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EATING WELL; Health-Food Supermarkets? Why, Yes. It's Only Natural.
Published: January 8, 1992
(Page 2 of 2)
The bottom line is: "We are discontinuing margarine in order to fulfill our promise to sell only safe, healthful foods." Margarine, the document says, contains hydrogenated oils, which are "known to clog arteries and raise the levels of 'bad' LDL cholesterol."
Some, with a different perspective, would argue that the store is filled with unhealthful foods that raise cholesterol levels, like butter, salt pork, cream, red meat and potato chips.
Mr. Harnett doesn't see it that way. "Dropping margarine is the final move in getting rid of all oils that are hydrogenated," he said. "If we carry margarine we should be carrying fructose, et cetera. In the beginning we carried a lot of products with fructose because we thought it was extracted from fruit, but it isn't."
The chain also dropped carob, which they were selling instead of chocolate, until they learned that it was made with palm oil.
To understand the choices that are being made, it helps to remember the origins of the natural-food movement. In the beginnning it was not about healthful food; it was about safe food, that is, food free of pesticides and chemicals, not free of fat and cholesterol. In recent years, the industry has adopted the healthful food crusade.
The sign over the meat counter at the Whole Foods Market in Palo Alto, Calif., says it all: "The decision to eat beef is one issue. Finding beef that is safe to eat is quite another."
At Fresh Fields, refined white flour is sold, but refined sugar isn't. The stores carry Sucanet, which is preferable, according to the store's literature, because it is "complete with vitamins, minerals." The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer nutrition advocacy group, says Sucanet is "little more than pure sugar and a teaspoon of it provides no significant amount of any vitamins or minerals."
At Mrs. Gooch's in Los Angeles, nothing with caffeine is available -- no coffee, no tea, no chocolate.
Bread and Circus tried to eliminate its beer and wine and coffee, but gave in to its customers' demands."We had to eat humble pie," Mr. Harnett said. Yet all of these stores sell potato chips and toaster pastries and gooey desserts. Where do you draw the line? "Chips certainly are not nutrient-dense," said Sandy Gooch Lederman, who owns Mrs. Gooch's with her husband, Harry Lederman. "But at least you are going to get filtered oil and organically grown potatoes."
"Absolute purity," Mr. Harnett said, "would mean a very small store selling very few things."
Staying true to the company's principles causes a fair amount of teeth-gnashing, but so far none of these stores has dealt with its stickiest problem: the section of the store labeled "nutritional supplements." The shelves are filled with homeopathic remedies and botanicals that make health claims -- Rheum-aid for rheumatisim; Breathe-aid for asthma, or Change-O-Life for menopause.
The Federal Food and Drug Administration asserts that many of these products should be removed from the market because of unsubstantiated claims, but Mr. Harnett responds: "We sell whatever is allowed legally. It's a difficult arena. Personally, I would rather take herbs than Western medicine. We will continue to sell it as long as we don't have a suspicion that it makes a false claim."
At Fresh Fields, Mr. Ordan said: "The company is reviewing products like homeopathic remedies and their place on the shelves. If I think we have something that is deceptive I'm not happy about it."
Mrs. Gooch echoed the sentiment.
But officials at Whole Food insisted that the supplements were sanctioned by the Government. Peter Ray, president of the chain's California division, said: "These products are approved by the F.D.A. We would never sell them if they weren't."
For those shoppers who don't know why they should spend the extra money in these supermarkets, there is a battery of marketing efforts -- literature, advertising, cooking demonstrations, food sampling and in-store nutritionists -- all intended to persuade the shopper. But none of this is likely to bring one additional shopper to these supermarkets if what they had to sell provided no advantage over the conventional supermarket.
The quality of the fresh prepared foods is as good as in the finest specialty shops. And it has a distinct advantage: a list of ingredients for each dish is available at the counter.
While some of the packaged products taste no better than those in the supermarket, many are superior, not only because they do not contain unconscionable quantities of salt, but because they taste good. They are also free of unpronounceable ingredients.
The produce, whether organic or conventional, is exceptional.
Leah Brown summed up consumer reaction. "Gorgeous," she said while shopping at Fresh Field in Rockville, Md. "It's wonderful and I'm a real cook. I just got out of Pritikin and this store is clean. Health-food stores are dirtier. The food tastes better. It's presented better. I'm also a French chef.
"Of course, this is on the way from Loehmann's." WHY NOT IN NEW YORK?
BOSTON, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Dallas, Houston, Austin, Tex., and New Orleans all have their own natural food supermarkets, so why not the New York region?
"Pure unadulterated cost," said Frank Lampe, editor of the industry's trade journal, The Natural Foods Merchandiser.
High real estate costs might explain why there are no natural food supermarkets in New York City, but what about the suburbs?
Chris Kilham agrees that cost has been a factor but there are other reasons. Mr. Kilham, whose company, Cowboy Marketing of Lincoln, Mass., is a consultant in the natural foods industry, said, "Up until now, there have been precious few people interested in opening natural food supermarkets."
With the arrival in the Washington area of the Fresh Fields chain, which is headed by entrepreneurs rather than people deeply committed to the natural foods movement, change is at hand. Of the owners of Fresh Fields, Mr. Kilham said, "Clearly, they didn't get into it because of personal conviction but because they saw a business opportunity."
Until interest in whole foods became more than a counterculture phenomenon, large natural food stores tended to develop in university communities like Austin, Cambridge, Mass., and Berkeley, Calif. "They had to open up in places that were ridiculously population-dense," Mr. Kilham said, "and the people had to be those who would be likely to shop in the stores, because the percentage of the population that does is so small. The suburbs of New York are not university communities."
Mr. Kilham predicted that the New York area would have whole-food supermarkets within the next two years. "Many more people are interested in shopping in them now," he said. "It's more convenient than it's ever been. Now you can go in and get microwavable tofu lasagna entrees."
Photos: Displays are spotless at the Whole Foods Market in Palo Alto, Calif. Right, free-range eggs at Mrs. Gooch's in Beverly Hills, Calif.; Soap products are biodegradable at Fresh Fields, Rockville, Md. Pasta is made of organic flour. (Marty Katz for The New York Times) (pg. C1); Left: At the Whole Foods store in Palo Alto, Calif., freshness of fruits and produce is stressed. (Susan Spann for The New York Times); Below: Clerk stocks organic grains at the Fresh Fields market in Rockville, Md. (pg. C6) (Marty Katz for The New York Times)


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Research into consumer willingness to pay for broilers’ welfare improvements in Taiwan has shown that some people are willing to pay more for meat raised to higher welfare standards.
The study, led by researchers at Chaoyang University of Technology, Taiwan, found that consumers’ food safety concerns combined with farm animal welfare can influence their willingness to pay.
The more consumers believed that they could make a difference in the improvement of animal welfare, the more they were willing to pay.
But consumers were often confused by welfare issues and those that felt that farm animal welfare was the producers’ responsibility were less willing to pay.
The results, which were based on 2 different models, suggest that socioeconomic characteristics, such as level of education, income level, gender and age significantly affected consumers’ willingness to pay.
Women were more willing to pay more than men as were consumers with a college, Master’s degree or Ph.D.
Consumers with monthly income levels ranging from 55,000 to 700,000NTD ($1,746 – $22,218) were willing to pay more than others while respondents who fell within the age range of 55-65 were happier to pay an enhanced rate.
Also read: Retailers and producer groups are leading the way in driving forward positive animal welfare changes across all animal production sectors. Find out more…
The scientists, who in their paper, noted the increased consumer level of welfare interest in the broiler sector in Europe, argued that if consumers recognised that animal welfare products were healthier, they would be willing to pay premium prices.
Also read: Churches investing in animal welfare
Such a result, they stressed, implied that adopting high welfare practices would not result in businesses losing competitive advantage due to increased production costs.
Producers adopting high welfare methods could gain a competitive advantage as a result of market segmentation by providing consumers with healthier products.
Consumer interest in broiler welfare is growing, particularly in Europe, due to pressure from animal welfare groups, such as Dutch group Wakker Dier, which targeted retailers asking them to stop selling “plofkip” chickens. As of 2017, all fresh poultry meat sold in Dutch supermarkets comes from slower growing breeds.
Paul van Boekholt, global marketing manager Hubbard breeders, believes the pressure in Europe for higher welfare broilers will spread across the globe as people become wealthier and more educated.
Mr van Boekholt pointed to the work of the Global Coalition for Animal Welfare – backed by Nestle, Unilever, Aramark, Compass Group, Elior Group and others – which is demanding improved broiler chicken welfare.
And the Joint Animal Protection Organisation statement is calling for the replacement of 100% of chicken breeds that result in poor welfare outcomes by 2024.
The Taiwanese research has been published this month in the special issue Human and Animal Sensitivity: How stock-people and consumer perception can affect anima welfare.

domain: news


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KOTA KINABALU (BERNAMA) – Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam urged entrepreneurs in the state to upgrade their product packaging to enhance the image of the products, thereby increasing sales.
Joachim, who is also Sabah Industrial Development Minister, said product packaging should meet the requirements to preserve product quality, for example, liquids should be placed in bottle-shaped containers which are appropriately designed.
He said the packaging design that meets the needs of customers according to the latest trend is poised to be a best-selling product and a good design reflects a good product, which in turn becomes the image of the company.
“There are many things that should be taken into account in producing a perfect packaging design, however, it will not work if it is only beautiful design-wise but the selection of material to protect the product is not emphasised,” he said in his speech at the closing ceremony of the Sabah Entrepreneur Transformation Programme (TRUS-MID) 2020 at Wisma Kewangan yesterday.
Joachim said through the TRUS-MID programme, participants were assisted to upgrade the quality of their product packaging as well as improve participants’ knowledge in the field of entrepreneurship.
“I call on participants to take advantage of this opportunity because with the TRUS-MID programme, participants will receive a new logo and design (for their products) and equipped with a barcode and nutritional contents on participants’ products,” he said.
In addition, he said the programme also aimed to help participants expand their market to supermarkets that require entrepreneurs to comply with product packaging quality and specified standard requirements.


