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Small Business Week breakfast is food for thought
THE third annual Sunshine Coast Chamber Alliance Small Business Week Breakfast, to be held on Wednesday, May 29, at Maroochy RSL, will celebrate successful small business in the region.
The 6.30am breakfast presents the ideal opportunity to network with some of our region's best in business and also will serve to launch and celebrate the 25th Sunshine Coast Business Awards.
Hear from our 2018 Sunshine Coast Business Award winners including: Kim McCosker, of 4 Ingredients (MC), Andrew Eves-Brown, of COYO, Craig Taplin, of Aussie Soles, Phil Greenbury, from Bli Bli House Riverside Retreat, Dannii Catchpole, of Ice Cream Curls, and Lauren Verona, of Zenko Yoga.
Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about what the Sunshine Coast Chamber Alliance is doing for our business community.
Cost is $49 until sold out.
The 25th Sunshine Coast Business Awards gala dinner will be held on November 9 at the new convention centre at Novotel Twin Waters Resort.
Sunshine Coast Business Awards chair Jennifer Swaine said the awards presented the chance for leading businesses and owners to achieve local and industry recognition.
Information about the awards is available at http://www.sunshinecoastbusinessawards.com.au


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A cannabis vaporizer producer in California says that vape cartridge shipments from China have been lessening due to coronavirus isolate endeavors.
The coronavirus episode is probably going to disturb the lawful cannabis industry store network, Mugglehead reports. In particular, the quantity of cannabis vaporizer cartridge shipments from China plunged since the nation’s isolate endeavors started.
California-based ProVape said their vape curls, batteries, and other equipment shipments from China have dwindled to an “alarming number.”
The organization said that 90 percent of vaporizer equipment overall is made by only 1,000 Chinese production lines. Supply chains are as of now enduring be that as it may, with isolate endeavors just increase, the episode is starting to represent a monstrous issue for U.S. cannabis markets.
“It’s an enormous reminder,” Nic Easley, CEO of 3C Consulting, disclosed to Marijuana Business Daily. ‘Where do my items originate from? Do I have different choices for merchants? Everybody was searching for the least expensive alternative always, and that is China.”
The coronavirus is accepted to have started in Wuhan, China. It has demonstrated especially infectious and has a lot higher casualty rate than normal influenza; isolate endeavors have stood out as truly newsworthy however coronavirus cases have in any case been accounted for all through Asia, Europe, and North America. In the meantime, worldwide securities exchanges have plunged as movement limitations and pandemic distrustfulness produce results.
That is to a great extent on the grounds that so much reasonable cannabis equipment is made in China yet additionally comes from the financial stun the infection is exacting on the world economy, industry specialists said.
The rapidly spreading infection has just shown up in the U.S., Europe, and the past, with reported instances of the sickness developing all over Asian nations and overturning open markets. The principal question is the way and to what degree cannabis organizations will feel the effects.
There will be a few, industry specialists anticipated, generally brought about by transitory shutdowns of Chinese assembling plants. On the other side, U.S. organizations may have the option to step in and fill the void.

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WEST OLIVE, Mich. — July is here, and with it, the start of blueberry season in Michigan.
At Crossroads blueberry Market in West Olive local farmers are preparing fresh blueberry goods every morning.
Blueberry muffins, pies, cookies, honey, coffee, donuts, you'll find every blueberry treat under the sun at this delicious market.
The blueberries that make their treats can be found across the street at the markets farm and U-Pick field.
U-Pick is expected to begin the weekend of July 17th.
Partial owner of the market, Amber DeHaan says u-pick is a great opportunity for kids to learn about the work behind their food; "For them to come and be a part of harvesting the blueberries, and then be able to take them home and use them in baked goods and other things.. it's just a great way for them to realize there is a lot of hard work put into these things, to get them to that table."
Crossroads Blueberry Market also has games out back for families including barrel rides, duck races, bean bag tosses, a large sandbox, and more.
Located just 10 minutes from the Lake Michigan lake shore, this market is a summer must.


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The Fed makes their move
In the face of concerns regarding the trade war with China and weakness around the world, the Federal Reserve cut the fed funds interest rate, the rate with which the Fed sets monetary policy, by another quarter point. This was the second quarter point reduction in two months. The latest drop puts the short-term rate to a range of 1.75 percent and 2 percent.
These cuts are a preemptive move to help economic growth during a trade war with China. The hope is that progress will be made when the two sides meet in October.
The Census Bureau reported that total housing starts jumped 12.3 percent in August to the highest level since June 2007. While single-family home starts increased a solid 4.4 percent, the real strength in August was the 32.8 percent surge in multi-family units.
Compared with a year earlier, total starts increased 6.6 percent, which was the largest year-over-year gain in twelve months.
National Association of Realtors (NARS) also reports that sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose 1.3 percent in August from July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.49 million.
The August gain, which came after July marked the first year-over-year uptick in 17 months, strengthened the case that some of the lowest mortgage rates of the past 50 years may at last be bringing more buyers back into the market.
Items associated with new homes like furniture, appliances, carpet, etc., are about 20 percent of the freight market so this is good news if it can be sustained.
August retail gains
According to data released by both the National Retail Confederation (NRF) and the Commerce Department, retail sales were robust in August showing that shoppers continue to carry the U.S. economy.
Commerce reported that August retail sales were up 0.4 percent annually, to $526.1 billion, and were up 0.8 percent over July’s $524.2 billion. It added that total retail sales from June through August headed up 3.7 percent compared to the same period a year ago.
Retail trade sales were up 4.6 percent annually, and non-store retailers saw a 16 percent increase.
NRF reported that August retail sales rose 0.4 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis compared to July and were up 4.6 percent on an unadjusted basis annually. NRF’s data excludes automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants.
Retailers are very bullish about this year’s holiday season because of continued job creation, wage gains and low unemployment.
Retail was well represented at the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) conference as there were sessions on inventory planning, last-mile delivery, systems and inventory optimization.
Industrial production rises
Industrial production, a measure of factory, mining and utility output, rose a seasonally adjusted 0.6 percent in August from the prior month according to the Federal Reserve.
The report runs counter to earlier signs of weakness in the industrial sector. Output at U.S. factories, which accounts for about 75 percent of the nation’s total industrial output, rose 0.5 percent last month from July.
Factory output has increased an average of 0.2 percent a month over the past four months, after declining an average of 0.5 percent a month during the first four months of the year. From a year earlier, industrial production rose by a weak 0.4 percent in August, while manufacturing declined by 0.4 percent.
Manufacturing accounts for a small share of gross domestic product, the sector is highly sensitive to shifts in global demand, making it a bellwether for the broader U.S. economy.
Freight companies - making their move
On the heels of Uber Freight’s foray into the load matching business, C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. says it will double its tech spending over the next five years, putting $1 billion behind a plan to hire more engineers and developers while expanding digital services.
Uber conducted an hour-long presentation at CSCMP displaying their technology and processes. It was impressive but remains to be seen what level of penetration they will make in the market. It also remains to be seen what the staying power is for a company that lost a whopping $5.2 billion in the second quarter of 2019, its deepest quarterly loss ever.
Truckers and intermediaries have been expanding their capital investments, with much of the money going toward mobile apps and shipment visibility.
Carriers and truckload freight brokers say they’re seeing positive year-over-year volume growth across the board, but overcapacity is preventing rates from rising higher in most lanes. Attracted by 2018’s high spot rates, thousands of new small carriers sprouted up only to meet a falling market and sky-high insurance rates in 2019.
DAT Solutions reports that while capacity is gradually tightening on a national basis, outbound tender rejections have jumped 102 basis points since September 15 to 6.02 percent. It’s not enough, yet, to raise prices on a national basis.
The national average for dry van spot rates is moving mostly sideways, DAT’s chart keeps hitting higher lows, indicating some support for upward momentum.
National tendered volumes for contract freight are still up 3.5 percent year-over-year, but DAT believes that number belies the true strength of the freight economy. The market could turn positive for carriers in the fourth quarter industrial production beating expectations in August, and the NRA projecting heavy holiday sales.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) seasonally adjusted For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index said that truck tonnage rose 4.1 percent in August compared with a year earlier.
The index also showed seasonally adjusted tonnage increased 4.3 percent year-to-date compared with the first eight months in 2018. At the same time, ATA’s sequential measure of tonnage hauled rose, too.
Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 70.2 percent of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled 10.77 billion tons of freight in 2017. Motor carriers collected $700.1 billion, or 79.3 percent of total revenue earned by all transport modes.
US rail traffic down for 7th straight month in August
Rail traffic was down for intermodal and carload volume in August compared to the same time last year, according to numbers from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).
U.S. railroads originated 1,055,386 carloads in August and 1,089,849 intermodal containers, which are down 4.6 percent and 5.4 percent respectively from the same period in 2018.
Individual railroads are starting to feel the pinch of these volume declines, continued uncertainty and have subsequently lowered their volume guidance.
Railroads have failed to keep intermodal pricing in line with the lower trucking rates and are therefore non-competitive in the market for a lot of traffic.
In the week ending September 21st, intermodal traffic fell 5.7 percent versus the same week in 2018.
For the first 38 weeks of 2019 compared with 2018, U.S. railroads reported 19,724,836 carloads and intermodal units, down 3.8 percent
At Wagner Logistics
As I led off in this blog, it was great to attend CSCMP’s annual conference with the Wagner Logistics team. Once again, we were pleased to be a sponsor of the event.
It is always a pleasure to re-connect with friends in various industries and meet new people. I have always considered this event as part of my continuing education and after 43 years in this business, it’s important to keep learning. Trust me when I say that this industry is changing fast. Customer expectations are rising, and one must have the people and systems to keep pace.
What may Wagner Logistics do for you?
If you are considering new distribution centers or a freight RFP, I hope you will give Wagner an opportunity to serve you. We have an extensive history of 73 years of service to our customers and would love the opportunity to collaborate with you.
As we say every day, Bring it!
Have a great day,
John Wagner Jr.
About Wagner Logistics
Wagner Logistics was founded in 1946 on the principle that every customer is a big deal and that continues to pervade our mentality, producing a superior customer experience. The company began in trucking and remains dynamic offering top-notch transportation, dedicated warehousing and robust fulfillment services. We strive to produce innovative solutions, in addition to our superior onboarding process which makes transitions seamless, and have been honored 18 years in a row by Inbound Logistics as a Top 100 3PL. Our customers drive our entry into new geographic markets, technological advances and ever-changing distribution challenges. Where do you want to be? Wagner says, Bring It!


