text:
How do you see your future?
Will you habe some government pension or you will decide to have income that is better than that? It all depends on the decisions that you make TODAY. So check out the financial instruments that you can use to make your fure safe!
Well it is always risky to invest big in something that you don’t know – so it is better to put your money in something that you understand.
Take a moment to speak with one of our consultants and understand what is the profit of our partnership.
Guide the investors trough your own interests and topics and choose the companies you want to invest in.
Responsibility is something that you will handle but we will guide you trough the decision making process and stay asured that your opinion will be taken under consideration.
What will you recieve you sign a contract with us?
We are taking care of your full portfolio taking the risk of your investments and guaranteeng margins of profit above 12%. We tend to invest into land and food production which is considered one of the best investments for long term.
As you know many of our customers have profit over 65% which ofcourse is not guaranteed but we are very flexible at making investments.
You can participate in the board of directors meeting and vote for the portfolio decisions which are held every 10th of the month – weekends included.
Generating big margin of profit considers big investments so investing up to 20-30% of your total income is not that good. Having said that we will be glad to have a meeting with you and dsicuss our further partnership.
The manager of the corporate banking division of Wells Fargo & Co. announced today that the US lender expects growth to continue through company acquisitions. He said the bank hopes to continue to purchase loan portfolios, whether by releasing some of the financial assets of General Electric Co or otherwise. The company’s shares rose 1.3 percent to 57.39 dollars per share so far in today’s session.
Futures of light crude rose about 2% in trading today, extending substantially upward movement from the previous session. The growth in prices was supported by the report of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which announced that it expected an increase in crude demand this year, but provides a glut in the market to fall. Investors are also under the influence of the data of the American Petroleum Institute (API) for stocks in the United States last week, which showed a surprise drop. Official data on stocks of Energy Information Administration (EIA) is scheduled for 17:30. Today.
Shares of GoPro Inc. fell 6 percent to 55.13 dollars per share at the beginning of the regular session today after analysts downgraded Citigroup’s expectations for sales of the company’s cameras and announced that they foresee a decline in consumer demand this year amid the transition to sales and Dronov other products for virtual reality video. GoPro working for some time on the diversification of its business by acquiring virtual reality company Kolor in April and announced its plans to produce 4-rotor unmanned aircraft unit.
By Apple Inc. They reported that their cars go around the world to collect data and images that will be used to improve the application Apple Maps. Apple said it will not show the faces of people and license plates of cars in the publication of the collected pictures. Cars equipped with cameras to Apple will give the Maps application features such as Street View to Google.
Shares of Swiss company AMS AG tumbled 27 percent today after a report that Swiss-listed company for sensors has lost a key contract with Apple Inc. “AMS probably lost a contract to participate in the production of the next generation of Apple”, according to a report in the Swiss financial press, citing sources close to the company.
Rumors are bad especially if you are a big company with multi-million dollar income.


text:
Due to supply disruptions, coffee futures prices continue to cause concern in the market. Arabica coffee futures have risen more than 50 percent since the start of the year, and arabica coffee prices surged to a 10-year high this week, according to data from the Intercontinental Exchange.
Concerned about growing Coffee shortages and the impact of supply shortages, Caribou Coffee Co., the nation’s second-largest Coffee chain, says it is stocking up on Coffee beans, According to A Report by Finance Union.
John Butcher, CHIEF executive of Caribou, points out that the company will continue to increase its safety inventory in key categories, and that in addition to coffee beans, it is also stocking up on cups, LIDS, packaging, chocolate and just about anything else imaginable.
Public information shows that Caribou coffee was established in Atlanta, The United States in 1992, is a famous coffee chain brand in the United States, known as the second largest coffee chain. Reindeer coffee, which has about 450 stores in the United States, said it expects to expand its franchise program in 2022.
Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee chain, has also responded to rising coffee prices. Kevin Johnson, President and CHIEF executive of Starbucks, said earlier that the company had responded to the rising cost of coffee beans by purchasing ahead of time and locking in prices to buy beans at attractive cost prices rather than raising prices.
A global shortage of Arabica beans and disruption to global logistics networks due to container shortages and port congestion will continue to push coffee prices higher for longer, industry players said.
Some of the supply shortages are also due to weather.
The world’s largest coffee producer and exporter, Brazil for a nearly a century since the worst drought and suffered two frost extreme weather, a lot of coffee production, coffee with to high transportation cost and shortage of container, the global price of coffee beans from 104 cents a pound last year rose to 152 cents a pound in July this year.
A recent report by Marex Spectron, an international investment bank, predicted a shortfall of 10.7 million bags of coffee in 2021-22 due to a sharp decline in Coffee production in Brazil.
Vietnam, the world’s second largest coffee exporter, has also added to the global coffee supply due to COVID-19 restrictions. Under the pressure of transportation, traders have difficulty in transporting coffee beans to ports and exporting overseas. As a result, the price of all coffee exported from Vietnam has risen, and several multinational companies have pointed out that they are facing supply difficulties.
The global supply shortage has pushed up price costs, which have also put retailers under pressure after German coffee retailer Tchibo and Japan’s UCC announced price increases in response.
On top of that, rising coffee prices have led to Colombian coffee not being delivered and farmers reneging on previous delivery contracts.
Coffee prices may rise further due to a shortage of coffee beans, container shortages and port congestion, industry insiders said.

domain: news


text:
The recent factory collapse in Bangladesh has forced the Obama administration to decide by the end of this month whether to yank trade preferences for the country.
DEARBORN, Mich. - Three weeks ago, 400 fast food workers across Metro Detroit shocked their employers by walking off the job demanding a living wage of $15.00 an hour.
CHICAGO - A protest outside the West Loop Walmart store here was only one of countless demonstrations that broke out today across the country in support of striking workers at the world's biggest retail giant.
A busload of fellow Walmart workers along with community supporters stood with Walmart worker Lisa Lopez as she informed her store managers that she was going on strike.
Union brothers and sisters and community supporters organized a barbecue for a caravan of striking Walmart workers who stopped in Orlando on May 28.


text:
Liability and Regulation of Autonomous Vehicle Technologies Autonomous vehicle technologies and advanced driver-assistance systems have the potential to significantly improve transportation safety and efficiency, and, collectively, they may offer tremendous social, economic, and environmental benefits. As these technologies increasingly perform driving functions, they also create a shift in responsibility for driving from the driver to the vehicle itself. This motivates a new look at liability and regulatory regimes because of the increasing uncertainty about what should happen when the inevitable crash occurs and the implications for the adoption of these technologies. This research is an initial step toward understanding these issues and creating an integrated collection of policies to address them. This report is part of the RAND Corporation external publication series. The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis.
California Preparing for Self-Driving Cars by 2015 Autonomous vehicles are headed for the commercial market, and they may find their way onto our roadways as early as 2015. But that reality would require a huge rework of today’s operational regulations for personal vehicles -- and the California Department of Motor Vehicles (CA DMV) is moving fast to see that it does in fact become reality. Accounting for the multitude of issues and conflicts with existing regulations is a big job, so the CA DMV is looking to the public for help. On March 11, the department workshopped its regulations at its headquarters in Sacramento, where representatives of industry, advocacy groups and the public met and discussed what the future of autonomous vehicles will look like. The workshop, a recording of which is available on Google+, was attended by Google; automakers like Volkswagen Group, Mercedes and Chrysler; and third-party manufacturers like Garmin and TomTom. And Soriano is well aware that privacy is a main concern.
03-Urmson - aimag2009_urmson.pdf 7 Dead Shopping Malls That Found Surprising Second Lives A Bot in Every Garage and on Every Street Here's an idea on how fast bots are going to roll out and why botageddon in some form is inevitable. Morgan Stanley (with good reason) anticipates that 100% of all of the automobiles sold in the US will be self-driving by 2026. That's only 12 years from now. What's pushing this forward so fast? Driving bots are already do a better job at driving than people do. Based on the data so far, if 90% of the cars on the road were driven by bots, we'd have 14,000 fewer deaths in the US alone from traffic accidents. The reason this is interesting is that even if we restrict our analysis to automobiles alone, it means that there will be millions of bots on the road in a little over a decade. Not only that: Ponder this idea for a while. Is botageddon getting easier to imagine?
En vidéo : Pibot, le robot qui veut piloter un avion Aux commandes de son Piper Comanche PA-24 250 virtuel, le robot Pibot s’apprête à se poser. Après les essais sur simulateur, les chercheurs du KAIST ont l’intention de tester ses capacités en conditions réelles en lui faisant piloter un avion en modèle réduit télécommandé. © Capture YouTube, IEEE Spectrum, KAIST En vidéo : Pibot, le robot qui veut piloter un avion - 1 Photo Un jour, peut-être, les avions seront pilotés avec la pensée. En attendant, qu'ils le soient par des robots est une éventualité qui pourrait se produire plus rapidement qu’on l’imagine… En effet, une équipe de l’Institut supérieur coréen des sciences et technologies (KAIST) a conçu un petit robot humanoïde capable d’utiliser un simulateur de vol en se servant des mêmes commandes que celles présentes dans un cockpit. Pibot, contraction des mots anglais pilot robot, ou robot pilote, est à l’origine un robot en kit (Biolid Premium) commercialisé par la société coréenne Robotis pour moins de mille euros. Sur le même sujet
Countdown to Mainstreaming of Self-Driving VehiclesThe Eno Center for Transportation BY EVA LERNER-LAMPresidentPalisades Consulting Group, Inc. There is a lot of excitement today about the concept of so-called “self-driving vehicles.” Global management consulting firms and scholarly think tanks are predicting that within the next decade, autonomous vehicles will emerge as one of the world’s most “disruptive technologies,” changing everything from auto ownership and accident rates to land use and transportation infrastructure policies. There is a sense of a countdown to a time when automation will manifest itself in the vehicles navigating our roads just as automation just a few decades ago took over manually operated elevators. Today’s drivers are anxious to see how emerging technologies can help them avoid collisions and possibly even enable them to enjoy in-vehicle texting and entertainment without the “distraction” of driving (Image: Soterea) They are probably right. Parking-assist systems are already offered as options for some vehicles. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. End Notes
"World's first" 3D printed car created and driven by Local Motors The acceleration of 3D printing means that even cars can be now printed. The Local Motors Strati 3D car was printed live at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) 2014 last week. The printing process took just 44 hours. View all Strati was the result of the 3D Printed Car Design Challenge run by crowd-source automotive firm Local Motors. "Local Motors has a long standing relationship with the Association For Manufacturing Technology who runs the International Manufacturing Technology Show," Kate Hartley of Local Motors told Gizmag. Local Motors claims that Strati is the world's first 3D printed car, although the 2010 Urbee is one of a number of projects that might also stake a claim to that title. The company also claims that it is the first time that the main portion of a car has been printed in one piece using direct digital manufacturing. Local Motors tells Gizmag that the build process for the Strati has has three phases. Source: Local Motors Share
Drone Cargo Ships Will Make the Real World Work Like the Internet | Business Image: Rolls-Royce Holdings Rolls Royce is moving toward a world where a single tap on a smartphone could set a massive cargo ship in motion half a world away. As reported by Bloomberg, the company best known for luxury cars is designing drone cargo ships it says would be cleaner, more efficient, and less expensive than the manned ocean freighters that transport most of the world’s cargo today. These uncaptained vessels could become a key link in a human-free global supply chain of consumer goods The push for drone container ships is part of a much larger effort in the logistics industry to automate the way goods and products move from place to place. In the context of what’s already happening, drone cargo ships almost feel like just another link in a rapidly automating supply chain. But such changes will also be driven by the expectations of consumers themselves as the desire for ever-more-instant gratification mounts.