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After 10 years with the company he helped launch, Adam Bierman is stepping down as chief executive at MedMen Enterprises Inc.
Bierman's departure is effective Feb. 1.
MedMen's board of directors has yet to choose Bierman's successor, but noted in a press release that Chief Technology Officer Ryan Lissack will serve as interim chief executive.
Bierman and his co-founder, Andrew Modlin, are also removing themselves from the company's stock table. Bierman will surrender all of his Class A super voting shares to the company upon his departure.
Modlin also agreed to surrender his super voting shares to the board's executive chairman, Ben Rose, until December 2020.
“The board supports both Adam’s decision to step aside for a new CEO to lead the company, and his and Andrew’s decision to surrender their voting rights to give all shareholders a stronger voice," Rose said in a statement.
Bierman said in a statement that he believes it is "time for our next iteration of leadership to capitalize on the opportunity we have created ... I continue to believe that MedMen is positioned to thrive."
MedMen was founded by Bierman in 2010 and built the largest footprint of any cannabis dispensary operator in the United States, with a presence in five states. Today, MedMen has 12 dispensaries in California and 33 nationwide and holds more than 70 dispensary licenses nationwide. In many of those markets, MedMen operates both factories and dispensaries.
Since November the company has engaged in an aggressive sell-off of unprofitable dispensaries and assets, an effort spearheaded by Bierman in an attempt to reach profitability.
MedMen’s fiscal year 2019 revenue totaled $130 million, and its annual net losses were $79.2 million.
Tech reporter Samson Amore can be reached at email@example.com or (323) 556-8335. Follow him on Twitter @samsonamore.
For reprint and licensing requests for this article, CLICK HERE.
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Rivian saw its first-quarter losses widen nearly fourfold as the EV maker burned through cash battling supply chain constraints and production bottlenecks to bring its electric vehicles to market.
Rivian, which is now delivering its R1T pickup and R1S SUV to consumers and EDV commercial electric van to Amazon, reported net losses of $1.59 billion in the first quarter, compared with $414 million in the same period last year. The company also reported a first-quarter loss of $1.77 per share on revenue of $95 million.
On an adjusted basis, Rivian reported reported a loss of $1.43 a share for the first quarter. Those results, particularly on the revenue front, missed analysts expectations. Per data from Yahoo Finance, analysts expected Rivian to report a loss of $1.44 per share (adjusted) on revenue of $130.5 million in Q1 2022.
Despite the disappointing numbers, Rivian shares popped in after-market trading by more than 7%, perhaps as investors held onto some of the rosier news to come out of the Q1 earnings.
Rivian reaffirmed its goal to build 25,000 vehicles in 2022 and announced a target to own more than 10% of the global market eventually.
The automaker did keep somewhat restrained in how bright its future will be, cautioning in a letter to shareholders that supply chain constraints on semiconductors and other components serve as a significant bottleneck.
“Since March 31, 2022, we have been forced to stop production for longer periods than anticipated, resulting in approximately a quarter of the planned production time being lost due to supplier constraints,” the company said.
The EV maker built 2,553 vehicles and delivered 1,227 in the first quarter, which means it must increase production tenfold for the rest of the year to meet its target. That compares with the 909 vehicles Rivian delivered in the fourth quarter last year, its first as a public company.
Rivian said demand is outstripping supply, with more than 90,000 orders in the U.S. and Canada for its battery-electric R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV. To that end, it will launch a new reservations system that doesn’t allow customers to configure their vehicle until closer to the delivery date.
The company is expected to break ground on a second factory this summer where it will eventually produce vehicles on its future R2 platform, “a more accessibly priced mid-sized SUV targeting global markets.” The $5 billion facility in Georgia received the state’s largest-ever incentives package of $1.5 billion.
In the meantime, Rivian said its top priority is ramping up production at its factory in Normal, Illinois, where it plans to introduce a second shift this summer. Together, its two factories will ramp up to a projected annual capacity of 600,000 vehicles.
Rivian, which debuted as a public company in November at a market cap higher than both Ford and GM, saw its stock in freefall this week when Ford sold 8 million shares after an insider lockup for the stock expired Sunday.


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Facebook expanded upon the localization capabilities it announced for application developers last month, adding the ability to upload localized icons, banners, and screenshots.
Starting July 30, master Google Analytics to build traffic and increase sales for your brand! In this course, you'll learn how to use metrics to develop a digital strategy for your business, determine what to look for in analytics reports, use your findings to improve your online initiatives and more. Register now!
Facebook announced Monday that its app center portal for discovery of applications is now available to 100 percent of its users in the U.S., Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K.


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Business News›agri bills
No income tax on agri produce for next 2 fiscal years: Bengal FM Chandrima Bhattacharya
Presenting the Finance Bill in the assembly, Bhattacharya said the current exemption period for agricultural income tax ends on March 31. She also said that the state government has taken up a "detailed and convenient" scheme to resolve issues related to arrears of tax to facilitate sales tax payers.
Weather uncertainties grip agri sector in 2022; food grain supplies, crop prospects look bright
If farm laws were the reason for the sector to hog headlines in 2021, this year, a raft of factors dotted the agriculture-food firmament. While rain deficit and heatwaves in winter hit production of a few major crops, Russia-Ukraine conflict pushed higher the prices of many commodities and fertilisers.
Leave OTT apps out of telecom bill: Meta’s Nick Clegg; funding for e-marketplace firms to remain scarce
Talking about the draft telecom bill, which has proposed bringing over-the-top (OTT) apps under the same licensing conditions as telecom services firms, he also said internet platforms like Facebook, which function as intermediaries, should be governed by existing IT legislations.
Unlocking the potential of the Indian Agri sector through supply chain finance
While today we are among the top three producers of some two dozen major crops, pastoral and dairy produce, our farmers are yet to see any major breakout from living on the margins.
Exports down, imports up: How India can solve its agricultural trade paradox
Many states have deterrent laws that prohibit non-farmers from buying or leasing farmland. In Maharashtra and Gujarat, the land laws allow only agriculturists to purchase agricultural land. In Himachal Pradesh, only an agriculturist from that state can buy agricultural land. Such entry barriers to agricultural land deter agri-enterprise, which could be an important avenue for employment to rural youth
All subsidised fertilisers to be sold under single brand 'Bharat' from October
In the last financial year, the central government incurred a fertiliser subsidy bill of Rs 1.62 lakh crore. In view of a sharp rise in global prices in the last 5-6 months, the government's subsidy bill is estimated to rise to Rs 2.25 lakh crore in the current fiscal.
Sachchidanand Shukla on agri export boom cycle, agflation and more“We are in the midst of an agri export boom cycle. Typically these cycles last just between two-and-a-half and three years. We have already seen two years of buoyant exports as agri exports rose by about 20 odd percent in FY22 and that was primarily led by wheat, rice and dairy products. The Russia-Ukraine war may extend the cycle by six months to a year.”
Cabinet nod to bill to repeal agri laws mere formality, want govt to resolve other demands: FarmersThe Union Cabinet approved a bill to repeal the three farm laws which led to protests at various Delhi border points by thousands of farmers for nearly a year, and it will be introduced in Parliament during the upcoming winter session.
Repealing three farm laws shows Modi government's sensitivity: K'taka CM BommaiKarnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to repeal the three contentious farms laws showed his sensitivity. Bommai said that the three laws were part of the liberalisation and globalisation process started in 1991-92 and were in line with the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's agreement with the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
Govt has to bring bill to repeal three agri laws: ExpertsThe Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act are the three laws.
New year, new pinch: Daily essentials bill may go upPrices of key commodities such as palm oil, crude-based derivatives and palm, sunflower, rice bran and safflower oils have risen 35-50% from a year earlier. Crude derivatives, a core raw material for personal care products, have seen 30% year-on-year inflation.Load More
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Former Mayor seeks divine inspiration to help city centre shops
Mr Crawford has stressed the need for people to support local businesses and has now called on city centre churches to help in the campaign.
"Churches in East Belfast recently conducted a campaign urging residents to support their local shops," explained Mr Crawford. "Some ministers actually spent an entire day working behind the counter in some of the shops and I have suggested to our local council of churches that they should consider conducting a similar exercise.
"There is a great need for a wide community-based campaign to support local businesses and keep expenditure within the city."
Mr Crawford pointed to the recent debate surrounding the proposed John Lewis development and Sprucefield and said there was a real need to boost Lisburn's economy.
"The controversy surrounding the John Lewis development has highlighted the fragility of certain parts of the city centre economy which is due to the lack of sufficient footfall," he said. "Those parts of the city centre will not improve until there are sufficient attractive retail outlets there to draw shoppers in larger numbers. Those outlets however will not be attracted to invest until there is enough footfall to guarantee a return for their investment."
Mr Crawford went on: "The Council has a role to play by creating an economic environment which will make it a more attractive proposition to invest here rather than elsewhere by driving down costs. Landlords are already reducing rents in some areas but there is no flexibility from the Land and Property Services which has apparently no discretion to lower rates in areas of difficulty.
"Some retail outlets are now basing rent on turnover and there needs to be a similar approach by the rating agency if only on a temporary basis. The high level of business rates is closing shops in the city centre.
"The Council however can make a major contribution by cutting the level of rates and increasing the disparity in rates between Lisburn and Belfast thus making Lisburn a more attractive proposition for businesses and public sector jobs," he continued.
"The Council has one of the lowest rates in the country but that is due largely to the expansion in the rates base which has helped to mask the 5million increase in Council spending in the last three years. Council needs to cap increases in expenditure so that rates may actually fall in order to assist investment in the local economy.
"The Council should also consider how, for a period, the additional rates gathered from the John Lewis development can be used to assist in enhancing the attraction of the Market Square area to businesses," concluded Mr Crawford.