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A charity Frock Swap has been cancelled yet again after selling just five tickets.
The event was due to be held tonight at The Swan at Streatley Hotel and was based on the popular concept of ‘swishing’ in which ladies bring clothes to swap with each other.
For a £20 entry fee, women were invited to bring three items of clothing, shoes or jewellery to give away in exchange for three items of someone else’s items.
The event had already been put back from the beginning of this month in the hopes that more tickets would be sold.
It was being held to raise money for the Sue Ryder Care Nettlebed Hospice and would have included manicure, hair-do and makeover sessions.
Organiser Amanda Solloway, sales executive at the hotel, who wanted at least 100 ladies to attend the event, said: “It’s a real shame because we had quite a lot of good feedback about it, but advance ticket sales were so poor.
“It would have been a great pampering night for ladies.”
No date has yet been planned, but anyone interested in future events should email Catherine.email@example.com .


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iSpot’s new report on sportsbook TV advertising shows that the industry has managed to grow TV ad impressions, while also expanding its footprint beyond one that was decidedly focused on football to-date.
- From Jan. 1-Aug. 15, 2023, sportsbook household TV ad impressions were up 25% vs. the same stretch in 2022. Importantly, “just” 58% of those impressions were delivered by sports programming. By contrast, that figure was 74% the year before.
- Perhaps as a response to repeated calls of there being too many betting ads — particularly during games — top brands in the space have aimed to diversify the programming where ad buys occur.
- For instance, while the NBA and NFL have still led the way for sportsbook TV ad impressions so far, you’ll also find programs like Friends, On Patrol: Live and South Park high on the list, with considerable jumps compared to last year.


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Whether you’re renovating, furnishing a room, planting a garden or even re-stocking your fridge, the Home and Cottage Show in Timmins has virtually something for everyone.
The 29th-annual Home and Cottage Show hosted by the Timmins Construction Association kicks off Friday night.
It is a three-day event with a wide range of vendors set up on the floor of McIntyre Arena and in the lounge and rink at the McIntyre Curling Club.
Organizers can guarantee there is a lot more to see at this year’s show.
“We’re completely sold out this year,” said Jodi Chaput, the event’s co-ordinator. “We have 90 vendors. That’s our max and that’s the most we’ve ever had. There is not an extra table available. There is not a booth available.”
The show typically draws more than 4,000 visitors from Timmins and surrounding communities
“They come out to get home improvement ideas, and see what’s available and what’s new and whatever they can snag a deal on,” said Chaput.
The Timmins home show draws suppliers from both in and outside of the region. They include businesses involved in the sale renovation, landscaping and gardening materials as well as indoor and outdoor furnishings for the home and cottage.
Chaput said they also have a wide range of service providers including water treatment, insurance companies, lawyers and realtors, and even soft services like “bath and body stuff.”
Chaput said this year they have vendors from Timmins and a wide area that extends from Kapuskasing south to the Toronto area.
The Home and Cottage Show runs Friday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 10 to 6 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and students, and free for children 10 and under accompanied by an adult.
“For five bucks you can’t get much but you can get to see 90 different vendors, and you get quite the show,” said Chaput.


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Glycerin's Role in 2009
Glycerin markets are expected to remain volatile throughout 2009. Factors such as the global economic crisis and falling commodity prices are expected to have an impact on pricing, supply and demand for crude and refined glycerin. In addition, crude glycerin imports from Southeast Asia, Europe and Argentina may continue to pressure prices.
According to BBI International's engineering and consulting team, in 2007 biodiesel manufacturers created 187,000 tons of crude glycerin. When added to the 150,000 tons of crude glycerin produced through other processes, glycerin produced through biodiesel manufacturing more than doubled market supplies of the product.
According to John Urbanchuk, an LECG LLC analyst who tracks biofuels industries, it is important to note that there are two different glycerin markets: crude and refined. "The market for crude glycerin has been relatively depressed because of a larger supply of crude than the ability to turn it into refined product," Urbanchuk says. "The market for refined glycerin has been, until now, reasonably good."
Crude glycerin can be produced through a variety of processes, including soap and fatty acid production, and by transesterification during biodiesel production. Crude glycerin is generally about 80 percent pure. However, depending on specific manufacturing processes, some biodiesel plants produce crude glycerin of a much higher purity. The process of refining glycerin involves removing residual organic nonglycerin matter, water, salt and odors. Refined glycerin is used by many industries, including the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
Urbanchuk says slow growth rates in the United States and the world economies are beginning to concern him. Slower economic growth rates may reduce demand for the products glycerin is used to produce. "It could be a factor working to trim demand for and prices of crude glycerin and refined glycerin," he says.
Furthermore, the recent decrease in the price of biodiesel feedstocks, will likely increase biodiesel production, leading to a larger supply of crude glycerin. "There are a number of factors that are working to remove financial pressure from the production side of biodiesel," Urbanchuk says. "That basically means there is going to be even more crude glycerin on the markets to hold those markets down."
Urbanchuk says he sees two trends developing right now. "You've got improvements in the commodity prices that are working to improve the profitability of biodiesel production," he says. "On the other hand, you've got a slowing economy, and that is going to potentially slow growth in demand for the products glycerin is made of." The combination will probably soften prices through 2009.
The economic downturn is a factor that will affect the markets for the next year or 18 months, Urbanchuk says. "I think the slower growth in demand is going to be a fact of life, and that it is going to reduce price pressure," he says. "That means that if we continue to get increases in supply, it is going to hold prices down."
Emergent Industrial Solutions Inc., which buys and sells glycerin products, expects to see significant volatility in the 2009 glycerin markets. "Everything hinges on biodiesel production," says Todd Pencarinha, EIS's vice president. "Demand for crude glycerin is reasonably constant and growing at a healthy rate." However, he says, when biodiesel economics are strong, the biodiesel industry creates much more crude glycerin than the refined glycerin market needs. This leads to crashing prices.
Although not all crude glycerin is produced by the biodiesel industry, Pencarinha says upswings in the market are a result of those refining glycerin from biodiesel production. "When the biodiesel economics are strong, there is so much crude glycerin out there that everybody is producing refined glycerin to make money," he says. The result is an excess in refined glycerin that reduces market prices. "I think-as far as the glycerin market is concerned-volatility is going to be the rule," Pencarinha says. "A stable glycerin market would be extremely unusual and not foreseeable for quite a number of years."
The United States and European Union currently dominate the biodiesel and glycerin markets, according to Urbanchuk. However, significant growth is underway in China. "I think the market in China is going to continue to expand," he says. He also notes that the United States currently has a relative advantage over the EU because of the difference in exchange rates. "I think that's one area that is a bright spot in the overall market," Urbanchuk says.
Jerry Patak, director of commodities for Massachusetts-based World Energy Solutions Inc., says the U.S. crude glycerin market is being inundated with imports. Southeast Asia and Europe are exporting glycerin to the United States in large volumes at low prices. "The market is depressed as a result of that," he says. Patak expects those depressed prices to continue through the end of 2008, and possibly into 2009. "It depends totally on how much biodiesel production continues in Southeast Asia, Europe and Argentina," he says. "This is a peculiar year in that we are being inundated with so many imports. Usually, that's not the case."
The market is also experiencing reduced demand from Asia. Dave Elsenbast, Renewable Energy Group Inc.'s vice president of procurement, says his company has exported glycerin to Asia in the past. "The Asian demand that we were selling into seems to have dramatically slowed," he says. "They may have started buying more of their supplies out of the Argentinean biodiesel market as that market has developed."
REG produced an estimated 100 million pounds of crude glycerin in 2007, and expects to produce approximately 130 million pounds of the product in 2008. "We do think the output for us is going to increase into 2009," Elsenbast says. "We take the marketing and production of glycerin very seriously so we can maximize the revenue stream that we can achieve from this coproduct. It is not something that we-from a marketing standpoint-look to dispose of. We look to make a quality product and sell it to a high-value returning market."
Rob Keeling, REG's purchasing manager, says his company has identified the value in supplying a high-quality glycerin. "Consistency is the building block around any new or existing end-use process utilizing glycerin," he says. "We have taken great strides and have a large amount of success in supplying our current customers with that type of crude glycerin."
Instead of selling their crude glycerin on the open market, a few biodiesel manufacturers refine it. Glycerin refiner World Energy at one time produced biodiesel. However, its biodiesel operations shut down last year in response to economics and high feedstock prices. "Since we shut the plant down, we've been buying crude on the open market-vegetable-based kosher crude-and refining it at the plant," Patak says. "The refinery has not missed a beat."
Texas-based GreenHunter Energy Inc. has a distillation tower for refining glycerin. Although the facility is currently shut down due to damage from Hurricane Ike, once biodiesel production begins, the company will refine crude glycerin. According to a GreenHunter spokeswoman, the distillation tower will have the capacity to refine more glycerin than the biodisel refinery produces.
Delta Biofuels Inc. has been selling its crude glycerin to a variety of markets, including Asia. According to Clint Vegas, president of Delta Biofuels, the crude glycerin his company produces is 90 percent to 94 percent pure. "If our production would crank up to where it needs to be … we would probably go ahead and refine our glycerin closer to 100 percent," Vegas says. Feedstock prices would have to drop in order to increase production to a level where refining the glycerin would be feasible.
Louis Dreyfus Agricultural Industries produces about 65 million pounds of crude glycerin annually with a purity rate of 80 percent. According to senior merchandiser John Meyer, the company is selling the majority of its crude glycerin into the industrial market.
Erin Voegele is a Biodiesel Magazine staff writer. Reach her at firstname.lastname@example.org or (701) 373-8040.


