channel for distribution of quality products with clear origin to buyers, Lan said.
In April, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Quyen approved a plan for the installation of vending machines at public places in the capital city from now until 2025 in a bid to gradually replace street vendors and hawking practices that have become ubiquitous throughout the city and Vietnam.
The plan also aims to modernise retail models, increase transparency of the products offered to consumers, and gear transactions towards cashless payments.
According to the plan, each machine will occupy a space of 2-3sq.m and be placed about 500-1,000m from each other. A single area could have up to four machines next to each other depending on practical demands./.


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The Guardian —It’s not unusual to have a bouncer at your baby’s crib, but the experience is different for a woman.
The work of bouncers, which is predominantly done by women, is traditionally relegated to the margins of the baby industry.
But Uber and other ride-sharing services are pushing their way into the baby-friendly sphere, and bouncers have become a key part of the new wave.
Uber, for example, now employs over 100 bouncers to make sure the ridesharer’s safety is taken seriously.
Uber and Lyft’s bouncers also have a big part in the company’s growing network of baby seats, and some of their roles are more glamorous than the ones that most baby-related companies would typically be expected to perform.
In a way, bouncers are the baby equivalent of Uber and Lyft: they’re part of a much larger and more diverse workforce that is doing a lot of the heavy lifting for Uber and in the future Lyft.
They’ve been on baby companies’ radar for years, and they’re starting to be used in more intimate settings, like hospitals and gyms.
In some cases, Uber and the other ride sharing companies have even hired baby bounbers to make baby deliveries, according to BuzzFeed.
Baby bouncers’ work is often seen as a less glamorous alternative to more traditional baby services like Uber and UberX.
Bouncers are paid a fraction of what they would be in an Uber or Lyft ride, and the companies pay them fairly to help ensure that the ride is safe.
As a result, they can make a lot more money than their male counterparts.
The company pays a flat hourly rate for bouncers that make up between $2 and $5 per hour.
The average bouncer earns between $80,000 and $160,000 a year.
That’s not exactly a lot, but it’s enough to make a bouncers career a pretty good one.
A baby ride on UberPool, a ride-share service that has bouncers at its center.
UberPool is also the largest ride-to-ride company in the United States.
Uber is one of the first companies to make this leap, hiring more than 150 bouncers in the past few years.
The ride-hailing company has also become the most popular ride-service in the U.S.
Baby ride-shares are different from UberPool and Lyft because they’re not run by Uber or other ride companies, but rather by Baby, an independent company.
Baby’s bouncer work has become much more varied over the past year, and its work is no longer done exclusively by women.
It also does not have a direct line to the parent company Uber or the other companies.
Bouncer’s work in UberPool isn’t as glamorous as UberPool or Lyft.
A bouncer works in the UberPool app.
Baby has a team of bouncer workers in its app.
UberPool, for instance, is run by a team that includes a female engineer, a bouncier, and two bouncers.
The UberPool bouncers typically make between $100 and $300 a year, according and BuzzFeed.
That same company paid a bouncy that earned $30,000 to $60,000, according the BuzzFeed article.
In addition to Baby, UberPool has a number of baby-centric ride-partners, including BabyHappys, BabyBaby, and BabyLifts.
It’s unclear whether UberPool will expand its workforce to include more baby-focused services, but if so, the company has been hiring more bouncers over the last year.
The baby industry has long been a key source of revenue for Uber, Lyft, and other baby-sharing companies.
The companies have a significant number of female drivers and bouncer riders, and their work has made the rideshare companies a big hit.
In addition to baby bouncy services, Uber, and Lyft have also hired baby taxi drivers, a more traditional type of baby service.
Baby has also had a bigger impact on the baby ride-seeking industry in recent years.
Uber and its rivals are now using baby ride apps like BabyRide to help drivers pick their routes.
In 2018, Uber’s chief executive officer Travis Kalanick even launched a baby-themed Uber baby service to help baby drivers find their way home safely.
Uber also started offering baby rides to UberPool drivers, which have been known to earn between $1,000 per month and $2,500 per month.
BabyRides also launched in 2019.
Uber has also invested heavily in its baby-based services.
In 2021, the Uber startup invested $2.5 million in BabyHoney, which it bought in 2017.
BabyHomes have been a big draw for Uber.
Uber invested more than $6.6 million in baby-specific startups in 2018, including the company behind BabyBooth.Uber and


