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With a focus on large-scale LED applications, Nanolumens (opens in new tab) will become a global preferred vendor partner for PSNI Global Alliance (opens in new tab), supporting its Certified Solution Providers around the globe. By tapping into PSNI’s network of AV/IT certified solution providers, this new partnership will strengthen the Nanolumens brand through access to new markets at a global scale.
“We appreciate the warm welcome into The Alliance. Nanolumens’ growth in the global market will be bolstered by this relationship with PSNI," said Nanolumens’ chief revenue officer, Kurt DeYoung. "We’re thrilled to become a global preferred partner as we connect and strengthen our position within targeted industry verticals, as well as architecturally embedded LED projects needing our flexible solutions."
[Why dvLED Is Gaining Market Share] (opens in new tab)
US-based LED manufacturer, Nanolumens, offers LED solutions across multiple market segments including transportation hubs, universities, corporate offices, themed entertainment and much more.
“We are delighted to welcome Nanolumens to the PSNI Global Alliance lineup,” said Tom Roberts, director of vendor programs for PSNI Global Alliance. “Partnership is a core component of The Alliance and Nanolumens has a history of being a real partner with our Certified Solution Providers through their dedication to innovation, service and technical support. Their comprehensive range of DV-LED solutions are a perfect addition to our Preferred Vendor portfolio, and we look forward to a wealth of future success together.”
[Unpacking 2022's AV/IT Industry Acquisitions, Partnerships, Restructuring, and Re-branding] (opens in new tab)
PSNI Global Alliance boasts a global membership of integrators or Certified Solution Providers (CSPs) and Vendors from across the AV/IT and UCC spectrum. PSNI’s Preferred Vendor Partners (PVP) connects manufacturers with CSPs to jointly pursue market opportunities by enabling Vendors to design programs in sync with PSNI CSPs.


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The global cosmetic botanical extracts market is estimated to be valued at US$ 6.10 Billion In 2021 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 7.10% over the forecast period of 2022-2029, according to a new report published by Coherent Market Insights.
The cosmetic botanical extracts market deals with the extraction and utilization of natural ingredients derived from plants for various cosmetic products. These extracts are widely used in the manufacturing of skincare, haircare, and personal care products due to their numerous beneficial properties. The demand for natural and organic cosmetic products is on the rise, as consumers are becoming more conscious of the potential harmful effects of synthetic chemicals. The use of botanical extracts ensures the use of safe and sustainable ingredients, making them highly popular in the beauty industry.
The growth of the cosmetic botanical extracts market can be attributed to two major drivers. Firstly, the increasing awareness among consumers about the harmful effects of synthetic chemicals in cosmetics has driven the demand for natural and organic products. Botanical extracts offer a natural alternative that is safe and effective. Secondly, the rise in disposable income, changing lifestyles, and evolving consumer preferences for sustainable and eco-friendly products have significantly boosted the demand for cosmetic botanical extracts. These drivers are expected to fuel the market growth over the forecast period.
– Increasing consumer demand for natural and organic cosmetic products will drive the growth of the Cosmetic Botanical Extracts Market.
– Cosmetic botanical extracts offer various benefits such as antioxidant properties, anti-inflammatory effects, and skin conditioning, making them popular ingredients in cosmetic formulations.
– The market has a wide range of botanical extracts available, offering versatility and options for product development.
– The high cost of extraction and production processes for cosmetic botanical extracts can pose a challenge for manufacturers, leading to higher product prices.
– Limited availability of certain botanical species and variations in raw material quality can affect the consistency and reliability of supply for cosmetic manufacturers.
– Growing awareness about the harmful effects of synthetic chemicals in cosmetics is leading consumers to shift towards natural and plant-based alternatives, creating a significant opportunity for the cosmetic botanical extracts market.
– The rising popularity of clean beauty and sustainable practices in the cosmetic industry provides an opportunity for manufacturers to promote the use of eco-friendly and plant-derived ingredients.
– Intense competition from synthetic ingredients and other natural alternatives may pose a threat to the market growth of cosmetic botanical extracts.
– Stringent regulations and standards for cosmetic ingredients and formulations can increase compliance costs and pose challenges for market players.
The global cosmetic botanical extracts market is expected to witness high growth, exhibiting a CAGR of 7.10% over the forecast period (2022-2029), due to increasing consumer preference for natural and organic cosmetic products. The market size for 2021 was valued at US$ 6.10 billion.
In terms of regional analysis, North America is expected to be the fastest-growing and dominating region in the cosmetic botanical extracts market. The region’s strong demand for natural and organic cosmetic products, coupled with the presence of key players and advanced manufacturing infrastructure, contributes to its market dominance.
Key players operating in the cosmetic botanical extracts market include International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF), Herbochem, Phyto Life Sciences P. Ltd., Bioveda Naturals, Blue Sky Botanics, Green Source Organics, Vivaan Herbals & Healthcare, and COBIOSA. These players are actively focusing on expanding their product portfolios, targeting emerging markets, and adopting strategies such as partnerships and acquisitions to strengthen their market position.

domain: news


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RWBY: Grimm Eclipse Launch Trailer
Rooster Teeth announces that the full version of RWBY: Grimm Eclipse will launch on July 5, 2016.
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The trucking industry is currently experiencing some rapid changes. Increased bankruptcies, technological shifts, and fierce competition are all having a strong impact on the industry. If you’re a truck driver, own a trucking company or are in any way involved in transportation or logistics, it’s important to stay informed on these issues. The following are three of the biggest trends that will impact truck driving in 2020.
Top 3 Trends That Will Impact Trucking Industry in 2020
1. Bankruptcy Protection
For any new company and especially in trucking, bankruptcy or insolvency is a real risk. Although many industry publications currently highlight the bankruptcy issue, a recent article by the Journal of Commerce (JOC) shows more new trucking companies are hitting US highways than going out of business. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), more than 21,000 new trucking companies were added to the market in the past 12 months. Of these 21,000 companies, approximately 78 percent were companies with one to six trucks. Roughly 168 carriers were added with 101 to 500 trucks. In the first half of 2019, we have seen just 640 carriers go out of business, which alludes to bankruptcies doing little to reduce trucking capacity. New trucking companies can protect themselves from this threat by utilizing non-recourse factoring with companies like Riviera Finance. If your shipper or broker goes bankrupt, non-recourse factoring protects you from loss.
2. Technological Advances
Technology is affecting many industries, including trucking and logistics. Here are a few areas that are likely to be significant in 2020:
- Tracking and transparency. Shippers want to know the exact location of freight at all times. Technological advances now make it possible to track the location of a truck driver or freight with precision.
- Artificial intelligence. AI is making many aspects of truck driving more efficient in areas such as predictive maintenance, monitoring drivers’ routes, and loading pallets.
- Blockchain. Blockchain solutions can help to make contracts and data more secure, reduce administrative costs and match shippers and carriers more efficiently.
- Autonomous trucks. Like driverless cars, the use of autonomous trucks is gradually increasing.
3. More Companies Using Transportation Factoring
Facing increased competition and pressures, many trucking companies are seeking ways to improve cash flow. Transportation factoring is a type of financing that makes it easier for businesses to enjoy a steady flow of cash which helps them meet expenses such as payroll and paying suppliers. With improved cash flow, you can also scale up your business and haul more loads. Factoring allows you to receive up to 95 percent of your freight bills within 24 hours of delivery and invoicing.
Riviera Finance has been offering premium transportation factoring for more than 50 years. Riviera has 25 invoice factoring offices throughout the U.S. and Canada. To learn more about how factoring can help make your business stronger, contact Riviera Finance.


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Last week a landmark data breach case saw Morrisons suffer a defeat at the Court of Appeal, with the top UK grocery chain now facing the prospect of having to compensate over 5,000 claimants unless a further appeal at the Supreme Court manages to secure a win.
Now, if findings of a new global survey are anything to go by, then it looks like news similar to the abovementioned case – which you may read about here – are what’s driving cyber insurance sales. A comprehensive study by PartnerRe and Advisen found that responding to news of cyber events remains the primary reason for purchasing coverage.
Meanwhile the experience of a cyber-related loss ranks second among the most common reasons. “Some don’t consider until after an occurrence,” read one comment cited by PartnerRe’s market trends report. “Then they buy quickly.”
As for the obstacles in selling cyber insurance, 75% of respondents believe organisations simply do not understand their exposure, while 56% point to clients not understanding coverage. The reinsurer said the latter may see an improvement as coverage becomes consistent.
Meanwhile the poll also revealed an influx of new-to-market buyers of standalone cyber insurance, with 90% a combination of smaller businesses with revenues of less than $50 million and mid-sized ones with revenues of $50 million to $1 billion.
This year’s survey was participated in by 270 brokers and 70 underwriters from around the globe.


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The co-host of "Live With Regis and Kelly" recently signed on to host NBC's "America's Got Talent," produced by Simon Cowell of "American Idol." That should firmly establish his place in the "Guinness Book of World Records," where he already claims a spot for his more than 15,000 hours on national television, more than anyone in the industry. And he can sing, too! Last year he released a Christmas album featuring a guest vocal from pal Donald Trump. (It's unclear who to blame for the measly 114,000 copies sold.)
Earnings estimates are for June 2005 to June 2006. Figures rounded off where appropriate. Exact figures available on Forbes.com. Includes dollars earned solely from entertainment income. Management, agent and attorney fees have not been deducted. Estimates by forbes; sources include Billboard, Pollstar, Adams Media Research, Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen BookScan. Rankings are generated by combining earnings with other metrics: Web mentions on Google press clips compiled by LexisNexis; TV/radio mentions by Factiva; and number of times a celebrity's face appeared on the cover of 26 major consumer magazines.


