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Fresh prepared food supplier Bakkavor Group has proposed the closure of two UK sites, as it reports the economic backdrop and consumer sentiment in the UK “remains very challenging”.
Currently, the company has 15,800 colleagues working across 29 UK sites and says its resilience is “underpinned by our scale and agility in response to changing market conditions” to ensure continued service to customers and secure a sustainable, long-term future.
Reported in the company’s Half Year Results in September 2022, the level of inflation and consumer headwinds are expected to persist into next year and remain significant challenges for the company.
Recent investments across the company’s UK operations provide them with a strong platform, it says, to leverage scale and flexibility. However, in light of recent challenges, it has undertaken a detailed review of its UK footprint and made the decision to close two UK sites: Bakkavor Salads in Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire, and Bakkavor Desserts in Leicester. Other UK sites are expected to have the capacity and capabilities to continue fully servicing customers going forward.
Across the two sites over 900 employees work there, who are expected to be impacted by the closure. Following on from the announcement, Bakkavor is commencing a 45-day consultant period with the affected colleagues and representatives at both sites.
It will do what it can to support the colleagues and minimise job losses, it says, either by offering the colleagues comparable roles at a different site or where this is not possible, working on initiatives to help colleagues secure alternative employment opportunities in the local area.
“As with businesses all over the UK, we are having to take decisive action to adapt to the challenging macro-economic backdrop,” explained Mike Edwards, CEO at Bakkavor. “The decision to close any site is never taken lightly, and we do not underestimate the impact of this announcement on our colleagues and the local communities within which we operate. We remain committed to both protecting our business and doing everything we can to support our people through this difficult time.”
This announcement comes after a recent study conducted by Bakkavor which revealed that for UK consumers, the cost-of-living crisis has impacted on behaviour as 47% of people are reducing typical spend on takeaways and 47% are compromising on essentials. In light of the study, Mary Kirk, Head of Insight at Bakkavor said the cost-of-living crisis is “a real concern” and food shopping is “one of the big monthly costs for many households”.
Read more latest industry news and developments in our free to download magazine.


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Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, along with the fact that an employee tested positive for COVID-19 last March, Kojima Productions’ office is currently closed, meaning that its employees are working-from-home. To give them more time to work on the game’s upcoming PC release, Kojima Productions has announced that Death Stranding’s release on Steam and the Epic Games Store has been delayed to July 14, 2020.
Following the temporary closure of KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS, we have had to delay the PC launch of DEATH STRANDING to July 14, 2020, to allow more development time amidst the current work-from-home orders in place. Thank you all for your patience and continued support!#keeponkeepingon pic.twitter.com/euOmebcdQj
— KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS (Eng) (@KojiPro2015_EN) April 21, 2020
Death Stranding was originally slated to release for PC on June 2, 2020. Though given the state the world is in right now, delaying the game’s release is definitely understandable.
The game’s PC release will be handled by 505 Games. Death Stranding’s PC version will also come with various improvements such as a higher framerate (for more powerful PCs), ultrawide monitor support, and a photo mode (a feature that already made its way into the PS4 version). The PC release of Death Stranding will also come with a Half-Life collab, including “Valve” goggles, Half-Life: Alyx-inspired gloves, and a headcrab hat. There’s no word yet on how players will be able to get their hands on these collab goodies though.
Death Stranding was originally released for the PS4 on November 8, 2019. In case you haven’t played the game and are interested in getting it when it releases on PC this July, check out our full review of Death Stranding here:

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Samsung’s Galaxy Fold won’t be the only tablet-style foldable in Australia this year, as Huawei looks set to bring the Mate X in a new version.
Even though 2019 was supposed to be the year of the foldable, things didn’t quite turn out the way everyone expected. Samsung had one and Huawei did too, but out of these, only one brand managed to bring their foldable to market in Australia, and that was Samsung.
Despite a few initial hiccups and a move to resolve some engineering issues, the Samsung Galaxy Fold turned out better than anyone could have imagined, though we’ve still been interested in Huawei’s take ever since news broke on the idea.
A little different, the Huawei Mate X sounded like a foldable that would also include a proper sized phone on one side.
Yet it wasn’t to be.
Somewhere between the US government trade stoush with China and the resulting issues between Google and Huawei, we never saw the Mate X locally. In fact, the only device that launched amidst the trade issues was the Mate 30 Pro, a fantastic bit of hardware marred by software that lacked a Google experience locals would be looking for.
But that may not stop Huawei this year. In fact 2020 looks to be the year it gives foldables a good and proper swing, as it revives the Mate X model and upgrades it into a Mate Xs, offering an improved design with more interlocking parts and what Huawei claims is a more durable hinge.
That’ll see a 6.6 inch main screen and a 6.38 inch secondary screen unfold to become an 8 inch tablet of sorts, making for a device that is both, complete with a 5G antenna system, giving a degree of future proofing.
Huawei is also equipping it with its eight-core Kirin 990 processor, as well as a 16 core graphics system, too, plus a camera system similar to what’s in the P30 Pro, including a 40 megapixel main camera, 16 megapixel ultra wide, 8 megapixel telephoto, and 3D depth sensing camera. There’s also no independent selfie camera here, with Huawei using the rear camera and that secondary screen to make it a front-facing camera in the same body.
The catch, however, is going to be the software, because like the Mate 30 Pro, there’s no support from Google for apps and services. That means no Google Play Store, no Gmail, no YouTube, no Google Maps, and none of your purchases made on Google’s environment.
It’s the same sort of problem the Mate 30 Pro had, and will continue to have until the US government decides to let Google return to work with Huawei. When that will be is anyone’s guess, if it even happens at all.
However if you can live without Google and are happy to just install apps from Huawei’s smaller App Gallery, as well as the Amazon App Store, you may be a happy chappie, because the foldable 5G Mate Xs will be launching in Australia.
That’s something Huawei Australia has confirmed this week, suggesting pre-orders in March with availability in April.
While we expect the form-factor of the 5G Huawei Mate Xs will excite people, it will be interesting to see if the lack of apps holds customers there. Google has recently pointed out why you shouldn’t try to sideload its apps and services on devices, and while you obviously still can, this may affect attention on the device until Google and Huawei are told they can play nice once more.


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Apple settles with FTC over in-app purchases
Apple has reached a $32.5 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over unauthorized purchases made within smartphone and tablet apps.
The settlement requires Apple — maker of the iPad and iPhone — to offer full refunds "for any charges by a minor that are unauthorized," FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez said at a press conference Wednesday.
The deal also mandates Apple update its billing practices to ensure it has express consent from users before charging them for content within apps.
"This settlement is a victory for consumers harmed by Apple's unfair billing, and a signal to the business community: Whether you're doing business in the mobile arena or the mall down the street, fundamental consumer protections apply," Ramirez said.
The deal stems from purchases made within apps by kids using a smartphone or tablet. In most cases, the purchases are racked up without their parents' consent.
Many mobile games and apps offer items such as in-game currency that users can buy from within the app instead of Apple's App Store. The price of these in-app purchases range from 99 cents to $100.
Ramirez cites the example of one consumer whose daughter spent $2,600 on in-app purchases from the game Tap Pet Hotel.
The FTC complaint also claims Apple does not inform consumers of a 15-minute window opened after a user enters that password that allows for unlimited purchases on the App Store or within apps.
In an employee memo obtained by several tech sites, including Re/code, Apple CEO Tim Cook said e-mail was sent last year to 28 million App Store customers, and refunds were sent to settle 37,000 claims.
"It doesn't feel right for the FTC to sue over a case that had already been settled," Cook wrote in the memo. "To us, it smacked of double jeopardy. However, the consent decree the FTC proposed does not require us to do anything we weren't already going to do, so we decided to accept it rather than take on a long and distracting legal fight."
Apple shares closed up $10.98, or 2%, to $557.37.
Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @bam923.


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Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), an American auto icon, overall profits fell 57% in the second quarter earnings because the challenges overseas are mounting.
The second quarter results of Ford Motor Company (F) brought some good news and bad news for the company. The good is that just like last quarter, the Ford Motor Company’s sales and profits in its most important market, the U.S.A. continued to be strong enough for the company to weather just about any challenge.
The bad news is that Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)’s overall profits were down 57% in the 2 quarter. When Ford was facing collapse six years ago, the CEO Alan Mulally laid out the “One Ford” plan that would end up saving the company.
Mulally’s vision for a better future was deceptively simple: Ford Motor Company (F) would invest aggressively in great new products, work hard to keep its costs as low as possible and also sell a smaller, and more polished lineup of cars and trucks in markets all around the world.
That strategy of Mulally has worked out great, especially in the U.S. Vehicles like the ford model of compact Focus, the Explorer, and Ford’s much-lauded line of pickups have proven hugely successful here. So much that Ford added shifts in the factories that make each of those vehicles during the second quarter. The Ford’s models of Explorer and Focus assembly lines are now running around the clock.
Ford is also a top seller in Russia, where a Ford factory in St. Petersburg makes the Focus for the local market, and it’s a hit in Europe, where the Ford fights with rival Volkswagen (VLKAY) for the top of the compact-car sales charts but still not as successful as it should be.
All of the automakers worldwide have suffered, and Ford is no exception. Ford Motor Company also lost $404 million in Europe during the 2nd quarter, that is a big dive from a profit of $176 million a year ago. A deep global recession also affected the automaker and other problems drove auto sales down about 10% in the first half of 2012, to their lowest levels in a decade.
In order to break even, an auto factory has to be run at at least 80% of its maximum capacity and currently Ford’s are running at only about 63%, according to estimates put together by analysts at Morgan Stanley.
Mulally said to reporters on Wednesday morning that the most important aspect of the “One Ford” plan is Ford’s determination to match production to demand as Company won’t hesitate to close factories if it won’t make Europe profitable again. The Ford’s factories already in the U.K. and Belgium are at risk under the global recession and low demand.