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Asda’s New Owners Look to Buy Caffe Nero Loans: Telegraph
Brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa and TDR Capital are in talks to buy more than half of coffee chain’s Caffe Nero’s 350 million pounds ($491 million) of loans, The Telegraph reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The pair, who last week completed the purchase of U.K. supermarket chain Asda Group from Walmart Inc., are in talks with Alcentra and Partners Group to buy 180 million pounds ($252 million) of the loans, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The acquisition would position the billionaire brothers to make a bid for control through a debt-for-equity swap were Caffe Nero to restructure its borrowing, The Telegraph said, citing banking insiders.
The brothers were previously reported to have been rebuffed in an attempt to buy the chain last year.
All parties declined to comment to The Telegraph.
To view the source of this information click here
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.


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Tech Ticker writes "The Indian Government last year announced the development of a cheap $10 laptop, but was later rectified as $100 laptop. Now the government has announced that HRD minister Arjun Singh will unveil the prototype of a Rs. 500 ($10) computer. The computer is developed by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Chennai. No specifications were revealed but DNA, a daily newspaper, has mentioned that it will be small and portable, will feature Wi-Fi, LAN, and expandable memory, and will operate on 2 watts of power."
#NetNeutrality is STILL in danger - Click here to help. DEAL: For $25 - Add A Second Phone Number To Your Smartphone for life! Use promo code SLASHDOT25. Check out the new SourceForge HTML5 Internet speed test. ×


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Lovers of a schnitzel on the northside are going to be seriously spoiled for choice soon.
Last week, Rockpool Dining Group announced they’re expanding into South Australia for the first time, opening The Bavarian at the new development at Tea Tree Plaza.
And now schnitzel chain Schnitz has announced they’re also moving into the shopping centre’s new dining precinct.
It will be the first South Australia store for the casual eatery, which serves pan-fried, hand-cooked schnitzels that are cooked to their meticulous specifications (and with a secret crumb recipe).
The family owner chain was founded by Polish immigrant Roman Dyduk, and the first Schnitz opened in Melbourne in 2007. They now have more than 70 restaurants across the country.
Adelaide’s Schnitz will seat 100 and will be open from 10am until late seven days.
Both venues will be in the new dining and entertainment precinct on Level 1 of Westfield Tea Tree Plaza, expected to open in late October.


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PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, addressed the significant trends in automation at Interpack (Düsseldorf, Germany; May 4-10, 2023). At a press conference held on May 5, PMMI executives (hall 12, stand A66) highlighted key trends and insights from a recent report, “The future of automation in packaging and processing,” which revealed the continued interest and adoption of automated technologies as a result of the growing labor shortage and e-commerce.
According to the report, 60% of respondents from the consumer packaged goods (CPG) sector who participated in the PMMI study cited the lack of availability of labor as a major factor of interest in automated solutions. As a result, 31% of all CPG respondents said they were deploying automated machinery on production lines as a substitute for labor and will continue to do so. While this weakness has been felt around the world, it is a major concern in Germany, where the Employment Research Institute (IAB) forecasts that the country’s potential workforce will shrink by seven million by 2035.
The continuous growth of e-commerce is another driver of automated packaging solutions. Approximately half of respondents from the consumer goods sector reported that the growth of e-commerce is affecting their business, increasing the need for greater flexibility in packaging operations to adapt to rapid changes in consumer preferences.
“The continuing labor shortage and the growth of e-commerce represent shared challenges among CPGs operating in the United States, Canada and much of Europe,” said Jorge Izquierdo, vice president of market development at PMMI. “However, the resulting interest in automated solutions as a remedy have accelerated adoption and carved new paths in collaboration and creative problem solving between these companies and OEMs to drive greater efficiency, productivity and profitability.”
To alleviate labor challenges, many companies are turning to robotic and cobot solutions. More than 90% of respondents believe that robots and cobots have helped solve the labor shortage, and 27% claim to have implemented cobots in their plants. This figure is expected to increase to 57% in the next five years.
Maintenance represents another opportunity for automated solutions in packaging and processing. 43% of respondents reported the use of predictive maintenance technology on their lines, while 83% were considering it. In this regard, 56% reported the use of remote access solutions as of 2020. Even 3D printing is playing a bigger role in machine maintenance, while helping CPGs reduce downtime and costs. About 25% of the respondents claimed to use 3D printing to manufacture and replace non-moving parts prone to rapid wear.
For complete information about PMMI’s The Future of Automation in Packaging and Processing report, click on the link to request the full results. Keep an eye out for upcoming PMMI industry reports available here.
Anyone who wants to put their knowledge into practice can register to attend Pack Expo Las Vegas (September 11-13, 2023; Las Vegas Convention Center). The most comprehensive packaging and processing event in North America, the fair will bring together more than 2,000 suppliers showing various innovations for more than 40 vertical markets. For more information and to register, visit packexpolasvegas.com . The registration fee is $30 until August 18, after which it will increase to $130.


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RARITAN TWP. — When Jim Cavanagh bids a job he performs a balancing act. He weighs the special needs of the employees he's helping to earn a living with the needs of a company, to get a product to market in "great shape, at a fair price."
Cavanagh is the director of sales and marketing at the Center for Educational Development, which operates the Spring Run School and offers skill-building and employment opportunities for special-needs residents from Hunterdon and beyond.
To help support its mission, CEA organizes the annual Turkey Trot, a 5K run and 2-mile walk on Thanksgiving morning in Flemington. This year this Turkey Trot is one of at least 24 across the nation taking part in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for participants in a multi-location event.
The registration goal here is 6,500 runners or walkers, not unreasonable considering that about 6,100 took part last year.
For instance, on this fall day in 2013 some people are working an assembly line on which labels are being placed on aerosol can caps.
The company that hired CEA to do this changed the cap design and then found that the machine in its plant can't place the desired labels on the cap, Cavanagh said.
While the machine is being retrofitted to label the new cap, CEA is tackling the work here, he said, ensuring that there's no disruption in the supply for customers.
Large and small companies use CEA, 36 in total right now. CEA can run 15 jobs simultaneously from its buildings on Minneakoning Road, administrators said.
Its three largest employment partners are: Johanna Foods — Tree Ripe, Ssips, La Yogurt — based in Raritan Township; Reckitt Benckiser — Lysol, Finish, French's AirWick — with North American headquarters in Parsipanny; and Roche Molecular Systems — research, diagnostic and blood-screening kits — in Branchburg.
Employees wearing caps and medical gowns are working from large boxes of test kits, creating smaller bundles that will be distributed to Roche customers worldwide, said Nancy Vargas, CEA vice president of operations.
This type of work is common at CEA, Cavanagh said, forming a bridge between the capabilities of mass-production lines and the needs of individual business customers.
For instance, he said, Johanna Foods can churn out one flavor juice box "all day long," but CEA employees may combine boxes of that flavor with others to produce a variety case for a warehouse store such as BJs or Costco.
Another common assembly-line job at CEA involves applying an outer cap on bottles of high-end cosmetics. In this case, machines aren't used because they scratch the clear plastic, said Cavanagh.
CEA packages kits sold in museum gift shops and gourmet foods sold in a range of stores.
Cavanagh thinks it's "worth it to knock on the doors of these mega-corporations, and get rebuffed 98% of the time," because he knows that when "they do the favor and send work my way, we outperform their expectations."
He previously worked as a salesman in the same types of industries that he solicits today on behalf of the nonprofit CEA. He came here in 2008, he said, because it "became time for me to work in a way that helped more than my company or myself," referring to financial outcomes.
He also loves "the entrepreneurial nature of this work. When a company asks, 'What do you do,' I answer, 'What have you got?' They don't know how they can help us," and vice versa.
"Given the right circumstances, the people here can be as successful as anyone," he said. That could involve using an adaptive tool, breaking a task down so that a team completes it rather than an individual, or simply finding the right job for the right person.
It's all about, Cavanagh said, "Autonomy, respect and the pride of earning a paycheck."


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Natural dog food company Forthglade has announced investment from a European private equity group alongside re-investment from its own senior management team.
Equity group IK Investment Partners (IK) has acquired a majority stake in the Devon-based company as previous investor Piper announced the sale of its holdings in the company.
Forthglade, founded in 1971, rapidly became one of the fastest-growing UK-based natural pet food brands, producing premium wet and dry dog food and treats.
The company has been led by joint managing directors Gerard Lovell and Chris Brooking since their management buyout in 2011, and subsequent investment by Piper in 2015.
As Piper exits the business following a five-year investment programme, IK’s new investment will support Forthglade’s plans to increase brand awareness and distribution to further drive growth in the UK and overseas.
IK will also support Forthglade’s further expansion in the business’ product range and growth in its manufacturing capabilities.
Based in Okehampton, Devon, Forthglade employs more than 130 people in the UK, and distributes across supermarkets, independent specialist pet retailers and online retailers including its own website.
Forthglade’s award-winning recipes contain natural ingredients, high meat content, gentle cooking methods and grain-free recipes.
Backed by the increasing demand for quality natural pet food and following strategic investments in production processes, marketing, and operations, Forthglade has grown branded sales by over 30% per annum in the last three years and is set to generate more than £22 million in sales in the year to September 2020.
The company has seen sales accelerate ahead of plan throughout the lockdown period.
Forthglade’s recently developed state-of-the art factory in Devon, which produces the business’ natural wet dog food, created significant additional capacity to support its future growth.
The company also produces ranges of cold-pressed natural dry food and hand-baked dog treats, which are key growth areas.
Last year Forthglade launched a successful co-branded range of meals and treats for dogs in association with the National Trust, as part of a three-year partnership.
Gerard said: “We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Piper whose support and expertise have been invaluable in helping us achieve so much. We are delighted to partner with IK for the next stage of our growth.
“With their experience across food production and animal health and an established pan-European footprint, they’re well placed to help us grow our offering and enter new markets as well as further support growth and development here in the UK.
“We have exciting plans ahead as we look to expand our success in wet meals into cold pressed and treats, and we see a strong runway for growth ahead.”
Tom Salmon, partner at IK, said: “Forthglade is an excellent business and a great fit for our investment strategy. We have been very impressed with the achievements of Gerard, Chris and the rest of team in growing the business in recent years, and we are delighted to be backing them in the first investment made by IK’s new UK investment team.
“The market for natural pet food in the UK is particularly strong and resilient, and we see significant further growth potential for Forthglade in the UK and beyond in the years to come. With our strong track record in supporting growing food production and animal health companies, we look forward to supporting Forthglade.”


