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Belfair Elementary School Student ‘Shirts’ the Issue of Becoming an Entrepreneur with Unique T-Shirt Design Business
- February 14, 2011
Kyler Doutrive (left) and his mother, Cosha Hayes, show off an original T-shirt design at Belfair Elementary School
There’s a third grader at Belfair Elementary School who seems like any other student enrolled there. But beneath his maroon school uniform shirt, he hides something that makes him extraordinary. It’s a T-shirt featuring his own unique graphic design as part of his Kyler D Company.
At just 10 years old, Kyler Doutrive has begun his own on-line business selling graphic T-shirts emblazoned with his designs. Currently, the Skayte T-shirts, named for his fondness for skateboarding and skateboard-related clothing, are beginning to turn a profit for Doutrive and his mother, Cosha Hayes.
Hayes, who oversees the business side of the Kyler D Company through her own business, Bran Nue Productions, said they are starting to get large orders for groups instead of just individual orders for one shirt. In fact, the Baton Rouge Parish Police Department has contracted with Kyler D to create a design and have T-shirts printed up for two charity walks – eight shirts for the Breast Cancer Awareness Walk on February 19 and more than 100 shirts for the upcoming Heart Walk.
Although he’s inspired by skateboarding, Doutrive only has one full-sized board. He wants to buy more and expand his collections of “finger” toy skateboards. “I saw them doing skateboarding tricks on TV, and it looked like fun,” he said. “I’ve been interested in it for about a year now.” Hayes said Doutrive had wanted to do a clothing line for kids for awhile. Then his aunt came up with the name Skayte, which is emblazoned on his premiere T-shirt now. “I don’t think he expected to do a real business,” Hayes said. “He’s still kind of feeling his way through it. At this point, we have two designs for the shirts that he has drawn. We’ve sold close to 30 at between $10 and $11 each, but interest is growing. We’re just starting to see a profit.”
Kids and adults can order the Skayte T-shirts on-line for the price plus shipping costs. There will be more styles to choose from very soon, too. “I like to draw. I like coloring and creating things that no one else has done before,” Doutrive said. He’ll be adding some artwork with faces and characters to his T-shirt line next. Once he makes the design, a printer scans it in and has it printed on the shirts.
To kick off the business last month, the company hosted a lunch for friends and family, took promotional photos in front of his logo, gave out gift bags, arranged for basketball and other games for guests and had Doutrive sign autographs. He signs his posters all the time and keeps his Sharpie pen in his backpack. Next up: He’ll be designing stickers and decals for skateboards.
In the meantime, Doutrive attends school and helps draw, write and layout an original comic book, “Funny Chaps,” with his brother. “I want to be an artist one day. My daddy and brother like to draw, too, and we do on the weekends and in restaurants,” he said.
“I’m very proud of him – seeing him get publicity. It really says something,” Hayes said. “He wants to do this, and I support him and it took off from there.” In the meantime, all that money goes into a savings account so Doutrive can one day study art in college. For more information, log on to www.skayte.com.
Principal Brister in Washington, D.C., to Accept McKinley Middle School’s Second Blue Ribbon Award
On Tuesday, November 13, 2012, Principal Herman Brister (pictured, left) and the school’s Teacher of the Year, Lynn Williamson (right), were in Washington, D.C., accepting McKinley Middle Academic Magnet School’s National Blue Ribbon Award from U.S. Department of Education’s Director of National Blue Ribbon Schools Program Aba Kumi (center). The event, which recognized some 314 schools from across the United States, was held at the Omni Hotel. Click herefor story.
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Downtime the Focus of Holiday Prep
Have you started preparing your website for the holidays? If not, you may be a step behind of your competition.
This is because a new study from cloud hosting company Rackspace reveals that 81 percent of e-commerce decision makers (CIOs, CTOs and IT chiefs) are taking steps to improve the online shopping experience for the 2012 holiday season, such as increasing computing capacity, redesigning websites and addressing security concerns.
In fact, the survey found that one of the biggest challenges that retailers are taking precautions against is website downtime, with 77 percent taking steps to reduce or eliminate this problem during the holiday season. Perhaps the reason this issue is top of mind is because downtown posed a problem for 18 percent of survey respondents last year, with losses ranging from hundreds of thousands of dollars to tens of millions. Furthermore, 45 percent of the respondents estimate they would lose between $500,000 and $5 million if their company’s site went down for a single day during the holiday season, which could be the reason why 28 percent of respondents are working with their third-party hosting provider to make sure customers can keep shopping online during high-traffic periods.
“Many online retailers have found out the hard way in 2011 that their internal IT systems and resources weren’t ready to handle large spikes in holiday sales,” said Adrianna Bustamante, who works in commerce channel development for Rackspace. “With 45 percent of retailers expecting holiday sales to grow this year, it is important that retailers take steps to improve the online shopping experience and reduce or eliminate downtime during the all-important holiday season.”
Taking steps to improve site performance is very important, especially with the expectation that this year’s holiday sales will be better than last year. Other findings from the study reveal that 29 percent of retailers are preparing for the season by hiring more IT staff, while 37 percent will use load testing, 33 percent will build up website redundancy and 48 percent will increase computing capacity to improve their site’s shopping experience.

domain: news


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China sentences Aussie drug trafficker to death
BEIJING • An Australian man has been sentenced to death in China for drug trafficking, a development that could further escalate tensions between the two countries.
Media reports have identified the man as Cam Gillespie, arrested in 2013 with more than 7.5 kg of methamphetamine in his checked-in luggage at Guangzhou’s airport.
“We are deeply saddened to hear of the verdict,” the Australian foreign affairs department said. “Australia opposes the death penalty, in all circumstances”.
Tensions between the two sides have worsened since Australia called for an inquiry into the source and spread of the coronavirus which emerged in China’s Wuhan city.
2 US states probe Amazon business methods
WASHINGTON • State investigators in California and Washington are examining Amazon’s business practices, the Wall Street Journal and New York Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The reports said California is reviewing Amazon’s practices on selling its own products in competition with third-party vendors. Amazon said its in-house products account for only about 1 per cent of its total annual retail sales.
Washington is also reportedly probing if Amazon makes it harder for sellers to list their products on other websites.
Amazon is already being investigated by the European Commission for its dual role as a marketplace and as a rival.
North Korea warns South of retaliation
SEOUL • The sister of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has warned of retaliatory measures against the South that could involve the military.
Ms Kim Yo Jong warned in a statement carried by KCNA yesterday: “By exercising my power authorised by the Supreme Leader, our Party and the state, I gave an instruction to the… department in charge of the affairs with (the) enemy to decisively carry out the next action.”
This came days after Seoul took legal action against defectors who have been sending things such as rice and anti-North leaflets, usually by balloon, over the heavily fortified border or in bottles by sea. North Korea has denounced the defectors as “mongrel dogs”.


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Tentative Trade Deal With China Could Boost Agriculture, But Details Remain Vague
The United States will not implement increases to tariffs on Chinese goods that were scheduled for Oct. 15. This slight easing of trade tensions follows productive meetings in Washington last week that President Donald Trump says led to a tentative trade deal.
Details are scarce and nothing has yet been signed.
Trump emerged from talks on Friday saying China will buy between $40 billion and $50 billion in U.S. agriculture products, if the deal goes through.
That’s significantly more than any single-year of U.S. exports to the Asian giant. China bought $29 billion worth of U.S. agriculture products its peak year, but just under $20 billion in 2017 before the trade war began. Last year, amid tariffs and trade tensions, it imported $9.2 billion worth of U.S. agricultural goods.
It’s not clear whether the new proposed number reflects an annual promise, or total purchase over some other period of time, says Wendong Zhang, an agriculture economist at Iowa State University.
“The Chinese probably left more wiggle room,” he says. “There’s a really big number, but there’s no timeframe tied to it.”
Still, Zhang welcomes what he calls important first steps, though he says the two sides are each still angling to come out ahead.
“The trade war has been elevated so much,” he says, “in the end, both countries need to find a way, that, in some respects, both leaders (can) go back and say we won the trade war.”
Zhang says a shallow agreement on big issues like technology transfer and intellectual property protections is likely. If significant increases in Chinese imports come to fruition, he says likely beneficiaries will be U.S. corn, ethanol and beef.
Overall, Zhang sees the announcement as a positive sign that’s offering some hope, but now farmers and others will wait to see whether the threat of December tariffs is also lifted and what ultimately gets formalized into a deal. And Zhang adds that U.S. soybeans, which were hurt most by the tariffs, will probably never regain the size of the Chinese market they once enjoyed.


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Here's the story from 7/8/12 on msnbc.com:
Meatball company recalls 300,000 pounds of meat over listeria risk -By Lily Kuo
(Reuters) - A New Jersey meatball manufacturer is recalling more than 300,000 pounds (136,000 kg) of meat products due to possible listeria contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service said on Saturday.
Bridgeton, New Jersey-based Buona Vita Inc was recalling about 324,770 pounds of frozen, ready-to-eat meat and poultry products produced in May, including meatballs, chicken and beef patties, and loafs of chicken and beef, the agency said in a written statement.
The FSIS described the health risk related to the recall as "high," according to the statement.
Representatives for Buona Vita, which says on its website that it produces 200,000 pounds (90,000 kg) of meatballs a day, could not immediately be reached for comment.
The possible contamination was discovered through testing by FSIS and the Ohio Department of Agriculture, the FSIS statement said. There have been no reports of illness related to the company's products, it added.
Listeria bacteria thrive in low temperatures. Outbreaks are usually associated with deli meats, unpasteurized cheeses and smoked refrigerated seafood products. Listeriosis has a long incubation period, with symptoms sometimes not showing up until two months after people consume tainted foods. Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, sometimes preceded by diarrhea and other gastric problems.
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012
200,000 pounds of meatballs a day??? How lazy are we? And STOP with the "I don't have time, frozen is more convenient" crap. I don't buy it. LOOK at what happens when we rely on our conveniences. We get Listeria outbreaks. Was it worth it? Was the 30 minutes every few weeks you saved worth it? NOPE.
These problems go away when we grow our own food, make our own food, buy locally, and cook once in a damn while. Make your own meatballs, people.