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The acquisition of long-standing French OEM Fruehauf in mid-2015 may have established Wielton in the top echelon of European trailer building, but it wasn’t until the surprise take-over of German company Langendorf in March this year that the Polish brand truly came out of stealth mode and revealed where the journey was taking it.
Despite happening less publicly than the Fruehauf deal, the Langendorf acquisition turned out to be the centrepiece of a strategic growth plan leading through to 2020, as Wielton Group CEO, Mariusz Golec, revealed in the wake of the announcement.
It was the first time Wielton’s Chief Executive openly addressed the company’s big picture strategy since he was elected to replace Andrew Szczepek in 2015 – marking the beginning of a new era for both himself and the Wielton organisation as a whole.
Having kept a low profile during his first two years in the role, Golec must have made a conscious decision to wait for the Langendorf deal to come through before sharing his future vision with the world – a vision that many in the industry may have anticipated, but that has hardly ever been articulated so clearly.
Wielton, he said, won’t settle for anything less than the number three spot in Europe. The fact that Golec chose Germany – Europe’s largest trailer market – for the announcement only emphasised the gravity of the occasion.
Langendorf is a key piece in Golec’s long-term plan, with the CEO expecting the German tipper expert to boost annual turnover from €50 million in 2016 to around €80 million come 2020. In line with that, he is hoping to increase the company’s production volume from 1,000 units a year to around 2,500. In 2017, the number will already rise to 1,100, he tells Global Trailer.
To get there, Langendorf will get full access to Wielton’s new R&D Centre in Wielun, Poland, with both companies expecting a “smart exchange” of parts and components to reduce purchasing costs across the group. In a move to complement the Wielton portfolio, not challenge it, Langendorf will continue to focus on the design and manufacture of tippers, glass transport trailers and low loaders, and use the parent company’s established network to expand eastward.
Wielton, meanwhile, will make the most out of Langendorf’s existing network of service points in Germany, which will become sales support points for the Wielton brand, too – thus handing the Polish manufacturer a complete sales network at one fell swoop.
According to Golec, Wielton’s expansion across Europe won’t just be based on acquiring well-known names in the industry, though. A second focus area is “improving the core brand” by equipping Wielton trailers with the best possible components and keeping a close eye on production quality.
The company is already in the process of installing a new, 18m-long e-coating system next to the factory premises in Poland, he says, with a complete overhaul of all business units planned for the coming year. “Everything will change at the Wielton plant,” he says. “From internal logistics to the flow of production, everything will be completely reprogrammed. We’ll be able to expand our production capacity a lot once we have made this next step.”
“A lot” means almost 100 per cent, according to Golec. With Langendorf’s help, he says, Wielton is in a position to increase sales from 12,900 units today to 25,000 units by 2020 – turning it into a billion-euro entity with an eight per cent profit margin. “We intend to be the European number three, but with the best profit margin in the business.”
To facilitate such rapid growth, Golec’s focus is firmly on expanding the company’s sales network, with Langendorf being but one element of a large-scale service offensive. More has to come here, he says, just like in the east, where the company is finally ready to take on crisis-shaken Russia again. Having already established a presence in Ukraine and Belarus, Golec says Russia is the next logical step.
Beyond that, he shares, Wielton’s biggest target market is the African continent. “Africa offers so many opportunities for a company like Wielton,” he explains. “We have exactly the right range of trailers for it, so our goal has to be to become more active there. I’d like to see whether we can sell 1,000 trailers annually in African countries by 2020.”
In line with the Fruehauf example, Golec says any Wielton expansion, regardless of location, should be driven by local experts. “We will keep looking for trailer companies that do well in areas we want to improve on and see whether we can buy a majority share in them. That way, Wielton will be active all over Europe and beyond come 2020, but via brands that are already well positioned locally. Just like we did with Fruehauf in France.”
On the product front, Golec says he is acutely aware of the fact that the €570 million business does not have refrigerated trailers in its portfolio just yet – even though profit margins in the reefer sector are traditionally high. “Going into refrigerated transport is a long-term goal, but to achieve it, we need our own plant to produce our own panels. We will start investing in such a facility next year,” he explains, adding that Wielton will make use of the traditional suppliers of cooling engines instead of designing an in-house unit. However, he is not quite sure how much longer diesel-driven systems will be around. “There might be some clarity about this by the time we start producing.”
Golec acknowledges that the planned growth of the Wielton brand – with or without reefers – will only be sustainable if the company is able to provide the right level of service, too. “At present, we are only happy with our service in France, Italy and Poland. We have to do more, especially when it comes to the fast distribution of spare parts. Stepping up in Germany with Langendorf is an important move in that context, also from the perspective of aftersales.”
Golec and his team are confident that the European market will remain stable and healthy all the way through to 2020, even though there is no such thing as certainty anymore in global manufacturing. By insourcing existing market expertise and creating economies of scale, however, they hope to circumnavigate market fluctuations and create a new European powerhouse that is capable of challenging the big two – at least in certain segments. Golec for one, is so buoyant about the plan that he is now even willing to say it out loud.
Wielton CEO, Mariusz Golec, points out that only a strong and well-established parts and service network will allow Wielton to introduce additional services like used trailer sales and rentals across Europe. “There’s a lot that can be done, but it’s one thing at a time for us,” he says. “We are in no great hurry, especially with rentals. We see that there’s still quite some pressure on prices so we will focus on trailer sales and parts first.”
Wielton has a current annual turnover of about €570 million, but is hoping to double that figure come 2020 – making for a comfortable nine per cent share of the €7 billion European trailer market.
Wielton first made global headlines when it acquired French company Fruehauf in mid-2015 – placing the OEM firmly on the radar of the established competition. With access to production sites in the east and west of Europe, Wielton went on to evolve into a continent-spanning powerhouse – but it wasn’t until recently that the company itself confirmed just how ambitious it truly is. Wielton came in on tenth place in Global Trailer’s 2017 OEM ranking.
A long-time Wielton employee, Mariusz Golec has led a range of key departments before ascending to CEO – including R&D and Sales. Internally, he is notorious for knowing every last detail about the organisation.


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New Zealand Post Group confirms profit at $1.3 million
New Zealand Post Group today confirmed a net profit after tax (NPAT) of $1.3 million for the year ended 30 June 2010.
The result is consistent with the Company's NPAT expectation announced on 5 August and reflects difficult trading conditions and a series of significant one-off items.
The Chairman, Rt Hon Jim Bolger ONZ, said in view of the difficult trading environment the Company drew some satisfaction from holding the underlying operating net profit of $73.6 million to just under 5 per cent of the $77.2 million normalised earnings in the 2009 financial year.
He confirmed the underlying NPAT was affected by declining mail volumes, a weaker economy and generally tight margins in a competitive business environment, especially the banking sector. These conditions resulted in reduced contributions from Kiwibank, and the postal services and data management businesses.
"However, a series of non-recurring one-off items totalling $72.4 million reduced our reported profit to $1.3 million for the year. These items arose in the second half of the year and related to influences outside our control or to historical issues."
The one-off costs were:
- $19.8 million arising from a taxation change introduced in the May 2010 Budget affecting the depreciation treatment of property assets.
- $17.4 million of write-downs and provisioning in the international mail business.
- $5.3 million relating to the write-down of various assets, including property and aircraft, whose value has been affected by economic conditions, and other adjustments.
- A reduction of $29.9 million associated with ParcelDirect Group (PDG), New Zealand Post Group's 50:50 courier joint venture with DHL in Australia.
Mr Bolger confirmed the non-recurring items as largely non-cash expenses. "As such, our cash position remains strong and the Group's commercial value, as well as our debt servicing capability, is not materially affected," he said.
The Board has declared a total dividend for the year of $6.42 million.
Mr Bolger expected market conditions to continue to be challenging in the immediate future, but was optimistic the Group would achieve its financial targets.
"As I have previously said, we are actively addressing the impact of electronic communications on our traditional mail business and the inroads online transactions are making in other parts of our business, including the Retail network. We continue to closely manage costs and we are progressing the evaluation of options to ensure the future sustainability of our postal and retail networks in the digital world."