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Oppo was clearly in no hurry with the announcement of a foldable smartphone, it took a long time to create it. But on December 15, it will show the result of its work – Oppo Find N and even announced that it was able to solve such problems of flexible devices as durability and folds in the display, as well as the company managed to develop the industry’s best hinge mechanism.
As soon as the company announced the date of the announcement, renders and “live” photos of the Oppo Find N flooded the network. Either the company succeeded almost the impossible, or the picture was taken from the desired angle, but the fold is really not visible on the flexible display. Here, in the upper left corner, a front-facing camera is available. At the bottom, there is a microphone, a USB Type-C port, a SIM card slot and two speakers.
Photos and renders show the design of the foldable Oppo Find N
On the backside, they offered a rectangular platform for the main camera; the design of which resembles the Oppo Find X3. The camera also smoothly “flows” out of the body and offers three image sensors. The inscription on the platform with the modules leaves no doubt that a 50 megapixel sensor will be available as the main one.
Gizchina News of the week
Yesterday, Oppo‘s senior vice president of products and concurrent head of OnePlus Pete Lau announced that the Oppo Find N is “small enough, but big enough” with a foldable screen, the first flagship with a foldable screen created by Oppo after four years of testings. It’s a high-tech product, and it took 125 patents for the company just to fix the crease on the screen. The top manager of the company believes that they should become industry leaders in this direction
All specifications will be revealed on December 15 during the official premiere, but the key parameters are already known. The smartphone received an external curved 6.5-inch display with Full HD resolution and a 60 Hz refresh rate. It has a 32-megapixel front camera embedded in it. The internal screen is an 8-inch OLED with LTPO technology and QHD + resolution.
— Technology Edge (@Tech_EdgeTE) December 9, 2021
in addition, the fingerprint scanner is available on the side; the main camera uses sensors with a resolution of 50, 16 and 13 megapixels. The 4500mAh battery supports 65W charging. The OS is Android 11 with the ColorOS 12 interface. According to preliminary data, Oppo Find N will be cheaper than its counterparts. At least in the home market.


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General Motors Co. was accused in a lawsuit by owners of diesel-powered trucks of using illegal emissions software that allowed the vehicles to bypass government emissions tests and pollute far beyond legal limits on the road.
Owners of heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Duramax pickup trucks sued GM in a Detroit federal court on Thursday, accusing the auto maker of using so-called defeat devices that deceived government regulators. The devices allowed the vehicles to appear cleaner during government tests, and then emit nitrogen oxides two to five times above allowable limits in normal driving conditions, according to the lawsuit.
Continue Reading Below
The suit targets more than 705,000 vehicles currently estimated to be on the road, with model years between 2011 and 2016. It follows Volkswagen's admitted emissions transgressions with illegal diesel-emissions software and allegations that Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV also used defeat devices. Fiat Chrysler denies that claim.
GM shares were off more than 2.7% in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
The suit says GM promised its diesel-engine technology would turn heavy fuel into a "fine mist" and deliver low emissions that were a "whopping reduction" from the previous model. Instead, GM used three defeat devices that turn down emissions controls when the vehicle isn't being tested, the lawsuit alleges.
"These claims are baseless and we will vigorously defend ourselves," GM said. The Detroit auto maker said the vehicles comply with all U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and California Air Resources Board emissions regulations.
U.S. authorities haven't accused GM of any wrongdoing related to tailpipe diesel emissions. The same law firm sued GM in June 2016 on behalf of owners of diesel-powered Chevy Cruze models, alleging GM equipped model-year 2014 cars with defeat devices. A federal judge in February tossed part of the suit but allowed some aspects to move forward, including claims of fraudulent concealment.
The lawsuit filed on Thursday also alleges that Robert Bosch GmbH worked on technology that allowed GM to implement defeat devices on its heavy-duty diesel trucks. A Bosch spokeswoman said it takes "allegations of manipulation of the diesel software very seriously." Bosch is cooperating with investigations of alleged emissions transgressions while defending itself in litigation, the spokeswoman said.
RBC Capital Markets analyst Joseph Spak initially flagged the suit against GM as a "negative" sentiment indicator, but later pulled the evaluation back to "neutral," pointing to the company's statement as an indication the lawsuit was "opportunistic."
Still, a series of lawsuits and investigations over the past few years have called into question diesel engines that auto makers marketed as environmentally friendly and clean.
The suit against GM comes on the heels of Volkswagen's admission to rigging nearly 600,000 diesel-powered vehicles in the U.S. with defeat devices, a scandal that led the auto maker to plead guilty to criminal charges and agree to legal settlements totaling more than $25 billion depending on how many cars it repurchases.
Volkswagen is referenced more than 80 times in Thursday's suit against GM. "VW opened the door for speculation and now people are asking whether all diesels are clean or not," said AutoPacific Inc. analyst Dave Sullivan. "Everyone is going under the microscope."
In addition, the U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday filed a civil suit against Fiat Chrysler, accusing the Italian-U.S. auto maker of using similar illegal software on nearly 104,000 Jeep Grand Cherokee sport-utility vehicles and Ram pickup trucks with diesel engines.
Fiat Chrysler has denied using illegal software intended to dupe regulators, and contends it can update software in affected vehicles to address concerns of U.S. and California environmental regulators.
Thursday's lawsuit called GM "no different" than other auto makers caught in authorities' crosshairs on emissions. The auto maker charged a $5,000 premium on its heavy-duty diesel-engine trucks over comparable gasoline-powered models and deceptively marketed them as "having low emissions, high fuel economy, and powerful torque and towing capacity," the lawsuit said.
Law firm Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP filed the purported class-action lawsuit against GM. The firm represented consumers in class-action litigation consolidated against Volkswagen, and has also sued Fiat Chrysler for its alleged emissions lapses.
GM's heavy-duty diesel trucks are among the company's most-profitable vehicles, typically selling for more than $60,000. They represent about 12% of GM's overall pickup-truck sales, according to RBC Capital Markets. The pickup business accounts for more than half GM's bottom line globally, according to analysts.
Many owners of larger pickup trucks favor diesel engines for their durability and extra torque for hauling and towing. Analysts have expected diesel-powered trucks to remain popular for those reasons, despite fallout from Volkswagen's emissions woes.
GM introduced a new Duramax engine on the heavy-duty Silverado and Sierra for the 2017 model.
Chester Dawson contributed to this article.
Write to Mike Spector at email@example.com and Mike Colias at Mike.Colias@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 25, 2017 15:03 ET (19:03 GMT)


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VibePay, a UK-based payments application, has announced the release of a new API for business payment transfers and online subscription payment processing. The company had planned on releasing this latest API toward the end of 2020 but accelerated plans as a result of COVID-19.
Codugh wants developers to directly earn money for their APIs. It's building a marketplace where developers publish APIs. As those APIs are used, regardless of integrated application, the API developer gets paid. Codugh has partnered with Bitcoin SV (BSV) to pay developers per call.


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World Water Day is held annually on March 22 as a way of focusing on the importance of freshwater and supporting the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
With deforestation being a notable contributor to global warming, protecting forests is crucial to lessening the impacts of climate change and to maintaining “healthy, resilient communities and prosperous economies”.
With media reports attesting to the impact of synthetic materials on our planet, consumers have expressed concern with the overuse of synthetics in our day to day lives.
Fabian de Armas, CEO and Chairman of Sustana Group, shares his insights on the company’s strategy and sustainability highlights.
Sustana Group recently released its 2019 sustainability strategy, showcasing the true impact of its environmental stewardship and announcing big steps toward an even smaller ecological footprint.
Heather Lose, Editor-In-Chief of The Tennessee Conservationist, talks about printing the photography-rich magazine sustainably while retaining the great image quality that readers expect, by switching to 100 percent post-consumer paper from Rolland.
In the spirit of looking ahead to 2019, we’ve identified three important societal trends for 2019, relating to sustainability in business.
Sustana Group recently released its 2018 sustainability strategy report, showcasing the true impact of its environmental stewardship and announcing big steps toward an even smaller ecological footprint.