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E-Sport has become professional
There is no doubt, video games are no niche anymore, reaching broad audiences and bringing in billions of dollar in (advertising) revenue.
Almost all competitive games, from FIFA to LOL, DOTA2 or Starcraft have professional leagues now, with professional players that have management and sponsoring deals.
Further proofing the mainstream-nes is the Gamescom. Last year, well over 300.000 people came to Cologne to play games.
A ever-changing business
Although the industry is growing, it’s also a very dynamic one where you have to evolve to survive.
Smartphones had a massive impact on the game studios as free to play apps with in-app purchase completely changed how their business model works. It didn’t take long until this became common practice in major AAA titles for gaming consoles and PC as well, against the will of the players who feared ‚pay to win‘ would become the go-to approach. Fortnite is probably the biggest success story of this approach, though. It’s free to play, everyone can download it, but to get custom costumes, dances, and skins you need pay. Which many do. The developer Epic has made close to $4 billion from the game already
, but revenue is slowly declining as the hype as reached its peak. Now, everyone is turning their attention to cloud gaming as the new big thing that could happen to the video game industry.
Coming in hot: Apple Arcade
Another interesting approach comes from Apple, which beginning in fall, will offer a sort of subscription services for games called Apple Arcade
. It’s supposed to cost 4,99€ a month and will give you access to exclusive titles
by award-winning studios and game makers
The German market
To compete in these challenging conditions, you need money, And in Germany this also means public funding.
Just like with movies but to a much lower degree, the German government used to provide funds to game studios. At least for now
. In the federal budget for 2020, the 50 million EURO that were provided last year, were cut (in comparison: the German movie industry received 340 million EURO in 2018 through various public initiatives
). Why is unclear, especially as it’s also part of the agreement between SPD and CDU to help the German video game industry reach international level. Andreas Scheuer, Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Urban Development, attended the opening ceremony at Gamescom and promised to fight for funding, but given his reputation, this is hard to believe.
Lastly, a link that I wanted to share for a while now that fits in perfectly today.


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BURLINGTON, Vt. — FairPoint Communications is being sued by a Vermont company that says FairPoint misled it and tried to steal its customers.
The suit, by Caleidoscope Communications Inc. of Burlington, says FairPoint tried to use Caleidoscope’s confidential information after initially promising to expand the company’s contract work.
FairPoint, which disputes the claims, says it severed its relationship with Caleidoscope after the contractor sought to negotiate a more favorable contract.
The suit, filed in December in U.S. District Court in Burlington, says FairPoint engaged in “misrepresentations, deceptive conduct and unfair trade practices to intentionally abuse its contractual and business relationship with the plaintiff.”
It seeks a court injunction to stop what Caleidoscope says are ongoing efforts by FairPoint to use Caleidoscope’s confidential information to steal customers.
FairPoint, which is asking that the lawsuit be dismissed, said in court filings that Caleidoscope tried to pressure FairPoint to enter a too-costly agreement.
For years, Caleidoscope did sales work and provided technical assistance work to Verizon Communications Inc., which sold its northern New England landline business to FairPoint last year.
The transfer has been less than seamless.
The Charlotte, N.C.-based company, which recently posted a $76.1 million fourth-quarter loss, suffered a 12 percent loss of its residential and business lines in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont in 2008.
It has also suspended divided payments to investors and asked regulators for permission to postpone an $11.25 million debt payment.
Beth Fastiggi, a FairPoint spokeswoman, says FairPoint decided after buying the Verizon business not to use independent sales agents — like Caleidoscope — anymore.
“We believe that our own local employees can better serve our local markets and, given the appropriate resources, will have the commitment and ability to increase our share of the local business market,” she said.


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Stand up for the facts!
Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy.
We need your help.
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Most of the time, Canada isn’t the biggest target of ire for American politicians. But in a speech to governors on Feb. 26, President Donald Trump took aim at the country’s neighbors to the north, calling out the balance of trade between the two nations.
On trade, Trump said, "we lose a lot with Canada. People don't know it. Canada's very smooth. They have you believe that it's wonderful. And it is, for them. Not wonderful for us; it's wonderful for them."
Determining what’s "wonderful" for either the United States or Canada is too amorphous a term for us to rate this statement on the Truth-O-Meter. Still, we thought it offered a good opportunity to see more broadly whether the United States is getting reamed by Canada on trade. (The White House did not respond to an inquiry for this article.)
As it turns out, the data doesn’t show that -- and experts don’t think much of Trump’s implication.
"The president's statements are, at best, misguided, if not plain wrong," said Steven Globerman, director of the Center for International Business at Western Washington University.
For starters, if you include both goods and services, the United States actually had a trade surplus with Canada in 2015 and 2016, the two most recent years for which this statistic is available. In other words, Canada for the past two years has bought more from the United States than the United States has bought from Canada.
That’s a winning, not a losing, proposition for the United States. Here’s the trade balance between the two countries over the past three years:
Note that the measurement we used was for the combination of goods and services. That’s the most complete look at foreign trade, and the one most favorable to the United States -- so it’s also not the one that trade critics cite most often.
Those unhappy with current trends in trade tend to highlight the balance of trade in goods, since that subset of trade is the one that shows just how much manufacturing activity the United States has lost to foreign countries in recent years. By contrast, the United States has fared much better in services -- enough in 2015 and 2016 to reverse the deficit in goods.
"Over the past 30 years, we have lost jobs in manufacturing, which produces goods, but gained a large number of very good jobs in service sectors and intellectual property," said Matt Gold, an adjunct law professor at Fordham University. The latter category includes financial and insurance services, legal services, business consulting, and entertainment -- fields in which "the U.S. dominates the world," Gold said.
There’s a political connection here. Trump garnered significant support in the Rust Belt, which has been hit hard by trade deficits in goods, and he fared poorly in coastal and metropolitan areas that have benefited from the surge in services.
It’s worth adding that a significant historical driver of the U.S. trade deficit in goods with Canada has been crude oil -- a commodity that the United States has usually preferred to buy from Canada when possible, rather than from overseas suppliers that might be subject to greater political instability. It’s also a product for which the United States is increasingly less reliant on foreign sources overall.
"After you take out oil products from Canada’s exports to the U.S., the U.S. runs a massive trade surplus plus against Canada," to the tune of $49 billion in 2016, said Daniel Trefler, a professor of economic analysis and policy at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. "If we are talking about manufacturing jobs, the U.S. is a huge winner."
Even if you look at goods alone, Canada is hardly the most obvious villain when comparing U.S. trade deficits with countries around the world. While there is a U.S. trade deficit with Canada, it’s modest -- less than one-30th the size of the deficit with China, for instance.
In 2017, the shortfall in goods between the U.S. and Canada amounted to about 3 percent of the goods exchanged between the two countries. By contrast, it was about 20 percent for U.S. trade overall, noted I. M. "Mac" Destler, a professor of public policy at the University of Maryland and author of the book American Trade Politics.
Further undercutting Trump’s point, U.S. exports to Canada are extraordinarily important for the U.S. economy.
Looking at goods and services together, the United States sent $321 billion to Canada in 2016, making it the single-biggest destination for U.S. exports, or 14.5 percent of the global total:
Meanwhile, Canada’s share of U.S. exports is even bigger if you look at goods alone -- 18.3 percent, or almost $282 billion.
Trump’s comment ignores the importance of such exports to the U.S. economy, experts said.
"Suppose the rest of the country suddenly could not trade with New York state and New England," said Dean Baker, senior economist with the liberal Center for Economic and Policy Research. "Of course those states' economies would suffer, but so would the rest of the U.S. I would say it's essentially the same story with Canada. We would both suffer if there were a major contraction of trade."
To be sure, there are irritants in the U.S.-Canada trade relationship, including a long-running dispute over Canadian softwood lumber.
"None of the North American Free Trade Agreement countries are pure, including Canada," said Dan Mitchell, a libertarian economist. "Canada still has protection for poultry and dairy, and it is semi-notorious for cultural content mandates -- you can't let Canadian kids get too much U.S.-created media."
Still, U.S. exports to Canada in agriculture in 2016 accounted for less than 6 percent of U.S. manufacturing exports (not including energy), Trefler said.
Such issues "are really trivial compared to the gains we get overall from trade," Baker said. "The difference between our legitimate complaints minus their legitimate complaints would be exceedingly small."
President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with the members of the National Governors Association at the White House on Feb. 26, 2018. (AP/Evan Vucci)
Donald Trump, remarks at the White House to governors, Feb. 27, 2018
U.S. Census Bureau, "Exhibit 19: U.S. Trade in Goods by Selected Countries and Areas - Census Basis," accessed Feb. 27, 2018
U.S. Census Bureau, "Exhibit 20: U.S. Trade in Goods and Services by Selected Countries and Areas - BOP Basis," accessed Feb. 27, 2018
U.S. Census Bureau, "Trade in Goods with World, Seasonally Adjusted," accessed Feb. 27, 2018
U.S. Trade Representative, main Canada page, accessed Feb. 27, 2018
Email interview with Steven Globerman, director of the Center for International Business at Western Washington University, Feb. 27, 2018
Email interview with I. M. 'Mac' Destler, professor of public policy at the University of Maryland and author of the book American Trade Politics, Feb. 27, 2018
Email interview with Dean Baker, senior economist with the liberal Center for Economic and Policy Research, Feb. 27, 2018
Email interview with Dan Mitchell, libertarian economist, Feb. 27, 2018
Email interview with Daniel Trefler, professor of economic analysis and policy at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, Feb. 27, 2018
Interview with Matt Gold, adjunct law professor at Fordham University, Feb. 27, 2018