text:
We’re awash in hyped claims made about the health impacts of countless foods and supplements. Determining which claims are backed by credible evidence isn’t always easy – contradiction is more common than clarity. A new review of “controversial and hyped” foods conducted by a team of researchers from the American College of Cardiology (the second in a series) attempts to inject some clarity by evaluating health claims against an array of research, with particular focus on heart health.
The review divides foods into three categories: Evidence of harm; Lacking in evidence of harm or benefit; and Evidence of benefit. For each food, the team evaluated the research and concluded with “bottom line” recommendations guided by the evidence.
In the “Evidence of harm” category, added sugars are unsurprisingly at the top of the list. “Added sugars promote atherogenesis [a disorder in which plaques form in artery walls] and increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk,” the review reports.
The evidence particularly points to the dangers of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which, despite claims by sugar industry lobbyists, does not affect the body in exactly the same way as other forms of sugar. Quoting from the paper: “Although sucrose and HFCS are now believed to be metabolically equivalent, their fructose and glucose moieties [chemical reactions] are not. Fructose uptake by the liver is unregulated and induces greater hepatic lipogenesis [process involved in storing energy as fat] than does glucose.”
The researchers recommend strictly limiting consumption of added sugars, especially sugary sodas, fruit drinks and sports drinks that account for half of our added-sugar intake: “Individuals should limit added sugar to less than 10% of calories, and preferably less than 100 calories daily for women and less than 150 calories daily for men.”
Energy drinks also rank high on the evidence-of-harm list for a slew of health badness, including “increased blood pressure, platelet aggregation, and arrhythmia risk.”
Dairy products sit prominently in the “Lacking in evidence of harm or benefit” category. While they’re often high in saturated fat, they’re also high in vitamins, minerals and high-quality protein. “It appears that there is no clear consensus in the published data or among experts on the effects of dairy products on CVD,” the review notes.
Fermented foods, including yogurt and kimchi, also appear in the lacking-evidence category, with research starting to show potential benefits of these gut-bacteria boosting foods. In general, however, the science is still too murky to support recommending them for heart health, although there’s also no evidence of harm.
The “Evidence of benefit” category is the biggest, featuring legumes, coffee, tea, omega-3 fatty acids, mushrooms and moderate alcohol consumption.
Coffee, the recent star of several studies showing health benefits, gets ample coverage here as well, with the conclusion that drinking a little each day is a great idea for overall health as long as it’s not loaded with sugar. “Moderate, habitual coffee consumption reduces risk for stroke, diabetes, premature death and digestive diseases,” the review confirms.
Tea also earns high marks, with strong evidence that it “improves artery health, reverses blood vessel dysfunction and reduces cholesterol.”
Omega-3 fatty acids from both plant and marine sources receive a favorable nod for “reducing CVD risk and improving lipid profiles,” but omega-3s from fish provide the clearest benefits (with the caveat that eating fish lower on the food chain is recommended to avoid ingesting too much mercury).
Mushrooms and legumes are both recommended as diet additions for being high in antioxidants and heart-healthy fiber. Although research to-date hasn't found strong heart health benefits from eating mushrooms, they "may be associated with improvement in inflammatory and antioxidative pathways and may have beneficial effects on known CVD comorbid risk factors."
Alcohol is the most controversial item in the review. The researchers say that while credible research shows upsides of moderate consumption (“vasodilatory, antiplatelet and anti-inflammatory properties”), the negatives may overshadow the benefits. “It is not recommended that individuals initiate alcohol consumption for health benefit, and for those already drinking, consumption should be limited to recommended amounts and preferably consumed with meals,” the researchers add in a cautionary footnote.
The research review, part 2 in a series, was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.


text:
A new Mazda compact SUV will make its world debut at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show. The second model in the company’s new-generation line-up features what the company describes as a more mature Kodo design language and Mazda’s new-generation SKYACTIV-Vehicle Architecture. The powertrain lineup showcases the latest SKYACTIV engines, including the company’s revolutionary SPCCI (Spark Plug Controlled Compression Ignition) technology, which has a unique combustion method claimed to combine the free-revving performance of a petrol engine with the superior response of a diesel
The Mazda6 is one of the best kept secrets in motoring, with handsome looks, excellent handling and superb diesel engines. Mazda’s ‘rightsizing’ approach to engine design sees a big 2.2-litre diesel fitted under the bonnet, with clever engineering and weight savings that allows the 148bhp version to return up to 69mpg.
The CX-5 is even better to drive than the Kuga, and it has an equally striking design. Then there’s its excellent 2.2-litre diesel engine, which is a firm favourite amongst owners thanks to its smooth and potent power delivery, that still manages decent fuel economy.
The Mazda3 is one of our favourite hatchbacks, with striking looks and a talented chassis that offers excellent handling, a satisfying gearchange and agile steering. It’s available with a large 2.2-litre diesel engine that still returns 69mpg, despite lusty performance.
Mazda is welcoming the New Year with the announcement of the 2019 Mazda CX-5. Available to order now, the revised CX-5 line up sees the introduction of a new GT Sport Nav+ model grade, along with smaller revisions across the whole CX-5 range.
My Mazda is over 22k miles now, but I doubt that I will be replacing it any time soon, given that Mazda discontinued the 2 diesel a while back. Secondly, your mention of tyres recently led me to contemplate the forthcoming replacement of my front pair, where tread is getting low. My car is shod […]
Mazda Motor Corporation has announced that the all-new Mazda3 will make its world premiere at the Los Angeles Motor Show, open to the public from 30th November to the 9th December. The company says that the all-new Mazda3 “adopts a richer interpretation of Mazda’s KODO design philosophy, which embodies the essence of Japanese aesthetics”.
The new 2018 Mazda6 has been awarded the maximum five star rating by Euro NCAP in its latest series of tests. This is the first Mazda to achieve an overall five star rating under the new, more stringent 2018 Euro NCAP crashworthiness ratings.
Mazda will launch its first Electric Vehicles in 2020 as part of its ‘Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030’ long-term technology development programme. The Japanese company will initially launch two battery EVs – one powered solely by battery, the other pairing a battery with Mazda’s small, lightweight and exceptionally quiet rotary engine as a range-extender.
After its global debut at the New York Motor Show in March, Mazda has announced UK pricing and specification for the 2018 Mazda CX-3. On sale from the 31st August, the updated CX-3 is offered in a simplified eight model line-up that sees the debut of a new SKYACTIV-D 1.8-litre diesel engine, plus a host of technology and interior improvements.


