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DETROIT — Excess capacity is forcing Standard Products Co., a supplier of exterior automotive trim, to shut down two plants by year-end, including a 224,000-square-foot plastic extrusion and molding operation in Schenectady, N.Y.
The Dearborn, Mich.-based supplier, which announced the decision to employees Jan. 27, said the shutdowns were needed to reduce capacity and pare costs across its 14 North American plants. The company will close its Campbell Plastics plant, which primarily extrudes PVC body side moldings, and a 115,000-square-foot rubber processing plant in Lexington, Ky. The Kentucky plant makes belt weatherstrip assemblies and other extruded rubber sealing systems.
The plastics plant has 232 hourly and 32 salaried employees, and the rubber plant has 239 workers. The company said it will shut down Campbell Plastics within 12 months and its rubber plant by the end of August.
Campbell Plastics, which the company acquired in 1967, is only operating at 40 percent capacity, well below the company's targeted production goals, said Donald Sheley Jr., chief financial officer for Standard Products.
``We reached a point where it was necessary to take action,'' Sheley said. ``We couldn't pass the costs of excess capacity to automakers and expect to remain competitive. The way the market is changing, our only decision was to close the plants.''
The New York plant's capacity problem is expected to grow larger in May, when it ceases work on side trim for Ford Motor Co.'s F-series light trucks. Ford told plant officials in December that it was shifting production to Decoma Exterior Systems Group, based in Concord, Ontario. Ford's contract with Campbell Plastics had expired last year but work continued while a new contract was negotiated, according to Standard Product sources.
The Ford F-series work is the plant's largest contract, accounting for 40 percent of production, said Campbell Plastics general manager Jim Kaczynski. The plant, which produces as many as 8,000 vehicle sets a week for the light trucks, has not replaced the lost business, he added.
No reason was given by Ford for shifting the contract to Decoma. Ford spokeswoman Cheryl Eberwein said the loss of the business had no impact on the plant closure.
``It was a capacity decision,'' she said.
Sheley emphasized that even with the Ford contract, overcapacity is a major problem.
``In all probability, we would have come to the same conclusion about the plant,'' he said.
Decoma, one of the world's largest suppliers of exterior automotive components, is owned by Magna International Inc. Magna officials would not confirm receiving the Ford contract at press time.
The plant's 264 employees are represented by the International Union of Electrical Workers Local 318. As of Jan. 29, the union had yet to sit down with management to work out a severance agreement, said business agent Rick Dempsky. The union contract runs until September 1999, he added.
Dempsky said employees were told by plant management that Ford wanted to shift its F-series side trim work to a larger Tier 1 supplier who could provide a variety of components.
``We've been living on the edge and barely hanging onto our product line for quite a while,'' Dempsky said. ``It's still disappointing that it had come to this.''
Besides the Ford trucks, the plant also makes exterior molding for the Chevrolet Lumina, Ford Monte Carlo, Ford Probe, Dodge Dakota and other models.
Profit squeezing might also have played a role in the plant shutdowns. In a highly competitive market, automakers have asked suppliers to keep a lid on prices. Standard Products reported 1996 sales of $1.1 billion, an 8.8 percent increase compared with 1995 sales of $995.9 million. However, profits for the year declined by 27.3 percent to $14.6 million from $20 million in 1995.
Sheley said both plants were barely turning a profit.
The 11,000-employee company plans to transfer equipment to its remaining three North American plastics plants in Spartanburg and Winnsboro, S.C., and in Cleveland. The Campbell plant has eight extrusion lines, three injection molding machines with clamping forces of 1,000-1,500 tons and a number of small, 150-ton presses. Equipment not needed at the other plants will be sold, Sheley said.
Standard Products ranked sixth in sales among North American pipe, profile and tubing extruders in Plastic News' 1996 ranking, with $280 million in related sales.
The company said in a Jan. 27 news release that it expected to record a significant charge against earnings in the third quarter of fiscal 1997, which ends March 31, due to the cost of the plant closings. That cost cannot be determined until union negotiations are concluded, Sheley said.