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A recent Forrester survey of the buying intentions of North American companies for supply chain software and services has some illuminating and alarming results for the channel.
The study of 603 technology decision-makers and enterprises found that only 26 per cent of respondents will be buying supply chain applications this year. Generally, the bigger the company, the greater the odds are they will be buying.
Author Noha Tohamy found that only 11 per cent of respondents said their company will hire a consultant or systems integrator for supply chain work this year, identical to the number who say they’ll be retaining a consultant or VAR to do an RFID pilot or implementation.
This may at first blush seem to be bad news for partners of applications from firms such as SAP, Oracle, SSA, Microsoft Dynamics, i2 Technologies and Progress.
But there is some good news for resellers. Compared to other enterprise applications, Nohamy writes, the appetite for hosted supply chain management (SCM) is limited.
Only 17 per cent of respondents said they are currently using a software-as-a-service model to do some SCM, which is slightly less than half the adoption rate (34 per cent) of hosted enterprise resource planning applications and almost that (31 per cent) for customer relationship management applications.
However, at companies where the IT staff is less than one per cent of the total employee base — largely small businesses — 25 per cent of respondents are using hosted SCM. Software-as-a-service adoption decreases as the size of company increases.
Furthermore, as companies interested in SCM increase in size, their willingness to hire system integrators increases.
Nine per cent of companies with 5,000 or fewer employees said they’d hire a VAR for supply chain management work, but 14 per cent of those with 5,000 or more employees would retain outside help.
Similarly, writes Tohamy, for RFID pilots and implementations, eight per cent of companies with under 5,000 employees would use a system integrator, compared to 15 per cent of those with more than 5,000 staffers.
It’s no surprise, then, to find there are a limited number of VARs with supply chain practices in Canada. Mid- and small-sized businesses may be spending the most on IT these days, but not in this market.
SCM is a tough sell, especially if a businesses partners aren’t demanding it. Pressure from Wal-Mart, for example, is one reason why retailers are among the leaders in SCM adoption.
The answer, however, is not for system integrators to give up, but to keep slogging. Detailed case studies and pilots will whet the appetites of medium-sized companies, especially those in industries that a savvy VAR can sense are about to embrace the technology.


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India’s 1.3 billion people are heading toward a robust digital transformation. India with more than 500 million internet users, is home to the world’s second largest internet user base. Improving standard of living in cities and increasing urbanisation in remote areas has paved a way for internet access and mobile phones into the lives of Indians and this is leading the country toward a Digital transformation. Recent trends in various online sectors such as digital payments, e-commerce spending and online gaming have been rising tremendously. Social distancing norms and lockdowns owing to COVID-19 further accelerated this growth.
Unified Payments Interface (UPI) registered around 1.56 billion, the highest number of payments transacted for the first time ever in the month of August as per the data provided by National Payments Corporation Of India (NCPI). The monetary value of the transactions was 2.85 lakh crore. The month of July recorded around 1.49 crore transactions with a monetary value of 2.91 lakh crore, which was the highest until July.
The fear of exchanging currency notes, various sectors returning to normalcy and changing patterns of consumers’ spending can be attributed to the massive growth witnessed by the digital sector. COVID-19 is a major force behind this digitisation as small businesses and consumers have now started to understand the importance of online transactions. They are more comfortable in making payments digitally rather than cash.
The digital payments sector is staring at a future which is full of growth as Indian consumers are striving to change their payments habit. In a recent report by RedSeer Consulting , digital payments market is expected to grow at over three-folds to Rs. 7,092 trillion by 2025 from a market value of about Rs. 2,162 trillion in 2019-20. Also, the number of current users will increase by 5 times, rising from 160 million to around 800 million by 2025.
COVID-19 has changed the way India shops. People are now buying more online than from physical stores and malls. As per Unicommerce, a SaaS-based e-commerce platform, the e-commerce sector recovered by over 90% as compared to its pre-lockdown order volume. The recovery was much faster than anticipated, it further noted.
The reasons behind this are manifold. The anxiety of going out and standing in lines, patiently waiting for their turns are making people use online shopping places. Thus, the convenience, accessibility to the internet and need for safety are major drivers behind this shift in consumer behaviour.
There’s also a change in the way people use these sites to shop from. Earlier these e-commerce sites were mostly used to buy either fashion or electronic goods. More People are now buying personal hygiene and personal care products. Recently, the introduction of quick delivery services and heavy discounts by many of these sites prompted consumers to buy groceries and food staples digitally.
Initially, ecommerce sites also faced a lot of issues and was finding it difficult to ensure a stabilised supply but with cooperation from the government and a phased unlocking in the country helped them overcome the problem.
India found a way to kill its boredom during the strongest lockdown imposed in the world. India’s gaming industry registered a 30% year-on-year growth. Paytm First Games which offers more than 100 games on its platform said its user base grew 200% during the lockdown period and it registered 90 million apps downloads.
India is one of the top gaming markets amongst emerging global economies with around 628 million gamers. The Indian online gaming industry is expected to be worth $1.1 billion dollars by 2021 as per a Google-KPMG Report.
India’s young population makes it an attractive choice for gaming companies. In India, where the average age is just 29 and with 75% of the population under the age of 45, the gaming industry has a lot of untapped potential.
With the improving standard of living and deep penetration of mobile phones and Internet, India comes second to the US when it comes to downloading games. A booming gaming sector is also responsible for the fervent trend. The number of online game development companies have risen to 275 in 2019 from just 25 in 2010.
Cheaper data, affordable mobile phones and a growing tech savvy population are the main drivers behind this transformation. Even the pandemic is responsible for the current scenario in many ways. In any way, the changes in the digital environment will do wonders for the country.


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Quibi had 1.7 million downloads in the first week
According to company owner Meg Whitman, the short video streaming app Quibi reached 1.7 million downloads in the first week.The application can play clips in 10...
According to company owner Meg Whitman, the short video streaming app Quibi reached 1.7 million downloads in the first week.
The application can play clips in 10 minutes or less and launch on April 6.
Quibi is only available on smartphones and tablets, but the company said it is accelerating plans to make the application playable on TVs as well.
In an interview with CNBC, Ms. Whitman said she did not think the launch was hurt by the coronavirus pandemic.
Ms. Whitman said: "It turns out that there are moments between people at home." Ms. Whitman was the CEO of HP. "We don't actually think this will hurt us."
Some analysts have predicted that Quibi will be difficult to attract users due to the corona virus blockade. With so many people staying at home, people hope that viewers will like longer videos, which can be viewed on larger devices.
Quibi's "Quick bite" video is advertised as an ideal choice for a short break or commute.
The application's screening time is 10 minutes or less, and the movie is divided into multiple parts. The viewer can watch the program on the mobile phone, and the Turnstile function can make the video displayed in full screen in portrait or landscape.
But the company is planning to quickly track a program so that Quibi videos can be viewed on a larger device-this will make it easier for the group to watch the program together.
Quibi started its service with a 90-day free trial period, which means that nearly 2 million users have not yet paid for the application.
In the US and Canada, Quibi will provide an ad-supported version of the app for $ 4.99 (£ 3.99), and an ad-free version for $ 7.99.
Although the company initially stated that it will not be able to enter other markets until later this year, the ad-free version has already been launched in countries such as the United Kingdom and Germany.
Whitman said that the average age of the Quibi audience so far is more than 30 years old.
The number of subscribers is slightly higher than the 1.5 million forecast by analysts. However, this number is still far less than the 10 million registered users that Disney + received on the first day.
Ms. Whitman and Quibi founder Jeffrey Katzenberg said they want the app to compete with TV and movie streaming services such as Disney Plus and Netflix, and social media video platforms such as YouTube and Tiktok.


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by Bill McBride on 7/28/2011 10:36:00 PM
Thursday, July 28, 2011
From the NY Times DealBook: Debt Ceiling Impasse Rattles Short-Term Credit Markets
Over the last week, big banks and companies have withdrawn $37.5 billion from money market funds that invest in Treasury debt and other ultra-safe securities, the biggest weekly drop this year. Meanwhile, in the vast market for repurchase agreements, in which many financial firms make short-term loans to one another, borrowers are beginning to demand higher yields.From the WSJ: Default Worries Dry Up Lending
Banks ... are scrambling to design emergency plans to avoid a trading logjam in the huge markets for Treasurys and short-term funding facilities if Congress fails to raise the U.S. borrowing limits by next Tuesday's deadline.From CNBC: Will Debt Feud Clip Future Economic Growth?
Trading executives from the largest Wall Street dealers agreed on a Wednesday conference call, conducted by the industry trade group the Securities Industry Financial Markets Association, to a number of procedures to trade Treasury bonds if the U.S. misses a payment on its debt.
Washington's political feuding over the deficit has damaged business and consumer sentiment in an already weak economy ...I've heard comments from several executives this week that business has slowed sharply over the last week. People are getting nervous.
I've been trying to ignore the charade - obviously Congress will agree to raise the debt ceiling and pay the bills - but it is now impacting the economy.
Posted by Bill McBride on 7/28/2011 10:36:00 PM


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Things just keep getting worse for Volkswagen.
The German automaker is now facing dozens of consumer lawsuits related to the massive emissions scandal that engulfed the company last week, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The basis of the complaints, most of which are class action suits, is that consumers who purchased VW’s cars now face rapidly declining vehicle resale values because their cars don’t have the reduced carbon footprint the automaker claimed they had.
Eventually, it is expected that the class-action suits will be consolidated into a multi-district class action suit, the word for when cases from multiple jurisdictions are brought together, the report said.
VW recently released a statement on the issue: “The affected customers will be informed in a first step that the emissions performance of their car can be improved in the near future. All the vehicles are technically safe and drivable.”
- The Fall of Roe and the Failure of the Feminist Industrial Complex
- What Trump Knew About January 6
- Follow the Algae Brick Road to Plant-Based Buildings
- The Education of Glenn Youngkin
- The Benefits and Challenges of Cutting Back on Meat
- Here's Everything New on Netflix in July 2022—and What's Leaving
- Women in Northern Ireland Still Struggle to Access Abortion More Than 2 Years After Decriminalization


