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Steam has published its hardware and software survey for the month of December, and in the GPU category, Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1060 now stands above the rest.
That wasn't the case in November when the GeForce GTX 750 Ti held the top spot, followed by the GeForce GTX 960. Interestingly, all three saw a drop in usage among Steam gamers, the GeForce GTX 1060 just happened to see the smallest decline. As it stands, the top five graphics cards breaks down as follows:
- GeForce GTX 1060: 12.56 percent (down 0.85 percent from November)
- GeForce GTX 960: 10.54 percent ( down 3.52 percent from November)
- GeForce GTX 750 Ti: 10.48 percent (down 4.13 percent from November
- GeForce GTX 1050 Ti: 8.71 percent (down 1.19 percent from November)
- GeForce GTX 950: 4.33 percent (down 1.7 percent from November)
Month-to-month gains highlight the GTX 1070, 1080, and 970, interestingly. That's two high-end options along with one of the most popular cards of the previous generation. The field is dominated by Nvidia— you have to go down another 18 spots before AMD enters the popularity contest with its Radeon HD 8800 series.
It's been an interesting year for GPUs. The cryptocurrency craze turned the category on its head, at least for PC gamers, who at times had to contend with short supplies and inflated price tags. Even now, AMD's Radeon RX Vega cards are comparatively scarce, which probably helped drive some GeForce GTX 1060 sales.
In other areas, Intel CPUs saw an overall decline of 3.5 percent, likely helped by some of the awesome deals on AMD's Ryzen CPUs during the holidays. Not being out of stock obviously helps as well.
As for VR hardware, the category is mostly split between the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, though the Rift did nudge ahead in December by a hair. Going forward, we wouldn't be surprised if the Rift vaulted even higher, considering its permanent price cut to $399, and $349 sale price during the holidays.
What will be interesting, however, is how mixed reality headsets figure into the overall landscape. They're barely a blip on Steam's radar, but that could change if there is a concerted effort to push gaming.


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$95-110m Spent on Hybrid Vegetable Seed Imports p.a.
EghtesadOnline: Iran meets around 98% of its domestic demand for hybrid vegetable seed through imports that cost the country between $95-110 million per year, according to a recent report published by Majlis Research Center.
Hybrid seed production is costly, time-consuming, exacting and requires complex scientific knowledge, therefore, not much research has ever been carried out in Iran, its report said.
Iran ranks among the top 10 producers of some vegetable and gourd products in the world, the center said, drawing on figures released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
According to FAO, Iran is one of the world’s second biggest producer of cucumbers and watermelon, third biggest producer of melons, fifth biggest producer of aubergines and onions, sixth producer of tomatoes and seventh producer of lettuce and cabbage.
Land under cultivation of agronomical products in the fiscal 2017-18 stood at 11 million hectares, only 7.3% of which were dedicated to vegetables and gourd products. This is while the latter accounted for 31.6% out of the 81.2 million tons of agronomical yield over the same year.
This, the report says, shows the high share of vegetables and gourd products in Iran’s agricultural production and food safety.
Hybrid seed industry is a vital field determining to what extent a country can expand its agricultural activities, create jobs in the sector, secure its food safety and reduce its vulnerability in the face of environmental, economic and political crises.
This, say the center’s researchers, calls for a reform in the outlook and policies with which agricultural research officials approach the issue.
A policy shift in favor of hybrid seed research can guarantee high-quality seed production that can not only meet domestic demand but also supply part of the global market.

domain: news


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12-2-05 - A $10 million business is almost up and running in Grayson County, and it will be the fourth of its kind in the US.
Since August, the inside of the building has been completely transformed into a railroad tie production plant, but these aren't your typical wood ties. They are ones that last longer and are better for the environment.
Greg Wilson, his brother and father are behind the company. They are from Paris, Texas, but chose Texoma instead because it's close to major railroads, the Burlington-Northern and Santa Fe.
The plastic ties that the plant will produce are made from 100 percent recycled products such as carpet scraps, and they will last 50 years longer than wood ties.
The Sherman Economic Development Corporation is offering the plant over $80,000 in incentives if they hold up their end of the bargain which includes hiring at least 50 employees over the next three years and continue to operate successfully.
The plant is expecting to begin manufacturing those railroad ties as early as next month.


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Now both sisters have beauty contracts!
We can't really compare which one is better — we just know having a beauty contract is a very big deal for a model! Congrats to both of them!
Also, considering how much Bella looks like Jennifer Lawrence, it makes sense that she'd b a Dior girl. LOLz!
The 19-year-old was obviously ecstatic about the news and posted immediately to her Instagram:
"So beyond excited to announce that I am the new ambassador and face for @DiorMakeup !!! What a dream come true. Can't wait for the show today at Blenheim Palace ❤ @dior #happiness #cruise"
We're excited too! And we already know the images from the shoot are going to be spectacular!
Check out a second shot for now in the gallery (above)!
Do you think Bells was the right choice???
[Image via Dior Makeup/Instagram]


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Jaguar Land Rover is seeking U.K. virus aid package
Jaguar Land Rover is seeking a government aid package to weather a collapse in car sales brought on by the pandemic, according to people familiar with the matter.
The U.K.’s largest auto manufacturer is in talks to borrow more than 1 billion pounds ($1.2 billion) through the U.K.’s emergency coronavirus lending program, the people said. JLR is also seeking tax breaks, research grants and other subsidies, which could bring the total value of the state support to more than 2 billion pounds, one of the people said.
The full amount is still being negotiated and no decisions have been made. Owner Tata Motors Ltd. may be required to back part of the U.K. government loan to secure the funding, the people said.
The automaker said it’s in “regular discussion with government on a whole range of matters," declining to provide specifics. Sky News reported earlier that JLR is seeking temporary state funding of “well over" 1 billion pounds. The report also said that a JLR spokesman described “suggestions" that the amount was as high as 2 billion “inaccurate and speculative."
In an emailed statement, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy said it’s in regular contact with manufacturers and will assist them through the crisis.
“We recognize the challenges facing the industry as a result of coronavirus," the BEIS said. “Firms can draw upon the unprecedented package of measures, including schemes to raise capital, flexibilities with tax bills, and financial support for employees."
JLR, owned by India’s Tata for more than a decade, remains an emblem of Britain’s carmaking heritage, employing some 38,000 in the U.K. churning out Jaguar sports cars and Land Rover SUVs. Like other carmakers, it’s been burning through cash after health restrictions forced the closure of dealerships and factories to fight the virus’s spread.
In February, JLR shelved plans to issue a U.S dollar bond after investors demanded a higher interest rate to compensate for the risk the coronavirus poses, Bloomberg News reported then.
The company is also an important flagship for the Tata empire’s automaking operation. Analysts at CLSA said this month that Tata Motors is worth nothing without JLR.
Even as some factories start to reopen, there are questions about what demand will look like for luxury vehicles amid a brutal global recession. U.K. car sales fell 97% in April to a level not seen since just after World War II. The industry is lobbying Boris Johnson’s government to allow showrooms to reopen to jump-start sales.
Jaguar Land Rover was beginning to show signs of a turnaround after a slowdown in China, Brexit and European emissions rules crimped sales of diesel vehicles and led it into a debt crisis last year. In January, the company said it had achieved a turnaround plan to reduce costs and improve cash flow three months ahead of plan.
The company had embarked on a restructuring last year, announcing plans to slash 4,500 jobs and moving production of the Land Rover Discovery to Slovakia from a plant near Birmingham, England, to make room for future electric cars at a cost of 1,200 jobs.


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Samsung's new DRAM chip will make phones run faster and longer
LPDDR5 could be the standard in future AI powered mobile apps.
LocationSmart reportedly leaked phone location data onto the web
Nextbit ends customer support for its Robin 'cloud phone'
Software support will continue through February 2018.
Razer is reportedly working on a phone just for gamers
It did buy Nextbit, after all.
Dumb phone prices are no longer used to measure inflation
The UK's Office for National Statistics has deemed them irrelevant.
UK grants new powers to remotely block illegal prison mobiles
Prison and police officers can get them disconnected by court order.
ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe gets first dibs on Snapdragon 821 chip
It'll also have up to 256GB of storage.
DNA nanomachine detects HIV antibodies in minutes, not hours
Current methods for detecting the antibodies that indicate HIV infection are agonizingly slow and...
It's been 30 years since Britain's first mobile phone call
Exactly 30 years ago today, two men made history by completing the first mobile phone call in the...


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More complete offer combined with more efficient services
Imbretex, a distributor of promotional textiles for over 30 years, is investing to improve its services and product offering. For more power but also more flexibility, the company presents its new warehouse and new operating methods. The year 2020 is very promising for the company as it is the year of the launch of its new project. In order to expand in France and throughout Europe, Imbretex has chosen to invest in the strongest brands on the market as well as in new brands in order to become a more complete and powerful distributor.
To achieve this, Imbretex built an automated 24,000 m² warehouse and invested in a new IT structure with, for example, a PIM (Product Information Manager) and a new website.
This physical development has enabled Imbretex to grow from 18500 SKUS in 2019 to more than 53000 SKUS in 2020. Thanks to the new warehouse, Imbretex now distributes new brands such as Build Your Brand, Tee Jays, Neutral, Just Hoods, Yoko and many others.
The preparation and dispatching of orders is carried out more quickly thanks to the optimisation of flows and several IT developments offered via the imbretex.fr website. Video tutorials will soon be available detailing these services.
In 2020, Imbretex has taken on a new impetus and its entire team is ready to help and support customers in this new adventure.
Discover the new products and new brands distributed by Imbretex stand D22 at Premium Sourcing on 2 and 3 September at the Carrousel du Louvre.