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Enterprises urged to strictly follow standards of imported markets: SPS Vietnam
The Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (SPS Vietnam) has advised enterprises to strictly comply with the rules of import markets, in order to prevent their products from being recalled and their reputations from being affected.
SPS Vietnam said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has received two dispatches from the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT) which said shipments to the European Union were found to contain excess levels of agrochemicals. Specifically, importer Vinamex Group found tricyclazone residue at a level higher than the permitted level of the EU in a batch of Queen's brand ST12 premium fragrant rice exported to Belgium. Vinamex Group has posted a recall notice and asked customers not to consume this batch of products and return it for a refund.
According to SPS Vietnam, tricyclazone is an active ingredient widely used as a pesticide in the rice industry.
The EU allowed the maximum level of tricyclazole residues in imported rice to be 0.01 mg per kg since January 2018.
Besides, some shipments of agricultural and aquatic products to the Netherland, Italy and Spain were also found to contain residue of chemicals.
Earlier, Norwegian and French health authorities detected nitrofurans (furazolidone) in a batch of frozen frog legs and propargite and fenobucarb in a shipment of pomelos imported from Vietnam through the rapid alert system for food and feed (RASFF).
According to the MOIT, relevant authorities at EU border gates have been notified and will enhance quarantine measures for imported goods from Vietnam.


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The days of needing to go visit and arcade to play video games have long since past, you don’t even need to be at home in front of your TV thanks to mobile gaming consoles like the 3Ds and PS Vita. The most common platform to play games on those is the very same thing you have in your pocket, your smartphone. With this in mind, it looks like Sony is looking to make mobile games in order to benefit from the new market.
Smartphones these days can be used for everything from Clash of Clans to being used in virtual reality systems like Google cardboard. In order to fill a gap in their market, Sony has created the ForwardWorks Corporation, which will begin working on April 1st, 2016.
In their release statement Sony state that:
“ForwardWorks will leverage the intellectual property of the numerous PlayStation dedicated software titles and its gaming characters as well as the knowledge and know-how of gaming development expertise which was acquired over the years with PlayStation business to provide gaming application optimized for smart devices including smartphones to users in Japan and Asia”
So you could soon be seeing Uncharted’s Nathan Drake and Killzone Helghast storming your phone screen as you sit waiting for a bus or a friend at the cinema. Are you excited by this news? Do you play games on your phone and if so which franchise from Sony would you be excited to join the mobile games catalogue?
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The long-awaited Travis Scott and Dior collaboration is launching soon. The Cactus Jack Dior collection from the Houston rapper will debut on July 13 according to an announcement from the French luxury fashion brand made on June 30.
Dior said in November 2021 that it would be putting its Travis Scott partnership on indefinite pause in the wake of the tragedy at the Astroworld Festival that killed 10 attendees. “Out of respect for everyone affected by the tragic events at Astroworld, Dior has decided to postpone indefinitely the launch of products from the Cactus Jack collaboration originally intended to be included in its summer 2022 collection,” a Dior rep told the press in December 2021.
The French fashion company has now set a date for the official launch of Cactus Jack x Dior, nearly eight months later. Since the incident, Scott has gradually re-entered the public consciousness by giving performances in a number of smaller settings in the spring and at the Billboard Awards in May.
The images of the models from the Summer 2022 Men’s runway show may be seen alongside the B713 sneakers and accessories that will be included in the capsule collection for men. The collection, according to Dior, was inspired by Scott’s individual style, skatewear, and traditional Dior themes. The collection is anticipated to be offered at select Dior stores and on Dior’s website.
? Confira fotos profissionais de TODOS os itens que serão lançados na coleção Cactus Jack x Dior, uma colaboração de roupas e acessórios masculinos projetados por Travis Scott.— Portal Trylie (@tryliebrasil) June 30, 2022
A coleção abrange mochilas, camisas, tênis, chapéus, bonés, casacos, moletons e etc.. pic.twitter.com/enDZwXGWOT
The Grammy-nominated musician, composer, producer, business tycoon, and designer collaborated with Kim Jones, the artistic director of Dior, to create the men’s apparel and sneaker line. Initially shown at Dior’s spring/summer 2022 runway show in Paris a year ago, the partnership was later described by the fashion house as a fusion of Scott’s individual style and the work of his creative team Cactus Jack.
He established the Cactus Jack Foundation in 2020 with the goal of empowering and enhancing young people’s lives by giving them access to education and creative tools to achieve long-term success. Most recently, the organization established a fashion program in collaboration with Parsons School of Design and introduced its own HBCU Scholarship Program. Through Cactus Jack, Scott has collaborated with some of the most well-known organizations in the world, such as Nike, Dover Street Market, McDonald’s, Playstation, and others.
View this post on Instagram
Aside from the Cactus Jack Dior capsule, Scott and Jordan Brand are expected to release their collaborative Air Jordan 1 Low Reverse Mocha in July, but neither party has confirmed the date.
Images: RodeoTheAlbum | Twitter
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A fashion and pop culture writer who watches a lot of TV in his spare time. At Style Rave, we aim to inspire our readers by providing engaging content to not just entertain but to inform and empower you as you ASPIRE to become more stylish, live smarter and be healthier. Follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_ ♥


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CHICAGO – An advocate for local food producers, Lt. Governor Sheila Simon put on her gardening gloves today and joined Kendall College culinary students for the annual spring planting of their urban garden.
Simon applauded the college for incorporating locally grown food in its classrooms and restaurant for the past five years, and voiced her support for regulations expanding city farming and local food sales across the state. Illinoisans spend roughly $48 billion annually on food, but just $2 billion of that amount is on food grown in Illinois, Simon said.
“The seeds we plant today are a small part of a larger public health movement to end food deserts and grow a local food economy in Chicago and across the state,” said Simon, chair of the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council. “The connections Kendall College students make from farm to classroom to table are critical components of sustainable living.”
Kendall began its garden in 2007 as an educational initiative to teach students about the importance of locally grown food and uses its harvest in dishes served at its renowned fine-dining restaurant, The Dining Room at Kendall College. Each year, the garden produces about 2,000 to 3,000 pounds of produce, including blackberries, rhubarb, kale, and red beets.
“At Kendall College, sustainability is an integral part of our curriculum and operations,” said Kendall College President Emily Williams Knight. “We are committed to teaching today’s students, who are tomorrow’s foodservice professionals, the importance of local and sustainable food, and are proud that this will continue to have a positive impact on our local community.”
On behalf of the Governor’s Rural Affairs Council, Simon is working to increase the number of farmers markets that accept food stamp benefits known as LINK and favors creating regional food hubs that will help local producers to store, process and market items in-state. She also supported two successful measures last year that aim to increase access to locally produced foods:
- Public Act 097-0393 helped clear the way for family and community farms to enter boutique food production while maintaining public health. State law now allows “cottage food” producers to sell certain homemade goods at farmers markets. All food items must have a Food Service Sanitation Management Certificate, be accompanied by appropriate labels listing all ingredients, and identify that products are homemade, among other regulations.
- To create green jobs, combat food deserts and improve public health, Simon recommended the Chicago City Council give community gardens and urban farms the right to locate on vacant land in residential areas and allow them to operate seasonal stands to sell fresh produce to local residents. The city adopted an urban farm-friendly zoning ordinance in September that expanded the size of community gardens and relaxed costly parking and fencing rules.
Kendall’s urban farm is managed by City Farm, the Resource Center’s urban agriculture program, which turns fallow, vacant land into productive farmland. The college has received national recognition for its sustainability initiatives, including being named an official educational partner of the National Restaurant Association’s Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability initiative; instituting a comprehensive composting and recycling program throughout all kitchens; being named the first institution with an accredited culinary-arts program to operate Green Certified Restaurants, and receiving the first Green Award earned by any culinary-arts program globally by the Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI).
For photos of the Lt. Governor's visit to Kendall College, please click here.