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There’s a change at the top at Ford Motor Company, as the company has named Jim Hackett president and CEO. He succeeds Mark Fields, who had reportedly been facing pressure over the company’s stock price. Hackett is no stranger to Ford, having led Ford Smart Mobility LLC Since March 2016, as well as serving on Ford’s board from 2013 to 2016.
Federal regulators are taking a closer look at Hyundai and Kia. Reuters is reporting the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will look into the timing of recalls of their vehicles with "Theta II" engines. The recalls were prompted by concerns the engines could stall. A Hyundai spokesman told Reuters the company "has conducted recalls in compliance with U.S. regulations and procedure" and will "sincerely" cooperate with the investigation.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has announced filing an application for diesel vehicle emissions certification with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board for 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500 diesels. The company says they have “updated emissions software calibrations” to alleviate ongoing diesel concerns here in the U.S, and don’t anticipate any impact on performance or fuel efficiency. If approved, owners of 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Ram 1500 diesels will be able to get the software upgrades as well.


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June 16, 2015 (Vancouver, BC) – We are proud to announce that our first USA Franchise Partner has now launched in Santa Monica, California. Santa Monica is well know for it’s incredible cycling culture and we are excited to bring our premium and convenient mobile service to the cyclists in the area.
Velofix has now sold 21 franchises in North America and has 13 vans on the road across Canada and now one in the USA. Additional Canadian and USA launches will be announced soon.
Velofix Group of Companies is a Mobile Bike Shop that allows cyclists to “Save Time. Ride More”. Simply Book On-Line and the Mobile Bike Shop will come to you and fix your Bike(s). Velofix Group of Companies is the largest fleet of Mobile Bike Shops in North America. Investors in the company include Jim Treliving and George Melville (T&M Group of Companies) and Charles Chang (Founder & President of Vega). Franchises Available in Canada & USA visit here. For more information please contact: Chris Guillemet – email@example.com


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releasing some interesting statistics, TweetDeck for Android is now available. The release version is highly refined and is arguably one of the best looking, and performing Twitter clients on the Android platform.
We already know that the Galaxy Tab will launch in the UK November 1st, but we are still left unaware of an expected launch date of the much hyped tablet on any of the 4 US carriers it’s going to launch on. Details to come, and we will for sure let you know of any confirmed launch dates as we get closer to the end of the month. Android Community Hands on: [Via SlashGear]


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Muthoot Fincorp launches silver coins in association with Kabali
Muthoot Fincorp is also launching a multimedia campaign celebrating Kabali and will soon be unveiling its own TV commercial, as the fervour is catching up fast ahead of the film release.
BLOG: Coining #Rexit and then regretting it
I am sure there will be people who may want to kill me right now for coining this term, I will no...
Demand for silver coin with actor Rajinikanth's image fast picking up
Muthoot Fincorp Ltd, flagship company of the 129-year-old diversified M...
Numismatists coin a new phase in valuable collections
Prices of rare and antique coins and notes have surged manifold over the past few years and have made them a worthwhile investment
Government admits shortage of coins, to expand capacity
Jayant Sinha said that counterfake currencies are a "threat" to the nation and hence the govt "has been taking and will take" all steps to augment the security of the place where currency is printed.
MMTC Pamp launches new gold coin 'Tola'
The 'Tola' is an octagonal shaped coin with distinctive knurled edges and an intricate finish with 999.9 pure gold.
Rare and antique coins become new investment as their prices surge
Prices of rare and antique currencies, both coins and notes, have surged manifold over the past few years.
Govt releases commemorative coin on Tatya Tope
During the Sepoy Mutiny, Sharma said, Tope fought and gave his important contribution for the independence of the country.
Where V K Singh errs: Akbar and Aurangzeb are not two sides of the same coin, they are opposites
There is no greater testimony to the cruelty and bigotry of Aurangzeb than the executions of the ninth Sikh Guru, Tegh Bahadur, and the Muslim Sufi mystic Sarmad Kashani.
Soon, gold coins will be available at India Post
MMTC, the government agency handling marketing of the first such national coins, is likely to enter into an agreement with India Post shortly for the purpose, officials said.
Mamata Banerjee, Narendra Modi "two sides of the same coin": Sonia Gandhi
Gandhi alleged that the women in Bengal faced the maximum atrocities despite the state having a woman CM, while farmers are deprived of just prices.
Indian gold bar and coin demand drops by 31.5% in Q1 of 2016:World Gold Council
Investment gold bars and coins in January was broadly flat, tapering off in February before coming to a standstill in March.
Consumers can buy the Indian Gold Coin from 42 hub branches of Indian Overseas Bank
Indian consumers can buy India’s first sovereign gold product, the Indian Gold Coin from 42 hub branches of Indian Overseas Bank (IOB).
SP, BJP two sides of same coin: Asaduddin Owaisi
AIMIM party chief Asaduddin Owaisi today attacked BJP and Samajwadi Party, terming them as "two sides of the same coin".
The Silver Ivory Coast Elephant, largest silver coin in the world, now available in India
The coin measures 650 mm (two feet) in diameter roughly the size of a manhole cover and is made of .999 fine silver.
Gudi Padwa: IOB announces sale of Indian Gold Coin in Mumbai on April 8
The IOB on Thursday announced the sale of the Indian Gold Coin across all its branches in Mumbai on April 8 on the occasion of Gudi Padwa.
RBI allows banks to sell India Gold Coins
Reserve Bank permitted banks to sell India Gold Coins (IGC) with Ashok Chakra minted by MMTC through their branches.
Jewellery, no bar and coins, this Dhanteras
Jewellery demand is up 10 12% from last year largely due to the postponement of purchases by Indian consumers over the past three months.
Kochi becomes first region in South India to sell Indian gold coins
Taking into account the high gold consumption in the state, MMTC has launched Indian gold coin in Kochi.
TBZ ties up with Amazon to sell diamond jewellery and gold coins
Jewellery firm Tribhovandas Bhimji Zaveri (TBZ) has collaborated with top e-tailer Amazon to sell its exquisite diamond jewellery range and gold coins.
Shakespeare, Battle of Hastings on 2016 British coins
Three different £2 coins will mark 400 years of Shakespeare's literary legacy since the death of the English language's foremost playwright in 1616.
Commemorative coin released on Lala Lajpat Rai's birth anniversary
Culture minister Mahesh Sharma released a Commemorative Coin of Rs 150 and a Circulation Coin of Rs 10 on Late Lala Lajpat Rai.
RBI to issue Rs 10 coins on Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary
Reserve Bank today said it will soon issue Rs 10 coins to commemorate the occasion of 125th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar.
PM releases commemorative coins on Ambedkar Jayanti
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot were present on the occasion.
Sovereign gold coins on sale this Dhanteras
This Dhanteras you will be able to buy sovereign gold coins — which will be marginally cheaper than those sold by private players.
No takers for gold coins, bars as market sees 2-4% duty cut
Traders are dumping gold in market as they are expecting 2-4% import duty cut in budget that will lead to market price quoting at a discount.
County cricket to do away with coin toss, will ICC follow?
After 272 years, county cricket will do away with the coin toss next season. Maybe international cricket will follow soon enough.
Re 1 coins circulation up, 50 paise losing demand: RTI
The circulation of coins of various denominations like Re 1, Rs 2, Rs 5 and Rs 10 has gone up in the country in last few years, while the 50 paise coin is losing visibility.
English cricket to ditch pre-match coin toss tradition
A coin will only be spun, as has been cricket's tradition for over a hundred years, if the visiting captain rejects the chance to bowl first.
Controversy over depiction of Lord Jagannath delays issue of commemorative coins on occasion of Nabakalebara
“The design hardly looks like Lord Jagannath,” Shaktikanta Das, secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, communicated to the culture ministry.
Gold, silver coins sparkle on Dhanteras, jewellery loses sheen
Gold prices in the national capital have risen by Rs 120 per 10 grams today from the previous close, but the rates are lower by over six per cent.
Rare coin fetches record $170,000 at Denmark auction
An unnamed Norwegian was the highest bidder and the new owner of the coin, which is the only one of its kind and is in remarkable condition despite being over 350 years old.
Gold coins may bring investors back to the gold market
These prices are excluding VAT and other taxes. Initially, the coins will be available at 18 outlets of MMTC and then all banks will market Indian coins.
PM Narendra Modi unveils commemorative postal stamps, coins at Africa summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released commemorative postal stamps and coins at the third India-Africa Forum Summit.
Gold demand rises in Q3 on surge in coin, bar buying: GFMS
Surging demand for coins and bars and a rise in buying by central banks pushed physical gold demand up 7 percent in the third quarter.
Ashok Chakra gold coins could revive investment, reduce dependence on imports
The coins are being manufactured by the Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India and will be sold through banks, post offices and state-run MMTC.
ISIS claims start of new currency by minting of coins
The Islamic State militant group has claimed to have started its own currency by minting coins and described the move as a "second blow" to the US after 9/11.
Meet Alok Goyal, the man behind custom-made coins and stamps
In 2013, Goyal set up AG Impex, a company involved in the design, manufacture and sale of custom-made coins and stamps, collaborating with mints.
Hinduja Foundation unveils the priceless Lance Dane Coin Collection
These coins were sourced by Lance Dane, an officer of the Royal British Army, and the private viewing this week is being called the "Lance Dane Bequest".
Coins collection of Vimanika Comics's Karan Vir Arora consists of 300 coins
An avid numismatist, Karan Vir Arora's collection already has a few rare coins, but his wish list goes on to include Mauryan and Harappan coins.
BCCI launches toss coin to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi's birth
The toss coin in gold features an impression of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela as 'Heads' and the Freedom Series as 'Tails'.
MMTC eyes tie-ups with SBI, ICICI, India Post for gold coins
MMTC is looking to strengthen marketing network for selling Indian Gold coins - a part of gold monetisation programme - by entering into tie-ups with SBI, ICICI Bank and India Post, the co said.
Government releases stamp on Dr Ambedkar; to release coin in his honour
Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad released the stamp. The government is celebrating 125th birth anniversary of Dr Ambedkar this year.
India, US create joint challenge coin to mark partnership
The other side of this coin, which is golden in colour, has the maps of India and the United States and an aircraft carrier floating on blue water.
US, European gold coin sales surge in third quarter
Gold coin sales in the United States and Europe have surged in the third quarter as low prices and a series of market shocks fuel retail buying.
Rare coin may fetch $5 mn at New York auction
The 1794 Silver Dollar was a forgotten keepsake of an English lord that languished for 170 years in a cabinet.
PM Narendra Modi to launch 'India gold coin', other schemes on November 5
In order to cash in on festival euphoria, PM Modi will launch the first ever 'India gold coin' bearing Ashok Chakra and other three gold related schemes.
Ahmedabad’s bitcoin startup GreenCoinX gets legal nod to start operations in the Isle of Man
Ahmedabad-based bitcoin startup GreenCoinX, developer of the world’s first identifiable crypto currency, has won legal recognition to start operations in the Isle of Man.