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Alaska Communications (ACS) has reached a deal to sell off its remaining wireless assets for $300 million to GCI Communications in a move that it says will help it deleverage its balance sheet while sharpening its focus on residential and business broadband services.
A recent suit filed by a New York City consumer against Time Warner Cable over broadband pricing shows that customers want clarity on what they are paying for. According to a FierceCable report, a...
BT has taken on the Black Friday challenge by offering discounts for its Totally Unlimited Broadband (ADSL2+ and Fiber to the Cabinet/BT Infinity) packages for customers who sign up by midnight on Dec. 1.
Bell Aliant now reaches 1 million homes and businesses with its fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP)-based FibreOP broadband service, reaching this goal for 2014 in Oromocto, New Brunswick.
Jean-Claude Juncker, the new president of the European Commission, unveiled a three-year €315 billion ($392 billion) investment plan that will include a strong focus on broadband network investments across the continent.
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler says that whatever final net neutrality rules the commission issues next year, the FCC will be challenged in the courts by major service providers.
TDS Telecom is giving seven of its Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets in New Hampshire the option to order its emerging 1 Gbps fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) service.
President Barack Obama issued a new statement telling service providers they need to ensure that the Internet remains free and open to any consumer.
Alaska Communications is upping its broadband service offerings for both residential and business customers, announcing that it will now offer a 50 Mbps speed tier with unlimited data usage.
Bell Aliant continued on its fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) expansion path, adding 19,000 new FibreOP customers during the quarter, bringing total FibreOP Internet customers to approximately 236,000 at the end of September 2014.


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Coronavirus shop closures on the rise
Nearly half of the sites where location was known were in London
The number of independent convenience stores thought to have closed due to the coronavirus pandemic has risen to at least 1,000, leaked documents suggest.
Incomplete data sets from both Smiths News and Menzies Distribution seen by betterRetailing show that from 16-24 March, more than 1,000 independent and 500 multiple-owned stores reported “temporary closures” to their news wholesalers.
EXCLUSIVE: First coronavirus shop closures revealed
Of the 63 independent sites where location data was provided, nearly half were in the London area. One business next door to a closed newsagents said: “The owner is of the older generation and it’s been done to protect his health.”
The figures relate to the period before and up to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ‘lockdown’ announcement, suggesting the current figure is likely much higher. While overall sales in the independent channel were “above Christmas levels”, according to one wholesaler source, stores in non-residential areas reported losing more than 85% of their weekly sales.
A letter sent to senior NFRN figures by the trade group’s national president, Stuart Reddish, revealed plans to create a £500,000 relief fund by requesting donations from suppliers and NFRN district voluntary funds. The NFRN leader said this was to “give some financial help to those who badly need it”.
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Night owls be warned: LG's big conference for CES 2014 will take place in the wee small hours of tomorrow morning, and we'll be covering it from 2.30am AEDT.
At an accessibility conference, LG debuts the Optimus F3, an Android Jelly Bean phone that includes Google's TalkBack feature.
Corning says its new USB 3.0 cable is thinner, lighter, and bendable to your heart's desire.
O2 has revealed its first prices for the iPhone 5S and 5C -- and the colourful 5C can be yours for just £50.
The Swell podcast-streaming app, which learns what you like and don't like, reportedly will be shut down as part of the $30 million deal.
A promotion for the first anniversary of Google's streaming stick includes three months of All Access streaming music and cuts the $35 dongle's price to virtually $5.
If you're renting your home on Airbnb, it's worth checking the law. One California woman is finding out the hard way. Her tenant won't leave and does have some rights.
Three YouTube powerhouses put words in the mouth of Anakin, Luke, Obi-Wan, Jar Jar Binks, and others in a funny new video filmed in a galaxy really close by.
A knock-off of the $70 Fischer Audio FA-004s, Incipio's respectable-sounding f38 headphones are a relative bargain.
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty also says no other company comes close to Apple's brand loyalty in the mobile market.


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Racist or too much Photoshop?
Kim Kardashian West was called out on Twitter recently for a photo she posted advertising her new KKW Beauty Crème Contour & Highlight kit.
The reality TV star announced her latest business venture via social media Wednesday, but reactions were mixed. While many fans were excited to buy her new product, others were quick to accuse her of blackface in the promo image.
In the picture, Kardashian West appears with a heavy dose of contouring and highlighting, but many were quick to comment on how much darker the star’s skin looks. Followers criticized the star for attempting to darken her skin in order to appear black.
Others came to the star’s defense, noting that it’s possibly a case of weird lighting or heavy editing. Others claimed the star likely just got a tan, and because she’s Armenian, she already has a naturally darker complexion.
In an interview with the New York Times Monday, Kardashian West responded to the controversy.
"I was really tan when we shot the images, and it might be that the contrast was off," said Kardashian West.
She says before posting the image to social media, she had no idea there were any issues with the photo.
“I would obviously never want to offend anyone…But I showed the image to many people, to many in the business. No one brought that to our attention,” said Kardashian West. “Of course, I have the utmost respect for why people might feel the way they did. But we made the necessary changes to that photo and the rest of the photos. We saw the problem, and we adapted and changed right away. Definitely I have learned from it,” she told the Times.
This isn’t the first time the Kardashian family have been accused of cultural appropriation. Multiple members of the family, including Kim and younger sister Kylie Jenner have been called out for wearing their hair in styles predominantly worn by black women.


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Earlier this month, Toys R Us revealed they had hired a law firm to assist in potential bankruptcy proceedings. Of course, since that time, the retailer’s vendors have seen major downgrades from Wall Street analysts. Mattel and Hasbro, for example, saw their share values dip greatly as one of the most popular toy retail stores announced this exploration. After all, it was only last year that Toys R Us made up approximately 10 percent of Mattle’s and Hasbro’s total business[es]. The two leading American toy companies, then, are rejoicing a bit, today, on the heels of a slight rebound after Toys R Us did, indeed, reveal bankruptcy filings.
Toys R Us been on a steady decline towards bankruptcy for the past several years as it has struggled to keep up with competitors. Analysts, in the meantime, have cited several reasons the company has been failing and it is not just pressure from sales competitors. In addition, they say poor in-store customer service, a poor web presence, and oddly higher prices have easily contributed. When you also consider the mounting debt that continues to pile up—a lot of it dating back more than 10 years, at the 2005 leveraged buyout—and it becomes quite clear why the six-decade-old brand is in trouble.
Indeed, retail consultant Howard Davidowitz—who worked with Toys R Us between the 1980s and 90s—comments, “When you’re cursed with all this debt, there’s no way you can compete anymore. Now they’re running up and down the halls trying to pick up the pieces, but there’s no way around it: This is a very bad situation, and it will weaken the company forever.”
But this is good news, according to Toys R Us chairman and chief executive, Dave Brandon. He says, “Today marks the dawn of a new era at Toys ‘R’ Us where we expect that the financial constraints that have held us back will be addressed in a lasting and effective way,” adding, “We are confident these are the right steps to ensure that the iconic Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us brands live on for many generations.”
Still, GlobalData Retail managing director Neil Saunders warns, “Even if the debt issues are solved, Toys ‘R’ Us still faces massive structural challenges against which it must battle. The jury is out as to whether it can adapt enough to survive…With the high price tag, there is often little left over — either from the child’s budget or the gifting budget of parents and family — to spend on other toys.”