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© Nokia Business | June 17, 2020
Nokia adds Broadcom as 5G chipsets supplier
Nokia and Broadcom have entered into a collaboration on the development of advanced semiconductor technologies, including new custom system-on-chip (SoC) processors, which will be integrated into Nokia’s “5G Powered by ReefShark” portfolio.
The collaboration expands the range of Nokia ReefShark chipsets available for 5G solutions and also aims to improve both the system performance and energy footprint of 5G networks. The two companies will work to develop new custom system-on-chip (SoC) solutions, which utilise Nokia’s wireless technology and Broadcom’s expertise in application-specific integrated circuit ASIC technologies. The added performance brought by custom silicon solutions is crucial in realising the capabilities and benefits of 5G and delivering on its requirements. While collaborating with Broadcom, Nokia says it will continue to further expand its silicon capabilities and improve the penetration of ReefShark solutions in its AirScale radio access portfolio. These new chipsets are designed to be deployed in several building blocks of Nokia’s AirScale radio access solution.. “This important collaboration highlights our continued commitment to developing our “5G Powered by ReefShark” chipset portfolio and ensures that our 5G solutions deliver a best-in-class performance to our customers. We are delighted to bring Broadcom’s silicon technology leadership and best-in-class ASIC capability to the table, allowing us to deliver a high performance and serve our customers’ needs as the demand for 5G services increases,” says Tommi Uitto, President of Mobile Networks at Nokia, in a press release.
ACM Research starts construction of new facility in Shanghai ACM Research, a supplier of wafer cleaning technologies for semiconductor devices, says that its operating subsidiary ACM Research (Shanghai), has begun construction of its new development and production facility in the Lingang Special Area of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone.
ALLOS Semiconductors has sold its high power electronics and RF business AZUR SPACE has acquired the electronics business of GaN-on-Si epiwafer expert ALLOS Semiconductors.
STMicroelectronics team up with Fingerprint Cards Swedish Fingerprint Cards has teamed with global semiconductor powerhouse, STMicroelectronics, to develop an advanced Biometric System-on-Card (BSoC) solution based on fingerprint-recognition technology.
U.S.: Cancellation of Preferential Treatment for Hong Kong to impact chip industry The U.S. Department of Commerce announced on June 29 that the newly instituted Hong Kong national security law by the Chinese government will increase “the risk that sensitive U.S. technology will be diverted to [the Chinese government]”; the Department therefore put a temporary stop to the preferential treatment the U.S. had afforded to Hong Kong.
Arm to strengthen focus on core semiconductor IP business growth Arm is looking to strengthen its focus on growth and profitability. To achieve this the company has proposed strategic organisational changes – which involves the transferring of businesses.
ROHM and Leadrive establish a joint laboratory ROHM and Leadrive Technology, a Chinese manufacturer of automotive powertrain for new energy vehicles, have already held the opening ceremony for their joint laboratory on SiC technology in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (Lingang New Area).
Imagination announces latest licensing deal with NXP Imagination Technologies says that NXP has extended its license for Imagination’s Ethernet Packet Processor (EPP) IP for use in S32 vehicle network processors.
Synaptics to buy rights to Broadcom’s Wireless IoT connectivity business Synaptics Incorporated has signed definitive agreements under which Synaptics will acquire certain assets and manufacturing rights associated with the wireless IoT business of Broadcom for approximately USD 250 million in an all-cash transaction.
Apple to start mass producing Mac SoC, projected to cost under US$100 According to the latest investigations by TrendForce, Apple officially unveiled its self-designed Mac SoC processors based on the ARM architecture in June, with the market release of the first Mac device with Apple Silicon (which broadly refers to chips designed by Apple) scheduled to take place by the end of this year.
Mini LED supply chain to benefit from Apple’s new 12.9-inch iPad Pro As Apple’s upcoming release of products featuring Mini LED backlight generates a growth in Mini LED demand, the company has also stimulated actors in the Mini LED supply chain to increase their production capacities.
National Instruments completes acquisition of OptimalPlus NI has officially closed the acquisition of OptimalPlus, a data analytics software provider for the semiconductor, automotive and electronics industries.
LeddarTech acquires VayaVision LeddarTech has acquired sensor fusion and perception software company VayaVision.
ON Semi to provide Danfoss with high power devices ON Semiconductor will supply Danfoss Silicon Power with high power IGBTs and diodes for inverter traction modules in the fast growing electric vehicle market.
X-FAB hit by cyber attack On the fifth of July, the mixed signal foundry expert, was the target of a cyber security attack.
UK and France on the map for Huawei Back in 2018, Huawei acquired 500 acres of land in Cambridge. Now the first phase of the Huawei Campus was approved by the local council and the company is gearing up to start the expansion. Adding to that, in late February, the Chinese telecom giant said it intends to build an automated factory will focus on 4G and 5G equipment in France.
Jenoptik is looking to accelerate growth with acquisition of TRIOPTICS Jenoptik is acquiring 100% of the shares in TRIOPTICS GmbH, a supplier of test equipment and manufacturing systems for optical components and sensors.
Global microelectronics market with overall stable development "Although the growth path of the global microelectronics market is intact, on a long-term trend-line, it declined by 12.1 percent to USD 412 billion in 2019," said Dr. Sven Baumann, ZVEI expert for microelectronics, sensors and actuators.
Jörg Doblaski takes on the role of X-FAB CTO X-FAB Silicon Foundries announced the appointment of Jörg Doblaski as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). He fills the role of former CTO Dr. Jens Kosch, who is becoming an X-FAB Fellow and will serve as an adviser to the company’s CEO Rudi De Winter.
GaN and SiC power semiconductor markets set to pass $1 billion mark in 2021 The emerging market for silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) power semiconductors is forecast to pass USD 1 billion in 2021, energised by demand from hybrid & electric vehicles, power supplies, and photovoltaic (PV) inverters.
POET and Sanan IC Inks LoI to form $50 million JV The proposed JV aims to disrupt the data center market using the POET Optical Interposer to achieve superior economics and scale.
SG Wireless designates Digi-Key as authorised distributor for the US SG Wireless, the IoT solutions arm of EMS provider Season Group, has added Digi-Key as an authorised distributor of its IoT products for the US.
Kioxia completes acquisition of LITE-ON Technology’s SSD business Kioxia Holdings Corporation says it expects to complete its acquisition of LITE-ON Technology Corporation’s Solid State Drive (SSD) business, Solid State Storage Technology Corporation and its affiliated companies on July 1, 2020.
II-VI licenses technology for SiC devices and modules for power electronic II‐VI Incorporated has singed an agreement with General Electric to license GE's technology to manufacture silicon carbide (SiC) devices and modules for power electronics.
Dialog Semi completes its acquisition of Adesto Dialog Semiconductor says it has completed the acquisition of Adesto Technologies Corporation (Adesto)), a provider of custom ICs and embedded systems for the IIoT market.Load more news


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2020 proved to be a landmark year for the eCommerce space with the COVID-19 turbocharging the growth of online shopping. Here’s a quick look at the 6 online eCommerce trends we forecast will dominate in 2021.
Personalised experiences will become the norm, not the exception
Customer expectations are evolving at an unprecedented speed. In our “always-connected” realities, we will continue to demand personalised customer experiences that are tailored to our unique needs and preferences. Personalised experiences foster a personal connection and build brand loyalty. 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands who provide relevant offers and recommendations. While 80% of those who classify themselves as frequent shoppers say they only shop with brands who personalize their experience.
The convenience economy will drive eCommerce growth
COVID-19 made digital convenience a necessity. Services like on-demand delivery apps have been instrumental in shaping customer expectations to get what they want, when they want, and how they want. The convenience economy will continue to be a major eCommerce trend in 2021 as consumers continue to seek new and innovative ways of accessing goods and services.
Payment flexibility will dictate where we buy
Shoppers are increasingly turning to the zero-interest, part-payment platforms to spread out the cost of their purchases. As a result, Buy Now Pay Later platforms across the globe, including Payflex, have experienced significant growth. Transparency, spending control and convenience are key motivations for this increased demand for flexible payment methods. A report by Worldpay from FIS forecasts that BNPL services will steadily gain eCommerce market share ultimately earning nearly 3% of global eCommerce spend by 2023. In the same vein, a report from IBISWorld predicts the BNPL industry will grow by 9.8% annually over the next five years to $1.1 billion.
Social commerce will have its moment
Our social media feeds are no longer for just social interaction. As a result, social commerce, the merging of social media and eCommerce, is definitely an online shopping trend to watch in 2021. It’s forecasted that by 2021, the global social commerce market will increase by about 34%. At the same time, it is estimated that the social commerce industry will be worth 2051.49 billion by 2024.
Shopping experiences will be more immersive
Retailers will continue to try replicate key elements of the in-store experience online via immersive technologies. Technologies like augmented reality, 360° video, 3D content and virtual reality will play a more pivotal role in shaping our shopping experiences in 2021.In fact, 64% of leading consumer brands are starting to invest in immersive experiences.
We will shift our focus to local
In our post-pandemic environment, consumers are now able to see the direct impact they can have within their local communities. As a result, a growing number of shoppers are striving to shop locally, mindfully and cost-consciously. For instance, 56% percent of consumers are shopping in neighborhood stores or buying more locally sourced products, with 79% and 84% respectively planning to continue with this behaviour in the longer term. Moreover, 82% of shoppers said they will pay more to support small businesses.