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UPDATED: Facebook to Acquire Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headset Manufacturer For ~$2BMarch 25, 2014
by Nathaniel Mott
Facebook today announced that it intends to acquire Oculus, the Los Angeles-based company making the crowdfunded Oculus Rift virtual reality headset, in a deal worth up to $2 billion. The deal will be made in a mixture of cash ($400 million) and stock (23.1 million shares worth approximately $1.6 billion based on the stock’s current value) and provides for an “additional $300 million earn-out in cash and stock based on the achievement of certain milestones.”
The acquisition marks Facebook’s first entrance into the hardware market, and will offer the company control over the virtual reality headset expected to define the market even as Sony, Microsoft, and other companies are developing their own products.
Facebook explained the rationale behind the acquisition in its blog post:
While the applications for virtual reality technology beyond gaming are in their nascent stages, several industries are already experimenting with the technology, and Facebook plans to extend Oculus’ existing advantage in gaming to new verticals, including communications, media and entertainment, education and other areas. Given these broad potential applications, virtual reality technology is a strong candidate to emerge as the next social and communications platform.
‘Mobile is the platform of today, and now we’re also getting ready for the platforms of tomorrow,’ said Facebook founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg. ‘Oculus has the chance to create the most social platform ever, and change the way we work, play and communicate.’
Zuckerberg expanded on those thoughts in a Facebook post:
This is really a new communication platform. By feeling truly present, you can share unbounded spaces and experiences with the people in your life. Imagine sharing not just moments with your friends online, but entire experiences and adventures.
These are just some of the potential uses. By working with developers and partners across the industry, together we can build many more. One day, we believe this kind of immersive, augmented reality will become a part of daily life for billions of people.
Oculus offered its explanation for the sale in its own blog post:
At first glance, it might not seem obvious why Oculus is partnering with Facebook, a company focused on connecting people, investing in internet access for the world and pushing an open computing platform. But when you consider it more carefully, we’re culturally aligned with a focus on innovating and hiring the best and brightest; we believe communication drives new platforms; we want to contribute to a more open, connected world; and we both see virtual reality as the next step.
Most important, Facebook understands the potential for VR. Mark and his team share our vision for virtual reality’s potential to transform the way we learn, share, play, and communicate. Facebook is a company that believes that anything is possible with the right group of people, and we couldn’t agree more.
PandoDaily spoke to Oculus investor and board member Antonio Rodriguez of Matrix Partners today who called the deal an “incredible financial outcome” and described the negotiation process as very fast from start to finish.
“I think that’s one of the big advantages of being a strong founder CEO is the ability to run quick process – Both knew what they wanted, moved quickly .” Rodriguez says, referring to both Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and Brendan Iribe.
Matrix led Oculus’ June 2013 Series A round and participated in its $75 million Series B in November of that same year, maintaining its status as the company’s largest outside shareholder. The company has sold more than 70,000 units to date across its first- and second-generation products and offers Facebook the opportunity to enter the Apple-like territory of combining hardware, software, and services models.
Today’s announcement marks the second high profile exit for the LA startup ecosystem following Yesterday’s $950 million acquisition of Maker Studios by Disney.
This deal represents Facebook’s first foray into hardware and the company’s first marquee acquisition outside of its core social verticals of photos and messaging. While the rationale may not be immediately obvious to outside observers, Rodriguez calls it highly strategic and a big bet on the next generation platform – virtual reality and wearables.
“It’s almost an Android-like bet, but one with a lot more zero’s on the back end,” he says.
Oculus’ founders and its investors had no intentions of selling and were not actively pursuing buyers, Rodriguez tells me. Rather, the company was fully committed to building a massive, category-defining company. It’s a narrative that doesn’t fully jive with today’s news, but obviously the company felt like Facebook’s resources could help them achieve that goal quicker and on a bigger scale.
“[While it hasn't done consumer hardware] Facebook has terrific systems engineering, as evidenced by their open compute program,” Rodriguez says. Zuckerberg also promised Iribe and his team the king of autonomy that he famously granted Instagram and Whatsapp as part of their acquisitions.
“We certainly felt a level of commitment to the vision and autonomous execution or this would not have happened,” Rodriguez says.
Oculus investor Chris Dixon (who, disclosure, is a personal investor in Pando) wrote about the acquisition and why he initially invested in the company on his blog:
Virtual reality has long been a staple of science fiction. In real life, however, attempts to create virtual reality have consistently disappointed. Oculus was founded on the contrarian belief that the right people at the right time could finally deliver on the science fiction promise. Hardware components had become sufficiently powerful and inexpensive, and the pioneering engineers who invented 3D gaming were eager to explore a new frontier.
Last year, my partner Gil Shafir and I spent time studying Oculus and virtual reality technology more generally. The more we learned, the more we became convinced that virtual reality would become central to the next great wave of computing. We were therefore thrilled when we got the chance to invest in Oculus later on.


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It’s National Reuse Month
National Reuse Month begins this Monday, as Householders & Businesses are Encouraged to Reuse more at Home, at Work and at Play.
– Reuse businesses, charities and organisations sustained more than 800 jobs, 350 job scheme training positions & 7,600 voluntary positions in 2017.
– National Reuse Month takes place from October 1 to 31, 2018.
It is estimated that Irish households reuse less than 5% of the amount of waste discarded every year, but some savvy shopping in Ireland’s many high quality charity shops could help increase that figure while significantly decreasing the cost of that special outfit this National Reuse Month.
Beginning this Monday, October 1, 2018, National Reuse Month was developed by Ireland’s three Waste Management Offices (Connacht/Ulster, Eastern/Midlands, and Southern) in conjunction with Ireland’s 31 local authorities. Its aims is to encourage people to reuse everyday items as often as possible, while also considering alternative options to buying new items that might only be used once.
Sinéad Ní Mhainnín Waste Prevention Officer with the Connacht Ulster Regional Waste Management Office said, “Reuse Month opens up the possibilities of borrowing, repurposing or purchasing good quality reused goods. Special Reuse events, seminars and information points take place throughout every region and county this October, and will provide people with the skills, tools and know how to reuse more.”
The Irish Charity Shops Association (ICSA) has long been an advocate of donating and purchasing good quality reused goods.
Linda Ward, ICSA Secretary said, ”Charity shops are an important part of the retail landscape in villages, towns and cities in every county in Ireland. Our members’ shops generated €64 million in revenue in 2017 and our membership is growing as more charities realise the benefits of charity retailing.
“ICSA member shops provide economic, social and environmental benefits. We provide well priced high quality goods to the consumer and all money raised goes towards funding essential services across a range of areas in communities nationwide. We provide social employment, upskilling and training as well as many volunteering opportunities. Clothing, books, furniture and homeware is reused and given a new lease of life, thereby reducing waste and is hugely beneficial to our environment.”
The ICSA is a member of the The Community Reuse Network Ireland (CRNI).
CRNI member reused an estimated 20,400 tonnes of goods last year and recycled over 57,000 tonnes. Their efforts sustained more than 800 jobs, 350 job scheme training positions and 7,600 voluntary positions.
Claire Downey CRNI Executive said, “It is estimated that we disposed or recycled 2.5 million tonnes of waste in 2014*, making our reuse rate less than 1% of that total. Even if five times this amount was reused, taking account of any online exchanges, vintage stores, swap sites or car boot sales not included in the CRNI study, it still indicates that less than 5% of all of the goods we throw away are actually reused.”
Supporting Reuse Month Minister for Communications, Climate Action & Environment Denis Naughten said, “People already reuse items as part of their everyday lives, at home, at work and at play. For example many people have their favourite shoes resoled rather than replacing them, borrow books from the library, or share tools and equipment when doing jobs around the house.
“These habits all avoid the need to manufacture and distribute new products and cuts down on waste, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. National Reuse Month is about growing these habit of buying second hand and upcycled, prioritising repair, borrowing, swapping and refilling. We all do it to some degree, by doing a little bit more we are benefiting our whole community and environment,” he added.


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In the last decade, the way of doing business has been undergoing changes. A strong bond between business and networking has been created in such a way that they cannot be treated as separate fields anymore. This has been noticed by big players in the market, who are looking beyond the traditional business models in order to gain a competitive advantage. Apple and Facebook, which once were disrupters, understand this phenomenon and have adopted non-conventional techniques that have allowed them to become two giants in the tech market. Despite them having two different core businesses, there are some similarities on the strategies both companies have applied to increase their profit.
“The battle of devices has now become a war of ecosystems, where ecosystems include not only the hardware and software of the device, but developers, applications, ecommerce, advertising, search, social applications, location-based services, unified communications and many other things” Steven Elop, previous CEO of Nokia.
The idea is simple, businesses cannot be treated as isolated islands, but they must be inclusive and consider all the possible stakeholders in their plans. This can be seen in the case of Facebook and Apple who represent excellent examples of companies with thriving ecosystems.
Facebook’s core business is advertisement and it is how they generate profit. To succeed, in addition to their traditional social media and news business, they have created a network to engage more players in their game. Through a variety of apps, Facebook has opened a wide market of opportunities not just to create and deliver value to their customers, but to attract third parties who can contribute to its business. In comparison, Apple is a hardware business, who started out generating profit by selling premium devices. The subsequent introduction of an app store and a variety of product accessories boosted their ability to connect and cooperate with different stakeholders. The result of this collaboration is seen in the solid market of mobile applications they have created with around 2.2 million apps to date.
Both Apple and Facebook have succeeded in creating an ecosystem that allows them to connect different companies and people which allow them to expand their customer base. Facebook, with more than two billion users has caught the attention of handset makers, telecom operators, media companies brands, developers and smartphone platforms. Likewise, Apple is a widely consumed brand whose products are used by millions of users. This has attracted accessory makers, telecom operators, brands, software developers, to name but a few. It is important to highlight the massive user reach and the community of developers that have created a strong defence for their business. Both Apple and Facebook have had good results offering people and companies an attractive environment which continues to obtain more and more followers.
Asymmetric business models
Asymmetric business models are those who adopt products/services - which are complementary to the main ones – as an extension to the core value proposal. The idea is to commoditize the price of the complements in order to create demand for the core product.
This method is based on complements. These are goods that are usually consumed together, for example, cars and petrol, printers and ink cartridges or pasta and pasta sauce. Each of them depends on its complement and vice-versa, therefore, when you reduce the value of one good, the demand for the complementary good increase. Apple and Facebook understand this concept very well and have adopted it to their businesses.
Apple creates value by providing software developers a platform where they can build and distribute apps easily. This has created a competitive market where apps have been commoditized. With an affordable price for the apps, the demand for Apple’s core products tend to increase, which boosts the company’s competitive advantage over its competitors. Likewise, Facebook creates value by providing a free instant-messaging service, as well as free calls and file sharing. This has commoditized the telecom industry and have disrupted the business that telecom operators once used to monopolise. This allows Facebook to gain more users, which means they can capture more information about their customers. This collection of information contributes directly to Facebook’s core business: advertising.
All in all, traditional business models are no longer enough to compete in the global market. Some organizations have started applying different strategies that have helped them to succeed. It is important to observe that in order to succeed in this globalized world companies cannot longer see themselves as isolated entities. They have to consider the importance of building an ecosystem around them not just to diversify their offer but to create a barrier to defend their business against competitors. In any case, they application of alternative business models like the one based on complements can be beneficial for getting more customers and increase a company’s competitive advantage.
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Local breakfast favorite Kuzzo’s Chicken & Waffles is reopening on the Avenue of Fashion on Saturday, March 14. The popular restaurant located at 19345 Livernois Ave., closed last summer while major construction was taking place along the business corridor. It returns to Detroit with a updated kitchen and new equipment five years after its original debut.
Owner Ron Bartell invested $350,000 in the renovation, while focusing on improvements to service and staffing. The restaurant also features new paintings by Detroit muralist Desirèe Kelly. Diners can expect all the menu classics with lightly spiced waffles and crispy fried chicken, as well as dishes like shrimp and grits.
Kuzzo’s is perhaps one of the most eagerly awaited reopenings of the year. However, it returns at a complicated time for the restaurant industry: The novel coronavirus outbreak is testing the food industry’s ability to provide service while following recommendations for “social distancing” — a crucial step in mitigating the spread of the virus.
In light of those concerns, Kuzzo’s is stepping up efforts to remind customers about handwashing and using OpenTable as a queue to reduce crowds in the waiting area. Online ordering is also available through numerous platforms including UberEats, DoorDash, Grubhub, and Black and Mobile — a Black owned food delivery service operating in Detroit.
The doors open at Kuzzo’s at 9 a.m.