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© 2021 Media Wales Ltd
16:42, 5 APR 2013
Welsh labour productivity lowest in the UK
WELSH labour productivity is the lowest of any part of the UK, according to new figures.
Economy: 'No real recovery until 2015' experts warn
After a year of economic turmoil, 2013 may be a year of growth, but there are warnings today that it may take until 2015 for a real recovery to be seen.
Shops gear up for busy Boxing Day to end another tough trading year
Boxing Day has become increasingly important to shops and businesses as the economy continues to struggle and customers remain reluctant to spend.
Christmas shopping boost for major high street retailers
There was some festive cheer on the high street amid the economic gloom, as a retail giant and a flagship Welsh shopping centre reported strong sales.
High street receives much needed boost from festive shoppers
THERE was some festive cheer on the high street amid the economic gloom yesterday, as a retail giant and a flagship Welsh shopping centre reported strong sales.
Will shoppers be going Christmas crackers?
RETAILERS in South Wales are hoping for a record-breaking Christmas as shoppers splurge in defiance of the ongoing economic gloom.
Empty-property rates exemption doesn’t go far enough, say builders
THE proposal for an 18-month exemption from empty property rates on newly built commercial properties does not go far enough, according to representatives of the construction industry.
Our verdict on the Autumn Statement
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BondMoves would like to thank the CME Group for allowing us to reprint the following information. Click here to view all CME Group Market Commentary and Analysis. All copyrights are retained by the CME Group.
April 10th, 2012
Treasury prices have posted moderate losses this morning, as some traders feel that a slight recovery in US equities may have triggered some profit taking after the recent rally in prices. From last week’s lows to the recent high, June bonds gained roughly 4 1/2 points. With a surprising Chinese trade surplus result overnight hinting at better global economic activity, and the increase in foreign demand seen within the Chinese trade balance report potentially cushioning the Chinese economy from weaker domestic demand levels, there has been a partial easing of global economic slowing fears. It is also possible that the presence of upcoming US supply may have helped to limit the recent rise in Treasury prices, as many traders are expected to pay close attention to the 3-Year Note auction results later today. While the markets will take some direction from private weekly US chain store sales figures as well as the US Wholesale trade report, the main event of the day might be a series of speeches by Federal Reserve officials as US economic data might not be as important as any hint from the Fed of potential easing. Some traders are suggesting that yesterday’s high in June Bonds effectively priced in the weaker than expected US Non Farm payroll result at the end of last week and that the Treasury market is now looking ahead to fresh US economic data and to hints on the Fed’s current policy stance. The Treasury market might also take some direction from a private consumer confidence reading today as well.
*Disclaimer: The information in the Market Commentaries was obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but we do not guarantee its accuracy. Neither the information nor any opinion expressed therein constitutes a solicitation of the purchase or sale of any futures or options contracts.
Related Links To CME Educational Content:
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Last Thursday, On The Run (OTR), a convenience store and petrol station brand, added crypto payment assistance to all 175 of its petrol stations and convenience stores across Victoria, South Australia (SA), and Western Australia (WA).
As previously reported, the move is part of a partnership between OTR, Singapore-based exchange Crypto.com, and DataMesh, a Sydney-based payment systems provider.
As a payment settlement layer, the exchange provided its Pay Merchant service, while Datamesh provided the point-of-sale terminals.
In an interview with Cointelegraph, Crypto.com's Asia & Pacific general manager Karl Mohan stated that it only took "eight weeks from the time of proof of concept to the point of actually obtaining a fully scalable production-ready environment."
Mohan noted that while the infrastructure was initially installed in 175 OTR stores, the crypto payments service is now operationally ready to expand much further.
"Now, any merchant, whether you're a cafe owner or someone who runs thousands of stores, can just plug and play," he explained.
In addition to the 175 locations, OTR's parent company, Peregrine Corp, plans to expand the crypto payments service to another 250 retail locations across the country, including Subway, Oporto, and Krispy Kreme.
Mohan also mentioned that Crypto.com does not charge any transaction fees in this context. Nevertheless, the merchant will charge fees and will set their own rates. This could imply that transaction costs are comparable to those of fiat card payments.
When asked what is required to make crypto payments widely accepted in the country, particularly given the tax implications of doing so, Mohan suggested that the use of an Australian dollar-backed stablecoin may be the key.
"Bitcoin and Ethereum are already at the top of the list due to their market capitalization. However, many consumers have stated that they are willing to accept and begin paying with Australian stablecoins."
"We've made the system available, and if you've seen ANZ introduce the Australian dollar stablecoin, and we see these types of stablecoins becoming available, I really believe it will become mainstream," he continued.
So far, the ANZ bank has only pilot tested its A$DC stablecoin for private institutional purposes; however, if it is ever made available to the retail market, Mohan stated that "we would love the opportunity to collaborate with any financial or any Australian deposit-taking institution that is eager to introduce a stablecoin."


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Following the departure of former boss Heini Zachariassen, George Tennet has stepped up to lead Bullguard.
Tennet joins BullGuard from Mobility Electronics where he was managing director for the EMEA region. Prior to this he was head of global sales at Sennheiser Communication and vice president of sales and marketing EMEA at GN/Jabra.
“BullGuard is at a key stage in its development and I am looking forward to working with the team to continue building on the past growth success,” said Tennet. “BullGuard’s products have a solid consumer value and this fact, along with our new Gaming and Mobile editions, gives us unique opportunities to expand our distribution and business partner base globally.”


