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In March 2020, our lives drastically changed. And restaurants, bars, coffee shops and other parts of our food system in North Texas learned to hustle and pivot even more than they usually do. Here’s a timeline of our coverage, with links to stories from reporters Sarah Blaskovich, Claire Ballor, Nick Rallo, Amanda Albee, Jeremy Hallock, Dalila Brent, Evan Grant and more.
Feb. 17, 2020: In February, the U.S. had not yet seen any confirmed cases of the coronavirus, but xenophobia and racism began to impact local Chinese restaurants.
March 10: In early March, after our first local confirmed case, Dallas-area restaurants began preparing for the coronavirus with sanitization procedures and single-use containers.
March 13: Three days later, restaurants were still open, but people were beginning to wonder more about safety. This is our first interview with an epidemiologist, and possibly our first use of the term “social distancing.”
March 16: The City of Dallas orders bars and restaurants to close effective March 17. Takeout, delivery and drive-through are still allowed. As takeout and delivery increases, we looked at how third-party delivery apps can impact local businesses and take a share of profits.
March 19: Gov. Abbott issues a statewide closure of restaurant dining rooms that took effect March 21. “1 million service jobs are on the line.”
March 22: COVID-19 cases hit 100 in Dallas County, and the county issues a shelter in place order. We began offering free listings to local restaurants to advertise their takeout plans.
Late March: The pivots begin. Restaurants and bars get creative with “baller survival kits” and toilet paper and become “Wild West general stores.” Wholesalers lose restaurant business and start offering produce boxes at pickup spots throughout North Texas.
Farm and garden boom: During shelter in place orders and shortages at grocery stores, consumers turn to local farmers for produce, meat and eggs. People try to grow their own food with grow boxes, and the backyard chicken business picks up. We also talk to agriculture experts and farmers to see if this could be a “food system awakening.”
March 30: But is the takeout business sustainable for restaurants? Will it keep them afloat? Some restaurants, like Lucia, weigh the risks and opt to close temporarily.
The home baking boom: The sourdough aspirations begin. And local bakeries start selling flour, yeast and their own starters as grocery stores run out of the goods.
But what about bars? In April, they are approved to start selling alcohol to-go and creative kits. On May 1, TABC extended alcohol to-go rules, but did not include mixed drinks. On June 30, the state begins allowing mixed drinks to-go.
Financial woes: As the shutdown persists in April, restaurant owners have mounting financial concerns, and charitable programs form to assist unemployed restaurant workers and others in need. Congress passes the first COVID-19 relief bill, clearing the way for Paycheck Protection Program loans for small businesses. Only 4.5% of the package went to the restaurant industry.
May 1: The Reopening: Gov. Abbott announces that restaurant dining rooms could open at 25% capacity. Bars remain closed. Restaurants prepare their dining rooms for safety measures like sanitization, masking and social distancing. Some, like high-end steakhouses, purchase air filtration systems. Customers cautiously try out patios, citing an “eerie feeling,” and many restaurants choose to stick with takeout only. Takeout business actually continues to soar as most people still stay home. And with bars still closed, nightlife was pretty quiet.
The mask debate begins: There is no statewide mandate in place yet, so restaurants and other establishments make their own rules for employees and guests. Employees at Hillstone restaurant complain about management forbidding mask-wearing. The restaurant later changes its mask policy.
May 22: Restaurants in Texas are allowed to expand indoor dining capacity to 50%, and bars are allowed to open at 25% in Texas. More restaurants choose to open dining rooms at this point, because it makes more sense financially. TJ’s Seafood and a few other restaurants even begin testing employees regularly for COVID-19.
Protests begin: Large protests sparked by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis sweep the nation. In Dallas, protests were largely peaceful, but in the evening became destructive. Restaurant owners in downtown and Deep Ellum suffer damage such as broken windows and see a loss of customers from the curfew. Many owners are understanding and “couldn’t get mad,” but struggle to “catch a break.”
In early June, we begin seeing cases of COVID-19 among restaurant workers, and businesses struggle with how to handle it. Many close temporarily to sanitize surfaces and quarantine other workers, but it’s hard to contain. As one restaurateur said: “This is everywhere.” Eateries struggle with whether or not to be honest with the public about employee cases, calling it a “lose-lose situation.”
June 12: Restaurants are allowed to expand capacity to 75%.
June 24: Dallas County institutes a mask ordinance that requires customers and employees to wear masks or risk being fined $500 per violation. Restaurant workers take on roles of enforcing the ordinance, sometimes having conflicts with customers.
June 26, the backtrack: Gov. Greg Abbott orders all bars in Texas to shut their doors, again, as COVID-19 cases rise. Restaurants must go back to 50% capacity. “I’m kind of laughing because I’m trying not to be hysterically upset. It’s just unbelievable,” said one bar owner.
July brings more questions about the safety of indoor dining and restaurant survival, as well as more pivoting. Bars start adding more food options so they can stay open, like “dive-throughs,” food trucks and more.
In late July, bars become a point of focus as some begin to protest the statewide shutdowns. Some even open illegally. Some establishments, like Bottled Blonde, are publicly criticized for crowds, but are not cited by the state or other government agencies.
Fall 2020: Restaurants continue to struggle and run out of aid money. In Washington, talks continue about more aid, but the Texas Restaurant Association warns restaurants not to count on it.
Oct. 14: Texas bars are allowed to reopen at 50% capacity with the approval of county officials per a new order from Gov. Greg Abbott, but Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins says he will not give Dallas bars the go-ahead to reopen. Denton, Tarrant and Collin county bars can open. Bar owners call for clarity from officials.
November: COVID-19 cases surge throughout Texas. Restaurants prepare for possible capacity rollbacks that never happen. There are conflicting messages about the safety of dining indoors, which leave restaurateurs weary and uncertain.
December: The restaurant industry begins preparing for the vaccine rollout, lobbying for restaurant workers to get priority.
A brighter future? We start seeing more optimistic signs for restaurants, as reservations are hard to get at some spots in January. Chinese restaurants report good business and loyal customers, and there are many new restaurants planning to open.
February 2021: An epic winter storm doesn’t help things, though. Icy temperatures keep some restaurants closed again, some deal with water damage from burst pipes, and some decide to have a “do-over” of Valentine’s Day.
March 2021: As we hit almost one year into the pandemic, a new stimulus bill is approved that will send $28.6 billion in debt-free grants directly to the restaurant industry.
On March 2, Gov. Abbott ends the statewide mask mandate and lifts all other COVID-19 restrictions, allowing everything to open at 100% capacity. Many restaurants vow to keep a mask requirement for employees and guests. Others make it optional so they can avoid conflicts with customers.
March 17: Restaurants look back, but vow to move forward and hope for brighter days. Some predict a dining boom in the second half of 2021.


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MILAN – Coffee futures prices eased on Tuesday on better weather in Brazil and improved supplies. The Arabica contract for September delivery closed 615 down at 219.35 cents per lb. September ICE Robusta coffee prices closed $32 down at 2,224 snapping a six-session streak of gains.
The amount of green coffee stored at ports in the United States rose by 173,201 60-kg bags at the end of July, up 2.9% month-on-month and 2.5% year-on-year, reaching a 1-3/4 year high of 6.223 million bags, data from the Green Coffee Association (GCA) showed.
Ice Arabica certified stocks are still at historic lows, but the situation is set to improve since there are 270,000 bags that are pending grading.
Heavy rain last week eased drought concerns in Brazil. Data from Somar Meteorologia on Monday showed that Minas Gerais received 17.8 mm of rain in the past week, or 659% of the historical average.
Minas Gerais accounts for about 30% of Brazil’s arabica crop.
Fitch Solutions said it expects arabica prices to be close to $2 per lb for the rest of 2022, under pressure from slowing global growth, which should weaken demand, and from an expected 4.1% increase in global production in the 2022/23 season.
According to market sources, the latest Commitment of Traders report from the New York Arabica coffee market has seen the Managed Money fund sector increase their net long position within this market by 16.13% over the week of trade leading up to Tuesday 9th August, reaching a new net long position at 21,272 lots.
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In this year’s second quarter, the worldwide market for smartphones grew 23.1% year over year, resulting in a record 295.3 million shipments in a single quarter. This market grew by 2.6% from the first quarter. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), the market will continue to rise swiftly in the second half of 2014 to surpass 300 million units.
“A record second quarter proves that the smartphone market has plenty of opportunity and momentum,” stated, Program Director with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Ryan Reith “Right now we have more than a dozen vendors that are capable of landing in the top 5 next quarter. A handful of these companies are currently operating in a single country, but no one should mistake that for complacency – they all recognize the opportunity that lies outside their home turf.”
Strong demand for affordable smartphones and mobile computing boosted results for Samsung, Apple, and other smartphone vendors. Smartphone growth is drastically affected by emerging markets. Among the most successful vendors who are supporting such markets are several Chinese OEMs such as Huawei, whose shipments have almost doubled compared to the previous year.
“As the death of the feature phone approaches more rapidly than before, it is the Chinese vendors that are ready to usher emerging market consumers into smartphones,” said Senior Research Manager with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Melissa Chau.
Samsung is currently the top vendor with a 2Q14 shipment volume of 74.3 million units and a market share of 25.2 percent, followed by Apple with 35.1 million units and a 11.9 percent market share. Huawei comes in third with 20.3 million units and 6.9 percent market share.