text:
While there is a wide range of opinions on the long-term ceiling for Amazon.com's (AMZN 1.82%) retail business, the company's cloud-computing arm is an even bigger wildcard. Amazon Web Services allows other companies to rent computing power from Amazon rather than buying and operating their own servers.
This business has been growing very rapidly. Last year, revenue in Amazon's "other" segment in North America -- which primarily consists of AWS sales -- reached $3.7 billion: up from less than $1 billion in 2010. The rapid growth of Amazon Web Services has led some analysts to value this oft-overlooked part of Amazon's business at $50 billion or more.
To justify these estimates, analysts typically point to other "cloud-computing" companies like salesforce.com (CRM -4.69%), which has a $34 billion market cap despite generating just over $4 billion in revenue last year. But Amazon Web Services is nothing like Salesforce. It is a much more capital-intensive business than Salesforce and has minimal pricing power.
Another round of price cuts
Amazon Web Services (like Salesforce) is the clear leader in its field. In fact, AWS dominates the "infrastructure-as-a-service" market. According to Gartner (IT -0.76%) it is more than five times the size of the next 14 competitors combined! Normally, this kind of market share lead should translate to significant pricing power.
But AWS is under pressure -- or at least feels under pressure -- from various Big Tech firms that are trying to break into this market, including Google (GOOGL 0.69%) and Microsoft (MSFT 1.28%). Neither company's IaaS offerings are close to AWS in market share, but Google and Microsoft both have unique competitive advantages in cloud computing. Google has its popular Google Drive service, various productivity apps, and Compute Engine, while Microsoft has its Office 365 cloud-based productivity suite as well as Azure.
In any case, Amazon has been ultrasensitive to the prospect of being underpriced by other IaaS providers. Since Google launched its AWS competitor in 2012, the two companies have periodically engaged in price-cutting battles.
This past week, Google cut its "App Engine" prices yet again. It didn't take long for Amazon to shoot back with price cuts of its own that range from 36%-65%, effective April 1. AWS senior vice president Andy Jassy made light of the price cuts, noting that AWS has reduced prices 42 times in its relatively brief history.
Jassy is essentially trying to make a virtue of a clear weakness. If AWS needs to respond in kind to every competitor's price cuts, it will have two negative impacts on the business. First, it will cause revenue growth to slow dramatically -- if prices fall 50%, AWS would need to double its volume just to keep revenue flat. Second, it will ensure that AWS remains a perpetually low-margin business.
A black hole of CapEx
The commoditized nature of Amazon's product stands in stark contrast to Salesforce's business. But an even bigger difference between the two companies is the capital intensity of their respective businesses.
Unlike AWS, which primarily sells infrastructure as a service, Salesforce offers software as a service. While Salesforce has to devote a significant amount of money to R&D -- over $600 million last year -- the vast majority of its costs relate to selling, general, and administrative expenses.
SG&A has been rising rapidly recently, but over time Salesforce should be able to leverage those expenses significantly. This potential for margin growth can justify Salesforce's high valuation even though it has consistently lost money on a GAAP basis and has a narrow profit margin on a non-GAAP basis (which excludes acquisition-related costs and stock compensation costs).
By contrast, as AWS grows, it needs more and more computing power and storage to rent out to its clients. This has driven a massive jump in Amazon's capital expenditures recently. From 2005 to 2009, Amazon's annual CapEx rose from $204 million to $373 million, which was significantly slower than the rate of revenue growth.
By 2013, CapEx had skyrocketed to $3.44 billion: up nine-fold in just four years. Some of that growth is related to new distribution centers for the retail business, but a large portion can be attributed to AWS.
For Salesforce, strong revenue growth brings the promise of margin expansion as the marginal cost of adding customers is fairly low. That's not true for Amazon Web Services. As it gains more business, it must plow billions and billions of dollars into things like servers, storage, and networking gear to support that growth.
Foolish bottom line
Amazon Web Services should be a solid contributor to Amazon's overall business in the long run. But just because it's involved in "cloud computing" doesn't make it similar to companies like Salesforce.
Despite its dominant market share, AWS competes tooth and nail with competitors like Google and Microsoft. Moreover, it needs to spend an ever-increasing amount on adding computing power in order to support its growth. This makes it a fundamentally low-margin, weak-cash-flow business: not one worth a gaudy multiple like Salesforce.


text:
The Larsen and Toubro Infotech has started its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. The Centre is in collaboration with US based PTC Inc which will design, build and showcase solutions for smart and connected enterprises.
“The CoE will focus specifically on Industry 4.0 solutions in Manufacturing and Oil & Gas sectors,” Larsen & Toubro Infotech said in a statement.
The Centre will also provide transformative technologies to global customers. It will also showcase Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) solutions which are developed by PTC.
L&T is also planning to deploy reusable IoT assets for implementing enterprise-scale digital transformation solutions for global customers like L&T Constructions and other manufacturing companies.


text:
Fossil engines face extinction in this country as EV sales hit record highs
Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) hit a new monthly record in Norway as nearly 84% of the almost 8,000 new passenger cars sold in the country in January were EVs, as per data from the Norwegian Information Council for Road Traffic. This indicates that the country is on track to reach its 2025 goal of eliminating sales of new fossil-fuel cars.
The EV sales record in Norway last month was up from 53% in the same month last year and compares with about 65% for all of 2021. In fact, last year, Norway became the first country in the world to witness electric cars sales overtake fossil models among new vehicles thanks to various government incentives.
The country last month sold only 387 cars with an internal combustion engine. Nineteen out of the 20 most popular car brands were fully electric, and sales were led by Audi Q e-tron, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and BMW iX.
Also check these Cars
As soon as April, the oil-rich nation may see all its new cars become emission-free as one can predict from the current trends, the Norwegian Automobile Federation suggested, Bloomberg reported.
Norway has become a “test country" for new electric cars for many manufacturers, the Norwegian council said last month. It added that there is “quite a lot of optimism" regarding the 2025 goal to achieve fully emission-free transport. However, it also noted that it is unclear what will happen to the pace of deliveries to Norway when electrification “really takes off" in the major European countries.
Norway has exempted battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from taxes imposed on internal combustion engines (ICE). The tax break is expected to increase the proportion of overall electric sales, with an aim of reaching 80% in 2022. The country has set a deadline to end petrol and diesel powered car sales by 2025.
(with inputs from Bloomberg)


text:
By Stacey Patch and John Rosenberger, The Raymond Corp.
Every other year, thousands of innovators from the manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain industries convene in Chicago for ProMat — one of the largest manufacturing trade shows in the United States. From automation to artificial intelligence (AI) to telematics, the intralogistics solutions at ProMat offer attendees the opportunity to learn from other industry innovators. Many companies leverage ProMat to launch new products or promote thought-leadership initiatives. Most important, ProMat serves as an educational forum for industry professionals to gather key insights from industry peers on a variety of relevant topics.
This year’s event did not shy away from myriad challenges the manufacturing industry faces. Talent attraction and retention, along with optimization of warehouse operations to accommodate increasing consumer demands, were hot topics in seminars and on the show floor. Every industry organization faces these issues, but how are companies addressing them today? Let’s look at several offerings presented at ProMat 2019.
Talent attraction and retention
A recent study suggests the manufacturing skills gap will leave about 2.4 million positions unfilled between 2018 and 2028. This loss would be damaging to manufacturing and has the potential to cost the industry approximately $2.5 trillion. To shrink the skills gap, companies are looking for innovative solutions to attract, retain and educate talent in the manufacturing industry. And it starts with the generation that makes up more than 35% of the workforce: Millennials.
Because Millennials make up a key sector of the workforce, attracting them to the industry is part of the solution. ProMat 2019 showed a variety of solutions geared toward workforce education and attraction, but one of the most prevalent was virtual reality (VR). In a study by Penn Schoen Berland, 77% of Millennials indicated they are interested in VR, and 82% said high-tech offices would influence their decision about taking a new job.
VR has a multitude of educational benefits. Forklift operators can use VR to enhance learning, as by offering the chance to virtually drive a forklift and practice handling different warehouse scenarios. Operators can also develop additional skills through virtual scenarios, preparing them for real-life working environments. Educating operators with VR adds an element of high-tech to the manufacturing industry, and it can help operators learn best practices, effectively shrinking the skills gap.
Efficiently utilizing warehouse operations
In a previous blog post, we addressed how to know when it is time to expand or modify warehouse operations to address customer needs. Part of making a warehouse more efficient is looking at processes that could be improved and space that could be used better. Whichever tactics for optimizing space that an organization selects, more-efficient use of warehouse space should be a high priority.
When warehouse managers need to expand their operations to keep pace with increasing demands, instead of building out, they should consider building up. Building upward instead of outward helps address a warehouse’s existing facility capacity and flow of operations. However, if building up, warehouse managers will need material-handling equipment to reach high and hard-to-get places, such as a higher-reaching forklift.
Accommodating increasing consumer demands
Now more than ever, consumers want products faster. Whether it is same-day shipping or easy returns, companies need to respond to consumer demands if they want to stay top of mind. At ProMat 2019, organizations a variety of options, including telematics, to address this challenge.
One of the biggest consumer demands is speedier delivery. One-day and overnight shipping are common asks, but facilities need to be prepared for quick turnaround times. That’s where telematics comes in. Telematics data can set a baseline to identify factors that are affecting a warehouse’s bottom line, such as fleet utilization, operator performance, and scheduled maintenance. When these operations are unproductive, it can result in lost money and time, inefficient delivery, and poor customer service. Using data, telematics can help warehouse managers easily identify areas of loss and inefficiency, ultimately saving time and money and getting products into consumers’ hands faster.
Turning insights into action
ProMat and similar events are important as they give industrial organizations a chance to take notes from peers and industry partners. Even more important for these organizations is to then act on what they’ve learned and observed.
ProMat 2019 provided a multitude of insights and knowledge for attendees. By applying these insights to a company’s operations, jobs, and warehouses, the industry can better address challenges efficiently and effectively. Increasing consumer demands, effective space utilization, and workforce education are ongoing industry challenges, but solutions such as those introduced at ProMat 2019 are providing ways to address these pressures.