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Several travel agencies in southwest China's Yunnan Province including the Yunnan Overseas Tourism Company recently opened a new tourism route -- "the Southern Ancient Silk Road".
"It has attracted an increasing number of tourists," said Liu Wancheng, vice chairman of the Yunnan Association of Travel Agencies.
According to historic records, as early as more than 2,000 years ago, businessmen from southwest China's Sichuan Province had begun to trade with their partners in south Asian countries along the ancient silk road from Yunnan (Province) to Burma, India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.
Their trade route is today called "the Southern Ancient Silk Road" on which a lot of ancient ruins and cultural relics can be found.
(People’s Daily 02/15/2001)


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As the Brexit saga continues, the Freight Transport Association Ireland (FTAI) would welcome an extended transition period and proposes it lasts at least one year, to allow the logistics sector to become more comprehensively prepared for the future trading environment.
“There’s growing concern that the inability of Brexit negotiators to reach an agreement will result in a No Deal Brexit – the worst-case scenario. And this uncertainty is leaving the freight distribution and logistics sector in limbo,” commented Aidan Flynn, FTAI General Manager.
“At this stage, we should be discussing the length of the Brexit transition period in terms of years, not months. Most importantly, once we hit the start of the transition period – 30th March 2019 – we should know what we are transitioning into. As this is now looking unlikely, the transition period may turn into the new timeframe for the agreement of a future trade deal. It will also serve to encourage a speedier agreement on the future trading relationship, which will be beneficial for Northern Ireland and all island trade,” he continued.
“With the recently announced 4.7% growth in trade into and out of Dublin Port, the implications of Brexit on future trade flows between Ireland and the UK must not be underestimated, particularly the implications on the just-in-time supply chain. While FTA Ireland welcomes initial preparation made by Dublin Port, most notably the investment in primary border control infrastructure, it is vital that everything is done to ensure we have facilities that will enable ease of movement into and out of the UK. Dublin Port – like most ports – has spatial issues, and adding additional infrastructure removes space that would otherwise be used for vehicles and this must be kept in mind. FTA Ireland would like to see a more joined up, strategic plan by Irish Ports. This includes Waterford and Rosslare – these ports should explore sharing capacity to reduce the risk of delays and an over reliance on Dublin. After all, over 90% of all Roll on Roll off traffic between Ireland and the UK is from Dublin Port.”
“To become an attractive and viable port, Rosslare needs to introduce border inspection posts and improved facilities as a matter of urgency. In FTA Ireland’s submission to the European Commission’s consultation on amending Regulation 1316/2013, sea trade corridors have called on funding to be made available for Rosslare Port, and FTA hopes to see this come to fruition,” concluded Aidan.


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31 May 2012
Atomic Gaming, is proud to showcase the best of SPIELO International’s latest releases at the 2012 Wild Coast Winter Games, the biggest event on the South African Gaming industry calendar held annually at the Wild Coast Sun Resort and Casino, Port Edward, South Africa.
It’s going to be a splashy affair as the Wild Coast Winter Games will mark the official launch of the innovative progressive link, Mermaid’s Spell™, in South Africa. With 8 progressive levels, Mermaid‘s Spell is yet another addition to SPIELO International’s successful library of multi-level progressive links.
Mermaids Spell, SPIELO International's innovative progressive link will be launched at the Wild Coast Winter Games 2012 on the Atomic Gaming stand
No need to wait for any bonus features -- this 8-level progressive link enables players to win one of the progressive levels at any time. By enchanting your favourite progressive symbol you can “hunt” for your desired progressive level
Winter Games will also be the platform for the unveiling of two brand new suites in the top-performing diversity™ multi-game series: Absolute Azure™ and Magic Maroon™.
diversity Absolute Azure offers players the choice of 5 core game titles in addition to 1 top-performing, stand-alone CASH FEVER™ progressive title and 2 classic, low-line games. One extremely volatile version of the top performing game, Master Roulette™, rounds off Absolute Azure.
diversity Magic Maroon offers players the choice of 5 core game titles in addition to 2 top-performing, stand-alone titles from the successful Doggie Cash™ progressive link, as well as 2 classic, low-line games. One extremely volatile version of a top performing game rounds off this exciting diversity multi-game suite.
diversity Absolute Azure will be on display at the Wild Coast Winter Games 2012 on the Atomic Gaming stand
Some of the SPIELO International Core Games that will be on display at the Wild Coast Winter Games 2012 on the Atomic Gaming exhibition stand
All games will be displayed on the OXYGEN upright and slant top cabinets, featuring crisp graphics, a simplified button panel, 22-inch screens and the sensys EP™ platform that’s powerful and robust, yet easy to service.
See you at the Wild Coast Winter Games on the Atomic Gaming stand!