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More than three in four (76%) students say they have been targeted by scams, according to a bank.
Students studying in Exeter, Edinburgh and York are particularly likely to have been targeted – with more than four in five in each of those areas having experienced fraud – the research from NatWest found.
It also indicated that students in Glasgow are the least likely to be targeted by scams, although the numbers are still high, with more than three in five having been subjected to fraud.
In general, delivery scams are common, with people receiving bogus texts advising that an attempt was made to deliver a parcel and there would now be an additional charge.
The texts link to fake websites, purporting to belong to services such as Royal Mail or DHL. Personal information is requested, which will then be used to scam people.
NatWest said tax rebate scams are also targeting students.
More than three in five students said they have been contacted with fake emails, texts or calls claiming they are entitled to a “tax rebate”.
Criminals aim to gather personal details such as a name, date of birth, address and sometimes payment card details.
Scams where criminals pretend to be from banks, offer investments, advertise fake goods on social media or encourage people to become money mules were also among those that students had encountered.
Some had also experienced criminals trying to hack their shopping or entertainment accounts.
The NatWest student living index surveyed more than 2,300 students and the full findings are due to be released later this week.
Andy Nicholson, head of NatWest student accounts, said: “This year’s NatWest student living index reveals a large number of students are being targeted by criminals.
“In raising awareness of these types of scams we hope students can avoid becoming a victim.”
Here are NatWest’s tips for students:
– Try to shop online with websites that you know and trust using your debit or credit card. If you see a deal online that looks too good to be true from a website you have never heard of, it may be a scam. If you have doubts, do not make the purchase.
– If an online seller asks you to send money direct from your bank account to theirs, this could also be a scam.
– Do not give away your personal and bank details easily. Criminals use online competitions or offers of free shopping vouchers as a way of harvesting information from their next victims.
– Social media investment scams will often use fake celebrity endorsements and the promise of “getting rich quick”.
– Be sceptical of unsolicited phone calls, texts or emails asking for personal or bank details. The bank and police will never ask for a full pin or password, card reader codes, or ask you to move money from your account.
– Do not recycle passwords and use a unique password for your bank accounts and your email account.
– Pass scam awareness information onto your family and friends, particularly anyone you think might be vulnerable.


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Today Panasonic unveiled a new line of Lumix X lenses for Micro Four Thirds cameras, introducing two new zoom lenses: the 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 and the 45-175mm f/4-5.6. What’s unique about them is that they’re both power zoom lenses, meaning the focal length is controlled electronically using a rocker on the side of the lens. The 45-175mm also has standard zoom and focus rings, but these are electronic controls as well.
The 14-42mm is also unique in that it’s collapsible, resembling a tiny pancake lens when it’s closed:
Basically, Panasonic has built-high quality interchangeable camera lenses that function like the lenses on fixed lens digital cameras. They feature a solid build-quality (e.g. a metal mount), an anti-glare coating, and built-in image stabilization.
Available in either black or silver, the 14-42mm will cost $400 and the 45-175mm $450 when they’re released in October and September, respectively.
Update: Panasonic is reportedly also planning to release a 12-35mm f/2 and a 35-100 f/2 in 2012.


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High street retailers are being urged to stop employing civil loss recovery firms which demand hundreds of pounds for petty or mistaken thefts.
Shops that use the firms to recoup the costs of theft are hiring ‘legal bounty hunters’ who mainly target young people, the Citizens Advice Bureau have said.
There is no legal basis for the demands of between £87.50 and £250, according to the CAB, which it estimates have been issued to about 100,000 people despite 80 per cent recovery of the goods.
As a trade-off for not calling police, security guards take the name and address of the accused who later receives a letter demanding cash or threatening court action.
Retailers such as TK Maxx, Boots, Asda and Tesco have been known to use the firms.
The British Retail Consortium defended the practice as a means for retailers to recover costs when thefts of low-value products ‘are not taken seriously’ by police.
The CAB said the demands and subsequent threats for non-payment do not add up to the amounts stolen – an estimated two-thirds of the thefts are for between £10 and £20.
Tomorrow, the CAB will fight a landmark case challenging the legal basis for the large sums of money. It involves a girl who was issued with a £137.50 demand after taking cosmetics from a store worth £28.50 – all of which were recovered.
‘Often, these so-called thefts are mistakes but the retailers show no leniency, said Richard Dunstan, social policy officer at the CAB.
‘These firms are legal bounty hunters that go after the soft touch with their bully-boy tactics.’


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Bowel Cancer New Zealand ran its high profile Art Chairs campaign through Whybin\TBWA to raise money and awareness for the disease in New Zealand, which has one of the highest incidences of the cancer in the developed world. We caught up with Whybin creative director Tim Huse to find out his thoughts on working with not-for-profits and whether advertising has a responsibility to help in whatever way it can.
The Art Chairs campaign was based around the auctioning of chairs painted and arranged by different New Zealand artists including Dick Frizzell, Flox, Shane Hanse, Reuben Paterson and Boh Runga.
Each chair was auctioned off on Trade Me between the 2 – 12 June and could be viewed at artchairs.co.nz. According to a release, $15,129 was raised for the charity this awareness month and the campaign received a lot of online traction with 57,430 page views on Trade Me and 147,240 people were reached on Facebook.
Whybin\TBWA creative director Tim Huse says advertising can make a huge difference for not-for-profits.
“I guess it boils down to that we have skills and expertise that many not-for-profits don’t have internally and the reality is that these not-for-profits are facing many of the same challenges at engaging with their audiences as traditional brands,” he says. “It’s a complicated media landscape out there and they benefit from the same skills and expertise.”
He says in the world of charities, much like brands, there is also a lot of competition. “So certainly figuring out a creative solution to them is something we are good at and what we enjoy doing.”
There is a perception that advertising only serves corporates, but Huse says this isn’t true for Whybin. “We’re committed to being apart of our community, both here and in Auckland and globally. And globally TBWA have a programme called ‘TBWA For Good’ so we take it really seriously … [it’s] really focussed on bringing our skills to organisations beyond quote unquote corporate clients and we are aware we are part of a community and we want to live up to that and do good in that community.”
When working for an agency, it’s no secret your work is going to be used to sell products and serve the needs of a corporate, so are campaigns such as these good for workers’ morale?
“Yes. It’s really not about morale, what it’s about is creative people across companies who have the opportunity to help make the world around them better. It’s not as cynical as boosting staff morale, it’s just creative people seem to naturally want to make the world around them better and this is one way to do it. So if you ask anyone about morale they would say no.”
He says the advertising industry has a responsibility to help not-for-profits and do good.
“But I suggest that responsibility goes beyond just the advertising industry. We are apart of a community and I think everyone from large companies to individuals, we all have a responsibility to help people who are trying to make this a better place. So it’s a shared responsibility I guess.”
Whybin initially chose to work with Bowel Cancer New Zealand because there was a personal connection through the agency, but the team soon realised how big the issue was, he says.
“It’s such a huge issue from grass roots up into a government level, one with staggering stats that somehow no one was aware of so as we scratched the surface and three New Zealanders die [from bowel cancer]everyday. It was mind blowing to us that we didn’t know about it.”
The agency also works with Auckland City Mission, he says, along with a few other agencies. “And the reason we are doing that, is that they are a neighbour and are just next door but [also], homelessness is literally on our door step and we see it and we want to help change it,” he says.
He says with Bowel Cancer New Zealand the agency wanted to create a conversation around a cancer that no one really wants to talk about. “It’s not the first time and nor will it be the last time that artists will be called upon to help with something like this but what was really interesting is the quality of the art involved.”
Some of the artists themselves had a personal connection with bowel cancer, he says.
He says the chairs were decided on because they’re something you sit on, but they also reflected a wide range of New Zealanders.
“[Of] different shapes, different sizes. We were so fortunate to have a response form the artistic and design community and as a result of that by having something to go to media with we were able to spread the word and on quite a modest budget we were able to secure PR and interviews that would normally not be possible.”


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The owner of the company, American billionaire, Elon Musk, announced the new robot during the Artificial Intelligence Day event that the company celebrated, and said that the robot will be called "Optimus", and it is about 173 centimeters long, and weighs 57 kilograms.
According to Musk, the robot may be available in the market in 2022.
While Musk did not disclose the selling price of the robot, he stressed that it would have a "profound" impact on the economy by reducing labor costs.
"In the future, physical work will be an option," he added.
The newspaper quoted Musk that the robot "Optimus" will use the same chips and sensors used in the automated driving system in "Tesla" cars.
She added that the robot will have the ability to carry a weight of at least 20 kilograms, and lift 68 kilograms.
Musk also pointed out that "Optimus" has the ability to run at a speed of 8 kilometers per hour.
Musk confirmed, according to the newspaper, that the robot will be designed in a way that allows humans to easily escape from it, and even overcome it.
Musk indicated that the robot will fulfill some of the tasks that its owner will ask of it, such as attaching the latch to the car, or going to the market for shopping, by ordering him, "Go to the store, please, and bring me the next groceries."
Musk is known for providing innovations and ideas that some see fanciful, but he proves every time that science can do a lot of amazing things.
In July 2020, Musk revealed a technology that his company, Nera Link, is working on, which is a chip implanted in the brain, which will be able to help treat several conditions, including addiction and depression.
And in August 2020, Musk unveiled a pig that had a chip implanted in its brain, signaling an early step toward achieving the goal of treating human diseases with the same type of implant.
Nera Link, co-founded by Musk in 2016, aims to implant wireless connections between the brain and a computer, including thousands of electrodes in the most complex human organ, to help treat neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia and spinal cord injuries.
The diameter of the slice is approximately 8 millimeters, and it is implanted after drilling a precise hole in the skull.