text:
For the fifth year, the Financial Services Club ran a survey
of payments professionals worldwide to see how successfully regulations and technologies
are changing the European payments landscape, sponsored by CGI and EBA CLEARING.
The survey ran during the spring of 2013, and was completed
by 422 participants across over forty countries.
The survey began by looking at views on the future of the
European Union. Unlike the last two
years, where the sovereign debt crisis had caused major concerns about Europe’s
future, this year’s survey took place during a period when the news about
Europe was far more stable. Hence the
responses to the opening question on How
strong is the European Union? garnered a 59% positive response, compared
with a majority (52%) that were negative last year.
Furthermore, the decline in confidence in EMU is turning
around this year, as reflected by just 28% seeing a North-South Eurozone
divide, compared with 37% in 2012 and 30% in 2011.
The Progress of SEPA
In terms of SEPA, we asked When do you think the SEPA vision for “all Eurozone payments
transactions to be processed as though they were domestic” will be realised?
There was an expectation that most would answer 2014, as
this is when the end-dates are enforced, so it came as a surprise that almost a
third (31%) of respondents estimate SEPA’s delivery to be after 2017 or even
The second question looked at how ready banks’ customers are
for SEPA’s end-dates and found that only 20% are ready for SEPA implementation
whilst a staggering 57% are still in planning and a further 23% are either
unaware or not even planning for the change. This aligns with many other research reports that found the same.
The top three benefits from SEPA are:
- Increased competition in payments
- Lower cost of processing
- Revitalised and modernised infrastructures
However, when reading through the commentary on this
question, a popular refrain appears to be none of the above. In other words, a large number of
participants have seen no impact, benefits or changes yet from SEPA.
According to the majority of participants, the major focus
after SEPA will be a move towards real-time payments.
The march towards real-time payments certainly seems to be
developing as, just in the last year, Sweden and Poland have implemented
refreshed infrastructures supporting real-time payments processing, building
upon the UK’s Faster Payments Service launched in 2008. STEP2 offers same day settlement and intends
to move to real-time later in 2013. In
addition, EBA CLEARING launched MyBank in March 2013, a real-time authorisation
service for merchants and consumers supported by 28 banks across Europe at
This may be a key takeaway from this year’s report, as we
are seeing major moves to real-time payments processing and yet European
regulation has constrained this development if anything.
The Risk of Liquidity
In the third section of the survey, we discussed different
aspects of liquidity risk.
94% of banks are now focused upon some form of liquidity
management process compared to only 78% last year. That focus has increased thanks to the
regulatory push, with almost half the banks (49%) saying that it is due to
This has resulted in more focus upon liquidity management
and automation, with 78% of bank respondents saying that they would know their
future financial exposures in the case of a liquidity shock, compared to only
70% of banks last year.
Finally, in answer to the question: Can you quantify your intraday exposure to individual counterparties
during the day? and almost 9 out of 10 banks plan or already have a system
in place to do this (89%), compared with 8 out of 10 (79%) last year.
The Future of
The final section of the study reviewed the more general
opportunities for growth in the future of payments, and where to make the major
investments to gain revenues.
The majority (23%) of participants voted for mobile as a channel for service and
transacting as the major growth area.
This was closely followed by improving the efficiency of payments
Another impact area identified the growing impact of social
media – LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc – on bank-to-corporate and
Almost three-quarters of respondents have seen some form of change to
their business as a result of the rise of social media.
In particular, banks have seen more impact (80%) than
non-banks and non-financial firms (72%), with 56% of banks seeing increasing
impact on their business compared to just 45% of non-banks and non-financial
In conclusion, this year’s survey has found a number of key
- Respondents are more positive about the future
- SEPA is proceeding but still has to deliver,
with the majority of corporate clients unready
- Real-time payments is a trend that is developing
rapidly across core retail payments infrastructures
- Liquidity management is a critical area of focus
- Mobile financial services as a channel to
corporate and consumer is a big growth area today
In conclusion, Europe has taken a long time to deliver its
vision of a harmonised payments market and, in the process, may find the
opportunity that existed to modernise their infrastructures has been missed as
real-time clearing and settlement becomes the norm elsewhere.
If you would like a FREE copy of the full 40-page survey
report, please email our administration.
Chris M Skinner
Chris Skinner is best known as an independent commentator on the financial markets through his blog, TheFinanser.com, as author of the bestselling book Digital Bank, and Chair of the European networking forum the Financial Services Club. He has been voted one of the most influential people in banking by The Financial Brand (as well as one of the best blogs), a FinTech Titan (Next Bank), one of the Fintech Leaders you need to follow (City AM, Deluxe and Jax Finance), as well as one of the Top 40 most influential people in financial technology by the Wall Street Journal's Financial News. To learn more click here...


text:
OnePlus continued their interesting yet often controversial marketing strategy with the announcement of another campaign worthy of going under the scanner sometime back, but it looks as though it wasn’t destined to last long.
The contest we’re talking about is the ‘Ladies First’ contest that was being hosted on the OnePlus forums. 50 lucky female participants were to get an invite, but it looks like OnePlus will have to find another way of doing so.
Gizchina News of the week
Right from the publishing of the thread, the contest saw a lot of extreme remarks and responses from the forum users. Of course, that is what OnePlus wanted, but it looks as though things went out of hand which made OnePlus remove the thread.
It isn’t clear yet if it will be put up again (or if this is just some sort of a forum bug), but the thread – previously accessible here – returns a ‘thread not found’ error.
Do you think OnePlus One need to rethink their extreme marketing plans?


text:
Staging an estate auction for a recently deceased celebrity can be a crass business, and when that celebrity happens to be named Cash, some unkind puns quickly spring to mind. So give credit to Sotheby's LLC for the massive auction this week in New York that is handling the estate of Johnny and June Carter Cash with as much archival reverence and sentiment as its gavel business allows.
"It's a delicate thing, and we know it. It needs to be a celebration and a tribute," said Leila Dunbar, director of the auction house's collectibles department, who oversaw creation of a catalog and website that in tone is far more A&E than EBay.
The auction, which begins Tuesday, is "unprecedented and extraordinary," according to Dunbar. Among the nearly 800 lots are Grammy trophies, handwritten lyrics, stage clothes, musical instruments, furniture and totems big and small from country's first couple.
The venture began in 2000 when the couple approached Sotheby's with the idea of a sale that would "simplify their lives," Dunbar said. By that point, the House of Cash museum in Tennessee had been shuttered and the couple's nearby home in Hendersonville was overflowing with items. The auction was postponed, though, by June, who decided she couldn't bear too many empty spaces in her house.
When June died in May 2003, her widower called Sotheby's back and restarted the process. Then he died in September of the same year, and the auction became an estate sale.
There's a mid-1950s notebook of handwritten lyrics for songs such as "Cry Cry Cry," and furniture enough to fill five warehouses. Not only can you bid on Johnny's Tennessee driver's license, but you also can take a shot at his black 2002 Ford 150 pickup truck. Bids can be made by phone, the Internet, as an absentee or in person, and more information can be found at www.sothebys.com or by calling (212) 606-7414.
-- Geoff Boucher


text:
The communication specialists have been urged to help the government of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos…
Benguet town advocates for the registration of vegetable vendors
To stop “bogus” buyers from taking advantage of defenseless farmers, the municipal government of La Trinidad, Benguet, is establishing rules for its proposal to demand the registration of vegetable traders and disposers.
“We want to make sure that they register and post bonds so that our farmers have something to hold them accountable if they are not paid for their produce as agreed. Romeo Salda, the mayor, stated in a phone interview on Thursday that we must have a framework in place to protect our farmers.
According to Salda, there have been allegations of farmers not getting paid for their food once purchasers get access to it.
According to him, “bogus” customers multiplied, particularly during the pandemic, increasing the losses suffered by farmers.
The mayor remarked in Ilocano, “They have been coming to us for help, but our hands are tied, especially with transactions that were only verbal and through SMS.”
He continued by saying that informal receipts, typically consisting of a little piece of paper and lacking even the name of the fruit buyer, are typically used in transactions.
Salda claimed that so far this year, they haven’t heard from the farmers with any significant complaints.
“We have made sure that the commodity prices are reasonable. That indicates that our farmers are profiting and are content with the state of the market, he said. “I would expect to see them come over to protest and seek steps regarding importation and smuggling if they are losing as a result of the drastically decreased prices of the commodities. We are pleased that they are doing well despite the fact that we haven’t heard from them recently.
Several trading facilities, including those in Mountain Province and Ifugao, are located in La Trinidad where produce from various towns in Benguet is delivered for commerce.
Truckers load tons of locally grown produce here for delivery to Metro Manila and as far as the Visayas.***
We appreciate your reading. 😊Simple Ways To Say Thanks & Support Us:
1.) ❤Give a Tip. If you would like to make a small donation to support us, please give a tip thru PayPal at https://paypal.me/SocialBoostVA😊❤
Subscribers in the Philippines can make donations to mobile number 0917 906 3081, by using the GCash website or GCash mobile application.
2.) Be one of our SPONSOR. We can published your promotions, PR stories/news articles with contact details as an additional exposure of your company products and services.
3.) 👍 Give this news article a Thumbs Up, Leave a Comment (at Least Five Words), and Share!
Cebuano English Filipino


text:
The UPC code for the product is 7-85030-55557-6. Only the products with sell-by dates of April 9, 2015 are included in the recall.
Giant and Martin's food stores said in a news release that the product has been removed from shelves.
Teacher jailed for showing high school class violent movie
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A former substitute teacher convicted of showing a movie including graphic sex and violence to a high school class was sentenced on Wednesday to 90 days in jail. Full Story
( Yui Mok )
Armani calls Madonna 'very difficult' person
The fashion designer took exception to Madonna saying the design of his matador cape caused her to take a tumble down stairs at last week's Brit Awards


text:
WORLD: Cotton consumption forecast increases 5%
The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) has raised its cotton consumption outlook
Global consumption of cotton is expected to increase for the end of the 2014/15 crop year as its price converges with that of polyester.
The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) raised its outlook at the weekend, forecasting a 5% increase in consumption to 24.5m tonnes.
Consumption in Asia is expected to grow "strongly" for the year, led by a 5% increase in China to 7.9m tonnes. India's consumption is expected to grow by 6% to 5.4m tonnes, while the rest of Asia is projected to expand by 8% to nearly 2.4m tonnes.
The ICAC revealed that after international cotton prices spiked in 2010-11, many spinners decreased the share of cotton in yarn for greater use of polyester. At the start of 2013, the gap between cotton and polyester prices widened.
At the start of 2013, the gap between cotton and polyester prices widened. However, the situation changed significantly in July, with the Cotlook A-Index falling to 80 cts/lb while polyester climbed back up to around 73 cts/lb. Furthermore, the price of cotton in China has fallen from around 141 cts/lb during most of 2013/14 to around 126 cts/lb in the last few weeks, it said.
ICAC has forecast that world trade will drop to 25.5m tonnes from 26.1m last year, primarily due to an overhaul in a government stockpiling programme in China, the world's top consumer and producer.
India's production is expected to be just over 6m tonnes, and China's at around 6.2m tonnes. Abundant rain in the US, means production here is projected to grow to nearly 3.5m tonnes.
Trade is forecast to decline by to 7.9m tonnes, driven mainly by a 26% fall in imports by China to 2.2m tonnes. India's exports are likely to fall to 800,000 tons, which would be less than half of its exports in 2013/14. Exports from the US are forecast to rise by 9% to 2.5m tonnes.
- Yuan devaluation impact mixed for garment firms
- Chaos in the world’s trade agreements
- Supply chain improvements to save Billabong $30m
- Will Vietnam struggle with impending trade deals?
- The new age of disruption on apparel production
- H&M scaling up living wage effort to key suppliers
- Myanmar approves first minimum wage
- US Q2 in brief: Genesco, Oxford, Sears Canada
- EU clothing buyers should brace for higher prices
- Vietnam apparel industry calls for lower wage
- Global Database of the Top 1000 Apparel Producers - Company Names, Financial Performance, and Contact Details
- Ethiopia – the emerging textile and clothing industry
- Myanmar's Garment Sector in 2015 - now with updated members' directory
- Global market review of lingerie - forecasts to 2020
- Global Sports Footwear Market 2015-2019


