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The apparel and textile business blog from Katie Smith
If you would like to offer your comments, opinions, suggest topics or just have a good rant, please feel free to email: Katie Smith.
John Lewis bags top retailer award
03 May 2013 08:37
Department store operator John Lewis has reclaimed its title of the 'UK's best retailer' after its online sales passed the GBP1bn mark earlier this week - a year ahead of schedule.
John Lewis scored highly on its service and product quality. The company was followed by Bonmarché, who retained second place in the Verdict Customer Satisfaction Index rankings. In terms of clothing companies, Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) came third.
Verdict director of research & analysis Maureen Hinton said: "John Lewis swept the board this year coming top in all its main product categories, including for the first time, clothing.
The department store, which has also launched a new web platform, said it has seen an unprecedented pace of online growth, with online sales rising more than 40% in 2013.
just-style takes an Easter break
28 Mar 2013 17:22
We're heading off for the Easter break here in the UK, which means there will be no site updates or email newsletters on Friday (29 March) or Monday (1 April).
We'll be back at our desks bringing you the latest news and insight from the global apparel and textiles industry on Tuesday (2 April).
just-style editorial team
How skinny can jeans get?...
21 Mar 2013 17:03
...so skinny that teenagers will feel like they're wearing nothing at all, according to American Eagle Outfitters.
The teen apparel retailer has launched a campaign for the AEO skinny skinny, which is described as its "skinniest jean yet" because it comes straight from a can. American Eagle Outfitters claims that "one size fits all" for the jeans, which are available for a limited time only in Indigo and bright light.
But when customers visit the product online, they may be disappointed to find out that the spray-on jeans are temporarily sold out and will be asked to enter their email address to be updated on when the AEO skinny skinny jeans become available.
So what was the reason behind the spoof ad? A way of redirecting people to the company's e-commerce store possibly and adding them to its mailing list?
One thing we're sure of though is that if it was meant to be an April fool's joke - it's a week and a half too early.
UK: Tesco unveils F&F virtual mirror
27 Nov 2012 12:55
UK retail giant Tesco has launched virtual changing room mirrors in three of its stores.
Shoppers will be able to try on clothes without wearing them by using a virtual mirror.
CIO Mike McNamara demonstrated Tesco's latest digital innovations at a company conference, claiming they will "transform retail over the next few years".
Brands and retailers praised for organic cotton uptake
15 Oct 2012 13:10
Apparel brands including H&M Hennes & Mauritz, Nike, Anvil Knitwear, Patagonia and Gossypium have been recognised for increasing their use of organic cotton.
Non-profit group Textile Exchange said their collective work has resulted in safer environments for cotton farmers and improved market access for organic cotton.
Textile Exchange said increasing the demand for organic cotton results in reduced water use, the elimination of artificial pesticides and fertilisers and improving the health of farmers.
"These brands and retailers are helping to drive the demand for organic cotton. As a result, every step of the supply chain has benefited," said LaRhea Pepper, managing director of Textile Exchange.
The brands were given 'Future Shaper' awards at the Sustainable Textiles Conference in Hong Kong on 4 October.
British manufacturing success stories
04 Oct 2012 14:30
Against a backdrop of continuing talk among retailers, brands and importers of sourcing more garments from the UK, British manufacturers and industry groups have teamed up to showcase the best of "Made in the UK".
British brands including Johnstons of Elgin and Peregrine will promote their fashion products, including textiles, men's tailoring and footwear at the Department for Business Innovation and Skills' office in Westminster over the next two weeks.
UKFT chief executive John Miln said: "This is a fantastic way for us to proudly show off what our industry can do right in the heart of London where tourists and government will be passing every day.
Meanwhile, Business Minister Michael Fallon said: "We have some excellent businesses in this sector with British manufactured fashion in demand around the world. This showcase is a further demonstration of the breadth of our manufacturing base here in the UK."
The British Footwear Association (BFA), Designer-Manufacturer Innovation Support Centre (DISC) and the British Fashion Council (BFC) have helped with the event, which has been organised by the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT).
Managing director of Johnstons of Elgin last week said manufacturing in the UK is successful through innovation, good quality and production flexibility. He was speaking at a conference on the issue organised by the Association of Suppliers to the British Clothing Industry (ASBCI).
Fifth & Pacific to sell shares on Facebook
24 May 2012 12:23
Clothing firm Fifth & Pacific Companies, formerly Liz Claiborne Inc, is to start selling its shares on the social network website Facebook - a move that will let consumers buy stock in just 3 clicks and with no fees.
The customer stock ownership plan (CSOP) has been developed by Loyal3, which says the scheme "provides access for the 82% of Americans who are not directly invested in companies." By eliminating transactional costs it also makes stock ownership easy and affordable for large numbers of first-time investors.
Chris Kelly, director of Loyal3 called it a "natural evolution of the social world".
Consumers will be able to purchase shares of the company via direct links on the Kate Spade New York, Lucky Brand, Juicy Couture and Jack Spade Facebook pages, as well as Fifth & Pacific's website.
Could this be the 'Ultimate LIKE Button' as Loyal3 claims?
For Fifth & Pacific CEO William McComb, its also a perfect tool to let shoppers express loyalty to brands. "We think this platform will help create a greater sense of community. This is simply a huge idea - what could possibly generate more loyalty than ownership?"
After recent dips in Facebook's share price, the social networking site's pre-market shares were up 1.37% today (24 May) to US$32.44.
St George's Day protests against A&F
24 Apr 2012 16:38
St George's Day - a celebration marking the patron saint of England famously slaying the dragon. The people of Chap magazine certainly celebrated in style - or at least they thought they did.
Armed with briefcases and their British tailored tweed suits, ties, hats and placards, the group of chaps and chapettes staged a protest yesterday (23 April) against teen apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch's plans to open a children's store on Savile Row, London.
The group started singing "All we are saying is, give three-piece a chance" adapted from John Lennon's original. Ironic really, considering 3 Savile Row used to be home of Apple Records, in which the Beatles gave their last concert on the roof in 1969.
The rain didn't seem to dampen their spirits but it did send them to the pub for a few drinks.
Abercrombie & Fitch didn't respond to requests for comment when contacted by just-style.
The group appear to be confident that Westminster Council will veto A&F's application to open the store and "allow it to remain the heartland of British bespoke tailoring".
We are what we wear
17 Jun 2011 16:05
Dressing well has personal, social and professional benefits according to findings from US retailer Men's Wearhouse "Well-Dressed Men survey".
Overall nearly two-thirds (63%) of Americans admit fashion is something they value. So it's no surprise that 70% of women compared to 55% of men own up to the importance of fashion in their lives.
The study revealed that 68% of Americans consider being well-dressed an important part of life. However, 79% of Americans aged 55 and older go for comfort rather than a sleek style compared to 66% of 25-54 year old participants according to the study conducted by Kelton Research.
Maybe that's why 23% of participants think that shopping for a suit is more intimidating than going on a first date?
Whether its for a wedding, interview or a new job, 94% of men have purchased a suit some times in their lives.
The clothes men wear also have an impact on our professional outlook as three-quarters (75%) of Americans think well-dressed men are more successful in the workplace than guys who are not dressed as well.
However, when it comes to shopping for clothes many see this as a necessity they have to get through, rather than a fun or exciting experience. Not surprisingly, more men than women (56% versus 49%) despise going shopping to fill their wardrobes.
Are women at risk by wearing high heels?
14 Jun 2011 15:00
Many women struggle to walk in high heels on a night out but others opt to wear flat shoes, which could be the safer option, according to recent research.
Between 13-16 May this year, the research was conducted online on behalf of The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists by One Poll amongst a sample of 2,000 men and women.
Wearing high heels regularly increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis, the research revealed. A quarter of UK women admit to walking in them on a daily or frequent basis. High heeled shoes alters body posture and increases pressure on the foot, ankle and knee joints.
"For daily wear, the recommendation is to opt for a round toed shoe with a heel height of no more than 2-3cm and with a shock absorbent sole to help minimise shock to the joints," said podiatrist and arthritis researcher from The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, Professor Anthony Redmond.
Research also found that over three-quarters (77%) of the participants admitted to not wearing footwear designed for the sport or fitness activity they participate in, running the risk of increased stresses and strains and developing injury and arthritis.
With over a third (36%) of people having a lack of knowledge about arthritis, people are not getting treatment for the condition, The Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists said.
Maybe we should think about which shoes we want to wear before we go out, and not just whether the colour matches.


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Tesla Stock Closes Higher Friday, Current Price ‘Buying Opportunity’: Analyst
Tesla shares gained 1% on Friday after Morgan Stanley justified the beating the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer’s stock has recently taken, and deemed its current price a ‘buying opportunity’. Shares of Tesla closed up 3.16% at $589.74 USD on Friday.
Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas stressed upon his $900 USD price target for Tesla shares, a high previously achieved back in January. Other financial institutions and analysts have also formulated similar price targets for the EV pioneer.
Tesla stock currently sits at a little less than one-third of that Jonas’s price target, which he believes is an opportunity that should be grabbed.
The decrease in Tesla’s share price has been fueled by a mix of increasing competition both stateside and abroad, a recent dip in sales in the Chinese market, Gigafactory Shanghai’s planned expansion reportedly being put on hold, and delayed product launches.
Jonas believes the reports of Tesla’s troubles are exaggerated and rife with hyperbole. Tesla itself said earlier this week that reports of the land acquisition for Giga Shanghai’s planned expansion being paused were unfounded, and that the project is “developing as planned“.
Tesla has already been exporting vehicles produced at Gigafactory Shanghai to Europe, and the company was previously reported to be considering an expansion of exports to Asia and even the United States.

