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GLOBAL: William Grant & Sons makes Tullamore Dew brand ambassador, director appointments
Tullamore Dew now has a global brand ambassador and manager
William Grant & Sons has created two global brand roles for its Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey.
The UK-based spirits company, which acquired Tullamore Dew from C&C Group last year, said today (12 May) that Shane Hoyne will move from Heineken to become global brand director. Hoyne has spent the last 13 years with the brewer, most recently as senior brand director for Heineken USA. He began his career with Grant’s of Ireland in the mid-1990s as brand manager for a portfolio, which at the time included Tullamore Dew.
The company has also appointed John Quinn as the first global brand ambassador for Tullamore Dew. Quinn has worked with Tullamore Dew for around 30 years in a variety of roles including regional director in markets including Latin America, Eastern Europe, France, Israel and the Middle East.
Separately, William Grant said it is lining up a “significant programme of investment” in the brand, which will see the launch of a worldwide advertising campaign later this year.
Kirin Holdings has cleared a major hurdle in agreeing to take full ownership of Schincariol, but now the real work begins....
Heineken can largely thank Africa for the surprise rise in sales in the third quarter of its fiscal year, with the much-vaunted FEMSA Cerveza business in Mexico a late developer....
- Interview - Bacardi global marketing boss, whisky
- Has Coca-Cola Jumped From Frying Pan to Fire?
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- just The Preview - Carlsberg's Q2 & H1
- just The Preview - Heineken's H1 & Q2
- Diageo doubles intake for spirits start-ups scheme
- Second senior exec to depart Bacardi
- Diageo appoints head for Asia marketing unit
- Bacardi sees North America president step down
- Constellation recalls Corona over glass threat


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* To pay 340mln euros for first 50 pct of firms
* Can acquire remaining stakes until 2016
* Sees good prospects for e-commerce in emerging markets
STOCKHOLM, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Emerging markets telecoms group Millicom is to acquire stakes in two online shopping and services businesses in Latin America and Africa as it looks to expand higher value products in key markets.
After years of rapid expansion in emerging markets, Millicom has shifted focus from simply acquiring new subscribers to selling money-spinning services - like cash transfer and cable TV - to its existing client base.
Millicom said on Tuesday it would buy an initial 20 percent of Latin America Internet Holding (LIH) and Africa Internet Holding (AIH) with the option of increasing that to 50 percent over two years.
Millicom, which offers mobile telephony and other services in Latin America and Africa said it would pay 340 million euros for the first 50 percent of both companies.
It can acquire the remaining 50 stakes with full management rights no later than September 2016 at fair market value.
“In the same way as we have brought affordable mobile telephony services to emerging markets customers, with today’s deal, we will bring e-commerce and online services to people in Latin America and Africa,” said Chief Executive Officer Mikael Grahne.
“We believe that online services in emerging markets have the potential to go beyond the convenience they successfully brought in developed markets,” he added.
AIH and LIH control 8 businesses with estimated revenues of 35 million euros in 2012. New businesses will be launched over the next three years and Millicom said that start-up losses would be below 250 million euros.
Millicom has been generating large amounts of cash over the last few years, much of which it has returned to shareholders in extra dividends and share-buy backs, saying it could not find suitable acquisition targets.
Rocket Internet is 25 percent owned by Sweden’s Kinnevik , which also owns 36.9 percent of Millicom. ($1 = 0.8096 euros) (Reporting by Mia Shanley. Editing by Jeremy Gaunt.)

domain: news


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Truck manufacturers need a “massive” spike in sales in December to hit the predicted total of 45,000 vehicle registrations over 6-tonne for 2013 – the last year Euro-5 trucks can be built for sale in the European Union. Daf Trucks UK MD Ray Ashworth said December registrations would have to be around 6,500 compared with more typical sales of 1,000 units if the expected 10% surge in sales in 2013 was to materialise. In the summer, most manufacturers were predicting the […]
NFT is to replace 100 units in its fleet with Euro-6 Volvo FMs, comprising the exclusive supply of its 6×2 and 4×2 units.
A new report has called into question the effectiveness of safety mirrors fitted to LGVs as a means of preventing accidents involving cyclists.


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A LUXURY firm hired a model 300 miles away to travel to an "essential" photoshoot in Scotland despite the country being on lockdown.
Sources have slammed family-run clothing company House of Bruar for taking “unnecessary” fashion pics in the middle of the nationwide coronavirus crisis which has seen 495 deaths in Scotland to date.
⚠ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates on Covid-19
Dubbed “the Harrods of the Highlands”, House of Bruar ran a two-day shoot in their Perthshire studios for a mail-order catalogue this week - and employed a model who had to drive 300 miles to the shoot from Manchester.
One insider told the Scottish Sun Online: “For someone to drive hours across the country for a fashion shoot is clearly not essential work - it’s literally just taking pictures of clothes.
"This is clearly non-essential work that didn’t need to happen right now.”
During the coronavirus lockdown, the government has imposed strict limits on people's movement stating the public can only travel to work if they are "key workers" or for “essential work if that cannot be done at home”.
Further Holyrood guidelines advise businesses not to make employees travel for work which is not “essential or material to the effort against the virus” or which cannot “consistently practise safe social distancing and comply with ALL other standard health and safety requirements”.
Private jet full of super-rich sent back to London after it landed in French Riveria on route to villa during lockdown
But House of Bruar Managing Director Patrick Birkbeck insisted the photoshoot and the model's travel were "essential".
He said: “It is essential to our business and the future of the business that this model drove up to Scotland for this photoshoot."
Although Mr Birkbeck initially stated that only “local” people were working on the shoot, he today confirmed that an unnamed model had travelled to Scotland.
He added that he had “forgotten” consenting to the model working on the shoot.
“We have another model who lives in Dundee, but she couldn’t or didn’t want to come," he said.
“It’s not something that I feel we’re doing wrong. I’ve spent a lot of time looking at the regulations and rules and taken a lot of advice on them.”
The model from Manchester is said to be accommodated in socially distant employment lodgings on the company’s premises during the two-day photoshoot.
The company's actions also comes after the Scottish Government and Highland residents begged unnecessary travellers to stay away from remote parts of the country.
The Scottish Highlands have fewer hospital resources and would struggle to cope with large numbers of coronavirus patients.
House of Bruar describes itself as the "UK's leading Scottish country clothing specialist" and has an 11-acre Perthshire site in Blair Atholl featuring an art gallery, food hall and 600-seat restaurant.
The luxury company netted £3.1m in profits for the year ending January 31, 2019.
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Elon Musk, the founder of the electric car company Tesla, recently asked people on Twitter if he should sell billions of dollars in company stock.
Musk is one of the world’s richest people, so the request was unusual.
He asked his millions of Twitter followers whether he should sell 10 percent of his stock in the company. That amount might be worth $20 billion or more. As of last summer, Musk owned about 170 million shares of Tesla.
On Saturday, Musk placed a poll on Twitter, asking if he should sell the stock. About 3.5 million people voted, and nearly 58 percent said he should. “I was prepared to accept either outcome,” Musk said.
On Monday, the shares of Tesla stock dropped a small amount. David Madden is a stock market expert in London. He said he did not believe the “dip” would last long. “Tesla has had such a phenomenal record of bouncing back from these sort of selloffs,” he said.
Musk said he understands people are concerned that very rich people avoid paying taxes. For example, many people who own millions of shares in a company like Musk does, do not sell their shares when they need money. Instead, they get loans from banks based on the value of the stock.
If they do sell shares of stock, they get taxed, so they get the loans to buy something like a new home. Stock is not money. It is an ownership share in a company. Investors exchange stock for money by selling it on a market.
People who follow Musk’s finances and company documents available to the public know that the businessman has a decision to make by next year.
Until August 13, 2022, Musk will be able to buy more than 22 million shares of Tesla stock at a price of just over $6 each. Right now, Tesla stock sells for more than $1,000 per share.
Musk says he is paid in what are known as stock options instead of money. An option is a financial agreement. It permits the owner of the option to trade stock at a set price for a set period of time. After that time period ends, the option is worth nothing.
However, if he goes through with the option, he would have to pay a lot in taxes on the deal.
Bryan Springmeyer is a lawyer in San Francisco. He said it is unlikely Musk would take a loan to pay his taxes, so he thinks Musk will buy the shares and then sell some of them.
United States lawmakers have been thinking about ways to get very rich people to pay more taxes. They are discussing a plan to tax people who have large amounts of stock whether they have sold the shares or not.
Musk criticized the idea, saying: "Eventually, they run out of other people’s money and then they come for you."
Ron Wyden is a U.S. Senator from Oregon. He leads the Senate Finance Committee. Soon after Musk’s announcement, he said, “It’s time for the Billionaires Income Tax.”
I’m Dan Friedell.
Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report Reuters. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor.
What do you think of the plan to tax very wealthy people? Tell us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page.
Words in This Story
poll – n. an activity in which people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to get information about what they think (often informally online)
dip – n. a drop, a reduction
phenomenal – adj. very good or great : unusual in a way that is very impressive
option – n. (financial) a right that is given by a company to an employee that lets the employee buy stock in the company usually for a price that is lower than the normal price for a certain period of time