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China’s Ride-Hailing Outfits Feed on Fierce Competition
(Bloomberg) -- Stay on top of the electric car revolution by signing up to our Hyperdrive newsletter here.
In the world of mobility, one of the best bargains of the last decade has been the discounted rides offered by many ride-hailing services, especially as they have entered a new market. This type of discount is sometimes dubbed the "Millennial lifestyle subsidy" and it is a savings I have enjoyed taking full advantage of.
However, ride-hailing businesses are, in theory, no longer scrappy startups. Some of the world’s largest ride-hailing companies – Uber, Lyft and Didi – are now publicly traded. Southeast Asia’s Grab plans to join them later this quarter through a SPAC merger with blank check company Altimeter Growth. These companies, which raised billions in private markets, were supposed to start reducing the free-flowing spending on geographic expansions and discounts for riders and drivers. To show this hasn’t really happened yet, let’s take a closer look at Didi’s situation.
Didi’s commanding position in its home market seems to be the source of much of its confidence in traveling abroad. However, that dominance is in the early stages of a mounting new challenge.
According to data from China’s Ministry of Transport, compiled by my colleague Jinghong Lyu, Didi provided just shy of 75% of China’s ride-hailing trips in September, down from approximately 80% in July. This does not include Huaxiaozhu (loosely translated as “Piggy Express”), Didi’s discounted service targeted at younger riders in China’s small cities.
While this fairly minor dip is unlikely to cause sleepless nights for Didi executives, it does come at the same time the regulatory environment is tightening and rivals are building up their war chests. In particular, two automakers and tech-backed ventures are gathering capital and slowly gaining market share.
Nikkei reports that T3 mobility raised $1.2 billion in late October, which even in the ride-hailing world is a lot of money for such a new company. T3 was founded in 2019 by three state-owned automakers, FAW, Dongfeng and Changan, along with internet giants Tencent, Alibaba and Suning. The latest funding round comes from Citic Group and other state-backed investors.
The other company mounting a revitalized challenge is Caocao Mobility, a spinoff from automaker Geely, which began as a premium private car service but is now targeting the general ride-hailing market. Caocao raised nearly $600 million in September.
The ride-hailing market in China is growing again and a big part of the new race for mobility customers is for these businesses to pursue customers in China’s so-called tier three, four and five cities which have not yet saturated their ride-hailing demand. Fierce competition among well-funded companies can be good news for the consumers that receive heavily discounted fares. Didi’s international expansion means prices should be favorable for consumers in those markets. Meanwhile, the burgeoning wave of domestic ride-hailing expansion means Chinese consumers should also benefit from a quest for market share. This leads me to believe the millennial lifestyle subsidy isn't going anywhere for now.
©2021 Bloomberg L.P.


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Taking a break from the troubled rollout of the Model 3 sedan that Elon Musk describes as hellish, Tesla’s billionaire commander-in-chief is reimagining heavy-duty trucks with a futuristic behemoth he says is sleeker, faster, safer and more efficient than anything on the market. Oh, and if that weren't enough he’s also bringing back the Roadster sports car.
Unveiled as Queens of the Stone Age’s thumping “Feet Don’t Fail Me Now” blared over the audio system late Thursday, Tesla's Semi will travel up to 500 miles per charge, accelerate from 0 to 60 miles an hour in five seconds and is guaranteed for 1 million miles of usable life, Musk said. If all goes to plan, production and sales begin in 2019, he told an audience of more than a 1,000 packed into an airport hangar next door to SpaceX’s suburban Los Angeles headquarters and Tesla’s design studio.
“We designed the Tesla truck to be a bullet,” Musk told the crowd of fans and journalists in attendance. “It’s like driving a Tesla. It’s just big.”
Jumping into the heaviest, costliest class of vehicles is an audacious move by the youngest U.S. automaker, particularly as it struggles to build and sell affordable electric cars and scale up battery and solar panel production. Creating a viable, 10-ton, battery-powered truck capable of hauling up to 60,000 pounds for hundreds of miles, with batteries that can be recharged in under an hour and with durability to last for years is a gamble that perhaps only Musk, a remarkably shrewd marketer, would want to undertake right now.
The company reported its biggest-ever quarterly loss this month and delayed its goal of high-volume production for the Model 3, priced from $35,000, until early 2018. While it tries to resolve battery pack production problems for the car at its Nevada Gigafactory, it’s also contending with labor issues at its Fremont, California, vehicle plant. The stock is also down from a peak of $389.61, and its various difficulties contributed to an 11% share price decline in the past month through Nov. 16.
Although Musk said the truck’s cost per mile of $1.26 versus $1.51 for a diesel-powered truck would make it more affordable to operate, he didn’t announce its base price. A new diesel-powered Class 8 tractor trailer ranges from $140,000 to $175,000, according to Fleet Owner, citing figures from researcher Frost & Sullivan.
Additionally, he didn’t detail how large the battery packs would be to deliver the promised 500 miles of range. Even with a fully loaded trailer and cab, topping out at a combined 80,000 pounds, the truck accelerates from 0 to 60mph in an industry-best 20 seconds, Musk claimed.
To accommodate the large amount of electric power required to recharge the Semi, Musk said Tesla will build a network of “Megachargers” that can provide 400 miles range in 30 minutes. Those stations will get their electricity from solar panels that charge up banks of Tesla Powerwall battery storage units, said Musk, who was notably more upbeat than when he handed over the first 30 production units of Model 3 to Tesla employees in July.
Four electric motors identical to those used in the Model 3 will power the Semi’s rear wheels. Even with its heavy battery packs, the company said the goal is to keep the weight of the cab on par with conventional Class 8 diesel cabs.
“There’s a great deal of weight involved with this type of vehicle so there’s a durability challenge,” Venkat Viswanathan, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, told Forbes. “But I don’t think it’s going to be a showstopper.”
Musk didn’t say where the truck would be built or set a potential volume goal.
Two sleek prototype Tesla Semis sporting carbon fiber body panels drove into the event, one in silver carrying Musk and the other in chic matte black. Along with Model 3 motors, the trucks also share components with the compact electric sedan including flat panel screens and door handles.
Aside from an aerodynamic exterior, the cabin has stairs for easy entry and exit, a centered driving seat and enough headroom to stand fully upright. There’s a jump seat for passengers and overhead airplane-style baggage compartments are installed at the rear of the cabin.
And because it lacks a bulky engine block and multi-gear transmission the cabin is also roomier than a conventional diesel truck and the truck has a Tesla hallmark— a front trunk, better known as a frunk.
Large touchscreen displays on either side of the driver’s seat allow for blindspot monitoring and data logging. The truck has built-in connectivity linked to a fleet operator’s management system to for routing, scheduling, remote monitoring and diagnostics.
For added safety, the cab is ringed with cameras to monitor blind spots and road conditions, and it has onboard sensors to detect instability and adjust torque to individual wheels to prevent jackknifing. The cab also has Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot for semi-autonomous driving, automatic emergency braking, automatic lane keeping and lane departure warning systems, the company said.
Just as it seemed the event was winding up, the black matte truck’s trailer opened up to reveal a revamped Roadster, the car that initially got Tesla into business.
Like its predecessor, the car is designed for rapid acceleration. In this case, record-breaking acceleration of 0 to 60 miles an hour in 1.9 seconds and up to 100 mph in just 4.2 seconds delivered by a 200 kilowatt-hour battery pack, double the size of the current top-of-the-range Model S.
“People always ask: When are you making a new Roadster? We are making it now,” Musk said. “It will be the fastest production car ever made, period.”
Unlike the original version which used a modified Lotus Elise chassis, the new car appears to be derived from the Model 3 platform. Along with speed it seats four and has a removable top for open-air driving. And if that weren't enough, the Roadster will travel 620 miles per charge should go into production in 2020, Musk said. As with the Semi he gave no pricing details.
Tesla’s products have often come out later than Musk’s initial goals, so whether the Semi or Roadster will arrive on time with all the attributes promised remains to be seen. And along with those new products and fixing Model 3 production, the company also has the Model Y electric crossover due in 2019 or 2020.
The company will have to find a vast amount of additional capital to fund all these products and figure out where and how to build them, but those are questions for another day.
At the Thursday night bash, Musk’s appreciative audience (one of whom shouted “Elon for president!”) was visibly excited as he wrapped up the presentation, departing the stage as “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys blasted through the hangar.


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DHL Group signed an agreement to purchase all (100%) shares of MNG Kargo.
According to the joint statement, the agreement will give a new impetus to Turkiye’s rapidly growing e-commerce and cargo sectors.
While Turkiye stands out as a country where e-commerce grows in double digits, much faster than EU markets, with its young and dynamic population, widespread digital communication network and established transportation infrastructure, the markets interpret this direct investment in Turkiye from Europe as “trust in the country’s economy and growth potential”.
Founded in 2003, MNG Kargo is one of the leading players in the sector with 27 transfer centers, more than 800 branches and employment for approximately 10 thousand people. MNG Kargo, which will benefit from the international logistics expertise and extensive global network of the DHL Group, will become a part of the DHL e-commerce unit and complete the DHL e-commerce European cargo delivery network.
DHL Group Chief Executive (CEO) Tobias Meyer, whose views were included in the statement, said:
“Besides sustainability, globalization and digitalisation, we have identified e-commerce as a megatrend in logistics and made it a focus area in the DHL Group Strategy 2025. e-commerce remains one of the biggest growth drivers for the logistics industry and especially cargo volumes. For this reason, we are constantly working to expand our footprint in the e-commerce sector with organic and inorganic growth strategies. MNG Kargo will complement our business portfolio and help us further expand our established network in this sector.”
“It also shows the increasing investment appetite”
President of the Presidency Investment Office Burak Daglioglu emphasized that Turkiye is a regional center in the logistics sector with its growing economy, strategic location, competent workforce and established transportation infrastructure.
Daglioglu said, “The cargo volume in our country is increasing day by day with the double-digit growth achieved in e-commerce. This acquisition of DHL, one of the most important players of the sector, in the 100th anniversary of our Republic, also demonstrates our country’s belief in its potential and its increasing investment appetite. Under the leadership of our President, improving the investment environment of our country and increasing international direct investments is one of our most important goals.”
“The acquisition of MNG Kargo will help us bring our global customers together with the Turkish market”
Pablo Ciano, CEO of DHL e-Commerce, said, “As DHL e-Commerce, our aim is to provide reliable, accessible and sustainable e-commerce delivery services to our customers. The backbone of this strategy is our extensive network, digital expertise and competencies that we operate ourselves or through partnerships. The acquisition of MNG Kargo will strengthen our established network and help us bring our global customers together with the Turkish market.”
MNG Kargo CEO Kagan Gunduz said, “As MNG Kargo, we aim to further improve the quality of service we offer to consumers by backing up with DHL Group’s global knowledge and technology and to create even higher employment with capacity increase investments. Our country has become the focus of international manufacturers’ strategies for creating a sustainable supply chain and the development of our industry will continue without slowing down.”
It was stated that the approval of the Competition Authority and the Information and Communication Technologies Authority is needed to complete the transaction.
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz