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The NPD Group recently released a new report highlighting some of the ups and downs that took place within the American gaming space in October. Overall, there was very little change in terms of money spent on video games last month.
In October, U.S. consumers spent $4.3 billion on video game software, hardware, and accessories, which signifies little to no change when compared to 2021. Software spending increased by 2% to reach $4 billion while hardware spending was down 10%.
In terms of full-year spending, 2022 is actually going to be tough for the video game industry. Total spending is down 7%. Hardware sales have decreased by 2%. That number jumps to 8% for software sales.
Elden Ring is still the best-selling video game of the year for the time being. However, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II is rocketing up the charts, emerging as the second-best-selling game of the year despite being released late last month. In turn, it should be no surprise that MWII was October’s best-selling game in the United States.


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The Lowcountry is home to a large population of movers, shakers, and innovators. The Harbor Entrepreneur Center in particular is home to many of these, and recently selected seven startup companies to participate in Cohort 6 of the Harbor Accelerator Program. Described as a “high intensity boot camp,” the program provides resources and support to help each company take their business to the next level. Cohort 6’s program concludes on Nov. 15.
The companies range from LED lights to an app-based bar tab system to an outdoor content media platform. The one thing they have in common is the solution to a common problem and a drive to succeed. Charleston Business Magazine spoke with each company to find out what they do, why they do it, and what makes them special.
The Southern Trapper
Dane Bligh C. Schemel, President
Southern Trapper makes heirloom quality exotic leather goods that are 15 times stronger than steel; they’re bullet resistant, fire resistant, and radio frequency identification (RFID) blocking.
President Dane Bligh C. Schemel came up with the idea after making a wallet for fun with his elementary school mentee. The student sold the wallet for $1.30 to a classmate, and seeing his satisfaction encouraged Schemel to start a business with him.
“I decided we needed to stand out in the crowded marketplace, and I determined that a bullet-resistant, fire-resistant, and RFID-blocking wallet would resonate well with our target market, so we gave it a shot, literally and figuratively,” he says.
The shot was right on target. Schemel’s business has been a success; so much so that Southern Trapper has funded a 529 college savings plan for his mentee to attend a college of his choice, hopefully to study entrepreneurship.
Southern Trapper’s leather goods are made from the strongest fiber in the world and are extremely durable and long lasting. The new line of bullet-resistant handgun holsters is designed to be the safest way to store and carry a firearm, with life-saving technology to provide absolute protection from injury.
Safety is what Schemel hopes to accomplish with his venture.
“Gun-related accidents and gun violence are prevalent fears that innocent people are susceptible to, and we hope to remove the fear of being harmed by guns by making our leather goods bullet resistant,” he says. “We hope to enable men and women to feel comfortable around firearms, knowing that while the firearm is properly holstered, it cannot cause harm to anyone. We want the population to feel empowered and safe while concealing a firearm.”
Tori Schallot, Founder and CEO
Peter Schallot, Co-founder and CTO
New business Torpsy provides tools to others looking to start or expand a business. From registering a domain name to creating a website, to creating social media accounts and company email addresses, Torpsy does it all. Services can be bundled and various payment plans are offered to help fledgling companies get on their feet.
Tori Schallot, founder of Torpsy and managing partner for The Berry Dispatch, a Charleston-based online grocer and delivery service, came up with the idea for Torpsy while working with local farmers, food providers and home businesses. Many of them had no website, were using personal email addresses, and had no social media presence whatsoever.
Schallot founded Torpsy with her husband Peter, to help these companies market themselves and thrive
“The mission for our company is to help entrepreneurs build the businesses that they want and that they deserve,” Tori says.
Torpsy has a wide network of freelancers in the technical space, and they continue to expand resources with web developers, designers, project managers, social media experts, and even legal and financial personnel.
Even more incredible, Schallot attempts to do all this with the time and budget a small business can typically afford: usually not much.
“Many of these business owners are sinking their life savings into these ventures as they pursue their hopes and dreams,” says Tory. “They aren’t just giving up salaries and job security; they are forfeiting time with loved ones to try to make and grow something of value. We are hoping to help them find and increase that value.”
Dylan Schmitz, Co-founder
Marty Gallipeau, Co-founder
There’s reality TV. There’s umpteen thousand sports channels. Dylan Schmitz is hoping to bring outdoor content to the masses with the creation of Badfish.
A modern outdoor media network, Badfish’s specialty is creating and distributing progressive outdoor content that breaks the mold of conventional media. Their website offers a video feed of fishing videos to view, as well as the ability to upload your own.
“The idea has been constantly evolving, but the mission has always been the same,” says co-founder Dylan Schmitz. “We want to inspire people to get outdoors.”
Schmitz’s goal is to make Badfish the largest creator and distributor of “badass outdoor content.”
The website offers a map view where users can select a location and see fishing videos in a specific area. The site also offers a search feature to allow viewers to search by keyword, such as a type of fish, a location, or keywords such as “how-to.” In an increasingly inert interior world, Badfish looks to break the mold.
Says Schmitz, “We know we’ve done our job when we get someone who’s never fished before to plan a weekend fishing trip after seeing our content.”
Jim Luby, Co-founder and Partner
Drew Wynne, Co-founder and Partner
When coffee is brewed hot, certain oils are broken down, creating a bitter taste. It’s the reason so many people only drink coffee with cream and sugar, and has helped propel ubiquitous sugary-sweet flavored coffee drinks to alarming heights.
Barista Vending is looking to change that. Jim Luby, co-founder of Barista Vending, and his partner, Drew Wynne, began cold-brewing coffee at home after hearing about the benefits. After Wynne noticed cold-brew on tap at a coffee shop in San Francisco, the two bought a kegerator/tap and pitched their cold-brew idea to large offices, cafes, and restaurants in Charleston. Success was quick.
“After positive feedback and immediate re-orders, we realized we were on to something and grew quickly from there,” says Luby.
Barista Vending’s compact tap systems and coffee kegs are ideal for office, re-sale, and catering events. But it’s the taste that keeps customers coming back for more. Beans are sourced responsibly from Brazil, roasted here in Charleston, and brewed for 20 hours. The result is a coffee with up to 67 percent less acidity, making it palatable to folks who previously shunned the brew. It also extends the shelf life of the coffee. For those who still prefer hot coffee, or need a way to keep warm in the winter months, the cold-brew coffee can easily be heated.
Expansion plans are underway to bring the superior caffeinated product to a larger area.
“We want our coffee on tap at every top employer in Charleston by the end of next year,” says Luby. “We also have plans to start bottling our product and distributing to store chains all over the Southeast.”
Marnie Barron Renshler, Founder and Owner
Busy mothers often don’t have time to exercise during daytime hours, if at all. When Marnie Renshler, founder and owner of Mama Lights, tried running with a neighbor at 4:30 a.m., her neighbor stepped on a pine cone and broke her foot.
After a fruitless Internet search for illumination, Renschler met with a client to whom she sold medical devices. He happened to mention LED lighting usage in the health care field, and suddenly a lightbulb went off.
LED lighting would provide the proper light for running, as well as other sporting and leisure applications. Safety is Renschler’s biggest priority.
“My goal is to educate and provide the world with LED lights that will illuminate any outdoor activity, providing them a safer environment to exercise or play in,” she says.
Renschler personally selects each LED product available on her website. There are options for runners, bikers, children, pets, and more. However, after working with her mentor at the Harbor Accelerator Program, Renschler says she may narrow her product offering to the attached armband, branded with her logo, and other companies’ logos as well. But it won’t be her sole product for long.
“Once I master that product in the industry, I’ll go back to selling other LED products currently on my site as well,” she says.
Shaun Lally, CEO
Nathan Adamson, VP of Business Development
The best innovations often come from simple but universal problems. Shaun Lally and Nathan Adamson of Radtab used a common nightlife annoyance to create a new product and company.
“Radtab was created because we were tired of waiting to close our tabs at the bar,” says Adamson. “All too often friends are waiting for each other to close their tabs so they can go to the next location. This problem is now fixed.”
Radtab is an app that automates the payment of your tab at bars and restaurants. Adamson describes it as Uber for the bar. The company’s software bridges the gap from users’ phones to the venue’s POS machine. The customer opens a tab when they walk into a bar that offers the Radtab software; when they leave, their bill is automatically paid – including tip – without the customer having to wait in line to close a tab. A receipt is then emailed to the client.
The customers aren’t the only ones to benefit from this idea. Bar staff can make better use of their time with Radtab, which allows them to focus on tending bar, rather than printing and collecting sales receipts.
Adamson says the goal is to create an ecosystem of venues for users to navigate.
“Imagine going to multiple bars and restaurants in one night and never reaching for your wallet or purse, and never having to wait to close your tab. This is the Radtab way.”
Michael Santoro, co-founder
John Rizzo, co-founder
Jennifer Santoro, founding member
Prashant Chaudhary, CTO
Michael Santoro and John Rizzo, co-founders of Vaetas, didn’t set out to become entrepreneurs. Instead, they wanted to help them.
The pair owned a digital marketing firm for the past eight years. They realized the power of video and searched for a system and tools to make using video in business development more accessible, affordable, and easier, but could never find what they were looking for. The duo then decided to take matters into their own hands and build the system themselves. The result was Vaetas.
“We want to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs to make the impact they have set out to make with the use of affordable interactive video technology,” says Jennifer Santoro, founding member.
The original product is referred to as their “ugly duckling,” which worked but didn’t provide the best user experience. That’s when Jennifer, as well as Prashant Chaudhary, came on board. They had both done individual work with the co-founders but decided to go all-in and assist with the next phase of the journey: the founding of Vaetas.
The ugly duckling is now a swan; Vaetas is a full-fledged software company offering interactive video-based mobile and web tools for business development. Their specialty is helping businesses turn their videos into an actionable step in the customer relationship building process. Vaetas also offers training on best practices and strategies on using video in inbound marketing, sales, and retention efforts. The business is making a splash in the Harbor Accelerator Program, but Vaetas’s team hopes to take their success even further.
“The Vaetas system has been built to support worldwide use, says Jennifer. “We hope to have a positive global impact on business development.”