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Orthofix (NSDQ:OFIX) said yesterday that it closed the $105 million buyout of Spinal Kinetics and its M6 cervical disc implant, but cut its earnings outlook for the rest of the year despite higher-than-expected first-quarter results.
The deal for Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Spinal Kinetics called for $45 million in up-front cash, plus another $65 million in milestones pegged to FDA approval of the M6 device and trailing twelve-month sales targets of $30 million and $50 million.
The M6 discs are designed to mimic natural disc anatomy with an artificial visco-elastic nucleus and fibrous annulus. The devices have CE Mark approval in the European Union since 2006; Spinal Kinetics has a bid in for pre-market approval from the FDA for the M6 cervical implant.
Lewisville, Texas-based Orthofix has said it expects the deal to add slightly to adjusted earnings per share within the first year of PMA approval for the M6-C device, boost the top line this year and raise its organic sales growth rate in 2019.
Orthofix also posted Q1 profits of $5.2 million, or 27¢ per share, on sales of $108.7 million for the three months ended March 31, swinging to black ink on sales growth of 5.8% compared with the same period last year.
Adjusted to exclude one-time items, earnings per share were 39¢, two pennies ahead of the consensus on Wall Street, where analysts were looking for revenues of $107.1 million.
“Overall, we had another solid quarter in both top and bottom line performance, including a 290-basis-point improvement in adjusted EBITDA margin and a 44% increase in adjusted earnings per share compared to the first quarter of 2017,” president & CEO Brad Mason said in prepared remarks. “Since announcing our agreement to acquire Spinal Kinetics, we have received very positive feedback from physicians and our sales force about the M6 artificial discs and the strategic value this brings to Orthofix, which further validates our enthusiasm for this transaction. This deal delivers upon our stated strategy of accelerating top-line growth through the acquisition of products, technologies and companies in our core businesses. The Spinal Kinetics M6 artificial discs enters Orthofix into a fast-growing market with a proven technology and further demonstrates our commitment to providing innovative spine treatment solutions to surgeons and patients.”
Orthofix also cut its earnings outlook for the rest of the year but raised its sop-line view, saying now expects to report adjusted EPS of $1.58 to 1.68 on sales of $458.0 million to 464.0 million; that compares with prior guidance for adjusted EPS of $1.76 to 1.84 this year on sales $450.0 million to $455.0 million.
First-quarter adjusted EPS are pegged at 35¢ to 37¢ on sales of $113.0 million to $115.0 million, Orthofix said.
In June 2014 Spinal Kinetics raised a $34 million funding round it planned to use to back the M6-C clinical trial and agreed to a global settlement of all patent litigation with Synthes and DePuy Synthes over the M6 device. In November 2013 a federal appeals court upheld the company’s win over Synthes, ruling that a pair of Spinal Kinetics intervertebral implants do not infringe a Synthes patent.


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Cargill Inc. has told the Australian government it has dropped plans to acquire Goodman Fielder's edible fats and oils business, government officials said Monday.
Cargill, based in Minnetonka, had sought antitrust clearance from Australian regulators to buy the business.
The company previously tried to buy the Goodman Fielder assets for $240 million, but the deal was blocked in 2010 by Australian regulators after 11 months of consideration.
Cargill's interest in renewing the acquisition effort was made public in May, and at the time the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it was "considering the proposed acquisition in light of the current competitive environment and any developments in the relevant markets." A commission decision had been expected this month.
Cargill said in May that it considered the Goodman Fielder edible fats and oil business a useful addition to its growth plans in Australia, but offered no details.


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New Apple Maps is now getting a unique version. It seems like Apple is updating new applications. Recently, the company also decided to remove iTunes and replace it with other apps.
Details about New Apple Maps
Apply has spent many years of trying to swap out Google for the old version of Maps. Their dream has finally turned into reality. At the WWDC event, Apple revealed a new rebuild of the Maps. The event was held on June 3rd, 2019.
— CTRLdotONLINE (@CTRLdotONLINE) June 3, 2019
The company unveiled that they are adding a new street view style feature to the Apple Maps. It is going to be a big leap in interactivity and dynamic rendering. The new update is going to add a new touch to the maps. Exploring through maps is going to be fun for iOS users.
— LNP Server Management (@LNPServerMGMT) June 4, 2019
However, the new Apple Maps services will be released in the United States by the end of 2019. Plus, other countries will get a benefit of using this cool feature in 2020.
New Apple Maps Features
The new app will have a detailed rendering of roads which will provide more data about public spots such as parks, beaches as well as buildings. It will come handy when someone is trying to locate a specific address while visiting any unfamiliar places.
— TechGenYZ (@TechGenYZ) June 3, 2019
If the user spots something, he can zoom in and use binoculars. The app allows them to check out the interior and exterior of the place in a three-dimensional experience.
However, there is another reason for using the binocular effect. Apple wants the Maps to become your own discovery platform even if you are not travelling. Check out The Geek Herald for more exciting updates.


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As part of their ongoing collaborative partnership with high street fashion brand River Island, White Lodge, the production company dedicated to creating premium content for fashion brands, has teamed up with VFX specialists Happy Finish to create a fashion first for London Fashion Week. The project is being touted as an interactive fashion film, which features a combination of video and a unique 360° CGI Virtual Reality experience using the affordable Google Cardboard VR unit. It marks the launch of the Jean-Pierre Braganza Design Forum collection, coming exclusively to River Island this week. River Island is the first fashion brand to use the Google Cardboard technology to make interactive film content.
White Lodge has teamed up with VFX specialists Happy Finish to create a fashion first for River Island's London Fashion Week showing
White Lodge and Happy Finish worked alongside the BlinkInk directing collective Dvein for the project, with the production collectives developing a digital workflow together, in order to adapt Dvein's film into a 3D experience using the Unity video game engine. The original goal for the project was to deliver a fashion film utilising a real time rendered graphical environment that pushed the limits of Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android mobile operating systems. It's been packaged as a free to download app for both iOS and Android, and is one of the latest apps to tap into the growing popularity of Google Cardboard; the VR system that makes the technology accessible and affordable to a vast consumer audience.
River Island Design Forum X Jean-Pierre Braganza
The app and video have both been directly inspired by the bold visual designs and colour palette of Braganza's collection, with Dvein's film and Happy Finish's app both setting their experiences in an extraordinary futuristic world where organic and mechanical elements combine to awaken a powerful female force. There's also an augmented reality feature built into the bespoke app, which takes the avatar into the “Real world” with the users' smartphone or tablet camera. Interactions with the avatar can then be shared via social media. Of course, if users don't have access to a VR headset, the CGI experience can also be experienced in 2D, but you'd really be missing a trick. To counteract this, and make sure that the collection's fans get the full experience, all customers who purchase the Jean Pierre Braganza Collection online or in store will receive a customised Google Cardboard headset to lead them headfirst into the immersive 3D experience. Quite a freebie right!
The app and video have both been directly inspired by the bold visual designs and colour palette of Jean-Pierre Braganza's collection
To mark the project's unveiling and the collection's release, River Island and the British Fashion Council launched the collection and digital campaign at an exclusive breakfast event at the BFC Courtyard Show Space at Somerset House this Monday (24 February) with Google Cardboard experts on hand to guide guests through the download and play experience. An ambitious installation was also mounted at the event, which screened the film across multiple screen projections, and paired what was happening onscreen with responsive ambient lighting from Events Production experts Aurora Multimedia.
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and struggling musician from Kidderminster in the UK. He bought a Google Cardboard set just last week and has really been enjoying the VR Rollercoaster!


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Equifax Retail Banking Leader, Brad Jones, sits right down to talk about the challenges presented by brand new regulation of financial institutions, how large information will help over come these hurdles, and greatest practices for segmentation and growing revenue. Movie Rating: / 5
According to a record released by LexisNexis, USA retailers are experiencing $ 191 billion in fraudulence losses annually. Really, the average vendor will certainly be subjected to nearly ten times the identity theft of economic institutions.
The retail industry is presently experiencing from $ 100 billion in losses as an outcome of identification theft; that number is inflated to $ 191 billion when you consider shed and also swiped product. Shops lost greater than twenty times the consumer fraud losses which came to regarding $ 4.8 billion in 2008.
“The overall influence of retail fraudulence is functional and also substantial as this crime claims numerous targets,” stated Jacob D. Almeida, Vice President of Danger Solutions as well as overseer of company markets. “We are seeing substantial rises in identification scams on the whole as well as boosts in the much better known fraud classifications like chargebacks. With the economic downturn as well as boosting refinement in criminal fraud techniques, it is crucial that sellers and monetary establishments work with each other to reduce on scams.”
< br/ > Here’s the skinny on the numerous kinds of scams influencing vendors: identity fraudulence or illegal transactions claimed most of the price of scams, representing 52 percent of overall scams losses. Additionally, it was some vendor groups specifically that experienced the damages. Large eCommerce stores shed 40%, a rise from in 2014.
Merchants specializing in telecoms, on the internet pc gaming as well as social networking websites reported 64 percent to 67 percent of their total annual fraudulence loss as a result of identification fraudulence. Digital goods vendors associated 54% of their scams loss to unauthorized purchases. Additionally, one in five merchants reported a boost in unauthorized purchases associated with identification fraudulence.
< br/ > Bank card crimes continuously dramatically increase, however it has been different payment systems such as online and mobile payments that have actually been a complex source of losses for some major stores. Ultimately, there’s “friendly scams,” where a customer positions an on-line acquisition with their bank card, after that issues a chargeback after obtaining the acquisition. This represented even more compared to one third of general fraud for online sellers.