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Tag Archives: Nordenia
The foamed Nor®Cell film has been nominated for a prize in the German Packaging Institute’s annual awards which will be held at FachPack later this month.
Nor®Cell technology uses a physical, controlled foaming process which means that the weight of flexible packaging is significantly reduced without decreasing the film thickness. These “light-weight films” weigh up to [...]
An interesting form of packaging claims to increase the shelf life of food through high pressure.
Tray-in-tray packaging, was developed especially for use in the high pressure processing of food, with which noticeably longer shelf lives can be achieved in a way that preserves vitamins. As part of this, the food – and the packaging along [...]
On 10 July 2012, generic Oaktree Capital Management, buy the majority shareholder of Nordenia for the past six years, agreed to sell the company to Mondi Group, subject to the approval of competition authorities and customary closing conditions. This was announced by Mondi Group on 11 July 2012. The completion of the acquisition is expected in the fourth quarter [...]
By opening the new Hubble Creek plant, NORDENIA USA has nearly doubled its floor space. The specialist for high-quality films and packaging designed the new 17,000-square-meter building, which was officially inaugurated on Wednesday, June 27, to function as a Center of Competence for pre-made packaging. At the beginning of the year, the plant installed a [...]
€ Exchange Rates


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Redken Laboratories said its net income was off 94% for the second quarter, largely as a result of poor domestic sales, the cost of a new factory in Kentucky and $600,000 in severance expenses.
The Canoga Park hair-care and cosmetics maker reported net income of $118,000, or 5 cents a share, for the quarter ended Jan. 31, down from $2.0 million, or 74 cents, for the same period a year ago. The company said revenue was down 7% to $25.2 million because of increased competition and lower new-product sales.
Chairman John E. Meehan said the results prompted the company's recent organizational changes and staff reductions that led to 50 firings at the company's Canoga Park headquarters and laboratories and 20 dismissals at other company locations in the United States.
Company officials said they remain committed to pursuing growth in the industry through acquisitions. Toward that end, Redken has established a $20 million line of credit from Security Pacific Bank.


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Memphis tire company moving east of Collierville
Tire & Battery Corp. plans to move its distribution center and 102 jobs from Memphis to a far corner of the metro area, a county official said.
TBC will relocate to a 1.5 million-square-foot building going up east of Collierville in the Gateway Global Logistics Center, Fayette County Mayor Rhea "Skip'' Taylor said Friday.
Phone messages left with the TBC headquarters and industrial park developer William Adair were not returned by late Friday afternoon.
Taylor said TBC is investing $65 million in building construction and bringing 102 jobs to the 1,600-acre industrial park near Rossville. Gateway Global, located near Tennessee 385's junction with the new Interstate 269, straddles the line dividing Fayette County in Tennessee and Marshall County in Mississippi.
TBC now has a warehouse at 4770 Hickory Hill in Southeast Memphis. The 509,943-square-foot building is near the southeast corner of Hickory Hill and E. Shelby. The Shelby County Assessors website states the 41-year-old building sits on 20 acres and is appraised at $8.8 million.
Taylor said it's his understanding that TBC is moving because it does not have enough space at one site, its warehouse operation is spread across a couple of buildings, and the company has a lease coming due.
"And just a general tax situation,'' Taylor said. "Ours is quite a bit better than Shelby County.''
The competition to land the new TBC facility was not between Fayette County and Memphis, but between Fayette County and North Mississippi, Taylor said.
The incentives to help lure TBC were strictly local; the State of Tennessee did not chip in, he said. The county is awarding a 10-year waiver of property taxes on the new development, with the last two years being prorated "until they get fully back on the tax rate,'' he said.
Taylor said he could not estimate how much money the tax incentives will save TBC.
In turn, TBC has agreed to, as much as it can, purchase the goods it needs for its new operation in Fayette County "so Fayette County sales taxes will stay here,'' Taylor said.
He said TBC's operating budget will be $500,000 to $700,000, and the company will buy in Fayette County "everything from catering to maintenance (services) of the facility, landscaping. "
"(TBC) would like to be in it sometime this fall," Taylor said. "There's a lot of work to do in a short period of time.''
Adair is developing the industrial park in partnership with California-based Panattoni Development.
In May 2014, Volvo Group announced it would move with 250 employees into a 1 million-square-foot warehouse in the same industrial park, which offers a Norfolk Southern intermodal yard.
Gateway Global has 1,202 acres in Marshall County and 475 acres in Fayette County.
The park also offers quick access to expressways or interstate-quality roads including I-269, U.S. 72, I-40, I-55 and Mississippi 302.
TBC markets tires for the replacement market. Its retail operations include TBC-operated service centers such as Tire Kingdom, Merchant's Tire & Auto Centers, and National Tire & Battery, according to its website.
TBC also has franchised stores named Big O Tires. TBC also sells wholesale to regional tire chains and distributors serving independent dealers.


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The Dizo group is set to announce a manufacturing deal with Optiemus Electronics as part of its Make in India campaign
As part of Realme TechLife ecosystem, Dizo is talking with Delhi-based Optiemus Electronics Limited (OEL) about manufacturing its products in India. According to sources, both companies are nearing a manufacturing agreement and may announce their partnership soon. Wholly owned by Optiemus Infracom, Optiemus Electronics is the company’s electronics division.In 1995, Optemus started out as a Nokia handset retailer and distributor.In addition to design-focused solutions for consumers in the areas of wearables, IOT, tablets, laptops, and medical devices, OEL also provides repair services for mobile phones, set-top boxes, and cables.In May 2021, Dizo launched its affordable TWS earbuds on the Indian market.Products offered by the company include smart entertainment, smart homes, smart health care, and accessories.
It is unclear whether Dizo‘s product range will be covered by the tie-up or if certain categories will only have been quite some time since Dizo looked to start manufacturing in India. First-ever feature phones by Dizo were made in India, the Dizo Star series.
According to Counterpoint Research’s Q2, 2022 smartwatch shipment report, Dizo ranks fourth among the top 5 smartwatch brands.In addition to neckbands and TWS, Dizo ranks among the fastest-growing brands in India.
In addition to smartwatches, earbuds, and neckbands, Dizo has launched over 30 products.A Bluetooth-enabled smartwatch, the Dizo Watch R Talk, was announced recently by the company.


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The Vietnamese government has taken steps to beat the greatest threat facing their country today: hamsters.
Santa Hamster will get you a hefty fine in Vietnam. Image by Mader Andrea
Yes, hamsters. Authorities, who believe the animals are linked to disease, are so concerned about hamster ownership that they’ve imposed a fine of 30 million dong ($1,900) for anyone caught in possession of the furry rodents. That’s nearly twice the average yearly salary in the country.
According to the BBC:
“…A combination of factors including growing incomes and the Chinese Year of the Rat have made the beady-eyed rodents highly desirable.
They have been trading for $10 to $20 each and are reported to be a hit with the young population of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, spawning a whole sub-culture of hamster forums and hamster clubs.”
Authorities believe most of the hamsters are being illegally imported from China and Thailand. Presumably there are vicious gangs of hamster smugglers fighting to control the lucrative trade to the underground hamster clubs of Hanoi.
Hamsters are just one of the many odd items being smuggled into Vietnam and other countries in the region. A BBC report said:
“A recent survey alarmingly showed that most anti-malaria drugs – in Vietnam and other countries of the region – were fakes traced back to China.
And reports abound of other counterfeit or dangerous items sold for human consumption – including rather startling internet rumours of a trade in fake chicken’s eggs.”
Fake anti-malaria drugs are a serious and potentially deadly issue. Fake chicken eggs, however, are just weird. I notice they call it an internet rumour, which makes me think it’s not true. For one thing, I have no idea how you could make fake chicken eggs. You could replace them with eggs of some other bird, but with eggs currently selling at a couple dollars per dozen, I don’t see why you would go to the trouble.
Info from BBC