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NEW YORK — The Tommy Hilfiger Group, wholly owned by PVH Corp., has forged a deal with LF USA to license home decor, beginning in January in the U.S., Canada, South America and Mexico.
The home collections will be inspired by Hilfiger’s “classic American cool sensibility with a twist,” according to the company. Spring home lines will feature pieces reminiscent of summer days at the beach, while fall 2014 will be a collection of preppy, collegiate pieces.
Hilfiger’s spring ready-to-wear collection, which he showed earlier this month, were also inspired by beach living. Hilfiger, who has homes in Manhattan; Greenwich, Conn., and Mustique, has always had a passion for home decor. “I’ve always been inspired by iconic American homes, and my wife Dee and I enjoy finding great art and cool vintage pieces to create an eclectic vibe,” said Hilfiger. “I had a lot of fun combining those inspirations with my love of design to create the new Tommy Hilfiger home line.
“I could not imagine having a better partner than Li & Fung for this line, they are absolutely the best in the world,” added Hilfiger.
He said that every piece will reflect “the classic, America, cool spirit at the heart of the Tommy Hilfiger brand.” The designer has had a licensing agreement with Revman International for bedding and bath, which isn’t being renewed.
Hilfiger’s home collection will launch for spring with bedding, bath, tabletop decor and decorative accessories and will be followed by an expanded fall line that will include furniture and rugs. The Hilfiger home collection will be available in select Tommy Hilfiger stores; Macy’s; select department and specialty stores in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and on tommy.com in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and South America, beginning next spring.
“LF USA is a category leader in the home decor market,” said Anne Marino, president of licensing for Hilfiger, adding the new collection will enable Hilfiger “to develop a greater product range and distribution strategy for our home line.”
Dow Famulak, president of LF USA, said, “We are leveraging Tommy Hilfiger’s global recognition and continued momentum to create a truly iconic international home collection.”
“These collections continue to build on that vision, empowering differently abled adults to express themselves through fashion,” said @tommyhilfiger of his line of adaptive apparel, which launches today. The line consists of 37 men’s and 34 women’s styles based upon the pieces from the spring Tommy Hilfiger sportswear collection. #wwdnews
“Stranger Things” is getting a new cast member for season 2. Meet @sadiesink_, the 15-year-old who will be joining the Netflix series for its new season. You may recognize her from “The Glass Castle” with Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson, but the Texas native’s next role goes in an entirely different direction. She describes her character, Max, as “a rough and tumble skater girl [who] becomes friends with the boys at school.” The second season debuts on October 27. (📷: @jgreenery) #wwdeye
Amid the Harvey Weinstein controversy, there’s another sector that’s being put under the spotlight for sexual abuse: the modeling industry. While rumors about abuse and sexual harassment of female and male models — and the photographers, agents and others who perpetrated it — have circulated within the fashion world for years, model @cameronrussell started posting stories from models on Instagram last week about abusive situations they’ve encountered — from sexual harassment and molestation to attempted rape. Over 75 have weighed in so far. Read more on WWD.com. Link in bio. #wwdnews
To celebrate its 16th anniversary, @dylanscandybar tapped designers and celebrities to create mosaics out of candy. The mosaics will be auctioned off to support the philanthropic cause of each participant’s choice. Pictured here is the mural created by @aliceandolivia's Stacey Bendet. For a first look at some of the other artwork being unveiled tonight, go to WWD.com. #wwdeye
The annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in Pacific Palisades this weekend drew Kate Hudson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Laura Dern and more. See pictures of the star-studded event on WWD.com. (📷: @chelsealaurenla) #wwdeye
In his new book “Hollywood Royale,” Andy Warhol’s Protégé Matthew Rolston celebrates the Eighties revival of Hollywood glamour. Featuring more than 100 portraits taken by Rolston from 1977 to 1993, the book contains photos of icons like Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, and @drewbarrymore, pictured here in 1991. “Hollywood Royale,” out today, will be accompanied by an exhibition opening at Los Angeles’ Fahey/Klein Gallery on March 1. #wwdeye
"Nowadays when life is not so happy with everything going on in the world, I think people come to me for a little bit of whimsy and color and fun." - Designer Rebecca De Ravenel on her cult-favorite jewelry line. (📸 : @vsteves) #wwd40
“Everyone is talking about how the retail industry is struggling, but I think it’s an incredible time because brands who are doing something different and innovative are setting themselves up for the future,” said @adamgoldston, who founded the luxury athletic brand @apl with his brother @ryangoldsten. The Goldston’s are part of WWD’s 40 under 40: a group of industry notables. See the rest of the list on WWD.com. (📷: @vsteves) #wwd40
@eyeswoon blogger Athena Calderone debuted her first-ever cookbook, “Cook Beautiful,” which is heavily centered on the presentation and visual expression of food. Pictured here are her miso glazed carrots from the book. Get the recipe on WWD.com. (📷: @johnny_miller_) #wwdeye


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CONCORD, N.C. – RemainSafe has signed on to support NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series competitor Spencer Boyd through its SteelSafe Shelters brand.
The No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet driven by Boyd will carry the SteelSafe Shelters colors during Saturday’s NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series at Kansas Speedway.
SteelSafe Shelters builds FEMA-compliant safe rooms, panic rooms and tornado shelters.
“Having grown up in Missouri, I know all too well what a tornado siren sounds like,” said Boyd. “Debuting this partnership at Kansas Speedway hits home for me and much of my family in the area. There are a lot of people across the Midwest that could use a SteelSafe Shelter so I’m delighted to help promote a company that helps keep people safe in their homes and of course because they are made in the USA.”
“Spencer exemplifies our guiding principles of Safety, Security, and Sustainability and we couldn’t be happier to sponsor him in the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series this year and into the future,” said Andy Smith, CEO of RemainSafe. “The No. 20 SteelSafe Shelters Chevy Silverado looks incredible and our team is excited to watch him run as strong as a SteelSafe Shelter. NASCAR has always taken safety very seriously and we feel this sponsorship aligns with our core mission: We Save Lives.”


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The town of Chesterton, Indiana celebrated the return of long-awaited sunshine and warmer temperatures this weekend with their 14th annual European Market, once again bringing the ambience and character of a european shopping experience to the midwest.
“We opened today for our first market of the year,” said Jacqueline Thomas, who serves as market director for the Duneland Chamber of Commerce, Chesterton European Market and Burns Harbor European Market on the Square. “The Chesterton European Market runs every Saturday, rain or shine, from the first Saturday in May through the last Saturday in October, from 8-2pm.”
“We offer something for everyone - from artisanal foods to craft items, plants and jewelry. There is something for everyone here,” Thomas said.
The Chesterton European Market has expanded their footprint this year, and now stretches to Thomas Centennial Park in downtown Chesterton. The market typically boasts over 70 vendors, though that number can grow significantly during the peak season.
“From June through August we may see well over 90 vendors here,” Thomas said.
The 2018 opening day for the market was easily one of their biggest ever, with hundreds of people coming to enjoy the best that local vendors have to offer. Katie Reynolds, who especially likes the locally-grown honey and fresh-baked breads, came from New York with her husband, Nathan.
“We’re originally from Portage, but we’re moving back to Indiana,” Reynolds said. “This is our second year visiting the market. There are other markets, but they don’t have nearly as many vendors as they do here - it’s just such a nice place to visit."
This year’s opening day even saw members of Premier Performance on hand to present live excerpts from their musical Aladdin, much to the delight of visitors and passers-by.
Michele Zerkel of Crown Point, aka “The Charms Chick” is proud to return for her eighth year as a vendor.
“Twenty years ago, someone taught me how to make jewelry and I’ve been doing it ever since,” said Zerkel. “It was a hobby gone wild and now I do it full-time.”
Known for her famous beaded leatherette bracelet designs, Zerkel says that she is at the market every Saturday, without fail.
“This is the best market around, hands-down. The staff that run it are great to work with, the other vendors are really friendly and the people who come out to shop and visit are just the best!” Zerkel said.
The Chesterton European Market is located right in the heart of downtown Chesterton, at the corner of Broadway and Third Street, next to Thomas Centennial Park. It is easily accessible from both the Indiana Tollway aand Interstate 80/94 and just minutes away from the Indiana Dunes and the shores of Lake Michigan.
To learn more about the Chesterton European Market, visit their website here!


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Jul. 6, 2018. Over 100,000 fans and industry gathered for the annual celebration of Japanese pop culture at LA Convention Center. Anime Expo is the largest anime con and featured a fashion show, masquerade, concerts, vendors, workshops, panels, guest autographs, and many more.
Photography by Stephen Yap
Steve Yap Photography


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Microsoft confirmed plans to build a large new data center in Mecklenburg County, Va., as the company is once again expanding its data center operations. In a press release from the Virginia governor’s office, Microsoft said it’ll spend up to $499 million to open the facility, which’ll use its latest modular, fourth-generation approach and will be located near the town of Boydton. The governor’s office touted the plant as “the largest economic investment in Southern Virginia history.”
“This new data center will enable the best possible delivery of services to our current and future customers,” Kevin Timmons said in a statement. Microsoft declined to offer any further details.
For Microsoft, it’s a sign that the company is once again looking to add capacity for Windows Azure, Windows Live, and other hosted software. Microsoft had been aggressively adding facilities including new centers in Dublin, Ireland, and a Chicago facility that opened last year.