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WASHINGTON: US soy farmers and industry on Tuesday urged President Donald Trump to pull back from his tariff threat and quickly bring an end to the trade dispute with China.
That message was reinforced by financial markets, as US stocks fell by more than two percent for the first time in months amid concerns the renewed trade tensions could scuttle a deal, reports AFP.Trump has vowed to more than double the tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods starting Friday, after US negotiators accused Beijing of reneging on commitments made during months of talks that aim to reduce the US trade deficit, clamp down on theft of US technology and reduce China’s massive subsidies.
American soy farmers have found themselves in the crosshairs of Chinese retaliation, and prolonging the battle will be even more damaging, Davie Stephens president of the American Soybean Association (ASA), said in a statement.
Stephens, a grower from Clinton, Kentucky, said “farmers are in a desperate situation. We need a positive resolution of this ongoing tariff dispute, not further escalation of tensions.”
China is a key market for US soy bean exports, but last year sales plunged by about 75 percent compared to 2017 to just over $3 billion, after China retaliated against US farmers with 25 percent tariffs.


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A Yahoo Inc. study released today analyzing financial adviser client HarrisDirect's campaign claims that online display advertising increased the number of relevant searches by more than 61 percent.
Clicks on sponsored search advertising links leading directly to HarrisDirect's site at theharris.com also jumped 249 percent after a user was exposed to a display ad campaign, Yahoo said.
The study found that consumers exposed to the display ad campaign clicked on 139 percent more links to the HarrisDirect site via both sponsored and algorithmic links.
Yahoo used a test group versus control group method. The test group was exposed to a particular ad campaign. The control group was not.
The study, the first in a series to be conducted across different verticals served by Yahoo, underscores how online display ads affect search behavior.
Mickey Alam Khan covers Internet marketing campaigns and e-commerce, agency news as well as circulation for DM News and DMNews.com. To keep up with the latest developments in these areas, subscribe to our daily and weekly e-mail newsletters by visiting www.dmnews.com/newsletters


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By Debra Kahn, POLITICO PRO
March 1, 2019
MONEY BACK: If California opened more recycling centers and charged higher container deposits, would you return cans and bottles?
That’s the underlying premise of a new report by Consumer Watchdog. The group says it’s a problem that Californians pay 5-cent deposit fees but are rarely returning containers themselves to get their cash back, reports POLITICO’s Debra Kahn.
The report cites a wave of recycling-center closures around the state that has shifted the recycling business to local governments and companies that run curbside collection programs, which collect the fees instead of consumers. It estimates that of the $1.5 billion collected annually through 5-cent deposit fees on bottles and cans, $732 million is either being claimed by curbside operators, underreported by grocery stores that collect the fees or going unredeemed.
The report’s authors said that increasing the redemption fee and building more recycling centers would encourage people to return their containers rather than rely on curbside haulers, which collect the fees themselves and typically factor them into their contracts. They attributed community opposition to the recycling centers to “NIMBYism” and said that consumers should have an expectation that they will recoup their payments.
“If you want to make it a tax, be honest about it, but it’s not a tax,” Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court said.
In response, CalRecycle noted that the recycling industry has been in decline worldwide and that the beverage container return rate is at 75 percent, below the state’s current goal of 80 percent.


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Online CRM giant Salesforce.com has revealed new tools aimed at empowering sales forces with social sales and analytics capabilities. The company’s new Service Cloud 3 organisations engage with customers on any social community, including Twitter, Facebook and other social networks via Radian6.
Salesforce last year acquired Radian6 for US$326m. Its new Service Cloud 3 platform is aimed at what it terms the next generation of “social contact centres.”
The new technologies allow firms to engage with customers via social media, where millions of conversations are happening every day.
Leveraging built-in social analytics, agents will be able to prioritise interactions across any channel and tailor support strategies to meet changing sentiments on the social web.
Social customer service in real time
“The explosion of social technologies has changed the game for customer service,” said Alex Dayon, executive vice-president of CRM, Salesforce.com.
“Facebook and Twitter taught consumers to expect social customer service in real time. Service Cloud 3 is the next-generation social contact centre that lets companies prioritise and manage a high volume of customer issues over any social channel.”
More than 15,000 companies around the world, including Ally Bank, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Nikon Instruments, have deployed the Service Cloud to deliver social customer service.
“We decided to make social media an important component of our overall KLM customer service strategy after handling stranded customers via Facebook during the volcanic ash cloud that struck Europe in May 2010,” said Martijn van der Zee, vice-president, E-Commerce at KLM Royal Dutch Airlines.
“Leveraging the Service Cloud 3 is going to enable us to recognise patterns, handle cases via social media throughout different teams, and discover commercial opportunities. We believe this will allow us to pro-actively build a strong and loyal relationship with our customers and fans and enhance our service to them,” van der Zee added.


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The country's biggest telco, Telstra, has finally joined its smaller rivals in offering unlimited broadband deals for its customers, amid a surge in internet usage among Australian consumers.
The rise of streaming services like Stan and Netflix has seen traffic over Telstra's fixed network skyrocket by 40 percent in the past year alone.
"Consumers just need more data," Telstra director of fixed broadband Jana Kotatko told A Current Affair.
"On our $99 hero bundle we've got unlimited data, we've got a fantastic Telstra TV device, and we're giving away for a limited time three months of free Foxtel Now."
Current customers on plans under $99 will have their existing data limit doubled, free of charge.
Technology expert Trevor Long said he was "shocked" by the move.
"This is not the kind of offer that we expect from Telstra," he said.
"They're not known for their amazing deals, let's be honest."
If $99 a month is too much for you, there are alternative broadband deals at other telcos.
Optus has an $80 a month plan that offers unlimited data, with Yes TV by Fetch, and Optus Sport.
If you want a cheaper deal, without the trimmings, there's a plan for $60 a month.
"We get a lot of feedback that there's just too much complexity in the market, and that's why we've simplified our offer to just two plans," Optus managing director of marketing and product Ben White said.
iiNet has a deal that's $69.99 a month that will give you unlimited data on a 24-month contract.
For $10 less, you can get 500 gigabytes of data on a 24-month contract.
At TPG, there's a $59.99 a month deal that gives you unlimited data, on an 18-month contract.
If you don't need unlimited, you can get a 12-month deal of 50 gigabytes for $29.99 a month.
Dodo offers a slightly cheaper deal, but you get far less data. For just $29.90 a month, you'll get 10 gigabytes of data to use.
With Telstra joining the rest of the country's telcos in delivering unlimited data, Trevor Long warns there could be headaches for consumers.
"When you give everyone unlimited, you have no idea what they're going to do," he said.
"There can be unexpected moments during the month which could well create congestion and therefore slow down the network for customers. That's their biggest challenge. That's the risk they need to manage."