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Maxis continues to drive digitalisation for more communities to Always be Ahead through Digital Entrepreneurship and Motivational programmes
- Digital Entrepreneurship and #MaxisMotivates initiatives to empower youth and local entrepreneurs with digital skills
- Initiatives have been impacting communities throughout the country for several years now, with plans to roll out to more locations over the year
- Maxis committed to bringing the best of technology to people, businesses and the community to always be ahead in a changing world
Committed to empowering local communities with digital capabilities to Always be Ahead in a changing world, Maxis is collaborating with IMFutures to bring its Digital Entrepreneurship Programme and #MaxisMotivates initiative to benefit local entrepreneurs and youth. Starting with the community at Indera Mahkota, Kuantan, these community programmes will be facilitated over the next four months, with plans to roll out these initiatives to more locations in the future.
IMFutures was established in 2019 with an aim to provide opportunities for students and youth to learn various basic tech, IoT and entrepreneurial skills to develop a generation of technopreneurs.
On 15-16 August, Maxis participated in Karnival Digital Indera Mahkota, which was officiated by YB Dato’ Saifuddin bin Abdullah, Minister of Communications and Multimedia Malaysia. At the carnival, Maxis showcased its entrepreneurship programme and flagship community programme, eKelas, as well as digital solutions for SMEs under the Government’s SME Digitalisation Grant.
“Technology adoption and capabilities at every level of society is key to advancing the nation’s aspirations of a robust digital economy. It is becoming increasingly important to entrench a digital mindset into the communities and I commend Maxis for accelerating this through constructive programmes for both the youth and micro-economic sectors,” said YB Dato’ Saifuddin bin Abdullah.
“At Maxis, we are committed to bringing the best of technology to enable even more individuals, businesses and the nation be ahead in a changing world. We have been positively impacting cottage industry entrepreneurs and students in various locations throughout the country for several years now with our workshops and motivational sessions. We are now looking forward to rolling out these initiatives to even more communities to help them realise their full potential,” said Gokhan Ogut, Chief Executive Officer, Maxis.
Maxis’ entrepreneurship programmes are designed to equip small local enterprises with the right digital tools to optimise their business using social media, content creation and photography, coached by Maxis volunteers, M Squad. Previously, Maxis empowered local entrepreneurs at FELCRA Sungai Ara in Kota Tinggi, Johor and Kg. Chengal in Ketereh, Kelantan with digital marketing skills to expand their business. They were taught how to set up a business Facebook page, take Insta-worthy photos, write attention-grabbing captions and leverage on digital mapping tools. Meanwhile, #MaxisMotivates is a series of special motivational sessions that aim to inspire eKelas students and youth to be the best they can be through a series of talks delivered by M Squad and other industry professionals.


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New Jersey, Maryland, Connecticut, and New York. San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Oakland, California. And now the City of Santa Barbara. These cities and states share a desire to ban single-use plastic bags. Famous for its beauty, the stunning seaside city is considering a ban on plastic bags for what is now a well-known list of reasons, specifically, to prevent the bags from ending up in the gutters, and ultimately on the beaches and in coastal waters.
Readers of this blog know how we feel about the use of these single-use plastics (1, 2, 3). Debate over the issue is growing and gaining national attention, with discussion in such venues as National Geographic. We encourage the public to get informed on the issue and get involved at the local level to make your voice heard.
For residents of Santa Barbara and surrounding communities, a stake-holders meeting is being held on Monday, February 9th, from 3 to 5 pm, at the Environmental Services Building (1221 Anacapa St) in Santa Barbara. The meeting room is on the 2nd Floor. The public is encouraged to attend to voice their concern about plastic shopping bag trash. Contact firstname.lastname@example.org for more information.
Stakeholders expected to attend include representatives from the grocery stores who are very resistant to this idea. If you don't like to see plastic bags in the gutters, blowing across beaches or in the water, come to this meeting and make sure the city hears from those in support of a ban on single-use plastic bags.


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YOU too can own a piece of history.
Saints legend Tom Van Vollenhoven has signed just 100 shirts that will be specially framed and embroidered to celebrate the historic Grand Opening Match this Friday.
The Club’s record try scorer will lead out the team as they take on Salford City Reds at Langtree Park.
Each will be individually numbered and are priced at just £199.
To pre-order yours now, log on to www.saintssuperstore.com, call 01744 455 050 (opt 2) or pop into the Club Shop at Langtree Park.


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Maggie Rizer Page 1
Model Maggie Rizer got an awful surprise after getting off a United Airlines flight from New York to San Francisco two weeks ago: Her beloved 2-year-old golden retriever, Bea, who was traveling with her, had not survived the journey.
Between the Tribeca Film Festival, The Avengers‘ London premiere, the opening of the Mercedes-Benz Transmission LA: AV Club exhibit at MOCA, and no shortage of screenings, celebrities everywhere were out in full force and across the globe.
Maggie Rizer, the strawberry blonde supermodel who rose to fame in the late ’90s and whose stepfather gambled away all of her $7 million earnings, has tied the knot — and to her very own Prince Charming, indeed.
If, sometime around Monday afternoon, you just so happened to have dropped by fourteen-year-old style blogger Tavi Gevinson’s blog, The Style Rookie, you probably ran smack dab into the following automated and somewhat terrifying message: This blog is under review due to possible Blogger Terms of Service violations and is open to authors only. Almost instantaneously, a twitter campaign launched, urging people to help Free Tavi. The site is back up now, but what was Tavi’s crime?
The always chic auction house Christie’s has teamed up with NBC Universal and some of the most important people in the fashion industry to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day for “A Bid To Save The Earth,” a green auction scheduled for April 22nd.


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Last week was a busy week for us. We were at the Netexplorateur Forum held in the Senate, Paris. Netexplorateur, is a team which has setup a rigorous original process for indentifying pioneers who are creating or thinking up future digital applications. Every year, they invite the most innovative among the identified innovations around the world to present and discuss their approach with the French decision makers.
Ushahidi as unique and innovative as its, was part of the top 10 Netexplorateurs of the year 2009 including amazing inovations such as( not in any particular order )
- Wizzit – South Africa
- Sekai Camera – Japan
- Auditude – USA
- CarrotMob – USA
- Edison SmartConnect
- Google Flu Trends – USA
- Aka Aki – Germany
- Shop Savvy – USA
- New Songdo City IBD – South Korea
We are very excited about this award because its the first time an African innovation has been so impressed and recognized by the French. Two innovations so far came from Africa. Ushahidi and Wizzit; a mobile banking application that uses cell phones for making person-to-person payments, transfers and prepaid purchases.
Viva Ushahidi, viva Netexplorateur.


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- Published: September 19, 2018
- Written by Amelia Levin, Contributing Editor
Spotlights the challenges and opportunities that impact the application of foodservice equipment and supplies in the real world including green and energy efficiency concerns, foodservice equipment concerns, the impact of technology on foodservice, and the state of the foodservice economy.
Food may have the big name-making potential, but any restaurant operator will tell you that when it comes to adding energy and boosting profitability, the bar is the star. Markups and margins on liquor are exponentially better than those on food. What’s more, liquor isn’t perishable, and a tight team in a relatively small amount of space can run a highly profitable bar.
By mid-summer, 2018 had already been a busy year on the food-safety front. Hit with a long list of recalls and high-profile outbreaks from a variety of sources — romaine lettuce, precut melon and veggie trays, fresh eggs, a cereal brand and McDonald’s salads among them — industry and consumers alike were reminded that victory remains elusive in the battle against foodborne illness. Despite today’s more sophisticated systems and increased regulation, pathogens, pests and other substances harmful to human health continue to make their way into the food supply.
Making restaurants allergen friendly is no longer a fad. It’s a serious business decision that dictates a multifaceted process that spans from ordering to serving.
Sliced, diced, shredded, spiralized, juiced — no matter how foodservice operators use or serve it, fresh produce keeps growing its presence on the plate. Trends like plant-forward menus, farm-to-table concepts, vegan and vegetarian diets, clean eating, and whole foods continue to flourish. And that means more produce coming in the back door — cases and cases of it, all needing to be kept cool, trimmed, washed, drained, processed, prepped and stored again before service.
There was a time when patient feeding was the center of the healthcare foodservice universe. Thanks to insurance companies and managed care, though, the length of time patients spend in hospitals continues to shrink. As a result, most healthcare foodservice operations tend to resemble more of a hybrid model, one that includes some patient feeding with a growing emphasis on corporate dining/retail solutions, catering and more.
Food and nutrition services leaders in hospitals and senior living facilities face daunting challenges in this era of unpredictability about government funding, the effect of mergers and acquisitions among healthcare systems and staff recruiting and retention.
There is a trend afoot that is threatening to become a movement, the roots of which, if you will pardon the pun, can be found emanating from the noncommercial segment of foodservice. I’m talking about the quiet and inexorable move toward a more plant-based diet.