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World Bank Forecasts Growth of 3.9% in Timorese Economy in 2019
21 May 2019 (Observador) – The biannual economic report of the WB predicts that the contraction of the last two years should be reversed this year and in the next, the forecast is an increase of 4.9% of GDP in 2021.
The East Timorese economy is expected to grow 3.9 percent this year, boosted by an increase in public spending after two consecutive years of contraction caused by political uncertainty in the country, according to the latest World Bank report.
The World Bank’s six-month economic report, released on Tuesday, predicts that contraction for the past two years, which reached 3.8 percent in 2017 and 7 percent last year, is expected to be reversed this year and next – the forecast is an increase of 4.9% of GDP in 2021 – driven by more public spending and greater private consumption.
“With the approval of the 2019 General State Budget (OGE) in February, we expect some economic recovery to occur,” said Pedro Martins, chief economist at the World Bank.
“The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to grow 3.9% in a scenario of greater economic and political stability. Increased public spending coupled with stronger private consumption will lead to economic recovery, “he said.
The decline in public spending and the political and consequently economic uncertainties of the past two years have “had a notable impact on the private sector, affecting consumer and business confidence”, with a drop in private consumption.
“Public spending on wages and personal benefits fell by 1-2% and thus failed to sustain consumption as they did in 2017,” notes the World Bank, noting that private investment has also been relatively subdued.
The report confirms the impact of reducing public spending in 2017 and much of 2018, which only began to be corrected in the last quarter of last year after the approval of the State Budget.
Economics, the report says, is “reasonably protected against external shocks,” but may be vulnerable to price rises, falling dollar prices, or worsening global financial conditions.
Internally, the World Bank continues to refer to high domestic risks, noting that “the political tensions” of the last few years “have decreased but not dissipated”, recalling that the Government is not complete.
The fiscal balance is expected to deteriorate due to higher public coffers costs, less Petroleum Fund Estimated Sustainable Income (RSE) and moderate domestic revenues, remaining “a key medium-term concern.”
The World Bank notes that the Petroleum Fund continues to see its balance reduced and that it is essential to protect the population and private investors, a situation that can be remedied by the eventual production of the Greater Sunrise fields and “improvements in the quality of public spending, which can have multiplier effects on the economy. “
Historically, the report has pointed out that the performance of the Timorese economy has been weakening since 2008, when it achieved double-digit growth, with average GDP increases of 9% between 2007 and 2011 and an average of 4% between 2012 and 2016.
In 2017 and 2018, “negative economic growth has further contributed to a divergence from regional trends,” the study said.
Private loans in Timor-Leste with an “unusual” increase of 25% in 2017
Commercial lending to the private sector in Timor-Leste fell 2% last year after the “unusual” 25% increase in 2017, possibly due to credit lines for late payments in the state, according to the World Bank.
The World Bank’s economic report, released on Tuesday, notes that credit levels “have grown steadily throughout 2017 but have fallen sharply in the first quarter of 2018.”
Behavior that, according to the institution, translates into a “response to arrears in payments affecting economic sectors dependent on government contracts (such as construction) in 2017”.
The “sharp fall” in early 2018 “may have been caused by growing concern about the ability of creditors to pay off debts,” the report notes, noting that in general terms individual loans were to boost credit growth in 2018, while construction and tourism registered declines in credit levels.
Specifically, according to the report, private individual loans accounted for 41% of total commercial bank lending in 2018, followed by construction (25%) and commerce and finance (19%).
The World Bank notes that access to credit “is often reported as a major trade restriction, which may discourage development” in various sectors, and a “credit guarantee system to stimulate small and medium-sized enterprises companies, with credit risk sharing “.
Data released this Tuesday show that there is still a low level of non-compliance, which in March 2018 was around 4% – far from the 42% level in 2010 – although there was a new increase to 6% at the end of last year .
An increase that, according to the World Bank, is probably due to “deteriorating conditions, where businesses and even individuals were struggling with cash flows” because of delays in payments.
Globally the banking sector continues to be characterized by high liquidity – with a low lending to deposit ratio of 0.22 – due to “poor financial intermediation” with “a large part of the banking sector’s assets abroad.”
Interest rates remain particularly high, averaging 13% in 2018 – while deposit interest rates average less than one percent.
In another context, the domestic economic situation led to a fall in the trade deficit last year, which was around $ 940 million, down two percent from 2017.
Imports of goods fell by 3%, mainly due to falls in vehicles and machinery, with imports of consumer and capital goods amounting to 613 million and services amounting to 450 million.
Most imports of goods originating in ASEAN member countries, such as Indonesia and Singapore, but also from China.
Exports of goods increased by almost 50 percent to $ 25 million from coffee – which had a better harvest than in 2017 – accounting for about 95 percent of all exported products.