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BERLIN (Reuters) - German consumer price inflation looks set to dip closer in December to the European Central Bank’s euro zone target of just under 2 percent, based on figures from four states.
Annual inflation slowed sharply in the states of Saxony, Brandenburg and Hesse to 2.2, 2.1 and 1.7 percent respectively, data showed on Thursday. In November, inflation for these states stood at 2.6, 2.6 and 2.3 percent.
Inflation in Germany’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), eased to its lowest rate in over a year, data showed on Wednesday. Prices rose 1.7 percent, down from 2.1 percent in November.
The regional preliminary figures suggest nationwide inflation in Germany, due out later on Thursday, is likely to slow for the third consecutive month.
The national figure is based on data from six out of 16 states that together account for more than half the population.
A Reuters poll of 27 economists has forecast a 2.2 percent annual rise in pan-German consumer prices, down from 2.4 percent in November.
An alternative measure of inflation, based on Europe’s harmonised index of consumer prices (HICP) favoured by the ECB, is forecast to slow to 2.5 percent on the year from 2.8 percent in November.
Economists see German inflation easing in 2012 to below 2 percent, bringing it back in line with the ECB’s target. The Ifo institute, for example, expects average inflation of 1.8 percent.
For much of this year, the ECB has faced the dilemma of balancing monetary policy for struggling peripheral countries and Germany’s strong economy - which recovered swiftly from the 2008/09 financial crisis - against a backdrop of euro zone inflation that has consistently remained above its target.
After raising interest rates twice earlier in 2011 it then cut borrowing costs twice in the last two months as the euro zone economy lost momentum.
German growth has also eased over the past few months and many economists are now forecasting a mild slump for Europe’s bulwark economy.
The euro zone as a whole seems almost certain to slip back into recession, which ECB Governing Council Member Ignazio Visco suggested in a newspaper interview on Saturday could prompt the bank to cut rates further.
He added that the ECB does not only respond to short-term inflation trends when setting policy.
Annual euro zone inflation, which held at 3 percent in November for the third month running, is expected to fall to 2.8 percent in December.
Additional Reporting by Rene Wagner; Editing by John Stonestreet


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2023 will be a year of transformation for financial services, marked by a new addition to the world of instant payments, Bernadette Ksepkavice president and associate director of product management for the FedNow SM service program, PYMNTS said in a recent interview.
“Financial institutions and their service providers will be able to use the FedNow service as a springboard to deliver innovative payment services to their customers,” Ksepka said. “[FedNow is] will be a game-changer for financial institutions. These financial institutions will be able to expand their presence in the payments market. »
Specifically, the Federal Reserve Banks are developing the FedNow service to facilitate instant payment services by financial institutions (FIs) of any size or location in the United States, 24/7. Institutions participating in the service will be able to send and receive instant payments at any time, and recipients will have access to funds immediately.
See also: EU plans instant payments regulation in 2022, US plans FedNow for 2023
Among the most anticipated features once the FedNow service goes live is Request for Payment (RFP), Ksepka said. Payment Request will allow businesses, consumers, and government agencies to send messages requesting funds from another party through the FedNow service.
The FedNow service and its payment request function will benefit the end user and enable FIs to create greater value for their customers, while providing FinTechs with a new platform for payment innovation. .
The digital equivalent of an invoice
When the FedNow service launches next year, payment request will be one of the key features, according to Ksepka. It will enable FIs and other service providers to create instant bill payment services, so business customers can easily send electronic bills and receive instant bill payments that can improve their cash management.
The recipient’s FI will present the payment request to the customer via their mobile app or website with a push notification.
“Payment Request gives businesses that have always relied on paper or electronic invoicing — which is time-consuming and overhead-intensive — the ability to request payments immediately,” Ksepka said. “It’s the digital equivalent of receiving a paper bill in the mail through your financial institution’s secure channels.”
Consumers pay more than 15 billion bills a year, and most of that volume currently goes through biller websites, not banks or credit unions. With the FedNow service and its payment request feature, banks will be able to bring more of that business in-house, so to speak, Ksepka said.
Related: FedNow Pilot Brings New Features and Use Cases for Instant Payments 23 and Beyond
For businesses themselves, reducing paper invoices will provide a major cost saving benefit. The data that accompanies the RFP message (which includes all the details that traditionally accompany an invoice) can be used to automate accounting and reconciliation processes.
Payment Request also offers payers more flexibility and control than existing payment methods, such as automated recurring payments or ad-hoc check payments.
“The payer can choose the exact time of payment and the amount they wish to pay at that time in full or partial transactions,” Ksepka said. “Once the recipient approves this RFP, payment is made immediately” whether they chose to pay now or at a later date.
In terms of mechanics, the transaction is carried out via a credit transaction through the FedNow service, and the status of the payment is transparent to all parties – the payer and the beneficiary will know if the payment was successful within seconds.
One of the most compelling use cases for tenders is paying bills, but there are others that should be of interest to both FIs and FinTechs.
Enterprise vendor (AP) accounts and point-of-sale transactions, where merchants could use a QR code to initiate a payment, are two other major opportunities, Ksepka said.
Outside of business use cases, there are other household expenses and payments that could be better managed through bidding, including utility bills, subscriptions, and dues.
The healthcare industry is ripe for tenders, with electronic payments offering $3 per transaction in cost savings over manual transaction costs, Ksepka said. These can range from insurance payments to providers to patient co-payments.
Ksepka said some cash-heavy payments, such as rent collections, are also good candidates for tenders. Owners would like to avoid the risk of insufficient funds and avoid carrying large sums of cash, and tenders can reduce these risks.
Looking ahead, Ksepka noted that FIs will need to make the necessary investments in technology infrastructure to enable instant payments and properly present payment instructions to customers, along with timestamps and other details. She cited the industry’s desire to create a consistent end-to-end customer experience balanced with opportunities for innovation.
“All of this has to be based on a solid customer experience,” she said. For FIs, the adoption of instant payments eliminates the approximately two days required to settle payments and provides the speed demanded by all end users.
Federal Reserve Banks are working closely with FIs and the broader ecosystem to provide relevant best practices that will be made available to guide businesses and service providers as they build their solutions.


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Most Russian schoolchildren (82 per cent) would like to have their own business and dream of a medium-sized company, according to the research conducted on October 5-13 by the All-Russian Popular Front among 1,000 schoolchildren aged 11-18 throughout Russia, PRIME reports. The top 5 spheres of business desired by the surveyed included Internet business, entertainment, trade, services, and education.
It is stated that 46 per cent of respondents want to have a business primarily in order to earn money, 35 per cent said it was their dream, and 20 per cent like the opportunity to be in charge. As for the advantages of being involved in a business, 36 per cent of respondents named the opportunity to change the world, 28 per cent, freedom of action, 20 per cent, the opportunity to earn a lot of money, and 15 per cent, the fulfillment of a dream.
More than half of teenagers (56 per cent) would like to start a medium-sized business, 34 per cent of respondents dream of a large corporation, and 10 per cent admitted that they would like to have a small family business. At the same time, 59 per cent of the surveyed schoolchildren would like to do business in Russia and 41 per cent of the respondents, abroad.


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Us bank car finance. U.S. banking institutions considered automotive loans as a way to obtain asset development quarter that is fourth a time whenever indications suggest that brand brand brand new delinquencies are abating
Banking institutions looked like thinking about automotive loans given that industry, in aggregate, somewhat expanded its publicity
4th quarter, automobile financing jumped 6.2% through the year-ago quarter вЂ” the greatest quarterly year-over-year development rate in 36 months. It surpassed the industry’s year-over-year development price of 3.6per cent for many loans.
After some duration ago, car financing was indeed a top candidate to lead a downturn as skeptics pointed to increasing subprime losses and lax underwriting requirements. But performance that is subprime stabilized and banking institutions pulled straight straight straight right back on the amount into the years since, and newly delinquent styles are now actually showing signs and symptoms of enhancement.
Overall, the delinquency price will continue to steadily increase greater, striking 2.85% for several auto that is bank-owned 4th quarter, based on S&P worldwide Market Intelligence information. That represented a 5-basis-point enhance through the year-ago quarter. Your family financial obligation study, a wider way of measuring all credit carried out because of the ny Federal Reserve Bank and Equifax, likewise showed a rise in the percentage of automotive loans which are at the very least ninety days later, placing the measure at 4.94per cent fourth quarter, in comparison to 4.47per cent within the quarter that is year-ago.
But, the brand new York Fed and Equifax research additionally provides information regarding the part of newly loans that are delinquent. That figure declined to 6.91% of all of the automobile financing being newly delinquent by 1 month or maybe more 4th quarter, in comparison to 7.09per cent fourth quarter.
Even though the volume that is total of was growing, the part of borrowers going into the delinquency pipeline happens to be dropping. Anticipating, analysts at Moody’s had written in a Feb. 12 report they anticipate car loan delinquencies “to be largely stable as slowing growth that is economic offset by the modest present tightening in underwriting.”
S&P worldwide ranks analysts were additionally constructive in the area. In a Feb. 20 report, analysts penned that the marketplace for securitizations supported by automotive loans saw an archive wide range of improvements a year ago with 432, in comparison to simply five downgrades. The analysts reported a reliable loss that is net for prime automobile financing and a modest plunge within the web loss price for subprime automotive loans.
Ally Financial Inc. gets the many car loans among U.S. banking institutions with $64.20 billion of total automotive loans 4th quarter, a 2.5% enhance through the year-ago quarter. CFO Jennifer LaClair stated the financial institution expects an uptick with its retail car web charge-off ratio in 2010, leading a 1.4per cent to 1.6per cent ratio when compared with 1.33% 2 yrs ago and 1.29% just last year. The modest enhance will be driven by mix change and seasoning regarding the organization’s utilized profile, she stated on Feb. 27 at an investor conference hosted by Credit Suisse.
LaClair said the lending company expects to handle any credit problems because of its substantial servicing operations
She cited that benefit in handling both car finance losings in addition to any possible dilemmas in nonprime charge card after the business’s purchase of the credit card company that is major.
“When you actually very own servicing, complete credit range, you are able to [see] what is taking place genuine time because of the customer,” LaClair stated, in accordance with a transcript. “You can work nimbly, and you will break up losings before they become extremely burdensome.”
This S&P worldwide Market Intelligence news article may include information regarding credit scoring given by S&P Global reviews. Explanations in this news article weren’t served by S&P Global reviews.