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TORONTO — A recent breach of Ontario cannabis store sales data could shake up competition among pot shops and negatively impact retailers’ confidence in the province’s pot distributor, say industry observers.
The Ontario Cannabis Store, which distributes marijuana crafted by licensed producers to retailers, said Tuesday that Ontario Provincial Police are investigating after some of its sales data was “misappropriated.”
OPP spokesperson Bill Dickson confirmed the investigation Wednesday.
The OCS, a Crown agency, has said, the incident was “no failure of IT security or systems” and a May 10 letter sent to retailers by the OCS and obtained by The Canadian Press said the data was “misappropriated, disclosed, and distributed unlawfully” and is now circulating in the industry.
The affected data includes the revenue, number of kilograms of cannabis sold, total units sold and sell-through rates for individual stores in Ontario, along with the store names, license numbers and whether they are owned independently, by a corporation or by a franchisee, three sources say. The Canadian Press is not identifying the sources because they were not authorized to share the data’s contents.
The OCS didn’t immediately provide a comment.
Members of the industry say the data’s release is concerning because sales numbers are typically confidential and when revealed to rivals, could endanger their business.
Such data “provides a lot of really competitive insight into who’s doing what, who’s moving what, which retailers are selling what,” said Deepak Anand, founder of cannabis company Materia.
“That certainly could be a leg up and give a leg up to competition within the industry that’s looking to get ahead of the next person.”
Anand said the most damaging aspect of the breach for retailers is their sales volumes being publicized, because other licensed cannabis producers could use that information to target shops that are selling the most, leaving others to languish.
The timing also exacerbates the effects of the breach.
The number of pot shops in Ontario soared to 1,333 in recent months, up from 1,115 at the end of September. The growth has stiffened competition in the market and pushed companies to market heavily so they can secure as many customers as possible — a tough feat when the illicit market is still strong.
“Any kind of minor advantage in the market is really, really critical,” said Jaclynn Pehota, executive director of the Association of Canadian Cannabis Retailers.
If people can tell from the data which stores are performing best they can study those businesses, try to “crack their formulas” for success and then duplicate the model at their own store, which would “really damage any competitive advantage,” she said.
“If you’re in a position where everyone else around you is struggling and you’re on the path to profitability, that’s very critical and your intellectual property has now been to some extent exposed,” she said.
Ontario has been rife with complaints of too many cannabis stores for years and some analysts and industry members are predicting not all pot shops will survive.
The proliferation of stores in Ontario neighbourhoods like Toronto’s Queen Street West is so intense that several Toronto city councillors filed a November motion for a moratorium on new cannabis store licences lasting a year or until a provincial bill giving municipalities a say in the location and distribution of private cannabis stores passes. City council amended the motion to remove the moratorium request.
Data being released in that kind of environment puts owners in a “vulnerable” position, if they are trying to negotiate a sale of their business, said Lisa Campbell, chief executive at cannabis marketing company Mercari Agency.
“If stores are looking to be acquired, and things are not going well, it could be a death sentence for many Ontario retailers,” she said.
Aside from the business consequences of the breach, Pehota feels the incident will impact the trust retailers have in the OCS.
“I don’t want to put words in the mouths of the license holders in Ontario, but I would be very surprised if this didn’t have a negative impact on their perception of the safety of their data,” she said.
“It’s inevitable that this kind of thing will damage the confidence of people who are trusting government with their business data.”
In the wake of the breach, the OCS said in its letter to retailers that it quickly launched an investigation to identify the source, restricted access to internal data reports and notified the police.


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Plex has announced a release date for the anticipated port to Xbox One and Xbox 360. The streaming media app will be available on the Xbox One tomorrow, October 7th, with the Xbox 360 version following shortly.
For those of you not familiar with Plex, it is a highly popular service which allows users to access their movies, TV shows, and other media on any device by installing PlexServer software on a local computer and then sharing their media library with friends who have a Plex client installed.
Plex is always expanding to work on more devices, and this is the first time that Plex will be available on a gaming console. As part of the launch, the Home Screen, Movie Libraries, and TV Libraries screen interfaces have been redesigned to better suit the Xbox dashboard interface. The initial release will also only support video formats, with photo and music support to follow.
The app will be free for Plex Pass members, and users will need to install the latest preview release of the server which will be available today. Non-pass users will be able to purchase the app for a one-time fee after the pass preview period expires.
Xbox users will certainly appreciate having another option for streaming movies and other media on their Xbox consoles alongside Netflix, Crackle, the newly launched Xbox Media Player (on Xbox One), and others.
What do you think about Plex adding their service to Xbox consoles? Let us know in the comments below, or on Google+, Facebook, or Twitter.[button link=”https://blog.plex.tv/2014/10/05/plex-xbox-one-xbox-360/” icon=”fa-external-link” side=”left” target=”blank” color=”285b5e” textcolor=”ffffff”]Source: Plex[/button]
Last Updated on November 27, 2018.


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T-Mobile USA’s latest earnings report shows the carrier closed out the final quarter of 2012 with 33.4 million net customers, a one percent increase annually. But total revenue for the fourth quarter was $4.9 billion, about a 5 percent decrease from the $5.2 billion the company posted in the same quarter of 2011.
T-Mobile attributed the customer growth to continued expansion in branded prepaid and wholesale, noting the company saw decreases in both branded and branded contract churn rates annually. Still, a decline in branded contract customers was cited as a reason for the sales slide, although the company said that was offset some by increased adoption of data plans by both contract and prepaid customers. It’s worth noting as well that CapEx for the fourth quarter jumped 63 percent annually, from 551 million to 898 million on account of T-Mobile’s network modernization efforts.
T-Mobile also reported a 9.2 percent annual decrease in blended ARPU but that was attributed to increased interest and adoption of the company’s value plans.
Looking ahead, T-Mobile has a big potential merger with MetroPCS and will be able to add the iPhone to its stable soon. CTO Ray Neville last month told investors at a conference that T-Mobile is seeing nearly 100,000 unlocked iPhones per month port over to their network from AT&T.
As of 8:30 a.m. CT, Deutsch Telekom’s stock was down 1.25 percent.


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Opening the Singapore market to new service providers offering high-bandwidth, high-availability connectivity, will mean incumbents are likely to suffer, but the extent will be minimal, said analysts.
Singapore's planned next-generation broadband network (NBN) will offer different grades of service levels to downstream service providers, lowering the barrier to entry for such providers to sell high-availability connectivity to enterprises. This competes directly with incumbents SingTel and StarHub, that already sell "Class A" tiered services to enterprises for use in bandwidth-hungry applications such as telepresence.
However, the new service providers' lack of a broad portfolio of other offerings will still make it difficult for them to put up a real threat.
Bryan Wang, connectivity research director, Asia-Pacific, Springboard, said with broadband connectivity "already a commodity", current players are differentiating several ways: branding, bundling other services and sales support.
"There will be very limited room for new players to be able to come in and play a significant role in the marketplace, as there will be very limited differentiation they can make.
"New players cannot do any bundling due to the lack of infrastructure, which makes their price and services less attractive to consumers," noted Wang.
In spite of the wholesale connectivity promised by the NBN to downstream providers, Wang does not expect a price war to occur because of the number of providers jostling for space in Singapore's small market.
Kenneth Liew, senior market analyst, communications research, IDC Asia-Pacific, told ZDNet Asia a portion of SingTel's revenue from leasing out connectivity is likely to decrease, as the market gets split up with the NBN.
But the extent of this decrease will be minimal, because SingTel is able to offer business broadband connectivity bundled with its High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) network, which retail service providers on the NBN do not have, he said.
This includes foreign operators that might be eyeing the NBN opportunity to enter the market, but do not have existing cellular broadband assets.
However, the NBN may level the playing field for competing telcos. Liew said currently, StarHub is only able to offer business broadband connectivity within the central business district. Once the NBN is up, StarHub will be able to offer island-wide connectivity, bundled with its mobile broadband services.
An Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) spokesperson said the NBN's "highly flexible suite of wholesale broadband connectivity" is expected to "spur greater vibrancy and competition at the services layer".
SingTel and StarHub responded to ZDNet Asia's enquiry, saying they currently provide Class A service levels to enterprises.
Lars Ronning, president, Tandberg Asia-Pacific, told ZDNet Asia the NBN's islandwide coverage will allow more videoconferencing to be set up outside of the office, and into homes.
"Service providers will be forced to up their game to be more cost and service conscious... Cost of bandwidth has always been the enemy of videoconferencing, so we see the planned NGN as a fantastic move forward for our business and the industry," said Ronning.
Michael See, regional director, Asean, Hong Kong and Taiwan at Polycom Asia-Pacific, said in an e-mail response the NBN will help improve the quality of offerings for telepresence vendors, such as higher call quality, security and uptime, as well as features and functions such as content sharing.
Polycom currently partners SingTel to provide connectivity to enterprise customers in Singapore.


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CD burners may have reached their limit, thanks to concerns about the structural stability of the media and the simple cost of developing faster drives.
Malicious programmers can exploit certain TCP-IP details to penetrate firewalls and infiltrate networks.
Mangled bill, designed to provide repreive for small webcasters, is dead.
Microsoft sent out a raft of security alerts including bugs in Excel, Word and SQL Server, and admits its beta servers have been compromised.
An hour-long denial of service attack almost brought the entire internet down. Luckily it survived. This time.
Yes, at long last your rig can sport a 3-GHz CPU. Meanwhile, another HD-DVD spec surfaces, Ballmer threatens to pull the Xbox Down Under, and OpenHack 4 begins. These tech stories and more for Wednesday, Oct. 23.
ATI Technologies Inc. said Tuesday that it had demonstrated a graphics chip working with DDR-2 memory, perhpas a preemptive stroke against Nvidia’s NV30 launch next month.
A subset of the Debian organization will work to redesign the desktop, accoridng to an entry published in a Debian mailing list.
Microsoft Corp. officially launched its smartphone software last night, although the technology won’t be available in the U.S. until next year.
The feature set for the Linux 3.0 kernel is close to being finalized. Meanwhile, Intel invests in WiFi and DVD Multi drives hit the mainstream. These tech stories and more for Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Subscribe Today to get the latest ExtremeTech news delivered right to your inbox.


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As many of you Internet punters may be aware, we are rapidly approaching the month of June, traditional territory for the Sheriff and his posse to increase the prices of their range of luxury army men. Queue Internet outrage as once again the powers that be at Space Marine towers seem to unaware of the phrase “inflation busting” nor of the way that economics tends to work.
At the start of this year the UK government increased VAT, meaning that across the board prices went up, in this case GW increased their prices and I cannot blame them for this, I can blame them for the fact that they increased some prices beyond the 2.5% rise in VAT.
What happens now is that those prices have been rounded up to the nearest pound, not too much of a problem there, however, what is a problem is that some of the existing plastic kits are being increased in prices by as much as 25%! I am well aware that this will probably mean nothing overall, there are people who will continue to pump their money into the Sheriff’s coffers regardless of how increasingly expensive this hobby becomes, the principles of supply and demand are no doubt alive and kicking in Lenton.
We are still awaiting to actually see the Finecast system that has been announced and there is already outrage over those models getting more expensive due to the shift in materials. I don’t think that any amount of outrage will actually change the stance that GW has towards its customers. While there are many that I have seen argue that GW owes nothing to its customers, it is after all a business and its primary focus should be making money I would also like to counter that by saying that without customers it will not make money.
I was looking at the new Tomb Kings, I was probably going to wait for the Octogre release of the new Ogre Kingdoms book for Fantasy too as I already have 3000pts of them. However, both of those projects may now be shelved due to yet another massive price hike (plastic Ogre kits are among those going up by over 20%). Luckily I think the majority of us ensconced in the floating citadel have the models we need, I have a couple of purchases left I’d like for my Dark Eldar for sure but I can’t see any of us starting new armies or making large purchases when there are other systems out there that have better models, better rules and don’t shaft you annually.
I do worry though, that for all this outcry, even those vehemently expressing their disgust, will be back buying the same amount of stuff they always have in a few months once all this has blown itself out. I just cannot think of any other company that will abuse customers by increasing prices at over 5 times the rate of inflation pretty much every single year.
Gone are the days when you had sales in your GW store to shift old stock or old models. I liked those days, when a metal Terminator was £3 in a blister pack and you could get three Rhinos for a tenner. I miss the really good games, like Necromunda, their inevitable destruction once they are relegated to “specialist” status and such. Games Workshop have had moments of brilliance, it’s just a shame that these are overshadowed by moments of incredible stupidity with how they treat gamers who have been with them for 30 years.