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Google fighting BrightRoll in video-ad market
- Staff San Francisco Business Times
BrightRoll has surpassed Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) in the number of online video ads sold in two of the past three months, according to the research firm comScore Inc.
Google runs commercials for advertisers on its YouTube video website, while BrightRoll puts ads on competing sites.
Read more at Bloomberg.
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- One of the largest investment rounds ever raised by a Brazilian Fintech company
- Advent is one of the largest private equity firms and premier Payments industry investors in the world, joining FTV Capital as key minority shareholders
- The investment will be used to fund continued aggressive expansion and reinforce EBANX's leadership in Latin America as it prepares for a U.S. IPO
CURITIBA, BRAZIL, June 15, 2021 – EBANX, the leading cross-border commerce platform in Latin America connecting global merchants with local consumers, today announced an investment of US$400 million from Advent International and an additional commitment of US$30 million to the company's planned IPO in the U.S. Advent is one of the largest private equity firms in the world and one of the most successful investors in the Payments industry, having made investments in Vantiv, Worldpay, Nets, Nexi, Planet, Xplor Technologies, Prisma, Concardis, Monext, and Stone. The firm joins FTV Capital as a minority investor in EBANX.
The investment will be used to continue funding EBANX's aggressive expansion across Latin America. "Our goal has always been to develop the highest-performing digital payments solutions, recruit the best technology talent and business minds, and deliver a superior value proposition that makes it easier and more cost effective for global companies to access and grow their businesses across Latin America. We are excited to have Advent join us on our journey and help us accelerate our growth”, said João Del Valle, CEO and co-founder of EBANX.
EBANX’s Expansion in Latin America
EBANX has helped companies such as Amazon, Alibaba, Shopee, Spotify and Uber reach and conduct commerce with over 70 million Latin American consumers across 15 countries, through its proprietary platform and solutions. The Company has grown at an exponential rate in recent years, and processed over US$3.5 billion in volume and 150 million transactions in 2020.
“EBANX is one of the most impressive companies I’ve seen in the last 20 years,” said Mario Malta, Managing Director and Head of Latin America Financial Services at Advent. “The company is the clear leader in a rapidly expanding market, serving clients that are among the fastest-growing companies in the world and helping them to sell throughout Latin America with simplicity, confidence and higher-levels of transaction approval.”
EBANX also continues to recruit talent aggressively. The Company recently hired Alexandre Dinkelmann as Chief Financial Officer, who brings his public company experience as CFO of TOTVS, the largest software company in Brazil. “Recruiting the most talented and experienced professionals in the market is essential to the continued evolution of our best-in-class customer experience and industry-leading capabilities," said Wagner Ruiz, Chief Risk Officer and co-founder at EBANX.
Advent Invests Through All Four Funds for the First Time in History
For the first time in its history, all four of Advent’s funds, including Latin American Private Equity Fund (LAPEF), Global Private Equity (GPE), Advent Tech and Sunley House Capital, are participating in the same investment, demonstrating the firm’s strong global support of EBANX. This round is also Advent’s largest investment in a Latin American tech company.
Brenno Raiko, Managing Director and Head of Latin America Technology at Advent said, “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with such a remarkable group of founders and industry leaders at EBANX. This management team is building a unique growth engine throughout Latin America and is the type of disruptive category leader in which we look to invest. We are proud to have EBANX in the Advent ecosystem.”
EBANX is the leading cross-border commerce platform in Latin America connecting global merchants with local consumers. The company was founded in 2012 to bridge an access gap between Latin Americans and international websites. Using proprietary technology, EBANX allows global companies with local or international operations to connect to hundreds of payment methods in Latin America, through a single platform, regardless of their operational model or type of settlement. It offers more than 100 local payment methods and has helped more than 70 million Latin Americans to access global products and services across more than 1,000 international websites. For more information, visit https://business.ebanx.com.
ABOUT ADVENT INTERNATIONAL
Founded in 1984, Advent International is one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors. The firm has invested in over 375 companies in 42 countries, and as of December 31, 2020, had $76 billion in assets under management. With 14 offices in 11 countries, Advent has established a globally integrated team of over 240 investment professionals across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. The firm focuses on investments in five core sectors, including business and financial services; health care; industrial; retail, consumer and leisure; and technology. After more than 35 years dedicated to international investing, Advent remains committed to partnering with management teams to deliver sustained revenue and earnings growth for its portfolio companies.
For more information, visit:
EBANX integrates Botón Bancolombia and simplifies payments for cross-border digital commerce in Colombia
December 14, 2023
IXOPAY and EBANX lead into the Future of Payments
April 25, 2023
EBANX is the first payments player to integrate Mexican OXXO PAY directly with global merchants
November 2, 2023
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Battery technology has come a long way and even though the batteries in our mobile devices are bigger and better than they have ever been before, they’re still not enough, and that’s because there’s an abundance of apps and services that require a significant amount of juice to run. Perhaps a new kind of lithium battery would suffice, one that’s actually capable of storing five times the energy of existing lithium-ion batteries.
A team of scientists have created a new prototype battery that’s capable of storing up to five times the energy of existing lithium-ion batteries. They call it the lithium-air battery because it releases oxygen when it discharges.
Instead of using lithium peroxide the prototype uses lithium superoxide to store energy, it breaks down more easily and provides improved battery life with greater efficiency. When the battery is charged the lithium becomes a positive ion and bonds with the oxides. When it’s discharging the lithium and oxide separate to release the stored energy.
It’s similar to lithium-ion batteries since it’s a closed system, that means it doesn’t require an extra intake of oxygen or any components to be removed, it simply charges up like the batteries we have in our devices now.
A lot more research is required for lithium-air batteries can actually make their way into consumer devices, researchers are now looking for the cycle life of the battery but are optimistic that this discovery is going to open a pathway for potential development of a new kind of battery.


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Kroger's stock takes another hit amid worries price war chipping away at profits
Kroger shares dove Friday after the grocer's second-quarter profit slid near 8 percent as it slashed prices amid growing competition in the sector.
Kroger's stock was down 7.8 percent Friday morning.
Here's what Kroger reported compared with what Wall Street was expecting, based on a Thomson Reuters survey of analysts:
Earnings of 39 cents a share, matching expectations.
Revenue was $27.6 billion vs. an estimate of $27.5 billion.
Same-store sales excluding fuel climbed 0.7 percent, better than the expected 0.4 percent growth, according to FactSet.
Although Kroger touted the work it's been doing and reaffirmed its annual forecast, investors sold off the stock, an acknowledgement that the company will be operating in a slower growth environment as Amazon uses Whole Foods to shake up the grocery business.
Kroger has taken the worst beating of any supermarket chain since Amazon announced its plans to acquire Whole Foods on June 16.
"Our second quarter results demonstrate the progress we've made," CEO Rodney McMullen said in a statement on Friday.
"We had strong growth in both loyal and total households," he added. "Traffic is up, unit movement is up, market share is up, and our customers' price perception is excellent and continues to improve."
Second-quarter net income fell to $353 million, or 39 cents per share, from $383 million, or 40 cents per share, one year ago. Excluding one-time charges, Kroger's earnings-per-share came in at 47 cents in the second quarter of 2016.
Total sales climbed 3.9 percent, to $27.60 billion.
Same-store sales, excluding Kroger's fuel centers, climbed 0.7 percent in the second quarter. This comes in 1 percentage point less than Kroger's comps during the same time a year earlier.
"We appreciate how hard it is for a company of Kroger's scale to engineer even a modest rise in same-store numbers," GlobalData Retail Managing Director Neil Saunders wrote in a note to clients.
"The principle weapon of choice has been to invest in price cuts, something that has impacted gross margins," Saunders added. "In our view, this is a necessary evil, and we believe that Kroger is right to maintain its competitiveness and dominance in the sector."
Looking ahead, Cincinnati-based Kroger has reaffirmed its outlook for the remainder of the year. But the retailer said those expectations don't include any impact from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
Just a day before Amazon unveiled the Whole Foods deal, Kroger cut its full-year adjusted earnings outlook to a range of $2 to $2.05 per share, down from its previous guidance of $2.21 to $2.25. The chain had cast blame on deflation in food prices and increased competition.
Kroger, meantime, expects same-store sales growth, excluding fuel, of 0.5 to 1 percent for the remainder of the fiscal year.
"As our business continues to improve, we remain committed to delivering on our guidance in 2017 and believe we have the ability to grow identical supermarket sales and market share in 2018," McMullen said.
Kroger said it will continue to provide annual forecasts, but the chain will no longer report any outlook past that, as it had been doing since 2012, citing the current "dynamic operating environment."
"We are better off giving annual guidance," Kroger CFO Michael Schlotman told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday. "We don't want to make a bad decision today to try to hit something over a three-year period."
Schlotman added that Kroger feels particularly confident about its digital sales, which climbed more than 120 percent for the period. The chain has been expanding its online grocery order platform, called ClickList, boosting those results.
Kroger said it has now reduced its 2017 and 2018 planned capital investments by $600 million in an attempt to maintain its current investment-grade debt rating.
Kroger, though, will need to invest more to keep its prices low. Since the Whole Foods deal closed, Amazon has started lowering prices on produce and other items at Whole Foods' stores, promising "more to come." In turn, Kroger has suffered even more, especially with big-box retailers Target and Walmart upping the ante on their own grocery offerings.
Just this week, Walmart announced it has opened its 1,000th online grocery pickup location — in Amazon's backyard of Seattle. Kroger has been working with grocery delivery service Instacart to deliver items more quickly to shoppers.
As of Thursday's close, Kroger had seen its stock fall near 35 percent this year.
Kroger will hold its annual investor conference on Oct. 11 in New York.