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There has been a LOT happening Florida recently!
As theme parks talk about what health and safety precautions will need to be in place before they re-open, other business have started to welcome guests back inside their doors.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Florida barbershops and salons will be opening tomorrow with heath and safety guidelines in place.
Governor Ron DeSantis has stated that guests must have appointments before visiting barbershops and salons. Locations have to leave 15 minutes between each appointment to sanitize the area. Barbers and hair stylists will be required to wear masks, but not gloves, and guests won’t have to wear either. However, they are encouraged to do so, and businesses could offer them to their customers.
According to guidelines, “barbershops and salons should remove all unnecessary, frequent-touch items, such as magazines, newspapers, service menus, and any other unnecessary paper products and décor from customer service areas.” Unlike restaurants, there won’t be restrictions on operating hours or the amount of customers, but people won’t be allowed in the waiting rooms.
This news comes after Disney Springs has started to re-open some of its own third-party stores and restaurants. We previously reported that Governor DeSantis’ plans for the state’s re-opening will be “data driven” and responsive. He plans to monitor the numbers as businesses like barbershops open in the coming days and weeks. We’ll keep you updated with more information!
Do you have plans to visit Florida theme parks in 2020? Let us know in the comments below!


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Federal-Mogul was recently selected as 2011 Vendor of the Year by the 53 shareholders of the Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance. The award was presented during the Alliance Group’s annual winter meeting, held Dec. 6 in Aventura, FL.
The 2011 award marks the fourth time since 2001 that Federal-Mogul has been honored as the top manufacturer serving the Alliance. This year’s award was based on Federal-Mogul’s exceptional performance in several key areas, including product availability, working capital reduction, customer support, training, marketing programs and field sales support.
The award was presented to Federal-Mogul executives by Eli Futerman, Alliance chairman and co-president and CEO of Hahn Automotive.
“This is one of the most significant awards presented to an aftermarket manufacturer, and we are very proud to accept it on behalf of the entire Federal-Mogul team,” said Paul Johnson, vice president, North America, Federal-Mogul Global Aftermarket. “This isn’t simply about doing one thing very well, but truly excelling in several areas that ultimately help drive the success of Alliance members. This level of excellence is our goal each and every year.”
According to Federal-Mogul, Alliance Group shareholders and their more than 2,300 wholly owned and affiliated Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper stores carry a full complement of Federal-Mogul brands and products, including ANCO wipers, Carter fuel delivery products, Champion spark plugs, MOOG steering and suspension products, National bearings and seals, Precision universal joints, Sealed Power engine parts, Wagner brake products and Wagner lighting components.


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PHNOM PENH -- The Cambodian government approved on Friday the long-awaited draft laws on e-commerce and consumer protection, government spokesman Phay Siphan said.
The approval was made during a weekly cabinet meeting, which was presided over by Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, the spokesman said on his
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SUPERMARKET chain Waitrose is to move into Amersham to replace alworths.
General retailer alworths opened a store in Sycamore Road in November, replacing Woolworths after the popular high street name went into administration in 2008.
But the company only signed a short-term lease with the property's landlord and this month were served with notice to vacate.
Alworths is set to close on September 12, with Waitrose ready to open at the start of November.
Landlord Michael Testler said “a number of offers” had been made by companies interested in moving in to the property. He added the addition of Waitrose would be “great for Amersham”.
The new Waitrose will be the first convenience store run by the supermarket company in Buckinghamshire.
Jon Arnold, Head of Convenience Stores at Waitrose, said: “Waitrose have wanted to come to Amersham for a long time and we are delighted to have the opportunity to make a major investment, which can play an important role in the town’s future.
“Our objective is to ensure the new store helps provide a boost to the local economy, not only through new jobs and supporting local projects, but by helping to create a more vibrant high street that will attract more shoppers to the town.”
Up to 60 new jobs will be created at the new store.
Alworths are looking to remain in Amersham and the firm is searching for new premises.
Managing Director Andy Latham said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team in Amersham for their hard work and dedication over the last ten months, resulting in a very successful period of time for us.”
The news has been cautiously welcomed in Amersham.
Nigel Shepherd, chairman of the Old Amersham Business Association, said: “I think it's excellent.
“I have a slight concern we are being supermarketed out, but I am sure the supermarkets have done their research and believe there's a market for a store there.”
He added: “I would be delighted if alworths stays. I see them as a niche and I wish them the best of luck.”
Brian Woods of the Amersham Society said: “We welcome Waitrose but we are rather sad it would appear the landlord has preferred them to alworths.
“We would very much hope alworths can find an alternative outlet site within Amersham on the Hill.”
Mr Woods added he was “happy” the building remains as a retail outlet, after plans to convert it into a financial services business were rejected last year.
What do you think of the plans? Have your say below.


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Bradley Merrill Thompson, Member of the Firm, will co-present “Shedding Light on New Rules for Adverse Event Reporting.”
In recent years, the combination products industry has grappled with how to address conflicting rules for reporting adverse events. FDA has published a concept paper on a proposed rule which is anticipated to be released by FDA before 2010.
This session will review the concept paper, the Combination Product Coalitions (CPC) perspectives on the paper and the industry’s reaction including implications for drug and medical device companies that market combination products. It will address how industry is currently handling reporting in the interim.
For more information and to register, contact Lauren M. Power, (301) 770 2920 x278, email@example.com. Or visit http://www.raps.org/PersonifyEbusiness/Home/tabid/1556/Default.aspx.


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Japanese electrical giant Panasonic is reportedly working on new technology that’ll increase battery cell energy density by 20 per cent before the end of the decade.
Panasonic Energy chief technical officer (CTO) Shoichiro Watanabe told Reuters the brand plans to achieve this goal by using a new mix of additives that allow individual battery cells to run at a higher voltage without damaging their long-term performance.
If the Japanese giant is able to achieve this 20 per cent increase in battery density it could potentially boost the range of an electric vehicle (EV) relative to what’s currently on offer, or make EVs more spacious and lighter.
A 20 per cent increase in battery density could take Panasonic’s most advanced battery cell, which reportedly has a volumetric energy density of 750Wh/L, to around 900Wh/L according to Reuters.
Panasonic is reportedly aiming to boost the voltage to between 4.3 to 4.6 volts.
“If we can get that to 4.5 to 4.6 volts, I think the whole world view in terms of what’s possible for EVs would change,” said Mr Wantanabe.
The executive stopped short of confirming when the new battery chemistry will actually be rolling out.
Panasonic competes in the cutthroat battery production industry and rivals the likes of CATL, Samsung SDI, and LG Energy Solution.
These companies have been revealing more energy-dense battery cells in order to outdo each other, and in the hopes of earning the business of the world’s carmakers.
CATL recently detailed its third-generation CTP battery technology which will be available in both lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) cell chemistries.
“The race among battery makers has been to come up with more potent and effective additives,” said Mr Watanabe.
In addition to making its future battery cells more energy dense, Panasonic has reportedly developed a way to slow down a battery’s degradation at higher voltages.
The Japanese giant has also reportedly developed a way to prevent ‘microcracking’ in the positive electrode, which shortens its useful life.
“It’s difficult to balance, but raising the energy density of batteries requires raising the potential of both electrodes,” said Mr Wantanabe.
Panasonic is currently a major battery cell supplier for Tesla, and plans to start mass-producing the new, larger-format 4680 battery cell in Japan from April 2023. It’s also reportedly reviewing sites for production in the US.
These new Panasonic-built 4680 battery cells will reportedly power new Texas-built Model Y cars.
It’s unclear when this battery technology will trickle down to the rest of the Tesla Gigafactories, but it’s worth noting that Australian-spec Model Y cars come from Tesla’s Shanghai manufacturing plant.


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Some 8 million Web pages, published mostly by smaller merchants and professional firms, have been hijacked this summer and set up to usurp control Relevant Products/Services of the PCs of unsuspecting site visitors.
That's the latest development in a new style of hacking sweeping across the Internet, according to research by Web site security Relevant Products/Services firm Armorize.
"The misuse of numerous small sites is making the Internet a much more dangerous place," says Alena Varkockova, lab analyst at anti-virus firm Avast. "Even the unimportant sites can do big harm when misused."
A single criminal gang using computer Relevant Products/Services servers located in Ukraine is responsible for the latest twist in converting legitimate Web sites into delivery mechanisms for "drive-by downloads," according to Wayne Huang, chief technical officer at Armorize.
In a drive-by download, malicious software gets inserted into the Web browser of any unsuspecting Internet user who simply has navigated to a hacked Web page.
With control of the visitor's browser, the attacker can easily install malicious software that silently harvests all account log-ons, identity data Relevant Products/Services and payment card data. The PC Relevant Products/Services is usually also slotted into a botnet, a network Relevant Products/Services of infected "robot" PCs controlled by the bad guys, who then use it on an ongoing basis to spread spam, carry out hacktivist attacks and do other criminal activities.
Google and Microsoft say they continually scan for Web pages conducting malicious activities and issue warning pages in search results and via Google's Chrome and Microsoft's Internet Explorer browsers. They also provide free guidance and tools for Web site owners to diagnose and clean up problems.
But many of the infected Web pages won't get cleaned up anytime soon, as these wrongdoers use "myriad techniques to ensure their malicious software goes undetected," says Jon Clay, product manager at anti-virus firm Trend Micro. Use of polymorphic infections that constantly change has become commonplace, says Clay.
Internet users can reduce their risk by keeping Web browser and anti-virus updates current and avoiding use of Internet Explorer, since Microsoft's dominant browser is also the most intensively probed for security holes, says Adam Wosotowsky, senior analyst at anti-virus firm McAfee.
"I suggest using Firefox or Chrome," he says.