text:
India Covid-19 Procurement: Challenges, Innovations, and Lessons
- 01 Sep 2022
- 7 min read
Why in News?
Recently, the World Bank has released a report titled “India Covid-19 procurement: challenges, innovations, and lessons, saying India managed to get many things right in its management of the pandemic.
- The report takes a close look at the initiatives taken by the government of India (GoI) to ensure sustained supply of essential medical commodities during the critical initial phase of the Covid pandemic.
What are the Findings?
- The health systems of most countries, including those rated high on the Global Health Security Index, faced new challenges in responding to the pandemic.
- To address the exceptional market uncertainties, several countries introduced innovations in public procurement to make processes responsive to the emergency context.
- Indian Initiatives:
- India managed efficient distribution of medical supplies nationwide, put in early restrictions and also created empowered inter-ministerial groups to achieve prompt procurement decisions during emergencies.
- India managed to scale up from 18 to over 2,500 testing laboratories rapidly within a span of four months and became ready to face future pandemics and health emergencies that pose serious challenges for global supply chains.
- India also created a conducive environment for growth of indigenous medical devices industry.
- Before the Covid-19 pandemic, India was mostly importing ventilators but 25 manufacturers including several newcomers came forward to produce ventilators with limited financial and infrastructure capacity.
- The government made use of several automobile and electrical manufacturing companies to handhold these new entrepreneurs to produce ventilators.
- Key Innovations in India:
- Adoption of a whole-of-government approach to stimulate local production helped to steeply reduce unit prices and dependency on global supplies.
- Introduction of accelerated tendering process and quality assurance protocols.
- Efficient supply chain management informed by computerised modeling that helped to project the number of cases and admissions, including oxygen and intensive care unit requirements among states based on epidemiological trends.
- Quickly moving the quality-assured Covid commodities to the government’s e-procurement site, which enabled states to start accessing these products at competitive prices without going through a tendering process.
What is the World Bank?
- It was created in 1944, as the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) along with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IBRD later became the World Bank.
- The World Bank Group is a unique global partnership of five institutions working for sustainable solutions that reduce poverty and build shared prosperity in developing countries.
- It has 189 member countries.
- India is also a member country.
- Major reports:
- Its Five development institutions:
- International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
- International Development Association (IDA)
- International Finance Corporation (IFC).
- Multilateral Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
- International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
- India is not a member of this.


text:
Azerbaijan, Baku, Sept. 15 / Trend E. Ismayilov /
About 230,000 tons of Azerbaijani oil products were sold in the Georgian market in January-August compared to more than 256,000 tons in January-August last year, a source at SOCAR Energy Georgia told Trend.
This company represents SOCAR's interests in Georgia.
He said that according to the plans, SOCAR plans to sell 450,000-460,000 tons of petroleum products in the Georgian market.
SOCAR sold 442,000 tons of Azerbaijani oil products in 2010 compared to 406,000 tons in 2009.
Oil products are produced in Azerbaijan on the basis of two Baku refineries with a total capacity of 20 million tons a year. Both plants are a part of SOCAR. It annually processes about 6-7 million tons of oil from the offshore and onshore fields at its own expense.


text:
In a rare move, streaming platform Twitch is scaling back its services. According to an email sent out to users, Twitch’s desktop app is being shut down on April 30, leaving the streaming service’s website, Twitch.tv, as the lone way to watch streams on its platform for PC users.
Twitch’s email to Twitch Desktop App users specifically states that the decision was made “based on usage and community feedback.” We have reached out to Twitch regarding how many people used the Desktop App and how it gathered this community feedback and will update the article when we hear back.
On a page going over how to detail the desktop app, Twitch said that the decision to drop it all together “allows us to invest more heavily in enhancing and adding new ways to engage with the creators and communities you care about.”
Later in the email, Twitch urges desktop app users to start watching streams through browsers, though it’s clear why some avoided that option in the first place. Browsers typically use more RAM in computers (especially for Google Chrome users) than independent apps do.
While Twitch shutting down its desktop app likely isn’t some kind of grim omen for the company, Twitch has found itself bleeding talent lately. Some of its top streamers, including Ludwig, TimTheTatman, DrLupo, Valkyrae, and others have left the platform to stream exclusively on YouTube. Despite the loss of so many big names, users still flock to Twitch to watch streams. In 2021, the platform saw a 45% increase in hours watched, with a total of 24 billion views.
- It’s the last day of Nintendo’s April Indie Sale — don’t miss these 7 great games
- Twitch streamer’s ‘ultimate’ Elden Ring run involves two copies and a dance pad
- You can get a free PC Game Pass subscription via Twitch subscriptions
- Microsoft is looking to create its own mobile app store, according to filings
- Final Fantasy VII’s mobile battle royale game is shutting down


text:
Touted as Sri Lanka’s favourite malted food brand, the product was priced at Rs. 150 in February 2021 before being increased to Rs. 160 in late March.
In early May, the priced has been upped by Rs. 05 again to Rs. 165.
Accordingly, the price has been increased by 10% in the last three months.
Recently, it has come to light where multinational companies have arbitrarily increased prices of their products.


text:
Marbella Luxury Real Estate Market 2017-2018:
The capacity of Marbella (Málaga) to attract great fortunes from all over the world makes it an important showcase for companies in the area, many companies have been able to use this potential to make their products known among high-end international customers.
The real estate boom of the 80s and later the end of the 90 and the beginning of the 2000, with a powerful growth of high-end housing with off plan and new homes, made the entrepreneur decanted by specializing in customized products for the big luxury villas that began to be built on the Costa del Sol and in Marbella.
This specialization in the luxury sector has allowed the company to multiply its size, now in addition to the factory in Casares have three commercial offices one in Puerto Banús (Marbella), another in Madrid and the third in Barcelona.
Marbella Pads has also managed to give the international jump, at the beginning of its journey 90% of the work they did at the local level and now have many projects abroad. Morocco, Dubai, the Congo or Nigeria, are some of the countries that this Andalusian carpentry has carried its products, to place them luxurious villas.
According to ElEconomista, the international jump was given in the midst of economic crisis, when construction on the coast of the sun went through one of its worst moments.
Román says that his company does not need to have presence outside of Spain to carry out these international projects, because the headquarters they have in Puerto Banús has become an important showcase in which the great fortunes know their products of first Hand.
The businessman explains that in Marbella there is a phenomenon known as “construction tourism”, in which people with high purchasing power arrive to know the type of constructions that are carried out in the area and replicate them in their countries of origin, taking both the Technical personnel as the necessary materials.
The Arab Emirates and Africa are the main international destinations of Román Clavero, as the CEO said, these are places that do not have skilled labor or the necessary materials to respond to customers of high purchasing power. Current projects include two luxury villas in Palm Islands, the well-known artificial islands of Dubai.
This international development, coupled with the recovery of the construction on the Costa del Sol, has caused a 20% growth in the company’s sales in the last two years, the average turnover was between 5 and 6 million euros and this year they anticipate Alcan Zar the 8.
Precisely, the recovery of the construction in Andalusia is what has begun to slow down the international development of the company. According to Román, the Costa del Sol is going through a new real estate Boom that has generated a notable increase in work in the company, which makes it not able to respond to all international new build projects.


text:
After keeping silent immediately following the Department of Justice's lawsuit on Wednesday both Apple and the Authors Guild reacted to the actions Thursday. Apple denied the charges and said the launch of the iBookstore helped to break “Amazon's monopolistic grip on the publishing industry" a company spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal.
Authors Guild president Scott Turow also used the word monopoly in his response, saying that low Kindle book prices “will last only as long as it takes Amazon to re-establish its monopoly. It is hard to believe that the Justice Department has somehow persuaded itself that this solution fosters competition or is good for readers in the long run.”
Turow, who in March wrote a much touted essay on why possible DOJ action against the publishers and Apple would be "grim news" went on: “by allowing Amazon to resume selling most titles at a loss, the Department of Justice will basically prevent traditional bookstores from trying to enter the e-book market, at the same time it drives trade out of those stores and into the proprietary world of the Kindle. The settlement provides a gigantic obstacle to Amazon’s competitors in the e-book business by allowing Amazon to function without making a profit, something that leaves that market forbidding to anyone else who might think of entering, and a bad business for those already there."


text:
A gang of Hudson Valley-based New York thieves used an Apple Watch to track down and steal $500,000 in cash from a drug runner, the New York Post reported.
According to the published report, the gang’s leader, Darren Lindsay, bought an Apple Watch and linked it to his AT&T account, then hid the device under the bumper of a car belonging to a drug runner suspected of possessing a large amount of cash.
The group then used the Apple Watch to track the drug runner to a hotel parking lot in Connecticut.
While they were unable to find cash after breaking into the car, the gang allegedly attacked the drug runner, swiping their belongings and hotel key card with which they used to gain access to the room, and take the bag containing $500,000 in cash.
To bring clarity to the case in court, prosecutors argued that all the information provided was backed up by detailed cellphone data from Lindsay’s Apple Watch and the defendants’ smartphones.
For more information, read the original story in Apple Insider.