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India’s inflation rate dips further to 3.92 percent (Lead)February 19th, 2009 - 6:34 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Feb 19 (IANS) India’s annual rate of inflation dipped further to 3.92 percent during the week ended Feb 7, from 4.39 percent the week before, official data showed Thursday.
The inflation rate, based on the official wholesale price index (WPI) stood at 4.98 percent for the corresponding week of the previous fiscal, showed the statistics released by the industry ministry here.
The WPI for all commodities declined 0.2 percent to 228 (provisional) from 228.4 (provisional) the week before.
The index for primary articles declined 0.2 percent to 248.0 (provisional) from 248.5 (provisional) for the previous week, while that for manufactured products declined 0.4 percent to 199.7 (provisional) from 200.6 (provisional) the week before.
The index for fuel, power, light and lubricants, however, rose 0.5 percent to 323.5 (provisional) from 321.8 (provisional) in the previous week due to higher prices of naphtha (up 10 percent) and furnace oil (up 5 percent).
At the same time, prices of aviation turbine fuel fell 5 percent and light diesel oil by 1 percent.
According to economists, the tight monetary policy in recent months and fall in fuel prices are pushing down the inflation rate.
Dalip Kumar, the head of projects at the National Council of Applied Economics Research (NCAER), a Delhi-based think tank, said inflation rate would moderate further and close to 3 percent by March-end.
Shriram Khanna, head of the Commerce department at the Delhi School of Economics, maintained that the Indian economy would be driven by how developed countries stabilise their financial sectors and the markets.
- India's inflation rate dips further to 3.92 percent - Feb 19, 2009
- India's inflation rate falls to 3.36 percent (Lead) - Feb 26, 2009
- Inflation eases a tad to 9.22 percent in July - Aug 16, 2011
- India's inflation rate falls further to 3.36 percent - Feb 26, 2009
- After 13 weeks, inflation turns positive at 0.12 percent (Second Lead) - Sep 17, 2009
- Food inflation dips to six-year low, relief for consumer (Second Lead) - Dec 29, 2011
- Food inflation dips to 0.42 percent; WPI may fall to 6 percent: Pranab (Lead) - Dec 29, 2011
- Inflation slips to 3.92 per cent - Feb 19, 2009
- Inflation eases to 7.25 percent; food prices remain high (Lead) - Jul 16, 2012
- Inflation eases, but food prices surge - Jul 16, 2012
- Inflation down by 6.87 percent - Aug 14, 2012
- Inflation eases to 9.22 percent in July (Lead) - Aug 16, 2011
- Inflation rises to 7.55 percent, food prices surge - Jun 14, 2012
- Inflation to remain between 6.5-7.5 percent: Mukherjee (Lead) - Jun 14, 2012
- After 13 weeks, inflation turns positive at 0.12 percent (Lead) - Sep 17, 2009


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Shows are Back!
Category: Events • May 7, 2021
- In April, two premier industry shows took place in Mexico and China with stricter health precautions, but higher than expected attendance.
- May 2-7, The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) held a conference event with exhibitors and sessions in Orlando, Fla.
- On May 4, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced McCormick Place will open July 4 and will host the Chicago Auto Show July 15.
- September kicks off The Manufacturing Technology Series regional shows co-produced by AMT and SME.
- Sept. 12-17, 2022, are set for IMTS 2022, and its floor plan will be released soon.
Are these events signaling, perhaps, a robust era for manufacturing technology worldwide?
“The success of the recent shows combined with the careful planning and anticipation for upcoming shows cannot be overstated,” said Peter Eelman, vice president and chief exhibitions officer at AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology, the owner and operator of IMTS – The International Manufacturing Technology Show. “Coming off 12 months of pandemic restrictions and supply chain challenges, interest in digital technologies and foundational manufacturing is at all-time highs.”
China International Machine Tool Show (CIMT), held April 12-17, in Beijing, China, was sponsored by the China Machine Tool and Tool Builder's Association and boasted 122,036 visitors. The decrease was just 12% from the 2019 CIMT show – and was likely a result of border restrictions. Chinese purchasing momentum has been strong since January 2021, reflecting an uptick in business and growing consumer demand.
ExpoManufactura, held April 13-15, in Monterrey, Mexico, estimated 6,000 visitors who were primarily Mexican nationals from automotive and aerospace OEMs as well as tier one and two suppliers. For the first time, AMT presented Transformative Technologies Showcase (TTS) to promote the available implementable digital technologies that Mexican manufacturers are fervently seeking after working through the past year restrictions.
In both shows, AMT's booth displayed the latest in subtractive and additive manufacturing as well as automation, digital twins, artificial intelligence, software controls, generative design, tooling, robots and cobots, and the interconnected factory using MTConnect®, the open royalty-free manufacturing communications protocol.
“AMT international staff reported enthusiasm for all things manufacturing, from improvements in foundational manufacturing on an incremental scale to the radical innovations that enable our industry to take giant leaps,” said Eelman.
As restrictions ease and vaccinations rise, industry shows are beginning to take place and be planned in the United States. The Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) held a conference event with exhibitors and sessions May 2-6 in Orlando, Fla.
Manufacturing Technology Series
AMT and SME are planning four regional shows across the country where manufacturers, distributors, and builders can meet face-to-face for the first time in 18 months. Each will focus on the specific technologies used predominately in those areas.
- HOUSTEX, Oct. 5-7, 2021, Houston, Texas
- EASTEC, Oct. 19-21, 2021, West Springfield, Mass.
- SOUTHTEC, Oct. 26-28, 2021, Greenville, S.C.
- WESTEC, Nov. 16-18, 2021, Long Beach, Calif.
IMTS 2022 will take place September 12-17, at McCormick Place in Chicago. The floor plan will soon be released. Its co-located show, HANNOVER MESSE, is also working on its floor plan. Coming off the success of IMTS spark, IMTS 2022 will encompass an online presence to augment the in-person visitor experience, while also providing access for an audience that can only attend digitally.
“I believe our industry's perceived value to public well-being has been enhanced by events of the past year,” said Eelman. “This, combined with positive economic outlooks and the return of trade events, is a trifecta for positioning our industry well for growth and expansion.”
Remember to mark your calendar. Visit the show websites and get together with your team to talk about the technologies that can improve your bottom line.


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November 30, 2023 (Poulsbo, WA) — Grundéns, producer of the world’s leading fishing apparel and footwear, today announces new Vela packaging for its complete apparel line, improving upon its previous bio-degradable packaging. Vela bags are weather resistant, durable, FSC certified paper bags that are curbside recyclable. Each year, 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide […]
Lander, Wyo. (Nov. 28, 2023) – Maven Outdoor Equipment Company, a Wyoming-based direct-to-consumer brand known for offering world-class optics at affordable prices, has expanded its award-winning lines of premium riflescopes and spotting scopes by introducing the RS1.2 Riflescope and S.3 Spotting Scope. The RS1.2 is the culmination of years of research and development, resulting in a […]
Ceaser takes the field each week wearing Kapsul’s protective neck collar to help mitigate the risk of head and neck injury
Community retailer Fleet Feet expands Charlotte footprint with run specialty acquisition
Four CrossFit athletes and one Olympic runner join Roka athlete team
Backbone will focus on elevating the brand’s awareness in existing markets and driving growth in new target markets.
SIDNEY, Neb. (Oct. 12, 2023) – Meindl USA, the exclusive provider of Meindl’s premium and handcrafted footwear in North America, is excited to introduce the EuroLight Hunter collection of men’s and women’s boots. This all-new line redefines performance and comfort in hunting footwear, offering a lightweight, durable and versatile option for a wide range of […]
SALT LAKE CITY (October 10, 2023) — Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd., a leading manufacturer and distributor of innovative, high performance, mountain sports equipment, apparel, and footwear, welcomes six new members to its global athlete and ambassador team: Angela Hawse, Adrian Ballinger, Topo Mena, Carla Perez, Karina Carsolio and Chaehyun Seo. “Each of these talented, diverse […]
PrimaLoft Bio technology offers an answer to microplastics and a solution for garments’ eventual end of life.
Salt Lake City, UT, August 27, 2020 — Ski Utah, the marketing arm of the Utah Ski and Snowboard Association, has teamed up with Backbone Media as its public relations agency of record. The lifestyle agency will lead public relations efforts for the organization, working with media to highlight the destination’s distinctive resorts and partners. […]