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Pune: Realising the market potential due to the rising disposable income and the increasing number of consumers from Tier I and Tier II cities, who are now ready to pay premium prices for the healthier organic food, more and more farmers have started exploring the realm of organic farming.
According to Chairman and Managing Director of Netsurf Communications, a Pune-based direct selling company specialising in natural and herbal products, Sujit Jain, ‘Organic’ has certainly become a buzzword in today’s market and farmers are becoming more aware of organic farming practices and its benefits.
“Organic farming is picking up across Maharashtra. So far, 6.5 lakh hectares are under organic farming in Maharashtra. North Maharashtra and parts of Marathwada and Vidarbha regions are in the lead, as far as the adoption of organic farming methods is concerned. The state-level department is also supporting farmers who are adopting organic farming practices in their farms. Today, more than half a million farmers in Pune district are involved in organic farming and are using organic products on their farms on a regular basis,” he said.
According to Jain, with the rise in organic farming, the demand for organic products is also on the rise. “The current organic food consumption in India is not even 0.1 per cent of India’s total annual food consumption of $300 billion. That paves a way for the genuine manufacturer-marketers like Netsurf to witness many more ‘Organic Agripreneurs’ in the recent future in Maharashtra, and across the country at large,” he said.
Speaking about Netsurf, he said, “Netsurf offers around 49 natural and herbal products across four distinct categories - Health Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Agriculture. Biofit for Agriculture was our first brand and the product range helps in increasing the farm production while reducing the cost attached to chemical input in the farm, which makes it profitable. In addition, ‘Biofit farming’ eliminates the health risk linked to the residual effects of hazardous chemicals and farmers can expect a better price for their crops. In financial year 2016-17, while the contribution of Biofit range in Netsurf’s turnover across India was 43 per cent, in Maharashtra, this share was 53 per cent of the turnover of the state,” he said.
Adding about future plans for Netsurf, Jain said, “Looking at the increasing potential of our personal care products, we are already in the process of coming up with a manufacturing plant in Sikkim. To have a plant in Sikkim was a well-thought decision as we wanted the natural ingredients in their best form available. We are targeting to launch our first IPO in next five years.”


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Plaintiffs represented by Bursor & Fisher P.A. and Laukaitis Law Firm LLC have filed two class action lawsuits against Mars Inc. and Trader Joe’s Company alleging that the defendants’ dark chocolate products contain unsafe levels of lead and cadmium.
The complaint against Mars was filed in the Eastern District of New York by New York resident Arlene Millman. The complaint states that for years Millman has purchased Mars’ Dove Promises Deeper Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao from local retailers.
The complaint against Trader Joe’s was filed in the Northern District of California by Lillian Brennessel, a resident of California. The complaint states Brennessel has about one bar of dark chocolate a week and has purchased Trader Joe’s “Dark Chocolate 72% Cacao” bar and “The Dark Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate 85% Cacao” bar from the grocery chain.
Both complaints state that in December 2022, Consumer Reports published a report which found that both Mars’ Chocolate and Trader Joe’s Chocolate had high enough levels of lead and cadmium that “eating just an ounce a day would put an adult over a level that public health authorities and [Consumer Reports’] experts say may be harmful.”
Further, the complaints argue the defendants could have and should have made their chocolate products with lower levels of the heavy metals because five of the 28 chocolate bars tested by Consumer Reports were below the maximum allowable dose level of lead and cadmium.
The complaints purport that heavy metals such as lead and cadmium pose a significant safety risk to consumers because they can cause irreversible damage to brain development, cancer and other serious health problems.
The plaintiffs argue they and similarly situated consumers are injured by the defendants’ omissions concerning the presence of heavy metals. The plaintiffs argue no reasonable consumer would have known about the presence of the heavy metals and that the defendants stood idly by with a reckless disregard for its consumers’ health while other companies in the industry have adopted methods to limit heavy metals in their dark chocolates.
The Mars lawsuit alleges violation of New York’s General Business Law and unjust enrichment and seeks declaratory and injunctive relief compensatory and punitive damages along with attorney’s fees and costs.
The Trader Joe’s lawsuit alleges violation of California’s Unfair Competition Law and unjust enrichment and seeks declaratory and injunctive relief compensatory and punitive damages along with attorney’s fees and costs.


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As a major sponsor of the festival, Mitsubishi is joining other future focussed companies producing sustainable solutions with the purpose of promoting the theme of Mission: Safe Climateto the thousands of people who will attend events and exhibitions over the 16-day festival.
From its origins in 1998 as a small fair held in the tiny Victorian town of Musk near Daylesford before moving to Melbourne in 2001, the Sustainable Living Festival is now centred on Federation Square with events across the city attracting over 100,000 visitors.
With cars like the i-MiEV leading the way, Mitsubishi is continuing to engage in developing products and practices that provide for a sustainable future.
As the first, and currently only, electric passenger car from a mainstream manufacturer available on the Australian market, the i-MiEV is playing a vital role in Mitsubishi’s vision of a sustainable future for personal transport with the company aiming for electric vehicles to account for at least 20 per cent of its global production by 2020.
This, along with a raft of other environmental initiatives from expanded use of green plant-based plastics to increased recycling, forms part of Mitsubishi’s overall aim to reduce CO2 emissions of its new vehicles by 50 per cent, and emissions from production by 20 per cent, compared to 2005 levels by 2020.
Mitsubishi’s Vice President of Brand and Marketing, Paul Unerkov, said the company is proud to be festival partner and excited to promote sustainable transport solutions to the Australian public.
“Mitsubishi is looking to the future of sustainable transport and our i-MiEV electric vehicles provide people with a practical option that promotes environmental sustainability.”
Luke Taylor, the festival director sees the increasing popularity of the festival, which combines practical solutions, concepts, education and entertainment, as a sign that everyday Australians are keen to grapple with today’s environmental challenges.
“It’s the first time in 10 years that we have noticed such a shift in thinking, people aren’t so fearful of making big changes once they see the clear benefits,” he says.
And judging by the stalls that make up the ever-popular Green Market, there are plenty of changes that can be made with over 100 exhibitors showcasing sustainable products and services from all sectors of industry including building, energy, water, and food.
More great news from Mitsubishi Dealership Brisbane.
1. Performance overview
Mitsubishi Motors posted consolidated net sales of 1,310.9 billion yen for the first three quarters of fiscal 2010 (April 1 through December 31, 2010), a 38 per cent or 358.8 billion yen increase over the same period last fiscal year. Countering the negative impact of the appreciation of the yen, this increase was driven by higher unit sales volume stemming from a recovery in the market and the introduction of new models.
Mitsubishi Motors posted an operating profit of 13.0 billion yen, an improvement of 32.8 billion yen over the same period last fiscal year. The increase in sales volume together with factors such as reductions in material and other costs more than countered the negative impact of the higher yen.
Mitsubishi Motors posted an ordinary profit of 11.4 billion yen, an improvement of 32.6 billion yen, and posted a net loss of 2.2 billion yen, an improvement of 23.5 billion yen over the same period last fiscal year.
2. Sales volume
Global retail sales volume for the first three quarters of fiscal 2010 totalled 807,000 vehicles, an increase of 17 percent or 118,000 units over the same period last year. Sales volumes by region were as follows:
In Japan, Mitsubishi Motors posted total sales volume of 119,000 vehicles, an increase of five per cent or 5,000 units over the same period last year. This increase came despite a decline in year-on-year third quarter sales volume as market demand fell due to the ending of eco-car incentives at the end of September.
In North America, the launch of the new Outlander Sport* in October helped Mitsubishi Motors to post a year-on-year sales volume increase in the United States, but the volume for the region as a whole remained at 66,000 vehicles, on a level with the same period last year.
In Europe, Mitsubishi Motors posted a sales volume of 158,000 vehicles, an increase of 20 per cent or 27,000 units over the same period last year. Factors contributing to this increase include continuing strong sales of the ASX* introduced sequentially into markets from June and a rise in sales in Russia where the company has started local production of the Outlander.
In Asia and Other Regions, Mitsubishi Motors posted a sales volume of 464,000 vehicles, an increase of 23 per cent or 86,000 units over the same period last year. The increase has been driven by China, where total demand continues to grow, by higher sales in major ASEAN bloc countries including Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines and by growing sales in Brazil, the largest market in Latin America.
* RVR in Japan
3. Fiscal 2010 full-year forecasts
After a careful review in the light of the results for the first three quarters and recent market trends, notwithstanding increases and decreases in some regions Mitsubishi Motors has decided to keep its overall 2010 full-year sales volume plan of 1,124,000 units published on October 28, 2010 unchanged. The company has also decided to leave its full-year forecasts (net sales of 1.9 trillion yen, operating profit of 45 billion yen, ordinary profit of 30 billion yen and net profit of 15 billion yen) published at the beginning of fiscal 2010 unchanged.