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Accounting & Tax
Credit & Capital
Risk & Compliance
World Bank Lowers 2021 Growth Forecast to 4%
There is a “material risk” that setbacks in containing the pandemic could result in a much weaker recovery, the bank warns.
P&G Scraps Deal to Buy Billie Razor Startup
The termination of the proposed merger comes after regulators alleged it would cause "significant harm" to consumers.
Google Workers Form a Union
The ‘minority union’ will have limited power under U.S. labor law until it is supported by a majority of employees.
Airlines Expect Turbulent 2021
Last year's falloff erased two decades of passenger growth.
Amazon-Backed Health Venture to Shut Down
The Haven venture with Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan apparently ran into logistical problems after promising to disrupt corporate health care.
MGM Offers $11B for U.K. Gaming Firm Entain
The owner of Ladbrokes rebuffed the proposal, saying it "significantly undervalues the company and its prospects."
China Vows Retaliation After NYSE Announces Plans to Delist Telecoms
The incoming Biden administration has struck a more conciliatory tone following a Trump executive order.
SEC Backs NYSE Plan for Non-Traditional IPOs
The commission voted to allow companies to raise new capital through a “direct” listing, giving them an alternative to paying hefty underwriting fees.
Short Sellers Fleeing Netflix, Alphabet, and Other Tech Names
Some big-name tech stocks are among the five stocks that have experienced the most net short-covering in the past 30 days.
Justice Department Sues Walmart Over Opioid Prescriptions
The retail giant called the suit a "transparent attempt to shift blame" and vowed to defend itself in court.
IAC to Spin Off Vimeo
The transaction would be the eleventh such spinoff for the media giant.
Peloton Bulks Up by Buying Precor for $420M
The deal will enable Peloton to add production capacity for its at-home fitness equipment amid increased demand fueled by the coronavirus pandemic.
Get the latest news from the CFO
Updated daily and weekly


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Packaging supplier Plastic Coated Papers installs second Davis-Standard extrusion coating line
Canadian PlasticsPackaging Plastics Processes
The installation comes as the Pensacola, Fla.-based company positions itself for future expansion.
Plastic Coated Papers Inc. (PCP) recently installed its second Davis-Standard LLC extrusion coating line, to complement its existing Black Clawson Converting Machinery Division machine – known as “the tank” – as the Pensacola, Fla.-based company positions itself for future expansion.
Founded in 1986, PCP is an employee-owned company that supplies local and international markets with customized polycoated products such as polycoated paper, freezer paper, foil coated paper, and pre-laminated sleeve stock used in food service, construction, home products and other industries.
And while the company is 34 years old, the existing Black Clawson machine is actually 60 years old. The story of PCP’s founding is quite a tale. The company got its start in after founders David Pitts and the late David Mayo, along with 15 colleagues, got together and pooled their resources to start their own business. They were working for paper-coating company St. Regis when the company sold to Champion, resulting in closure of the facility and sale of the company’s Black Clawson extrusion coating machine. Mayo and Pitts, along with three other supervisors and 12 production workers, decided they knew enough about the business to take a risk and go out on their own. Mortgaging their homes and spending all of their private savings, they purchased the extrusion coating line, found a property a few miles down the road, bought the land with a lease-to-buy plan, and built a 10,000-square-foot facility. By May of 1986, PCP was in business, and the company has since expanded its original building to 75,000 square feet and has sales of US$20 million.
“We knew we could make a quality product, had excellent relationships in the industry, and a good polyethylene supplier,” said David Pitts. “Our success was built on a lot of hard work and dedication filled with long hours and many blessings. Our customers came first and we got the machine at a good price. We started production running five days a week, but quickly moved to seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Within five years, we recouped our investment.”
According to Pitts, “the tank” has always been a real workhorse, requiring only occasional feedscrew, die, and barrel replacements. The company will continue to run this line in addition to the new Davis-Standard extrusion coating line, which is capable of speeds up to 1,500 feet per minute with maximum untrimmed web widths of 74 inches. Davis-Standard supplied all components including extruder, die with APC, automatic unwind/splicer, pre-corona treater, extrusion coater/laminator, auxiliary unwinds, slitters, post/corona treater, automatic winder/roll changer, Integrator supervisory control system, and associated equipment.
The line features the latest automation technology, Pitts said, and will add a new level of efficiency and production speed to PCP’s current operation.
It’s only the latest in a series of changes PCP and its staff have seen over the decades. “We use a lot of computers and cell phones and don’t have as much personal interaction, but the business is largely the same,” Pitts said. “We have better control over the variation in polyethylene resin and the paper, and are able to achieve more consistency. There are a lot of different polymers and product additions to the marketplace.” And for Pitts himself, things have come full circle in a sense. “As a boy, my first job was at a pine seedling nursery, pulling grass from around the trees,” he said. “Today, one of our customers uses our plastic-coated material to wrap seedlings and protect them until planting.”
Davis-Standard is headquartered in Pawcatuck, Conn., and is represented in Canada by AuxiPlast Inc., of Sainte-Julie, Que.


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Satoru Iwata, president of Nintendo, has apologised to purchasers of the Wii U over the hefty download required on launch day in order to access online features.
If you missed out on getting a Wii U, and were hoping to get on the waiting list with Gamestop, you're out of luck. No more names are being added to their list.
Nintendo follows in the custom of re-designing their console with the newly announced Wii Mini. Jump in for specifics and screenshots of the system's new style.
The founder of Atari has gone on record stating that he believes the Wii U, Nintendo's recently-released next-generation gaming console, will not be a success.
The shipment of Assassin's Creed III meant to supply the Netherlands, Beligum and Luxembourg has been stolen, leaving three entire countries without their ACIII fix.
Nintendo is releasing a book about the Legend of Zelda and they've just made a trailer for it – check it out here.
With all of the hype and glam surrounding the release of Black Ops II, it's no wonder that the sales are enormous. On it's midnight launch alone, the game sold over one million copies. But with the reviews and opinions beginning to role in, impressions have not been so high.
A video game art exhibit from the Smithsonian American Art Museum is traveling to Seattle, where it will make an appearance in February, highlighting art in games over the past 40 years.
Game software and hardware sales continute to decline, and during the month of October, sales have dropped 25%, possibly due to people holding off their purchases before the big holiday titles are released.
Dragon Quest X: Rise of the Five Tribes Online, a game that was released by Square Enix for the Nintendo Wii console last August 2012, now has more than 40,000 players with over 70,000 copies sold in Japan.
Activision has launched Transformers Prime on Nintendo game systems, bringing the world of the animated TV show to life in an interactive brawler experience.
With the launch of Assassin's Creed III only days away, the game's North America launch trailer has hit the internet. Check it out!
London's City hall has opened a free art exhibition which for the next week will display the best art the world of gaming has to offer, from several big gaming brands based in the UK.
CEO of game developer Sensory Sweep Studio, has just begun a jail sentance for not paying his employees, and will be spending the next year behind bars.
Nintendo has lowered the price of its Wii gaming console to $129.99 and has bundled two classic Wii games, making owning the motion control system that changed the industry an option for even more people than before.
According to Nintendo's Chief operating officer, Reggie Fils-Aime, the Wii-U represents an excellent value as a gaming platform, and this won't be changing anytime soon.
Nintendo has just announced the Wii U gaming console's price and availability details for Japan in a Nintendo Direct online broadcast moments ago.
The upcoming third installment of Assassin's Creed will offer new content each month as part of a much more extensive multiplayer experience.
THQ has launched Darksiders II, the sequel to the popular apocalyptic action-adventure game.
At the first day of Siggraph 2012, which is taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Khronos group announced the new iterations of OpenGL API for conventional computers and consoles (OpenGL), as well as mobile devices (OpenGL ES).


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Sabic 2016 profit down 4.58pc to $4.77bn
Q4 GAINS JUMP 47.73pc
Saudi Basic Industries Corp (Sabic), a leading petrochemicals groups, reported a net profit of SR17.91 billion ($4.77 billion) for 2016, compared to SR18.77 billion ($5 billion) for 2015, a decrease of 4.58 percent.
Shurooq, Dubai SME sign deal to develop sector
The Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has signed a MoU with Dubai SME, the agency of the Department of Economic Development in Dubai mandated to develop the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector.
Iran aims to boost shipbuilding capabilities
Iran plans to further boost its shipbuilding capabilities and compete with leading global firms in the industry, said a senior official from Iran Shipbuilding and Offshore Industries Complex Co (ISOICO).
European firms to implement Iran port project
Nine European companies will implement Iran’s Shahid Rajaei Port development project, said a senior Iranian official.
Iran eyes automotive plant in Duqm
Iran and Oman are continuing their talks to set up an auto manufacturing plant in Oman's Duqm, according to a top official.
Iran-Iraq gas pipeline set to begin operation
Iran will kick off the operation of a pipeline supplying natural gas to Iraq on Tuesday (January 24), said a senior Iranian official.
Panasonic to launch GenNext technology at Intersec
Panasonic, a leading provider of integrated security and video surveillance solutions, is set to showcase its wide range of security products and solutions including its next generation i-Pro Extreme at Intersec 2017 security expo in Dubai, UAE.
Qatar's non-oil economy set for solid growth
Qatar’s efforts to broaden the economic base away from a reliance on hydrocarbons are gaining pace, as indicated by the country’s non-oil growth figures, said a new report.
Saudi retail giant Savola swings to Q4 net loss
RETAIL SEGMENT HIT
Savola Group, one of Saudi Arabia’s leading retail and food holding companies, made a net loss of SR964 million ($257 million) in the fourth quarter compared to a net income of SR515 million ($137 million) for the same period in 2015.
MEA to spearhead $2.2trn packaged food industry growth
UAE, SAUDI TOP MARKETS
The global packaged food market is expected to reach $2.2 trillion by 2020 mainly driven by the demand from the Middle East and Africa (MEA) market and Asia-Pacific region, said a report released ahead of a key industry event in Dubai UAE.
Abu Dhabi Ports offers IALA training courses
Abu Dhabi Ports said it has conducted the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation & Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) level-2 training course for the first group of external trainees from local maritime entities in the UAE.
Dana unveils big Automechanika Mideast plans
US-based Dana, a global leader in highly-engineered driveline, sealing, and thermal-management technologies, is set to introduce its strong lineup of aftermarket products at 2017 Automechanika editions to be held in the Middle East region.
Lite-Tech Industries, a joint venture between Masharie, a subsidiary of Dubai...
Al Dahra Holding and Abu Dhabi Ports have launched the Gulf region’s largest and...
King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), a special economic zone on Saudi Arabia’s Red...
Wilo Middle East, a leading pump manufacturer based in Germany, showcased its building...
Panasonic has introduced its latest range of tank type vacuum cleaner MC-YL series for...
Germany-based Kärcher, a world leader in innovative cleaning technology solutions,...
List of organisations, councils, chambers of commerce and other construction related bodies from various countries:
Gulf Industry Fair
The Gulf Industry Fair is the highly acclaimed trade exhibition for the GCC which has established itself as the unrivalled marketing platform for specialist industrial products and service providers, distributors and agencies representing the key segments of: Aluminium, Industrial Processes and Manufacturing, Steel and Alloys, Energy & Environmental Protection, Logistics & Industrial Facilities, Ports & Maritime Industries, Training for Industry and Industrial Safety & Security.
View Gulf Industry Fair Virtual Tour