domain: news


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|08-16-2013, 06:01 AM||#1|
Join Date Nov 2004
Razer Unveils the Tartarus Gaming Keypad
There has been a new news posted.
Here is a snippet:
"Razer has just announced the release of the Razer Tartarus, a membrane gaming keypad created with ergonomic comfort and infinite customization options.
Successor to the Razer Nostromo, the Razer Tart..."
Read the full story at: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/news/...ng-Keypad/7422
Comments on this news are welcome.
Hardware Secrets Team


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The government of Nova Scotia has decided to keep October 30, 2020 as the day where single use plastic shopping bags will be banned throughout the province. This comes after advice from Nova Scotia Public Health confirming it is safe to use reusable shopping bags.
Unlike PEI and the Greater Moncton area, there are no specific mandates related to paper bags and charging fees for alternative bags. RCC members will note however, the government’s recommendation for businesses who choose to distribute paper bags, is that they are encouraged to use paper bags containing at least 40% post consumer recycled paper.
The province has also produced posters (in English and French) that retailers may wish to post in their stores.
Details of the single-use plastic bag ban and alternative can be found on here and you can also visit RCC’s shopping bag and single-use plastic regulations across Canada resource.


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2016 Auto Expo: Renault Kwid 1.0 Easy-R to be unveiled
The Renault Kwid has got a flying start in the Indian market, thanks to its SUV-inspired styling. At the 2016 Auto Expo, Renault will add a new variant to the range, called the Kwid 1.0 Easy-R. As the name suggests, the car will get a 1.0-litre engine that is expected to produce over 75PS of power and will rival cars like the Alto K10 and the Eon 1.0. The Easy-R suffix points towards a automated manual transmission (AMT) belonging to the family that Renault previewed at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show.
The 800cc version of Renault Kwid shown for representation purpose only
The model will differentiate itself from its 800cc engined sibling with a '1.0' badging on the door cladding and the boot-lid, while an 'Easy-R' decal will find space on the C-pillar, much like the 'AWD' decal in the Duster AWD. A chrome grille could come by default on the range-topping Kwid 1.0 Easy-R. More details and photos coming soon from the show floor. Stay tuned.
Starts Rs 2.92 Lakhs
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- NewsMaserati Ghibli and Quattroporte Trofeo pack 580PS V8 under the hood
- NewsKawasaki Versys 650 BSVI launched in India at Rs. 6.79 lakh


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Game news No Call of Duty 2023, but a “premium” surprise for fans of Activision’s shooter?
If Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2.0 land this year, Activision should take a break next year to better understand the rest of its legendary license. But that doesn’t mean Call of Duty fans don’t have something to sink their teeth into.
- No new Call of Duty in 2023?
- Warzone, Mobile and surprises…
No new Call of Duty in 2023?
It has been more than 15 years (since Call of Duty 2) that CoD has arrived every year to the delight of FPS players. But this beautiful era may soon be over. For a long time, great mistress of the genre, the Activision license has lost its splendor for some time. If it can count on its Battle Royale Warzone to do well, the same can hardly be said for the latest installment in the franchise, Call of Duty: Vanguard. From the admissions of the Activision teams themselves, the game did not perform as they would have liked.
In Activision’s annual report filed with the SEC on Friday, the company says Vanguard’s sales fell short of expectations due to the WWII setting + not enough innovation.
Says this year’s game will set them straight with modern settings and innovation. There are 3,000 people working on CoD. pic.twitter.com/hYNv5vY44Q
— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) May 2, 2022
For Activision, it’s a poor performance that would have even prompted the box office to make a historic decision: take a year off by not releasing another Call of Duty in 2023. At least that’s what we’ve been hearing since the beginning of the year. This persistent rumor, which has yet to be confirmed, is based on a report from February brought to the attention of Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier. Again, the information should be taken with a grain of salt, but the feedback on Vanguard and the fact that Treyarch (who was supposed to work on the game) has been put on another project, free-to-play, makes it all more than plausible. But that doesn’t mean 2023 will be a down year for Activision’s license.
Warzone, Mobile and surprises…
First of all, latecomers or those who waited for Christmas will be able to try their hand at Moder Warfare 2. In addition, as usual, the game is expected to offer updates spread over time. Especially since Activision is selling us “the beginning of a new era for the Call of Duty franchise” at the end of the year. We can therefore expect great ambitions in the longer term. And then there’s also Warzone, which will continue to receive new content on a regular basis, just like Call of Duty Mobile. But the financial results for the second quarter of 2022 suggest that there will be other news in 2023 as well.
Across the Call of Duty ecosystem, teams are well positioned to support these launches with significant live operations while continuing to develop new premium content planned for 2023 and beyond.
We are well advanced… What is this content? “premium” What is Activision telling us? A priori, this term is not used to refer to the new free-to-play in development, especially since historically, Activision uses the term “premium” to talk about paid content. But beyond that, it’s hard to tell what Activision is up to. For all we know, this new content could just as well refer to simple packs to buy in Warzone 2.0 or Modern Warfare 2. But that said, we tend to hope for something more substantial. Maybe return of paid DLCs? Or a spin-off like the one Zombies fans have been waiting for for a long time? The future will bring us the answer to this question, but what is certain is that the year 2023 should therefore offer a lot of things to players after all.