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There has been a lot of debate in the PC gaming community regarding Epic Games Store exclusives and the fight between Steam and the Epic Games Store reached new heights when Metro Exodus was pulled from Steam. This was after pre-orders for the game opened up and recently, the same thing happened to Anno 1800 and Assassin’s Creed 3 Remastered. Yesterday, it was revealed that Borderlands 3 will be a timed-exclusive on the Epic Games Store.
RELATED: Borderlands 3 Release Date, Official Trailer, Pricing and Details Revealed – Epic Games Store Exclusive
For those who prefer Steam as their distribution platform of choice, things won’t get any better. Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Epic Games, has made it clear that they will continue snagging exclusives for the Epic Games Store if the developers and publishers are willing.
This is a pretty big deal if you ask me, especially since at Epic Games Store head Steve Allison said at the GDC recently that “We don’t want to do that ever again”. Continuing to explain that: “We had been talking to those guys for a number of months and they made some decisions on their end – this is not a throw under the bus thing, it’s just the timing of where that came together and what was important to their business – we decided to do it together, we both knew there was the potential for the thing that happened in terms of communication.”
Well, that happened again as pre-orders for Anno 1800, for example, was already open on Steam before it was pulled and became an Epic Games Store exclusive. Now, Tim Sweeney has explained that Epic will continue with Epic Games Store exclusives, stating that:
We’ve had a lot of discussions about this since GDC. Epic is open to continuing to sign funding / exclusivity deals with willing developers and publishers regardless of their previous plans or announcements around Steam.
Mr Sweeney also noted that the whole Metro Exodus debacle prompted discussion the matter:
This prompted further discussions at Epic, leading to the realization that these calls must be up to developers and publishers, and Epic wouldn’t tell them “no” on account of existing statements made about Steam.
RELATED: Another Big Game Getting Pulled From Steam in Favour of The Epic Games Store
What do you think about the idea of Epic Games Store exclusives and do you still prefer Steam above anything else for your PC gaming needs? Let us know in the comment section below.


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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Biolase Technology blti shares lost more than 9 percent to $12.95, reversing early gains that had the stock up as high as $15.75. The sell-off followed the company's conference call about its third-quarter results. As previously reported, the dental laser maker earned $2.6 million, or 11 cents per share, in the September period, on sales of $13.4 million. The company explained that $10.7 million of its sales in the latest three months were new, while $2.7 million in sales had been deferred as of June 30. Two analysts polled by Reuters Research were looking for earnings of 7 cents per share in the period on sales of $9.5 million. The stock has rallied mightily from its 52-week low of $4.55 on Oct. 31, just about one year ago.
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This is an exciting time for the team at Univerus. For us to be out in front of shaping NZ's Three Water asset management journey, we need to have our eyes f...
Recent Blog & News Articles
Below are a few of our most recent articles from around our company, business units and the industry.
As part of our on-going expansion plans, we're proud to introduce the newest members of the team.
A new Support Technician in South Africa fills a time zone gap and improves support for our European and Australian customers.
Univerus opens a new office in Nelson, NZ as part of ongoing expansion plan.
Energy Hippo is excited to officially announce its acquisition by North American-based Univerus.
SmartGridCIS is the leading supplier of retail energy billing and consumer engagement in ERCOT.
AssetFinda solutions are designed with their clients in mind.
AssetFinda is excited to officially announce today it’s acquisition by North American-based UNIVERUS.


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There’s a lot going on in the world of physical risk and vulnerability; it’s nearly impossible to keep up with the latest news and developments. We’ll keep you informed with the best content to keep your organization safe and secure. Check out the top news and headlines from the past month.
From The New York Times: Scientists warned that the United States someday would become the country hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. That moment arrived on Thursday, March 26. On that day, at least 81,321 people in the U.S. were known to have been infected with the coronavirus, including more than 1,000 deaths — more cases than China, Italy or any other country has seen, according to data gathered by The New York Times. The pandemic brought with it overloaded hospitals, shelter in place orders in many states, closed schools and many people who have been asked to work at home.
Our take: One of the most important things for people to realize right now is that this pandemic is going to last for a while. The best thing we can do as businesses and communities is limit the spread so healthcare organizations have the resources they need to take care of individuals. In public health, this is called “flattening the curve,” or keeping a lot of people from being infected at once so there’s not a big strain on the healthcare system. At this point we need to self-isolate, so fewer people are infected, and the virus spreads more slowly.
From Security Magazine: Employers are responding to COVID-19 by allowing, and even mandating remote working. Companies ranging from Amazon, Microsoft and Google to local design shops have asked employees to work from home. While increasingly common even before the virus, remote work brings its own unique set of cybersecurity challenges. Security Magazine lists ten of the most common pitfalls and the recommended solutions.
Our take: While remote work is important, it’s also vital that businesses make sure their data is secure. Workers, even those at home, should be working on secure devices, update their software, and be well trained when it comes to social engineering schemes like phishing.
Security Industry Groups Call For Security Services to Be Classified as “Essential” During Coronavirus Pandemic
From Security Today: Three organizations representing the security and life safety industries are circulating a letter to state public safety officials that calls on governments to classify electronic monitoring and other safety services as “essential” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Security Industry Association (SIA), the Electronic Security Association (ESA) and The Monitoring Association (TMA) penned the form letter, which has gained more than 450 signatures from security company leaders.
Our take: Security is important during this time, especially as businesses close down and people work from home. However, it’s important that security services do their best to carry out their obligations without pulling all their employees out of isolation. There are plenty of technologies that allow security companies to carry out some of their duties remotely, for example. For guards that must absolutely be on site, security organizations should put proper protocols in place when it comes to sick time, cleaning and PPE.
From The New York Times: Around the world, high-end retailers have been on lockdown.
In Europe, where millions of citizens have been living under national shutdowns for more than a week, stores in famous retail destinations have bolted their doors. In London, department stores like Harrods and Selfridges, and Bond Street boutiques like Burberry and Chopard, have cleared jewels and stock from plain sight. But in New York, where the cobbled streets of SoHo have shuddered to a standstill as state measures to slow the spread of the virus have taken hold, a number of elegant luxury boutiques, including Fendi, Celine and Chanel, did not just shutter storefronts this week; they had them boarded up with vast sheets of plywood, as if in anticipation of riots and civil disobedience.
Our take: We understand that businesses are concerned, but they may be missing the point — if their buildings are closed and unstaffed there may not be much the retailers can do. Fortunately, the article states that crime is also down right now. Everyone, including criminals, are staying indoors. If you’re a business owner and you’re worried about someone robbing your abandoned storefront or closed office, we have more advice for you here, but at this point the best thing you can do is stay home.
Want more important security information and news delivered straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our blog.


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Amazon hit an all-time high on Tuesday, but can the online retailer continue its surge?
Low expectations for Apple's latest product launch means anything unexpected could boost the stock, shareholder Jason Ware says.
"Power Lunch" hosts Melissa Lee and Brian Sullivan look at 4 stocks with analyst recommendations, including Michaels Companies and Goodyear Tire.
Kyle Nel, Executive Director of Lowe's Innovation Labs, discusses the company's trial of the LoweBot, a robotic assistant, in stores.
CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin and CNBC Contributor Ben White discuss the correlation between the political leanings of a CEO and those of their employees.
CNBC's Jackie DeAngelis reports on the close of the oil market.
Pioneer Natural Resources CEO Scott Sheffield and COO Timothy Dove, discuss the current outlook for oil prices and the state of the energy industry.
CNBC's Eamon Javers reports Hillary Clinton's comments on opponent Donald Trump's remarks on the Federal Reserve.
Jason Ware, Albion Financial CIO, and CNBC's Jon Fortt discuss the expectations around Apple's September event, including what innovations the iPhone 7 could feature.
CNBC's Josh Lipton reports on what to expect from Apple's September event, including the iPhone 7 and an update to the Apple Watch.
Chris Edwards, Co-CEO of Edward Marc Brands, discusses the secret behind the family business chocolatier's sweet success, the new trends in the snack industry and his family's political ideas.
Earl Hesterberg, Group 1 Automotive CEO, discusses the demand for new and used cars as well as what auto sales figures are saying about the state of the economy. CNBC's Phil LeBeau weighs in.
CNBC's Phil LeBeau reports why those with good credit ratings are turning to used cars rather than new.
CNBC's Rick Santelli discusses bond prices and yields.
Discussing the pipeline merger between Enbridge and Spectra and what it means for the energy space, with Brandon Blossman, Tudor Pickering Holt & Co. Managing Director of Research.
CNBC's Morgan Brennan reports on the latest earthquake in Oklahoma and what the effect of increased fracking in the state is having on the area's seismic activity.
CNBC Contributors Larry Kudlow, informal advisor to the Trump Campaign, and Jared Bernstein, informal advisor to the Clinton Campaign and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Senior Fellow, weigh in on Donald Trump's claim that the Fed's low interest rate environment has created a false economy.
CNBC's Eamon Javers reports the latest on the race between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump including a close result in a new NBC/Survey Monkey poll, and Trump's changing stance on interest rates and the economy.