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Chevrolet Bolt EV From Above - Official via GM
The recently unveiled Chevrolet Bolt EV concept car is - as it turns out - a joint project of GM Australia, GM Korea and GM North America.
GM Australia was responsible for the design of the Bolt EV and we believe that they placed it with a solid foundation for further more production-ready versions.
"Australian design and engineering has been showcased for a second time at the 2015 Detroit motor show, with the new Chevrolet Bolt EV concept crossover debuting just hours after the Buick Avenir show car.
The new Chevrolet Bolt EV concept was constructed in GM Australia’s design studio in Port Melbourne, with the Australian workshop one of only two in the world with the capability to bring such a project to reality."
"The shape of the Bolt allows it a roomy looking cabin, with a flat floor further enhancing the space. Interior treatments include slimline seats, a floating centre console, and a 10.0-inch touchscreen interface."
GM Australia design director Richard Ferlazzo stated:
“Bolt EV clearly reflects GM’s collaborative approach to global design programs. Our design centre is no longer focused on cars only driven on Australian roads.”
“We are a global design center and as such we have the talent and capability to lead, collaborate and support global programs for international markets such as this,”.
“The products revealed at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit clearly demonstrate our role within GM Design today and showcase the breath of talent we have here in Australia, enabling us to work on different vehicles for different brands in different countries.”
For us, the important finding is that GM Korea was involved in the Bolt EV project, which could mean that they're working on next-generation batteries to achieve 200 miles of range together with LG Chem.
Chevrolet Volt EV Concept
Chevrolet Bolt EV Concept


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Bank of America leads â¬1bn financing for baking buy
Bank of America is arranging a debt package worth nearly â¬1bn ($1.3bn) to fund Irish food group IAWSâ $561m (â¬448m) purchase of US specialty baked goods group Otis Spunkmeyer, its largest to date.
Merrill Lynch and JP Morgan advised Otis Spunkmeyer on its sale to IAWS, which has bought the business from Code Hennessy & Simmons, the Chicago-based mid-market buyout firm that acquired Otis Spunkmeyer for $275m in 2002. The two Wall Street banks provided the financing for that deal.
The takeover, which values Otis Spunkmeyer’s enterprise value at $561m, includes $340m for the company’s equity, with additional payments to stock and option holders based on performance milestones. IAWS said it expects the deal to be earnings enhancing from completion, expected at the end of this month.
IAWS' previous largest acquisition was the €130m purchase of French bakery company Groupe Hubert, from Apax Partners, in December 2004.


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There's a saying that goes something like "Never pick a fight with someone who will fundraise off your win." Actually, I don't know if that's a saying, but it is a cautionary tale that perfectly describes the problem with Amazon's social media strategy lately. The company's official Twitter account has been picking fights with politicians on Twitter, and there's no way it will end well.
It's not that politicians are particularly sympathetic targets, but they're just better at this kind of fight. And, by this kind of fight, I mean the type where specific facts aren't nearly as important as the overall narrative being told.
Politicians literally do that for a living. That alone makes it a pretty risky tactic in general. Even if you score a win, you're just giving your opponent material for a fundraising email, giving them the fuel to come back for another fight. It's just not worth it.
Let me be clear--I'm not suggesting Amazon is necessarily wrong. That still doesn't mean this is the right approach.
Take, for example, the company's response to the news that Senator Bernie Sanders planned to visit Alabama, where workers are voting whether to unionize a distribution center there. My colleague Bill Murphy Jr. wrote about Dave Clark's response, which was then retweeted by the company's official account.
Or the company's fight with Senator Elizabeth Warren, who said she intended to pass legislation to close loopholes used by companies like Amazon, to be sure they pay more in taxes. Amazon responded that it was Warren who writes those tax laws and the company only follows them.
The feud escalated from there, with Warren suggesting that Amazon should be broken up so it isn't "powerful enough to heckle senators with snotty tweets." Amazon then took exception to the suggestion that Warren wanted to break up the company so that it could no longer criticize her.
It also previously responded to a New York congressman about a tweet referring to reports that Amazon workers are having to use bottles to relieve themselves because of their harsh working conditions. Amazon's official account responded, "You don't really believe the peeing in bottles thing, do you?"
Except, it turns out, it very well might be true, according to reports from various news sources. Whether it's happening or not, Amazon's very public response--with such a condescending tone--puts it in a pretty tough position.
I don't know anyone who thinks that people who work for Amazon should endure working conditions that would require them to pee in a plastic bottle. For that matter, there are very few people who would argue that Amazon "shouldn't" be broken up who don't already work at Amazon.
Mostly, there are people who think that's a good idea, and then there is everyone else--who couldn't really care less. The latter group just wants whatever they order online to show up in front of their door the next day. What they don't want is to feel like they're giving their money to a greedy, ornery corporation that is out of touch with their lives.
To make things worse, Recode reported that the tweets came directly in response to a directive from Jeff Bezos, Amazon's CEO, who felt the company wasn't pushing back hard enough on critics. If you're responding emotionally because you're upset someone is saying mean things about you or your company, you've probably lost sight of the bigger picture, and you've definitely lost the battle.
By picking these fights, Amazon isn't really winning points from anyone. At the same time, it's a bad look for a company that millions of people already trust to deliver everything from books, to toilet paper, to shoes, to the latest gadgets.
Usually, a much better approach is to try and persuade people--to win them over. Sure, in this particular case, there's probably no amount of persuasion that would turn Sanders or Warren into an ally for Amazon. That's why the fight was never going to be worth it in the first place.
It's actually a powerful lesson for every leader--don't pick fights where, even if you don't lose, the other person wins anyway. Especially since you're likely to help their case in the process. If it is a battle worth fighting, instead of condescension and snark, try a little humility and humor.
Even if you don't win over your opponent, you're far more likely to persuade everyone else who might be watching. In the end, that's a much bigger win.