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Microsoft's oft-perspiring CEO Steve Ballmer once guffawed at the iPhone and dismissed the iPad, which makes the news out of Microsoft's annual tech conference in Washington, D.C. this week all the more ironic. Ballmer says his company is going after the device market where Apple has ruled supreme with MSFT's awkwardly named, iPhone-resembling device and a to-be-unveiled "slate" that brings to mind, well, the iPad.
Later that year he told USA Today: "I want to have products that appeal to everybody."
His sentiments about the iPad were similarly dismissive. "A guy tried to take notes on [an iPad] in a meeting with me yesterday," Ballmer said at a tech conference last month. "That was fun. The meeting didn't go real fast."
Ballmer now admits to the Washington Post that Microsoft "just didn't execute well" with regard to new devices. "Now we are jamming hard. We'll sell millions of units this year," he added.
Anyone else having a touch of deja vu?
And what are those units Microsoft will sell millions of? "With Windows Phone 7, we are back in it," Ballmer told the Post. The phones have a sleek, black design, touch screen, and um, no separate keyboard. Sound familiar?
Ballmer also announced that Microsoft would be unveiling "slate" computers meant to challenge the iPad. Ballmer called the slates "a terribly important area for us."
Maybe next time Ballmer can skip the show of turning his nose up at Apple and just go straight to the part where Microsoft starts desperately trying to develop a competitor.


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A new study from the September issue of the Journal of Consumer Research shows that consumers align material goods and services separately when considering explanations for price hikes. Consumers think it is fair to raise the price of a good when the cost of obtaining that good also increases for the vendor, for example with produce during a low-yield season. Similarly, consumers think raising the cost of a service is fair when the cost of providing that service increases. However, consumers do not consider it fair if the price of a good is raised in conjunction with an increase in service cost to the vendor, or vice versa.
"We show that inherent differences between goods and services can exert a large influence on perceived fairness," write Lisa E. Bolton (University of Pennsylvania) and Joseph W. Alba (University of Florida). "Goods provide consumers with a link between the offering and the vendor's costs, such as the material costs to a manufacturer or cost of goods sold to a retailer."
When the price of a good goes up but material costs do not, consumers infer greater profits and less fair prices. Services do not have material costs – such as the price for raw material – to serve as a price comparison point against the price to consumers.
Thus, less tangible cost increases – such as overhead – are not necessarily deemed fair reasons for producers to increase prices. It seems that consumers feel that some costs are aligned with service and not with the material good, and "in the face of increased costs, not all efforts to maintain profit are viewed equally."
"Inasmuch as fairness is a driver of customer satisfaction, our findings describe occasions on which consumers will be particularly dissatisfied with goods and services," explain the authors.
Suzanne Wu | EurekAlert!
Smart Data Transformation – Surfing the Big Wave
02.12.2016 | Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Informationstechnik FIT
Climate change could outpace EPA Lake Champlain protections
18.11.2016 | University of Vermont
In recent years, lasers with ultrashort pulses (USP) down to the femtosecond range have become established on an industrial scale. They could advance some applications with the much-lauded “cold ablation” – if that meant they would then achieve more throughput. A new generation of process engineering that will address this issue in particular will be discussed at the “4th UKP Workshop – Ultrafast Laser Technology” in April 2017.
Even back in the 1990s, scientists were comparing materials processing with nanosecond, picosecond and femtosesecond pulses. The result was surprising:...
Have you ever wondered how you see the world? Vision is about photons of light, which are packets of energy, interacting with the atoms or molecules in what...
A multi-institutional research collaboration has created a novel approach for fabricating three-dimensional micro-optics through the shape-defined formation of porous silicon (PSi), with broad impacts in integrated optoelectronics, imaging, and photovoltaics.
Working with colleagues at Stanford and The Dow Chemical Company, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign fabricated 3-D birefringent...
In experiments with magnetic atoms conducted at extremely low temperatures, scientists have demonstrated a unique phase of matter: The atoms form a new type of quantum liquid or quantum droplet state. These so called quantum droplets may preserve their form in absence of external confinement because of quantum effects. The joint team of experimental physicists from Innsbruck and theoretical physicists from Hannover report on their findings in the journal Physical Review X.
“Our Quantum droplets are in the gas phase but they still drop like a rock,” explains experimental physicist Francesca Ferlaino when talking about the...
The Max Planck Institute for Physics (MPP) is opening up a new research field. A workshop from November 21 - 22, 2016 will mark the start of activities for an innovative axion experiment. Axions are still only purely hypothetical particles. Their detection could solve two fundamental problems in particle physics: What dark matter consists of and why it has not yet been possible to directly observe a CP violation for the strong interaction.
The “MADMAX” project is the MPP’s commitment to axion research. Axions are so far only a theoretical prediction and are difficult to detect: on the one hand,...
16.11.2016 | Event News
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06.12.2016 | Materials Sciences
06.12.2016 | Medical Engineering
06.12.2016 | Power and Electrical Engineering


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First tablets, now Windows Phone 8: Microsoft tears through big week of big reveals(Read article summary)
Two days after introducing its Surface tablet, Microsoft rolled out Windows Phone 8, its latest mobile OS.
At an event in San Francisco Wednesday afternoon, Microsoft reps took the wraps off Windows Phone 8, the latest edition of its mobile operating system. According to Microsoft, Windows Phone 8 will hit handsets – including hardware made by HTC and Samsung – sometime this fall, just in time for the holiday shopping rush. Microsoft, of course, has a long slog ahead if it hopes to catch Apple and Google.
According to stats released earlier this month by IDC (hat tip to BGR), the Microsoft Windows mobile OS currently accounts for about five percent of the global smartphone market – well behind Apple's 20 percent and Android's whopping 61 percent. But Microsoft is betting that Windows Phone 8, which shares code with the desktop and tablet versions of the forthcoming Windows 8 OS, could propel the company to the top of the heap.
The San Francisco event was only a preview, so expect Microsoft to unveil more information on Windows Phone 8 in coming weeks. In the meantime, here's what we know: The OS will allow users to customize the home screen with various tile shapes and colors, according to the BBC. (The working term is "live tiles," Mashable notes.) And Windows Phone 8 will be equipped with Nokia's Navteq turn-by-turn navigation – a major plus for regular travelers.


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Based on registration data, Tesla delivered 121 Model S’s in Germany last month, which brings the year-to-date total to 1,212 cars versus 593 during the same period in 2014. The last four months of deliveries in Germany clearly show that Tesla is stabilizing its delivery schedule in order to avoid an end-of-quarter rush. Although, it seems like the company will still need to make the chart spike during the last two months of the year if they want to achieve the global delivery guidance of 17,000 to 19,000 vehicles for the last quarter of the year.
Tesla recently saw 6 of its managers in Germany leave to join its former country Director Philipp Schroeder at Sonnenbatterie. The company says they already replaced the managers and it looks like the new hires will have an early challenge with the fourth quarter delivery guidance.
Model S registrations in other European markets in October:
Other recent articles based on registration data for the Tesla Model S:
- European markets are leading Tesla Model S sales with a significant increase in October
- Tesla has found a great market for the Model S in Belgium – sales are up 70%
- Tesla Model S sales are up 350% in Sweden
- Tesla Model S sales are up 84% in Germany, while BMW i3 sales are down 27%
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People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals made headlines recently after sending Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson a letter asking him to change the state’s official beverage from milk to something “more healthful and humane” such as soy “milk.” PETA’s letter was filled with the typical animal rights nonsense about milk — that it’s “liquid meat” that causes everything from heart disease to cancer to osteoporosis. As PETA’s Bruce Friedrich summed it up, “If the milk industry did not spendso much money promoting milk, it would be listed as a health risk.”
Pretty standard fare for PETA except that beyond its alleged health risks, PETA Chairman Alex Pacheco claimed that Wisconsin’s selection of milk as its state beverage might also be racist. See if you can follow the logic here.
Some members of minority groups are to one degree or another lactose intolerant — most mildly so. Therefore choosing milk as a state beverage is racist or as Pacheco put it, “a white choice in more ways than one.”
It is because of proclamations like this that Wisconsin Farm Bureau spokesman Tom Thieding pretty accurately describes PETA’s predicament. “I think they overplay their hand,” Thieding told Scripps Howard. “I don’t think the general public takes them seriously, especially when they do things like this and shout down children at Oscar Mayer events [PETA has been sponsoring protests of Oscar Mayer’s Weinermobile].”
“Animal-rights group PETA attacks milk as ‘liquid meat'” – Amy Rinard, Scripps Howard, July 23, 1998.


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According to a new earnings report, Spotify now has 165million premium subscribers and 365million monthly active users. It’s a year-over-year increase of 20 percent and 22 percent respectively, and up from the 158 million subscribers and 356 million MAUs seen last quarter.
Rivals Apple Music and Amazon Music don’t regularly release comparable numbers, but their most recent public figures compiled by Music AllyThey are roughly 60 million and 55 million respectively.
Spotify’s interest in podcasts has showed no signs of slowing this quarter, as it’s continued to make acquisitions and investments in both podcasting content and technology. Spotify recently acquired exclusive rights to two podcasts. Call her Daddy and Dax Shepard’s Armchair ExpertPodz, whose technology automates creating preview clips that highlight key moments from podcasts, is also available.
According to Spotify, the percentage of monthly active users engaged with podcast content last quarter “improved modestly” compared to the quarter prior, and podcast listening hit an all-time high in terms of its share of consumption hours on the platform. Spotify claims that Spotify has also reported that Joe Rogan Experience “continues to perform above expectations.” There are now 2.9 million podcasts available on Spotify, The Wall Street Journal Notes, up from 2.6million last quarter
Spotify is not only acquiring exclusive rights for podcasts but also offering paid subscriptions that will attract other creators to its platform. It launched its own podcast subscription feature in April and yesterday announced that it will allow paid shows from platforms such as Slate and Acast streaming through its service. These features should make Spotify a more attractive platform for podcast creators.
Spotify’s average revenue per user increased this quarter, reversing recent trends. The figure now sits at €4.29 (around $5.07) per premium subscriber, which is up from €4.12 last quarter. This increase is due to the service increasing its subscription prices in the UK this quarter and the US this quarter. However, the figure is still lower by 3 percent year over year.
Overall, the company made a net loss of €20 million, compared to a net loss of €356 million it made in the same quarter the previous year. This was mainly due in part to taxes that the company had paid regarding its Swedish workforce.
Today’s release hasn’t yet offered any more details about Spotify HiFi, the service’s forthcoming lossless streaming tier. Spotify has yet to announce pricing or a launch date, despite having announced the new tier in February. Apple Music, a competitor to Spotify, has also announced and released its own lossless streaming feature. It is free to all users. Amazon also dropped the premium it used to charge for its lossless streams that day. Spotify might not like it but the lossless streaming market today is much more competitive than it was back in February.