text:
Latest Akio Toyoda Stories
- Company answers Akio Toyoda's call for design revolution, more heart-pounding design DETROIT, Jan.
Japanese automaker Toyota and San Francisco-based Salesforce have announced a private social network for Toyota drivers called Toyota Friend.
ERLANGER, Ky., March 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Toyota announced today that it has formed a new North American Quality Task Force led by senior automobile manufacturing executive Steve St.
DETROIT, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire/ -- Here are details of two major stories in the upcoming February 8 issue of Automotive News.
Toyota Motors Chief Executive Officer Akio Toyoda issued apologies to consumers, families of accident victims and tax collectors at a news event in Japan. At an appearance at the Japan National Press Club, Toyoda said the automaker was grasping for salvation, The New York Times reported Friday. With Toyota predicted to lose about $5 billion in the current fiscal year, he said it was agonizing to close a car plant in California.
Toyota's revised management team faces an uphill battle similar to its U.S. counterparts, Akio Toyoda, the Japanese automaker's new president, said. While not facing bankruptcy, which rocked rivals General Motors Co.
- Forsooth! indeed! originally a parenthetical phrase used in repeating the words of another with more or less contempt or disdain.


text:
The notice encourages US citizens to keep a low profile, be cognizant of their surrounds, reassess personal security plans and stay alert in tourist areas.
by Matthew Bossons, 08 January 2020
The US fast-food chain is selling corn dogs, cheese sticks and lemonade in Crystal Galleria.
by Nomvelo Chalumbira, 16 June 2019
China holds five of the top 10 spots in Forbes’ Global 2000 list.
by Ryan Gandolfo, 17 May 2019
China’s CSI 300 Index, which gathers the top 300 stocks on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets was down by 4.64% at 3pm.
by Bryan Grogan, 11 October 2018
Attention Americans in Shanghai: you can register to vote in the 2018 election every weekend at Boxing Cat Brewery.
by That's Shanghai, 21 August 2018
Muskin' around in Pudong for the inauguration of Telsa's first China factory.
by Bridget O'Donnell and Chloe Dumont, 11 July 2018
Alaskan Governor Bill Walker visits Shanghai to attend the Alaska Seafood Seminar and promote the state's fresh and famous seafood in China.
by That's Shanghai, 07 June 2018
Attention Americans in Shanghai: you can register to vote in the 2018 election this weekend at Sproutworks (Xintiandi).
by Bridget O'Donnell, 19 January 2018
Scan our QR Code at right or follow us at Thats_Shanghai for events, guides, giveaways and much more!
Weekly updates to your email inbox every Wednesday
Never miss an issue of That's Shanghai!


text:
Chinese smartphone maker Oppo announced a new device called Reno will be launched in April 2019, although it provided no additional detail.
The most likely option is the device will see the commercial introduction of Oppo’s 10x lossless zoom technology, which it has been talking up for some time, including at a MWC19 Barcelona showcase.
Reports suggest Reno will be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 chip, although a lower-tier Snapdragon 710 was also mooted.
Oppo has also touted its first 5G smartphone, although it has not provided any detail.
Chinese social media posts placed the launch date as 10 April.Subscribe to our daily newsletter Back


text:
Gaming has run a parallel race with tech businesses for years now with many industries embracing the competitive advantages.
It’s no secret that eSports is an area that many gamers imagined thriving since the early days of couch multiplayer – Businesses are now witnessing the momentum first-hand with companies such as ONE eSports acting as a vanguard to this new era.
CEO of ONE eSports, Carlos Alimurung was able to shine some light on the industry looking to explain the benefits for players, sponsors, and streamers.
Mobile gaming, whilst often considered “beneath” many traditional gamers have seen exponential growth with the power of smartphones and mobile devices increasing significantly, and eSports teams have noticed the potential of the games on offer and the convenience with which the platforms contain.
Celebrating the narrative of content creators and players within the industry is another area boasted by ONE eSports as they encourage and promote the players, seeing them as no different to athletes seen on a field, court, or even the Olympics. Though as Carlos explains “eSports doesn’t need the Olympics” – A wonderful expression of confidence for a passionate group of gamers desiring to be taken seriously.
Balancing a traditionally male-dominated industry can be a challenging task for a lot of big businesses which look to make a difference.
Articles outlining the struggles of female employees within game development are rife and deeply troubling, with major developers coming under fire for their response to the traumatic experiences inflicted upon women in the gaming industry.
INCLUSION IS PART OF THEIR INDUSTRY MISSION
They seek to enable and uplift players, streamers, and content creators of all genders to succeed – a breath of fresh air in an otherwise tainted space.
The numbers of female players look to increase with nearly 47% of gamers already being female there is plenty of room to see growth within eSports. (It doesn’t matter what gender you are when you’re on the business end of a no-scope trick shot in the arena!)
With brands like Netflix looking to get involved in the gaming industry, it is no longer a question of how but when other major companies will look to plug in and play.
Brands will also need to get smart about how their marketing will be presented to a younger more active audience (without hitting players over the head with it) Games like the basketball simulator: NBA 2K21 integrated unskippible advertising during loading screens which saw fans upset with being force-fed content onto their screens.
And whilst some could argue this made the game more authentic as advertising of course coats the sporting space, there are definitely more clever ways to do this… the spectacle of an esports arena for instance and the opportunities available have untapped potential, again the key is to be clever with the integration of marketing to Gen Z.
eSport will continue to expand its traditional reach from North America and Southeast Asia through onto Australian shores the question again, is not how but when this will occur as many Aussie gamers go without representation and limited faculty on home soil.
With the pandemic and vaccine rollout yet to play out in full there is a great opportunity to expand the digital market and competitive gaming space worldwide.
For the full chat with Carlos and more gaming goodness check out the rest of Ticker Gaming
AI pushes the Nasdaq to a record-breaking close
The Nasdaq achieved a record-breaking close, surpassing its previous record high of 16,057.44, which was established on November 21, 2021.
Artificial intelligence-related technology stocks, such as Nvidia (NVDA.O) and Microsoft (MSFT.O), have greatly boosted the index.
The Nasdaq Composite has increased by almost 7.2% this year.
The tech-focused index surged 43% in 2023, and as chipmakers gained traction and confidence increased that the Fed might achieve a soft landing—that is, curb inflation without inciting a recession—stocks surged strongly by year-end.
In contrast, Nvidia increased by 1.9% on Thursday, bringing its total gain from a year ago to around 250%.
Every S&P 500 subs sector saw a gain at the end of the month.
Analysts at Deutsche Bank report that the index has now increased for 16 of the past 18 weeks, matching the record most winning weeks last attained in 1971.
Bitcoin also moved closer to its all-time high.
The price of the virtual currency momentarily surpassed $64,000 as spot bitcoin ETFs helped drive it to heights last seen in 2021.
Disney sign off on mega merger with India’s largest conglomerate
India’s top conglomerate Reliance Industries and Walt Disney announced the merger of their India TV and streaming media assets, forming an $8.5 billion entertainment juggernaut.
Reliance, led by Asia’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, will inject $1.4 billion in the merged entity, with the company and its affiliates holding a more than 63% stake, with Disney owning the rest, the companies said in a joint statement.
With two streaming platforms and 120 TV channels, the combined company will be a formidable opponent for competitors like Netflix and Sony of Japan in the $28 billion media and entertainment market, which is expected to grow to $100 billion by the end of the decade.
Disney’s lengthy battle to stop users from leaving its collapsing Indian streaming service and the financial burden resulting from billion-dollar payments for Indian cricket rights before the deal, providing yet another illustration of how difficult it can be for Western companies to expand in India.
“The combined entity will create a sports behemoth in India,” stated Jinesh Joshi, an analyst at Prabhudas Lilladher in India.
“This merger will give Reliance great bargaining power when it comes to negotiating advertisement contracts … For Disney, coming together with a bigger player, in terms of (financial) pockets, will give it a cash cushion,” he continued.
According to the corporations, the combined company will serve the approximately 750 million viewers in India as well as the Indian diaspora worldwide.
According to Disney CEO Bog Iger’s statement, “Reliance has a deep understanding of the Indian market and consumer,” and the acquisition will enable “us to better serve consumers with a broad portfolio of digital services, entertainment, and sports.”
Warner Bros Discovery plans to shutdown popular NZ news network
One of New Zealand’s two free-to-air television networks claimed it will be shutting down all newsroom operations, television news broadcasts and website from June 30, with the loss of up to 200 media jobs.
The once-thriving network, which had been a staple in the New Zealand entertainment industry, is now facing financial turmoil, sending shockwaves through the media landscape.
Warner Bros Discovery, who own the NZ news network, stated the decision comes following further attempts to reduce costs and that meant major changes including the planned shut down of the newsroom.
How to manage a successful & cost-effective side gig
AI pushes the Nasdaq to a record-breaking close
Finding the perfect balance between AI and education
Crypto.com accidentally transfers $10.5m to woman instead of $100
What is happening between SHIB and Vitalik? | TICKER VIEWS
Russia has cancelled itself. But the world should beware of poking the Russian bear￼
Tech4 days ago
Mass production for Nvidia’s AI semiconductors begins
Shows2 days ago
Blockchain & digital assets – Deep dive into services & laws
Tech4 days ago
Google plans to relaunch ‘woke’ Gemini image tool
Money4 days ago
Gen Z are choosing mental health over work
News4 days ago
Is China’s space rise a challenge to the U.S?
Shows2 days ago
What is the future of ‘permission-less’ blockchain?
Tech3 days ago
Nvidia’s remarkable growth sparks AI-space race
Leaders4 days ago
Who will be the winners and losers of EV adoption?