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PARIS — Luxury goods lifted first-quarter sales at PPR, the French conglomerate that owns Gucci Group, as the firm's less profitable retail operations continued to post more tepid growth.Sales in the three months through March 31 advanced 5 percent, to 4.45 billion euros, or $5.88 billion, led by a 10.7 percent gain in sales at the Gucci Group luxury division and beating most analysts' consensus expectations, PPR reported Thursday. Adverse currency exchange conditions and soft sales in Japan were the main blights on the performance, reflecting similar trends from key luxury players LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Compagnie Financière Richemont.Both of those factors weighed significantly on Gucci as the brand's sales advanced 4.4 percent, to 530.5 million euros, or $701.8 million, instead of the 10.2 percent sales would have grown at comparable exchange values. Currency conversions were made at average exchange rates for the period.Gucci's high-margin leather goods category was affected the most by the still weak Japanese market, Jean-François Palus, PPR's chief financial officer, said on a conference call. Overall sales of Gucci leather goods slipped 0.9 percent in the quarter, with Japan presenting the most difficulty. At comparable exchange, leather goods sales gained 5.3 percent."Japan is a tough environment," said Palus, adding Gucci was working to turn around its performance in the island nation by trading up assortments, creating products exclusive to the market and pumping more excitement into the shopping experience.Gucci's ready-to-wear and shoes were more robust and both posted 24 percent gains. Timepieces also showed signs of improvement.Palus said the reception at the recent Basel fair of the new women's Signoria and men's Pantheon watches was "positive" and that the category posted high single-digit growth in the first quarter.Outside Japan, Gucci's overall sales grew 10 percent in Europe, 18 percent in North America and 10 percent in Asia, including 85 percent growth in China, reflecting a more propitious luxury market outside Japan.Gucci opened one store in the quarter, in the Chinese city of Shenzen, bringing its total count to 220 units. Six more stores are planned in the rest of the year, mostly in Asia.Bottega Veneta, quickly becoming a star for PPR, said sales gained 45 percent, to 84.8 million euros, or $112.2 million, as it opened new stores and logged growth in all product categories. Sales of leather goods at Bottega leapt 55 percent, while rtw and shoes advanced 56 percent.Bottega, whose sales rose 57 percent in Japan, fared better in that country than Gucci due to its "very exclusive" positioning and products that "target high-wealth customers" who are less "price-sensitive," said Palus. The brand recently opened its largest store in the world in Tokyo's Ginza district.Bottega's sales rocketed 77 percent in Europe, 33 percent in North America and 43 percent in the rest of Asia. Overall, the brand opened four stores in the quarter, bringing its total network to 101 units.Yves Saint Laurent continued to show signs of improvement as sales rose 30.2 percent, to 55.2 million euros, or $73 million. Palus said the brand's momentum had brought its breakeven target "nearer," but he declined to give a date for the house to edge into the black.He reiterated YSL would emerge from the red with annual sales of about 300 million euros.Both retail and wholesale sales logged robust gains at YSL, 18 percent and 97 percent, respectively, marked by a "growing" contribution by leather goods. Sales grew 38 percent in Europe, 47 percent in North America and 49 percent in Asia, excluding Japan, where YSL sales improved 10 percent.YSL Beauté's sales gained 7.4 percent, to 152.3 million euros, or $201.5 million, on the back of good performances from YSL-branded products and Stella McCartney fragrances, and good business in Europe and Asia. Palus said trading in the U.S. and Japan remained "challenging."The group's other brands — Balenciaga, Boucheron, Sergio Rossi, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney and Bedat & Co. — logged 22.4 percent growth, to 114 million euros, or $150.8 million. Palus singled out double-digit gains at Balenciaga, Boucheron, McCartney and McQueen.PPR's lower-margin retail operations were less stellar, especially the Redcats mail order division, where sales fell 1.9 percent, to 1.05 billion euros, or $1.39 billion, dented by strong competition.Sales at the Fnac music and book chain gained 5.1 percent, to 1.07 billion euros, or $1.41 billion, and sales at the Conforama furniture retailer grew 6 percent, to 801.6 million euros, or $1.06 billion. Sales at PPR's CFAO African trading division gained 10.7 percent, to 593.7 million euros, or $785.6 million.PPR stock rose 0.3 percent to close at 127.89 euros, or $169.19, in trading on the Paris Bourse.
“I design by visualization. I see things, and most of the time they’re not practical to actually make, and what I’ve found here, it’s like anything’s possible. This is the first time that I’ve made a sole unit in two months. That process usually would take six, so here’s a difference,” said @virgilabloh of the first sneaker sample he created for @louisvuitton, pictured here. Abloh spoke to WWD about his debut collection for Louis Vuitton, creating @kendalljenner’s #metgala outfit and redefining the heritage brand. Read the full story on WWD.com. #wwdfashion (📷: @alfredo_piola)
The world’s largest producer of denim @iskodenim is sharing the strategy behind its product development process. Read our full interview with ISKO’s product development manager Baris Ozden on the company’s extensive research practices, upcoming denim trends and the latest material innovations on WWD.com. #iskodenim
“I genuinely fell in love with water, I fell in love with Fiji, I fell in love with the whole life that we lived for those few months,” says @mrsamclaflin of filming for his new movie “Adrift” with @shailenewoodley. The 31-year-old actor spoke with WWD about his upcoming projects, meeting Jamie Dornan and working with co-star Woodley. #wwdeye (📷: @jamstoker)
3 years ago, fans of the late singer Aaliyah started calling for a collaboration with @maccosmetics. With the strength of social media — including mock ups of products — 25,000 people signed a Change.org petition for a limited-edition collection, and MAC couldn’t ignore the buzz. Tomorrow, MAC will unveil MAC x Aaliyah, a tribute to the singer who passed away nearly 17 years ago. Head to our stories to preview the new collection, which was worked on by Aaliyah’s family and inspired directly by her makeup bag. #wwdbeauty
Artistic director @clarewaightkeller will be dedicating @givenchyofficial’s fall 2018 couture show in Paris on July 1 to house founder Hubert de Givenchy, who passed away in March at age 91. Givenchy said the collection would be “an homage to his iconic creations, technique, and personal lexicon” and a “celebration of his timeless elegance and grace.” Head to WWD.com to read more. #wwdfashion (📷: Delphine Achard)
La Double J made a name for itself with its vintage-inspired prints, but for resort, designer JJ Martin has ventured into new territory: enter rich jewel toned solids and decadent embellishment, in the form of appliqués, crystals and sequins. #wwdfashion #resort19 #ladoublej
This Just In: J. Crew Group has named Johanna Uurasjarvi as its chief design officer.
Uurasjarvi succeeds Somsack Sikhounmuong, who left the company last September. Tap the link in bio for the full report. #wwdnews
“She came into my hotel room and she was like, ‘I have Chanel and Christian Dior.’ She was like, ‘Chanel likes you.’ And I was like, ‘I’m going to start crying,’” breakout star Maddie Hasson tells WWD of her styling sessions Molly Dickson. “I really like classic, elegant things. I love the way Anna Wintour dresses.” Read more about Hasson’s role in @impulseseries on wwd.com. (📸: @jgreenery ) #wwdeye
@virgilabloh revealed he's working with Australian stylist and
Vogue Australia fashion director @christinecentenera for his debut @louisvuitton men's collection, which will be presented in Paris on June 21. Centenera met Abloh while both working with Kanye West, where she consulted on his all his runway collections since his debut spring 2012 women's wear show. Read the full story on WWD.com. #wwdfashion #wwdnews (📷: @asussmanphoto)


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Interested in learning what's next for the gaming industry? Join gaming executives to discuss emerging parts of the industry this October at GamesBeat Summit Next. Learn more.
Everysight announced today its Raptor augmented reality smartglasses will go on sale for $650 and up. The glasses are aimed at cyclists, triathletes, and other tech-savvy early adopters.
The Haifa, Israel-based company said the glasses can provide riders with real-time information about how fast they are going and what they need to do to keep a set pace. The glasses are available for preorder today.
The Raptor will come in three colors (all black, black with green trim, and white with blue trim) and will be priced at $650 for the 16GB version and $700 for the 32GB model. Additionally, Everysight will offer accessories such as a handlebar control system, RX frames, and tinted lenses. A limited number of people who preorder will be able to get an early adopter price of $500 for the 16GB and $550 for the 32GB version. Shipments will begin in February 2018.
Due to regulatory approval processes, registrants in Europe will receive invitations in January 2018 and will be able to preorder Raptors at the early adopter price, with shipments beginning in April 2018.
The Raptor overlays sharp, high-resolution yet semi-transparent information — such as heart rate, cadence, speed, power, distance and more — with the rider’s view, keeping that information in front of the rider’s eyes at all times. It has built-in GPS navigation and includes Bluetooth connectivity so that you can view phone notifications while on the go.
The device also has a built-in look-and-shoot HD camera with two microphones and data overlay. That lets riders capture their cycling experience, whether they’re on a training ride, a joy ride, or in a race. They can easily share the images with others after the ride.
The device offers eight hours of battery life, and it responds to voice commands and touchpad swipes. It comes with a companion app on iOS or Android.
“Our legacy in AR Systems goes way back as being spun of out of Elbit Systems, the worldwide defense company leader in Helmet Mounted Systems for Fighter Jet and Rotary Wing pilots,” said Asaf Ashkenazi, CEO of Everysight, in a statement. “We have been working on consumer-specific AR technology for more than 15 years. And long before Google, Apple, and Facebook, we saw and invested in AR’s transformative potential to alter the way we receive and ingest real-time data and information from the world around us. Today, we are excited to bring Raptor to market and cannot wait to show off our upcoming product lineup for 2018 and beyond.”
VentureBeat's mission is to be a digital town square for technical decision-makers to gain knowledge about transformative enterprise technology and transact. Learn more about membership.


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Fiducial, an international provider of professional outsourcing
services for small businesses and individuals, reports that after
attending the 44th Annual International Franchise Association Franchise
Convention in Las Vegas earlier last month, the company remains
ahead of the franchise pack thanks to its technological advances
and proprietary systems while the state of franchising appears as
strong as ever.
Ranked number one among the top new franchises of 2004 by Entrepreneur
magazine, Fiducial has gained steady ground as a franchise because
more end users, clients and franchise candidates understand its
concept as a one-stop shop for small business owners for all their
back office needs. Franchise hopefuls believe Fiducial is a visionary
leading the pack as a franchisor in its Business Financial Services
category and that fact was validated at the IFA convention which
enjoyed its highest turnout ever.
Franchisors attending the four-day event networked with their peers
to gauge how they measured up with industry standards in terms of
recruitment, operations and staffing. Although Fiducial is still
fairly new on the franchise scene, Howard Margolis, Director of
Field Operations and Development, noted that theres not many
things the company is doing that the industry would find counteractive.
From a technology standpoint-with our ESolutions and web-based
applications-what were bringing to franchisees as a proprietary
system is probably ahead of where most of the franchisors are because
of our resources, he said.
Highlights from the convention included how the industry has matured
over the years in the way franchisors recruit franchisees with franchisors
no longer selling franchises but awarding them. Franchisors are
looking for quality people and understand the importance of bringing
in people where the system is right for them and have tightened
their selection requirements accordingly.
Greater emphasis is being placed on understanding how important
it is for franchisor-franchisee relationships to set the tone in
the beginning so each party have the same level of understanding.
If this issue is not addressed, the parties will be dedicating a
lot of resources to human resources and financial resources to correct
that relationship which takes them away from their philosophical
and visionary goals.
Increased attention is also being focused on the concept of national
accounts and how they are becoming more readily recognized by franchisors
as bringing value added to their business.
This can provide national account assistance from products
to services like ours which allows their franchises to focus on
their core services, Margolis said. Whats good
about that-one franchisor assisting another-is you have a great
understanding of the dynamics of what takes place in a franchise.
Prospective franchisees, on average, will experience an entrepreneurial
window about once or twice in a lifetime and they will either grab
it or not. Franchising has existed through all stages of the economy.
Although theres a larger pool of candidates available now,
Margolis says, that the individual still has to have the entrepreneurial
spirit and willingness to take a risk.
Fiducials franchising efforts include providing client opportunities
through its call center initiatives and an outside sales program.
Call centers these days cannot be a stand alone so they must
be integrated with other marketing activities because its
harder to reach businesses that have caller identification and other
Since potential clients have less time to speak to vendors, outside
sales efforts must adapt by reaching the end user through direct
mail, follow up calls and cold calling. Outside sales are more successful
when followed by direct mail, networking and asking for referrals
by a team of salesmen who knock on about 100 doors a week.
Whether its a phone call or a knock on the door, the bottom
line for small businesses contacted by Fiducial representatives
is finding out how the end user can use the services and how these
can benefit them. Fiducial can show entrepreneurs how to stay profitable
and allow them to dedicate energies to growing their business instead
of getting bogged down with administrative tasks that take them
away from what they do best.
Added Margolis, Were looking for opportunities. Theres
no other way to do it. Technology will never replace salesmen because
theres nothing like face-to-face.