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Low-price smartphones to benefit Taiwan makers: research institute
The China Post news staff
September 27, 2012, 11:24 am TWN
Increasing popularity of low-price smartphones is expected to benefit Taiwan manufacturers, which have a cost advantage, said market research firm Topology Research Institute yesterday.
Hsieh Yu-shan, researcher with Topology, predicted that next year global handset shipments would hit 1.86 billion, a rise of 4.49 percent from this year. Of that total, 860 million will be smartphones, a rise of 27.47 percent from this year and translating into a penetration rate of 46.2 percent.
Next year, Asia will replace North America as the biggest smartphone market, said Hsieh, who attributed the Asian market's rapid growth to increasing popularity of smart devices in China, where population is huge, people's incomes are on the increase, and 3G coverage has become more extensive.
According to Hsieh, demands for phones with more features and lower prices, coupled with subsidies offered by major mobile operators, will lift smartphone shipments in China to 256 million next year, a rise of 36.2 percent.
Hsieh also said that next year China will see increasing sales of under US$100 smartphones, which will help popularize smart devices on the other side of the strait and will initiate a cycle where people replace their 2G phones with 3G ones.
This trend is set to benefit Taiwan's smartphone original equipment manufacturers, which have developed a strong capability in cost-control, she said.
Separately, Topology also pointed out long-term evolution (LTE) will become the dominant 4G technology, after Apple included LTE in the iPhone 5.
According to Topology, next year will see the rollout of several LTE-based smart phones, some of which may even be mid-priced models.
At this stage, LTE only supports data communications, while voice communications are made possible by the HSPA or EV-DO technology. As such most LTE phones will include two modules, one for 4G and one for 3G, Topology said.


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Brian Henegar and Jason Block delve into the Rock Band frenzy that’s come back with the announcement of Guitar Hero also making a return at E3. They’ll also talk about PS4, including a story on the 20th anniversary edition contest that took a bad turn. Click HERE to follow along with clw83’s official video game news podcast of record.
All posts are public again as of May 2017, but links are still outdated on most of them from 2012-2016...it's a slow work in progress.
Also, please disable any ad-blocker you use, our ads help pay the cost of running this site and it's server. We appreciate it.


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The first wave of Epic Games Store exclusive is proving to be pretty pricey. According to documents sourced from the Epic vs. Apple legal battle, it looks like the first 23 games it gave away are going to lose Epic Games a cool $130 million.
The Epic Games Store has been around for a couple of years now and it entered the market with a bold strategy — it pays developers significant sums of money to ensure that these upcoming titles are only available on the Epic Games Store. A game is typically exclusive to the storefront for around a year, although shorter periods have been observed such as with Borderlands 3.
In the years since then, Epic Games has snapped up a number of hot properties as timed exclusives such as Hitman 3 and Ooblets. However, these exclusivity deals come at a cost. We now have a somewhat better idea of what Epic Games is paying for these exclusivity deals — and how much money it's losing as a result.
First Wave of Epic Games Store Exclusives Net Big Losses for Storefront
GameDiscoverCo newsletter founder Simon Carless shared an image from the Epic vs. Apple court case on Twitter, highlighting the true cost of the Epic Games Store exclusives strategy. While it spent $210 million in minimum guarantees to get these developers on board, it only expects to recoup around $80 million of that initial investment.
The names of the individual games are redacted in the image. However, Carless points to a Reddit submission that does some guesswork based on release dates. Some of the listed games didn't perform all that poorly, but others resulted in stunning losses.
Take Metro Exodus as an example. It launched on the Epic Games Store on February 15, 2019, and the court documents say that Epic Games paid out $37 million in minimum guarantees. However, the expected shortfall is 22.2 million, meaning that Metro Exodus made less than half of the revenue Epic Games expected it to. (As with most Epic Games Store exclusives, Metro Exodus launched on Steam roughly one year later.)
Epic's own chart shows that only two games actually made more than the minimum guarantee that Epic Games guaranteed them. Based on the speculation in the Reddit submission, it looks like Satisfactory and Dauntless were the only two titles to meet Epic's expectations in the first wave of Epic Games Store exclusives. A $130 million loss is certainly nothing to gloss over, but it pales in comparison to the billions in revenue brought in by Fortnite — a game that Superdata says brought in $2.4 billion in its first year alone.
Earlier court documents show that Epic Games believes its storefront will be profitable by 2023. Anyone who has run a business can tell you that you're going to lose money for the first few years; it's an investment that takes time and effort to start making returns. This is especially true when you are dealing with an entrenched, and well-defended competitor like Steam presents Epic in the PC game store front market. Whether or not that rings true for the Epic Games Store, however, remains to be seen.
What do you think of the amount of money invested in the first wave of Epic Games Store exclusives? Do you think the Epic Game Store will be profitable by 2023? Let us know in the comments below!


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Xiaomi along with Mi 5x and MIUI 9 launched a new product called Mi AI speakers, as the name suggests speakers have artificial intelligence and can be controlled through your voice , just like Amazon Echo and Google Home.
But the Mi AI speaker is much cheaper than it’s competition at CNY 299 (around ₹2,800). It will be available only in china as of now with no information on global launch. It is a rectangular shape speaker with 6 microphones that will help in getting your voice from all around.
On the top of the device all the media controls are placed and a blue led notification light all around the edge. Right now the speakers are not as good as the competition in terms of features but just like MIUI the support for apps and tasks through the speakers will improve and remember for that price even the basic functionality would be enough considering how well Xiaomi Mi speakers are in terms of audio.
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The post Xiaomi Mi AI Speaker Launched – Cheaper Alternative To Google Home and Amazon Echo appeared first on Sid Tech.


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Technology.am (Sept. 10, 2009) — Scientists in Germany reported that a combination of LED light exposure and green tea extract reduces skin wrinkles ten times faster when compared to treatment with LED light alone.
The new treatment for facial wrinkles could emerge as an alternative to Botox and cosmetic surgery.
Researchers have used light-therapy for more than 40 years to help heal wounds. But recent study showed that use of high-intensity LEDs, could help reduce skin wrinkles when applied daily for several months.
But exposure to intense LED light is also involved in generating high levels of reactive oxygen species as byproducts that can potentially damage cells. To combat that effect, the researchers combined the LED with a potent antioxidant in green tea extract called epigallocatechin gallate.


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Dunkin' ends discount for morning after Patriots' wins
Patriots football is back, but a longtime companion promotion at Dunkin' Donuts isn't.
During previous seasons, members of the company's DD Perks program were able to purchase a medium hot or iced coffee for $0.87 after a win – in honor of tight end Rob Gronkowski, who wears No. 87.
When several customers asked the company via Twitter if the deal would be renewed this year, they received a note about a different promotion.
The New England Patriots took home a victory Sunday in the season opener against the Houston Texans, but coffee on Monday was still full price.


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London bar raided for serving 'Whale Skin Cocktail'
A London bar was raided after allegedly serving cocktails made with whale skin, which apart from being illegal in Europe is also really gross. The Nightjar Bar in London had a drink fittingly named the Moby Dick, made up of Laphroaig whisky, Drambuie, ale and bitters, and a "whale skin infusion", prompting a raid by police last week. Whale meat and products are banned in the Europe except for in Denmark and Greenland where they are sold under strict restrictions. The director of the bar said that the piece of whale skin was only 2cm by 5cm and was brought back from Japan by an employee last year, where they're mad for all things whale. Apparently they were completely unaware of the illegality of the product, but have said nothing about how they thought it was a good idea in the first place.
Story by David O'Shaughnessy | 10:44 | Monday 10th December 2012 | Trending


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NC State Economist Dr. Mike Walden – Chinese Tourist
Tourism is big business in the world, nation and here in North Carolina. When someone visits our state’s many tourist attractions, they create income, jobs, spending and tax revenue. Today, there’s an increased focused on tourists from China, says N.C. State University economist Mike Walden.
“(T)his is a very interesting topic, because … when people from other countries come to the U.S.. that’s actually considered a U.S. export in terms of the trade relationships, and … the U.S. actually runs a trade surplus in terms of tourism. More foreign people come to our country and spend money than U.S. people come to foreign countries.
“Now, that said, the focus today is really on tourists from China. They’ve been coming to the U.S. in increasing numbers. For example, in 2011 over 1 million Chinese visitors came to the U.S. That was more than double … the number in 2008.
“Experts think that this is going to increase from 1 million to 3 million in five years. The average Chinese tourist spends about $6,000 in the U.S. per trip. And in terms of the trade surplus that now the U.S. runs with China in terms of tourism, in 2011 that trade surplus for the U.S. was $4.5 billion.
“So this is really a growth area. And, obviously, I think North Carolina has a lot to offer for any tourist, particularly one from China. So I look for this to be an area we’re going to see more focus and more businesses moving into in the coming years.”