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WASHINGTON — U.S.-made apparel prices rose 0.3 percent in November compared with October, the Labor Department’s Producer Price Index showed Thursday.
On a year-over year basis, domestic apparel prices increased 1.3 percent. U.S.-made women’s and girls’ apparel prices fell 0.1 percent in November but were 0.2 percent higher than a year earlier. Men’s and boys’ apparel prices rose 1.3 percent last month and were 5 percent higher than in November 2011.
Steve Aoki held a presentation, a runway show and outdoor concert for his men's line Dim Mak. Here's a look from his spring 2018 collection, which was titled "Paradise Found." #wwdfashion #wwdmens (📷: George Chinsee)
"It's really hard sometimes. I think I have a reputation for being really tough and aggressive and pushy but I really am a very shy person who wants to be liked, and that's the conflict constantly. There's something that takes hold - I want people to like me, I don't want to be mean - but if I see something that just cries out to be answered, I go for it," says renowned NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell. (📷: @axeldupeux)


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The very tone of discussing a $52 billion bill for the construction of new semiconductor industries in the United States has set many potential recipients of this money to demonstrate their own plans more actively, and therefore Microsoft Technology has not refused to comment, even though it has not indicated anything clear.
This week, as is well known, the core law was finally approved by the U.S. Congress, and it is due to be signed by President Joseph Biden early next week, which will allow the relevant agencies to proceed with the allocation of funds to applicants. The company Mikron Technology has found it necessary to state that now only 2% of the world's memory chips are produced in the U.S., and all of this is being produced under this brand. In the coming years, Mikron is going to change this state of affairs by significantly increasing the size of the country's memory production. Details will be available in the coming weeks.
It would seem that this is not a good market moment for such expansion claims: macro-economic experts talk about recession, memory prices are falling markedly, demand for consumer electronics has declined dramatically, but it should be borne in mind that Mikron's competitors are also preparing the ground for US subsidies. Samsung Electronics has recently stated that it is going to spend $200 billion to expand production in the US, and SK hynix has reported plans to spend at least $15 billion on chip production and development in the US. In this situation, the only indigenous American company, Mikron Technology, has simply been unable to remain silent, especially since investment projects are expected to be years ahead and market conditions are changing rapidly.


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When it comes to studying the importance of real world, practical experience can’t be understated, and Westfield shopping centres around Western Australia have been providing exactly that for fashion students at Bentley South Metropolitan TAFE.
The students are taking a Visual Merchandising Course as part of their Diploma In Applied Fashion Design & Merchandising, and are being asked to apply their learnings and develop and design concepts in Westfield Booragoon, Carousel, Innaloo and Whitford City.
As part of the project students have been required to work to a professional creative brief, budget and timeline, providing them with essential work experience.
This has been combined with Westfield providing guidance on understanding and developing visual merchandising in retail settings, and they’ve already begun installing displays which will be featured until August 15.
“The partnership with Westfield has provided our visual merchandising students with the chance to connect with a team of professionals in a dynamic live space, where they have developed their end-to-end project from brief and conceptualisation to display,” said says Julia Burns, Creative Industries Executive Director at South Metropolitan TAFE.
“It has been an invaluable training experience for them to have been given access to a high-end shopping environment to showcase their creativity and hands-on skills, as well as forge some important industry connections that will serve them well in their future careers.”
Check out a few examples below and keep your eyes peeled for them next time you’re at one of those four Westfield shopping centres!
All images: Supplied.


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McLaren is one of the most successful brands in the world, managing to catch-up brands with tradition like Ferrari or Lamborghini. Global sales for McLaren rose to 4,806 cars in 2018 with sales up 43.9 per cent over the previous year. This is another record for the company which has increased sales every year since its formation in 2010.
North America, which represents McLaren’s biggest single market and over a third of global sales, surpassed the 5,000 cars sold mark since sales started in 2011 and achieved another year of record growth.
European sales rose 44.2 per cent but the biggest leap was seen in China at 122.5 per cent growth following the introduction of the 570S Spider and 720S. China now accounts for almost 7 per cent of total global sales.
McLaren’s UK domestic market remained strong, achieving a 49.2 per cent year-on-year growth.
The company celebrated building its 15,000th car in the summer at the McLaren Production Centre (MPC) in Woking, Surrey, where all its cars are hand-assembled, and consistently achieved over 20 cars a day with production exported to over 30 markets.
McLaren’s in-house bespoke division, McLaren Special Operations (MSO), which undertakes special vehicle commission and customisation, also had a busy year. More customers are now choosing to add unique, additional luxury touches to their acquisitions which has seen the MSO order book triple in one year.


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It’s the question that’s been asked since social media first took off: how many followers do you need to be considered famous?
And we finally have an answer, thanks to the British advertising regulator.
30,000 is the magical number according to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The authority was forced to make the ruling after Instagram influencer ThisMamaLife posted an ad for over the counter sleeping tablets in February this year.
Although she disclosed that the post was an ad, celebrities are banned from endorsing drugs in the UK.
The authority therefore had to decide whether ThisMamaLife – who has 32,000 followers – was a celebrity.
“We noted that ThisMamaLife described herself as a “family blogger/vlogger” and had approximately 30,000 followers on Instagram,” said the ASA.
“She regularly produced content across different social media platforms relating to her experiences as a parent.
“Her Instagram feed featured over 1000 posts that included recommendations on different products.”
Sanofi, the pharmaceutical company that promoted the sleeping pills through the influencer, compared ThisMamaLife’s 32,000 followers with Stephen Fry’s 359,000 followers and David Beckham’s 55 million.
The influencer, whose real name is Sarah, was clearly amused by the decision, posting the following Instagram story.
Sanofi has been forced to remove the ad and ensure it does not use celebrities including social influencers to endorse medicines in future.
A new player has arrived on the Brisbane scene – and it’s growing fast. Colony is a strategic communications advisory that started in Port Moresby in 2015, working with major Asia-Pacific clients like the Brian Bell Group, Digicel and Puma Energy. To build a greater capacity to support the Port Moresby office and serve these […]
AnalogFolk Group Launches Behavioural Transformation Consultancy, MindWorks Consulting. Focused on delivering improved business outcomes, the consultancy applies behavioural economics to both marketing strategy and organisational design. In a rapidly changing world, companies need to be nimbler than ever before, reading and reacting at pace to changing market conditions, competitor landscapes and customer needs. New technologies […]
Beloved radio personality, Byron Cooke is back on Melbourne breakfast radio, announcing he will host KIIS 101.1 breakfast this morning and will back behind the mic until February when the Jase & Lauren in the Morning show returns. The announcement follows news regular breakfast co-host, Jase Hawkins, is expecting his third baby any day now. “I’ve been mates […]


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I predict that within 5 years many chain retail stores will be closed.
And within 10 years most malls will have closed.
Brick and mortar retail just can’t compete.
This will have a profound effect on society as we interact in person much less.
There is also serious economic consequences as the concentration of wealth continues to consolidate to a handful of mega companies such as Amazon.
The church must take note of this trend away from physically interactive shopping to the domination of the online retail experience.
Church at its sociological core is the same as retail. Each relies on personal interactions based around friendliness and trust. As folks move from retail, could we see a flow on to physical church attendance?
According to a 2017 Gallup poll, church attendance has edged down in recent years. Gallup’s latest yearly update from its daily tracking survey shows that in 2017, 38% of adults said they attended religious services weekly or almost every week. When Gallup began asking this question in 2008, that figure was 42%.
The trend appears to be continuing south.
I am not suggesting the reason for this 4% drop was online shopping, but I do wonder if the move away from physically interactive shopping might have a flow on to church attendance, thus accelerating the downward trend?
As an early adopter and advocate for the church adopting an online strategy and getting involved in cyberspace, I am convinced we the church must do websites, video streaming and social media exceptionally well. To ignore it or under perform is to miss out on an extraordinary interactive platform.
We must prioritize online communication channels otherwise quite possibly risk losing touch and tumbling into a church that is a small club filled with reminiscing members clinging onto the past.