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It sounds funny to say a car that costs almost $185,000 is a move downmarket, but the new McLaren 570S introduced at the recent New York Auto Show, and the detuned 540S version of the same “Sport Series” chassis (~$150K), are exactly that. The first McLarens to cost less than a quarter of a million dollars are aimed squarely at the Porsche 911. Since I’ve always been a best bang for the buck kind of a guy, whether I’m talking cars or stereo equipment, I wondered if McLaren might be interested in using their resources to bring their kind of high performance to an everyman’s sports car. So I asked Wayne Bruce, McLaren’s global director of communications, if there might be a sub-six-figure McLaren some day. (Read More…)
Over the weekend, General Motors announced the 2016 Chevrolet Volt extended-range hybrid car will have a MSRP more than a thousand dollars lower than the current price of the first-generation car. The next Volt will have a base MSRP of $33,995 (including $825 as a destination fee), which GM say is about $1,200 cheaper than the 2015 Volt. With a federal tax credit of up to $7,500 still in place, the new Volt could cost as little as $26,495 before any applicable state-level subsidies.
The Volt will not only be cheaper to buy, it should be less expensive to operate. Range when running in EV mode has been increased by 31 percent to 50 miles. When powered by gasoline it will get 41 miles per gallon on the EPA’s combined traffic cycle. In comparison, the current model is rated at 38 EV miles and 37 mpg. Another economy will be gained by the fact the combustion engine will run on 87 octane gasoline, unlike the first-gen Volt requiring premium fuel.
Now that the first Volt is going away, it’s probably appropriate to perform a postmortem. Has it been a success or a failure? (Read More…)
Due to advancements such as air bags, driving is much safer than it was when I first got my driver’s license in the early 1970s. Even then, because of seat belts and crush zones, cars were much safer than they had been in the early automotive age. The first decades of the automobile resulted in chaotic and unsafe driving conditions. Not only were the vehicles themselves dangerous to passengers and pedestrians (three quarters of early motoring related fatalities were pedestrians, often children), in the early days it was a free for all, with the first proposed traffic laws being instituted only after about a decade after the first automobiles. Author Bill Loomis is working on a book on Detroit history and in an extensive article in the Detroit News he discusses just how unsafe driving was a century ago, as well as the role that the Motor City had in making driving safer and less chaotic. Some of those innovations continue to make drivers safe, while others continue to annoy us. (Read More…)
Long distance driving is something that I enjoy doing, but most of the time, my driving is restricted to within 50 miles of where I live, just outside of Detroit. In the past few months, though, I’ve been a bit of a highway child.
I spent my birthday in December driving to Peoria to interview the farmer who owns Larry Shinoda’s personal Boss 302 prototype for a book that I’m doing for Car Tech Books on muscle car prototypes. In January and February I made a couple of trips down near Columbus to hang out and talk guitars with Jack Baruth. Speaking of guitars – also in Ohio – was a mint condition Pee Wee Les Paul that I wanted for my grandson’s future use.
Toyota loaned me a Highlander with all-wheel drive for the Chicago Auto. Lexus tossed me an IS 350 F Sport that I took to New York. The driving conditions ranged from the Super Bowl Sunday blizzard to sunny and dry coming back from NYC. The one constant condition: America’s over the road truck drivers seem to think that their time and fuel is more valuable than of people driving cars and light trucks.
If pressed, I’m pretty sure that I could come up with at least a half dozen different posts on the connection between automobiles and popular music, particularly rock ‘n roll and blues. There are songs like Terraplane Blues, Little Red Corvette and Baby You Can Drive My Car. You could probably do a series of coffee table books just on the car collections of rock stars like Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, J. Geils, Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons and many others. “Stars & Cars” or “Cars & Guitars” has been used as a display or exhibit theme by museums devoted to both automobiles and musical instruments. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that people who love both cars and guitars have managed to join those interests, at the enthusiast level, with licensing deals, and at the advanced design studio level.
Hillary Clinton has gotten at least a little bit of publicity for her presidential campaign-launching trip across America in a conversion van she’s nicknamed “Scooby”, apparently after the Scooby Doo cartoon show’s Mystery Machine. While the van has had high visibility as Clinton’s made seemingly impromptu stops – like at a Chipotle restaurant and more staged campaign events while pundits have discussed the strategy and symbolism of Mrs. Clinton’s road trip – little attention in the general media has been paid to the van itself.
I was at the press conference in Chicago a few years back when Lincoln announced that they had decided to jettison billions of dollars worth of brand equity and go with alphanumeric model names (well, the announcement didn’t quite go like that, but that’s a pretty close approximation of what it meant). Around that time Ford was still trying to sell luxury F-150 pickups under the Lincoln brand, first the Lincoln Blackwood and then the Mark LT, before they realized the margins were greater on Platinum F-150s. When the sedan model now known as the MKS was introduced as a concept, the press kit referred to it as the Mark S, with Mk S badging, just like Mk IIIs and Mk IVs of yore – alphanumeric badging but the model name was spoken as “Mark x”. By the time it reached production, though, the new large Lincoln was simply the MKS. I asked a Lincoln rep what happened to “Mark” and was told that customers associated the name with old fashioned land yachts, not contemporary cars. With the new Lincoln Continental concept it’s clear that Ford Motor Company’s luxury brand has decided to embrace their inner land yacht. (Read More…)
Most of the big news at the 2015 New York International Auto Show took place on the first day of the media preview, with the introduction of the Cadillac CT6, production bound Lincoln Continental and Honda Civic concepts and an all-new Chevy Malibu, as well as the Porsche 911 fighting McLaren 570S. With that in mind it’s easy to understand why the press conferences for Elio Motors and Lyons Motors were relatively sparsely attended, being held on the second press day, though the two startups faced different obstacles in getting attention. Elio’s stand at the show was with the trucks on the lower level of the Javits Center, away from most of the cars, and reporters, upstairs. Lyons Motors’ head Kevin Lyons held his press conference in the concourse on the main level, but it was easy to miss as they had no car on display, just an empty piece of carpet and a lectern. (Read More…)
In just a few years these nameplates will disappear from Cadillac showrooms
It got a little buried in the rush of news out of the New York Auto Show, but GMInsideNews reports that at the private introduction of the Cadillac CT6 last week, the night before the NYIAS media preview, Cadillac head Johan de Nysschen confirmed that the existence of the CT6 flagship will make the current XTS large sedan superfluous. That seems to have been a foregone conclusion, but somewhat surprisingly de Nysschen also said that when the time comes to replace the CTS and ATS models, not only will those nameplates die as the brand moves to the CTx nomenclature, the new cars won’t be direct replacements. De Nysschen also announced that with the exit of the XTS, Cadillac will be leaving the livery business. (Read More…)


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Changing market conditions mean small business owners need to be more adaptable, and a survey has found those that manage this are enjoying greater financial rewards.
According to new American Express research, close to 65 percent of small businesses have had to change in some way to meet shifting market demands, 10 percent of which are now unrecognisable to the business originally established.
Businesses with turnover of between $200,000 and $2 million have changed most significantly, which American Express said reflects the likelihood of greater financial rewards.
The survey of 1,031 small business owners found the most common ways businesses adapt are:
- Changes in product range and services offered (67 percent);
- Changes in the target customer audience (47 percent); and
- Changes in business structure (25 percent).
American Express Head of Small Business Jason Fryer said local business owners recognise that change is necessary to survive and prosper.
“In a climate of economic uncertainty, small businesses are looking at any external changes that affect the overall health of the business and are responding accordingly.”
Fryer said the research also demonstrated that small business owners are very resilient, and focused on surviving despite challenging market conditions.
“While the majority of small business owners acknowledge that both the global and Australian economies will impact their business in the next 12 months, there is a prevailing sense of ‘getting on with the job’ among operators in this sector.”
“It is encouraging to see that almost half (48 percent) of small business owners say that negative commentary about how businesses are faring has no impact on their confidence as a business owner,” he added.


text: TechCrunch talked with Facebook about the new Facebook Places functionality and was wondering why it’s not available to everyone yet. Basically, Facebook stated that the functionality is going to be rolled out slowly over the next day or two to make sure the Facebook servers can handle to new bandwidth load that will generated from mobile devices. This is why some people are seeing Facebook Places available just yet. Others may see the Places icon on your iPhone app, but “Check In” is not yet available because the feature hasn’t fully rolled out. So be patient, you’ll be able to check out Facebook Places, and start checking in your location and sharing with friends, soon enough.