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|By PR Newswire||
|March 6, 2014 06:05 AM EST||
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- LumaStream today announced the release of new intelligent, low-voltage, LED lighting systems with unprecedented efficiency and light quality for retail and restaurant lighting applications. Combining LumaStream's strength in low-voltage LED solutions for restaurant chains with ELPRO's proven success serving retail brands, the two companies will be jointly exhibiting at the upcoming SPECS 2014 annual conference and exhibition, March 9-12 in Dallas.
LumaStream offers the only holistic approach to low-voltage power distribution for LED lighting. Unlike other LED companies that use traditional wiring, LumaStream uses thin-gauge, low-voltage wiring to carry power to LED fixtures. The same wire also fully controls and dims the LEDs, eliminating the need for secondary control wiring. Remote, digital drivers achieve clean, low-voltage power runs up to 200 ft. away for up to 24 LED fixtures at a time, like a stereo amplifier and speakers.
National restaurant chains have already adopted the LumaStream system for its quality and efficiency. For the retail industry, the benefits of LumaStream's low-voltage approach are significant. Reducing electrical infrastructure and installation labor lowers retailers' upfront costs. Improving the efficiency and longevity of the LED lighting systems lowers retailers' energy costs and eliminates maintenance. Beyond these cost savings, the LumaStream system offers superior dimming, flexible lighting scenes, and user-friendly controls.
"We're seeing extraordinary results for our retail clients," said Eric Higgs, CEO of LumaStream. "The difference in light quality and overall system efficiency is having a positive impact on our clients' bottom line."
ELPRO Lighting Technology is a German-based light fixture manufacturer working with the biggest retail brands in Europe, some of those brands are now expanding to the U.S. Starting at the store concept phase, ELPRO combines fixture aesthetics with lighting technology to deliver the ideal balance of store ambiance and visual merchandising. ELPRO's hands-on experience ensures lighting applications elevate a store's brand and enhance customer engagement.
ELPRO is the most recent addition to LumaStream's Powered by LumaStream™ partnership program. This program is an alliance of LED lighting manufacturers who recognize the benefits of low-voltage distribution for LED and who are making high performance, driverless LED fixtures to match it. Together, LumaStream and partners like ELPRO offer a new, higher standard for LED light quality, efficiency, and control.
One collaborative solution on display at SPECS next week is a unique, three-foot, drum pendant that contains crisp, high color rendering, white LED downlights paired with dynamic, color-changing LED accent lights programmed for a smooth, fluid array of color – all run from LumaStream's patented remote, low-voltage power supply. LumaStream's discrete control of LEDs through its power supply means fine color gradations and exact PMS color matches are achievable. With LumaStream, LED lighting with simpler installation, elevated branding capabilities, and superior energy savings are all within reach of U.S. retailers now.
The LumaStream partnership with ELPRO highlights the strengths of both companies – LumaStream's turnkey approach for the hospitality market with ELPRO's design expertise for retail brands. The additional of ELPRO fixtures continues the rapid catalog expansion of high-quality and high-efficiency LED lighting compatible with LumaStream's system.
"Better lighting systems create better store environments," said Kai Wiegelmann. "We've seen European retailers adopt our products as part of their corporate design standards. With LumaStream, we're ready to deliver intelligent, stylish, high-quality, high-value solutions to U.S. retailers."
LumaStream and ELPRO will have ongoing demonstrations of their solutions at SPECS booth #901 during Solution Center hours Sunday, Mar. 9, Monday, Mar. 10, and Tuesday, Mar. 11.
LumaStream makes low-voltage LED lighting solutions that are truly efficient and highly controllable. We offer our unique, patented, digital power conversion platform paired with well-designed luminaires and open source control protocol to commercial, institutional, residential, retail, and hospitality markets. We're a fast-growing, creative company developing efficient systems with unprecedented results for energy savings, long-distance low-voltage power distribution, and smooth, continual dimming control to less than 1%. Our solutions are solid and our results compelling. We create a better lighting environment for our clients, and a better environment for all. LumaStream is headquartered in St. Petersburg, FL. Please visit www.lumastream.com.
ELPRO Lighting Technology GmbH is a German-based fixture manufacturer with extensive experience in the lighting industry. Established in 1999, they specialize in tailoring lighting solutions for retail clients. ELPRO combines innovation with solid product engineering, delivering a high level of product design not often found today. ELPRO is headquartered in Arnsberg, Germany. Please visit www.elpro-leuchten.de.
SYS-CON Events announced today that CollabNet, a global leader in enterprise software development, release automation and DevOps solutions, will be a Bronze Sponsor of SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, taking place from June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. CollabNet offers a broad range of solutions with the mission of helping modern organizations deliver quality software at speed. The company’s latest innovation, the DevOps Lifecycle Manager (DLM), supports Value S...
Apr. 28, 2017 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,167
SYS-CON Events announced today that Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR), an industry leader in automated, scalable and secure networks, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Juniper Networks challenges the status quo with products, solutions and services that transform the economics of networking. The company co-innovates with customers and partners to deliver automated, scalable and secure network...
Apr. 28, 2017 07:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,544
Bert Loomis was a visionary. This general session will highlight how Bert Loomis and people like him inspire us to build great things with small inventions. In their general session at 19th Cloud Expo, Harold Hannon, Architect at IBM Bluemix, and Michael O'Neill, Strategic Business Development at Nvidia, discussed the accelerating pace of AI development and how IBM Cloud and NVIDIA are partnering to bring AI capabilities to "every day," on-demand. They also reviewed two "free infrastructure" pr...
Apr. 28, 2017 06:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,546
Five years ago development was seen as a dead-end career, now it’s anything but – with an explosion in mobile and IoT initiatives increasing the demand for skilled engineers. But apart from having a ready supply of great coders, what constitutes true ‘DevOps Royalty’? It’ll be the ability to craft resilient architectures, supportability, security everywhere across the software lifecycle. In his keynote at @DevOpsSummit at 20th Cloud Expo, Jeffrey Scheaffer, GM and SVP, Continuous Delivery Busine...
Apr. 28, 2017 06:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,101
SYS-CON Events announced today that Hitachi, the leading provider the Internet of Things and Digital Transformation, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Hitachi Data Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., offers an integrated portfolio of services and solutions that enable digital transformation through enhanced data management, governance, mobility and analytics. We help globa...
Apr. 28, 2017 06:30 AM EDT Reads: 1,395
SYS-CON Events announced today that T-Mobile will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. As America's Un-carrier, T-Mobile US, Inc., is redefining the way consumers and businesses buy wireless services through leading product and service innovation. The Company's advanced nationwide 4G LTE network delivers outstanding wireless experiences to 67.4 million customers who are unwilling to compromise on ...
Apr. 28, 2017 06:15 AM EDT Reads: 1,285
In his session at 20th Cloud Expo, Scott Davis, CTO of Embotics, will discuss how automation can provide the dynamic management required to cost-effectively deliver microservices and container solutions at scale. He will discuss how flexible automation is the key to effectively bridging and seamlessly coordinating both IT and developer needs for component orchestration across disparate clouds – an increasingly important requirement at today’s multi-cloud enterprise.
Apr. 28, 2017 06:00 AM EDT Reads: 4,404
SYS-CON Events announced today that Super Micro Computer, Inc., a global leader in compute, storage and networking technologies, will exhibit at SYS-CON's 20th International Cloud Expo®, which will take place on June 6-8, 2017, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. Supermicro (NASDAQ: SMCI), the leading innovator in high-performance, high-efficiency server technology, is a premier provider of advanced server Building Block Solutions® for Data Center, Cloud Computing, Enterprise IT, Hadoop/...
Apr. 28, 2017 05:15 AM EDT Reads: 2,382
Everyone wants to use containers, but monitoring containers is hard. New ephemeral architecture introduces new challenges in how monitoring tools need to monitor and visualize containers, so your team can make sense of everything. In his session at @DevOpsSummit, David Gildeh, co-founder and CEO of Outlyer, will go through the challenges and show there is light at the end of the tunnel if you use the right tools and understand what you need to be monitoring to successfully use containers in your...
Apr. 28, 2017 04:30 AM EDT Reads: 2,184
With billions of sensors deployed worldwide, the amount of machine-generated data will soon exceed what our networks can handle. But consumers and businesses will expect seamless experiences and real-time responsiveness. What does this mean for IoT devices and the infrastructure that supports them? More of the data will need to be handled at - or closer to - the devices themselves.
Apr. 28, 2017 03:15 AM EDT Reads: 921
SYS-CON Events announced today that DatacenterDynamics has been named “Media Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 18th International Cloud Expo, which will take place on June 7–9, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. DatacenterDynamics is a brand of DCD Group, a global B2B media and publishing company that develops products to help senior professionals in the world's most ICT dependent organizations make risk-based infrastructure and capacity decisions.
Apr. 28, 2017 03:00 AM EDT Reads: 6,257
All organizations that did not originate this moment have a pre-existing culture as well as legacy technology and processes that can be more or less amenable to DevOps implementation. That organizational culture is influenced by the personalities and management styles of Executive Management, the wider culture in which the organization is situated, and the personalities of key team members at all levels of the organization. This culture and entrenched interests usually throw a wrench in the work...
Apr. 28, 2017 02:30 AM EDT Reads: 801
NHK, Japan Broadcasting, will feature the upcoming @ThingsExpo Silicon Valley in a special 'Internet of Things' and smart technology documentary that will be filmed on the expo floor between November 3 to 5, 2015, in Santa Clara. NHK is the sole public TV network in Japan equivalent to the BBC in the UK and the largest in Asia with many award-winning science and technology programs. Japanese TV is producing a documentary about IoT and Smart technology and will be covering @ThingsExpo Silicon Val...
Apr. 28, 2017 01:15 AM EDT Reads: 9,273
Keeping pace with advancements in software delivery processes and tooling is taxing even for the most proficient organizations. Point tools, platforms, open source and the increasing adoption of private and public cloud services requires strong engineering rigor – all in the face of developer demands to use the tools of choice. As Agile has settled in as a mainstream practice, now DevOps has emerged as the next wave to improve software delivery speed and output. To make DevOps work, organization...
Apr. 28, 2017 01:15 AM EDT Reads: 8,981
The explosion of new web/cloud/IoT-based applications and the data they generate are transforming our world right before our eyes. In this rush to adopt these new technologies, organizations are often ignoring fundamental questions concerning who owns the data and failing to ask for permission to conduct invasive surveillance of their customers. Organizations that are not transparent about how their systems gather data telemetry without offering shared data ownership risk product rejection, regu...
Apr. 28, 2017 12:45 AM EDT Reads: 1,694


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By Lisa Johnston
New products on display at the American International Toy Fair, held in N
The worldwide PC market saw double-digit shipment growth in the second quarter, according to both Gartner and IDC market research firms. The firms each saw a 15 to 16 percent increase in the market compared with the same quarter last year. Each noted consumers' continued attraction to portable PCs, but each also warned that economic forces could take a toll going forward.
"Despite the economic headwinds, the PC market continued to show its resilience," said Loren Loverde, director of IDC's worldwide quarterly PC tracker. "Product refreshes, vendor competition for channels and aggressive pricing add to the ongoing trend toward portable computing in attracting buyers. The steady growth, despite the pressure on consumer finances, reflects the increasingly important role of PCs within personal technology, and steady improvements in price and design. Nevertheless, economic pressures are mounting and PC market growth is expected to decline over the next year. The relatively strong PC market in recent quarters does not mean that the sector is immune to the changing economic environment."
Similarly, Mike Kitagawa, principal analyst for Gartner's client computing Markets group, said, "Mobile PCs continued to lead unit growth across all regions as the average selling price (ASP) of mobile PCs declined sharply relative to desk-based PC ASPs.
"Economic uncertainties have hit PC revenues, resulting in steep ASP declines, especially in markets such as the United States and Europe, the Middle East and Africa region. The industry could ultimately see a significant wave of consolidation if stronger vendors continue to press their pricing advantage," he said.
In terms of specific companies, Hewlett-Packard maintained its lead in worldwide PC shipment market share.
Dell followed with growth that IDC said outpaced the market in all regions. Gartner attributed its growth to its "expansion into retail and other indirect channels."
Acer, Lenovo and Toshiba filled out the respective third, fourth and fifth positions in the market worldwide.
The U.S. market saw single-digit growth in the second quarter of 2008 vs. the same quarter in 2007. While IDC called this growth "sluggish," Gartner took on a slightly more optimistic tone, noting that this increase took place "despite continuing U.S. economic woes." Of course, Gartner also said that "this acceleration appears to have been achieved at the expense of revenues as vendors appear to have cut prices in response to those woes,"
David Daoud, personal computing research manager at IDC, warned, "Given the current economic fundamentals, demand could remain depressed in the coming quarters if economic pressures continue, even with sustained price decreases."
Dell maintained its lead position in the U.S. market, with PC shipments accounting for roughly 32 percent of U.S. market share.
Worldwide leader HP held on to the No. 2 position in the United States, with slightly more than 25 percent market share.
Apple came in third with about 8 percent share, and Acer rode its coattails with a market share lower by only tenths of a percent.
In the No. 5 slot, Toshiba had roughly 5.5 percent market share and various other companies accounted for the remaining approximate 20 percent of the U.S. market.
This TWICE webinar, hosted by senior editor Alan Wolf, will take a look at what may be the hottest CE products at retail that will be sold during the all-important fourth quarter. Top technologies, market strategies and industry trends will be discussed with industry analysts and executives.