text:
What does it mean to be an organic chicken?
The US Department of Agriculture and organic food advocates are locked in a fierce battle over just what “organic” means, specifically with regard to poultry welfare. How much living space should organic chickens be entitled to? How much access should they have to the outdoors?
While rules established in the twilight of the Obama administration would make life nicer for chickens raised organically — giving them more elbow room and time in the sun — the Trump administration has delayed implementation of these rules, perhaps indefinitely. And so the Organic Trade Association — the industry’s lobbying group — has taken the USDA to court, seeking to force the agency to put the rules in place by Nov. 14.
A lot is at stake — and not just for the millions of birds involved. Chicken and egg producers say the new requirements would be far too expensive to implement, forcing some of them out of the organic business and reducing the overall supply available to consumers.
But animal rights groups and organic food advocates — who celebrated the arrival of the new rules and bemoaned that they didn’t go far enough — say that the “organic” label implies a certain standard of living for animals. And if consumers think that standard isn’t high enough, they could ultimately decide that buying organic just isn’t worth it.
“That USDA organic seal needs to mean something to the consumer, and it needs to be significantly different from the alternatives, because people are paying more for organic products,” Laura Batcha, CEO of the Organic Trade Association.
Without stricter rules, she and her members fear, “organic” eventually won’t mean much at all to consumers. “We’re looking forward to a judge weighing in,” she said.
On the other side of the dispute is the National Chicken Council, a trade group for chicken farmers that is deeply concerned about the burden the rules would place on its members.
“Fundamentally, NCC is concerned that the proposed rule imposes unreasonable costs and requirements of doubtful benefit on organic farmers, presents grave risks to animal health in the face of an avian disease outbreak, and undermines ongoing international efforts to develop poultry welfare standards,” the National Chicken Council wrote in a letter last year to the National Organic Program.
Another trade group, United Egg Producers, urged the USDA to withdraw the rules. “Farmers have made major capital investments in buildings, land and other assets, relying on USDA’s previous” definition of organic, it said in a letter to the agency in June.
When it comes to organic meat, chicken is king. In 2016, sales of organic chicken (the most widely sold organic meat) shot up by 78% to $750 million and organic egg sales jumped by 11% $816 million. The poultry company Perdue acquired organic chicken producer Coleman Natural Foods in 2011.
Tyson Foods said earlier this year that the company would introduce organic chicken in July. “Organic is a very small space today, but it is growing,” said Tyson’s CEO, Tom Hayes, said at the time.


text:
The Apple Watch officially started shipping on Friday, but for many buyers, the wait is just beginning.
Within hours of becoming available for preorder, the Apple Watch sold out and was backordered by at least a month. I ordered my Apple Watch (38mm stainless steel with soft pink modern buckle) roughly six hours after preorders started, only to get stuck with an ambiguous "June" shipping date.
The good news: Some users are getting orders more quickly than anticipated. A number of Apple Watch buyers who Mashable spoke with have reported faster shipping dates, even for orders initially pegged for June. Some of those users have received their watches already.
It's also becoming clear that the bottleneck for the Apple Watch isn't necessarily the watch itself, but the choice of band. Right now, our research indicates that the modern buckle leather bands are the most supply constrained. This is backed up by looking at estimated shipment dates for Apple Watch units on Apple.com, as well as the availability of the bands themselves as secondary accessories.
For example, the 38mm and 42mm sport bands show available for May shipments in most colors, whereas blue and green show that it is available in "2 - 4 weeks."
The 38mm Milanese Loop also shows shipping availability in May, though its 42mm counterpart isn't shipping until June. The black classic buckle for 38mm and 42mm Apple Watch units show shipments in May.
Depending on color, the 42mm leather loop could ship in May, in "2 - 4 weeks" or in June. The 38mm link bracelet is shipping in "2 - 4 weeks" and the 42mm link bracelet shows that it will be available to ship in May.
Then there are the 38mm modern buckle bands. Those bands aren't available to ship at all; all colors and sizes simply show up as "currently unavailable."
In other words, if you ordered one of the modern buckle bands, prepare to wait.
Improved shipment predictions for some orders
Certain customers, who previously had shipment dates in June, have seen those orders moved up weeks or even months. While a few customers we spoke with have already received their smartwatches, others are seeing more specific timelines on their Apple Watch order status pages.
Apple Watch incoming within 3 - 5 weeks, between May 20 - Jun 2, instead of "June": pic.twitter.com/583ZwCLj9D
— A blog about Watch (@WatchDotCamp) April 27, 2015
If you're interested in ordering an Apple Watch right now, the stainless steel Apple Watch with a sport band is showing a shipment time of four to six weeks — at least for the 38mm version (know, though, that they scratch easily). The 42mm stainless steel Apple Watch units, and the Apple Watch Sport in general, are still showing shipment times of "June."
Supply chain malaise?
Apple is renowned for having one of the best and most efficient supply chain systems in the industry. The backorder status, along with the fact that the company can't get Apple Watch units to retail stores until June, is a rare miss for the company.
On one hand, managing supply levels for more than a dozen design permutations is difficult. It's hard to predict what models, sizes and colors will be most popular before production can start in earnest.
It's also true that Apple has experienced delays in the past when it comes to shipments and availability of its various gold-colored devices. (I waited nearly two months for a gold iPhone 5S.)
Still, I can't remember a time when Apple had a lead time of at least six weeks for a new product — a product not even available in stores.
Apple reports its latest quarterly earnings on Monday, and CEO Tim Cook is expected to address the new wearable, as well as channel inventory issues for the category.
Has your Apple Watch shipment date changed for the better? Let us know in the comments.


text:
DELTA, British Columbia – Mat Beren and his friends used to drive by the vast greenhouses of southern British Columbia and joke about how much weed they could grow there.
Years later, it's no joke. The tomato and pepper plants that once filled some of those greenhouses have been replaced with a new cash crop: marijuana. Beren and other formerly illicit growers are helping cultivate it. The buyers no longer are unlawful dealers or dubious medical dispensaries; it's the Canadian government.
On Oct. 17, Canada becomes the second and largest country with a legal national marijuana marketplace. Uruguay launched legal sales last year, after several years of planning.
It's a profound social shift promised by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and fueled by a desire to bring the black market into a regulated, taxed system after nearly a century of prohibition.
It also stands in contrast to the United States, where the federal government outlaws marijuana while most states allow medical or recreational use for people 21 and older. Canada's national approach has allowed for unfettered industry banking, inter-province shipments of cannabis, online ordering, postal delivery and billions of dollars in investment; national prohibition in the U.S. has stifled greater industry expansion there.
At least 109 legal pot shops are expected to open across the nation of 37 million people next Wednesday, with many more to come, according to an Associated Press survey of the provinces.
For now, they'll offer dried flower, capsules, tinctures and seeds, with sales of marijuana-infused foods and concentrates expected to begin next year.
The provinces are tasked with overseeing marijuana distribution. For some, including British Columbia and Alberta, that means buying cannabis from licensed producers, storing it in warehouses and then shipping it to retail shops and online customers. Others, like Newfoundland, are having growers ship directly to stores or through the mail.
Federal taxes will total $1 per gram or 10 percent, whichever is more. The feds will keep one-fourth of that and return the rest to the provinces, which can add their own markups. Consumers also will pay local sales taxes.
Some provinces have chosen to operate their own stores, like state-run liquor stores in the U.S., while others have OK'd private outlets. Most are letting residents grow up to four plants at home.


text:
US-China Business Matchmaking Summit
On October 2-5, 2017, business, economic development, and education leaders and decision makers from China and the United States will gather in Albuquerque, New Mexico for the 2017 International Chinese Entrepreneurs Association’s (ICEA) US -China Business Matchmaking Summit. This is the first of its kind in Albuquerque.
Chinese Lantern Festival
From October 6, 2017 - November 12, 2017, the New Mexico Chinese Lantern Festival will light up Expo New Mexico with light sculptures, exciting performances, and fun cultural experiences! This is the first ever event in Albuquerque.


text:
Palo Alto raises annual forecasts for revenue and adjusted profit
Palo Alto Networks Inc raised its annual forecasts for revenue and adjusted profit on Tuesday as enterprise customers shift to one-stop shops for their cybersecurity needs in a bid to reduce costs.
Shares of the Santa Clara, California-based company gained 4% to $197.2 in volatile trading after the bell.
A rise in cyber crime and the growing digital presence of businesses and governments have fed demand for cybersecurity software, helping soften the impact from technology budgets shrinking in the face of high interest rates and inflation.
“The market is tough and definitely more challenging than when we started the year,” the company said during its earnings call. “We are fortunate to be focused upon a technology market that is more resilient.”
It is also working on embedding generative AI, the technology behind chatbot sensation ChatGPT, into products and workflows.
“Raised guidance for Q4 billings growth gives us more confidence to expect demand headwinds to ease incrementally as we set up for stronger performance in FY24,” said Janice Quek, equity analyst at CFRA Research.
Palo Alto, which counts Accenture and Salesforce among its clients, now expects 2023 adjusted net income per share of $4.25 to $4.29, from $3.97 to $4.03 estimated earlier.
It increased the lower end of its full-year revenue outlook to between $6.88 billion and $6.91 billion, compared with a prior forecast of $6.85 billion to $6.91 billion.
The company also forecast fourth-quarter revenue between $1.94 billion and $1.97 billion, compared with analysts’ estimates of $1.95 billion, according to Refinitiv data. Reuters
You must be logged in to post a comment Login


text:
Persona 4 gets a release date on the PlayStation 3
Atlus has announced a release date for the PS3 version of Persona 4.
Earlier this week a PS3 version of the game appeared on the ESRB website with a new listing indicating a release was on the cards. Persona 4 was originally released on the PS2 back in 2008.
The PS3 version will be released as part of the PS2 Classics range on the PlayStation Store on April the 8th for 9.99 USD.