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Seely Mint signs contract with Whole Foods
Clatskanie mint farmer Mike Seely said the distribution agreement he struck earlier this month with Whole Foods Market, which touts itself as the worlds largest retail distributor of organic foods and produce, felt in equal parts like he had hit the lottery and was finally rewarded for a lot of hard work.
Starting in April, Seely Mint will distribute its organic Seely Peppermint Patties to Whole Foods Market, a contract with the Austin, Texas-based company valued at $10 million, Seely said.
I think whats really key about this is it will put us in the national spotlight, he said. We have a lot of work to do to get to April 2 with distribution and ramping up and stuff like that. What this will really do is put us on the map with all of the other stores out there.
Seely Mint is additionally scheduled to have an exhibit at ChocolateFest in Portland. ChocolateFest will be held from Jan. 24 to Jan. 26 at the Oregon Convention Center. It is open to the public and features artisanal chocolatiers and their products.
Seely grows organic mint on space leased from the Port of St. Helens at Port Westward. The operation also supports a confectionary for Seelys organic chocolate mint patties, a flagship product. In addition to the mint patties, Seely Mint manufactures toothpaste, mint teas and essential mint oils, among other products. When interviewed in late 2013, Seely said he had 19 employees and annual revenues of $2 million. He said he expects his employee base to increase as the operation expands.
Im not done yet, he said, laughing.
Seely has criticized county and port efforts to rezone 837 acres of farmland at Port Westward so that it could also be allowed for heavy industry. He said the presence of conflicting industry at Port Westward would force him to seek a new home for his operation, adding that he has already been in discussions with other landholders to safeguard against that possibility.
Thats a huge concern for us. I mean, were looking, he said.
Seely said he plans to appeal the Columbia County Board of Commissioners approval of the rezone plan last November to the states Land Use Board of Appeals.
I cant risk the opportunity that we have to turn this into a billion-dollar company, he said. The unfortunate thing is that Id like to do it here.
What: ChocolateFest a benefit for the World Forestry Center
Local connection: Confectioner Mike Seely of Seely Mint in Clatskanie will have an exhibit at the festival, including offerings of his organic mint patties
Where: Oregon Convention Center, Exhibit Hall A
When: Jan. 24-26.
Tickets: (excluding Opening Night Premiere Party) $12 adults, $10 seniors (62+), $8 students (13-college with student ID), $7 children (5-12)
More info: chocolatefest.org
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Among its key features are design- and topic-specific templates, such as “Photo Album” and
“Recipe Book,” intended to get many users off to a flying start.
Homepage Studio also offers many promotional opportunities, including e-mail postcards and a banner exchange program. Builders can increase the traffic to their sites by affiliating with Tripod’s
“Pods,” or special interest communities.
“We pioneered homepage building in
1995, and we believe that Homepage Studio’s superior features will appeal to
the millions of people who want to be part of this exciting revolution,” said Bo Peabody, president of Tripod.
The vendor cited a recent study from Cyber Dialog that calculates over 43 percent of the 53.5 million Internet users in the U.S. have either built a homepage already or have expressed interest in creating one. Tripod, with over 2.4 million members, hosts over 7 million personal homepages.


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With the new school meals' Federal Guidelines, one has to assume that some fast food makers would figure out a way to make the grade. After all, consider what’s at stake: Thousands of school lunchrooms nationwide, and hundreds of thousands of little bellies to fill, albeit with healthier, lighter fare. So Domino’s Pizza set out to crunch the numbers, or shall we say the calories and fat grams, and came up with a pizza that has a “little less of everything.”
Fast Food Brands in School
It’s called the Smart Slice and it has one-third less fat in the pepperoni slices, one-third less sodium in the tomato sauce, and cheese with about 50 percent less fat. The pizza profile changes were made to fit the new nutrition criteria that the government is mandating at schools, and it means that Domino's can deliver these lighter pizzas to more than 3,000 lunchrooms in 38 states.
Other food companies are aiming to join the school menu line, and one area they are focusing on is a flour swap out. The government wants a more nutritious whole-grain flour in breads and pizza crusts offered for school lunches, and manufacturers are turning to white whole wheat which looks, tastes and bakes more like refined white flour, when compared to whole-wheat flour.
Domino's is using a ConAgra-made brand called Ultragrain. It was developed by scientists at Colorado State University, and it’s showing up in treats like PopTarts by Kellogg’s, and Goldfish crackers by Pepperidge Farms, as they attempt to “lighten their snack food items” to conform with new federal school guidelines. Ultragrain now also sells in stores for home bakers.
The Risks: Sending the Wrong Message
So what’s the downside to all this? Well, in the case of Domino’s, the kids are learning to recognize the brand presence of the company in school, which means that they will probably gravitate to this brand's fast food locations outside of school, where Smart Slice is not available. So you end up with a unique situation in which a child who is actually benefitting from the healthier in-school version of pizza will likely eat the less healthy version outside of school, simply because of the subliminal advertising impact of brand identification. Apparently, Chicago public schools are taking a stand on the issue, banning any light products offered by manufacturers in school, that aren’t also available outside of school.
How Parents Can Help
Parents can be incredibly helpful by embracing the task of highlighting the importance of these new food guidelines in school, and by trying to follow similar guidelines at home and when eating out, even if just some of the time. Otherwise, the child is getting mixed messages about food and health, and it can ultimately help to elevate the risk of "eating issues" and obesity. The more consistency in a child's life, particularly when it involves diet, the more clear the healthy messaging. So home meals and snacks and school meals and snacks should, for the most part, follow similar guidelines. Many parents use food to comfort or reward their children. Feed your children, but love them with actions that don't necessarily include food.
Amy Hendel is a Physician Assistant and Health Coach with over 20 years of experience. Noted author, journalist and lifestyle expert, she brings extensive expertise to her monthly shareposts. Her most recent book, The 4 Habits of Healthy Families is available for purchase online, and you can watch her in action on her shows Food Rescue and What's for Lunch? Sign up for her daily health tweets or catch her daily news report at www.healthgal.com.
Published On: July 11, 2014


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Moero Chronicle Hyper: new batch of English screenshots
Posted on 2 hours ago by Matt(@OnePunchMaz) in Screenshots, Switch eShop | 0 comments | 0 Likes
Moero Chronicle Hyper will be released on the European and North American Switch eShop this week, on April 26. Ahead of the game’s release, publisher Idea Factory released some new screenshots of the English version, which you can view in our gallery below:
Nintendo shows off The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s Hyrule Castle built in Minecraft
Posted on 6 hours ago by Devin(@Sonicb00m111) in Switch, Videos | 0 comments | 0 Likes
As an interesting aside from the traditional news cycle, Nintendo has shared a new video that features a version of Hyrule Castle from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild built entirely within Minecraft.
According to a translation presented on Resetera, this is intended to show how the famous castle appeared before Ganon and disaster struck within the game. In addition, the build was apparently put together by a “certified” team over at Microsoft, showing even more relations between them and Nintendo.
Those interested can check out the video below.
Famitsu’s most wanted games (4/21/19)
Posted on 8 hours ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 0 comments | 0 Likes
It’s time for the latest Famitsu’s most wanted games chart. This week, Pokemon Sword/Shield takes over as the new Nintendo top spot.
Head past the break for the full chart. All votes were cast between April 4 and April 10.
Fitness Boxing shipments have surpassed 300,000 units worldwide
Posted on 9 hours ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 0 comments | 0 Likes
Total shipments of the Switch title Fitness Boxing have surpassed 300,000 units worldwide, Imagineer has announced. That’s based on shipments of physical copies in all regions plus download sales.
Imagineer says Fitness Boxing – which Nintendo published in the west – has been well-received by players, and has been selling out – particularly in Japan. The Japanese eShop will host a 20% discount for Golden Week between April 25 and May 8.
Switch eShop deals – Aragami, Immortal Redneck, Overcooked 2, Toki, more
Posted on 10 hours ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch eShop | 0 comments | 0 Likes
A number of new deals are up and running on the North American Switch eShop. These include Aragami: Shadow Edition, Immortal Redneck, Overcooked 2, Toki, and more.
Here’s the full roundup of sales:
Splatoon 2 – Hare vs. Tortoise worldwide Splatfest results
Posted on 12 hours ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in News, Switch | 0 comments | 0 Likes
Splatoon 2 held its latest Splatfest this weekend. It was another worldwide event, pitting Team Hare up against Team Tortoise.
Following 48 hours of battles, the Splatfest has ended. Nintendo has also now shared the full results.
Nick Chavez has taken over Doug Bowser’s role of SVP sales and marketing at Nintendo of America
Posted on 13 hours ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in General Nintendo, News | 0 comments | 0 Likes
Reggie Fils-Aime retired as president of Nintendo of America this week. That led to Doug Bowser taking over that role. But what about Bowser’s previous position?
This wasn’t widely reported, but Nick Chavez is Nintendo of America’s new senior vice president of sales and marketing. Chavez will likely have more of a public role now, as he’ll be involved with interviews with outlets that Bowser previously handled, and he’s already been quoted in a couple of Nintendo’s press releases this week. We wish Chavez the best in his new role.
Pre-order updates (4/21/19)
Cytus Alpha footage
Posted on 21 hours ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Switch, Videos | 0 comments | 0 Likes
Cytus Alpha will initially land on Switch this Thursday, with a physical version to follow in April. Check out a bunch of footage in the video below.
Fire Emblem Heroes – Tempest Trials+: Taste of Spring starting soon, summoning event live
Posted on 21 hours ago by Brian(@NE_Brian) in Mobile, News | 0 comments | 0 Likes
It’s been announced that Tempest Trials+: Taste of Spring will be kicking off in Fire Emblem Heroes on April 24. By clearing the event maps and raising your score, you can earn rewards. The 5-star Special Hero Leo: Extra Tomatoes and the Sacred Seals Chill Atk 1 and Wind Boost 1 will be provided as bonuses.
Tying in with that event, a new summoning focus has gone live. Three Heroes from among the bonus allies are available.
We’ll also mention that Blessed Gardens: New Map has been added. This challenge has players completing three consecutive battles with three teams.