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MC LEAN, Va., Feb. 22, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Falcon Water Technologies and LSP Products have joined Plumbing Manufacturers International as manufacturing members.
Falcon Water Technologies
Falcon specializes in producing water-free and water-efficient urinals and other water technologies and was founded more than 20 years ago with the vision of protecting the Earth's natural resources. Falcon now supplies its products to global brand partners in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America.
The company's touchless, waterless urinal accounts for approximately 90% of the company's sales. “As the aquatic environment became more challenging, we were in the right place to be prepared,” said John Confrey, Falcon president and CEO.
Focusing on the commercial building environment, Falcon also produces a hybrid urinal that reduces water use by 98%, Confrey said. The company also markets its Intellimix faucet innovation, a touchless device that delivers a preset mix of soap and water, improving hygiene, eliminating clutter and reducing the cost of soap and water.
“We look forward to sharing Falcon’s perspective on waterless technologies as PMI continues to help plumbing manufacturers innovate to find safe, responsible plumbing solutions to the world’s water management challenges,” said Kerry Stackpole, CEO/Executive Director of PMI.
Confrey says commercial customers have become happier with installing waterless urinals because Falcon has perfected the product design to optimize drain line performance and prevent odors. Additionally, customers are not required to install water supply lines to waterless urinals unless the lines are required by law, downsizing the infrastructure, he added.
According to Falcon's website, Falcon waterless urinals contain five times less bacteria than flush faucets. Falcon's cartridges can be used with partners' glass bowls, making them water-free or more water efficient. The company says its products have saved more than 20 billion gallons of water to date.
The story goes on
With more than half of its business conducted in the United States, Falcon manufactures its products in Michigan, near Grand Rapids, and has its international headquarters in Los Angeles. The company's products have been installed at Dodgers Stadium, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Taj Mahal, London's Heathrow Airport and Barcelona's Camp Nou football stadium.
With a professional background in the water heater industry, Confrey said he heard about PMI and decided to bring Falcon into the association to take advantage of networking opportunities and stay up to date on legal, regulatory and technical issues. “If we rely on PMI to keep up with developments and share information, this will become much easier for us,” he explained.
Confrey is looking forward to his and his team’s participation in PMI. “I signed up for all the committees to make sure I knew exactly what was going on in each committee,” he explained. “But once I have a better feeling, I can choose the right person from my team to help me with any problem.”
For more information, visit falconwatertech.com.
Founded by plumbers more than 40 years ago, LSP Products focuses on providing innovative products and excellent customer service to the plumbing industry. The company started as Specialty Products and eventually changed its name to the current one.
LSP develops products that simplify installation and enable plumbing and mechanical engineers in the new construction market to save costs. With many products marked “Made in North America,” LSP is part of NCH Corporation, owned by the same family for more than 100 years and headquartered in Irving, Texas. LSP has a manufacturing facility in Monterrey, Mexico and a distribution center in Dallas, Texas.
“We are delighted that LSP has joined PMI and welcome the company’s perspective on the path and future of our industry. We also look forward to LSP team members’ involvement in PMI committees and events,” said Kerry Stackpole, CEO and Executive Director of PMI.
Paige Riddle, senior director of product management at LSP and PMI board member, will serve as LSP's primary contact with PMI. “I welcome the opportunity to lead our efforts with PMI,” she said. Riddle leads LSP's product strategy and seeks opportunities to grow and accelerate the company's business.
LSP's Rapid Fit Division manufactures universal bathtub drain sets, bathroom waste trim sets and designer finish trim sets. The company's Aqua-Flo division produces faucet and toilet connectors, including braided stainless steel connectors. Aqua-Flo has developed the first NSF-certified joint liner with patented Ultracore tubing to resist attack on the joint liner by chemicals found in most modern drinking water systems.
The company's specialty products division manufactures custom and oversized bathtub guards, washing machine drain boxes and valves, ice maker drain boxes, clamps, test caps, hangers, pipe fuse brackets, copper sockets, hammer fuses, water heater pans and many more products.
LSP's Tech Specialties/Frank Pattern Manufacturing Division produces a wide range of roof, floor and shower drains and closet flanges; The insulation department produces pipe insulation from polyolefin foam.
For more information, visit www.lspproducts.com.
Links to company logos
Falcon Water Technologies
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240222887493/en/
PMI Media Contact: Ray Valek, [email protected], 708-352-8695


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Microsoft unveiled the latest additions to its Nokia Windows Phone line-up today: the 3G Lumia 730 Dual SIM and 4G Lumia 735 'selfie phones', and the 'affordable flagship' Lumia 830. We had a bit of hands-on time with the devices earlier, but if you're already planning to buy one of them, you won't have too long to wait.
The company stated that the handsets would begin rolling out to markets around the world later this month - but as with most product launches, that doesn't mean it will be available everywhere on day one.
The United Kingdom won't be one of the very first markets to see the new devices, but Brits keen to get their hands on them will only be kept waiting an extra couple of weeks. James Guion, head of Microsoft product marketing in the UK & Ireland, said at a media briefing today that both devices will launch there in "early October".
The devices will come with the very latest firmware and OS version pre-installed - Lumia Denim with Windows Phone 8.1 Update - which means that those buying these handsets in the UK will be able to use the localized version of Cortana out of the box.
What we don't know yet is just how much the devices will cost when they go on sale in the UK. Microsoft announced guideline pricing of €330 EUR (£261 GBP) before subsidies and tax for the Lumia 830; and €219 EUR (£173 GBP) for the Lumia 735. However, exact pricing in the UK will likely differ from these direct currency conversions, and carriers will also offer their own deals on contract.


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South African Competition Tribunal fines company for raising price of face masks due to COVID-19
Since the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 virus an international health emergency, the pharmaceutical sector around the world has increased the price of its products, especially face masks.
Last week, the South African Competition Tribunal ruled that the price offered for face masks by Babelegi Workwear and Industrial Supplies CC (which is part of Babelegi) was excessive.
The Tribunal has found that Babelegi contravened section 8(1)(a) of the Competition Act by charging excessive prices for face masks that it sold to customers between 31 January 2020 and 5 March 2020 (the complaint period). The contravention relates to the sale of face Dust Mask FFP1 Pioneer (FFP1 masks).
According to the facts exposed by the Competition Tribunal, located in Pretoria, the company Babelegi considerably increased the prices of face masks on February 10 and March 5 (when South Africa announced the first case of COVID-19).
The Court considered that Babelegi took advantage of its dominance on the South African market during the pandemic crisis.
“As is clear from its pricing conduct, Babelegi exploited this crisis situation, when it successively and massively increases both its prices and mark-ups for masks during the Complaint Period …”, said the Tribunal that published some of their sentences in a Press Release. “One can reasonably infer that Babelegi had market power during the Complaint Period since it behaved to an appreciable extent independently of its competitors, customers or suppliers. Babelegi is therefore a dominant firm during the Complaint Period in terms of section 7(c) of the Act”.
The South African company was aware of the public utility of face masks for the citizens of South Africa and the court determines that they took advantage of this situation to increase the prices of their products: “Babelegi knew full well that there was a significant increase in demand for masks … and took advantage of customers and consumers amid the international Covid-19 health crisis. This leads us to conclude that Babelegi’s prices charged during the Complaint Period were to the detriment of consumers and customers”.
“It would be wholly against the public interest if Babelegi were to financially benefit from its excessive pricing conduct. This means that the administrative penalty should exceed the excess profit made by Babelegi”, said the Tribunal.
Finally, the Court sentenced Babelegi to an administrative penalty (fine) of R76,040 ($4,554.69).


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Nokia 6 Silver Appeared on Certification Website TENAA: After an official launch took place in China, the all new Nokia 6 Silver color variant showed up on a Chinese Certification Website, TENAA. It is already known that the company has launched its first Android operating smartphone, Nokia 6, in black color on Sunday by HMD Global in the Chinese market. The smartphone is said to be available only in China and will not be entering the global market. Now, the variation in colors provides an estimate in its release in Silver variant.
Nokia 6 Silver Colour Variant Shows up on Chinese Certification Website:
During the official launch, Nokia 6 Black was revealed by the HMD Global, which has all the rights to sell the Nokia products in the market. Now, the pictures of the Nokia 6 Silver variant suggests another Nokia 6 variant may be on its way to enter the market but, the details of its availability in the global market is the detail that is yet to be revealed.
From the appearance of Nokia 6 Silver on TENAA which is a Chinese Certification site, this latest Android Phone carries the codename TA1000. There were reports that this earlier spotted passing the 3C Certification and was assumed for the Nokia E1 smartphone.
If the news on the availability of Nokia 6 Silver is real, then all the variants will be operating on Android 7.0 Nougat Operating Systems. The handset comes with a 5.5-inch full-HD display enveloped in 2.5D Gorilla Glass and powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 SoC.
It comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of inbuilt memory that can be expanded using a microSD card to a particular limit. The 16 MP Rear camera comes with dual-tone flash and phase detection autofocus while there will be 8-megapixel f/2.0 camera for selfies. The dual amplifiers used produce a louder sound.
Reports say that HMD Global will be working on its own text and the voice-based virtual assistant named ‘Viki’ for its Nokia Android phones. The company said, “Nokia 6 marks the first step for the Nokia brand into Android smartphones with more to come in H1 2017”. The black variant is priced at 1,699 CNY (Rs. 16,750 approximately).


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On the border with Russia police and customs checks have been reinforced so it causes huge traffic jams.
As the charter97.org readers reported yesterday, the Belarus customs made a complete check of vans going from Russia in direction of Minsk. Frontier guards and customs officers are trying to prevent illegal transportation of fuel and other goods. For example, overnight into December 5 four cases of illegal trafficking of consumer imports were detected and in three of them the dwellers of Homel region were transporting fuel above the norm.
The detailed trucks checkout caused huge traffic jams at the border. Users of social networks made kilometer-long queues known.
Граница Россия-Беларусь. Пробка 8 км.— Don Santas (@donsantas) 6 декабря 2014
про пробку на границе РФ-РБ pic.twitter.com/gRPLR1w74e— Anton Motolko (@Motolko) 6 декабря 2014


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By Erendy Torres |Staff Writer| "We buy things we don't need, with money we don't have, to impress people we don't like," is a famous quote from the movie Fight Club. We live in a generation in which we spend more money than what we make. On Feb. 13, rapper Kanye West tweeted that he is $53 million in personal debt. "I write this to you my brothers while still 53 million dollars in personal debt... Please pray we overcome... This is my true heart..." tweeted West. West is facing a multi-million-dollar debt, yet he is still not humbling down his expenses. West and his wife Kim Kardashian, are installing a lake-sized pool in their $20 million mansion's backyard in Bel-Air, … [Read more...] about The cost of keeping up
By Angie Burkhart |Staff Writer| The consumption of Starbucks' sugary, coffee-licious beverages has become a popular trend, that, if consumed once a day, has the potential to cost you up to $1,460 a year. Starbucks, once attracting what Dan Neil of the Los Angeles Times calls "affluent, college-educated progressives, the so-called latte liberals," has become a commodity, and even a fashion accessory for some college students. Despite their wide customer base, some of the brand's loyal customers may not be so aware of its impact on their wallet and health, as well as the environment. As a college student on a budget, have you ever wondered what your Starbucks habit is costing you … [Read more...] about What You Didn’t Know About Starbucks?
By Emmanuel Gutierrez |Staff Writer| Are you aware of the fees you pay? CSUSB has adopted “Success Fees” in 2011 to improve programs and services and increase timely graduation rates. The fees are meant to improve advising and tutoring programs, career services, improved wireless access technologies, online-course delivery and improved “smart classrooms,” according to Huffington Post. “There is a greater push to provide online instruction, greater attention to wireless technology(eduroam),” said Dr. Mayo Toruño, professor and chair of the economics department. “I have no way of knowing, however, whether these changes are directly related to the implementation of the ‘Success … [Read more...] about Students question success fee