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News and Events
Graziadio School of Business and Management Hosts 2012 SEER Symposium
The Graziadio School of Business and Management will host the 2012 Socially, Environmentally, and Ethically Responsible (SEER) Symposium (formerly Magill Symposium), centered around the theme, Creativity: The Entrepreneur's Secret Sauce to Success.
The third annual event will take place Friday, Nov. 2, at 8 a.m. at the Drescher Graduate Campus, Malibu, as part of the Graziadio School's Entrepreneurship Week.
This year, the Symposium has joined forces with the Entrepreneur's Journey to bring students and social entrepreneurs together with inspirational business leaders who have achieved success using the four major components of the SEER philosophy: corporate social responsibility, environmental stewardship, financial strength, and great product/service.
This event invites the business community to explore the nature of values-centered businesses (for profit and nonprofit) and the creative strategies these leaders use to design, define and differentiate their organizations while staying true to the mission of the SEER lens.
Throughout the day, a panel of speakers will include bestselling authors and high-flying entrepreneurs who have successfully combined profitability with environmental stewardship and social responsibility in the production of their own quality product or service.
Notable members of the panel include Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, professor of psychology at Claremont University; Charlie Ayers, founding executive chef at Google, Chip Conley, founder and former CEO of Joie de Vivre and author of Emotional Equations: Simple Truths for Creating Happiness + Success; Roger Eaton, COO of Yum! Brands, Inc.; Sally McCoy, president and CEO of CamelBak; Courtney Reum, founder and CEO of VeeV; and Tom Scott, founder of Nantucket Nectars.
Many sustainable business programs have focused attention on "the triple bottom line" – People, Planet, Profits. The Certificate in Socially, Environmentally and Ethically Responsible (SEER) Business Strategy program, offered to Pepperdine's full-time MBA students, goes a step beyond and adds a fourth factor to the equation: Product. Read more about Pepperdine University's unique SEER Certificate program.
The Certificate in Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility is a two-day training program designed for business managers and executives. The curriculum focuses on the complexities of sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and ethics, and how these tie into producing a superior product that generates financial growth.
For more information about the 2012 SEER Symposium, visit the Graziadio School Web site.


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YAKIMA, Wash.-- Good news for the auto industry this year. As the country continues to deal with a sluggish economy, cars are flying off lots across the U.S. and right here in our region.
Auto companies are not releasing their numbers just yet, but analysts predict a 13% increase in car sales nationwide. That comes out to over 14 million cars sold, the highest it's been since 2007.
And dealerships we spoke to across the Yakima Valley and Columbia Basin have also seen big growth.
Toyota of Tri-Cities says they have seen a 20% increase in sales this year.
Stewart Subaru in Yakima has had a 31 percent increase. They say it was a great year to buy, with good incentives and awesome local rates; people were finally back in the market.
"There were an awful lot of pent up buyers. I think people have been sitting on the sidelines for a while, hanging onto those used vehicles a little big longer then they normally would have based on economic conditions," said Mark Prater, the General Manager at Stewart Subaru.
Some dealerships we talked to say December has also been a great month. Even with the looming fiscal cliff, many buyers have not been deterred. Toyota of Tri Cities says they saw an increase of almost 20% in December alone.


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- Rich Peverley collapses on Dallas Stars bench; game postponed
- Al Sharpton, Trayvon Martin’s parents rally against Fla. ‘stand your ground’ law
- Hillary Clinton campaign got illicit funds from D.C. scandal figure
- Obama administration backs off plan to cut prescription-drug program
- Tickets linked to stolen passports purchased by Iranian middleman
- More than 3,500 police planned for Boston Marathon
- Ottawa day care suspends 2-year-old for ‘outside’ cheese sandwich
- Liam Neeson tells NYC mayor to ‘man up’ in horse carriage fight
- Real-life Dr. Doolittle to reveal how to talk to animals
- Climate change could bring back smallpox, researchers say
Sears Holdings Corp.
Latest Sears Holdings Corp. Items
Sears' presence on Chicago's State Street is about to end.
Walgreen Co. is joining a growing push from big businesses to shift more responsibility for finding insurance onto their employees as health care costs continue to climb.
The retail lobby is fighting back against nationwide worker strikes for better pay, calling it "orchestrated theater" by labor unions, the Hill reported.
Fast-food workers around the nation have called for a massive strike on Thursday, billing it as the largest industry-wide job walk-off in the past year’s push for better pay.
The New York-bound musical "Kinky Boots" enjoyed a pre-Broadway run at a downtown Chicago theater this fall, but only after the state of Illinois lured producers with something that's scarce these days _ money.
For some American workers, picking the right health insurance is becoming more like hunting for the perfect business suit: It takes some shopping around to find a good fit and avoid sticker shock.
Target Corp. will open its doors at 9 p.m. on Thanksgiving, three hours earlier than a year ago, to kick off the holiday shopping season.
What do these brand-name American companies have in common: Eastman Kodak, Penn Camera, Borders bookstores, Blockbuster Video, Sears and Kmart?


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Hyundai’s Elantra registered the highest number of sales in November. Juma Al Majid, the sole distributor of Hyundai Motor in the UAE reported; Elantra has achieved a staggering 90% more sales when compared to same …Read full article » : Thursday, December 19 - 2013 @ 12:19
The official handover was attended by Mohammed Khader, President of Al Majid Motors and Brigadier, Anas Al Matrooshi, Deputy Director Transport and Rescue Dubai Police along with officers from Dubai police.
The Mohave 3.5 L/V6 engine …Read full article » United Arab Emirates: Monday, February 13 - 2012 @ 15:57
Mr. Sulieman Qadoomy was presented with the award in Melbourne, Australia, during the Australian Open Tennis Tournament, for which Kia has been the major sponsor since 2002.
The awarded dealers were selected based on the results …Read full article » United Arab Emirates: Monday, February 16 - 2009 @ 13:50
The popular event has been drawing in enthusiasts for years, and excitement around this year’s motorshow is expected to increase even further. The KIA brand has developed a strong reputation for its consistent delivery of …Read full article » United Arab Emirates: Wednesday, November 09 - 2011 @ 14:33
Over 75 employees took part in this vital initiative, coming from different departments of Jumaa Al-Majid Group to give blood at the Kia Motors show room in Deira. Doctor and nurses from Al Wasel Hospital …Read full article » United Arab Emirates: Monday, February 02 - 2009 @ 13:47
There is a three-model line up for the UAE – the LX manual and automatic and the EX automatic.
A little over 4.5 metres long, the new Carens offers seating for up to seven people …
The longer, sleeker, lighter five-metre long four-door sedan has a more balanced appearance, an enhanced interior with new high-tech features, and a larger, more powerful and more fuel-efficient V6 gasoline engine. Significant improvements have been …Read full article » United Arab Emirates: Tuesday, May 08 - 2007 @ 11:51
According to Marketing and Business Development Manager of Al Majid Motors Co. , Shehadeh Ahmad, “The all-new high performance Kia Optima has literally been transformed and now boasts a fresh new design that embodies …Read full article » United Arab Emirates: Thursday, November 04 - 2010 @ 15:42
Amazing spectators, the flagship model from Kia Motor Corporation is the first modern rear-wheel drive for over a decade, introducing with it innovating driving assistance, new safety technology, more space and a truly luxurious interior.
Mr. …Read full article » United Arab Emirates: Monday, November 19 - 2012 @ 15:45
The family class vehicle joins a range of models that continue to deliver now Kia-familiar traits that include striking exterior design, functional interior quality and modern fuel-efficient engines, all for an affordable price.
The Kia …Read full article » United Arab Emirates: Wednesday, June 05 - 2013 @ 12:50