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Alphabet, the recently formed conglomerate and holding company for Google, might have ran into some early trouble with trademark issues. The trademark ‘Alphabet’ is already owned by someone else, German auto manufacturer BMW.
Used for BMW’s leasing and fleet management business, Alphabet has been a part of BMW for a long time. A BMW spokeswoman said that neither CEO Larry Page or anyone else from Google got in touch prior to the Alphabet announcement to acquire the trademark and domain. The spokeswoman also said BMW has no plans to sell the trademark.
This puts Alphabet in quite a pickle, since Google works in the auto industry through its self-driving project. It might also be planning to launch a fleet of taxi cars, which would be in direct competition with Uber.
If that happens, Google would need to find special clearance to use the Alphabet trademark or fight BMW in court. That said, by removing the conglomerate from the consumer side of things, it might be able to get away with it, by naming the self-driving and taxi service something else.
It is still a risky business, since trademarks are defended from any and all infractions.
Most of the products and services launched under the Alphabet umbrella will be named Google. Google Fiber, Ventures, Capital, Maps, Search; the list goes on. Unless Alphabet intends to start naming new divisions after the holding company, it should be fine.
BMW’s Alphabet site went offline earlier today, after a huge amount of web traffic bombarded the site. The holding company Alphabet is using the abc.xyz domain for now, a throwback to HBO’s Silicon Valley conglomerate Hooli.
Alphabet has not commented on the report.


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NJ’s Online Betting Industry Continues to Show Promise as January Revenue Increases
The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement’s (NJDGE) 2014 January Internet Gross Revenue Report shows that the aggregate amount of online gambling revenue for the month of January is $9.5 million, which is higher by almost $2 million than the December 2013 figure of $7.4 million.
Borgata Casino remains in the lead, although its January online casino winnings of $3.9 million show an 18 percent increase or only a $0.6 million improvement from the December Internet earnings of $3.3 million. Still, the casino company’s current turnover represents about 40 percent of the Garden State’s total online wagering revenue.
Following closely at Borgata’s heels is Caesars, as the report shows the company’s January online revenue is $3 million, which is higher by a million compared to last month’s online earnings of $2 million. Seth Palansky, the official spokesperson for Caesars Interactive, attributes the 49 percent growth to their marketing campaigns, which went into full swing only in January.
Golden Nugget remains as a tail-ender, despite showing an improved income of $286,922 in January, from the previous month’s figure of $177,653. Yet Golden Nugget’s growth rate of 61 percent is more impressive than Trump Taj Mahal’s. The latter’s earnings of $858,351 for the month of January is only $33,259 higher than its December turnover of $825,092 or a mere four (4) percent growth rate.
Tropicana and Trump Plaza are still way behind Borgata and Caesars, for having $841,065 and $557,007 respectively; but the figures are still significant as far as growth rate is concerned. Tropicana’s revenue increased by $237,486 from December’s $603,579, which equates to a growth rate of 39 percent; while Trump Plaza increased by $155,036 from the previous revenue of $401,971 or a 38 percent increase.