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The greenback extended its recent winning streak and rose to fresh 16-month highs against its peers on Wednesday as hawkish comments from Federal Reserve officials increased speculation that the Fed will tighten monetary policy as well as raise rate in a faster pace than expected.
Reuters reported San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Mary Daly said on Wednesday she could see the argument for accelerating the pace of the central bank's taper and would be open to doing so if inflation remains elevated and jobs growth stays strong. "If things continue to do what they've been doing, then I would completely support an accelerated pace of tapering," Daly said during an interview with Yahoo Finance published on Wednesday. Daly said she would like to see more economic reports on inflation and hiring and to discuss the approach with her Fed colleagues before deciding.
More from Reuters, the new orders for U.S.-made capital goods increased solidly in October, suggesting a rebound in business spending on equipment early in the fourth quarter. Orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, rose 0.6% last month, the Commerce Department said on Wednesday. These so-called core capital goods orders gained 1.3% in September.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast core capital goods orders climbing 0.5%. Part of the increase last month likely reflected higher prices amid global shortages of goods.
Versus the Japanese yen, dollar met renewed selling at 115.23 in Asian morning and dropped to session lows at 114.83 in early European morning. However, price erased its losses and rallied to a fresh 3-year peak at 115.51 in New York on usd's broad-based strength before stabilising.
The single currency remained under pressure in Asia and dropped below Tuesday's 1.1227 low to 1.1204 in European morning. The pair continued to ratchet lower and hit a fresh 16-month trough at 1.1187 in New York morning on usd's continued strength before staging a short-covering rebound to 1.1205.
The British pound traded sideways in Asia before edging up to session highs at 1.3389 at European open on cross-buying of sterling especially vs euro. However, the pair then met renewed selling there and fell to a fresh 10-month trough at 1.3317 in New York afternoon before trading sideways.
According to Reuters, British industrial orders surged this month with a growth measure hitting its highest since at least 1977 and price expectations among manufacturers also climbed to a 44-year high, according to a survey published on Wednesday.
The Confederation of British Industry's monthly manufacturers' order book balance leapt to +26 in November from +9 in October, well above the average forecast of +13 in a Reuters poll of economists. The reading was the highest since the CBI series started in April 1977.
Data to be released on Thursday:
New Zealand imports, trade balance, exports, Australia capital expenditure, building capex, Japan coincident index, leading indicator, Germany GDP, Gfk consumer sentiment, Italy trade balance, U.S. Market Holiday and Canada average weekly earnings.
Trendsetter does not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, timeliness or completeness to its service or information contained therein. Trendsetter does not give, whatsoever, warranties, expressed or implied, to the results to be obtained by using its services or information it provided. Users are trading on their own risk and Trendsetter shall not be responsible under any circumstances for the consequences of such activities. Trendsetter and its affiliates, in no event, be liable to users or any third parties for any consequential damages, however arising, including but not limited to damages caused by negligence whether such damages were foreseen or unforeseen.


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The net result of the credit card legislation is that millions of young Americans simply won't be able to get a credit card at all because of the new restrictions. That could be a problem.
Read Whole Story
Being in debt is about to get a lot more expensive for millions of Americans. Credit card issuers have been rushing to raise rates in advance of this ...
Guess who's going to get screwed by the "Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act"? Responsible people who pay their bills on time!
We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to end the abusive and predatory practices of the credit card companies.
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Thu, 12 Feb 2015
Marcel Dettmann is releasing a double-vinyl, eight track compilation on his self-styled label.
Mon, 22 Dec 2014
We take a look at what's going down in Deutschland this Silvester.
Fri, 18 Jul 2014
Post a comment
Emika and Paula Temple will also help the Munich venue celebrate its latest milestone.
Thu, 26 Sep 2013
The hardware techno duo are also giving their first EP away digitally.
Thu, 18 Apr 2013
The label has revealed details of its next three events.
Fri, 14 Dec 2012
We take a look at what's happening around Deutschland this Silvester.
Thu, 13 Dec 2012
The UK bass artists are billed for an edition of Basswerkstatt later this month.
Tue, 1 Nov 2011
Ahead of his three month tour across Europe and the Americas, Jaar will release two new tracks online this week.
Fri, 5 Aug 2016
Bob Beaman Club
Sat, 6 Aug 2016
Sat, 20 Aug 2016
Fri, 26 Aug 2016
Sat, 27 Aug 2016
Fri, 9 Sep 2016
Harry Klein/ Pacha/ Rote Sonne/ Bob Beaman


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Wall Street analysts predict that Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE:PII) will post sales of $1.78 billion for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks. Eight analysts have issued estimates for Polaris Industries’ earnings. The highest sales estimate is $1.80 billion and the lowest is $1.77 billion. Polaris Industries posted sales of $1.50 billion in the same quarter last year, which suggests a positive year-over-year growth rate of 18.7%. The business is scheduled to report its next quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 24th.
According to Zacks, analysts expect that Polaris Industries will report full year sales of $6.80 billion for the current financial year, with estimates ranging from $6.76 billion to $6.84 billion. For the next fiscal year, analysts forecast that the company will post sales of $7.06 billion, with estimates ranging from $7.02 billion to $7.11 billion. Zacks’ sales averages are an average based on a survey of sell-side analysts that that provide coverage for Polaris Industries.
Polaris Industries (NYSE:PII) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 23rd. The company reported $1.08 EPS for the quarter, beating the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.92 by $0.16. Polaris Industries had a return on equity of 46.89% and a net margin of 5.22%. The firm had revenue of $1.50 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.50 billion. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.08 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 15.3% on a year-over-year basis.
Shares of PII traded up $0.95 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $89.74. 11,246 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 734,071. Polaris Industries has a 52 week low of $70.27 and a 52 week high of $131.25. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.31, a current ratio of 1.31 and a quick ratio of 0.39. The company has a market capitalization of $5.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.75, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 1.17.
The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, June 17th. Investors of record on Monday, June 3rd will be given a dividend of $0.61 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, May 31st. This represents a $2.44 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.72%. Polaris Industries’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 37.20%.
In related news, insider Stephen L. Eastman sold 8,028 shares of Polaris Industries stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $97.97, for a total transaction of $786,503.16. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 17,706 shares in the company, valued at $1,734,656.82. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, Director Kevin M. Farr bought 1,125 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, February 26th. The shares were bought at an average price of $88.59 per share, for a total transaction of $99,663.75. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 15,604 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,382,358.36. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. 2.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.
A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of PII. Fifth Third Bancorp raised its position in shares of Polaris Industries by 2.7% during the 1st quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 4,576 shares of the company’s stock worth $386,000 after purchasing an additional 121 shares during the last quarter. CAPROCK Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Polaris Industries by 3.1% during the first quarter. CAPROCK Group Inc. now owns 4,192 shares of the company’s stock worth $354,000 after purchasing an additional 128 shares during the period. Arizona State Retirement System boosted its holdings in shares of Polaris Industries by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 41,682 shares of the company’s stock worth $3,196,000 after purchasing an additional 137 shares during the period. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Polaris Industries by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 57,495 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,409,000 after purchasing an additional 144 shares during the period. Finally, Alexandria Capital LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Polaris Industries by 0.9% during the first quarter. Alexandria Capital LLC now owns 16,282 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,375,000 after purchasing an additional 150 shares during the period. 80.00% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.
Polaris Industries Company Profile
Polaris Industries Inc designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets power sports vehicles worldwide. It operates in five segments: ORV/Snowmobiles, Motorcycles, Global Adjacent Markets, Aftermarket, and Boats. The company offers off-road vehicles (ORVs), including all-terrain vehicles and side-by-side vehicles; snowmobiles and snow bike conversion kit systems; motorcycles; low emission, light duty hauling, passenger, and industrial vehicles; and boats.
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A passion for cycling and a strong entrepreneurial flair proved a winning combination for a young Corkman who has landed a sought-after slot, next week, at the last Web Summit to be held in Dublin.
Brían French, who set up his fledgling company The Bike Box Club had been, last July, a finalist in Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur Awards 2015.
He says it is the world’s first-ever subscription box service for cyclists.
The enterprising ‘20-something’ from Blackpool also submitted a winning entry to the Web Summit’s Alpha Programme to exhibit in the RDS, next week, over three days from November 3-5.
“Essentially, The Bike Box Club is a start-up business,” says the 24-year-old who has a passion for cycling.
He set up the service after realising that although most cyclists love trendy biking gear and are fascinated by the latest biking technology and nutrition, they often don’t have the time to source the products themselves.
“I know cyclists want access to really cool specialist cycling nutrition, gear, equipment and bike technology.” The Bike Box Club, he explains, is essentially a “global membership club” for cyclists – it sources top new biking products for members and provides up-to-the-minute information for members.
Brian’s company sources and curates the products and then despatches a box of the best to signed-up members on a monthly basis.
“We send our members deliveries of the newest and most specialised cycling products from across the world,” explains Brían.
His company selects bespoke biking products, everything from sports apparel to nutrition, on the basis of seasonal needs and current cycling trends for members who pay from €21 a month for the service.
“Our knowledge of sports nutrition, bike equipment and the latest cycling trends in terms of apparel and technology allows Bikebox to partner with the brands and companies that our members value.
“The products that feature in the monthly deliveries are tested and frequently used by the Bikebox staff,” said Brian.
He has about 100 biking fans, male and female, ranging from 30-somethings to cyclists in their fifties, already signed up to the service.
“These are committed cycling enthusiasts – this is a membership club for people who share a passion for cycling, although the majority would be recreational cyclists.”
For more information visit www.thebikeboxclub.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheBikeboxClub
© Irish Examiner Ltd. All rights reserved