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The New Spin
Most baby boomers can remember spending hours combing through racks of vinyl phonograph records in stores looking for their favorite band’s latest release. Before most boomers even had their driver licenses, though, the music industry was already changing. Vinyl records gave way to eight-track tapes, then to cassettes, followed by supposedly superior sounding compact discs. And even those CDs seemed to be going the way of vinyl records because of digital releases and the popularity of iTunes.
But a renewed interest in vinyl recordings has been growing in recent years. Once on the brink of extinction, vinyl record stores are, in fact, rebounding. Scattered around the South are several well-known retailers where music lovers are discovering timeless reminders of a rich cultural past. The following “must-visit” record stores just might be the perfect places to search for a 45-rpm of Elvis Presley’s 1956 hit, “Blue Suede Shoes” or The Beatles 1967 “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Band Club” album.
Doyle Davis and Mike Grimes founded Grimey’s in 1999. The present location opened in 2002, and Grimey’s Too was added in 2012. The addition of the Frothy Monkey Coffee shop and a Howlin’ Wolf Bookstore have also helped attract crossover customers, who have been crucial to success.
“Mike caught the music promotion bug, and it gave me the chance to quit working for someone else,” said Davis. “When Frampton Comes Alive (’76) and Saturday Night Fever came out (’77), we realized we could make big money at this. But record stores got too big and then came digital.”
Like the music itself, independent record stores have gone back to their roots, and are surviving and thriving today.
“In the beginning years, it was mostly used albums but now with so many new releases on vinyl, we sell more new albums and re-releases than used,” said Davis, who noted that United Record Pressing – the largest vinyl record manufacturer in the country – is just blocks away.
Half of Grimey’s customers are female, following breakout stars like Margo Price whose autographed picture is on the wall. Price was one of the live performances that Grimey’s hosted.
“Yeah, she’s played here and we really like Margo,” he said. “Luke Schneider who plays in Margo’s band still does a shift behind the counter when they are in town. “We have the pleasure of working with some amazing talent at Grimey’s.”
1604 8th Ave. South, Nashville
Located in the heart of Memphis, Shangri-La Records has quite a history. The site originally featured sensory deprivation tanks prior to becoming a record store and later a label. Shangri-La Projects was formed as a publishing arm for books and documentaries about Memphis Music.
“The store has hosted countless free shows from past luminaries like Ike Turner, Jim Dickinson, Little Milton and many more,” said John Miller co-owner of Shangri-La. “This tradition continues today with the likes of Luther Dickinson playing shows on the front porch.”
Miller, who co-owns the store with Jared McStay, said about 75 percent of the records sold at the store are used.
“We sell tons of records by classic independent Memphis labels like Sun, Stax and Hi records,” he said. “These include Elvis, Johnny Cash, Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Al Green, Albert King and Ann Peebles for starters.”
Miller is also seeing a trend of younger collectors purchasing modern records from a wide variety of genres.
“You just have to adapt,” Miller explained. “We’ve taken down many of our CD racks and added 45s and album box sets.”
The owners believe the future is bright for the record industry. The explosion in interest in vinyl records brought a complementary boom in record pressing. The nearby Memphis Record Pressing is a partnership between Fat Possum Records (think Southern rocker Jimbo Mathus) and Audiographic Masterworks.
“This kind of partnership has allowed local, independent labels to expand their vinyl catalogues and reach a new audience of fans,” Miller said.
1916 Madison Ave, Memphis
End of All Music
“We take pride in being a top-tier record store with the highest quality new and used records,” said David Swider of End of All Music in Oxford. “When you come in, it’s an extension of our living room; it’s comfortable and very chill.”
Only 1,200-square-feet, the store doesn’t have space to waste. Therefore, Swider pays close attention to the titles he stocks and keeps the inventory very organized.
He estimates the inventory to be around 12,000 records, including a vast selection of 45s. End of All Music also stocks entry to mid-level turntables, a logical product extension.
“When folks walk into our shop, we want them to know we mean business,” Swider says. “There is no denying you’re in a real record store.”
“The store sells new releases from Chris Stapleton and Alex G, to reissues of The Beatles and Bob Dylan,” added Swider. “We also have a classical music section.”
End of All Music opened in 2012, and Swider thinks the storm of transition has already passed for stores like his.
“I feel pretty confident that vinyl is going to outlast all the other physical formats of music,” he said. “The digital world and streaming services are going to be constantly changing while vinyl will always be here.”
End of All Music
1423 N Lamar Blvd, Oxford
T-Bones is more than a record store and café. Open since 2002, the store has become a social center for Hattiesburg where shoppers can find a large inventory of vinyl records as well as books and food.
“We get a lot of curious shoppers who like to flip through the vinyl just to bolster conversation,” said Mik Davis, record store manager. “Once we make a connection, they visit again and again.”
Rock ‘n’ roll maintains the crown with stalwarts like Fleetwood Mac, Rolling Stones and Beetles as top sellers, but there is also a bit of a formula at work.
“We buy across a wide spectrum in hopes of lighting up a country release like Chris Stapleton or hip-hop like Kendrick Lamar,” Davis explained.


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The confectionery giant, which earlier this month revealed it would take on Dairy Milk with a new bar called Blue Label, has now unveiled plans to pitch two newcomers into the filled egg arena in the new year. And it is making no bones about whose slice of the market they are designed to erode.
Trade communications manager Graham Walker said: “It is a category we have had a go at before with brands like Rolo and Aero but this time I think we have come up with better packaging than Creme Egg and better targeted products.”
Leading Nestlé’s charge for
the second year running will be the flow-wrapped Double Cream filled egg, which Nestlé claims helped grow its share of the category to 13% compared with Cadbury’s market leading 80%-plus share. However, this time round it will be joined on shelf by new Milky Bar and Smarties filled eggs. The former features Milky Bar’s famous white chocolate around a light, strawberry shake flavour centre, while the Smarties offering has a chocolate flavour whipped core with mini versions of the sweet.
Like the Double Cream offering, rsp for each single egg will be 38p and they will also be available in packs of three.
Walker claimed the trio would offer a point of difference over their Cadbury rival because they would each target a specific consumer group, from small children up to adults. He added: “We are better positioned than ever before to take on Cadbury.”
Other highlights in Nestlé’s new spring and Easter range will include a heart-shaped box of Baci-branded chocolates for St Valentine’s Day and a £12.99 Easter egg under the same banner, which is Nestlé’s most expensive yet.


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Electric vehicle owners who buy cheaper cars such as the tiny Nissan Leaf could be charged more in than those who buy luxury hybrid vehicles under Victoria's new tax.
Miki Perkins. Sydney Morning Herald. Thu, 26 Nov 2020 00:30:00 +1100.
Nissan says it is "ready" to meet the prime minister's goal to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 but repeated a warning that its UK operations would not be sustainable if Brexit significantly raises its costs.
Sky News. Wed, 18 Nov 2020 05:32:00 +0000.
The former chairman of Nissan and Renault, who has denied financial misconduct charges, has long said he was set up to prevent deeper integration between ...
Japan Times. Fri, 06 Nov 2020 02:37:48 +0900.
Carlos Ghosn, the scandal-hitformer Nissan CEO who fled trial in Japan, is launching a business training program to help spark economic recovery in his native, crisis-hit Lebanon.
CNBC. Wed, 30 Sep 2020 07:08:13 GMT.
Nissan (NSANY) aims to boost sales and profitability by 2021, with the commitment to expand its foothold in the rebounding China auto market and the target of refreshing the company's vehicle lineup.
Zacks Equity Research. Zacks. Mon, 28 Sep 2020 12:48:00 GMT.
The resumption of production comes as the factory's future remains up in the air, with Nissan bosses refusing to guarantee its future unless there's a post-Brexit trade-free deal with the EU.
Daily Mail. Tue, 09 Jun 2020 11:12:14 GMT.


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The great news is that MG Motors UK has announced the launch of two new car models in Pakistan
Pakistani company MG Motors Pakistan in partnership with MG Motors UK set up an electric car manufacturing assembly plant in 2020. The assembly plant has started work in which cars are being manufactured. It was a long dream of every Pakistani that cars be manufactured in Pakistan. Praise be to Allaah. Now this dream has come true.
Congratulations to Javed Afridi of MG Motors Pakistan, whose company has started making cars in Pakistan in association with UK’s MG Motors. These cars will not only be sold inside Pakistan but will also be exported.
According to the Times of India, Pakistan has received 10,000 orders for these cars and this news is being given by the newspaper of our eternal enemy country India.
We are proud and happy to see MG cars being manufactured in Pakistan. Credit for all these works goes to Prime Minister Imran Khan and his team. Thanks to Imran Khan and his team for their hard work and passion as a result of patriotism.
This became possible and now a large number of foreign companies are investing in Pakistan. Inshallah, this investment will increase day by day. Very soon Pakistan will be included in the list of developed countries.


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The drought impact on fruit harvests and jobs in W Cape
Gale was responding to a statement from Hortgro, which said that the continued drought conditions experienced in the major pome fruit production areas had impacted negatively on pome fruit export volumes.
“The Western Cape is sitting on a precipice in view of the prolonged drought, which is now affecting the pome fruit export, anticipated to be an average of 19percent less for the apple and 10.5percent less for the pear market than forecast.
"This will have a major impact on employment in the fruit producing areas of Elgin/Grabouw and Ceres, where most of the fruit is grown and the farms provide employment for these communities. The current forecast for the next seasons also appears to be a negative growth factor, unless the drought is broken and the farms become sustainable again.” Europe, the major supply stream for South Africa’s exports, was in a political uncertain period due to Brexit and its unknown affect on trade.
He said, however, that this could become a positive factor as the UK might be obliged to buy larger volumes from South Africa, in case of any trade embargoes from EU countries. “We can only hope that the heavens open and fill our dams, so we can fulfil our orders and open the door to new markets.”
Agbiz agricultural economist, Wandile Sihlobo, said there were initial concerns around the impact of El Niño, but over the next three months or so South Africa could get good rainfall through the rest of the country. Sihlobo said the decline in the production mirrored the 2015 drought, but things could normalise. He said exports might not see a big decline, because the weaker rand improved the global competitiveness of South Africa’s exports.
Karabo Takadi, an agricultural economist at AgriBusiness and Absa Retail and business bank, said that the ongoing dry conditions in the Western Cape might have a negative impact on the fruit season as the unfavourable conditions were likely to lead to a below average quality crop and possibly lower yields.
“Should the quality of the crops be inferior, we may see fewer exports and it may be expected that fruit for local processing may increase as a result. The strengthening of the rand against major currencies over the past few months may also have added to the pressure on export prices.”
Takadi said farmers who produced a surplus in commodities for export markets normally benefited from a weaker rand.
“However, the rand has since depreciated against the currencies in the last few weeks.”
Jacques du Preez, a general manager for trade and markets at Hortgro the agency representing the fruit industry in the Western Cape, said despite challenging climatic conditions, the initial pome fruit crop estimate anticipated a 5percent growth in export volumes, mainly because of new orchards coming into production.
“However as the harvesting season progressed the industry realised that the anticipated volumes are not going to materialise as fruit size in general and pack-out of fruit on tree were affected by a combination of drought and heatwave conditions. Currently volumes in storage combined with exports to date led to the downward adjustment for pome fruit export cartons.”
ALSO READ: Why Cape agriculture matters to SA economy
Du Preez said newly calculated volumes indicates a decrease of between -6percent and -9percent compared to the previous season.He said a decrease in export volumes of Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Pink Lady and Fuji can directly be attributed to weather conditions impacting on colour development, fruit size and pack-outs.
Du Preez said pear export volumes are also down on initial projections with the decrease of Williams Bon Chretin by -5percent because of smaller fruit size, good demand from the canning industry and a lack in demand from the Northern Hemisphere importing countries.
He said Packhams Triumph, Abate Fetel and Vermont Beauty were also down compared to last year. “On the contrary, export volumes of Forelle are in line with the previous season. A tough season in terms of grower returns and profitability levels is anticipated."