text:
By Mark Gillespie
Updated March 5, 2021 – In a surprise early-morning move Thursday, the Biden Administration announced a four-month suspension of tariffs on single malt whiskies from Scotland and Northern Ireland, along with other exports from Great Britain. Those goods have been subject to a 25% import tariff imposed by the Trump Administration in October of 2019 following a World Trade Organization ruling favoring the U.S. in its long-standing dispute with Europe over subsidies to Airbus and Boeing. Friday, the U.S. and the European Union announced a similar four-month suspension in their matching tariffs from the aerospace dispute.
In joint statements issued by the U.S. Office of the Trade Representative and the UK Government, both countries cited the need for a cooling of the trade disputes on both sides of the Atlantic. From the U.S. statement:
“The United Kingdom and the United States are undertaking a four-month tariff suspension to ease the burden on industry and take a bold, joint step towards resolving the longest running disputes at the World Trade Organization. The United Kingdom ceased applying retaliatory tariffs in the Boeing dispute from January 1, 2021 to de-escalate the issue and create space for a negotiated settlement to the Airbus and Boeing disputes. The United States will now suspend retaliatory tariffs in the Airbus dispute from March 4, 2021, for four months. This will allow time to focus on negotiating a balanced settlement to the disputes, and begin seriously addressing the challenges posed by new entrants to the civil aviation market from non-market economies, such as China.”
Great Britain was just one target of the tariffs imposed before its exit from the European Union, with Germany, Spain, and France as the other key targets because of the financial support their governments provided to Airbus. However, Europe’s ongoing opposition to a settlement while awaiting a WTO ruling on its own case against the U.S. for support to Boeing led the Trump Administration to expand the list of good subject to tariffs last year. That list included more spirits and wines from Europe, along with liqueurs such as Irish cream liqueur. Great Britain became a separate negotiating partner for the U.S. after its final exit from the European Union on January 1, 2021, forcing U.S. trade negotiators to work with their counterparts in London and Brussels on the aerospace dispute while also working to solve other trade disputes and negotiate a new free trade agreement with Great Britain.
“I think it really is a step in the right direction, and the Scotch Whisky industry is clearly delighted,” Scotch Whisky Association chief Karen Betts told WhiskyCast in a Zoom interview following the announcement. The tariffs decimated Scotch Whisky exports to the United States, with exports falling by 35% during the 16-month period — and played a significant role in the 23% global decline in Scotch Whisky exports during 2020. While the tariffs only affected single malts, that category has shown significant growth over the decade leading up to the tariffs with single malts peaking at around a third of all Scotch Whisky sales in the United States.
Scotch Whisky remains the UK’s largest food and drink export according to government data, and in the UK Government’s announcement, International Trade Secretary Liz Truss praised the new U.S. Administration for its desire to resolve the differences between historic trading partners.
“This is Global Britain in action: securing new opportunities as a newly nimble nation. The benefits will be felt across our nation, especially in Scotland, where Scotch whisky distillers will be able to sell at lower prices in the United States, their most valuable market. The easier it is for Americans to buy a bottle of Macallan, Talisker or Glenfiddich, the more money those producers will have to invest in their businesses, their staff and futures. Today’s agreement shows that both the UK and the US are determined to work together to build back better and take our trading relationship to new heights.”
However, the UK is retaining for now its 25% tariffs on American whiskies and other U.S. goods stemming from the dispute over steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration in 2018. Those tariffs were also part of European Union-wide sanctions against the United States, though Prime Minister Boris Johnson had pledged during his most recent election campaign to scrap them as soon as Brexit could be implemented.
Spirits industry trade groups on both sides of the Atlantic have been arguing for those tariffs to be dropped as well. Distilled Spirits Council CEO Chris Swonger compared attempts to resolve the various differences between the U.S., Great Britain, and the European Union to “unwinding a rattlesnake.”
“Nothing’s black and white as it relates to trying to resolve these problems…the best news we have with today’s announcement is that there is a recognition by the U.S. government that the hospitality sector has been greatly pained, and we’ve got four months between Monday and June for the UK and the U.S. to get the Boeing and Airbus case resolved…that’s a great opportunity, but in the meantime, gotta work hard to make sure that the tariffs on American whiskey which are implicated in the steel and aluminum case, that needs to be suspended as well,” Swonger said in an interview.
The “Section 232” steel and aluminum case falls under a different section of U.S. law allowing import tariffs in order to protect American industries on “national security” grounds. The Trump Administration cited the need to protect domestic manufacturing of specialized metals for defense use in imposing the tariffs on steel and aluminum imported from Europe and other key trading partners.
Last week, the Kentucky Distillers Association blamed the tariffs for a 35% global decline in Kentucky Bourbon exports during 2020, with the declines reaching 50% in both Great Britain and the remaining European Union nations.
“We strongly believe this dispute deserves similar priority in finding a resolution before more long-term damage is done,” KDA President Eric Gregory said in a statement. “With a focused settlement to help the aerospace industry now underway, the KDA reiterates its call for an immediate suspension of disastrous tariffs in the steel and aluminum dispute that have ensnared unrelated American whiskey and key agricultural exports,” he said. The European tariffs on American whiskies are scheduled to automatically double to 50% on June 1 unless an agreement is reached between the U.S. and EU.
The success comes even as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative remains hollowed-out by the transition between the Trump and Biden administrations. Permanent USTR staff members worked out the truce between Washington and London while Katherine Tai, President Biden’s choice to serve as U.S. Trade Representative, awaits Senate confirmation. Wednesday, the Senate Finance Committee voted unanimously to send her nomination to the floor for a final vote expected in the next several days.
Listen to the next episode of WhiskyCast for more details on this developing story.
Editor’s note: This story was updated on March 5 to reflect a similar truce between the United States and the European Union, along with additional information on the European Union tariffs on American whiskies.
Links: Office of the U.S. Trade Representative | UK Department of International Trade | Scotch Whisky Association | Distilled Spirits Council | Kentucky Distillers Association


text:
Fintech Startup Fast Changes How and Where Customers Shop
Consumer spending online is growing exponentially. In 2021, retail e-commerce sales are projected to total $4.9 trillion globally, an increase of more than $600 billion from 2020.
And it’s easy to understand why: Consumers want a fast and seamless purchasing experience that doesn’t interrupt their daily lives. E-commerce giant Amazon capitalized on that demand by pioneering one-click payments. But since Amazon’s patent on the revolutionary payment feature expired in 2017, fintech startups have pushed to bring that magic to the rest of the internet, as millions of merchants don’t have the checkout option.
One example is Fast Checkout, a one-click checkout button from the fintech startup Fast. The company’s payment button processes orders in seconds and, in the two-and-a-half years it’s been around, the company has secured $124.5 million in funding.
Fast’s founding and mission
Fast Co-Founder and CEO Domm Holland was inspired to launch the company when his son was in the hospital. His wife’s grandmother, who was pitching in, struggled to order groceries online for the family.
“It was too difficult, so I set out to solve that problem,” he said. “When we talk about frictionless checkout, the concept behind it is really to make commerce easier for consumers, whether it’s the 70-year-old lady or the 20-year-old guy in San Francisco.”
Today, Fast employs almost 280 employees and plans to more than double the size of its team by the end of the year. Fast Checkout launched during the Covid-19 pandemic, an event that quickly propelled major changes to all of commerce.
“We had a billion people sheltered in their homes, having to buy everything online,” he said. “There was an entire class of consumers, more mature consumers, suddenly buying groceries online for the first time, and some buying everything online for the first time. It’s a pivotal moment in commerce.”
The litmus test for merchants is increasing their conversion rates, Holland said. That’s hard to do when more than 70% of U.S. consumers add products to their online cart but leave without completing a purchase. Fast solves that problem by placing its checkout button on product detail pages.
“Over half of Fast transactions come from the product page, which is an incredible stat given that 99% of all merchants don’t even have checkout functions on product pages,” Holland said.
One of Fast’s key selling points is order batching.
Typically, if a merchant places a checkout button on each of its product detail pages, they risk selling only one item per order, decreasing average order value and increasing their – and their customers’ – shipping costs. Fast created an order-batching feature that allows shoppers to make multiple purchases within minutes of each other and receive them at the same time.
“You can click ‘Fast Checkout’ on the product page and when it says, ‘Order Complete,’ leave the site and then that product will come to your house,” Holland said. “Or, you can keep browsing, click ‘Fast Checkout’ on a second product, and it will say ‘Order Complete,’ but both products will come in the same box. The merchant only has one order to fulfill, but it now has two products instead of one. That merchant’s average order value is increased; they use one box and one payment fee.”
“So we avoid the problems that other checkout buttons encounter on the product page, and consumers have a frictionless checkout experience, which is one click from the point they’re looking at the product they want to buy. Fundamentally, order batching has been core to almost all of our growth to date as a business.”
Fast’s second differentiating feature, headless checkout, allows the Fast Checkout button to live anywhere – inside email copy, product reviews, publishers’ websites, blog posts, and in the real world via QR codes.
“We’re exposing checkout to everybody who looks at a product, not just the 5% or 10% of people who actually click ‘Add to Cart,’” Holland said. “It’s 100% of the people. There could be a review in GQ about a new men’s grooming product, and they can click ‘Fast Checkout’ from the review to buy the product. Why send them away to a secondary site and then make more clicks to buy? They can just enable checkout frictionlessly from that source. By doing this, we turn every marketing channel into a transaction channel. For a large enterprise, this is absolutely key because affiliates are a big source of revenue for them.”
Others have increased conversions thanks to the technology. Ski Haus | Patio Place, an outdoor and snow sports business that shifts into an outdoor furniture operation in spring and summer, increased conversions 174% after adding the Fast Checkout button to its site. Saddleback Leather, an online leather goods retailer, increased conversions 65% after installing Fast days before Thanksgiving 2020.
In addition to checkout, Fast also offers order tracking for shoppers and free chargeback protection for merchants. Headless checkout represents one of the biggest changes in e-commerce, Holland said.
“There’s an amalgamation of content and commerce happening now,” Holland said. “Every major publishing portal, social media, and content creation platform is trying to incorporate shopping capabilities that keep users on their screen and generate revenue from a captive audience.”
But these platforms typically don’t have the tools to embed checkout into those portals, he added. By pushing forward with headless checkout, Fast aims to solve that problem.
“It’s an absolutely huge demand from the creator and social network level, content portals, and also at the brand and merchant level to natively connect content and commerce,” Holland said. “That is the largest and most transformative shift happening in commerce right now.”
Charles Daly is a freelance writer currently working out of Ireland.