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Wool School 2013 – Germany
The Campaign for Wool launched its Wool School fashion and education initiative in Germany. The competition got going in Hamburg at German men’s specialty retailer WORMLAND’s Europa Passage store, which featured designs from 20 students of the University of Hannover on the theme “Dynamic Heritage”. Nicholas Coleridge, president of Condé Nast International and chairman of the Campaign for Wool attended the event.
Nicholas Coleridge, president of Condé Nast International and chairman of the Campaign for Wool, said one aim of Germany’s multiple-city tactics was to give an opportunity to more than one of the country’s prestigious fashion and design schools. “But this is also a reflection of the diffused interest of the German market towards themes like environment and sustainable fashion,” he commented. (Source: WWD )


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Pan bahar signed up with pierce brosnan as its new ambassador.The new ad campaign, that broke on Friday October 7, has become the talk of the town & led to lot of trolls on social media. One of the troll says “ Proof that recession is a reality”
Class never goes out of style – Pan Bahar. Pehchan Kamyabi Ki’ goes the copy. It’s also what Brosnan says at the end of the ad film. DDB Mudra has created this campaign; it falls under the ‘Pehchaan Kamyabi ki‘ umbrella thought. The TVC, which Brosnan who plays an agent, of course wields a dabba of Pan Bahar, like he would a deadly weapon.
As per CEO Akhil Jain,”The reactions were expected. People are shocked… it is a new kind of brand endorsement. It has shock value. After 15-20 days people will start accepting it, definitely. Criticism is coming from marketing gurus right now, because this is all a problem of perception – the perception that it is gutka (tobacco). We believe it will gain acceptance. This negative excitement will die off soon.”
Panbahar is looking to modernise our brand and fit it into the consumer’s lifestyle & it’s the same thought process that led to signing of pierce brosnan .Pierce brosnan is seen as stylish & thereby expected to add that to imagery of pan bahar. Pan masala as a category suffers from baggage of gutka players who have exited but the whole category still looks down market to many.The TG is 20 -30 corporate from SEC A & B in the hindi & eastern belt & that is what brand to trying to do with this new move.
However, the recent buzz states the Pan Bahar ad is getting banned from national and satellite television by none other than Central Board Of Film Certification Chief Pahlaj Nihalani.
Was it a right move by pan bahaar & did the ad do its job even though it may be banned. what do you think?
Do let me know your comments.


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Located at 225 West 57th Street at the base of Central Park Tower, the mega 320,000 square-foot store offers seven levels of retail space and will play host to a series of exclusive releases and collaborations.
J. Crew Group Inc has hired investment banks to prepare for an initial public offering of its Madewell apparel business, as the U.S. clothing chain seeks ways to revive its fortunes, sources said on Thursday.
J. Crew-owned retailer Madewell has partnered with Texas-based active lifestyle brand Outdoor Voices for a limited-edition collection of activewear and everyday items, including tops, leggings and accessories.
The struggling apparel group has announced that it is considering an IPO for its Madewell business, further revealing that Michael J. Nicholson will be taking over as the company’s interim CEO, effective immediately.


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Technically Incorrect: An ad for its new Brrr-ito sees Ben and Jerry's launch a stoned hipster version of Apple's legendary opus.
When you're talking with friends, family, or coworkers, the last thing you want to be annoyed by is an advertisement.
The not-safe-for-work Apple Watch band animations the company does in fact want you to see.
The "hyper-commercialized" YouTube Kids teems with ad tactics deemed illegal on television, watchdogs say -- and they want the FTC to take action.
Google owns about 55 percent of the search ad business, but it's still way ahead of its competitors -- despite Baidu's strength in the big China market.
Facebook and Twitter will combine to own a third of the US display ad market in 2017, according to research firm eMarketer.
Technically Incorrect: See what you make of HTC's new ads, which ask you -- or the company itself, perhaps -- to "shoot for the moon."
Sling TV is a new $20-per-month live TV package with 16 channels, including ESPN, AMC, TNT, CNN, History, HDTV and the Disney Channel. How does it work, how can you get it -- and will it let you quit cable?
It's unknown why Google is interested in InMobi in particular; what is clear is that Google needs to bolster its efforts in mobile advertising.
China's growing middle class and relatively strong business climate present an opportunity for the social network, despite the service still being banned there.


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Italy’s popular computer graphics conference View has announced its 2013...
Tag "Insomniac Games"
Rainmaker Entertainment, who earlier this year brought us Escape from Planet Earth, has joined forces with indie production company Blockade Entertainment to produce a stereoscopic CG theatrical feature based on the hit PlayStation videogame franchise, Ratchet and Clank. The games, first released in 2002, are published by Sony Computer Entertainment [...]
Mondo, the collectible art division of the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, TX, is celebrating the impending release of Peter Jackson’s latest Tolkien adaptation The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey with the unveiling of gorgeous new “The Lord of the Rings” poster art prints from famed artist Olly Moss. The perfect collectible [...]


text: According to Coin Metrics, the median transaction cost of Bitcoin in US dollars broke through the stagnation for several months in April for $1,0, but in most of April, transaction costs were still below 1.00. Dollar. In May of this year, bitcoin transaction fees rose sharply, from $0.54 on May 1 to $2.36 on May 31. The proportion of bitcoin payments that enabled SegWit also rose from 40.41% on May 1 to 45.71% on May 18. As of the week, SegWit payments continued to climb steadily to record highs, while the proportion of bitcoin exchanges supporting SegWit rose from 35% to 41%. This small amount of data may convince some people that higher transaction costs cause Bitcoin users to look for SegWit-enabled wallets, but there is one key factor to consider, VeriBlock. It is reported that VeriBlock is a Bitcoin blockchain-based project designed to provide a higher level of security for the alternative chain. According to Veriblock's web statistics page, as SegWit payments are close to the highest level in history, at the time of writing, the proportion of Veriblock transactions is less than 10%. It is worth noting that since the increase in transaction costs, the increase in the proportion of SegWit payments has been somewhat close to the decline in VeriBlock's share of Bitcoin's daily transactions.


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Citing a decline in demand for soft drinks, PepsiCo has shut down production in its Collierville plant effective immediately.
PepsiCo employs about 160 people at the facility, 55 of whom will be laid off. According to a letter from Pepsi sent to Collierville city officials, the workers include 12 salaried and 43 hourly employees.
Stan Joyner, mayor of Collierville, said that while Pepsi has been “a great corporate citizen” in Collierville, the company cited increased cost pressure and excess capacity in its decision to shut down production. The company will continue to distribute and warehouse its products from the Collierville facility, preserving about 100 jobs.
“They’ll continue operating the warehouse,” Joyner said. “Where that product will come from, I don’t know and they won’t tell us.”


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Unison Process Solutions become corporate member of the UFU
Friday, 23 April, 2021
The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) is pleased to reveal their new partnership with Unison Process Solutions, who has become a new corporate member. Unison specialise in pasteurisers, milk vending machines, homogenisers, heat exchangers, separators, pumps, and valves along with 24/7 on-call testing and servicing.
UFU membership director Derek Lough said, “We are delighted that Unison Process Solutions has become a corporate partner. This partnership will have great benefits for our members, particularly those who are interested in taking on a new business venture and diversifying by selling their milk on-farm through a vending machine.
“Unfortunately, as the years have progressed the strong link between farmers and consumers has lessened greatly. There are many who don’t fully understand where their food comes from or how it is produced. However, through the service that Unison offers, they have created another opportunity to bridge this gap and improve the public’s interaction with agriculture while also having great benefits for the farm business.”
Paul Sheehan, Managing Director of Unison said, “We are pleased to become corporate members of the UFU. Studies have shown that batch and continuous pasteurisation result in the exact same quality of milk, but Unison’s continuous pasteurisers can be three times faster, use 10 times less energy and can result in savings of over €3300 a year vs a batch pasteuriser.
“Dairy Farmers selling their milk direct to customers is becoming increasingly popular in Ireland and the UK. Over the past number of years Unison has been working closely with farmers to help them perfect their process and get more value from their milk. At Unison we provide a one stop shop for everything you need to start selling direct. We have a range of innovative equipment including continuous flow (HTST) and batch pasteurisers, milk vending machines, glass bottles, bottle fillers, chillers and complete hygienic room solutions.
“A key strength of Unison’s products, particularly its pasteuriser offering, is they are designed to meet the needs of the small to medium-sized producers who traditionally had two choices: invest heavily in much larger equipment than they required or settle for batch pasteurisers which can be very laborious and time-consuming. Studies have shown that batch and continuous pasteurisation result in the exact same quality of milk but Unison’s continuous pasteurisers can be three times faster, use 14 times less energy and can result in savings of €3500 a year vs a batch pasteuriser. Unison's innovative range of plug-and-play pasteurisers are also 100 percent Automatic with one-touch operation. Our main focus is to ensure that your production process is as simple as possible, and we have developed affordable alternatives to make this a reality.”
For further information on Unison Process Solutions and expert advice on any aspect of the milk vending business, visit www.unison.ie, email firstname.lastname@example.org or contact +353 61 422 224.