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Nearly 15 months have passed since a 9.0 earthquake and tsunami resulted in the triple meltdowns at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and with the prospects of a resolution of radiation-spewing disaster yet decades away, Softbank announced today that its soon to released Pantone 5 107SH smartphone will be the first in the world with a built-in geiger counter.
Since the Fukushima disaster, we’ve seen companies release mobile radiation detectors like Scosche’s iPhone-compatible RDTX, an accessory that plugs into an iPhone to give users a reading of nearby radiation levels. The Pantone 5, however, eliminates the need for dongles and attachments. The front of the phone features a button, just beneath the screen, that provides access to a radiation sensor. Once you press the button, the phone launches an app that reads the number of microsieverts, the unit in which radiation is measured, in the surrounding air. [WIRED ~ Gadget Lab]


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Coinbase is the largest and most influential digital securities trading platform in United States, in 2012, Coinbase was founded by Brian Armstrong, he previously worked for Airbnb, and Fred Ersham, a former Goldman Sachs trader, joined as a co-founder.
At present, Coinbase serve more than 100 countries, They trade more than 50 digital coins through Coinbase.
Coinbase also provides credit cards to customers who want to shop with the digital pass, as well as digital wallets that store digital pass.
Coinbase, established in 2012 and raised more than $1.05 billion, It now has about 100 employees, 50 of whom work full-time at the company San Francisco headquarters.
The company hopes to launch a new website to help external developers build Bitcoin-based applications as soon as possible. On the morning of January 26, 2015, the first officially licensed Bitcoin exchange in the United States founded by Bitcoin company Coinbase officially opened.
On January 17, 2017, the head of New York Financial Services (NYDFS) announced that he had passed the license application of Coinbase, a Bitcoin trading platform, which means that Coinbase operations in New York, USA, have finally been officially certified.
On March 6, 2018, Coinbase announced the launch of its first index fund to enter the asset management industry. On April 16, 2018, Coinbase, a digital currency trading platform, announced the acquisition of Earn.
As part of the acquisition, the founder and CEO of Earn will join Coinbase and serve as Chief Technology Officer.
On April 2, 2021, according to the official article released by Coinbase, the USA SEC has announced that Coinbase S-1 registration statement is effective.
Coinbase expects that it’s class A common shares will start trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on April 14, 2021. The stock symbol is “COIN”.
The company said that their exchange will provide Bitcoin trading services for individuals and institutions and monitor the price changes of this virtual currency in real-time.
The exchange will bring some legitimacy to Bitcoin, which is not supported by the central government of the United States and is mainly used for virtual transactions overseas.
Coinbase said that the company has purchased insurance and can provide traders with certain financial protection.
The financing of the project is led by Defengjie Investment, including the New York Stock Exchange, the United Service Automobile Association of America, the Spanish Exchange Bank, NTT Docomo, Valar Capital, Vikram Pandit, Tom Glocer and Carlos Rod.
Financial institutions such as Rodriguez Pastor are also involved. According to the Re/Code report, the value of this transaction is incredible.
Fred Ehrsam, founder of Coinbase, said: “In October, our initial reasonable estimate was to raise $500 million.” Ehrsam also pointed out that the previous rumors about raising the $1 billion target were groundless. “I don’t know where this rumor came from, but people always try to hype everything in the Bitcoin community because those people hold Bitcoin in their hands.”
Coinbase success in financing from financial organizations such as the New York Stock Exchange and Spanish Exchange Bank is indeed good news. The value of Bitcoin has shrunk by 75% in 2014, but Ehrsam believes that the decline in prices has not affected investors interest. These will improve Bitcoin ecosystem: it is an important lesson for Bitcoin miners on cyclical and cost management.
“Price fluctuations are not conducive to some uses of Bitcoin, but at the same time, our users have also increased from 60 million to 210 thousand, so price fluctuations will not lead to a decline in the number of users who have registered our website.” Ehrsam
Now the turn of the basic question:
What is Coinbase?
For those who do not pay attention to one of the biggest trends in investment and technology, cryptocurrencies are digital currencies that use cryptographic technologies that regulate the generation of currencies and verify the transfer of funds, operating independently of central banks. Monetary units are created through a process called mining.
In the case of Bitcoin, the miner runs a computer program to verify the data of the complete transaction history of creating all Bitcoin. A technology called blockchain is used to create irreversible and traceable transactions, making the verification process possible.
Once the miners verify the data (from blocks, therefore blockchain), they will get a certain number of digital currencies, which are the same currency as they verify the transaction history. Therefore, for example, mining Bitcoin can win Bitcoin.
Now the direct answer is :
If you want to trade in digital currency, you will need a platform to trade them and an intermediary to communicate with the network.
Coinbase is a global digital asset trading company (GDAX), which provides a place to buy and sell digital currencies and sends information about these transactions to the blockchain network to verify these transactions.
Coinbase acts as a place where wallets can also store digital currency. The application operates Bitcoin, Ethereum, Bitcoin cash and Litecoin transactions, as well as other digital assets using fiat currency in 32 countries, and Bitcoin transactions in more countries. Under its website, they has served more than million customers and facilitated the exchange of digital currencies worth more than billion.
Essentially, if you are interested in digital currency trading but don’t want to fall into basic technology, then products like Coinbase are a way to start dabbling in new forms of currency speculation and investment. However, you do lose some advantages in trading through cryptocurrencies and blockchain.
On Coinbase, you don’t have a pseudo-anonymity – your name is attached to your Coinbase account, so is true of your bank account, so the transaction history is relatively easy to track. If you don’t use blockchain, you can’t make sure that your transaction record or account is verified on the blockchain. Instead, you put trust in the mediation, in this case, Coinbase.
What is Coinbase buy and sell requirements?
Coinbase requires you to associate your bank account or credit or debit card with your Coinbase account to purchase cryptocurrencies. Use a bank account to allow a higher limit ($100/transaction, $2,500/week), but it takes longer to verify the transaction, so it takes two to four days for you to see the money in Coinbase wallet (depending on your bank). When selling Bitcoin, once the sale is confirmed, it will take two to four days for the proceeds to be displayed in your bank account.
Use a credit or debit card with a lower limit ($200 a week), but you only need to transfer funds from the bank account to the website to buy digital currency. For these transactions, Bitcoin will immediately appear in your Coinbase wallet. You can also sell Bitcoin to your PayPal account and cash it in practice because your Bitcoin will be exchanged for local currency. This transaction is also instantaneous.
Most of us don’t have the technical funds to communicate with blockchain or store our digital currency; this is where Coinbase is used.
Despite the complex technology and necessity related to cryptocurrency investment, speculation and possession, Coinbase has created a device that makes the process simple and familiar, almost like buying and selling stocks.
What will be the impact of Coinbase listing?
1. Some national digital certification companies may accelerate the pace of listing.
Funds are accelerating the influx of digital generalization into the general securities market. According to data released by CoinShares, a digital securities asset management company this month, the inflow of funds to digital securities funds and products reached a record $45 billion in the first quarter, reflecting that more and more institutional investors are participating.
Coinbase listing is a recognition from the mainstream world for the industry, providing an experience for companies in the digital certification industry or blockchain industry, and proving that exchanges can also be listed.
The acceptance of digital certificates in the market will increase, and companies in the digital general certificate industry in other countries may also accelerate the pace of listing.
It is reported that Kraken, a virtual asset trading giant in the United States, is considering a public listing in 2022, and the company’s management expects to go public in a similar way to Coinbase. Kraken is now negotiating with investors to seek a new round of financing, which may be worth as much as $200 billion. In the future, more crypto industry companies in the United States, South Korea, and Japan may choose to go public.
2. More traditional investors and institutions will enter the market
Industry experts analyzed that Coinbase’s listing will mark the first formal link between traditional financial channels and digital generalization channels. Successful landing on the Nasdaq can be used as further recognition of digital general certificates as a traditional asset, which is a big step in the digital generalization industry.
The listing of Coinbase will attract more attention to digital certificates in the traditional financial field, and also help to improve users’ trust in the exchange, provide endorsements for the encryption industry, and play a good role in the overall market.
Its listing will greatly promote the acceptance of digital certificates in the mainstream market, and will attract more traditional investors to pay attention to the field of digital certificates. More people and institutions outside the market will enter the field of digital certificates. The number of users in the entire encryption industry will grow rapidly, and digital certificates will be more easily and more widely accepted by the public.
3. The digital general certification industry has entered a new stage of ‘compliance development’
“Coinbase listing will help digital general licenses out of the loop, facilitate the entry of ordinary investors and institutions outside the market, and promote the digital general license industry to enter the next stage of ‘compliance development’.” Yu Jianing, the rotating chairman of the Blockchain Special Committee of the China Communications Industry Association, said so.
The listing of Coinbase will promote the compliance process of the industry and is of great significance to the whole industry. Compliance is a key factor in determining the development of the digital encryption industry.
Coinbase’s efforts in risk control and compliance provide an important reference value for the entire encryption industry. It will lead the entire digital encryption industry forward to the next compliance development process.
Industry experts analyze that in the next decade, more unicorns from the field of digital certificates are bound to appear in mainstream financial markets. The wave of wealth digitization has begun, and human society is facing the transformation of wealth from traditional form to digital form. The listing of Coinbase is an important milestone in the tide of this era.
Is Coinbase safe?
About safety and insurance, The platform can store 98% of customer funds offline to ensure the security of cryptocurrency assets you buy and store in Coinbase. On their website, Coinbase assures customers that “sensitive data usually reside on our server is completely disconnected from the Internet”.
Then encrypt the data, transfer it to USB drives and paper backups, and distribute them to safe libraries around the world.
In case of violation of Coinbase online storage, the other 2% of customer funds will be kept online. In addition, Coinbase keeps all customer fiat currencies in a managed bank account on behalf of the customer.
Therefore, if you have fiat currency in Coinbase, FDIC insurance can reach up to $250,000 in the US dollar wallet (just like “regular” banks). Even in the case of Coinbase bankruptcy, this can protect customer assets (as long as they have been converted into fiat currency).
However, if you have so much money in Bitcoin, you may want a safer space to store it. In this case, Coinbase provides a Coinbase vault with delayed withdrawals (allowing you to cancel withdrawals within 48 hours) and multiple approver options to improve security by ensuring that all withdrawals are approved by multiple people. They also provide a multisig vault, which is basically a more complex and safer vault that requires multiple keys to unlock.
About Coinbase technical view Questions
What is Coinbase transaction?
The Coinbase transaction was created by miners, mainly to reward miners for their efforts to carry out POW mining.
The reward is divided into two parts. Part of it is a block reward, and this part is relatively fixed. At present, the block reward for each block is 12.5BTC, which is halved every four years. The other part is the handling fee. Each transaction of the current block will contain a certain reward for miners, that is, the transaction handling fee. When creating Coinbase transactions, the mining union accumulates the handling fees in all transactions and then transfers the money to itself.
Coinbase transactions are characterized by no “parent transaction”. Input is required in ordinary transactions, and input comes from the output of the parent transaction, so ordinary transactions have parent transactions. However, Coinbase transactions do not have parent transactions, because coins are generated directly by the system.
What is coinbase? (Technical View)
what does the word coinbase mean in coinbase transactions?
Simply put, coinbase is a system-generated currency.” Coinbase transaction, also known as “Generation transaction”, is also known as “generate transaction”, because, in other ordinary transactions, they transfer existing Bitcoin, and this transaction is specially designed to generate new Bitcoin from scratch. To be precise, coinbase is input in “generate transactions”.
This is the basic meaning of the word coinbase.
What is Industry 4.0?
I believe many readers have heard of Industry 4.0, but in fact, it can’t be equated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Industry 4.0 was proposed by the German government to shorten the distance between industrial technology, sales, and product experience and create a new intelligent industrial world with a sense of perception.
For example, A Shoe Factory receives an order demand of “Shoes in the Amazon Basin”. At this time, A Shoe Factory can directly generate a phase that fully meets customers by analyzing various data, including local climate, demographic composition, public transportation, market research, raw material demand, machine loss, yield, and other data. Turn off the solution.
The above examples come from all aspects of data. Blockchain provides information for multiple partners (sensors). At the same time, the high transparency and security of blockchain allow data to be tracked and cannot be tampered with, and then the final solution is generated through smart contracts.
Everything revolves around data, which is the key to Industry 4.0 and the key to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
How do technology giants use blockchain technology?
IBM, a technology giant, has a set of gold flow services in the supply chain. The original process was mostly manual and interlocking, from order establishment, order amount input, packaging, and delivery.
Until the invoice is sent, as long as any link goes wrong, you must wait.
According to IBM statistics, an average of 2.2 million disputed orders take an average of 44 days to process each, and these kidnapped accounts cost up to $1 billion.
Therefore, IBM has built a supplier platform to use smart contracts to master the golden flow operation of every job.
When a smart contract receives two shipping notices from the manufacturer and the transportation industry at the same time, the terms of the contract will be automatically fulfilled and allocated to both parties according to the order.
IBM only entrusted the verification errands to the blockchain, reducing the dispute resolution time from 44 days to 10 days, and the early release of $1 billion of money.
Reminder from WattPress : Investment is risky, and you must be cautious when entering the market. This content is not used as investment or financial advice.