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Apple touts privacy in web sign-on war with Facebook, Google
Apple Inc on Monday launched a "Sign In With Apple" function to rival Facebook and Google web login accounts, drawing a contrast with rivals by stressing protection of users' information. When users sign in with their Google or Facebook Inc profiles to third-party apps, the apps often share valuable data with Google and Facebook, a practice that Apple is looking to stop. Apple announced the move at its annual software developer conference in San Jose, California, where it also showed new features for its operating systems for iPhones, iPads and Macs and said it would retire the iTunes app after 18 years in favour of separate apps for music, movies and podcasts.
from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://yhoo.it/2XpjiRN


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A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, Ford’s design team was looking for inspiration for how to inject a bit more anger into the styling of the newly-revamped, 2018 Ford Mustang.
The design team found it in an unlikely – but sensible – place: the mask of Star Wars villain Darth Vader.
“When we were designing the new 2018 Mustang, the team wanted to make the new model look more aggressive, and one place where we found inspiration was one of the most famous screenplay villains of all time,” says Ford Design Manager Melvin Betancourt. “The angled nostrils and contours of Darth Vader’s mask became the inspiration for the Mustang’s new fog lamp scoops and front-end shape.”
The Ford Mustang / Darth Vader resemblance is the sort of thing that might not be obvious at the onset, but becomes quite apparent when you start to look for it. Interestingly, when the first images of the Mk III Ford Focus RS began circulating roughly two years ago, yours truly saw an awful lot of Anakin Skywalker’s old mask in that fascia. We wouldn’t be surprised if we learned that both performance products were, in fact, modeled somewhat after the Sith Lord’s iconic helmet.
Next, we’re hoping we can get a Darth Maul-inspired EcoSport RS. That would be awesome – right up until it’s cut in half in a Naboo hangar.
(Source: The Drive)


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The cost of buying a BMW or Mercedes in Singapore is approaching the annual income of the average local family, thanks to a luxury car tax.
The right to buy a “open category” vehicle, which may be put toward any vehicle type but commonly ends up being used for larger cars in the densely populated island, brought in 125 bids at the city-most state’s recent bimonthly auction for as much as S$116,020 ($87,000).
That implies the price of a 10-year ownership permit, which excludes the purchase of the vehicle, is equal to 92% of the median yearly household income in the country.
The most recent statistics are in spite of the government raising the additional registration fees for vehicles costing more than S$40,000, a move that is anticipated to generate an additional S$200 million in the upcoming budget year while negatively impacting the top third of newly registered vehicles by market value.
With Singapore’s status as one of the first Asian financial hubs to effectively recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, fresh wealth began to pour in from countries like Hong Kong, mainland China, and India, among others. This led to the government imposing a higher tax. The most recent round of bidding, though, demonstrates that the higher tax isn’t having much of an influence.
There will always be people in this city of 5.6 million who want to own a private vehicle — or maybe more than one — and can afford to pay for it, according to Song Seng Wun, an economist at CIMB Private Banking. This is true despite a widely praised public transit system in which a bus or subway ride can cost less than S$1.
The expensive ownership rights are the result of a quota system that restricts the number of vehicles allowed on the country’s roads through the twice-monthly bidding procedure, helping to manage congestion and pollution. If your bid is accepted, your brand-new Mercedes-Benz will be ready for the road.
Luxury models benefited the most when the overall permit allotment was cut by 14% and premiums shot up to a then-record high in November of last year, with Mercedes automobiles overtaking Toyota models as the top auto brand registered. In recent months, a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW accounted for one out of every four registered vehicles.
A growing preference for electric and hybrid cars, which have accounted for more than half of new purchases so far this year, has also contributed to price increases. Depending on the car’s characteristics and the permit cost, buying a car like a Tesla Model 3 Performance in Singapore might easily cost more than $200,000.
The supply of 10-year entitlements is anticipated to steady after a recent change made by the government’s Land Transport Authority, which is good news for Singaporeans who merely need a regular car to commute to work or a weekend movie.
Costs are still rising, though, for the time being. The following auction will be held on April 5 if you urgently require a vehicle.
(Adapted from Live.Mint.com)
Categories: Economy & Finance, Regulations & Legal, Strategy, Sustainability, Uncategorized
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The weekend surprise from Netflix was the news that it dropped plans to spin off its streaming service and rename the DVD-only service as Qwikster.
Instead, the company has just gone back to the way it was.
That flip and flop won't affect the nearest Netflix distribution center, on Spokane's West Plains near the Spokane Airport. See the map here showing all the Netflix distribution locations: http://www.moviesinhouse.com/articles/netflix-shipping-centers.html
We'll have a local angle on the Qwikster-Netflix development next week in the business pages of The Spokesman-Review.


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Olivia Newton-John's iconic leather pants from the 'You're the One That I Want' scene in 1978's 'Grease' sold for a staggering $162,000.
Kim Kardashian posted an Instagram story over the weekend that had Kardashian fans and Swifties alike scratching their heads.
The fast-food chain will be serving the entire country free tacos on Wednesday, October 30 as a part of its ‘Steal A Base, Steal A Taco’ promotion.
The real-life version of the childhood favorite Barbie™ Malibu Dreamhouse is officially up for rent on Airbnb in honor of Barbie's 60 year anniversary.
Jennifer Lopez stepped out in Manhattan, New York last night in an over-the-top, bedazzled wedding dress while filming an upcoming movie.
Taco Bell voluntarily recalled approximately 2.3 million pounds of seasoned beef from its restaurants and distribution centers.
The Duke of Sussex stepped out on October 10 in Nottingham for his first public engagement since he filed a lawsuit against the British press.
H&R Block recently reviewed tax filing data from 2015 through 2019 to see which Americans have been the most consistently single over the past four years.
A longstanding favorite sandwich, the infamous McRib is back on October 9 in over 1,000 McDonald's locations across the U.S.
Celebrity stylist and 'Fashion Police' co-host Brad Goreski knows a thing or two about tried and true fashion rules -- and when to break them.
American Express has had a longstanding reputation when it comes to engraining itself in cultural happenings and conversation.


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aOn the eighth floor of a distillery in the port of Leith, the latest chapter in the boom-and-bust story of Scotch whiskey is under construction. This week, lifts are being installed at what will soon become the UK’s only vertical whiskey distillery. The brass stills should have arrived from Elgin, but this team is as used to delays as whiskey distillers waiting for their spirit to mature. “Nobody has ever built a building like this before,” says Port of Leith co-owner Ian Stirling.
If you’re looking for a symbol of the rise of the Scotch whiskey industry, this bold black pillar rising 40 meters into the sky above Edinburgh’s historic North Harbour is it. It took four years and £13.5 million to build the distillery, all of which came from individual investors. Meanwhile, Britain has left the European Union (home to many of the largest export destinations for Scotch whiskey), and we have seen a pandemic, the worst cost-of-living crisis for a generation, and an energy crisis hitting the UK harder than anywhere else in it. Western Europe. It takes huge amounts of energy to make whiskey. Yet the spirit still flows. “As British Economy Stalls,” a New York Times headline recently reported, “One Sector Booming: Whiskey.”
“This is a really exciting time,” Stirling says. “We see ourselves as part of a new wave.” In 2012, when he and flatmate Paddy Fletcher (and now co-owner in Port of Leith) began “tinkering with a little copper” in their back garden, there hadn’t been a whiskey distillery in Edinburgh for nearly a century. Now the port of Leith is the third.
Right now, like many of Scotland’s new wave distillers, Port of Leith makes gin. So far, it has exported to 24 countries including Germany, China, the United States, New Zealand, Australia and Japan. But oh my gosh, everyone’s dying for whiskey,” says Stirling. “Once Brexit we couldn’t get our bottles into the country and then we couldn’t get them out. It was a total nightmare, but overall the weak pound almost makes up for this.” Losses. We’ve had loads of Americans coming this summer.”
Located about 60 miles to the northwest in Perthshire, Glenturret is the oldest working distillery in Scotland, dating back to 1763. In 2019, it was acquired by French glassmaker Lalique and Swiss entrepreneur Hansjörg Wyss. In this beautiful old location, crystal chandeliers and black barrels now abound, along with a Michelin-starred restaurant. Here, overlooking the river from where the whiskey water comes from, a rejuvenated Glenturret—now housed in 70cl Art Deco Lalique glass bottles—is sprayed throughout the 15-course menu like the finest Parisian mist. Perfume.
“There have been a lot of pivots in Glenturret’s history that have kept it going,” says Managing Director John Lowry. Glenturret was the last remaining distillery in Scotland to hand-blend the malt into hot water to wash out the sugars – a process known as mashing. “We loved protecting that tradition, but we used three times more natural gas,” he says, patting the newly installed masher as if it were a dog. We changed it for your carbon footprint. Had we known an energy crisis was going to happen, we would have had all the more reason to do so.”
Is this a new golden age for whiskey? “Oh, sure,” Lori says. “Since the re-launch, we have exported the brand to 11 markets around the world. We source new whiskeys every year, and we sell them every year.” At the bar, he points to an ostentatious decanter, backlit like a star. “It’s a Lalique Crystal with a 33-year-old Glenturite in it,” he says. We sell it for £10,000 a bottle. We just launched in Singapore and had the most amazing orders coming in because of the weak pound.”
Meanwhile, distilleries continue to pop up or reopen all over the land. In the last six years alone, 20 restaurants have opened, bringing Scotland’s total to 141. Whiskey exports will grow by almost 20% in 2021.
During the “Whiskey Loch” of 1983, overproduction led to a glut of single malts and dozens of distilleries gathered together. Many are reopening now. “One industry professional recently said we’re heading to the next whiskey lake, and we’re in dangerous territory because of overproduction and energy prices,” says Lowry. “He pointed out all the distilleries opening in China and India. Meaning our major markets are making their own whiskey.” Laurie disagrees. “There are 122 distilleries in Japan and it remains one of our strongest markets. You cannot substitute single malt Scotch. It is the gold standard and can only be made in Scotland.” For whiskey broker Blair Bowman, “Everyone is just riding this wave and you have to enjoy it for as long as it lasts. Historically, the whiskey industry has been cyclical and has had a series of booms and busts.” But ultimately, he adds, “All of these challenges are just a small glimpse into the life of a water barrel sitting patiently in the Highlands.”
There is perhaps no greater symbol of whiskey throwback than Johnnie Walker Princess Street – not a distillery but an ‘experience’ set in eight floors of a magnificent Art Deco building on Scotland’s main shopping street. In 2018 Diageo – Scotch’s biggest player – invested £185m in its whiskey distillery, which will be number 30 when Port Ellen on Islay reopens later this year. The vast majority has been pumped into this building which, since its opening in September 2021, has welcomed 350,000 people from 112 countries through its doors. On the “Immersive Flavor Journey” tour that I joined, two groups included tourists from China, Japan, Holland, Canada and Singapore.
Elsewhere, prosperity is expressing itself in distinctly less dramatic ways. At InchDairnie, which is built on the Greenfield site in Glenrothes, Fife, the focus is on exploring the raw materials, fermentation and method, rather than the mature part of making the whiskey. “Future” is the word that appears when anyone mentions InchDairnie to me. One distiller refers to it as “a bunch of rocket scientists.”
“We respect tradition, but you won’t back down from it,” says managing director Ian Palmer, who has worked in the industry for four decades. “We are a modern distillery without heritage. This gives us a lot of freedom.” InchDairnie’s first release next year will be an innovative five-year-old rye whiskey, he says “and that’s true to the Scottish tradition.
Back in Port of Leith, we disembarked so Stirling could show me the production floors where the “whiskey flows down the block”, eventually arriving at the stills. Looking outside, he pointed to the east coast of Lothian. In the foreground is the thriving beach of Leith, its history as the capital of the Scottish whiskey industry being written in customs warehouses repurposed as flats and creative businesses. This is where the vast majority of Scotch whiskey – brands such as Vat 69, Bailie Nicol Jarvie, Hankey Bannister, Glenmorangie and Highland Queen – has been blended, bottled, matured and shipped around the world. “We try to buy some of those old bottles produced here to sell at the distillery,” he says. “We’re forward-looking but we absolutely love heritage. That’s why we’re here.”