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What’s up with that?
A pandemic -- with shut-in viewers -- will do that to you. Instead, we have pressing news/information, as well as a dab of scripted comedy and drama relief -- as draws.
Yes, we realize live sports has a supply issue -- save for a few horse races, and esports gaming events, football, basketball and auto racing, among them.
From March 15 to April 15, Nielsen says linear TV viewership is up 35% year over year. Nice -- especially with all the declines usage linear TV has seen over the years. And you know the story about streaming, an even bigger deal, now up 115% over that same period.
Nielsen says the streaming share of TV viewing is now at 24% -- up from a 15% share a year ago over the same period. “It still has a long way to go,” says Todd Juenger, media analyst from Bernstein Research.
So consider Netflix -- which has seen growing usage. In particular, because sports TV is an area Netflix has pretty much ruled out on its platform.
Netflix has a 33% share of the streaming market -- easily topping all premium streamers. It is emboldened, due to the COVID-19 crisis. “The longer the stay-at-home COVID period lasts, the stronger that advantage gets for Netflix, especially from a content availability perspective,” says Juenger.
Even with new competitors afoot (Disney+, Apple TV + and Quibi) and more to come (HBO Max in May, Peacock in July), Netflix has been strong in dominating all top 10 viewing of streaming TV series, according to Nielsen, for the last three of four weeks.
Only during the first week of the health crisis, did Amazon’s “Hunters” break up Netflix’s total domination (a 7th place position).
Netflix, says Juenger, has had impeccable timing -- as well as an “immensely valuable-at-the-
Now you know why Netflix -- in addition to the obvious -- has seen rising share prices -- even with the recent stock-market crash.
All this without a pigskin, basketball, yard-marker, putter, race course, hockey stick, home run, or three-pointer in sight.


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Stocks surged Friday after a boost in durable goods ordersand despite news that home sales had their second-worst month on recordin August. Art Cashin, director of floor operations at UBS Financial Services, discussed his market outlook.
“What you saw coming in was yesterday’s Volcker-related selloff [that] left the markets slightly oversold,” Cashin told CNBC.
Stocks pulled back on Thursdayafter Paul Volcker, special adviser to President Obama, said that while the Fed's purchases of long-term Treasurys are "understandable," the U.S. central bank must be careful not to set the stage for future inflation.
In addition, Cashin said other factors helping the market included the weakening dollarand its boost to multinational companies, the downsizing of the GM deal, and Petrobras' plans to raise $70 billion in what would be the biggest initial public offering in the world.
“All of these things are making a wonderful cocktail for the market,” he said. “Things aren’t truly fixed, but once we start to see money pick up velocity and once we start to see some real hints of inflation, then the tune is going to change and we’ll see things begin to work maybe in the old-fashioned way,” he said.
Scorecard—What He Said:
- Cashin's Previous Appearance on CNBC (Sept. 23, 2010)
More Market Opinions:
- Bond Picker's Market Looms for Fixed-Income Investors
- 6 Investments for Nouriel Roubini's 'Less Gloomy' Outlook
- Forget Low Volume—Stocks Are Underbought: Manager
CNBC Data Pages:
CNBC's Companies in the News:
Bank of America
Bank of America Merrill Lynch Flexes its M&A Muscles
Sears to Open 85 Toy Shops Ahead of Holidays
Oracle Keen to Buy a Microchip Company
- Netflix, NBC Universal* Extend Deal to Stream TV Shows
* General Electric is the parent company of NBC Universal
No immediate information was available for Cashin or his firm.


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Last week the Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia (CRCNA) revealed Manbulloo, one of Australia’s largest mango producers, to be the latest producer to realize the benefits of a blockchain-based food traceability platform. The platform was developed as part of the 2.5 year-long Smart Supply Chain pilot project, co-funded by CRCNA, food-traceability blockchain firm Trust Provenance, Manbulloo, and horticulture firm Growcom. The total value of the project came to around 1.16 million AUD (over $827,000).
Manbulloo identified the platform’s critical features during the trial co-designed by the mango producer and Trust Provenance. The trial allowed for real-time data points such as location, temperature, and time to be instantly tracked, traced, and uploaded onto the blockchain. The blockchain was accessible to Manbullo and other actors of the supply chain through a dashboard interface.
The result was a cost-reducing, real-time, secure, end-to-end food traceability solution.
“In the past, each chain partner used their own system to identify and trace products, which resulted in duplication and extra costs,” said Quality Manager at Manbulloo, Scott Ledger. “We are implementing the GS1 Australia standard for product ID and traceability so the members of our supply chain can use the same product ID system. This will not only save time and costs but also reduce human errors and wastage.” The pilot’s additional outcomes included access to data, greater product integrity levels, and record-high acceptance rates at supermarkets distribution centers.
“We believe better traceability systems will reward farmers with higher returns in the market, that reflect the investments they’re making in more sustainable, safe and ethical production practices,” said Richard Shannon, Growcom’s Manager Policy and Advocacy.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 continues to drive the digitization of the supply chain. “Post COVID-19 being able to provide real-time data on where a product has come from and how it has being managed along the supply chain will become increasingly more important to producers, retailers, and consumers, especially in export markets,” said Andrew Grant, CEO and Co-Founder of Trust Provenance.
Food traceability is not limited to food producers. Last week, Estée Lauder Companies and its haircare brand Aveda revealed it’s using blockchain for responsible and sustainable sourcing of materials. In particular, they’re leveraging the technology to trace Madagascan vanilla, which accounts for 80% of the world’s vanilla.
Standards body Marin Trust endorsed the use of blockchain technology. In July, Marin Trust announced plans to mandate recording of key data about fish byproducts, such as Omega 3 fish oil, for traceability and outlining its vision of the technology’s role in the future.


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- 3 min read
Input cost push to dampen EV demand; CNG, LPG-fuelled vehicle sales to grow: Report
A recent report by CareEdge, a Mumbai-based research firm, says that factors like the sharp increase in the prices of key raw materials, including nickel, lithium and cobalt, will keep battery prices firm and dampen EV demand and sales growth. However, the CNG/LPG-based buses or 3Ws will continue to display the highest growth rate over the next five years.
A recent report by CareEdge, a Mumbai-based research firm, says that factors like the sharp increase in the prices of key raw materials, including nickel, lithium and cobalt, will keep battery prices firm and dampen EV demand and sales growth. The mining capacity increase in these products would take at last three more years to realise.
Based on market data, CareEdge report says, "The cost of manufacturing cathode contributes to a little over 50% of the overall battery manufacturing cost. The sudden increase in demand for these metals in the past five years has led to a demand-supply mismatch with mining capacity having to ramp up significantly to match demand."
The CareEdge report finds that among the ICE auto categories, the CNG or LPG-based PVs and passenger carriers (whether buses or three-wheelers) will continue to display the highest growth rate over the next five years. Driving this demand is the lower cost of ownership of CNG or LPG vehicles, in turn, linked to the price differential between petrol/diesel and gas prices.
"The shift in buyer preferences towards CNG or LPG vehicles is clearly reflected not only in the 25.8% CAGR growth that market leader Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL) has displayed during FY17-FY22 (with 49% CAGR in the last three years), but also in the increasing proportion of CNG vehicles in MSIL’s sales (16.8% in FY22 compared with 5.1% in FY17)," the report said.
The price differential has reduced in recent months due to the reduction in excise duty on petrol and diesel and the rise in CNG and LPG price which is linked to higher import costs. "Demand would be tempered to some extent by the reduced price differential between traditional fuels and CNG/LPG, however, this category of ICE vehicles will continue to enjoy higher demand given the cost savings they will still continue to offer," CareEdge notes.
As per CareEdge, another factor driving the demand for CNG or LPG vehicles is the pace at which additional fuel stations are being set up. From around 3900 fuel stations for CNG across 236 cities in FY22, the number is expected to swell to 10,164 across 327 cities by FY26. Unlike for EVs where support infrastructure in terms of charging stations will take a long time to ramp up leading to continued ‘range anxiety’ among potential buyers, CNG or LPG vehicles are not expected to face much difficulty in access to fuel.
The report also stated that the large-scale transition to EVs, which was earlier expected to happen post 2023, is likely to be delayed by at least three years, with two-wheeler EVs continuing to account for over 90% of demand in the interim. "The switchover to EV in the car segment will continue to be hampered by relatively much higher car prices (as against comparable prices of EV and ICE vehicles in the two-wheeler segment), as well as the lack of charging infrastructure which is yet to be ramped up on a pan-India basis," it added.
Furthermore, in the ICE segment, three and four-wheelers with CNG or LPG variants would continue to sell faster than conventional petrol or diesel engine vehicles given the lower running costs. However, as the price of CNG and Autogas has increased significantly in the past year the demand over the next three years in this case also would be lower than previous estimates. "Adequate fuel infrastructure in this case will help drive volumes of three and four-wheeler CNG or LPG vehicles," CareEdge concludes.