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FoMoCo has relaunched its Swap Your Ride campaign, which lets real customers talk about their first impressions after spending a week behind the wheel of a new Ford passenger car, SUV or pickup.
This time Ford will focus a lot on its class-leading fuel-economy a consistent theme throughout the ads. The Dearborn automaker offers at least 12 vehicles that lead their segments in fuel economy, including four vehicles with EPA-certified 40 mpg or higher fuel economy ratings.
“We’ve found that challenging people’s perceptions head-on is the best way to change their minds about Ford,” said Matt VanDyke, Ford’s director of U.S. Marketing Communications. “We’re tapping real people, allowing them to experience our vehicles for themselves and then capturing their enthusiasm for the products. We’re telling the Ford story through the eyes of the people who matter most – real consumers.”
According to Nielsen Automotive statistics, Ford’s ‘Swap Your Ride’ ads are 48 percent more memorable than ads for average sales events.
Check out the press talk after the jump.
Ford’s ‘Swap Your Ride’ Ad Campaign Proves a Real Eye-Opener for Consumers
- Ford’s newest “Swap Your Ride” marketing campaign launches today with ads chronicling the experiences of actual consumers who were given the opportunity to swap their competitive-make vehicles for a Ford
- Ford’s class-leading fuel economy is a consistent theme throughout the ads; Ford offers at least 12 vehicles that lead their segments in fuel economy, including four vehicles with EPA-certified 40 mpg or higher fuel economy ratings
- The Ford Swap Your Ride ads are 48 percent more memorable than ads for average sales events, according to Nielsen Automotive statistics
- Last year’s Swap Your Ride campaign is a finalist in the Best Sales Event Campaign category for the 2010 Nielsen Automotive Advertising Effectiveness Awards, to be given out at the New York Auto Show on April 20
DEARBORN, Mich., April 5, 2011 – There’s nothing like swapping your ride to change your opinion. That’s how consumers are responding to Ford’s “Swap Your Ride” ad campaign.
Ford’s Swap Your Ride consumer marketing campaign returns today, and will continue to change consumer perceptions about Ford by giving consumers the chance to exchange their competitive-make vehicle and experience a new Ford for a week.
Swap Your Ride participants are expressing surprise and delight with the class-leading fuel efficiency, quality, smart technology, advanced safety features and head-turning design of Ford products.
This candid feedback from people who were given the opportunity to swap their competitive-make vehicles for a week behind the wheel of a Ford is at the heart of the Swap Your Ride marketing campaign, as are highly memorable ads that have helped boost dealer showroom traffic.
After driving Ford vehicles for a week – Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Mustang, Escape, Edge, Explorer, F-150 and Super Duty – the participants gathered in small groups to discuss their experiences and were surprised to find themselves talking to none other than Mike Rowe, host of the Discovery Channel’s hit show Dirty Jobs.
“Mike immediately engages them in a conversation about the vehicles they drove, and we capture that spontaneous interaction on camera,” said Matt VanDyke, Ford’s director of U.S. Marketing Communications.
In one of the television ads, Rowe talks to a consumer who swapped his Toyota Yaris for a Ford Fiesta.
“How do you compare the Fiesta to the Yaris?” Rowe asks.
“It’s a complete upgrade,” the young man responds. “When it comes to the design of the outside and the design of the inside, hands down I would’ve picked this car. When I told everyone that the Fiesta got 40 mpg, everyone assumed it was a hybrid.”
Ford’s class-leading fuel economy is a consistent theme throughout the ads. Ford offers at least 12 vehicles that lead their sales segments in fuel economy – including four vehicles with EPA-certified 40 mpg or higher fuel economy ratings – a claim no other full-line automaker can beat.
Consumers also were impressed with the innovative technology, advanced safety features and eye-catching design that Ford vehicles offer.
“It’s very cool to see people react the way they do,” said VanDyke. “When they get into a Ford for the first time, they’re really surprised with the fuel efficiency, performance and great technology. That’s been a consistent reaction to our entire lineup.”
The memorable Ford Swap Your Ride ads have been very successful since first debuting in 2007. At that time, Nielsen Automotive cited them as being among the “top most-recalled new television ads.”
And last year’s campaign is among the finalists in the Best Sales Event Campaign category for the 2010 Nielsen Automotive Advertising Effectiveness Awards, which will be given out at the New York Auto Show on April 20.
“Over the past several years, Ford’s Swap Your Ride ad campaigns have effectively impacted television viewers,” said Lois Miller, president, Global Nielsen Automotive. “Viewers have historically recalled the brand and key message at high rates.”
According to Nielsen Automotive statistics, the Ford Swap Your Ride ads are 48 percent more memorable than ads for average sales events.
VanDyke says the ad campaign’s success is due to its authenticity, and the presence of Mike Rowe further enhances the effectiveness of the ads.
“Mike has such an approachable personality and he engages with people very easily, which allows a real conversation to take place,” he said.
Rowe is a brand icon that viewers perceive as believable. In fact, Forbes magazine recently named him as one of “Hollywood’s 10 Most Trustworthy Celebrities.”
“Nielsen advertising effectiveness metrics show that people remember the ads more with Mike Rowe as a consistent branding element,” said Miller. “They remember that they’re Ford ads, and they remember what the message is about.”
VanDyke says past campaigns have helped make a positive impact on vehicle sales.
“We saw a huge lift in our share and sales performance,” he said. “A lot of people came in to our dealerships wanting to ‘swap’ their rides.”
Ford Swap Your Ride ads: Multicultural and multimedia
In addition to general market advertising, Ford will air the Swap Your Ride ads for multicultural consumers through Spanish-language television spots and through commercials designed to connect with the African American community.
The Hispanic ads feature Cristian de la Fuente, a popular Chilean-born international actor, model and author. Ford’s 2010 Spanish version of Swap Your Ride featuring de la Fuente broke through at high rates to the Hispanic television viewer and is a finalist in the Spanish TV Advertiser of the Year category for the 2011 Nielsen Automotive Television Advertising Effectiveness Awards.
The spokesperson for the African American ads is Boris Kodjoe, an Austrian-born actor and former fashion model perhaps best known for his role as Damon Carter on the Showtime television drama Soul Food.
Thirty-second Swap Your Ride television ads featuring Mike Rowe will begin airing today during popular programming, including Grey’s Anatomy, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Criminal Minds, CSI, Bones, The David Letterman Show and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. They also will run during the NBA and NHL Playoffs.
Print ads highlighting the fuel efficiency of Ford products will appear nationally in USA Today and Parademagazine. Radio spots will air regionally and locally. And extended-length digital advertising for Swap Your Ride will appear on a variety of hub sites, including AOL, Google and Yahoo as well as automotive-specific sites such as www.cars.com, www.Edmunds.com and www.kbb.com.
According to VanDyke, Ford’s various dealer advertising groups will have a wide array of ads available to run depending on the cultural makeup of their individual markets.
“We are giving our dealer groups a full arsenal of materials to engage with their unique target markets,” he said.