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Chennai: Cash strapped Reliance Group, in a bid to raise funds to pay off debt is reportedly looking to lease out its headquarters in one of Mumbai’s prime suburbs. The property is under control of the flagship company of the group, Reliance Infrastructure Ltd.
“Reliance infrastructure plans to monetise its marquee Reliance Center Office located in Santacruz East, Mumbai,” the company said in a statement.
Reliance will continue to own the premises and proceeds from the leasing deal will go only for debt reduction, the company said.
Companies under the Reliance Group banner helmed by Anil Ambani have faced tough times with credit ratings downgrades and auditing issues.
The company headquarters is spread over 0.7 million square feet and accommodates more than 3,000 employees, a Reliance executive is reported to have said.
Anil Ambani is said to have come to the decision as Reliance Infrastructure has become one of the most indebted companies under the Reliance umbrella and has sold off assets in the past two years to make matters ease a bit.
Reliance Infra currently has debts of Rs 15,000 crore ($2.17 billion) and Anil Ambani had said last month that he would sell off all its road assets as it seeks to become a debt-free company by next year. It must be noted that Reliance Infra also operates the company’s fledgling defence business.
With Reliance Infrastructure reporting heavy losses in its fourth quarter and with its auditors raising red flags, casting doubts over the manner in which the firm had accounted for several transactions, the firm, according to experts has much to deal with.
Anil Ambani’s financials business, Reliance Capital Ltd also came under scrutiny when global audit firm PwC resigned citing irregularities in the books of accounts. Reliance Industries’ market capitalisation is Rs 8.04 lakh crore.
|Investors are valuing Reliance Retail way above those of its listed peers as valuations crossed Rs 2.5 lakh crore last week in the unofficial market.
It is 75 per cent more than the market capitalisation of seven listed rivals put together, stated reports.
Reliance Retail shares, which started trading in the past two weeks in the unlisted market, are currently trading between Rs 475 and Rs 500 apiece. These shares belong to employees of the company, said brokers.
The valuations are higher than those of Avenue Supermarts, owner of DMart, Future Retail, Trent and Spencer’s put together.


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Orbitz Worldwide, the online travel agency, will now be able to distribute its content via the Amadeus GDS.
Expedia, the parent company of Orbitz, has signed a long-term extension of its partnership with Amadeus, which now incorporates Orbitz’s air, hotel, car, rail and cruise content. The agreement previously covered content from the Expedia, Hotwire, Travelocity, Wotif, Expedia Affiliate Network and Egencia brands.
“Expedia’s commitment is to deliver an exceptional air shopping and booking experience by making it easy for travellers to find exactly what they want. Amadeus helps Expedia to be the very best place to shop for flights,” said Greg Schulze, Expedia’s senior vice president of global tour & transport.
This latest agreement builds on the companies’ existing partnership, which includes “Upgrade Options” for several airlines and pre-paid checked baggage offerings.
“Expedia is a major online travel player. We are excited to expand our partnership and to continue working together to power innovative travel experiences to delight consumers worldwide,” said Holger Taubmann, Amadeus’ senior vice president of distribution.


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The "Recycle the Jug" campaign is designed to drive sustainable behavior change across the state by addressing misconceptions to ensure plastic milk jugs make it into the recycling stream.
A 2021 perceptions study conducted by a dairy industry coalition revealed while 70% of California consumers said recyclability is important to them, nearly half (47%) found the milk jug difficult to recycle and 32% of those consumers reported they didn't trust it will actually be recycled.
"California consumers are dedicated to doing their part to recycle but many don't understand that the HDPE used for plastic milk jugs is one of the most widely accepted plastics in recycling programs across the United States. It's highly desirable by recyclers because of its value and ability to be turned into new materials," said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB.
"We want to encourage consumers who buy milk in the jug to make sure that jug makes it to the recycling bin to help keep plastic out of landfills."
Working with the dairy, retail and recycling industries, the Recycle the Jug campaign encourages consumers to take three steps to recycle their plastic milk jugs – Pour it. Cap it. Bin it. A new Recylethejug.com site launched in collaboration with the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) provides information on milk jug and other recycling. And a new recycling icon with the website address will soon appear on milk jugs at retail stores across California as a reminder to consumers to recycle the jug in their local curbside recycling program.
"Dairy processors are constantly exploring ways to provide milk in the most convenient, sustainable packaging – using more recycled HDPE is one example. More recycled content means lower costs for packaging manufacturers and that's what this campaign encourages," said Yin Woon Rani, CEO of MilkPEP.
"The more consumers put their milk jugs into the recycling bin, the more responsibly made packaging we can make, and that's something consumers can feel good about."
"HDPE is a valuable resource for recyclers because it can go into a variety of materials, from plastic lumber to packaging for products like milk. Because natural HDPE doesn't have color added, recyclers can add any type of ink or color when reused," said Tim Dewey-Mattia, recycling & public education manager for Napa Recycling.
"Milk jugs are easy to recognize and sort at recycling centers, so consumers can have confidence that their milk jug will actually be recycled. And that reduces the use of virgin materials, saves energy and saves money for both consumers and recycling companies."
Additional partners include Albertsons, Alta Dena Dairy, Altium, Andronico's Community Markets, Cal-Waste Recovery Systems, Clover Sonoma, Crystal Creamery, Driftwood, Envision Plastics, Hollandia Dairy, Lucerne Dairy Farms, Napa Recycling, Pavilions, Producers Dairy, Resource Recovery Coalition of California, Safeway, The Association of Plastic Recyclers, and VONS.


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As it turns out, making cigarettes more high tech doesn’t make them any better for you (at least, if you drink what’s inside). In recent months, emergency cases of liquid nicotine poisoning have increased across the country, prompting an FDA probe into the substance. While smoking traditional cigarettes has declined among Americans, the use of e-cigarettes and vaporizing devices has increased over this time last year, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll. And this new popularity of e-cigarettes and their sister devices has prompted a whole new set of concerns within the health community, especially when it comes to accidental exposure of nicotine (in any form) to children and infants.
On Tuesday, the FDA called for “comments, data, research results or other information that may inform regulatory actions FDA might take” in a 15-page “notice of proposed rulemaking” geared towards the creation of further warning labels on liquid nicotine and other tobacco products. This will be particularly prevalent amongst high school smokers, who represent a significant portion of the e-cigarette smoking population. According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, “e-cigarette use among high school students increased from 4.5 percent in 2013 to 13.4 percent in 2014, while conventional cigarette smokers dropped from 12.7 percent to 9.2 percent over that same time period.” The e-cigarette industry is now estimated to make an annual $2.1 billion in sales.
In a statement, Susan Liss, executive director for the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, applauded the FDA’s new move towards regulation of the industry, which it had previously left untouched. Said Liss, “We’re pleased that the FDA is taking this step, but this is not a replacement for quickly issuing a final, strong deeming rule that regulates all tobacco products and addresses flavors and marketing.”
The vaping industry has shot back, insisting that its warning labels are already clear enough, and that the FDA should not misrepresent information. Gregory Conley, president of the American Vaping Association, told the New York Times, “Poorly designed warning labels have the capacity to mislead adult smokers on the relative risks of vaping versus tobacco smoking. Any proposed warning must be thoroughly tested to ensure that it only imparts factual information.”
And the fact of the matter is, liquid nicotine is dangerous, and the FDA is finally taking a stand against it.


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The India India Trade Promotion Organisation has decided to make ‘Digital India’ as the core theme of this year’s India International Trade Fair (IITF). The 36th edition of IITF will start from November 14 at Pragati Maidan.
The theme pavilion would be developed in hall number one and all the states are expected to showcase their Digital India initiatives there.
To promote Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet project, there will be industry interaction via seminars, panel discussions and tech-talks during the event.
Success stories of grassroots level contributors and achievers of Digital India movement, especially women and members from the backward section of the society, will also be highlighted as part of the event.
“There will also be games, demonstration of services, highlights of achievements and awareness programmes like ‘Digi Swachha Abhiyaan’, e-waste collection and contest on social media,” an official said. The initiative aims at showcasing the meaning and impact of Digital India on women, students, dalits, farmers, employment and others.
Digital India is one of the most important programmes of the government and has achieved manifold successes in projects like Mera Aadhaar, Meri Sarkar (MyGov) and Mera Digital Locker.
During the 14-day event, 1.50 lakh visitors are expected at the fair venue per day and the government wants people to know about its Digital India initiatives in a big way.