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Fashion expert and Project Runway mentor and fellow Washingtonian Tim Gunn reveals his rules to dress by, opens up about his style philosophy, and offers tips for wearing chic, classic wardrobe staples, in the September issue of REDBOOK, which hits newsstands on August 24. Tim Gunn: “I’m not a fashion stylist, I’m a fashion therapist.” On […]
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South Africa-based SPAR Group, which operates across four countries, its home market, Ireland, Switzerland and Poland, reported its turnover rose 8.4% to ZAR109.5 bn (US$7.3 bn) in its financial year ending 30 September. It said its operating profit increased by 7.2% to ZAR3.0 bn (US$200.8m), helped by ‘focused margin management and tight cost and efficiency control’.
Good growth in South Africa
In South Africa, SPAR Group said its wholesale turnover for food and liquor increased by 8.1%, while its core SPAR business enjoyed turnover growth of 7.0% to ZAR57.6 bn (US$3.9 bn). It highlighted the strength of the TOPS liquor brand, which saw wholesale sales growth of 17.6%. Finally, the group noted that it had opened 169 new stores during the year, to reach a total network of 2,349, while it had completed 298 store upgrades across all its brands.
SPAR highlighted the strength of its private label ranges and their importance in driving footfall. The company said that the sales of its private label range rose by 10.1% to ZAR13.4 bn (US$900.7m), which meant that they accounted for 23.3% of total wholesale turnover. Discussing the ranges, SPAR said they offered ‘real consumer value and quality and remain a shopping differentiator for our retailers’.
BWG enjoys strong performance
In Ireland and south west England, SPAR Group said the BWG Group ‘reported a strong financial performance’, with turnover in local currency terms rising by 6.2% to €1.5 bn (US$1.7 bn) and by 2.2% in comparable terms. It said the growth was underpinned by acquisitions, while all its ‘retail brands reported positive sales growth’ and its Foodservice business saw ‘impressive double-digit turnover growth’. BWG added 60 new stores to reach a network of 1,360 stores.
SPAR Switzerland aided by retailer-owned stores
SPAR Switzerland enjoyed wholesale turnover growth of 1.2% in local currency terms, to ZAR10.4 bn (US$699.1m). It said the performance was aided by the ‘strong trading from upgraded retailer-owned stores’. It noted that the market ‘remained challenging’, but that it had seen an improved performance in the second half of the year, after implementing deep price cuts in the first half of the year. It added 26 new stores, reaching a network of 322 at the end of the financial year.
Outlook remains cloudy in key markets
For both its operations in South Africa and BWG, SPAR Group noted the outlook for the markets in which they operate remained challenging and were likely to continue to do so into 2020. It noted that for its home market, ‘all indicators continue to suggest that consumers will remain under financial pressure’. For BWG, the continued specter of Brexit hung over its operations. Despite this, SPAR said the ‘management team remains cautiously optimistic’.


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Have you noticed that the yogurt section of most grocery stores has practically taken over the dairy aisle? It’s getting harder to find more traditional dairy foods, such as cottage cheese and sour cream, amid the sea of yogurt options. But it only makes sense that a food with as many health benefits as yogurt be given prime real estate in the supermarket.
And just what are the health benefits of yogurt?
First off, let us not forget that yogurt comes from milk. So yogurt eaters will get a dose of animal protein (about 9 grams per 6-ounce serving), plus several other nutrients found in dairy foods, like calcium, vitamin B-2, vitamin B-12, potassium, and magnesium.
But one of the words we’re hearing more and more of regarding yogurt is “probiotics.” Probiotics are “friendly bacteria” that are naturally present in the digestive system. Live strains of these “good bacteria” are also found in many yogurt products. While more research needs to be done, there’s some evidence that some strains of probiotics can help boost the immune system and promote a healthy digestive tract.


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Baltimore-area home sales, prices rise in October
Baltimore-area home sales and prices increased in October, signaling strength in the local market.
During the month, 1,967 homes sold in the region, according to data released Monday by Rockville market research firm Metropolitan Regional Information Systems. That’s a 22 percent increase over October 2011, when 1,611 homes sold.
Townhome sales increased 23 percent year-over-year and single-family rose nearly 18 percent.
Despite the increase, sales remain 480 units below the 10-year average for October, MRIS reported.
Meantime, the Baltimore-area median sale price increased 5 percent to $229,900 in October, up from $219,000 in the same month last year.
Homes stayed on the market in October an average of 97 days, a 21 percent decrease from 123 days in October last year.
The Baltimore area includes Baltimore City, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties. Here’s a breakdown of how the counties fared in October:
- Anne Arundel: 467 units sold, up 27 percent from the same month last year. The median sale price increased 9 percent to $299,000.
- Baltimore City: 417 homes sold, up 28 percent. Median sale price increase 17 percent to $96,800.
- Baltimore County: 558 homes sold, up 19.5 percent. Median sale price increased 3.6 percent to $202,050.
- Carroll County: 135 homes sold, up 35 percent. Median sale price increase 6 percent to $256,055.
- Harford County: 178 homes sold, up 25 percent. Median sale price increased 2 percent to $229,950.
- Howard County: 212 homes sold, up 2 percent. Median sale price increased 6 percent to $350,000.
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ICMSA question why increase in IDB index to its highest level since its introduction has still not resulted in a milk price increase
Commenting on the increase in the Irish Dairy Board Milk Price Index to 111.1 for December 2012, Mr. Pat McCormack, Deputy President and Chairperson of ICMSA’s Dairy Committee, said that it again clearly highlights the fact that the price being paid by Co-ops to milk suppliers is well behind market developments and needs to move up immediately to reflect reality. Mr McCormack noted that Cash-flow pressures are growing on dairy farmers by the day and Co-ops must respond by passing back the improved market returns.
“We see that markets remain in a very positive place for dairy products with the first Global Dairy Trade auction of the year up 2%, the Dutch Quotations are positive and market indicators from the UK, EU and global markets suggesting an improving or stable market situation. Market returns are now at the 40 cent per litre region and a milk price increase is fully justified”, said Mr McCormack.
“The improvement in the Irish Dairy Board index for December is very significant and at 111.1 is at its highest level since the index was introduced. At its previous peaks in summer 2011, dairy farmers were receiving 34 cents per litre and this should be the minimum benchmark for Co-ops at this time. Quite clearly, there is considerable room for improvement in milk prices and given the financial pressures on farmers, which, by the way, Co-ops are well aware of through higher input trading bills being carried forward, farmers need a clear signal from Co-ops on milk price and this can best be delivered by an immediate increase in milk price that will offer some relief to farmers who are under severe pressure at this time.
ENDS. 16 January 2013.
Pat McCormack, 087-7608958
Deputy President of ICMSA and Chairman of the Dairy Committee
Cathal MacCarthy, 087-6168758
ICMSA Press Office


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The Greenwood Plan has successfully acquired the historic Pitt Building in downtown Pittsburgh for $4 million, aiming to ignite black businesses.
Khamil Bailey, the executive director of The Greenwood Plan, envisions the Pitt Building as a thriving hub for Black businesses, creatives, and gig workers. Speaking to The New Pittsburgh Courier, Bailey outlined the organization’s ambitious plans, stating, “We want this to be a Black business incubator…give Black businesses the opportunity to operate in downtown storefronts where they may not have otherwise been able to do so because the terms are not normally favorable.”
Central to The Greenwood Plan’s strategy is programming and rent subsidies, providing a supportive environment for Black entrepreneurs to establish themselves in downtown Pittsburgh. According to the outlet, Bailey emphasized the importance of creating favorable conditions for businesses, enabling them to benefit from the downtown traffic.
A significant focus of the initiative is to attract Black chefs and restaurateurs who are passionate about delivering high-quality dining experiences. Bailey highlighted a major goal: “We want a Black, four-star dining experience to be a part of this building.” This commitment aligns with the broader mission of creating a vibrant and diverse ecosystem within the Pitt Building.
In articulating the vision for the Pitt Building, Bailey expressed the desire to revive the legacy of Black businesses in downtown Pittsburgh. He stated, “We want to bring that back, remind people that we (African Americans) are a part of a thriving economy just as anybody else, not just as consumers but as wealth-builders.”
RELATED CONTENT: Black Business Owners In Tulsa Are Committed to Preserving the Legacy of the Original Black Wall Street
Source: Black Enterprise