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Home » Car Reviews » EVs in China cheaper by 50% since 2011, while prices for EVs in US, Europe continue to rise: JATO Dynamics – paultan.org
EVs in China cheaper by 50% since 2011, while prices for EVs in US, Europe continue to rise: JATO Dynamics – paultan.org
The price of a new electric vehicle in China has nearly halved since 2011, while US and European markets have seen EV prices rise over the same period by 38% and 28% respectively, a new study by JATO Dynamics shows.
Average retail prices for electric cars today are the highest in Europe. In May 2021, the study found that EVs in the UK were, on average, 52% more expensive than ICE cars, and 54% more expensive in the Netherlands. The difference is not as big in Germany, though Norway seems to be the only exception – the average price for EVs in Norway is 44,500 euros (RM220k), compared to 53,000 euros (RM263k) for ICE cars.
Comparatively, in China, the world’s biggest EV market, customers can purchase a brand new electric car for as little as 3,700 euros (RM18k). That’s not a typo, and the adage “you get what you pay for” certainly applies.
In 2011, the average selling price for EVs was 41,800 euros (RM207k), and it has dropped 47% to 22,100 euros (RM109k) this year. China’s success in producing affordable EVs boils down to several factors, including the government’s decision to heavily invest in the domestic market from as early as 2009.
In 2010, the Chinese government announced a trial programme to provide incentives of up to 60,000 yuan (RM39k) for private EV purchases, and 50,000 yuan (RM32.5k) for PHEVs in five cities (Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Hefei and Changchu). The incentives remained in place for 10 years and was due to be phased out by December 2020, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced its extension – albeit at a lower rate – to bolster sales.
In stark contrast, average retail prices for EVs in the US is rising faster than any other major global market. For example, the average EV prices in the US today is 36,200 euros (RM179k), up from €26,200 (RM130k) in 2011. While the new tax credit system has helped accelerate the growth of its premium EV segment, lower income buyers don’t benefit as much, and carmakers are not motivated to produce more affordable EVs.
Just this year, 40% of EVs sold in China were affordable city cars, which had an average retail price of 6,700 euros (RM33k). In Europe, consumers require at least 15,740 euros (RM78k) to drive home a new EV, and in the US it is 24,800 euros (RM123k). Based on these findings, it is clear that Western markets need to catch up with China, or risk falling further behind.
Automakers are producing EVs to serve the high-end market
Volkswagen Sustainability Advisory Council member, Ye Qi said: “China has been hugely successful in the race of EV leadership – growing and evolving their model ranges at incredible pace, which is a positive result of a number of factors working in tandem.”
“Unless OEMs in Europe and the US finds avenues to create more affordable EV offerings, they run the risk of losing their home market advantage to Chinese competitors. As the popularity of SUVs has continued to grow in Western markets, the segment looks set to be an important battleground for manufacturers seeking to establish themselves as leaders within the EV market.”
“In the short term at least, government subsidies and incentives will continue to support EV sales, but for how long remains a crucial question for the industry,” he continued. Over to you – if EVs and ICE models were priced similarly in Malaysia, which would you get?


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A maker of steel roll-up doors for the self-storage industry is rolling out operations in Butler.
Janus International, which also supplies industrial and commercial customers, will invest $650,000 to lease, renovate and equip a vacant building in the DeKalb County city of about 2,700 residents.
The Georgia-based manufacturer plans to create 50 jobs this year and expects to reach 100 workers by the end of 2016.
The jobs, which are mostly in production, will pay $12.60 to $13.37 an hour.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s print edition of The Journal Gazette or visit www.journalgazette.net after 3 a.m. Wednesday.


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Here For The Commercials: What To Expect From This Year's Super Bowl AdsLike so many other things in the past year - Super Bowl commercials may be slightly different.
Nick Jonas Using Super Bowl Ad To Relay Message About DiabetesA number of companies who have produced Super Bowl ads for decades aren't doing it this year, but Nick Jonas, a Grammy Award-nominated pop star, is part of a campaign that is using humor and technology to raise awareness about diabetes.
Super Bowl Ads Preview: Michael B. Jordan As Alexa, Return Of 'Wayne's World'Let's face it: the big game isn't the only thing fans will be watching during Super Bowl.
Pittsburgh Ad Agency Says Which Super Bowl Commercials Were The Most And Least ImpressiveIt seems everyone has an opinion one what was the best or most memorable commercial from Super Bowl LIV.
Vote For Your Favorite Super Bowl LIV CommercialWhat was your favorite Super Bowl commercial?
Vote For Your Favorite Super Bowl LIII CommercialsCompanies pay millions of dollars every year to advertise during the Super Bowl. So, which one was your favorite?
Vote For The Funniest Super Bowl Commercial Of All-TimeThe Super Bowl is this coming weekend, and while the game is always interesting, many people tune in just for the commercials.
Vote For Your Favorite Super Bowl LII CommercialsCompanies pay millions of dollars every year to advertise during the Super Bowl. So, which one was your favorite?
Twitter Blows Up Over Peter Dinklage-Morgan Freeman Super Bowl AdThe Super Bowl ad starring Morgan Freeman and Peter Dinklage in a lip-sync rap battle is breaking Twitter.
Companies Begin Releasing Sneak Peeks Of Super Bowl CommercialsGiven the match-up in this year’s Super Bowl, for Pittsburgh Steelers’ fans, the commercials may be the best part of the game.
Super Bowl Ad Teases Create Social Media FrenzyThe Super Bowl is a little more than a week away, but advertisers are going strong online, offering up celebrity laden teasers well ahead of the game.
Fan Essentials: Best Super Bowl Commercials EverWhen it comes to Super Bowl commercials, humor is typically king when selecting the best. See how CBS sports analysts and talent made their picks for favorite Super Bowl commercial.
GoDaddy Controversy Spurs Social Media FirestormGoDaddy.com has been controversial from the get-go, airing Super Bowl ads that feature plenty of sexual innuendo.
Super Bowl XLVIII’s Top CommercialsThe Seattle Seahawks took control early and ran away with Super Bowl XLVIII 43-8 over the Denver Broncos.


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Super Bowl 2020 Live Stream & TV Coverage Worldwide
How to watch the 2020 Super Bowl online around the world, Super Bowl 50 live stream US, Canada, Europe, UK, Australia. Super Bowl live online streaming, international TV coverage, webcast feeds How to watch Super Bowl 2021: Location, date, time, how to Feb 03, 2020 Super Bowl 2020 live stream | Watch as the Chiefs win
The official source for NFL news, video highlights, fantasy football, game-day coverage, schedules, stats, scores and more.
Jan 31, 2020 Super Bowl 2020 Live Stream & TV Coverage Worldwide The 2020 Super Bowl takes place on Sunday 2nd February at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The halftime show will include performances by Jennifer Lopez and Shakira. TV & Live Streaming. In the last couple of years the Super Bowl has been widely available online and for free for the first time, a very positive development in NFL - Game Pass
Feb 02, 2020
Feb 02, 2020 How to watch Super Bowl 2020 without cable on Hulu Here's a complete guide to watching Super Bowl 54 if you don't have cable, including popular live-streaming options like Hulu, YouTube TV and more.


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GENEVA (AP) — Sotheby's is showing off a pink diamond that is expected to fetch more than $60 million at auction.
The auction house was giving previews of what it calls the world's most valuable diamond ever to be offered at auction.
Sotheby's said in a statement Wednesday that The Pink Star, a 59.60-carat oval cut pink diamond, would go up for auction on Nov. 13 in the historic five-star Beau-Rivage Hotel along Lake Geneva.
David Bennett, chairman of Sotheby's Switzerland, says the vivid pink diamond is "of immense importance" because of its extraordinary size and exceptionally rich color that surpass all others known to exist in government, royal or private collections.
He says it is "simply off any scale, and passes, I believe, into the ranks of the earth's greatest natural treasures."
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Original headline: Pink diamond expected to fetch over $60 million
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The flying car sector has been stuck in a static pattern between unprecedented promise and marketable reality for decades. But the industry may be approaching a tipping point, with three groups now close to launching the concept — and to be clear, we’re not talking eVTOL Airplanes, but road cars with wings or rotors – are in production.
Unlike eVTOLs, flying cars already fit into existing organizational structures. Of the three models being brought to market, two will initially be sold as kits, which requires a less arduous approval process. $300,000 Liberty SportFrom the Dutch process PAL-V InternationalIt is being tested to be approved by the European Aviation Safety Agency as a ready flight machine (a process that will take at least 18 months) and will require a pilot’s gyroscope license. With first deliveries expected for 2024, this three-wheeled vehicle will offer a 100hp twin Rotax engine – only one engine will be used while on the road – allowing it to operate over cities where single-engine aircraft are banned.
More Rob’s report
in the street Klein Vision’s AirCar It looks like a futuristic Italian supercar (and will be built to European M1 standards for low-production passenger cars), but at the touch of a button the tail extends and the wings unfold from a hidden cabin. After the four-wheeled prototype gained approval from Slovak regulators as an experimental aircraft, the company began work on a second iteration, now with a 280hp flying engine from South Africa. clever. A basic pilot’s license will be required to fly the plane, which will have a cruising speed of 186 mph and will be priced to compete with four-seat general aviation such as the Cessna 172 and Cirrus SR22. Klein Vision’s next step will be to develop a complete model certified under European rules for CS-23 light aircraft, which the company says will take at least two years to reach the market.
samson skyin Oregon, expects to start its own deliveries switchblade flying car In 2024, after 14 years of development. The tricycle offers what its founder Sam Busfield calls the Skybrid system — a gas engine that generates power for one electric motor driving the prop and for another (or perhaps two) motors for the wheels. Starting at $170,000, the Switchblade will be sold as a kit under the FAA’s pilot/home-built category but is being designed and tested to meet the most stringent small aircraft certification standards. Bousfield claims more than 2,100 orders are on hand from 53 countries.
Andy Wall, PAL-V Director of Sales, confirms that Liberty “can [operate] independent of airport infrastructure” and that their annual production could increase to 10,000 units—which suggests, when the industry really takes off, something is free for everyone: cars convert into planes and soar into the skies wherever and whenever. But owners will most likely keep their devices at home in the garage and drive To the nearest airport designated for take-off.Besides, not everyone was satisfied with flying car It will reach anything close to adoption levels everywhere.
“There are a lot of compromises,” says Richard Aboulafia, managing director of the Washington, DC-based consulting firm. AeroDynamic Alert, from the flying car form factor. “This is a convenient place, and small at that.” This was strongly refuted by Samson Sky’s Bousfield, who said, “I don’t see this as a suitable place. This is the future.”
Best rob report