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27th May 2023 – (Detroit) The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of Hong Kong, Mr Algernon Yau, spoke at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting in Detroit, the United States, on 26th May, where he emphasised the need to ensure that trade benefits everyone in a sustainable manner. He also discussed Hong Kong’s commitment to green and sustainable policies in response to climate change and other challenges.
Mr Yau announced Hong Kong’s plan to set up a Green Technology and Finance Development Committee to formulate an action agenda for future endeavours. The goal is to accelerate Hong Kong’s development into an international green technology and finance centre. Additionally, Hong Kong is developing an active market for green and sustainable debt, including both bonds and loans, with the total amount issued in Hong Kong increasing by over 40% from 2021 to US$80.5 billion in 2022.
Mr Yau also emphasised Hong Kong’s efforts to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their growth, innovation, and adoption of technology to embrace future opportunities. These efforts include funding programs to support SMEs’ brand building, operation upgrading, export marketing activities, and adoption of innovation and technology. Furthermore, Hong Kong is strengthening its support for the development of women and youth.
On achieving a resilient transition to a more sustainable and inclusive regional economy, Mr Yau shared his insights on the collective efforts in deepening economic integration, such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which he believes hold great promise for overcoming divisions and bolstering connectivity. He also called on member economies to keep up momentum and accelerate discussions on the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific.
During the APEC meeting, Mr Yau held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Peru, Mr Juan Carlos Matthews Salazar, to discuss various trade and economic issues.
Hong Kong’s commitment to green and sustainable policies is in line with global efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainable development. As a global financial centre, Hong Kong is well-positioned to lead the way in sustainable finance and green technology. The establishment of the Green Technology and Finance Development Committee is a significant step towards this goal.
The emphasis on supporting SMEs, women, and youth also highlights Hong Kong’s commitment to inclusive growth and development. By providing support for these groups, Hong Kong is working towards creating a more equitable and balanced economy.
Mr Yau’s insights on achieving a resilient transition to a more sustainable and inclusive regional economy are particularly relevant in the current global context. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for economic resilience and the importance of sustainable and inclusive growth. APEC’s efforts to deepen economic integration and connect member economies can play a crucial role in achieving these goals.


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Game faces on.
ICYMI, the Wanderland Music and Arts Fest is back after a two-year hiatus with 'Wanderland: The Comeback.'
The two-day event is to take place on March 4 and 5 with the theme of sports and athletics.. Just like the previous Wanderland dates, it will be held at the sprawling Filinvest City Events Grounds in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.
Presented by Karpos Multimedia, Wanderland 2020 was set to see the likes of Joji, No Rome, Raveena, Bruno Major, Sabrina Claudio, Apollo, Foals, Flu, and IV of Spades livening up the event before it was abruptly canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, the selling of pre-sale tickets has begun for two types of Wanderers: Regular and Star (VIP). The regular tickets sell for P6,000, while Star VIPs are priced at P10,000.
Both tickets cover the two-day event. Meanwhile, VIPs get the star treatment with an express entrance lane, an exclusive Star Wanderer kit, access to the exclusive viewing deck, VIP toilets, a private bar, and two free drinks.
You can grab your tickets here until Nov. 5, 11:59 p.m., or until supplies last.
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Meanwhile, the seventh run of the event was set to occur on March 7 and 8, 2020, but Wanderland 2020 ticket holders will still be honored three years later.


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Element, the novel looking sedan/sport-utility crossover from Honda, will compete for buyers with the Chrysler PT Cruiser, says Tom Elliott, executive vice president of Honda.
Does that mean Element will have derivatives, just like the PT Cruiser with such offshoots as a high-performance GT and a convertible in the lineup?
"Our intent isn't to make Element faster as it is to make it more functional," Elliott said. "As for derivatives, let's sell this one first before we see what we do with derivatives."
Element is aimed at Gen Y buyers, youth without a lot of dough to spend on a new vehicle.
"The question is, does Gen Y have the money to buy a new vehicle and if they do, will they spend $18,000 for a new Element or $18,000 for a 2-year-old Ford Explorer. We'll see, but I suspect the buyers will be the parents for the kids," said Jim Hall, vice president of industry analysis for AutoPacific, Inc., in Southfield, Mich.
"But Element is important because if Honda can get youth to bond to the brand, then Civic will be on their list when it's time to move up," Hall added.