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STUDY FINDS TOXIC CHEMICALS IN MANY DOLLAR STORE PRODUCTS
54% of items tested contained 1 or more chemicals of concern.
For many Americans, dollar stores are their go-to destination for buying food, toys, cleaning supplies, and other household goods. Dollar stores sell so much food that they're now among the top 25 food retailers in the United States.
Their physical numbers are surging, with more locations across the country than Walmarts and McDonald's combined. In 2018, Dollar General was
at a rate of three per day and it plans to build or renovate 1,850 locations in 2021.
This might sound like a good idea—improving access to shopping, particularly for Americans in lower-income neighborhoods who may not have transportation or funds to shop at larger grocery stores—but it raises other concerning issues. A study conducted by the Campaign for Healthier Solutions just found that 54% of products sold in dollar stores contain at least one chemical of concern.
The report tested 300 different products (including consumer products, food, microwave popcorn, and electronics), as well as paper receipts, using several different test methods to determine what they contained. The results were alarming—lead solder in electronics, flexible plastics with PVC that has been banned or regulated, canned foods with BPA liners, pans and cookware coated with non-stick PFAS chemicals, microwave popcorn with PFAS coatings, and
BPS (bisphenol S) in receipts
These chemicals have been linked to asthma, low birth weights, cancer, immune system problems, learning disabilities, diabetes, and other serious health problems.
"One hundred percent of all receipts from all dollar stores came back with BPS—a substitute for BPA, but not a good one because it's hazardous," José Bravo, national coordinator for the Campaign for Healthier Solutions, tells Treehugger. "We touch that receipt one time, but the workers touch that receipt maybe 400-500 times per day. So we want to limit exposures to workers. It's not just about consumers, it's about the environment as well."
While other retailers are taking action on this issue of exposure, dollar stores are dragging their feet. Bravo did not comment on the progress made by non-dollar store retailers (he directed readers to the fifth annual
Mind the Store report card
instead), but he points out: "If others are making change, why not dollar stores?"
One of his concerns is dollar stores often target areas where there are higher rates of ongoing contamination from sources that include some of the chemical manufacturing that ends up in products on store shelves. "So our communities share a disproportionate impact that [other] communities do not," says Bravo.
Why are dollar stores reluctant to phase out toxic chemicals and clean up their supply chains? Bravo cites three main reasons. One is they don't know how to start such a daunting process of figuring out how to remove things. Second, they have liability concerns. "If they find there are issues with some of their products and it can be tied back to something, they believe it opens their liability," says Bravo. Thirdly, it's about the money. "Some stores, I believe, are greedy," he notes, "and would rather make money than think about issues that are second- or third-hand."
The report shows Dollar Tree/Family Dollar is doing better than its competitors. A press release states the brands have "publicly released a chemical policy, a commitment to eliminate priority chemicals, and a pollinator protector policy, and have stated in private that they plan to expand the number of chemicals that they are phasing out, as well as the number of products they will be cleaning up."
Bravo, who attended Dollar Tree's shareholder meeting the same day he spoke to Treehugger, says its CEO expressed willingness to remove phthalates and PFAS chemicals, which is a huge step considering each store contains 5,000+ products and there are over 4,000 types of PFAS chemicals.
By contrast, Dollar General "comes in kicking and screaming," with a chemical policy that is, in Bravo's words, "not the strongest policy." Furthermore, the chain has not "responded to any recent communication from the Campaign for Healthier Solutions about expanding their list of restricted substances and product categories that they are focusing on."
99 Cents Only stores, found primarily in California and the Southwest, have made no effort to phase out toxic chemicals. It earned an F grade in the Mind the Store report card for the third year in a row.
What's the Solution?
All of these companies could start by phasing toxic chemicals out of their store brand products, where they have more clout over manufacturers. This is what Walmart did, and the approach can be effective.
"We want them to step up to the plate and be a bit more transparent about what they're doing," Bravo tells Treehugger. "We've always said, the more you do these things, the better it is for your consumers, for shareholders, for your bottom line, for your liability—all these things put together."
As for the concern that "going green" might increase prices that would put dollar store products beyond the range of low-budget shoppers, Bravo dismisses the notion. "It's not proven to be that way. We are talking about engineering fixes," he says. "If you put out a cup, ask your supplier not to add the phthalates to that cup. It's not more expensive, and it's something that their suppliers can do."
Some products might become more expensive, like fresh produce, but reasonable solutions do exist, such as the ongoing conversation the Campaign for Healthier Solutions has been having with Dollar General for over a year and a half, about selling fresh produce gathered from local community gardens:
"We have 14 community gardens without pesticides, willing to pull bundles of produce together for stores to sell at whatever price they want that would be cost-effective," says Bravo. "They started talking [with us] and now it's not prioritized, but that's [an example of a] solution."
Bravo goes on, "Customers want it. They're for it." But it shouldn't be up to them to avoid chemical exposure when shopping at dollar stores; it's the manufacturer's responsibility to keep customers safe by creating tougher corporate chemical policies.
There are practical considerations that a group like the Campaign for Healthier Solutions could reference, such as urging people to avoid aisles that reek of plastic, but Bravo says it has to go beyond that.
"It has to reach a point where folks can shop without thinking that they're being poisoned—or unknowingly being poisoned," he says. "It's the responsibility not of the consumer, but of the retailer to make sure that its products are safe for everyone."


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Well, pending the tying up of a few loose ends, at least – the small matter of a transition period and agreeing a trade deal with the EU. But after all the rancour and recriminations, Brexit got done after all.
Now to unpick what it actually means. Again.
In terms of what small businesses think about their post-Brexit prospects, it’s very hard to get an objective view as the reporting of such views continues to be distorted depending what side of the Leave-Remain divide you are standing on. So The Guardian picked up on a pre-election survey carried out by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) that found optimism amongst importers and exporters had slumped to an eight-year low.
The Mail-owned website This Is Money, however, recently reported that 80% of UK SMEs were ‘optimistically’ planning to expand into Europe after Brexit Day. Take your pick.
What we do now know, with the government’s Brexit Withdrawal Bill having been approved and no deal therefore being ‘taken off the table’, is that the UK will still operate under EU rules during the transition period, which the government is insisting will not extend beyond the end of this year. So while we officially leave by the end of January, it won’t be until January 2021 that we will see any impact on business.
What happens then will largely depend on the contents of whatever trade agreement is thrashed out. But in general terms, the interests of small businesses will focus on two key areas.
If, as expected, the UK does not remain part of the European Customs Union, then new customs arrangements will have to be made governing the movement of goods in and out of the country to and from Europe. This will include agreeing new tariffs and making arrangements for border checks – already flagged as a somewhat thorny issue for businesses moving goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
What small businesses dealing with international supply chains will be most interested in is whether the new arrangements will increase their costs (e.g. through having to pay higher tariffs and duty on imported goods) and lead to delays arising from extended border checks etc, which might then affect their ability to meet customer demand.
Businesses should bear in mind that this will not solely impact the import and export of goods to and from the EU, either – many goods imported into the UK from the rest of the world first arrive at major European ports like Rotterdam and Hamburg under the Customs Union arrangements before being forwarded here.
As part of the government’s no deal planning, it set up a scheme called Transitional Simplified Procedures to help businesses through the changes, mainly by allowing them to delay making import/export declarations for a specified period and managing the payment of import duty and VAT. While that has been parked for now, it is possible the scheme will be opened again later in the year in the event that trade talks stall and the spectre of a no deal departure arises again. Small businesses would also be advised to take out suitable insurance cover to protect themselves against any disruption to their supply chain that might occur once the transition period ends.
It is probably fair to say that the free movement of labour across the EU has been the most politically sensitive issue surrounding Brexit, and undoubtedly a leading reason why people voted to leave in the first place. For businesses, the end of EU citizens automatically having the right to work here heralds a new reality in human resourcing.
While sectors like the food production industry and healthcare have already flagged up concerns over labour shortages once the EU tap is turned off, for most small businesses the most immediate concern will be an increased administration burden. If your business does employ EU nationals, then the first priority is likely to be to ascertain their legal right to remain, in most cases under the EU Settlement Scheme, and then to find out what you need to do to demonstrate you are compliant with employment laws (once they are amended accordingly) in terms of proving your employees’ right to work.


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ARI Registry Services have announced they are set to power the world’s first new Top Level Domain after its client, dotShabaka Registry, today (14 July) signed a Registry Agreement with ICANN for the شبكة. TLD.
The Arabic TLD شبكة. (.shabaka, translates to .web in English) is set to beat around 1900 other applicants from around the world and will become the world’s first borderless Arabic new TLD and provide Arabic speaking Internet users with an alternative to namespaces such as .com, .net and .org.
Expected to go live in the coming months, شبكة. will also enable Arabic speaking internet users to better navigate the web in their native language.
An ARI Registry Services news release on the announcement is below:
ARI Registry Services powers first new Top-Level Domain [news release]
Melbourne-based technology company ARI Registry Services is set to power the world’s first new Top-Level Domain after its client, dotShabaka Registry, today signed a Registry Agreement with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) for the شبكة. Top-Level Domain.
Surpassing almost 1900 other applicants from around the world, شبكة. (.shabaka translates to .web in English) will become the world’s first borderless Arabic new Top-Level Domain and will provide Arabic speaking Internet users with an alternative to namespaces such as .com, .net and .org.
Expected to be live on the Internet in the coming months, شبكة. will enable Arabic speaking Internet users to better navigate the web in their native language.
Yasmin Omer, General Manager of dotShabaka Registry said: “Today’s contract signing is a monumental occasion. As the first new TLD, شبكة. is set to become the centre of all things Arabic on the Internet. It is an incredible achievement not only for us but for the entire Arabic speaking world. It will pioneer a new way for people to use the Internet that begins with the Arabic language.”
Adrian Kinderis, CEO of ARI Registry Services, congratulated dotShabaka Registry on the historic achievement.
“We’re extremely proud to be supporting such an important project. dotShabaka Registry will revolutionise the way the global Arabic speaking community use the Internet and we’re honoured to be a part of the movement,” Mr Kinderis said.
He added that it was a noteworthy achievement for an Australian technology company to be recognised for its success on the global stage.
“ARI Registry Services is at the forefront of the new Top-Level Domain program with two clients in the top three applications. In supporting شبكة., we will be powering the very first new Top-Level Domain to go live.
“This is also in addition to supporting some of the most innovative entrepreneurs, largest brands and governments in the world through the .menu, .melbourne, .ibm .host, .doha, .barclays, .physio and many other inspiring new Top-Level Domains.”
While buoyed by today’s announcement, Mr Kinderis also encouraged the ICANN Board to address the final remaining issues within the program to allow applicants to swiftly move from the contract negotiation phase through to delegation.
“A number of small issues remain outstanding that may impede the delegation process. I encourage ICANN to expedite the resolution of issues such as predictability in pre-delegation testing, rights protection mechanism requirements, testing of the Trademark Clearinghouse interface and the trademark +50 process,” Mr Kinderis said.