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Ultrabook competition heats up as companies aim for tablet market
Ultrabooks haven’t quite found a niche in the portable PC market. Manufacturers are hoping to change that. According to analysis firm Canalys, dozens of the super-thin, super-powerful models will show up at the annual tech trade show CES. Next stop: your friendly local retail shop. (Then, your home.)
Canalys Analyst Tim Coulling expects big things from major ultrabook players, noting that adding features from media tablets will help companies better compete with the successful devices. If you can’t beat ‘em, copy ‘em.
“Ultrabooks show some much needed, and long overdue, innovation in the notebook market and will pose a new threat to premium pads,” said Coulling. “With increased battery life and portability, the continued development of the Ultrabook will bring some of the features that consumers love about pads to the notebook space.”
“Pad sales are currently concentrated in mature markets, where many consumers will continue to add pads to their collections of electronics products in 2012,” he said. “We expect to see plenty of demonstrations of how the pad can interact with other products, especially in the living room – the new pad battleground.”
Regardless of the potential overlap, ultrabook manufacturers will duke it out with each other for the top spot. Samsung, Lenovo, Asus and Toshiba are just a few companies throwing their weight behind the nascent business.
First-to-market Acer is looking to beat them all by making its line of ultrabooks stronger and leaner. The company unveiled the Aspire S5 this week, calling it the “world’s thinnest ultrabook.” The new iteration, which weighs less than 3 lbs. and measures just 15mm, also features the more powerful Ivy Bridge chip. Previous Sandy Bridge-powered models should see a price drop this spring. The S5 is slated to hit stores this summer.
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- Posted on: 16 Jan 12 16:36
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Tuesday, December 2, 2014, 9:23 AM ET|Posted by Will Richmond
Video ad technology provider BlackArrow has announced Virgin Media as its first European customer, signaling a broader international expansion starting in 2015. BlackArrow will be powering dynamic ad insertion on Virgin's VOD TV platform and its Virgin Anywhere multi-screen service. Virgin, which was acquired by Liberty Global last year for approximately $16 billion, has deployed its digital TV service to 5.3 million screens in the UK.
As Nick Troiano, BlackArrow's president, explained to me, under the deal, BlackArrow will enable Virgin to build privacy-compliant household viewing profiles across various screens. The profiles can then be shared with TV networks Virgin carries, which can in turn be married with 3rd-party data sets in order to drive customized, addressable advertising. This is comparable to what BlackArrow has already done with U.S. operators like Comcast and Time Warner Cable to enhance their own ad sales.
Enhanced advertising capitalizes on traditional TV sales metrics along with frequency capping, real-time performance metrics and advanced audience segmentation.
The deal's broader goal is to better monetize viewers' shifting content consumption. According to a recent Virgin study, 43% of viewers are now watching primarily recorded or on-demand TV and 34% are using second screens while doing so. Nick noted that for BlackArrow, which has traditionally been focused on TV-based VOD ad deployments, the Virgin deal underscores how BlackArrow can unify ad experiences across digital devices as well. This too, will be a key focus of expansion in 2015.


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It has been another extremely busy year for Auckland-based digital billboard company Lumo Digital.
Twelve months ago when StopPress spoke with co-founder and chief executive officer Phil Clemas at its CBD office, talk was all about growth and opportunities in the out-of-home space.
And that trajectory has been maintained as Lumo continues to grow – hitting 17 screens as expected in December last year, and now 20 which includes its first Wellington screen on Vivian Street.
Wellington is the fifth market Lumo has entered into – following Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Christchurch.
Clemas says Lumo has always aimed to create a national network but is “unashamedly Auckland-biased which makes sense considering the level of investment required to build our digital infrastructure.”
As the number of its screens grow, so has the team to add more capability. There’s now 11 staff plus three contractors. Two of those contractors are on the finance side of the business and the other is an Australian representative from WeThinkMedia.
“He reps Lumo in the Australian market, mostly in Melbourne and Sydney,” Clemas explains.
“He’ll work with agencies whose clients want a New Zealand presence. It’s working well and beginning to grow momentum.”
In May Lumo added new talent for two key roles in direct sales and marketing. Josh McWilliams is its first step in structured direct sales and he has made an immediate impact.
“Much of Lumo’s income is from media campaigns booked by media agencies. But the uplift in direct sales bookings has already shown us that we had underestimated the opportunity,” Clemas says.
Hamish Smith joined as marketing manager, with emphasis to support the sales team.
“It’s not a marketing role in the sense of moving and representing product. He’s the custodian of the brand and has a priority to raise our profile and help the sales process through fresh collateral, consumer insights, online innovation and social commentary wherever appropriate”.
A fresh look
Smith has also already delivered a number of key projects, including the recent revamp of Lumo’s website and driven growth in the company’s online presence.
Clemas says it wanted to keep the same look and feel, so those who are more familiar with the website may not initially see much difference.
“There’s been a refresh of content, an upgrade in the quality of the imagery and we have a lot more direct control over the CMS which means we can be much more reactive to change”.
A lot of work on the website was done in-house but Lumo also relied on Latch Digital, a software firm just around the corner from its office in Britomart, who developed an industry-first client dashboard.
The first feature of this platform is the Lumo-Livestreaming portal allowing clients log-in access to view its campaigns in real-time.
Alongside this livestream, two other features that have been added.
One of them is an interactive video which tells the story of the company’s unique technology and what they offer.
Clemas says from Lumo’s experience when talking to clients about technology, it can sometimes be hard to translate the relevance or context.
“We saw some interesting websites for other businesses that use interactive video to better explain how features work so we adapted the concept to Lumo.”
The minute-long video allows people to explore seven of LUMO’s key technological offerings – such as real-time traffic insights and independent display reports – while being taken on the journey around some of Lumo’s screens.
Transparency is important to Lumo.
“We spend time in Sydney and Melbourne with WeThinkMedia, and it’s particularly helpful for Australian agencies to see our inventory on the ground through drone footage because they’re less familiar with our locations, our market and what the streets, roads and cities look like,” Clemas says.
“By being able to provide this on our website, on our locations page, it opens the door to greater transparency and offers more information than you’d get from a static photo.”
Lumo-Livestreaming lifts the lid on their entire media network and is a world-first in terms of transparency.
Clients and agencies are given free log-ins and can see each individual LUMO screen in the moment, date and time stamped. Clients can take their own screen shots for proof of postings, or can be inspired by some of the other content they see.
The idea was championed by chief technology officer Robin Arnold who went to tenants and business owners on neighbouring properties from its sites to seek permission to install high definition cameras.
“The thing we like the most about it is that the infrastructure is now in place – now every new screen comes with a camera already prepared, built and installed nearby at the same time. We’ll have 27 by March next year and by June, we’re well on track to exceed 30,” Clemas says.
Another fresh feature is the supply of campaign display reports from Sydney-based OOH independent technology platform Seedooh which started in June.
“They access our Ayuda platform via an API, draw out the display data per client and report back in a format that’s easy to read,” Clemas says.
“As campaign content and scheduling becomes more complex, it will become impossible to report actual display performance without a technology solution. This independent verification of performance by Seedooh is another new benchmark in our transparency journey.”
The last new feature on the refreshed website is an insights page which will grow over time and includes case studies, blogs and media releases.
With almost three years under its belt, Lumo felt it was the right time to introduce its latest initiative, The Pixel Awards – a competition with the aim to ‘inspire digital outdoor creativity’.
“One of the things that’s missing from almost all outdoor advertising we’re seeing at the moment, particularly the roadside outdoor media, is regular use of dynamic or interactive ad content,” Clemas says.
He puts this down to a few things following talks with agencies; one – they just don’t think about it, two – clients think it’s too hard or really expensive, three – OOH is often planned and booked too late and leaves no time for creativity.
“The Pixel’s is really about trying to break down all of those barriers. Firstly, to inspire and to educate about the dynamic and interactive capabilities, get creatives excited, allow the creative thinkers to get their imaginations flowing, and then they can put an idea together for a client. This is a chance to showcase creative work in a premium-quality, brand safe environment where advertisers can reach large audiences in a more contextually relevant fashion.”
The inaugural Pixel Award winning entry will win a prize package worth over $45,000 including a trip for two to SXSW in Austin, Texas in March 2020, free media time on Lumo’s media network and the coveted Pixel trophy, a creative piece of art in its own right, designed by Simon Lewis-Wards.
People are able to enter as an individual or as a team but the idea has to be affiliated with a client who has signed off on it.
The travel package will include return flights and airport transfers, Platinum Badge tickets to the SXSW festival, five x nights hotel accommodation and $500 each spending money.
The campaign will officially launch on 24 September and entries will run through to the end of October. There will be five judges – Clemas plus four creative luminaries who will be revealed on launch day.
“We asked our creative agency friends what would be really exciting for a younger creative. All agreed unanimously for that level SXSW festival is best, it’ll be an amazing experience and a great prize to win,” Clemas says.
It is also not going to be a one-off – The Pixel Awards will be a quarterly competition, running in February, May, August and November from 2020.
Clemas says each quarterly winner will receive $20,000 of free media and a $5,000 cash prize, as well as the Pixel trophy.
Each of the four quarterly winners will also become finalists for the annual Pixel Award winner which will be announced in early November, giving them plenty of time to prepare for their SXSW experience the following March.
“We hope what comes out of this is far greater use of digital billboards, more effective advertising for clients, agencies get a pat on the back because they’re doing a good job andwinners can use the design for their books – everybody wins.”
And we believe this initiative will have really positive long-term benefits for the out-of-home sector, Clemas says.
“Ultimately, it’s a celebration of great ideas. Creative thinkers will express themselves in ways we can’t foresee and we are very excited about the potential. Agencies and advertisers will then use the audience insights, technologies, screen locations and dynamic capabilities to bring the ideas into a brilliant and vibrant reality. The possibilities are almost endless.”