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Textiles, Apparel and Luxury Goods
Company Overview of Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A.
Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A. designs and retails fashion and leather goods for men and women. It offers handbags, travel products, wallets and small leather goods, agendas, fashion jewelry, sunglasses, books and pens, shoes, watches, fine jewelry, ready-to-wear products, bags, and perfumes, as well as belts, scarves, and accessories. The company was founded in 1854 and is based in Paris, France. Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A. operates as a subsidiary of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.E.
2, rue du Pont-Neuf
Founded in 1854
33 1 55 80 31 24
33 1 55 80 32 74
Key Executives for Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A.
Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A. does not have any Key Executives recorded.
Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A. Key Developments
Louis Vuitton Introduces Seven New Perfumes
Aug 22 16
Louis Vuitton Malletier has introduced seven new perfumes. Inspired by emotions and suspended moments, Louis Vuitton perfume encompasses seven olfactory journeys, seven creations to accompany women to any destination on a journey that begins on bare skin. Louis Vuitton perfumes will be available exclusively at Louis Vuitton stores beginning in September. To embody the new fragrance collection, the Maison chose Lea Seydoux, already a Louis Vuitton muse. The French actress will be the face of the perfumes in a campaign to be released in fall 2016.
LV Announces Earnings Results for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2015; Provides Earnings Guidance for the Year of 2015
Sep 8 15
LV announced earnings results for the six months ended June 30, 2015. The company has reported a 52% increase in operating profit for the six months ending 30 June 2015 to £70 million from £46 million in the same period of 2014. Underwriting profit jumped 152% to £53 million from £21 million in the prior year period and premium income increased from £720 million in the first half of 2014 to £729 million this year.
The outlook for the remainder of the year of 2015 is positive. The company believes proposition of great customer service, competitively priced products, and well recognised brand means LV is in a strong position for future profitable growth.
HUL Is Reportedly In Talks To Buy Indulekha
Jun 24 15
Hindustan Unilever Limited (BSE:500696) (HUL) is in advanced discussions with Mosons Extractions Pvt. Ltd. to buy the Indulekha brand of hair care products, including an ayurvedic hair grooming oil and shampoo, for around INR 5 billion, according to two people close to the development. Several companies, including Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting Ltd. and L Capital Asia Advisors PLC, Louis Vuitton Malletier, S.A., dropped out of the race to acquire Indulekha citing valuation-related concerns, added the two people, who asked not to be identified. The owners of Mosons Extractions wanted INR 6 billion for the brand, one of the two added. If the negotiations are successful, HUL will buy all products under the Indulekha brand, including Bringha Ayurvedic Hair Oil, Bringha Selfie Bottle Hair Oil, Coconut Milk Shampoo, skin care oil, skin care cream and Acrot Natural Face Mask, the second person added. Anand Rathi Financial Services Limited is advising Mosons, the first person said. “We will conclude a deal with a potential investor after reaching a consensus on valuation of the brand,” said Afnas P., Chief Executive Officer of Mosons Extractions. He declined to share further details. A spokesperson for HUL declined to comment, reported Mint.
Similar Private Companies By Industry
Recent Private Companies Transactions
|No transactions available in the past 12 months.|


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Mark Sumner, University of Leeds
The fashion industry has some major sustainability problems. By 2030, it is predicted that the industry’s water consumption will grow by 50% to 118 billion cubic metres, its carbon footprint will increase to 2,791m tonnes and the amount of waste it creates will hit 148m tonnes.
These predictions are in spite of significant progress being made by brands and retailers to minimise their impact. Many are using sustainable cotton initiatives to reduce water, energy and chemical use, new dyeing technology to reduce water consumption by up to 50% as well as numerous energy and … Read the rest


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Waterloo Region COVID-19: Stay-at-home order now in effect
KITCHENER -- A stay-at-home order has come into effect in Waterloo Region and across Ontario.
The province has also declared a third state of emergency.
“The COVID-19 situation is at a critical stage and we must act quickly and decisively to stay ahead of these deadly new variants,” said Premier Doug Ford in a news release. “By imposing these strict new measures we will keep people safe while allowing our vaccination program to reach more people, starting with our high-risk population and identified hot spots. Although this is difficult, I urge everyone to follow these public health measures and together we will defeat this deadly virus.”
The order came into effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday and stay in effect for four weeks.
"Unless it's for an essential reason, please stay home," Ford said at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Provincial officials say people should only leave their homes for essential purposes, like going to the grocery store or pharmacy, accessing health-care services, exercising outdoors and for work that can't be done remotely.
Under the order, all retail stores except for grocery stores and pharmacies will close to in-person shopping. Big box stores can only sell essential goods such as groceries, household cleaning supplies, pharmacy items, health-care items, personal care items and pet care supplies. Garden centres and nurseries can operate at 25 per cent capacity.
Local malls will only be allowed to offer curbside pickup, which must be done at designated sites and by appointment only.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce said schools won't close under the stay-at-home order, although Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph has closed classes for in-person learning until at least April 18 following a Section 22 order from local Medical Officer of Health Dr. Nicola Mercer.
Waterloo Region's Medical Officer of Health said people should prepare for the possibility of moving to online learning after April break. She said she's monitoring case counts closely.
Waterloo Region reported 63 more COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases rose to 12,333, including 11,680 resolved ones and 243 deaths.
Shoppers were out in the region in droves on Wednesday evening in anticipation of the restriction changes.
"You see the lineup here, everwhere has got a lineup now, it's just ridiculous," said one shopper at The Boardwalk. "So as of midnight everything's shut down, but right now it's a free for all."
While some told CTV News they were just there for essential supplies for them and their family, another had a more specific task in mind.
"It's my son's fourth birthday in a couple weeks, so this will be the second birthday he has been locked down for, half of his life," he said. "I just wanted to get him a couple extra presents so we can celebrate."
With files from CTVNewsToronto.ca


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What is happening to Surface Trade between the NAFTA Countries?
Trade using surface transportation between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners, Canada and Mexico, was 6.6 percent higher in June 2012 than in June 2011, totaling $82.6 billion, unadjusted for inflation according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Adjusted for inflation and exchange rates, the June 2012 total was $61.0 billion in 2004 dollars, up 11.0 percent from June 2011.
BTS, a part of the Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the June 2012 value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico rose 11.4 percent from June 2008, seven months into the recession, and 62.8 percent from June 2009, at the end of the recession.
The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico in June increased by 79.0 percent compared to June 2002, a period of 10 years. Imports in June were up 69.7 percent since June 2002, while exports were up 90.8 percent. Surface transportation includes freight movements by truck, rail, pipeline, mail, Foreign Trade Zones, and vessel. In June, 87.7 percent of U.S. trade by value with Canada and Mexico moved via land, 8.3 percent moved by vessel, and 4.0 percent moved by air.
In June, the value of railed imports between the United States and Canada rose 16.6 percent to $6 billion and value of railed exports soared 25.5 percent to $3 billion. The value of railed imports between the United States and Mexico climbed 16.1 percent to $3.3 billion and value of railed exports increased 7.7 percent to $2.3 billion.
For the same month, the value of trucked imports between the United States and Canada rose 2 percent to $12 billion and value of trucked exports jumped 6.4 percent to $18 billion. The value of trucked imports between the United States and Mexico climbed 8.7 percent to 15.6 billion and value of trucked exports increased 9.6 percent to $11.8 billion.
The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico decreased 1.4 percent in June 2012 from May 2012. It should be noted that truck imports and exports between the United States, Canada and Mexico declined between May and June 2012, while rail imports and exports continue to be strong. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.
U.S. trade by surface transportation with Mexico has increased at a faster pace than trade with Canada. U.S.-Canada and U.S.-Mexico surface transportation trade in June 2012 both increased compared to June 2011 with U.S.-Canada trade reaching $48.4 billion, a 5.0 percent increase, and U.S.-Mexico trade reaching $34.2 billion, an 8.8 percent increase.
In June, Michigan led all states in surface trade with Canada, at $6.5 billion, a 4.5 percent increase from June 2011. Michigan was followed by Illinois, California, Ohio and Texas. Of the top 10 states by value, California had the largest percentage increase over June 2011, at 55.1 percent. The largest commodity that is traded between California and Canada, vehicles, increased 171.6 percent from June 2011 to June 2012 to $1.66 billion.
The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada by surface modes of transportation in June was vehicles, valued at $9.9 billion. This was followed by oil and gas, computer related machinery and parts, electrical machinery and equipment and plastics.
Texas continued to lead all states in surface trade with Mexico at $12.4 billion, an 11.0 percent increase from June 2011. Of the top 10 states by value, Tennessee had the biggest percentage increase, 21.1 percent, primarily because of a 31.0 percent increase from June 2011 in trade in computer related machinery. The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Mexico by surface modes of transportation in June was electrical machinery with $7.0 billion in trade.