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White paper: Surfing Windows 10 Wave with UEM The Windows 10 Tsunami Is Drawing Near
In 2015, according to analyst firm Gartner, ultra-mobile hybrid devices such as Microsoft’s Surface Pro are finding wide distribution: according to a Gartner study from September, 2015, a quarter of respondents plan to replace laptops with 2-in-1 devices. These gadgets are also becoming more popular in the enterprise. In the IT department, this diversification increases pressure from the line-ofbusiness side to support a growing number of device types.
With Matrix42 UEM, an IT organization can guarantee a continually high level of support for the lines of business - across all device types and operating systems currently in use.


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Overall, motorcycle theft down compared to 2013.
Tag Archives: Suzuki
How do you frustrate moto-journalists around the world? Casually mention “turbo engine for motorcycles” ...
Bicycles and motorcycles have a lot in common, besides running on two inline wheels. The term “moped” ...
A recap of the World Superbike finale in Qatar.
After 16 months away from racing, James Stewart came back in convincing style at Red Bull Straight Rhythm.
Looking for help from Suzuki TL1000S owners.
Suzuki revealed a concept teasing its next-generation sportbike. Perhaps “sculpture” is a bit more ...
Suzuki MotoGP unveils its 30th Anniversary color scheme and Kevin Schwantz is on hand to celebrate.
Celebration honored long line of Suzuki GSX-R racers.
30 years of the GSX-R line in America will be celebrated at Indy.


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NBA and Decathlon announce multiyear partnership expansion
DECATHLON, one of the world’s largest sporting goods retailers, and the National Basketball Association (NBA) today announced a multiyear expansion of their existing merchandising partnership that will provide fans in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Latin America with a wider range of officially-licensed NBA products.
Sold under DECATHLON’S basketball offer, the collection includes NBA team and league-branded products, accessories, basketball footwear, lifestyle apparel and backboards that will be sold exclusively in more than 1,700 DECATHLON stores and online. In future seasons, the collaboration will feature customisable institutional teamwear sets for basketball teams to design their own teamwear.
“This renewed and extended merchandising partnership demonstrates the confidence the NBA has in DECATHLON products and expertise,” said Fabien Brosse, DECATHLON’S Chief Products and Sports Officer. “Together, DECATHLON and the NBA share the same passion for sport, regardless of age, experience level or background. This renewed collaboration definitely symbolizes our commitment to move people through the wonders of sport.”
“This expansion is the natural extension of our collaboration with the NBA,” said Jeremy Angelard, DECATHLON Basketball Leader. “We are proud to continue the creation of more responsible and qualitative sports products that will delight basketball fans, players and customers.”
“We are thrilled to expand on our relationship with DECATHLON following the successful launch of the NBA DECATHLON range in 2021,” said NBA Europe and Middle East Senior Director, Global Partnerships, Steve Griffiths. “We look forward to providing fans and players with a wider range of NBA products to express their passion for the game of basketball.”
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Apple's Streaming Service: Release Date, Price, New Shows, and Rumors
The Netflix for Apple power users.
With new products dropping left and right in the build-up to its March 25 Special Event, the stage will soon be clear to devote the lion’s share of the presentation to its new streaming service, set to launch as soon as April.
Several shows have already wrapped production, according to a recent New York Times report. But details have also been scarce, so much so that a potential clash may be brewing between the secretive tech titan and the gossipy Hollywood types who are not typically used to being left in the dark.
Also interesting: Apple is taking a much more heavy-handed approach to protecting its brand than studios and show-runners are used to, proscribing content that could be seen as not only too sex-filled or violent; but also story lines that are deemed as potentially too political.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the director M. Night Shyamalan was even asked to remove crucifixes from a set in the thriller he is developing. This makes some sense. All an angry Netflix subscriber can do is unsubscribe. An Apple boycott, on the other hand, would take a toll: Each unsold iPhone, after all, is as much as an $800 hit to profits, based on a teardown of the iPhone XS Max.
Which of course all begs the question: Does Apple have the stomach for the entertainment business? We’ll know a lot more by next week.
Apple TV Streaming: Launch and Release Dates
Invites for the event went out on March 11. As is usually the case, the announcements will go down at the Steve Jobs Theater on March 25 beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern. In addition to the new streaming service, Apple is also said to be introducing a new paid news service, but based on the not so subtle “It’s show time” hint on the invite it’ll be an entertainment-focused event. Expect a lot of trailers.
It’s still unclear exactly when the service will become available, but going off of past product announcement and release cycles, it will likely be at least a month or two after the March event (so possible in late April or May, at the earliest). This aligns with a New York Times report that Apple was eyeing a mid-to-late spring timeframe to let users begin watching shows on its service.
Apple TV Streaming: How Would It Work?
It’s not yet clear whether Apple’s streaming site will launch as its own standalone service, or whether it will take the form of a re-vamped iTV app that is already available on the Apple TV, iPhones and iPads. Both CNBC and Bloomberg have reported that it may actually be somewhere in the middle: A substantially re-vamped version of the TV app that makes it barely recognizable.
Currently, the TV app redirects users to other subscription services like Now TV. Once Apple has its own streaming set-up in-house, users will very likely be encouraged to stick around to enjoy Apple’s own programming. Content like newscasts, movies, and series could soon live on the TV app instead of on third-party software. This also means that Apple users will have access to video content as soon as their devices come out of the box.
Apple is also said to be planning discounts or free content for users as a means to incentivize new hardware purchases.
Apple TV Streaming: Subscription Cost?
A final subscription cost hasn’t been revealed, either. But some analyst estimates have indicated that Apple’s streaming service could be notably more expensive than the cheapest Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video subscriptions, which are all roughly $8 per month.
Jefferies analyst Tim O’Shea predicted that a subscription will cost $15 per month, according to a February 19 9to5Mac report. The kicker, however, is whether that price includes the free content already made available to Apple device owners.
The CNBC report stated that iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs will all come loaded with free, Apple-owned content, suggesting this perk will be limited to the content it produces in house. Accessing subscriptions channels and other online-only services is probably what the $15 fee is referring to.
Apple TV Streaming: What Third-Party Services Will Be Available?
The fledgling service is also trying to recruit several of the other established platforms with their own content like Netflix, HBO, and Amazon Prime Video to get on board for its “Channels” option, according to CNBC. Apple’s idea is to make the service a subscription platform for existing services where users can watch, say, Game of Thrones if they’re subscribed to HBO already. But that pitch doesn’t seem to be landing.
Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Amazon Prime Video have reportedly not agreed. That leaves Apple trying to woo big TV networks. But with the big TV networks working on streaming platforms of their own — most recently NBC, Apple may have trouble recruiting partners.
Talks seem to have been rocky. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings confirmed taking his company out of the running during a Monday media event reported by Recode, saying that “we want to have people watch our shows on our services.” It is hard to see why, say, Hulu or Amazon Prime would feel all that differently.
On the other hand, AT&T (who owns HBO), CBS, and Lionsgate (which owns Starz) are expected to make deals.
Apple TV Streaming: What Original Content Will Be Featured?
With $1 billion in-hand, Apple obviously has plenty of cash to pull in whatever big names it thinks it needs to ensure the service makes a splash. That said, the company’s first foray into content production was underwhelming, at least in they were in the case of widely-mocked *Planet of the Apps and Carpool Karaoke. That said, most of the shows in the pipeline seem just a touch more ambitious.
Apple hired former Sony Pictures Televisions presidents Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg to lead the push on its original programming. These two new executives have stepped up the caliber of content Apple will be releasing in the near future:
- Swagger, a biographical drama on NBA all-star Kevin Durant’s youth.
- An untitled drama series from La La Land writer-director Damien Chazelle.
- Central Park, an animated show from the creator of Bob’s Burgers.
- An untitled series from M. Night Shyamalan.
- An untitled morning show drama series starring Steve Carell, Reese Witherspoon, and Jennifer Aniston (which we take to mean a drama series about characters working on a morning show).
- A reboot of Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi and horror anthology Amazing Stories.
- An untitled Ronald D. Moore space drama series.
- A thriller-drama series called Are You Sleeping starring Octavia Spencer.
- A docuseries called Home from executive producers Matt Tyrnauer and Corey Reeser.
- An untitled comedy series starring Kristen Wiig.
- Defending Jacobs, a drama series produced by and starring Chris Evans.
- An untitled comedy series written by Rob McElhenney and Charlie Day from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
- Foundation, a series based on novels by sci-fi author Isaac Asimov.
- An untitled mystery series created by Dana Fox and Dara Resnik.
- Little Voice, a romantic comedy by JJ Abrams, Jessie Nelson, and Sara Bareilles.