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The Future Of SOHO
Take a look in the home office of Kevin Karten. Six years ago, the former investment banker ditched the steady paycheck, camaraderie and relative stability of the corporate hive to go it alone, starting a homebased general contracting business in Hollywood, Florida.
Today, his home office has 10 lines for phones, faxes and modems, flexible hours plied from a custom workspace, and more than enough business to keep his income higher than the average national homebased business household figure of $63,000 a year. Kevin's wife, Alisa, left her post with an international public relations firm to launch her own consulting firm and watch their two children from home. Even their bookkeeper quit her job with a Big Six accounting firm to go freelance.
"I happen to love what I do. I enjoy working with clients, and I enjoy doing the family trips [that being homebased allows us to take]," Kevin says. "I'm able to touch something, complete it and bring it to fruition."
The Kartens aren't alone in their desire to build a business from home. Homebased entrepreneurs are among the fastest-growing segments of the New Economy. Driving this style of entrepreneurship are lifestyle choices, work styles driven by advances in technology, changes in government policy and an entrepreneurial spirit revived in the American worker's psyche.
Though individualistic in nature, homebased entrepreneurs have several unifying characteristics, like the use of technology, the desire to establish credibility for their micro-businesses, and the need to grow. While that won't change over time, the numbers of like-minded individuals and the tools at hand will-which will likely help shape the face of the homebased entrepreneur, says Beverley Williams, president of the American Association of Home-Based Businesses Inc. "They are becoming a larger, stronger force, but they are individualistic," she says.
What will the tools and attitudes of tomorrow be? We've talked with some of the experts in technology, government, research and home office trends to sketch an image of today's-and tomorrow's-homebased business owner.
Journalist and author Jeff Zbar has worked from home since the 1980s. He writes about home business, teleworking, marketing, communications and other SOHO issues.
Technology: The Driver Of The Home Office
Think technology hasn't driven the transition to the home office? Consider these statistics, courtesy of PC Data:
- Some 39 percent of U.S. households own at least one personal computer, and 16.2 percent have more than one.
- 52.8 percent of home PC households are connected to the Internet.
- 56.6 percent of households own a mobile phone.
- 6.6 percent of households use a personal digital assistant (PDA).
Just small and home office spending in the tech sector alone speaks volumes to how reliant we are-and will continue to be-on technology. In 1998, the small and home office segment spent $51.1 billion on technology; by 2002, the number should grow to $71.2 billion, according to International Data Corp. (IDC).
Homebased entrepreneurs' reliance on technology is destined to grow dramatically, says Milosz Skrzypczak, an analyst in personal technologies with research and consulting firm The Yankee Group. Technology and high-speed connectivity is just starting to grow. Broadband Internet access should be in 16.6 million U.S. homes by 2004, Skrzypczak says. That makes sense, he theorizes, "[because] these days, everything starts with the Internet."
Small offices in the next three years will become networked like the big boys. In-home networking products like Intel's AnyPoint and 3Com's HomeConnect link multiple computers with plug-and-play ease. In fact, home networking will become more common as a standard feature on newly built homes. Category Five (Cat 5) wiring will enable computers and other home technology, from kitchen appliances to home theaters, to be linked and driven off a main computer.
Two coming technologies that are already making their way onto the scene are application service providers (ASPs) and voice-recognition software. ASPs take everything from calendaring, bookkeeping and document storage off local PCs and move it to a service provider's server. The benefit is that users can "rent" powerful, high-end software that is hosted remotely and receive constant tech support from the ASP. This allows approved staff or partners to check the company's ledger, calendar or documents from any computer terminal in the world.
Voice recognition will eliminate awkward data entry into PDAs and even PCs, Skrzypczak says. While it's currently available, advancements in the coming years will make it more powerful-and less prone to errors.
"The dominant theme will be simplicity," Skrzypczak says. "Computing and networking now is tech-heavy, but it will get easier."
- In 1998, SOHOs spent $52.2 billion on technology; by 2002, the number should grow to $78.8 billion
- Tomorrow's technologies for today's home office: application service providers and voice-recognition software
Government Trends make At-Home Work More Acceptable
As a certified homebased management consultant and government affairs director for the American Association of Home-Based Business, Ron Wohl tracks trends on government reaction to home officing. And in recent years, Wohl has liked what he's seen. Congress has loosened the IRS's policies on what qualifies as for a home office deduction, and cities have loosened zoning restrictions on the use of homes as offices.
With rising real estate costs and commute times and the volatility of gasoline prices, expect more of the same, says Wohl. Governments will continue to ease restrictions on business use of the home, and will encourage corporate teleworking.
The long-held but slowly disappearing laws forbidding homebased businesses will continue to fade-or become moot, Wohl says. Governments will increasingly enact laws that forbid businesses that disrupt a neighborhood with noise, odors or electrical interference, but other than those emissions, most businesses will be allowed, he says.
They'll also come to realize that banned businesses mean license revenues not realized. "It's going to take a little while longer for communities to understand that if they [legislatively prohibit] homebased businesses in their communities, it will be a hollow law [because homebased entrepreneurs] will do what they did in the past and violate it," Wohl says. "By making it illegal, they're losing out on taxes."
Wohl believes more government employees will be encouraged to become independent contractors and, in turn, will contract their services back to the government. But instead of people working only for a single client, more people will become true "free agents," working with a number of clients and on a variety of projects, he says.
These emerging work styles in government and the private sector are part of an effort to "rehumanize" the workplace, explains Wohl. Corporations are harmonizing their values with those of their employees and vendors, which is opening more doors to independent contractors and alternative work arrangements, including working with homebased vendors.
Finally, as local governments free citizens from regulations banning home enterprises, a wider audience will become comfortable with the at-home workplace. A new generation will become accustomed to working from the quiet environment of the home office, Wohl surmises, and that's how people will grow their experience in working at home.
The Bonus Of SOHO: The Home Office Workstyle & Lifestyle
Where will homebased entrepreneurs work in the future, and how will they feel about their chosen work style?
They'll work anywhere they want to-and feel increasingly good about it, surmises Paul Edwards, a home office expert and author who moved earlier this year with his wife and business partner, Sarah, from bustling Santa Monica, California, to quaint Pine Mountain, California.
With high-speed Internet access and a growing acceptance by clients and radio listeners to work with the Internet, the transition was seamless and painless for the Edwards, who produce a radio show, write articles and books on working from home, and are also our new "Start It Now" columnists. "The cable modem and ISDN was the enabling technology," said Edwards, co-author with his wife of the best selling Working From Home, now in its fifth edition.
Technology will also influence the types of businesses being started. While today's hot homebased businesses are in the professional and consumer services fields, including consulting, cleaning services and building trades (according to IDC), Edwards envisions the hot homebased businesses of the future being those empowered by technology. He envisions coaching, computer consulting, computer programming, financial advisor, computer security specialist and Webmaster being among the hot prospects.
Few can argue the influence the currently robust economy has played on enabling people to launch homebased enterprises. This "economy of abundance," as Edwards has coined it, "has enabled people to have life choices like never before and to alleviate the pressures created by 24/7 [service] and the 60 or 70 hour work weeks that many people have."
But even short of a red-hot economy, people are making lifestyle choices to head home to work, Edwards says. It's a social component, he notes. People want family in their lives. To wit, even an economic downturn will fuel at-home work, he adds. "Economic cycles cause people who may have not been interested before to be interested in work at home," says Edwards. In fact, the client-vendor relationship itself is destined to change. It's what Edwards called "disintermediation," or the removal of layers from the way transactions and business gets done-like insurance agents or other brokers.
"We can all expect what we do, for whom we do it and how we do it to change," Edwards says. "A complicated and complex society leads to tremendous transition."
To find more hot homebased business ideas, check out the 10 Hottest Homebased Businesses For 2000.
A Snapshot Of Tomorrow's Homebased-Business Owner
Home officers are not like the average American. Not today, and not tomorrow. They're more affluent, educated, mobile, married and satisfied with their lot in life. And that rosy outlook is only expected to grow in time.
A snapshot of today's home office entrepreneur shows a slight majority are men (55 percent), with the average age to be the early 40s and the average annual household income nearing $63,000, according to the Home Office Demographics Update 2000 from IDC. In addition, some 60 percent have attended college, 64 percent are married, 80 percent own their home, and 45 percent have at least one child under the age of 18 in the home. Ethnically and culturally, home officers are a slice of Americana, with all racial groups equally represented among the current population. "It's such a widespread and broad trend that it doesn't skew toward specific demographic niches," says Mary Porter, a senior research analyst with IDC.
The number of home offices in operation in the United States today (including teleworker and after-hours workers) is expected to hit 39 million by 2002, she says. Income-generating home offices should rise to 21.8 million in 2002, up from 20.3 million today.
Though the numbers will grow, the picture painted shouldn't change much in the coming years, Porter adds. The group will remain affluent and educated, she says. In fact, many college graduates will still opt for traditional jobs, if only to garner experience and contacts-and then quit to go it alone, she says.
Tomorrow's homebased entrepreneur will likely grow older as the baby boomers age-and increasingly head home to work. As they wind down traditional careers, Porter explains, "[they'll be] looking to homebased business as the next pre-retirement stage of their lives."
- Fifty-five percent of home office operators are men, the average age is early 40s, and the average annual household income is $63,000.
- While most homebased demographics are expected to stay the same, the average age may increase as baby boomers age and look to homebased business as the next step in their lives