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On July 21, 2004, the Iowa Supreme Court issued an opinion in the case of Windway v. Midland Power Cooperative, ordering Midland to allow net metering to the owner of a 65-kilowatt wind turbine. [See story at IREC website.]
Under net metering, a retail energy consumer with a small generator is only billed by the electric utility for the net power consumption over the billing period. In the Iowa case, the cooperative wanted to charge the retail consumer the retail price for power the consumer took from the system, and pay the retail consumer a lower “avoided cost” rate for any power the consumer put back into the system. The plaintiffs wanted to to be paid at the higher retail rate for power put back into the system.
The Iowa Supreme Court decided for the plaintiffs on the grounds that the underlying law, PURPA, was intended to encourage renewable resource development, and paying the (higher) retail rate would encourage renewable resources more than paying the (lower) avoided cost rate. In a dissenting opinion, a judge argued that PURPA required payment of a rate not higher than the incremental cost to the utility (i.e., the avoided cost), and the retail rate “is manifestly not the cost to the utility.”
After citing the dissenting opinion, IREC commented, “This argument is well reasoned, but not the majority opinion.”
Economically, the arguments in favor of net metering are all mush. If I picked apples from a tree in my backyard and took them into the supermarket, should the supermarket have to pay me the retail price for my apples? The cooperative’s proposal to charge retail for amounts consumed and pay avoided costs for amounts produced by the generator-equipped customer seems a little more reasonable, at least as a matter of logic.
Of course the inefficiency created by overpaying a few net metered customers must be tiny compared to the inefficiencies created by flat-rate cost-of-service based pricing of retail electricity. I’d be more sympathetic to utilities’ concerns about their other customers being required, in effect, to provide a subsidy to the net-metered few if the utilities were similarly concerned about the numerous other cross-subsidies created by their flat-rate pricing structures.


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Why dish sponges can get in the way of your cleanup: study
According to researchers in Norway, sponges harbor more bacteria than kitchen brushes, which could be a more hygienic way to clean your dishes.
“Salmonella and other bacteria grow and survive better in sponges than in brushes,” said Trond Møretrø, a research scientist at Nofima, a Norwegian food research institute.
Møretrø, author of a new study published online in the Journal of Applied Microbiology, said: “A single sponge can contain more bacteria than humans on Earth.
Although many bacteria are not harmful, those – like salmonella – can spread from sponges to hands, kitchen surfaces and equipment and potentially make people sick, he said.
“The sponge gets wet and accumulates food residue that is also a food for bacteria, leading to rapid bacterial growth.”
What surprised the researchers most about their findings was that it didn’t really matter how or how often people cleaned their sponges.
“The way consumers use their sponges doesn’t have much of an effect on bacterial growth,” says Møretrø.
The study on used sponges and brushes builds on a lab-based study published last year by the same team of researchers, which found that harmful bacteria survive in Better sponge in brush.
In the United States, the USDA says that microwaved or boiled kitchen sponges can reduce “some bacterial loads,” but these measures alone are not enough to ensure your sponge will stay healthy. reduce cross-contamination. It is recommended that you buy new ones regularly.
This research is part of a European Union-supported project on food safety.
SPONGE VS BRUSH
The researchers collected kitchen sponges from 20 people living in Portugal and 35 brushes and 14 sponges from people living in Norway.
An earlier survey of 9,966 people by the research team found that sponges are commonly used for cleaning in kitchens in most 10 European countries, with brushes being the main cleaning tool for washing in just two countries – Norway and Denmark.
All of the sponges were used for dishwashing – pots and pans, and 19 of the 20 sponges from Portugal were used five to six times a week or more often. Of the brushes collected in Norway, 32 of the 35 brushes were used 5 to 6 times a week or more. Sponges collected in Norway are used less often.
No pathogenic (pathogenic) bacteria were found in the brush or sponge. However, the overall level of bacteria in used brushes is lower than in sponges. The same two types of non-pathogenic bacteria were also found in the two cleaning tools.
When the researchers added salmonella bacteria to brushes and sponges, they found a significant reduction in the amount of salmonella bacteria in the brushes that were left to dry overnight. But there was no reduction for brushes stored in plastic bags or for sponges regardless of storage conditions.
Owners of sponges and brushes shared how long they usually use the sponge or brush and how they keep their cleaning supplies clean – wash with water, wash with soap and water, for in the dishwasher or bleach.
However, none of this made a tangible difference – which surprised the researchers. The bottom line of the study was that brushes, which were dry after use, had lower bacteria counts.
“Because brushes dry so quickly, harmful bacteria die,” he says. “Also, most brushes have a handle to prevent you from directly exposing your hands to potentially harmful bacteria, as opposed to sponges”.
“I encourage consumers to try changing their brush the next time they need to change their sponge.”
While the study authors recommend using bristles over the sponge, Cath Rees, a professor of microbiology at the University of Nottingham who was not involved in the study, said she will continue to use sponges for washing. dishes. For her, the bottom line is that it’s a good idea to dry the sponge and dishcloth between uses.
“The main message I received was that they did not find any evidence of pathogenic bacteria on sponges or brushes obtained from multiple establishments in the country and therefore there is no evidence that these items is a significant source of pollution in the normal living environment”. Rees said.
“If there are some low level pathogens left on your fabric, they will grow quite slowly (they grow optimally at body temperature), so you wouldn’t expect to see them grow much. and this is consistent with their results – in wet conditions there is some limited growth, in dry conditions the numbers either stay the same or decrease,” she explains.
Markus Egert, a microbiologist at the University of Furtwangen in Germany who has done similar research, said he used a brush to wash his dishes, which he cleaned in the dishwasher. If people prefer a sponge, Egert, who was not involved in this study, recommends using a new sponge every two to three weeks.
“Brushes are a better choice for cleaning dishes, from a hygienic point of view. This could have been predicted, but the authors have proven it with some nice experiments. However, based on my experience, people prefer to use sponges.”


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Thursday, 9 December 2021: Electricity supply to Tembisa substation has been affected due to a failed transformer that supplies the City of Ekurhuleni’s (CoE) Tembisa customers.
Eskom has submitted an application for a permit to the Traffic Department to transport the transformer to Tembisa substation. We are therefore awaiting approvals from the authorities for the permit, in order to start the supply restoration process. The estimated time of restoration is 18 December 2021.
Eskom apologises for the inconvenience caused, as it works on restoring supply to the affected substation.
We are engaging the CoE and we will continue to communicate as more information becomes available. CoE customers are advised to contact the municipality directly for all their electricity-related enquiries. The municipality can be contacted on telephone number: 0860 543 000, or the City’s website: www.ekurhuleni.gov.za or their customer contact centres.


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Starbucks today announced new social gifting integrations with the popular WeChat app in China that could pave the way for future partnerships with apps like Facebook Messenger in the U.S.
The Seattle-based coffee giant will partner with Chinese tech giant Tencent to co-create a new social gifting feature on WeChat, the messaging app used by 846 million people per month. It will allow customers to give Starbucks products to friends using WeChat in China, which has become a key market for Starbucks. The feature builds off WeChat’s red envelope feature, which is based on a Chinese gifting tradition and lets people send money to family and friends digitally.
“This is an incredible moment in time for all of us at Starbucks and Tencent as we combine our strengths to create a true online-to-offline social gifting platform, reimagined at Starbucks,” Starbucks China CEO Belinda Wong said at the company’s investor event in New York City.
Starbucks also announced that customers in China can also now use WeChat Pay, the app’s mobile payment system, to buy products at Starbucks.
So what does this mean for consumers in Starbucks’ home country?
The closest U.S. comparison to WeChat is Facebook, and specifically Facebook Messenger. Both are messaging apps at the core, but also aim to be the remote control for our digital lives. I saw this in person on my China trip last year, where it seemed that everybody was using WeChat to not only communicate with friends and family but also purchase items, hail taxi rides, pay light bills, booking doctor appointments, and much more.
Facebook Messenger, meanwhile, continues to add more features within the app like payments and games that mimic what WeChat is already doing in China. The app reached 1 billion active users per month in July.
Today’s WeChat-Starbucks announcement may foreshadow similar partnerships for Starbucks with companies in the U.S. like Facebook, which could build gifting functionality into its Messenger app that makes it easy for people to give friends and family Starbucks items. It’s a win-win deal — more usage for Facebook on Messenger, and more revenue opportunities for Starbucks.
Wong, the Starbucks China CEO and a 17-year veteran of the company, said today that “we aspire to be the most-gifted brand on the digital platform in China.” To do the same in the U.S., it will likely need to partner with companies like Facebook, which owns both Messenger and WhatsApp.
Starbucks on Wednesday also unveiled a new feature in its mobile app called “My Starbucks Barista,” which uses artificial intelligence and chatbots for an “innovative conversational ordering system.”