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Do you have your “bug-out bag” (BOB) ready for when the “s*** hits the fan” (SHTF), or will you “bug in” for “the end of the world as we know it” (TEOTWAWKI)?
This jargon is well understood within niche “prepper” communities, whose members spend their lives preparing for impending Armageddon – natural disasters, pandemics or financial collapse.
And the ideas that drive this culture are becoming increasingly mainstream as coronavirus panic sees people across the world stockpiling rations, sourcing gas masks and self-isolating at home.
Now, “civilians” are turning to expert preppers in droves for help in getting ready for the worst.
Nander Knobben, who runs an online prepper store from the Netherlands, told CNN he helps people “to become less dependent on the external things, like the government.”
Knobben has had “orders flying in” since the coronavirus outbreak began. He sold almost as many masks, rations, radios and water filters in February as he did in six months last year, and people he hasn’t spoken to in years have been messaging him to request supplies.
At home, the 29-year-old has rations for two or three months, about 84 liters of water, blankets, candles, live chickens, spare oil for his car, a first-aid kit and a BOB (or portable survival kit) packed with a flashlight and freeze-dried food.
“If you prep it now and have food in the house for a month and it isn’t the coronavirus, maybe in a few years you’ll need it for another scenario, so it’s never a bad idea to take some precautions,” he said. “I don’t want to be dependent on anybody, I want to take care of myself.
“You store it in your house and then you just get on with living your life.”
Knobben does not believe in a “post-apocalyptic movie scenario” and avoids the more extreme Doomsday preppers and their online forums.
“I’ve been there, in the first year I started the web shop and I also got kind of sucked in with it, I was checking it every day. I was like, ‘Oh yeah, that can happen, that can happen, we also need to prepare for that.’
“It didn’t make me a happier person being there every day and doing that every day and I still really support the need for prepping and why people need to prep, I think it’s really important but I don’t think it’s – I would advise against it to go on the internet every day and see all the conspiracies. It’s a big rabbit hole and once you go down it, I don’t think your life will be better for it.”
Lincoln Miles, who runs a UK preppers outlet, told CNN via email that things had been “beyond manic” following the virus outbreak in December. Sales are 20 times higher than usual, he says, and he has hired extra staff who are working into the night seven days a week to keep up with demand.
“The bestsellers are, of course, gas masks, hazmat suits and accessories,” said Miles, whose store also sells crossbows, axes and knives.
He is selling 600-700 military-spec masks, almost 1,000 filters and hundreds of hazmat suits every day, and sold 6,000 20-day rations packs in five hours last week.
His suppliers are “so overwhelmed that available stock is becoming almost non-existent,” Miles added.
A 2019 study published in the Journal of Marketing Management found that prepping is on the rise as the Doomsday Clock – a symbol of our risk of obliterating human civilization – is inching precariously close to midnight.
The researchers concluded that “prepping is not a marginal subculture, but an increasingly mainstream phenomenon, driven not by delusional certainty, but a precautionary response to a generalized anxiety people have around permanent crisis.”
Co-author Sarah Browne, assistant professor in marketing and strategy at Trinity College Dublin, told CNN that preppers felt they were portrayed as “silly” or “paranoid,” and wanted to show they were “logical and practical while non-preppers are naive and ill-prepared.”
She said preppers do not see crises such as the coronavirus as “a temporary breakdown in otherwise functioning system” but as evidence of a “large-scale problem.”
Browne said most preppers first adopted the lifestyle because of a traumatic event such as financial collapse or losing a job. “It’ll be interesting to see if the virus scare on this level could trigger some people to change their consumption and lose trust in the market system,” she said.
Edward O’Toole, a British author, has been prepping since he lived off-grid with his parents as a child and now lives in a north-eastern Slovakian village where it is a way of life.
Residents grow and preserve their own food for winter, when there are often blackouts or water shortages.
“You don’t want to have to be reliant on someone else for providing your food or water or electricity,” he said. “There is a very logical side of things, not a Doomsday scenario where we need to stock up on weaponry.”
O’Toole collects wood for fuel, stocks up on canned food and water purification tablets and has what preppers call an EDC (“every day carry”) pouch equipped with a multi-tool, flashlight and first-aid kit.
As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread around the world, O’Toole thinks this will make prepping more and more popular. “It’s a wake-up call to people not to be so laissez-faire,” he said.
“People have sort of removed themselves slightly from reality compared to the 1950s (and) 1960s … I think this will teach people to start having something in reserve just in case.”
He said prepping is not about stockpiling expensive survival products you don’t know how to use, but about acting as a community. “Western society has become very isolationist, especially now we have an internet-based generation … you don’t have to go out to meet your neighbor.
The writer says that there’s a much stronger community spirit among people who are able to look after their own things first, then provide for others. “In a flood, someone with a canoe could go out bring food to the grandfather down the road,” he added.
“If the community is stronger and the members are more self-reliant, then you can help others, you don’t have to be a burden.”


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Unscrupulous overseas tour operators and excessive hotel development were blamed for keeping the Thai hotel industry from full recovery at a meeting last week of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
See original here:
PATA looks at hotel problems
Chanin Donavanik, CEO of Dusit International, said hotel operators were suffering from an over-supply of new rooms. He said too many business families in Thailand see hotel development as prestigious. They build properties and then incur huge losses as rampant room over-supply cripples yield. He said that 7,000 hotel rooms would be added to Bangkok in 2011, not including serviced apartments.
“Lower rates are here to stay for a while. There are hotel owners who do not have a long-term life left,” he said.
Wayne Buckingham, vice president and area managing director (Thailand) for Starwood, said his company would open six hotels in the next six months in Thailand.
Forecasts of predicted returns have to be revised all the time, usually down. Business plans for hotels today are less lucrative than plans put into effect 10 or 20 years ago when there was much less supply, Buckingham said.
The tourism sector worldwide and in Thailand is likely to grow modestly next year
The medium-term outlook is sobering, with growth expected at 3.5 percent in 2010 and likely remaining below potential for the next three years. Because the Thai economy is largely dependent on final demand in advanced economies, a return to pre-crisis rates of economic growth (a full recovery vs. a rebound to pre-crisis levels) will require a combination of (a recovery of demand from advanced economies and a rebalancing of the sources of growth to reduce Thailand’s dependence on demand from advanced economies. Neither process is likely to be swift. Recovery from a financial crisis is a lengthy process that involves the rebuilding of balance sheets, and the IMF estimates that half of the losses in the financial system in advanced economies are yet to be recognized.
The export collapse in 2009 has been the most severe in Thailand’s recent history
The export collapse in 2009 has been the most severe in Thailand’s recent history. The magnitude of the decline has been unprecedented. Since 1957, there have been nine episodes where exports contracted for at least six consecutive months. Losses to date are more than double those in the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis and the 2001 “dot.com” bubble turmoil. Thailand’s export performance tracked developments in world merchandise trade, which dropped around four and eight percent in the 1997 and 2001 meltdowns, respectively, but 22 % so far during the current global financial crisis.
Very interesting. While this is bad for the people who spend millions on these hotel developments, I guess it’s good news for Bangkok visitors who will enjoy lower rates.


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Epicor recently surveyed 600 frontline factory workers for our Voice of the Essential Manufacturing Worker report. Here’s what they learned.
As the foundation of production, manufacturing is a thriving industry. Yet it also faces challenges, like higher regulations, supply chain disruptions, increased consumer demand, and economic uncertainty.
How do these issues impact factory workers? And how can manufacturing leaders better understand their workers, so that they can implement policies and initiatives to enable their best work?
Epicor recently surveyed 600 frontline factory workers for our Voice of the Essential Manufacturing Worker report. A significant look into their daily successes, challenges, and requests, it offers manufacturing leaders a unique opportunity to improve their workers’ experience—and build even better businesses.
Here’s what they learned.
- 52 per cent say morale at their current company is high
Morale is a key contributor to worker engagement, enjoyment, retention, lowered stress levels, and other positives that allow workers to do their best work and want to come to work everyday. Yet only half of factory workers say morale is high at their company. 41 per cent say the morale is only average at their company, while 7 per cent say it’s low.
Those who say morale is high attribute it to having flexible work schedules, more paid time off, and receiving bonuses or higher pay. This shows that morale is directly tied to more income and better work/life balance.
- The increased cost of raw materials is their biggest challenge
The biggest challenge factory workers face today is the rising cost of raw materials, which can impact a number of areas of their work. Rising costs means that they may not have the materials to actually work with, or may need to use different, lower-cost materials. Spending more on raw materials means budgets may be cut elsewhere as well.
Another challenge they face today are supply chain shortages, which are impacting businesses worldwide. They say that they’re also challenged by their daily workload, with too many hours and too many tasks.
- Creating a better workplace includes more paid time off
What do they say their companies could do to create a better workplace for them? More paid time off was the top answer. This ties back to the first point, where respondents with high morale attributed it to having more paid time off. This also relates to one of their biggest challenges: workload, which may be preventing them from taking time off if there’s too much to do. If given more paid time off — or if encouraged to actually take the paid time off they already have — workers would think more favourably about their workplace.
They also say management can create a better workplace by offering flexible work schedules and non-monetary perks, listening to staff, and providing better tools and technology.
- 80 per cent say their company is making up-skilling a priority
Manufacturing is an ever-evolving industry, especially as more technology gets incorporated into the process and operations become more digital. 80 per cent of those we surveyed say that their companies are making up-skilling a priority, and are making sure they have the skills to move forward into the future of manufacturing.
What are some of the up-skilling initiatives that companies are offering? Factory workers say that their organisations are providing them with on-site and on-the-job training. They’re also being given access to online training platforms to improve their skills. Many companies are also covering tuition for courses and training.
- Only 48 per cent say their company is “very modern”
Companies may be focusing on up-skilling their employees, but are they focusing on modernising their operations through digital technology, and advances like AI and machine learning? Not quite, as only half of factory workers said their company is “very modern.” 47 per cent say it’s “somewhat modern,” and 6 per cent say it’s “not very modern at all.”
Considering that 49 per cent say their company has kept their investment in technology the same as in years past, and only 50 per cent say their company is eager to embrace new technology, there’s a lag or hesitancy to move fully into the future in manufacturing. Many companies are still adhering to manual processes — perhaps why one of the challenges to factory workers today is increased workloads.
- 56 per cent plan to leave their job in the next year
Are factory workers satisfied enough to stay at their current workplace? Some of them are. Yet a little over half say they plan to seek out a new job in the next twelve months.
What are they looking for in a new company? They want to seek out a new employer who offers more paid time off and flexible work schedules, two things that cause higher morale. They’re also seeking management that listens to their staff as well.
- Technology-driven and sustainability-focused companies are important to them
Finally, factory workers care about the ways in which their manufacturing company approaches issues of sustainability and modernising their technology, especially considering that only half call their company “very modern.” In fact, six out of ten workers say they would take a pay cut to go work for a more technology-driven factory or a more sustainable factory.
Epicor’s Voice of the Essential Manufacturing Worker report gives voice to some of the positives and concerns about factory workers today—and what manufacturing leaders can do to improve the experience for their workers.
Our “Voice of the Essential Manufacturing Worker” report gives voice to some of the positives and concerns about factory workers today—and what manufacturing leaders can do to improve the experience for their workers.