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2017 was riddled with scandal, both from political figures and not.
Between allegations made against major celebrities like Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey and political leaders like Hillary Clinton and Al Franken, 2017 saw many fall from favor–and even some like Anthony Weiner land in jail.
But the biggest scandal of 2017 just broke, and it may be the most shocking of all.
It was recently reported that high-level Amazon and Microsoft directors are facing charges for having their hands in a sex trafficking sting.
The sting was based on emails sent to brothels, which Newsweek was the first to get their hands on.
The emails were sent between brothels, pimps, and the executives between 2014 and 2016, and document the patronage of brothels and the purchase of services from trafficked sex workers.
“Among the emails, which were obtained through a public records request to the King County Prosecutor’s Office, were 67 sent from Microsoft employee email accounts, 63 from Amazon accounts and dozens more from companies like Boeing, T-Mobile, Oracle and local Seattle tech firms,” the report claims. “Some of the emails were collected during a 2015 sting operation that targeted sex worker review boards and resulted in the arrest of 18 individuals, including high-level Amazon and Microsoft directors. Two opted for a trial, which is currently set to begin in March.”
The revelation that Amazon and Microsoft directors were implicated in the sting prompted the two companies to release statements condemning sex trafficking.
“Microsoft has a long history of cooperating with law enforcement and other agencies on combating sex trafficking and related topics, and we have employees who volunteer their time and money specifically to combat this issue as well. The personal conduct of a tiny fraction of our 125,000 employees does not in any way represent our culture,” declared Microsoft. “No organization is immune to the unfortunate situation when employees act unethically or illegally. When that happens, we look into the conduct and take appropriate action. Microsoft makes it clear to our employees they have a responsibility to act with integrity and conduct themselves in a legal and ethical manner at all times. If they don’t, they risk losing their jobs.”
In Amazon’s statement, the company pointed out that paying for sex was against their employee policy.
“Amazon’s Owner’s Manual clearly states that, ‘It is against Amazon’s policy for any employee or Contingent Worker to engage in any sex buying activities of any kind in Amazon’s workplace or in any work-related setting outside of the workplace, such as during business trips, business meetings or business-related social events,’” the online retailer proclaimed. “When Amazon suspects that an employee has used company funds or resources to engage in criminal conduct, the company will immediately investigate and take appropriate action up to and including termination. The company may also refer the matter to law enforcement.”
Several emails sent from tech company employees via their work addresses simply replied, “I think you might have the wrong email address,” which Newsweek explained is common to verify the identity of a first-time buyer.
“They were on their work accounts because Seattle pimps routinely asked first-time sex-buyers to prove they were not cops by sending an employee email or badge,” Newsweek claimed, adding that the prostitutes were predominantly Asian and had sex with between 5 and 15 men a day.
Both Amazon and Microsoft are major American corporations and are irrevocably part of everyday society.
Users frequent Amazon for online shopping, and Microsoft not only created PCs, but many useful software programs such as Word, Excel, Publisher, and more.
If high-level executives from these companies truly had their hands in this nefarious scandal, it could mean disaster for the tech industry.
Leave us your thoughts in the comments section below.


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Chawla's Two-Tier Strategy For Network18
India’s media sector has experienced change at an unprecedented pace and scale, compressing 50 years of media development into just 15, leaving little time for sustainable business models to find their footing in a fiercely competitive marketplace.
There are encouraging signs the market is about to turn the corner however, enabling media companies to operate in a healthier environment in the future.
“It’s a market that’s been growing on all fronts at the same time,” said Haresh Chawla, group CEO of TV and internet conglomerate Network18, speaking at Asia Media Summit 2011, an annual gathering staged by Media Partners Asia, publisher of Asia Media Journal.
“That has created a lot of competitive pressure on the players but that compression will now give way to expansion,” Chawla adds.
Indications of consumer willingness to accept higher prices as both the box office and mobile services emerge from an initial wave of price-driven competition should stand the media business in good stead too.
Low consumer-based media revenues say more about India’s current regulatory regime and intense market competition than any reluctance to pay, Chawla argued.
“As we’ve seen in other sectors, things eventually iron themselves out and you end up with a more sensible regime,” he added. “We’ve seen that in banking, in insurance, in telecoms.
"It will take a bit more time in media, because it is a little more sensitive and the government wants to play a larger role, but over the next four to five years you will see these things correcting themselves and the market truly becoming what it should become.”
Two timelines for growth
A recent restructure is also positioning Network18 for future growth. Its TV distribution business has been moved into its majority-owned TV18 Broadcast division, where the group expects more immediate growth, while the holding company now serves as a stable for assets with longer-term revenue potential such as digital content, e-commerce and home shopping.
“Network18 is the company we are building out for let’s say five years hence, where you get the value of the internet market in India plus you get a hedge from the television growth,” Chawla explained.
The group still carries some debt incurred from major forays into TV entertainment and online media during the 2008 global downturn, but Chawla expects planned disposals of non-core assets, such as a minority stake in travel portal Yatra, to reduce that leverage to a more comfortable level.
“There are such stakes available which we plan to monetize, and keep our focus on the core internet, e-commerce and TV businesses,” he said.
Funds for long-term growth
Recent consolidation in Hindi entertainment, coupled with decreasing investor appetites to fund expensive new TV startups, allows existing players to focus more of their resources on longer-term growth, while long-awaited dividends from internet investments should become more visible in the next one to two years, Chawla added.
Digital and e-commerce revenues are on course to become the second-biggest contributor to Network18’s top line this year, from being the smallest of the group’s four revenue sectors in 2010.
Nonetheless, Chawla expects media battles for market share rather than profits to continue for the foreseeable future.
True market transformation remains some way off, anchored around two major tipping points: the mass digitization of TV, which will allow broadcasters to build out their channel portfolios into new languages and new genres; and mass adoption of online media, most likely through mobile phones, as bandwidth and infrastructure improves.
Fresh focus for advertisers
The internet makes up about 3% of ad spend in India, versus around 85% for TV and print, but online still accounts for 85% of the conversations advertisers have with their agencies, pointed out Punitha Arumugam, CEO of media agency group Madison Media, also speaking at the Summit.
This reflects the potential of mobile, even though most of India’s 550 million mobile subscribers only use their phones today for voice and SMS.
“But, we are expecting mobile to drive the internet revolution in India,” Arumugam added.
“About 50% of search volumes on Google are coming from mobile handsets in India. As 3G, 4G get launched we are hoping there will be an explosion of the internet on mobile. The internet will become the medium of the future through the mobile handset.”


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Fidelity Worldwide Investment has announced former Aviva Investors UK Funds chief executive John Clougherty will join as head of UK retail in June.
Clougherty’s departure from Aviva Investors, as revealed by Money Marketing in March, followed the firm announcing in January that it would cut 160 jobs, with its London-based European, emerging markets, global and SRI equity desks closing.
Fidelity UK managing director Hugh Mullan says: “Clougherty’s wide-ranging experience across the industry means he is extremely well-placed to drive Fidelity’s retail business forward at a time of great change and opportunity in fund distribution.
“Our retail business is already a substantial player with assets of approximately £32bn and I am confident that he will deliver the full potential of our significant product offering to our existing and future intermediated customers.”
Ben Waterhouse, head of UK retail sales, will report to Clougherty and will continue to be responsible for distribution.
Clougherty has held senior management and sales positions at Fleming Asset Management, Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and Skandia Asset Management.