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Equifax promised to make it easier for consumers to control access to their credit records in the wake of the company’s massive breach after the top US consumer financial watchdog called on the industry to introduce such a system. Equifax’s interim chief executive officer, Paulino do Rego Barros Jr., vowed to introduce a free service...
NYS Entity Status
NYS Filing Date
MARCH 31, 2014
NYS DOS ID#
NYS Entity Type
DOMESTIC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
2014 - ACCESS 44 EXECUTIVE SEARCH LLC
Around the Web
- Equifax’s interim CEO apologizes, promises tighter controls
By Reuters - Thursday Sep 28, 2017
- Neighborhoods That Play Hard to Get
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In some New York neighborhoods, the housing stock is great, but turnover is so low, word of mouth is the best search engine.
- $10 Billion Robo-Adviser Betterment Flourishes as Chief Learns to Let Go
Friday Sep 1, 2017
Betterment LLC Chief Executive Jon Stein wants to use technology and automation to make investment advice and financial services broadly accessible while lowering the cost and removing compensation conflicts.
- The Look: New York City Parks in the Summer: Romance, Games and a Performance for a Dying Tree
By DANIEL ARNOLD, JOANNA NIKAS and EVE LYONS - Saturday Sep 2, 2017
Daniel Arnold spent the last two months photographing parks in all five boroughs. The experience showed him “a very different pulse of the city.”
- Uber investor escalates Kalanick clash over CEO search
By Chris Dolmetsch - Thursday Aug 24, 2017
Venture-capital firm Benchmark asked a Delaware judge to temporarily block Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick from filling two vacant company board seats, claiming his interference hampers the search for his successor as chief executive officer. Kalanick, who resigned as CEO in June but remains a board member, “continues to interfere with critical decisions at Uber,” including the executive search, Benchmark said Thursday in court papers filed in Delaware Chancery Court. Benchmark sued Kalanick this month, accusing him of duping the firm to gain access to three board seats. In its filing, the firm asked the judge to bar Kalanick from filling the seats while the lawsuit is pending.
- Visual Search To Ring Up Holiday Sales For Target, Home Depot
Friday Sep 29, 2017
This holiday season, marketers will find new revenue streams and ways to reach consumers with visual search. Earlier this week, Pinterest and Target announced a licensing agreement for the socialnetwork's visual search technology, Lens. The deal gives Target the exclusive rights as a retailer in the U.S. to access the technology.


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Earnings season begins anew.
Along with the deluge of reports, conference calls and Securities and Exchange Commission filings, there’s the opportunity to glean insight into where companies are headed in the months and the years ahead.
To that end, Amazon’s annual filing reveals the ways and means through which the digital economy is taking shape, beyond the confines of eCommerce.
Per CEO Andy Jassy’s introductory letter contained in the report: “In the 25 years I’ve been at Amazon, there has been constant change, much of which we’ve initiated ourselves.” Jassy noted that when he joined the company in the late 1990s, the company had $15 million in top line for 1996, and had been focused solely on selling books, shipping only to customers in the United States. No third-party marketplace was in sight.
Now, of course, Amazon’s third-party seller ecosystem accounts for 60% of the company’s unit sales. And where the company had once been focused most keenly on consumers, roughly eight years ago Amazon Business launched and now drives $35 billion in annualized gross sales. “More than six million active customers, including 96 of the global Fortune 100 companies, are enjoying Amazon Business’ one-stop shopping, real-time analytics, and broad selection on hundreds of millions of business supplies,” the company said.
Buy with Prime, as has been detailed here, along with Amazon Pay and Fulfillment by Amazon, has broadened merchant-facing offerings to include product storage, picking, packing, delivery, payment and returns. Buy with Prime, the company has reported, lifted conversion on third-party shopping sites by an average of 25% on average. The filing disclosed that third-party seller revenues grew from $80.5 billion in 2020 to $117 billion, or 22% of nearly $514 billion in consolidated net sales.
Subscription revenues stood at $35.2 billion in the most recent year, up from $25.2 billion in 2020. Healthcare beckons as a key vertical for a combination of commerce and subscription growth. Amazon Pharmacy’s recent launch of RxPass, which for a $5 per month flat fee enables Prime members to get prescription medicines, stands as an example here. As PYMNTS has reported, Amazon and Walmart have been jousting for households’ loyalty and wallet share in healthcare spend. Last year, Amazon made a $3.9 billion acquisition of One Medical, a membership-based primary healthcare provider that today operates more than 200 primary care offices across 28 U.S. metropolitan areas. Walmart, for its part, has sought to increase the number of its health centers, with 28 new locations in the first quarter of next year and more than 75 by the end of 2024.
Amazon, of course, is also competing with Walmart in grocery, which Amazon has defined as an $800 billion opportunity in the U.S. alone.
“To date, we’ve also focused on larger pack sizes, given the current cost to serve online delivery. While we’re pleased with the size and growth of our grocery business, we aspire to serve more of our customers’ grocery needs than we do today. To do so, we need a broader physical store footprint given that most of the grocery shopping still happens in physical venues,” the company said, as it seeks to “identify and build the right mass grocery format for Amazon scale.”
As for advanced technologies — and the connectivity fostered by those technologies — the company pointed to Kuiper, its project to improve and broadband access via satellites. That connectivity, the company said, would touch a number of use cases “from people taking online education courses, using financial services, starting their own businesses,” per the filing. The continued emergence and refinement of large language models and artificial intelligence (AI), the company said, will bolster the machine learning efforts that are already in place.


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Majestic Wine’s profits fell by more than 50% in the last year - the result of falling Champagne sales and the poor performance of its French business.
Pre-tax profits fell by 55.8% in the year to the end of March 2009 to £7.4m. Like-for-like sales were down 2.7%.
Sales to businesses declined by 7.5% last year and Champagne -18% of Majestic’s total sales – was down by 24%.
Chief executive Steve Lewis told decanter.com the fall in sales was in large part due to the business sector.
Sales to restaurants, he said, were level last year, and private customer sales were down by 7%.
Lewis said like-for-like sales were up 2% in the period from 30 March to 8 June, boosted by the good weather and returning consumer confidence.
While Champagne sales fell off, Majestic saw a boom in Prosecco and sparkling wines, particularly from New Zealand. That sector rose by 20%.
‘People are buying Champagne for personal use, and sparklers for corporate events and bigger private parties,’ Lewis said.
He blamed the poor performance of the company’s three stores in northern France – which made £443,000 profit last year – on the strong euro and the fact that so many French products were now as easily available in UK supermarkets as in France.
‘The romance has gone out of travelling to the continent for a day trip. The average spend was £350 – and that’s a lot in a recession. And France is now perceived as expensive with the strength of the euro.’
Majestic opened its 150th store in Edinburgh yesterday and will open eight stores this financial year.
At the same time Lewis stressed he was ‘committed’ to the French operation.
He told decanter.com he was confident an inevitable fall in the value of the euro and a VAT hike in the UK in January – which would mean a £2 duty difference between the UK and France – would bring customers back over the Channel.
He also said the acquisition of fine wine merchant Lay & Wheeler, which was completed in February this year, was a success, with an 8% growth in fine wine in the year to March. ‘The fine wine proposition will achieve good growth,’ he said.
Written by Adam Lechmere


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Daily consumption of at least 3 grams of oat beta-glucan may reduce cholesterol levels, with greater effects linked to high molecular weight forms of the ingredient, says a new meta-analysis of 28 randomized controlled trials.
Cognis and Cargill have simultaneously launched products on the US bread market by inking deals with mainstream companies that saw clinically-backed, cholesterol-lowering, sterol-imbued breads rolled out in various parts of the country yesterday.
Scientists working for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) are
developing new techniques to produce bread with high beta-glucan
content in a bid to create a loaf with increased functionally and


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Yahoo’s $US4.4B acquisition of China internet marketing company is the best bet for growth
Yahoo’s acquisition of Chinese internet marketing giant Alibaba, worth US4.6 billion ($6.9 billion), marks a major milestone in the search giant’s strategic strategy.
The acquisition marks Yahoo’s first direct deal with a Chinese internet marketer and marks the largest acquisition of internet-focused businesses in history.
“This acquisition will help us grow Alibaba and bring its services to a wider audience,” Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer said in a statement.
The deal is expected to close in the first half of next year.
Alibaba’s revenue in China grew 30 per cent to US$6.5 billion in the three months to September, according to Bloomberg data.
The Alibaba deal follows a similar deal in May that Yahoo announced with Tencent Holdings, the Chinese mobile payments company.
The move to acquire a Chinese Internet company will bolster Yahoo’s position as a global internet brand in China.
Yahoo already owns the popular Chinese search engine Bing.
“The deal will strengthen our position as an internet brand,” said Eric Zeman, an analyst at Jefferies in a note.
“We expect to be able to grow Alibaba’s business in China to become the top-ranked internet company in the country, as well as provide more value to our investors.”
Mayer said Yahoo’s search business will be focused on Chinese searches in a number of areas, including in China and the United States.
Mayer told a news conference in New York on Tuesday that the Yahoo brand would continue to evolve, but the company would focus on “great content” that is popular with Chinese audiences.
“I want to make sure that we are continuing to offer a broad range of brands in China,” Mayer said.
Mozilla chief executive Officer Brendan Eich, in a separate interview with Reuters, said the new Alibaba acquisition would allow Yahoo to increase its reach into other markets, including Brazil, India, and the Middle East.
Eich said that Yahoo was planning to introduce a new version of its Firefox browser for the Middle Eastern market.
The move to include an Arabic-language version of Firefox could give Firefox a wider reach.
Mavericks CEO Kevin Nagle said in September that he expected to see Yahoo’s growth in the Middle America region accelerate in the next year, given the company’s acquisitions in the region.
Mikkelson’s comments came as Alibaba’s shares soared after the deal was announced.
Alibaba shares jumped as much as 6 per cent on the news.
Shares of Yahoo and Tencent jumped more than 12 per cent each.
Yahoo stock has been trading below $US1.50 since late August.
Tencent shares were up 3 per cent.