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The brewery, which has been at 529 Waverly Ave. for 10 years, will move out by Sept. 1, co-founder Kelly Taylor said Tuesday.
He said the brewery’s lease was originally scheduled to end in October of next year, but the company, which he owns with wife Sonya Giacobbe, will be leaving a year early to save on rent as it looks at more affordable locations in The Bronx.
“We’ve gone through a lot of different stages of denial and grief,” he said. “We were trying to make it work, but if you really looked at it, we just can’t run this business in the neighborhood anymore.”
The news was first reported by Fort Green Local.
Taylor said he met with landlord Fred Sanders, of event space Sanders Studio at 525 Waverly Ave., to discuss the future of the brewery. Sanders indicated he planned to use his five additional floors of air rights to redevelop the two-story building, increasing the brewery’s rent going forward, Taylor said.
“Our landlord was pretty clear he had other plans for the space,” Taylor said. “We’re built as a microbrewery and he’s going to need more of a brewpub kind of thing, which can pay more retail rent than manufacturing rent.”
Sanders was not immediately available for comment, but Taylor said lease negotiations were amicable.
KelSo is currently paying $20,000 in rent, but would have to pay $30,000 to extend the lease for another year, Taylor said. As for signing a new lease, he said the brewery didn’t even consider what the cost would be.
“It wasn’t really on the table,” Taylor noted.
As for the future, he said he is looking at similarly sized manufacturing locations in The Bronx that he can rent for just $10,000.
In the meantime, KelSo will continue to distribute beer to local bars and stores in the New York area through partnerships with other nearby breweries like Chelsea Craft Brewing and Gun Hill Brewing Company.
KelSo will continue making the same signature flavors, as well as working on a few new recipes with partner breweries.
But until it finds a new space, the brewery will likely scale back on small batch beers for bars and restaurants, Taylor added.
“I’ll be working hard to make sure that the quality is there and the production keeps going,” he said.


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Post the implementation of this move, the settlements that were happening with the beneficiary bank account through IMPS or NEFT can now be conducted through UPI.
IMPS or Immediate Payment Service and NEFT or National Electronic Fund Transfer are the modes to settle interbank retail payments.
Reports suggest that India is the largest receiver of foreign remittance and the country received over $62 billion foreign remittances in 2016. It had set up a target to reach $65 billion in 2017.
If UPI can be popularised within consumers in such circumstances, instant payment mechanism will have a huge scope.
UPI is convenient as it only needs a payment address for completion of fund transfer. There is no need to feed account number and IFS code.


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Just in time for the Consumer Electronics Show next week in Las Vegas, Market Research Solutions (MRS) is out with a new report that provides unconventional insights into the 2011 holiday season and outlook for 2012.
The Tampa, Fla.-based research firm surveyed 272 department managers in early December at such retailers as Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Hhgregg and dominant regional players to gain a unique perspective on a category of business that is the most dynamic in retail. Among some of the key findings MRS provided exclusively to RetailingToday.com were:
The CE category started off strong with 61% of store managers surveyed indicating sales were higher than compared to the prior year and store traffic was higher than the prior year.
Brands are a big deal in the CE category. Apple was the brand most in demand during holiday 2011 – no surprise there – followed by Samsung, Sony, Vizio and Microsoft.
Tablets was the hottest category of 2011, and managers expect that to be the case again in 2012. Attachment rates for extended warranties were also strong.
Merchants and supply chain executives did a good job of accurately forecasting demand and replenishing merchandise after Thanksgiving weekend as three fourth of respondent reported inventory levels commensurate with demand.
In contrast to conventional consumer surveys, which are inherently flawed because shoppers are not always reliable predictors of their own behavior and also have poor recall of their actions, MRS seeks to understand the dynamics of the CE category from a different vantage point. By speaking with the department managers on the front lines of taking care of customers the data compiled by MRS offers a unique perspective. Quality, actionable information generated by original research doesn’t come cheap, and Retailing Today was provided with only a sampling of the data. More details on the complete report, which is available for $199 are available by clicking here.


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Razer Senior Vice President and General Manager for mobile Tom Moss has taken to Medium to explain that he has is parting ways with the company to take on the role of COO at drone startup Skydio. The departure appears to be on good terms with the executive indicating in that the decision was effectively made on the basis that the global market for smartphones is saturated and an experience he had with Skydio's R1 smart drone. Specifically, Mr. Moss recalls receiving the drone and using it to film a family bicycle outing. The airborne bot was placed in "lead" mode and flew backward to record the activity, avoiding obstacles and actively predicting the appropriate location to film next. Being able to complete the task of filming a family activity without taking himself out of the moment was inspirational for the former Razer executive. So when Skydio came forward with a job offer, following his role as an angel investor four years prior, Mr. Moss says that it wasn't an offer he could refuse.
Background: Mr. Moss has been a big part of smartphone development since long before his arrival at Razer and that has included time spent on some very early versions of Android while at Google. Leading up to his position with Razer's mobile unit, the executive worked at Nextbit and was CEO of the company during the development process behind the Nextbit Robin. Nextbit was purchased by Razer in early 2017. Prior to that, between 2010 and 2012, Mr. Moss worked as CEO and co-founder of 3LM. The company was responsible for helping OEMs such as HTC, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, and LG standardize their API through proprietary patches to Android itself.
More recently, the executive helped oversee development of Razer's latest device, the Razer Phone 2. As a followup on the company's original ultimate gaming phone design, the new Razer smartphone doesn't necessarily push too many boundaries. It essentially keeps what worked with the previous iteration and tries to improve on everything else, such as dual forward-firing speakers. Those are now enabled and certified by Netflix for Dolby Surround 5.1 and HDR audio playback as well as Dolby Atmos hardware. No other handset can currently make that claim. What's more, it features a 5.7-inch LCD panel rated at a 120Hz refresh rate and that's 50-percent brighter than the previous model. That's driven by a highly-optimized Snapdragon 845 SoC and specialty software to make it as close to perfect as possible for mobile gaming and power is provided by a generous 4,000mAh battery. The primary drawback to that single-minded focus is its poorly performing cameras.
Impact: Setting that aside, despite how well-designed as the Razer 2 is for the niche of mobile gaming, the mobile phone industry is not where Mr. Moss sees himself contributing the most to technology in general. The long-time innovator wants to create a directional shift for the drone market that's similar to the changeover from flip-phones to smartphones. Comparing the two technologies and referencing pre-2007 "dumb phones," Mr. Moss explains that the current iterations of drone hardware are stuck "in the dumb stage" and that they need artificial intelligence to break out of that rut. The transition forward to more intelligent flying machines is something the former Razer employee says he is excited to be a part of.


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Washington, D.C. –U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today held the first Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee oversight hearing of the 113th Congress on the enforcement of antitrust laws. At the hearing, Klobuchar questioned Department of Justice Antitrust Division Assistant Attorney General William Baer and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Edith Ramirez on promoting competition and cracking down on anti-competitive practices. Klobuchar highlighted her work to fight pay-for-delay deals that keep less expensive generic drugs off the market and scrutinize airline mergers like the proposed American Airlines-US Airways deal.
“Antitrust issues are not Republican or Democratic issues – they are consumer issues. We can all agree that robust competition is essential to our free-market economy and critical to ensuring that people get the best prices and choices,”Klobuchar said. “Whether it’s challenging anticompetitive practices like pay-for-delay settlement agreements that keep cheaper generic drugs from coming onto the market, reviewing mergers to make sure they won't harm consumers and competition, or stopping price-fixing cartels, vigilant antitrust enforcement means more innovation and more money in the pockets of American families.”
Klobuchar has been a leader in Congress on working to advance consumer protection and promote competition. In her first hearing as chair of the Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee, Klobuchar questioned airline industry executives and antitrust experts about the proposed American Airlines-US Airways merger impact on airline prices and services for consumers. Klobuchar also pressed airline executives to commit to continue serving small- and mid-sized metropolitan areas and called on the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a thorough study of the airline industry to examine the impact airline consolidation has had on consumers and competition.
Earlier this year Klobuchar also introduced legislation with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) to put an end to pay-for-delay settlements, the practice of brand-name drug manufacturers using pay-off agreements to keep more affordable generic equivalents off the market. These agreements delay generic entry into the market nearly 17 months longer on average than agreements without payments. These pay-off settlements (also known as “reverse payments”) delay consumer access to cost-saving generic drugs, which can be as much as 90 percent cheaper than brand-name drugs. Klobuchar and Grassley’s legislation would make such practices illegal, and according to The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), would accelerate the availability of lower-priced generic drugs and generate over $4.7 billion in budget savings to the Federal Treasury between fiscal years 2012 and 2021.


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To celebrate Independence Day and summer, American consumers’ drink options continue to abound. According to New York-based Nielsen’s consumer insight titled “A Flavorful Fourth of July,” broadly appealing flavor profiles are dominating the beverage alcohol market.
Moosehead Breweries marks 150th anniversary with milestone label
June 16, 2017
The COOLERPACK is the newest edition to Heineken’s range of packaging configurations. Designed to pop open the top, fill the pack with ice and chill Heineken, the COOLERPACK also will keep consumers cool in the heat, driving incremental sales and profits for retailers who stock and display the innovative new item, it explains.


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About half of residents didn't plan to celebrate the holiday, a survey found.
The meat of the matter is a mix of inflation — with higher prices keeping most away from their local boucherie — and general disinterest. A recent survey by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and Angus Reid found that 45% of people in Quebec had no intention of celebrating the holiday, compared to 9 out of 10 respondents from the rest of Canada who do celebrate.
"This is our first time measuring intent of Canadians for Thanksgiving, but you can sense that food inflation is putting some pressure on dinner tables these days," said the lab's director, Sylvain Charlebois. Nearly a quarter (22%) of respondents planned to change their usual holiday meal due to higher food prices.
Most Canadians consider turkey essential for Thanksgiving dinner with nearly two-thirds of people ranking it the most important food (62%) and more than three-quarters ranking it among the top three (77%). But the price of the bird has risen by 15-16% per kilogram on average since 2021, according to Agri-Food Analytics Lab. Bacon, ham and chicken, by comparison, are all up about 10% since last year.
"Even though turkey is popular, we were expecting higher numbers," said Research Associate Janet Music.
Pumpkin pie proved the most popular Thanksgiving dessert, especially among 18- to 34-year-olds, although Quebecers stood out for largely preferring apple crisp.