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An official website of the European Union. See all European Institutions
Mr Worthington won the award after submitting a detailed proposal about the European Union's (EU) geographical indications (GI) system. GIs are a key part of the ongoing EU-Australia free trade negotiations.
The award is in its 26th year and is open to Australian journalists with more than three years working experience in print or electronic media. Qantas, which has been partnering with the EU since the inception of this prize, provides a business class fare for the travelling journalist.
EU Ambassador to Australia, Michael Pulch, and representatives from Qantas and the National Press Club presented the award today at a European Australian Business Council reception in Sydney for nine visiting Members of the European Parliament.
"This award allows an Australian journalist to travel to Europe and explore in depth an issue of their choice," Ambassador Pulch said. "GIs is an excellent subject because it will be a major focus for the EU in the trade negotiations with Australia. The EU experience is that GIs generate higher farmgate prices, increase food and wine related tourism in regional areas and protect niche producers from imposters selling inferior products.
"The EU believes GIs would significantly benefit Australians who are passionate about their unique products while also building rural and regional economies."
The EU media team in Canberra and Brussels will assist Mr Worthington in devising a 10 day working visit to Europe early in 2019. He will visit EU institutions in Brussels and also travel to Italy and Greece to investigate the benefits of GIs for rural and regional communities.
Nick Pedley, Delegation of the European Union, Canberra
T: (02) 6271 2744; Email: firstname.lastname@example.org
or Susanna Dunkerley, Delegation of the European Union, Canberra
t: (02) 6271 2747; Email: email@example.com


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The CFDA organization continues to downsize the New York Fashion Week schedule and events. The Spring 2020 calendar is a noticable five days instead of 8, starting Friday, Sept. 6th, and ends on Wednesday, Sept. 11th. The CFDA sites feedback from domestic and international stakeholders as the reason.
“We listened to feedback from both the domestic and the global fashion industry to tighten and strengthen the Official New York Fashion Week schedule,” said Steven Kolb, President and CEO of the CFDA. “I am excited for the strong September lineup which will continue to showcase and celebrate the creativity and diversity of American fashion.”
The CFDA owns and organizes the fashion calendar and official New York Fashion Week schedule. Until last year, Diane von Furstenberg acted as Chairman and CEO. She was replaced by Tom Ford following CFDA struggles to modernize their business models amidst the rise of digital technology, globalization and shifting consumer behavior towards sustainability.
The CFDA fashion week lineup for Spring 2020 includes Tomo Koizumi, Brandon Maxwell, Vera Wang, Pyer Moss, Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren, Gabriela Hearst, Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Proenza Schouler, The Row, and Jason Wu.
The calendar does not feature sustainable fashion brands outside of slow fashion brand The Row and quasi-sustainable fashion brand Mara Hoffman.
For the full Spring 2020 New York Fashion Week calendar click here.


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On Tuesday, Dec. 11, the U.S. Senate passed the 2018 farm bill, an 807-page, $867 billion measure that, among other things, ended the decades-old ban on the production of industrial hemp. The vote was 87-13. The House is expected to follow quickly, and Trump is expected to sign the bill into law.
So what’s hemp?
Hemp is the part of the marijuana plant that was historically used to make rope and cloth (canvas and homespun). Meal made from the seeds was also used as livestock feed.
There is no biological difference between hemp and pot. They both are part of the Cannabis sativa and indica plants. Historically, marijuana was the plant’s flower (wrongly called ‘buds’), while hemp referred to the fibers found in the stalk.
Because hemp was the source of canvas used in ship’s sails, hemp was considered a strategic commodity until the mid-19th century. At the time, Kentucky produced the most hemp, and it would like to get back into the business, which explains why the legalization provisions were added to the farm bill by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky).
Back in the day, if you wanted to produce marijuana (as opposed to hemp), you grew your plants a few feet apart from each other and pruned them to bush out and maximize flower production. The flowers are where the highest concentration of psychoactive THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is found.
If you wanted to grow hemp, you grew your plants close together, like grass, so that they grew up tall and stringy, which maximized fiber production.
Also, marijuana growers want to eliminate seed production, since the seeds, which aren’t psychoactive, form in the flowers. So they try to grow only female plants (usually produced by cloning). Hemp producers want to maximize seed production, since the seeds are valuable as a source of food and oil in their own right, so they don’t bother trying to get rid of the male plants.
Historically, hemp crops were low in THC, but they were not THC free; the close planting reduces the number of flowers in a hemp field and yields plants that don’t produce as much in the way of cannabinoids generally.
That’s the way things were historically.
Today, the cannabis varieties used to produce hemp have had the THC content bred out of them, which is what makes hemp legalization acceptable to a number of otherwise cannabis-hostile senators and representatives. The modern hemp plant is also bred for increased CBD (Cannabidiol) content, which is the non-psychoactive component of cannabis with a number of medicinal benefits.
The farm bill defines hemp as all parts of the cannabis plant having a THC content of no greater than three-tenths of a percent (0.3 percent).
(Actually, THC also has medicinal benefits, but we’ll save that discussion for another day.)
Here are the main hemp-related provisions of the farm bill as they were summarized by Vote Hemp, a hemp industry advocacy group:
–Define industrial hemp broadly to cover all parts of the cannabis plant including seeds, derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, etc., as long as it has a THC level of 0.3 percent or less;
–Remove hemp completely from the Controlled Substances Act (CSA);
-Make USDA the sole federal regulatory agency overseeing hemp cultivation;
–Authorize and fund hemp research as part of the Supplemental and Alternative Crops program and the Critical Agricultural Materials Act;
–Authorize federal crop insurance for hemp;
-Require USDA to develop federal regulations for hemp farming that may be used in states that choose not to be the primary regulator;
–Require states wishing to have primary regulatory authority to submit a plan for regulation to USDA that meets minimum requirements.
Limited hemp production was allowed by the 2014 farm bill, and the industry today is worth about $800 million, mostly as a result of CBD production.
A story carried by NBC suggests that with legalization, hemp could balloon into a $20 billion industry within four years, with the plant being grown for fiber, feed, oil, CBD and hemp hurds. Hemp hurds, the cores of the stalk around which the fibers form, have value as a strengthening additive to concrete.
The American hemp industry, which had been a staple of American agriculture since colonial times and which in the 1930s was touted to grow into a billion dollar industry, was destroyed when marijuana was outlawed in 1937. Just another war crime of the war on drugs.


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The world's leading producer of aluminum said the expansion it is planning in Lafayette is on schedule and going smoothly.
Alcoa, which in 2012 announced that it was planning a $90 million expansion to its Lafayette facility, sent its supply chain manager of forgings and extrusions, Tom Delgatto, to a luncheon Friday in Lafayette to talk about the company's operations here.
The expansion of the 2.5 million square-foot-plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2014 and will be a hub for producing aluminum lithium, which feeds into the aerospace industry. ...


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Nintendo just confirmed what we already knew: its hybrid gaming system is a hit.
The company said on Tuesday the Nintendo Switch — one part mobile, one part home console — has sold 10 million units since its March 2017 launch.
The announcement comes less than two months after Nintendo increased its fiscal-year projection, ending March 31, 2018, from 10 million to 14 million units sold. Nintendo expects operating profit for the year to hit $1.06 billion, up from its original projection of $572 million.
“The fact that we reached 10 million units sold on a global basis and we’re not fully through the holidays is unprecedented territory for Nintendo,” Reggie Fils-Aime, president and COO of Nintendo America, told CNN Tech. “The pace is one of the fastest in our own history and in gaming history.”
By contrast, the Wii U sold just over 13 million units since its 2012 launch, before it was discontinued earlier this year.
Fils-Aime attributed the success of Nintendo Switch ($300) to its portability, as well as its game offerings.
To play it, gamers insert a slim tablet into a handheld device that has controllers on each side. Users can then pop the tablet out of the mobile “Switch Console” and plug it into a “Switch Dock” base-station that allows for play on a TV. It will automatically transition to portable mode when it’s lifted from the dock. The concept makes it easy to “switch” from playing the game on the couch to taking it on the go.
More games are coming to Nintendo Switch’s lineup, including those that feature characters Kirby and Yoshi.
Last week, “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” for Nintendo Switch was named game of the year at the 2017 Game Awards in Los Angeles. Other games such as “Super Mario Odyssey” and “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” have been widely praised, and titles such as “Bayonetta” and “Bayonetta 2” — which debuted on the Wii U — will come to the console next year.
Fils-Aime previously told CNN Tech it was important for the console to have a consistent flow of new games — unlike the limited offerings made available to the Wii U. The Wii U, which was considered a flop, also lacked a clear user proposition.
According to P.J. McNealy, chief executive at Digital World Research, the gaming industry was ripe for something like the Nintendo Switch.
“The Switch is in a position to become the second console in households,” McNealy said. “The PS4 and Xbox One are in year four, while the Switch is a new console with great first-party titles. Nintendo’s strategy coming in was to load up on [games], such as Mario and Zelda, which help carry hardware sales for several holidays. The company nailed it this year.”
The Nintendo Switch isn’t the only gaming system fans are clamoring to get their hands on. The company’s Super NES Classic Edition throwback console has emerged as one of the hottest gifts the holiday shopping season, similar to the attention the NES Classic Edition attracted last year.
“We continue to ship them daily,” Fils-Aime said. “We’ll be selling the Super NES Classic Edition well into 2018, too. There will be lots more for consumers soon.”