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10:03 | 25/12/2013 Trade
(VEN) - For the past few years, Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia border trade has seen positive changes with continuously increased import and export revenues.
Moc Bai Border Crossing in Tay Ninh Province
According to Vietnamese Trade Counselor in Laos Tran Bao Giam, Vietnamese-Lao trade revenue reached US$866 million in 2012, twice as much as that in 2008. In the first 10 months of 2013, total bilateral trade revenue reached US$817.6 million, a year on year increase of 12.7 percent, in which Vietnamese exports to Laos scored nearly US$376 million, up 9.3 percent year on year. Major Vietnamese exports to Laos include petroleum (US$82 million), steel and iron (US$88.9 million), means of transport and spare parts (US$33.7 million), electric wire and electric cable (US$18.1 million) whereas Vietnamese imports from Laos reached US$441.7 million, up 15.8 percent year on year with major imports including wooden products (US$272.5 million) and metals (US$40.8 million). It is estimated that Vietnamese-Lao trade revenue could reach US$1 billion in 2013.
As for Cambodia, according to Vietnamese Trade Counselor in Cambodia Vu Thinh Cuong, total Vietnamese-Cambodian trade revenue in 2013 is estimated to reach US$3.5 billion, up US$0.5 billion compared with 2012. Of that figure, Vietnam’s export to Cambodia score US$3 billion. It is forecast that in 2014, trade revenue between the two sides will reach about US$4 billion. Major Vietnamese exports to Cambodia include consumers’ goods, processed food, milk, instant noodles, coffee, fish sauce, vegetables, flowers and fruits, fertilizers, agricultural materials and pesticides. Meanwhile, Vietnamese key imports from Cambodia are mainly raw agricultural products such as cashew nuts, cassavas, green beans, soybeans and rubber latex.
The effective competition of Vietnamese goods in the two markets was attributed to good quality, perse designs and reasonable prices. Director of the Trade Departments of Kratie and Stung Treng provinces (Cambodia) said Vietnamese goods occupy 50 – 60 percent of the market share in these areas.
In Laos, according to the Director of the Trade and Industry Department of Champasak Province, Vietnam goods account for about 30 percent of the provincial market share. Especially, Vietnam’s steel and iron products and steel are favored thanks to good quality and cheaper prices compared with the same kinds from Thailand. Not only people from Champasak Province but also from others come to Champasak to seek for Vietnamese commodities.
Solutions to boost trade
Vietnamese-Lao trade relation over recent years has seen strong growth but remained low compared to Chinese-Lao and Vietnamese-Lao trade in terms of both growth rate and value.
Statistics from the General Department of Customs show that in 2010, Vietnamese exports to Laos reached US$198 million, accounting for over 10 percent of Laotian import revenue. In 2011 and 2012, the figures increased by 11.4 percent and 16.4 percent respectively. Also in 2010 and 2011, Lao’s import revenues from Thailand reached nearly US$1.4 billion and US$1.45 billion respectively while that import figures from China reached US$145 million and 392 million.
One of the reasons that led to a weak increase of Vietnam’s export to Laos was due to the declining competitiveness of Vietnamese goods compared to those of Thailand and China. The two competitors have also developed distribution systems while Vietnam’s similar system in Laos was almost zero, plus small and scattered trading methods, mainly by sub-border gates. In addition, import and export procedures have not been clear, traffic infrastructure have not been upgraded to meet trade demand.
In Cambodia, despite Vietnam’s increased export revenue in 2013, the growth has been slower than before due to Cambodia stricter controls on import taxes. The retail price of many Vietnamese consumer goods in Cambodia has increased from 10-15 percent, some items from 20-25 percent, with lower competitiveness compared to other countries’ goods.
Potentials and opportunities are open
The potentials and opportunities to develop Vietnamese-Lao and Vietnamese-Cambodian trade are very large. In the coming time, to boost trade activities with a target to lift Vietnamese-Lao trade revenue to over US$2 billion, and Vietnamese-Cambodian trade revenue to US$5 billion by 2015, many difficulties and obstacles need to be removed.
First of all, Vietnam needs to promote official border trade activities between Vietnam and Lao, Vietnam and Cambodia, build border markets, shopping and goods distribution centers and commercial warehouses in border economic zones to prepare good supplies to these two markets.
The Vietnamese enterprises need to take full advantage of the preferential treatments from FTAs in the ASEAN block and of preferential import/export taxes from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia regulated in bilateral agreements. They also need to persify export items, expand distribution systems and change trading modes in accordance with business customs of the partners.
When exporting goods to these two markets, especially the consumer’s goods, Vietnamese exporters need to give instruction uses that are printed in Cambodian and Laotian language. According to the Director of the Trade and Industry Department of Champasak Province, many Laotian consumers buy Thai goods as they have instruction in Laotian language.
To boost trade promotion activities, Vietnam should organize various promotion programs in different localities apart from those held in Phnom Penh and Vientiane. Vietnamese organizers should mobilize and encourage large, well-known businesses to take part in exhibition and trade fairs in a bid to make a good impression for Vietnamese commodities and enterprises.
In particular, favorable conditions should be created for Vietnamese transport vehicles to transit from Cambodia (through Tay Ninh gateway) to Laos and vice versa. Thus, Vietnamese businesses could save time and transportation costs.
The Vietnamese banks should also enable enterprises that undertake investment in Cambodia and Laos to access preferential credit loans so that they can carry out their investment project efficiently./.
By Chi Tien


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Kinect launching November stateside
Microsoft's Phil Spencer has confirmed that the Xbox 360's Kinect motion controller will launch in the USA this winter - on November 4th.
The system will debut alongside 15 launch titles, including Sonic, with a Star Wars game due out alongside LucasArts in 2011.
Kudo Tsunoda took to the stage to show off first-party games including Kinectimals, Kinect Sports, Kinect Joy Ride and Kinect Adventures. The impressive looking Dance Central is also on the way from Harmonix.
No launch pricing, or release dates beyond North America have been confirmed at this point. More soon.
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SINGAPORE (ICIS)--Fatty acid prices in Asia continue to face uncertainty pertaining to feedstock palm oil price trend and downstream demand.
Uncertain raw material price outlook will continue to affect both buying and selling sentiment in 2018.
With palm oil prices remaining volatile throughout 2017 and at times, moving against seasonal patterns and market expectations, buyers have been particularly cautious with restocking activities and operated mostly hand-to-mouth.
On the other hand, some producers, especially those without their own palm oil supply, mitigated risks by running their plants based on orders.
After palm oil production was severely affected by the El Nino in 2016, many had expected 2017 to be a year of recovery, but data showed that while production volume in 2017 was better than 2016, it still fell short of 2015 levels.
In terms of supply, the issue of chronic overcapacity persists and most producers have been countering it by reducing their output to protect their margins.
There were also concerns about whether demand will remain sluggish in 2018 after some fatty acids underperformed in 2017.
Demand for short chain fatty acids, products which producers could conventionally fall back on, declined in 2017, particularly for C10 capric acids and C8-10 caprylic-acapric acids.
And as stock continues to accumulate and with constant talks of competitively-priced cargoes floating in the market, prices of these two fatty acids cuts will face downward pressure, at least for the near future.
Despite the winter months being a peak season for C16 palmitic acids, demand in the last quarter of 2017 failed to live up to expectations and producers saw great buying resistance to higher offers.
For the main products such as C12 lauric acids and C18 triple pressed stearic acids (TPSA), demand remained relatively soft throughout 2017 as well.
At the moment, there were few signs to suggest any significant demand improvement in 2018.
Fatty acid prices have mostly moved in line with feedstock prices in 2017 and that would likely continue in 2018 with the exception of C14 myristic acids.
Lower utilisation rate of palm kernel oil (PKO) based production lines saw the shortening of C14 myristic acid supply, which may shelter it from the effects of raw material price movement in the future.
Outlook article by Jackie Wong


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Source: Yahoo! News
quote: So there are still reasons to manufacture and buy plasmas until all people are brainwashed into buying LCD/LED.
quote: Plasmas are more than bright enough these days.
quote: Fine by me, just wish it wouldn't negatively impact the availability of what the rest of us prefer.