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It will look like a tire label
It will look like a tire label It will look like a tire label
According to new requirements, from November 2012, new tires will be required to have an additional label indicating such key characteristics as rolling resistance, wet grip and external noise. This information should accompany all passenger and truck tires produced after July 2012, and all passenger tires should be marked in the form of markings. In other words, the tires will receive a label translated into a language that everyone understands, from the manufacturer.
According to Goodyear experts, the introduction of a label on tires will change the process of selling and buying. According to it, the buyer will be able to determine the properties of the tire he is buying, and depending on his needs make the right choice in favor of a safer and more environmentally friendly tire. Everything will be quite banal. This is exactly how refrigerators and washing machines are now labeled, based on their appetite for electricity consumption and their ability to withstand leaks. The customer must know what he is buying.
Dialogue with the buyer in the usual language
Dialogue with the buyer in a familiar language Dialogue with a buyer in a familiar language
Reliable information has always been valuable. It is important to understand that in relation to tires, such information includes the concept of personal and environmental safety, the value of which is many times higher in comparison with the consumed electricity and flooded floor.
It should be noted that for tire companies, the "costing" of products will cost a pretty penny. The scale of the work to be done is evidenced by these figures: only Goodyear employs more than 270 test drivers, engineers and mechanics to implement the program, they collect information on 10 thousand passenger and truck tires of various sizes. It is good that three indicators of the new marking are included in the list of more than 50 tire characteristics to be evaluated as part of the product testing program. That, at least, is the case at Goodyear.
The report of Emmanuel Robinet, head of Goodyear's tire valuation department, was perhaps one of the most interesting at the seminar.
He very clearly explained what is behind all three parameters.
Emmanuel Robinet, Head of Goodyear Tire Assessment
Emmanuel Robinet, Head of Goodyear Tire Assessment Department Emmanuel Robinet, Head of Goodyear Tire Assessment Department
The lower the rolling resistance during tire movement, the less energy is dissipated and, accordingly, the less fuel is required to continue driving. Rolling resistance is up to 20% of the fuel consumption of a car and up to 30% of a truck. Therefore, fuel efficiency helps reduce direct costs and carbon emissions. The difference between the tires of classes G and A in marking is significant. Based on four tires for a passenger car, savings over the period of tire use can be up to 300 euros per tire due to a 7.5% reduction in fuel consumption.
For large trucks with more wheels, the financial difference can be even greater. So, when using class A tires for rolling resistance instead of G tires, a freight company can save more than 5 thousand euros for the period of tire operation.
What will the tire tell the future customer
What will the tire tell the future buyer? What will the tire tell the future buyer?
It is expected that the use of tires with improved rolling resistance, and labeling will simplify the procedure, will reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Europe by 20 million tons per year and save 10 billion euros annually.
Wet tire clutch
Wet grip reflects the tire's ability to stay on the road in wet conditions. Behind this is a reduction in braking distance, improved handling, as well as more confident car behavior.
On the wet grip of a tire, vehicle safety is directly dependent. According to the marking, the braking distance difference between cars on class G and A tires can reach 18 m (on wet roads, for an average passenger car moving at a speed of 80 km / h). This is the length of four cars or one bus or truck, and the border between life and death during emergency braking in an accident passes at a distance of only 1 m …
The difference in braking distance of tires with index G (black car) and A
The difference in braking distance of tires with index G (black car) and A reaches 18 meters on wet surfaces The difference in braking distances of tires with index G (black car) and A reaches 18 meters on wet surfaces
The noise of the tires of a car moving on a surface with ISO characteristics specified by standards is measured by two microphones located at a distance of 7.5 m from the central axis of the car at a height of 1.2 meters. The difference between one black wave and three on the new marking is significant. A bus characterized by three black waves on the marking produces 6 dB less noise than a bus with a single wave (four times noisier). If you multiply this by the approximate number of cars on European roads, the difference will be even more noticeable. Noise may not be heard by motorists themselves, but it still has an impact on the environment. It should be remembered that the overall noise of the car depends on the nature of the road surface.
Noise test on different types of coating
Noise test for different types of coating Noise test for different types of coating
The human factor, or what the label will not tell
Yes, manufacturers are responsible for the tire characteristics, but how efficiently and fully they will be used depends largely on the owners themselves. In principle, it is enough to monitor two main indicators: tire pressure and tread depth.
At a seminar in Luxembourg, it was emphasized that only tires with the correct pressure can perform their function. Goodyear research shows that both low and high tire pressures affect the behavior of a car on the road and its braking distance. It affects car safety, potential mileage and fuel efficiency. Lower tire pressure than necessary increases rolling resistance, correspondingly increasing fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. To understand this, two cars were installed at the workshop. On a normally inflated wheel and then on a lowered wheel. Pushing the second will be much harder. That's why Goodyear experts, and with them all the tires, advise you to check your tire pressure regularly - at least once a month. In turn, overpressure reduces rolling resistance, but increases the braking distance.
A wheelbarrow on a lowered wheel is much more difficult to push
A wheelbarrow on a lowered wheel is much more difficult to push. A wheelbarrow on a lowered wheel is much more difficult to push.
The tread depth is even more important for reducing stopping distances. Tests on a wet surface at a speed of 100 km / h at a training ground in Luxembourg proved that the car on which the new tires are installed stops after 56 meters, then the same car, but with worn tires of the same model (tread depth 1.6 mm) it takes already 114 m to stop completely, i.e. twice as much. Given the potential collision speed, these numbers are even more impressive. By the time the car with the new tires has already stopped, the car with the worn tread continues to move at a speed of more than 70 km / h and it took him more than four seconds to stop completely.
In a bend on a slippery surface, a car on summer tires blows off the road
In a turn on a slippery surface, a car on summer tires blows off the road In a turn on a slippery surface, a car on summer tires blows off the road
At the seminar, I personally became convinced of this. Frankly, I did not expect that wear so significantly changes the behavior of the tire. And already "bald" tires - just a crime against other participants in the movement and to himself. On the eve of the cold season, comparative rides on slippery, simulating ice surfaces once again confirmed the benefits of winter tires. There, in Luxembourg, the danger of driving summer and winter tires on different axles was undeniably proved. A multi-wheeled car in a bend is unpredictable. And now, sorry for the mentoring tone, I conjure: it is better to ride summer tires in winter than to put winter tires only on driving wheels!
Turns winter without problems
A turnaround takes place in the winter without problems
I hope that someday new labels will not only come to Russia and speak Russian, but also learn to give other valuable recommendations. About the winter ride, for example.
Head of Goodyear Russia Benjamin Willot
Head of Goodyear Russia LLC Benjamin Willot Head of Goodyear Russia LLC Benjamin Willot
Head of Goodyear Russia LLC Benjamin Willot:
- We organized the Goodyear Safety Days seminar in Luxembourg, because our company places safety at the forefront in its activities. And it doesn’t matter which country we deliver our tires to. The topic of tire safety Goodyear is closely linked to the upcoming appearance of labels on tire products sold in Europe.
Labels relate to three bus parameters: rolling resistance, i.e. economy, noise and braking performance on wet roads.


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Lyft Employees Told to Return to Office as New Chief Executive Lays Out Vision
Since the pandemic began, Lyft employees have been able to log in to video conferencing from home and work remotely across the country like many other tech workers. Last year, the company formally announced its policy. tell the staff The job is “totally flexible,” subleasing office floors in San Francisco and elsewhere.
more than this. The company’s new chief executive, David Rischer, told employees at an all-hands meeting on Friday that they will have to return to the office at least three days a week starting this fall. It was one of the first major changes he made since beginning this month on , and it came just one day after laying off 26% of Lyft’s workforce.
“Things go faster face-to-face,” Risher said in an interview. He said remote work in the tech industry was costly and led to isolation and cultural erosion.
This decision, coupled with layoffs and other changes, marks the beginning of a new chapter for Lyft. It could also indicate that some tech companies, especially those struggling, may be changing their minds about the flexibility of where their employees work. A push to work in the office can quickly turn into a request.
After falling behind rival Uber, Lyft released disturbing results in February. Its co-founders Logan Green and John Zimmer said they were stepping down the following month.
Risher, a Microsoft and Amazon veteran and former Lyft board member, plans to streamline the business, reduce costs, and focus on improving the quality and lowering prices of Lyft’s core offering of ride-hailing services to consumers. was erected. .
Lyft employees complain that layoffs appear to have disproportionately affected divisions outside the core ride-hailing business, such as units that provide rental cars to gig drivers and rent bikes and scooters to consumers. is leaking. Richer said the cut was all over the place.
He said the cost savings from layoffs will lead to lower prices for riders and more income for drivers.
The next step in his plan, he said, was to remind passengers that Lyft is a viable alternative to Uber. Rischer said over the summer that the product would be introduced gradually to build interest in the platform. This could include partnering with companies to offer his Lyft rides to employees commuting to the office, he said.
The company’s next steps will be difficult. Many of his Lyft employees were accustomed to working from home, and some were already freaking out over the possibility of returning to the office. Lyft continues to lag behind Uber, which has a global ride-hailing business and food delivery service.
Lyft’s stock is trading at $10 a share, down from its peak of $78, leading some to speculate that it could be an acquisition target. The company will report its most recent quarterly results next week, expecting earnings of $975 million, below the $1.1 billion investors had expected earlier this year. No profit yet.
Risher announced several other changes on Thursday. He ended products focused on car rentals, shared rides and luxury vehicles and promoted Kristin Sverczyk, head of business affairs, to president.
Lyft also planned to tell employees it would be cutting its stock grants this year, according to people familiar with the decision.
Risher said the return-to-office plan requires workers to report to work on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and recommends starting Tuesdays after Labor Day. Remote work is allowed for one month each year, and people who live far from the office do not have to come to the office.
Richer said he sees this moment as an opportunity to “reset the culture, especially when it comes to decision-making.”
Lyft was successful in its early ride-hailing business, but Green and Zimmer’s idea of building a transportation network with products focused on scooters, bikes, parking lots and rental cars “didn’t resonate with people. He said. “
“So now my focus is, ‘Well, there’s a huge amount of innovation left in ridesharing alone. People desperately want to get out and live their lives. We can help them,” Risher said. “And over time, we might be able to build something on top of that.”


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Articles about Tesla Cybertruck
27 Jan 2022Auto
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has announced that the production of the much-awaited Cybertruck has been delayed to 2023.
08 Apr 2021Business
Late last month, we reported that several Tesla customers were charged twice for their new electric cars. One of the affected customers, Christopher T. Lee, who goes by the name Everyday Chris on YouTube even made a video detailing his experience.
24 Jan 2021Auto
Several automakers, including start-ups as well as prominent players, have decided to tap into the EV craze by manufacturing all-electric pickup trucks.
02 Aug 2020Auto
Ahead of its launch later this year, US automaker General Motors has previewed the upcoming Hummer EV.
06 Feb 2020Technology
Luxury smartphone maker Caviar, known for its GoT edition Galaxy Fold and Rs. 24 lakh-worth Vostok 1-based iPhone 11 Pro, is back, this time with a new Cyberphone.
13 Jan 2020Technology
Elon Musk is never boring. Delusional, may be. But never boring.
29 Nov 2019Auto
Dubai's exotic fleet of police cars is set to get its first-ever Tesla car next year. According to a tweet by Dubai Police, Tesla's recently-launched electric pickup, Cybertruck, will join the official fleet in 2020.
27 Nov 2019Technology
It so happened that Tesla Chief Executive Troll Officer Elon Musk shared a video of the recently-unveiled Cybertruck towing a Ford F-150.
24 Nov 2019Business
Tesla just unveiled a futuristic 'Cybertruck' to barge into the category of electric pick-up trucks.
22 Nov 2019Technology
After launching some fancy cars, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is expanding the family with a completely new vehicle - the Cybertruck.