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Recording Studio Blog Archives
December 19, 2014 - REALLY Sony?????
Can you believe it? Sony Pictures capitulating to threats from terrorists and giving them precisely what they requested??
If you haven't heard, Sony has cancelled the theatrical release of Seth Rogen and James Franco's new movie "The Interview" because North Korea has threatened them with retaliation if they didn't.
You can read here: Sony Pulls Korea Film "The Interview"
Sony now is deciding what it does and does not publish based on threats from a crazy dictator on the opposite side of the world?? I can't believe it. The American entertainment industry has always prided itself on being beholden to no one and nothing, enjoying its special place in society to try and shine a light on the injustices of this world and never being afraid to ruffle a few feathers. And if there's anyone's feathers who should be ruffled, it's a ruthless, oppressive, murderous dictator. But what does Sony do? It quivers and cowers and says "yes dear, I won't offend you I'll do exactly as you ask."
And then what does Sony do to make their cowardice even more appalling? Just when you think that they couldn't be any more weak-kneed and spineless, they found way to outdo themselves: They said that they wouldn't even release the movie on pay-per-view or DVD. Whaaaaaaa????????
So now where does it end?
What if ISIS doesn't like the next movie that Sony wants to put out? What if Iran decides that it doesn't like the next book that HarperCollins wants to publish? What if North Korea doesn't like the next Beyonce video?
After the hack into Sony's computers by North Korea and their subsequent threats, Sony should have given North Korea the biggest collective middle-finger possible. Perhaps showing the movie for free, or maybe finding a way to distribute a couple of million copies of the movie to the North Korean people.
Like I said earlier, it is the entertainment industry's special job, and PRIVILEGE, along with a free press, to push back against hate and oppression and injustice. If they can't say screw-off to a terrorist, who can they now say it to??? They have lost their credibility. Maybe Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen want to think about switching record labels. Everyone knows that capitulating to a bully only serves to embolden the bully. Well ... maybe not everyone ... a lot of people in the current White House don't seem to know that either.
if you haven't noticed, entertainers and entertainment companies love criticizing our faults here at home, but they don't have the same set of cojones when it comes to the rest of the world now do they? It seems that there's something cool about saying "we suck," but their bravery fails them when it comes to identifying the evils of the rest of the world, which are often much greater than anything we face at home.
And make no mistake, the very top decision makers at Sony International had to sign off on this. This act of gutlessness has tarnished all of Sony's brands, including Sony Records as well. what a shame. What a bunch of wussies.