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The Trump administration has withdrawn from international digital tax negotiations, shocking European leaders and raising the possibility of a trade war.
The U.S. threatened to retaliate against countries that attempt to impose such taxes.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin informed European finance ministers last week, in a letter obtained by the Financial Times, that the negotiations at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development were at an “impasse” and said they should be put on hold while the countries addressed the coronavirus pandemic.
“Attempting to rush such difficult negotiations is a distraction from far more important matters,” Mnuchin said in the June 12 letter to four European finance ministers. “This is a time when governments around the world should focus their attention on dealing with the economic issues resulting from Covid-19.”
He said the U.S. was unable to agree even on an interim basis on changes to global taxation law that would affect leading U.S. digital companies. The U.S. wants to resume the talks later this year, Mnuchin said.
“The United States remains opposed to digital services taxes and similar unilateral measures,” Mnuchin said. “As we have repeatedly said, if countries choose to collect or adopt such taxes, the United States will respond with appropriate commensurate measures.”
“I very much regret the U.S. move to put the brakes on international talks on taxation of the digital economy,” said Paolo Gentiloni, the European economic commissioner, according to The New York Times.
The French finance minister, Bruno Le Maire, said the U.S. decision was “a provocation."
“We were a few inches from an agreement,” he said on France Inter radio, the Times reported. “What is this way of treating the allies of the United States, by systematically threatening us with sanctions?”
Several European countries were looking tax digital companies above a certain revenue threshold, which would have an impact mainly on U.S. tech firms, such as Amazon (AMZN) - Get Report and Google parent Alphabet (GOOGL) - Get Report.


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CANADA – SunOpta, a Canadian plant-based food and drink producer, is undergoing a leadership transition as CEO Joe Ennen retires, paving the way for the appointment of Brian Kocher as the new chief executive effective January 2nd.
Ennen, who served as the CEO since 2019, played a pivotal role in the company’s success, overseeing a comprehensive portfolio transformation and fortifying the balance sheet.
While Ennen is set to retire officially on April 1st, 2023, he will continue to contribute as an advisor to the board and to Kocher during the transition period.
Kocher, brings a wealth of experience from his roles in various food companies, including Calavo Growers Inc. and Castellini Group of Cos.
He expressed enthusiasm for his new role, emphasizing his commitment to continuing SunOpta’s growth trajectory and fulfilling its mission of “fueling the future of food.”
Dean Hollis, the chair of SunOpta’s board of directors said, “With Joe’s support, we were thrilled to find Brian and are confident he is the right leader to continue the company’s strategy to deliver significant long-term sustainable growth and value for shareholders.”
Hollis highlighted Kocher’s deep industry expertise and shared values, emphasizing their alignment with the company’s purpose.
SunOpta, looking ahead, has set ambitious goals, aiming to double its revenue from US$935 million in the 2022 financial year to US$2 billion in the next five to seven years.
The company plans to achieve this growth through strategic mergers and acquisitions, focusing on three core areas: plant-based drinks, better-for-you snacks, and nutrition beverages.
In response to disappointing second-quarter results in August, SunOpta revised its 2023 sales outlook, lowering the full-year forecast to US$800 million-SU$900 million in revenue, anticipating a 4%-6% decrease in sales for the annual period.
Despite this, the company remains optimistic about its future, recently selling certain assets of its frozen fruit Sunrise Growers brand to Nature’s Touch for $141 million.
As Ennen expresses confidence in SunOpta’s next phase of growth, the company reaffirms its Q4 outlook and presents a forecast for 2024.
SunOpta anticipates an 8%-13% rise in revenue to $670 million-$700 million and a 14%-21% increase in adjusted EBITDA to $87 million-$92 million in its 2024 fiscal year.
Based in Eden Prairie, SunOpta manufactures a diverse range of food products, including plant-based beverages and organic fruit processing.
With the appointment of Kocher, the company aims to build on its achievements and position itself for sustained growth in the dynamic plant-based food and drink market.
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Dell's Appliance for Wyse - vWorkspace product uses desktop virtualisation technology to deliver Windows desktop software to Chromebooks and other endpoints. Though brokered from a remote location, the Windows OS will be fully functional and run as if it were loaded locally.
As part of its Chrome for Work programme, Google has aggressively pushed Chromebooks into businesses as an alternative to Windows PCs. Chromebooks are thin, lightweight laptops for those who do most of their computing on the internet. Google has said that Chromebooks are tuned for the future of cloud computing, as they were built from the ground up to run rich web applications.
Watch this space on Microsoft cheaper windows devices on Windows 10


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Twin Cities startup Renewafuel, which uses wood, grain and other biomass to make fuel "cubes," has been sold to mining giant Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
Neither company is disclosing terms of the deal, which gives Cleveland-Cliffs a 70 percent controlling interest in Rosemount-based Renewafuel.
It's uncertain whether its headquarters will remain in Minnesota following the sale, said James Mennell, Renewafuel president and managing partner at The Environmental Law Group, Minneapolis. However, the deal calls for Renewafuel to receive an infusion of capital to help it expand.
The company has a production-scale facility in Battle Creek, Mich., and hopes to build new plants in Michigan and Minnesota.
Renewafuel has spent the past two years testing its fuel cubes, which emit far less greenhouse gases than traditional coal. In March, it received a $200,000 grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency to study the product. Cleveland-Cliffs also tested the fuel cubes at a facility in Marquette, Mich., before buying Renewafuel. "We've gone through a very successful period of testing," Mennell said. "We've really tried to come up with a fuel that moves like coal, works like coal, except a lot cleaner and greener."
Cleveland-Cliffs will use Renewafuel's products in its own product process, including at a facility in Silver Bay, Minn. It also will sell the products to other companies, a spokeswoman for the Cleveland-based company said.
Myocor to test heart valve fixer
Myocor Inc. has received approval from federal regulators to start clinical trials of a device for repairing leaky heart valves.
Trials will focus on its latest product, iCoapsys, which can be used to repair the heart without a patient having to undergo open-heart surgery. Myocor's first-generation device, already in clinical trials, requires surgery.
The less-invasive nature of iCoapsys will help the company expand further into the interventional cardiology market, said CEO Jim Hickey.
The company's products are designed to treat mitral valve regurgitation, a leak that lets blood flow backward into the heart. In recent years, cardiologists have turned toward repairing such leaky valves rather than replacing them.
Myocor expects to begin enrolling patients in its latest trial in coming weeks.
Film buyer sells 'screen' rights
The Paul Silk Film Buying Co., a small firm that books movies for theaters, has sold part of its business to Marcus Theatres' parent company.
Milwaukee-based Marcus Corp., which also operates hotels, did not disclose terms of the deal. Marcus acquired the rights to book films at 15 theaters in Minnesota as part of the acquisition. The deal covers a total of 152 screens.
Paul Silk Film will continue to perform services for 12 theaters not included in the deal. Those theaters are mostly in smaller towns.
Paul Silk, the firm's president, will join Marcus Corp. as senior vice president in its theaters division.
Marcus doesn't expect to expand Paul Silk Film as a result of the transaction, a company spokesman said.


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|Last 7 Days News :
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
Intel's Quarterly Net Better Than Expected
Intel's first-quarter net profit was higher than expected as the chipmaker faces the slow demand for personal computers and tries to gain a market share on tablet chips.
Intel Chief Financial Officer Stacy Smith said the chipmaker continues to expects PC shipments to decline slightly in 2014.
Intel said revenue from its PC client group in the first quarter was $7.9 billion, down 1 percent from the year before.
The company also expects a full-year gross margin of 61 percent, plus or minus a few percentage points.
Intel in recent years has been slow to adapt its chips for smartphones and tablets.
Intel said its mobile and communications group had revenue of $156 million in the first quarter, down 61 percent from the year-ago quarter.
Chief Executive Officer Brian Krzanich told analysts on a conference call that Intel shipped 5 million tablet chips in the first quarter and is on track to reach a goal of shipping 40 million tablet chips in 2014.
"In the first quarter we saw solid growth in the data center, signs of improvement in the PC business, and we shipped 5 million tablet processors, making strong progress on our goal of 40 million tablets for 2014," said Intel CEO Brian Krzanich. "Additionally, we demonstrated our further commitment to grow in the enterprise with a strategic technology and business collaboration with Cloudera, we introduced our second-generation LTE platform with CAT6 and other advanced features, and we shipped our first Quark products for the Internet of Things."
Asked whether Intel expected that some of those mobile chips might be used in low-end laptops instead of tablets, CFO Smith said: "We mean 40 million tablets with Intel chips in them by the end of this year, with the majority of those being Android-based tablets."
Intel's data center group had revenue of $3.1 billion in the first quarter, up 11 percent year over year.
The chipmaker reported first-quarter net earnings of $1.947 billion. First-quarter revenue was $12.76 billion, compared with $12.58 billion in the year-ago quarter, Intel said.
Intel forecast revenue of $13 billion, plus or minus $500 million, for the second quarter.


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Asian Motor Works, the Indian based commercial vehicle producer has added three more awards to its portfolio. The company has created an impression in the country through its reliable products and superior design. ‘Manufacturing Today’, which is an industrial magazine, started this new award program this year. Awards were presented based on performance of firms in different areas like operation, value chain etc. The council of jury consisted industrial experts who had to provide marks to each nominees.
AMW was titled the winner for the year 2012, in the areas Excellence in Technology Adoption, Excellence in Human Resource Management. The company came 2nd in the area ‘Excellence in Sustainability’.
Mr. Anil Singh, Executive Vice President, AMW received the award and spoke on behalf of the company. He said, “It is a great honour to be recognized at the inaugural award function itself. The award is a reiteration of AMW’s firm belief in innovative technology and the importance it attaches to its team of committed people, who have strived for excellence and placed the customer at the focus of everything we do.”