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Blockchain can do more than underpin cryptocurrency transactions; it can also be used to control data. Dr Olivier Jutel is looking at the implications of this in the Pacific.
A University of Otago researcher is questioning the use of blockchain in development projects in the Pacific.
Blockchain is the record-keeping technology underpinning cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin.
While printed currency is regulated by a central authority like a bank or government, cryptocurrency transactions are verified by a peer-to-peer network of computers. When goods are paid for using Bitcoin, computers on the Bitcoin network verify the transaction and publicly record and store it as a block on the blockchain, at which point it becomes unalterable.
These public transaction databases – blocks on the blockchain – can also be used to encrypt information on a supply chain or data about property exchanges, for instance. And the control of this decentralised public ledger of digital information has implications for governance and economies.
Blockchain is in its early days and there is a lot of talk globally about the ethics and implications in using blockchain to control data. But in the meantime, says Dr Olivier Jutel, developers and tech companies are quietly trialling these systems in our own neighbourhood, using the Pacific Islands to experiment with new blockchain applications.
That has resulted in a boom of blockchain development solutions in the Pacific, whether national cryptocurrencies, tuna supply-chain management or blockchain for aid distribution.
Jutel, a lecturer in Otago's Department of Media, Film and Communication, is examining the role of techno-utopian discourse in ICT development policy in the Pacific and the impact of cyber threats to democracy in the region.
His research suggests that developers are leveraging the desire in the Pacific for technology development and also taking advantage of regulatory weakness in these countries.
Jutel suspects there is an attempt to launder the politics of these technologies through laudable goals like tech development and indigenous self-determination.
"We need to ask questions about the benefits and the trade-offs for developing countries in working with foreign investment that seeks to manage data systems.”
The governance structure of blockchain management has created a new system, one that crosses borders and that disengages with people and society, he says. "Decentralised control bypasses democracy or sovereignty, and this has the potential to shift power within a country and place all manner of market transactions outside regulation."
He believes there is a massive global naivety about what these applications can do, their potential to exploit and the possibility for power imbalance. And there is a lack of transparency about the intentions and implications of the developers and tech-savvy global businesses working in the Pacific.
"For example, blockchain can record every part of a supply chain, allowing tuna consumers to trace the origin of their meal back to the fishing boat it was caught from. The theory is that everyone in the distribution chain will benefit; the reality is that those at the beginning of the chain don't have the bandwidth and capability to get information, only to supply it – it's therefore a one-way dataflow that they get no returns from.
"We, therefore, need to ask questions about the benefits and the trade-offs for developing countries in working with foreign investment that seeks to manage data systems. How will it affect the ownership and management of land and resources, and what is the long-term impact on governance?"
- University of Otago


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WASHINGTON - Toyota on Monday said it was recalling about 690,000 Tacoma pickup trucks in the United States to fix a suspension system flaw that could result in vehicle fires.
The safety recall covers model years 2005-2011 Tacoma 4x4 and Tacoma PreRunner pickup trucks, the U.S. unit of Toyota Motor Corp. (IW 1000/8) said.
The trucks' rear suspension system contains springs that could fracture due to stress and corrosion, it warned.
If the broken spring moves out of position and contacts the fuel tank repeatedly, it could puncture the tank, causing a fuel leak that increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
Toyota, the world's largest automaker, said it was not aware of any fires, crashes, injuries or fatalities associated with the condition.
A Toyota spokeswoman told AFP that the company also was recalling about 100,000 of the Tacoma trucks outside the U.S.
It was the third safety recall issued by Toyota USA this month, bringing the total to 840,000 vehicles.
On Sept. 18, the Japanese automaker recalled 20,000 cars due to bad welding on a fuel delivery pipe in the engine compartment that could cause a fuel leak and subsequent fire.
That recall affected 2015 model year Lexus RX, the company's luxury brand, and four 2014 model year brands: Avalon, Camry, Highlander and Sienna.
Toyota had said it knew of no fires, crashes, injuries or fatalities linked to the problem.
A Sept. 11 recall affected 130,000 of 2014 model year Tundra pickup trucks to fix a structure that could interfere with side air-bag deployment in the case of a crash. No crashes, injuries or deaths were reported.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2014


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Pierre Fabre, the French dermocosmetics company, has renewed its partnership with Abbott Healthcare. The move ensures that Pierre Fabre's line of skin care products will continue to be available in one of the largest consumer product companies in…
St. Paul, MN
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$5.4 billion. Net income: $427 million.
Douglas M. Baker Jr., chairman, president and chief executive officer; Christophe Beck, senior vice president and ge…
The Top 50: Our Annual Summer Blockbuster
Okay, okay, maybe we didn’t invent the Summer Blockbuster. After all, Jaws hit the silver screen back in 1975 and The Top 50 didn’t debut until 1978. But there’s no denying the fact that…


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For the first time in six years, the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers (NATM) held its Annual Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas.
And although Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret were not in the building, NATM executives were so pleased with the attendance and productivity that they were tempted to shout, “Viva Las Vegas!”
The 26th annual event drew the second-highest number of registrants in recent history—880, a 15% increase over 2013—and the highest number of trailer manufacturers since 2010. The trade show floor also was sold out three weeks in advance of the event, which was held February 26-28 at South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa.
The exhibitors and attendees gave the event a high rating.
According to a survey, 100% of exhibitors said that the event is a high-quality exhibition that benefits their company; 14% were first-time exhibitors, a significant increase; and 46% of exhibitors introduced a new product.
Of the attendees, 95% said the value of the show was good to excellent; they gave the trade show a rating of four out of five; 89% of the responding attendees have a role in purchasing products; 13% were there for the first time, a significant increase; and 92% said they will definitely or probably attend next year’s show in New Orleans.
“Las Vegas is definitely a draw,” NATM executive director Pam O’Toole Trusdale said. “We’re still going to alternate between East and West Coast locations, but our West location will probably be Las Vegas for the next few. We already have a contract at South Point for 2016, and we’re looking at South Point for 2018.
“The facility was great. Members liked having everything under one roof. When we go to a convention center, sometimes the trade show is there and other functions are at the hotel. They liked having everything there at South Point. We got good room rates, and the service and food were good. It’s just a great facility.”
There were between 70 and 100 attendees for all of the workshop sessions, and in some cases there wasn’t enough room to accommodate them.
Trusdale chalked that up to changes that were made for this year’s event. After reviewing 2013 convention evaluations, the convention committee eliminated the workshop sessions from Friday afternoon and moved the trade show up an hour on Friday, so it ended at noon. Instead of the Friday lunch, there was a Friday breakfast with the exhibitors. Friday also offered an opportunity for exhibitors to provide product demos in a theater on the trade show floor.
“It was different this year,” Trusdale said. “Usually, we had three workshops at a time, and typically two were really well-attended and one not so much. So we decided to focus on technical topics and business issues and do two at a time, focusing on good speakers and attendance. We will do that again next year. Our technical forums were very popular. We will use the same format for next year.”
NATM presented Aluminum Trailer Company (ATC Trailers) of Nappanee, Indiana, with the NATM Green Manufacturing Award at the Awards Luncheon. The NATM Green Manufacturing Award is presented to an NATM trailer manufacturing member annually to recognize the best innovation or novel solutions by a manufacturer in the industry that positively impact the environment.
NATM has partnered with PPG Industries Inc, the founding sponsor of the Green Award, which donates $5000 to the charity selected by the award recipient. The financial support reflects PPG’s commitment to improving the environment.
ATC Trailers has been proactive in its commitment to sustainability. A pillar of ATC’s core values is to enhance surrounding communities. Examples of ATC’s commitment to sustainability include recycling of 100% of wood scrap, aluminum and steel, while also recycling employee waste and eliminating one-time use paper products. This alone has generated an average of $4500 per month as well as keeps the waste from filling landfills.
ATC has increased its energy efficiency and is in its fourth year of a lean manufacturing transition. The company has utilized natural ventilation for the summer months and a high-efficiency, wood-fired boiler in the winter months. One result of this effort is a huge reduction of utility costs from $221,520 to $113,625 annually. The company also complies with water-run off requirements, and has improved air quality through a new ventilation system and placed limits placed on smoking areas.
ATC has plans to continue with its green improvements with a switch to energy-efficient light bulbs and increase natural lighting as well as introducing a rain capturing system in order to utilize the grey water in the facility.
NATM President Mike Lloyd and Ron Yarnell of PPG presented Lucas Landis the 2014 Green Award to ATC Trailers. ATC selected Goshen’s Farmer’s Market to receive the donation. Goshen Farmer’s Market is governed by The Community Sustainability Project, an Indiana non-profit corporation with a mission to create a viable market for locally grown and crafted products in order to promote and educate about agricultural, environmental, economic, and community sustainability.
The 27th Annual Convention & Trade Show is set for New Orleans at the Ernest M Morial Convention Center from February 11-13, 2015.
Trusdale said the goal is to continue to grow attendance.
“We’ve already sold 50% of the booth space for next year,” she said. “We give them a special rate if they exhibited this year and sign up within 45 days of this year’s convention for next year. We’re going to grow a bit and will have a few extra booths next year.
“We had some promotions to get new members and first-time people there. We gave a free room and registration to one person per company to those who had never attended from a company. We want to reward not just new members but also long-time supporters, so with every full registration, a company could bring its purchasing agent for free. We had quite a few new manufacturers there this year, and that was our goal. We’re constantly trying to improve our educational events and have workshops with topics our members want to hear.” ♦