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Research - Divorce - Costliest divorces in UK Britain
£50m divorce costs fcuk boss control of
firm By Jenny Davey and Stefanie Marsh
French Connection’s founder faces a record payout as
his marriage ends
IN MARRIAGE he built up one of Britain’s
most profitable fashion empires. But in divorce, Stephen Marks,
the millionaire behind the controversial French Connection
brand, is likely to incur one of his greatest financial losses.
His divorce is likely to result in the largest
payout in British history.
Yesterday Mr Marks, the multi-millionaire chairman
and founder of French Connection, sold almost £40 million
of shares in the clothing retailer to part-finance a hefty
settlement thought eventually to be costing him £50
The sale follows an acrimonious split from Alisa, his wife
of ten years and mother of his three children.
It is understood that the share sell-off forms part of a much
larger deal with his estranged wife, in which he has already
bought her a new mansion in South Kensington and handed over
their holiday home in the Caribbean island of St Barts.
The share sell-off was exposed after French Connection issued
a statement to the Stock Exchange attempting to reassure investors
that the sale had no bearing on the health of the business.
The controversial fcuk advertising campaign, devised by Trevor
Beattie, has built hugely on the company’s success,
although it resulted in the banning of the logos in some towns
The company’s fcuk for England campaign, which was introduced
in tandem with Euro 2004, has caused widespread complaints
from shoppers who say that the acronym is offensive.
The company’s statement yesterday would only say that
Mr Marks’s share sale had been to meet personal requirements.
It is thought that Mr Marks was forbidden from discussing
the share sale after signing a strict confidentiality agreement
with his wife.
Nevertheless, news of the sell-off wiped 29½p, equivalent
to 6 per cent, off French Connection’s share price.
After the sale, Mr Marks will no longer have a majority stake
in the company, which he founded in 1969.
Depending upon the final number of shares sold, French Connection
said he would own between 41.9 per cent and 42.9 per cent
of the business.
Ironically, City investment funds had been begging Mr Marks
to trim his large stake in the company for months, to allow
them to buy more shares.
Friends of the 58-year-old Mr Marks said that he was deeply
upset by the process and the way his private life has been
brought into the public eye. His time away from home working
is thought to have taken a heavy toll on the marriage.
Before the split last year, Alisa, 38, a former fashion magazine
editor, worked at French Connection under the title creative
director. However, since her break-up with Mr Marks, the company
has attempted to play down her role, insisting that it was
largely an honorary title and that her job was little more
than a stylist, who also organised photoshoots and dealt with
advertising campaigns and mail-order catalogues.
A spokesman for the company said: Alisa left last May. She
never really had a structured role at the company. Creative
director was more of an honorary title.
It is understood that Ms Marks moved out of the couple’s
shared £20 million home in Chelsea’s most upmarket
street. The Boltons at the end of last year.
Mr Marks is thought to be still living at the Chelsea home.
He also still owns a house in the Hamptons, in Long Island,
Before marrying Alisa, Mr Marks had a previous long-term relationship
with Nicole Farhi, the fashion designer. The couple had one
Mr Marks, the son of a Harrow hairdresser, began his career
in fashion after giving up hope of a becoming a professional
In his youth he once played at junior Wimbledon and recently
paid to play doubles with Tim Henman on Centre Court.
He started his career as a salesman for a womenswear company,
selling coats in the 1960s.
After six years Mr Marks decided to start his own label and
commissioned Pierre DAlby, a Parisian designer, to come up
with ideas for the clothes. He later became the inspiration
for the company’s name.
Today French Connection is one of Britain’s most successful
brands, but it had an inauspicious start after Mr Marks attempted
to flood the market by buying 3,000 cheesecloth shirts at
£1 each from a dealer in India.
The deal did not quite turn out as he planned when, after
ordering half with long sleeves and half with short sleeves,
the shirts arrived with one arm of each length. News of the
share sale came as French Connection said that trading at
its British high street shops had been weak so far this year,
compared with some exceptionally strong trading over the same
period last year.
Despite the poor start to the year, the company said that
its wholesale business, which involves selling its clothes
in advance to department stores, had more than compensated
and overall it expected its performance to meet investors
The businessman in Stephen Marks may shudder at the cost of
his wife leaving, as his divorce heads the rich list of expensive
• Pamela and Steve Morgan: an affair cost the Jersey-based
building tycoon an estimated £100 million, including
an estimated £26 million stake in the company, although
the settlement has never been made public.
• Abdullah Mastry and Mona al-Khatib: a British court
ordered Mr Mastry to pay his former wife £26.3 million
after he abducted his four children from their London home
two years ago. Mr Masry, who is thought to be worth £150
million, is calling for the settlement to be overturned, arguing
that he considers himself to be subject to Sharia which does
not recognise divorce.
• Harry and Shan Lambert: in 2002, Ms Lambert, a plumber's
daughter, won an appeal giving her an equal share of the newspaper
tycoon Harry Lambert's £20 million fortune. She argued
that, as a wife and mother, she had been an equal partner
in his business.
• Zeta and François Graff: Greek-born actress
Ms Graff was handed at least £10 million of the diamond
heir's estimated £157 million estate, claiming that
she was used as a promotional tool. She celebrated the settlement
with a caseload of £600 bottles of vintage Cristal champagne.
• Ian and Jan Gowrie Smith: Mr Gowrie Smith, the flamboyant
Australian City entrepreneur, cut one of his worst deals when
he agreed to pay his former wife Jan almost £10 million
and hand over the marital home in Chelsea. He also was forced
to hand over the bulk of his share in the company that he
created and named after the couple’s daughter, Skye.
• Terence and Caroline Conran: Ms Conran won a landmark
case against her interior designer husband when she was awarded
£10 million in 1996.
His case was not helped by tactless comments he made at the
time. "All she did was cook a few dinners," he said,
so unwittingly setting a precedent for hundreds of stay-at-home


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High resolution images of the new 2017 Mercedes-Benz SL have leaked online a week ahead of its debut.
German automobile manufacturer Mercedes-Benz's latest luxury model, the 2017 Mercedez-Benz SL, has been spotted online after several images of the upcoming roadster appeared in European press websites just before its official unveiling this coming Friday at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Several days before the leak, Mercedes-Benz released a teaser featuring the new facelift of its updated SL model, showing a new front-end design that appeared to have been cast in the same mold as the Mercedes-AMG GT.
Based on the leaked images, the front of the model features a larger and updated diamond radiator grille.
The redesign features pronouncedly rounded headlamp clusters, more noticeable vents, and the company's signature three-pointed star bracketed by horizontal wings in a brand new alloy wheel configuration in a black finish.
Apart from the new bonnet and front bumper, the Mercedes-Benz SL appears to have made use of a large amount of chrome, as well as bigger front air intakes.
The new grille and bumper also carries running daytime LED lights, which Mercedes-Benz is now fitting in its models as a standard feature, as well as high-performance Continental tires.
Inside the Mercedes-Benz SL, a state-of-the-art infotainment system is teamed with an updated gear knob, and a steering wheel with a new flat-bottom design.
At the rear of the roadster, the SL features a new bumper, red lenses in its revised tail lamps, and a boot lid spoiler.
While the complete technical specifications of the upcoming model have yet to be released, it is rumored the Mercedes-Benz SL will feature refreshed powertrain options for increased power with an improved economy.
Speculations have been running rampant the Mercedes-Benz SL will still be carrying the same engine range as previous models, which may point to either an SL400 or SL500, or an AMG SL63 or AMG SL65.
The Mercedes-Benz SL is expected to make its debut at the LA Auto Show that takes place at Los Angeles Convention Center from November 20 to 29.


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Party also proposes to tighten emissions performance standard to encourage carbon capture and storage on power plants
Labour this week moved to beef up the government's Energy Bill, proposing a series of new amendments designed to accelerate investment in green infrastructure, including a rigorous decarbonisation target...
Plus all the top green business news from around the world
Shell, Gasunie, and Groningen Seaports launch ambitious plans to build green hydrogen hub for northern Europe
The Loop circular packaging model is fast taking shape, and the company behind it insists conventional retailers still have a huge role to play in its success


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When it comes to finding information about coronavirus, there’s no shortage of online resources. That can include specific infection numbers in your area, tips on going back to restaurants again, when to expect a vaccine and just about anything else you can think of.
Sadly, there is just as much misinformation that you need to avoid, too, like a contact tracing hoax that’s spreading on Facebook. Tap or click here to find out what’s really going on.
But, to stay informed there’s one key element that we all need: internet access. Staying online has become a real problem for many who have been affected by the negative economic repercussions brought on by COVID-19, and that’s only going to get more difficult at the end of this month.
Keep America Connected Pledge is ending
Tens of millions of Americans are being kept home from work because of the pandemic. Many people, especially hourly workers and those paid by tips or by the job, simply won’t be paid.
In March, at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, a number of America’s internet providers and other tech companies promised to keep your service going even if you couldn’t pay the bill. T-Mobile, CenturyLink, Cox, AT&T, Cable One, Verizon — virtually every U.S. internet provider — promised they wouldn’t interrupt your personal or business internet service for 60 days, or as long as the emergency lasts, even if you can’t pay the bill. It’s called the Keep Americans Connected pledge.
RELATED: 10 ways coronavirus has changed your daily life
The pledge meant not only would late fees be waived but those struggling financially wouldn’t lose internet service. And many providers eliminated data caps under the pledge. Unfortunately, the pledge is about to end. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said Friday that the pledge expires June 30.
What does the pledge expiring mean to you?
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai sent a letter to Congress last week asking them to come up with legislation that would help keep consumers and small businesses connected over the coming months after the Keep America Connected Pledge expires.
You may also like: Products falsely claiming to kill COVID-19 being pulled from shelves
“I believe now is the time for legislation to ensure that doctors and patients, students and teachers, low-income families and veterans, those who have lost their jobs and livelihoods due to the pandemic and the accompanying lockdowns, those in our cities and those in the countryside — in short, all Americans — remain connected until this emergency ends,” Pai said in the letter.
He also asked internet providers to not disconnect consumers and small businesses who are behind on their bills in July. Instead, Pai suggested offering customers the option of extended payment plans and deferred payment arrangements. The good news is many companies have agreed.
While Congress looks for a long-term solution, you might have the option to strike a deal with your internet provider to keep your service connected. Your best course of action is to contact your provider and find out what payment plans it is offering.
One company has already announced it’s extending a program that has been very helpful during the pandemic. Comcast will continue to offer free access to its public Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots through the rest of the year.
The company said, “We saw a huge jump in usage after we opened up our public hotspots, and we’re excited to keep them open through the end of the year as the nation begins taking steps to reopen.
‘We’re pleased to see so many families and individuals take advantage of our 60 days of free home internet through Internet Essentials, and the free access to public Xfinity Wi-Fi hotspots to get online during this time when connectivity is so important.”
Having internet service is crucial during times like these, when everyone needs the most updated information on coronavirus to stay safe. It will be even more important later this year when students get back to work, and either need to attend school online or use the internet for research.
We’ve already seen posts on public forums of how important internet access is during the school year. One mother of two posted in March that she used her last $221 dollars to pay the internet bill so her kids could continue their studies online. She then said she had no more money to buy groceries for the week.
So, if you find yourself in the position of not being able to pay your internet bill, contact your provider and set up a payment plan. If you’re in need of work, one southern city is paying $2,000 for workers to relocate. Tap or click here to see if you qualify.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have regarding a medical condition, advice, or health objectives.