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With new lines continuing to pop up around the globe, adding new capacity at a steady clip, the spunbond sector of the nonwovens industry is no doubt continuing to grow. Today the range of spunmelt forming technologies represents more than 40% of the overall production of nonwoven fabrics. According to INDA, the North American Nonwovens Association, growth in this sector of the market is forecast at 8.5% per year until 2009 and is expected to replace carding as the main source of web forming by 2012.
Industry statistics pinpointed worldwide production of spunbond/spunmelt fabrics (including SMS) at 1.84 million tons in 2004. In terms of raw materials, polypropylene represents the primary base of spunbond webs with hygiene ranking as the largest spunbond/spunmelt application area.
And, spunbond/spunmelt is the benchmark for efficiency in that it takes producers from base raw material in pellet form to finished fabric. In the case of other nonwoven technologies, there is an interim step to go from raw material to fiber and then to finished fabric. According to spunbond producers, with other technologies, even the process taking them to finished fabric isn’t as fast or cost-efficient.
In the recent past there have been a number of spunbond and SMS capacity expansions worldwide, which have led to a certain amount of overcapacity. Yet, due to the removal of older spunbond equipment and the continuing replacement of carded fabrics with spunbond, this overcapacity has not had as significant an impact as was initially expected. For the most part, suppliers offering innovative products who have established long-term relationships with customers are not experiencing significant capacity issues.
Considering the amount of existing and new capacity in this market, supply and demand is obviously among the chief concerns of just about everyone involved in the spunbond sector. Pieter Meijer, vice president, marketing and sales, Europe for leading spunbond producer Fiberweb described the capacity situation as manageable but declined to offer any details on the company’s plans to add any new lines. “We are continually evaluating the opportunity and need for new lines,” he said.
According to Ian Disley, general manager of Saudi producer Advanced Fabrics (SAAF), the significant amount of new capacity that came onstream in 2006 made it a buyers’ market for commodity hygiene products. “The large companies were able to negotiate lower prices on tender bids, despite the increases in polymer costs. Spunbond/spunmelt remains the most cost-effective way of producing fabric and the ability of the latest machines to produce high quality materials at low weights will increase pressure on those who have not continued to invest over the last five years.” For its part, SAAF’s second spunmelt line is in the process of being commissioned with certain fabrics already being produced. This line will more than double SAAF’s capacity for its strategic markets of medical and hygiene fabrics.
Based in Jordan, Specialized Industries Co. (SPIC) holds a similar view of the worldwide capacity of spunbond nonwovens. “The market is doing a great job of absorbing the new quantities, especially in our region, for the time being,” observed Firas Haddad, SPIC’s marketing officer.
From the perspective of Fibertex, headquartered in Aalborg, Denmark, capacity readings, and especially new lines, vary across different world regions. “We feel new line start-up is clearly differentiated between geographies,” stated Etienne Ficht, director business development for Fibertex. “South America is growing the most; Asia also, but somewhat less. Europe and the U.S. have slowed in their capacity growth.” Mr. Ficht went on to say that the industry has done a decent job of absorbing new capacity; however, recent capacity increases are felt in the form of fewer non-contract orders.
Fibertex has no plans to install new lines in the immediate future and is concentrating instead on the new line the company brought onstream in Aalborg at the close of 2006. “Our growth has been five-fold since 1997 and we intend to aggressively pursue our search for growth opportunities in markets and applications and by means of organic growth or acquisitions,” Mr. Ficht said.
For leading producer PGI, Charlotte, NC, spunbond growth can be attributed to ongoing hygiene penetration, particularly in developing regions in addition to expanding use of spunbond in other applications. “When we look at the spunbond market on a global basis, there continues to be a shift toward spunbond in most categories,” opined Dennis Norman, vice president strategic planning and communication for PGI. “It’s a more efficient and cost-effective process from the end use perspective. When you look at where the most demand and growth is occurring, it really is on the spunbond side. We’ve seen continued growth, even in mature markets,” he said.
This may explain why the company is bullish about the growth plans it has in place, which include several new spunbond initiatives. At its Cali, Colombia facility, a new line, which was fully installed at the end of 2005, is now operating at capacity. In Mooresville, NC, a line was installed in May 2006 and is operating, as planned, at full capacity utilization. “Our new 2006 lines are meeting all expectations. In general we are seeing continued strength and growth in demand in the spunbond market in all of the regions where PGI is active,” commented Mr. Norman. He added that the company operates spunbond lines in the U.S., Latin America and Asia but, at this point, not in Europe.
The start-up curve on the new line in Suzhou, China was a bit different for two reasons. First, the line is geared toward medical applications, whereas our other two recent expansions [in Colombia and North Carolina] focus more on hygiene with some industrial components. Also, the line is larger; it’s a five-beam SMMMS system that took a little longer to come onstream. It came on in 2006, was ramping up through the second half of the year and will be in full swing in 2007.”
In addition, PGI is underway with plans to build a new line in its Argentinean facility. The new spunbond line will be under construction this year and is expected to be up and running by the end of the year. “So we are looking at continued new spunbond capacity growth going into 2008,” said Mr. Norman. He added that PGI currently operates 23 spunbond lines around the world, including its new Chinese line, and PGI’s upcoming Argentinean line is set to bump this number up to 24 when it comes online this year.
Helping to spur all of this growth in the spunbond market are new requirements from customers for lighter basis weights, improved strength and softness and better barrier performance. As always, the optimal value/performance equation is key.
“Producing spunbond and SMS has become an art,” commented Mr. Haddad of SPIC. “Meeting customers’ expectations with an acceptable product is a basic service. The challenge is to produce a premium product and provide excellent service. Strength and softness are both part of the product’s specifications, so they are key requirements and will always be.”
“Lower basis weights are mostly driven by cost reductions,” said Mr. Ficht of Fibertex. “Runnability at the converter as well as at the nonwoven producer are limiting factors, better distribution and improved performance per gram allow possibilities that were unheard of only a few years ago.”
On the hygiene side, PGI has witnessed a continued ramp-up of technical specifications toward stronger, lighter fabrics. “At some point, some of the much older technology reaches limits where it can’t keep up,” said Mr. Norman. “This has been going on for a while but what’s new are applications on the industrial end (outside of hygiene, medical or wipes) that were either using older technology or not nonwoven fabrics and are now starting to use spunbond. We continue to see spunbond used in composites with other nonwovens and traditional fabrics.”
Mr. Norman added that even the newest spunbond hygiene lines have their limit. “You tend to be reaching some of the physics limitations of being able to produce the lightest weight fabric at the right commercial speeds to gain the efficiency that you need. The incremental step changes on basis weights probably aren’t going to be as dramatic as what we’ve seen over past five years. We’ve seen some pretty dramatic drops—from 17 to 13 to 10 gsm.”
Leading spunbond machinery specialist Reifenhäuser GmbH has also witnessed a continued trend toward lighter fabric weights. “The major trend for all high volume markets (such as hygiene, medical and wipes) is toward lower fabric weight but keeping the same performance,” observed Bernd Kunze, managing director. “Resin prices as the main cost factor will drive this further. Modifications that allow spunlaid to offer more loft, variable MD/CD, higher barrier properties and softness are available and will penetrate the market,” Dr. Kunze forecast.
In the building and construction market, Helsinki, Finland-based Ahlstrom has seen demands for increased strength, which are being answered by unique fabric combinations. “Composite products made of nonwovens laminated with a reinforcement layer (scrim, net or film) is an ever-growing trend in building markets,” observed Christian Glaenzer, Ahlstrom’s general manager nonwovens, development and technology. “Softness remains a key requirement as soon as the product is going to be in contact with human skin (as in baby hygiene, feminine care, adult incontinence, protective garments, surgical drapes and gowns).”
In addition to strength and softness, other properties are also being demanded by customers, particularly in the hygiene market. In response to these requirements, Fiberweb has developed a range of spunbond fabrics that also deliver high elongation, extension and even stretch and recovery. “All these features need to be delivered at an acceptable price to the markets that use these fabrics,” pointed out Mr. Meijer. “ In addition to these products, he indicated that more environmentally friendly products are in increased demand. This can be in the form of spunbonds made from polymers that are based on renewable resources, recycled polymers and lower weight fabrics that reduce the usage of scarce resources. “However,” Mr. Meijer said, “this new trend for environmentally friendly fabrics and the need for the best value and adequate cost can be in conflict with each other.”
More & More Medical
Beyond personal hygiene, another growing market for spunbond and spunmelt fabrics is medical, where applications for these fabrics range from isolation garments to fully treated alcohol repellent/anti-static surgical drapes and gowns. “The medical market is still increasing its use of spunbond/SMS but with the emphasis on boosting quality and standards without increasing price,” noted SAAF’s Mr. Disley. “There is also a trend toward combining spunmelt fabrics with other nonwovens to combine the best properties and economics of different substrates.”
Another prominent player in the medical market is Ahlstrom, which has seen increased SMS demand driven by medical market growth. “The average medical market growth is approximately 6% where 45% is projected to be polypropylene spunbond/SMS,” noted Mr. Glaenzer. A year ago Ahlstrom formed a strategic alliance with SAAF and additional plans to add more spunmelt capacity are under study.
“Global opportunities continue to arise in the spunbond/SMS area due to product quality and technical capabilities. Product characteristics such as higher fluid barriers, lighter basis weights and cost-effectiveness drive the growing popularity of quality spunbond/SMS fabrics,” Mr. Glaenzer added.
Mr. Ficht of Fibertex characterized the medical sector as being at a turning point. “We feel that the ‘shake down’ between suppliers and technologies is still not complete. Spunbond clearly has the upper hand. Logistical considerations and compatibility between hygiene spunbond lines and medical requirements remains a challenge. The hygiene industry tends to approach the medical market with a focus on technology,” he said.
Speaking of technology, when it comes to spunmelt machinery, several important technologies are leading the way. From Rieter Perfojet SAS, Montbonnot, France, the PERFObond 3000 produces uniform, polypropylene-based, high quality spunbond fabrics. The machine can create finished fabric weights between 9 and 150 gpsm and offers productivity up to 300 kg/h/m/beam.
Recently the PERFObond 3000 has been adapted for processing polyester and PLA polymers, a move that is expected to allow producers to expand into areas such as filtration, geotextiles and automotive.
Rounding out its spunmelt product range, Rieter also offers the Emblo meltblown system, which can be integrated between spunbond towers to produce SMS webs. Due to its unique design, the system reduces cleaning time and installation costs and offers quality benefits. The company also offers the SPUNjet system, which combines spunlaid and spunlace technologies and features the advantages of softness and bulk.
Also specializing in spunbond/hydroentanglement is German machinery supplier Fleissner GmbH, which is now part of Trützschler Group. According to the company’s Alfred Watzl, director of sales and marketing, this combination of technologies is gaining ground. “As a manufacturer of bonding and finishing lines for spunbond, we see growth in spunbond/spunlace technology. (Fleissner just recently supplied a new five meter-wide line.) As spunbond /spunlace technology just became available, the market is absorbing all of these products with enthusiasm. Spunbond/spunlace technology will offer excellent opportunities to open up new markets even if not all of the fields of application are identically suited for this technology. New applications, especially for composites, will certainly be developed instead so that hydroentangled spunbonds will gain a leading market position,” he said.
Another interesting development on the machinery end is Nordson Corporation’s sale in October of its Fiber Systems Group to Saurer Ltd.’s business unit, Neumag, which offers a range of turnkey systems for the production of spunbond nonwovens. With Nordson’s meltblown technologies, Neumag strengthens its position in spunbond and composite structures by integrating the spunbond technology and adding stand-alone meltblown solutions.
Moving forward, producers have generally high hopes for the spunbond and spunmelt market and expect growth to come from a variety of drivers. By 2010, production of these materials is expected to be in the range of 2.8-3.0 million tons, with a trend towards replenishable raw materials such as biopolymers and pulps. “We believe that spunbond and SMS fabrics will find further applications in new disposable and durable applications,” predicted Fiberweb’s Mr. Meijer, “either alone or in combination with novel bonding techniques and in composites. Fiberweb is investing in the appropriate product and technology development.”
As Fibertex’s Mr. Ficht sees things, critical challenges to overcome as the market moves forward are raw material supply, cost control and maintenance of current profitability levels. Despite these obstacles, he foresees a solid position for spunbond and its variants, continued growth and, most probably, the emergence of a strong competitor to Reifenhäuser.
SAAF’s Mr. Disley agreed, suggesting that due to the economics of spunbond/spunmelt, this market will continue to grow but the key will be continued investment. “It is likely alternative machinery suppliers will become credible alternatives to the Reifenhäuser ‘default’ option of the last few years and technologies will probably merge to produce hybrid products. Each time excess capacity becomes available, it is likely to be taken up by moves into alternative markets as fabric producers leverage the economic advantages of spunbond/spunmelt over other nonwovens, and possibly conventional textile technologies.”
Fleissner’s Mr. Watzl sees potential for spunbond fabrics beyond traditional markets and fibers. “Today mainly polypropylene spunbonds dominate, but other polymers such as PET, PLA and viscose-spunbond have gained attention in technical applications as well as hygiene, medical and hospital end uses (PLE, viscose: biodegradable and flushable). Spunbonds with or without pulp and other fibers (staple) in composites as two- or three-layer products will dominate the future wipes market. Other market segments such as building, roofing, geotextiles, household, filtration automotives and coating substrates will be positively influenced by the new bonding technologies.”
Wrapping things up, PGI’s Mr. Norman said that, moving forward, a key focus for PGI is differentiation and process flexibility. “Our focus has been on developing proprietary processes on the medical and industrial sides. Everybody with the same assets shouldn’t be competing on an even level.” According to Mr. Norman, differentiation has become increasingly important as a result of heightened “asset standardization.”
“If you look back five to 10 years ago, there were a number of different lines out on the market. Reifenhäuser (Reicofil) is the market leader from a vendor perspective, obviously, so as more people are buying similar lines, they end up being able to make very similar fabric,” Mr. Nordson said. “That’s why we’re focusing on our own capabilities rather than relying solely on vendor capabilities. As more people are putting in more lines,we are focusing on innovation toward trying to extend the asset life because if your asset is only good until the next generation comes along, then the value equation for the industry turns sour pretty quickly.”
Is there a possibility of increased process flexibility as a result of more aggressive equipment vendor competition? According to PGI, the answer is yes. “There is a lot of development going on at Neumag (Sauer). They are one of the leading vendors that is trying to develop to compete and we’re all for it. We’ve got a very strong relationship with Reifenhäuser (Reicofil) and they are critical to our strategy going forward; however, asset pricing continues to go up and the value equation continues to get more challenging. So, if there are other alternatives in the market from a technological basis, we have better opportunities to look at what flexibility we might have in processes, to focus more on differentiation and become less dependent on just one vendor.”


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Everyone’s been expecting the Panasonic GH-6 for a couple years now, so when a teaser came out, hopes were high… until Nokishita leaked the spec sheet, indicating it wasn’t even a GH-6, but rather a warmed-over Mark II of the GH-5. But at least there was a press announcement to look forward to. Until that day came and went, turning out to be an announcement to the press about when they’d announce the warmed-over camera.
Above is the newly-leaked front image of the upcoming camera, courtesy Nokishita.
The GH-6 appears to still be in play, likely as a development announcement, but even with that there appears to be an effort to knock down expectations. Specifically, it is rumored to not have 8K recording, but “superb” 4K. Well, at least it’s superb.