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Mobile food enthusiasts, mark your calendars for April 26. SactoMoFo 7 will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 6th and W streets, and in this latest edition will round up some 30 vendors that includes local favorites and some new mobile food vendors as well.
Among the newcomers are Fresno’s Dusty Buns, which specialize in gourmet sandwiches and a Central Valley hit. Ciao Chow, a local Italian-Asian truck which recently went online, will also make its SactoMoFo debut with a menu that spans spaghetti and meatballs, Thai braised pork sandwiches, Moroccan chicken and more. Cruizin’ Crustacean, a relatively new seafood truck run by the folks at Rudy’s Hideaway, will also be featured.
While food trucks and healthy eating might sound like a culinary oxymoron, SactoMoFo 7 will add more vegetarian and vegan food options.
“We’ve listened loud and clear to the vegetarians,” said Paul Somerhausen, co-founder of SactoMoFo. “One of the trucks we’ll be bringing is Hella Vegan Eats.”
SactoMoFo 7 news arrives as the City Council’s Law and Legislation Committee will debate a proposed ordinance of food truck “pods” which would allow mobile food vending for extended periods of time. Making city ordinances more food truck friendly has been slow going over the past couple years, though the popularity of mobile food round-ups like SactoMoFo show no signs of waning. SactoMoFo 6 in April of 2013 attracted a record 8,000 folks.
Parking at SactoMoFo 7 will cost $5, or free with a donation to the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. The event will also include live music for working off those grilled sandwiches and tacos, plus a beer garden that features local brews and more.
Here’s the full lineup of vendors:
Dusty Buns (Fresno)
Hapa SF (Bay Area)
Hella Vegan Eats (Bay Area)
Koja Kitchen (Bay Area)
The Chairman (Bay Area)
Annie’s Sno Biz
Costa’s Kettle Corn
Drewski’s Hot Rod
Rich’s Ice Cream
FROM THE BEE:


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Ahead of the release of a Warner Bros. feature film “Shazam”, photo-messaging app Snapchat has created a voice-activated Augmented Reality (AR) Lens to back the movie.
Users are allowed to access the new Lens either by scanning the Snapcode on “Shazam” movie posters or by saying “OK, Shazam”, Social Media Today reported on Friday.
“Adding new elements to Lenses makes sense — Snapchat has previously reported that a third of its 186 million daily active users ‘play with Lenses every day’, which would currently equate to some 62 million users,” the report said.
In May 2018, the app launched a new set of Lens that could respond to video as well as audio cues.
In August, Snapchat released a new range of Lenses triggered by different spoken terms like “hi”, “love”, “yes”, “no” and “wow”.
Enabling brands to tap into this, and maximise exposure through as many creative options as possible, is another way that Snapchat can grow its business appeal and capitalise on the popularity of the app, especially with younger users, the report added. (IANS)


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Wayne Curry to head Prince George's County's economic panel
- Staff Washington Business Journal
Wayne Curry, former Prince George's County executive, has been named as the new chairman of the county's Economic Development Corporation, an agency that is trying to bring new businesses to the county, The Washington Post reported.
Curry, who was instrumental in bringing what is now FedEx Field to Landover, said he is eager to “help wherever I can to invigorate economic development in the county.” He is president of NAI Michael, a real estate company in Prince George’s.
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While 2021 has not got off to the best of starts with the commencement of lockdown 3 in England we know that better times are ahead with the rollout of the vaccine programme across the UK. However, just like in March last year’ we need a national effort to stay at home to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), especially in the light of the increased infectiousness of the new variant of the disease.
Our recommended CCTV system, produced by Avigilon, now includes a range of technological solutions that aim to support you to reduce COVID-19 transmission by supporting social distancing rules and the wearing of face masks.
We now back in a lockdown, due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic until the 2nd December but Security Group remains open for business even if some members of staff are working from home. This means supporting customers in all sectors, remotely if possible, but on site if absolutely necessary, and keeping to Covid-Secure rules.
With infections of Coronavirus (COVID-19) rising it is important that your business is doing all it can to help reduce transmission. The current month-long lockdown might give you time to invest in these solutions from advanced CCTV manufacturer, Avigilon, before you reopen. Alternatively, if you are still operating, for example in essential retail, these could be products that could help you right now.
The current rise in Coronavirus (Covid-19) infections and the short-term lockdown will mean that businesses may find that remote management of the access control of sites could be incredibly beneficial as most staff return to working at home.
Security Group, a family run company based in Bristol since 1996, has been bought by Ecl-ips a privately-run CCTV and access control system designer and installer based in Worcestershire which has always strived to offer clients the most advanced solutions it can.


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As promised last week, today Apple released iOS 16.3 to all supported devices. If you have a compatible iPhone, and it hasn’t notified you of the update yet, you can grab it by going to Settings > General > Software Update. That’s the beauty of Apple’s rollouts, they’re not staged.
The new version comes with support for Security Keys for Apple ID, allowing for physical two-factor authentication for Apple ID logins. You also get a new Unity wallpaper, and support for the just unveiled second-gen HomePod.
The Emergency SOS feature has been tweaked to prevent accidental calls – you activate it by holding down the side button with the volume up or down button together, but the call won’t be placed until the buttons are released.
Of course there’s an assortment of bug fixes too, including an issue in Freeform where some strokes created with a finger or Apple Pencil wouldn’t appear on shared boards, an issue that made the wallpaper appear black on the lock screen, one that made horizontal lines temporarily appear while waking up the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and one which prevented the Home app’s lock screen widget from displaying accurate status.
An issue which made Siri not respond properly to music requests has also been addressed, as have problems with Siri requests in CarPlay, which may not have been understood correctly.
For those still using iOS 15, Apple has also released iOS 15.7.3, and for those who have a much older device stuck on iOS 12, there’s iOS 12.5.7, both security updates which you should probably install sooner, rather than later.
Finally, watchOS 9.3 is now live and it comes with a new watch face, as well as unnamed performance improvements and bug fixes. This is available through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone.


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Bagock is set to open February 1. It will feature a small menu focusing on two wonderful things, fried chicken and donuts. A once-controversial D.C. chef, whose fried chicken has been featured several times on the Food Network, is bringing that famous recipe to Williamsburg at a fast-casual restaurant next month. Bagock — as in […]
View this post on Instagram She’s back, and better than ever! Lace up your sneaks, the McCarren Track is finally open again after nearly a year of repairs! 🏃🏃♀🏃♂ A post shared by North Brooklyn Runners (@northbrooklynrunners) on Jan 28, 2019 at 3:16pm PST Of course it’s way too cold to even […]
What the L? is a helles style lager from Blue Point brewery. If the artwork on the beer looks at all familiar to you, that’s because it’s the handiwork of graphic designer and art director Winston Tseng. You might recognize his work from his provocative, fake anti-MAGA sanitation posters which popped up around the city […]
Do your winter weekends need a pick me up? On February 8th, the lineup at Avant Gardner will bring some much needed light into your life when the renowned label of DJ Tennis, Life and Death, teams up with the pioneering European festival, Sónar. Boundary pushing names like Daedelus, DJ Koze, Nosaj Thing and many more will invade […]
If the MTA follows through on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s new proposal to avert the long-dreaded L train shutdown, renters who signed leases in the affected area over the last year will be the biggest winners.