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If you don't have a website, you might as well not exist.
Whether it's via smartphone or desktop, more than 4 billion people in the world (over half the population) are plugged-in. That's 4 billion opportunities for people to get to know you.
Is it outside of the canon? The internet, with instant access to all known history and science, was supposed to help us all get in sync, to understand what we knew for sure. But of course, when everyone has a...
In what will probably be the premise of The Social Network 2, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was grilled by members of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.
Zuckerberg answered questions about digital privacy in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal
Oh you think your weekend is great? Psshh. Take your cute outfit and hangover brunch home and make room for Cardi B, who is redefining the idea of best weekend ever.
Here's how the rapper/life coach is doing it (take notes):
Day one: Drop a
Prince Harry can now lay claim to becoming royalty of a different kind—he's officially become a viral meme about clubbing.
SEE ALSO: This princess just became the first British royal to create a personal Instagram
A 2013 video of Prince
If you live in Japan, Guam, or Australia, your internet may be about to get faster.
Google has announced that it has invested in a new undersea cable: the Japan-Guam-Australia (JGA) Cable System.
SEE ALSO: Are Google's Underwater Cables
The scary part about loving something is that you must eventually let it go.
The internet learned that lesson the hard way in March when Craigslist announced that it would be pulling its personals section in response to Senate bill H.R.1865 which,
There are only four days left until April, but we can still appreciate March Madness with the small amount of time left. Unless it's a toss up between Disney and Pixar movies.
This Disney-Pixar bracket is tearing the internet apart —
Now that Rudy Giuliani isn't on TV defending President Trump's every move like he was during the campaign, we're no longer blessed with our daily dose of the former New York City mayor. While less Giuliani is ideal for some, we also miss out on
Businessgyan - The destination for Business Knowledge powered by a community of experts, who share and point to useful and inspiring articles for entrepreneurs and business leaders. Find articles, blogs, videos and links that experts value in the areas of Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Marketing, Human Resource, Technology, Operations and Facilities


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John Daly now has his own clothing line, and the main selling point of Daly Comfort Wear, as the name suggests, is “comfort.”
But a secondary point, according to an official company news release, is “deodorizing.” If Daly is an authority on anything beyond swinging and swigging, the guess here is it would be body odor.
Ridiculous, you say? If John Daly can have a line of clothing, Wilford Brimley can have a line of lingerie? Well, counters Jeff Cravens, one of Daly’s marketing men, “There are a lot more guys out there built like John than are built like Tiger.”
He’s right, although we’d suggest Daly wasn’t as much built as he was accumulated. Regardless, these days anyone can – and probably does – have a clothing line.
From George Foreman to Tony Stewart to Dominik Hasek, athletes long have known that clothes make the man and also can make the man money. The Greg Norman Collection figures to net nearly $200million this year in retail sales.
Why, even Mike Iaconelli is working on a clothing line, and if Mike Iaconelli can … wait a minute … Mike? Iaconelli?
Professional fisherman. Seriously. He’s famous for having a flammable temper, break-dancing and writing a book entitled “Fishing on the Edge.” GQ included him on its list of the 10 most hated athletes. Not surprisingly, Iaconelli’s custom clothing line is called Basshole.
Athletes with designs on designing are everywhere. Julia Mancuso wants to turn her recent World Cup skiing success into a clothing line – Super Jules’ Underwear. “Underwear,” she explained, “is my calling.”
In 2005, disgraced, steroid-fueled sprinter Ben Johnson launched the Ben Johnson Collection, with the motto “Catch Me.” This was considered more appropriate, if less accurate, than the motto “Got Stanozolol?”
Laker Lamar Odom is behind “Son of Man,” a collection of shirts and jeans bearing the images of Jesus Christ and other Christian figures. Great gift idea: The Mary Magdalene Mock T.
Odom says there are too many negative icons today. “My man,” Odom told ESPN of Christ, “don’t get his props and he’s the biggest icon in the world.”
To which we can only add: A-freaking-men, Brother Lamar.
Sports Illustrated just came out with its annual swimsuit issue, which this year celebrates music, near-nude women and, tragically, an old advertisement in which Burt Reynolds is unclothed, save for a coat of fur apparently on loan from Big Foot.
Alas, skin does sell, in sports and fashion, which explains why a man named Robert Blackwell said, “We wanted to make the sport, for lack of a better word, sexier.” Now, realize he was talking about table tennis, oo-la-la.
Blackwell founded Killerspin, a company that includes a clothing line designed especially for Biljana Golic, a Serbian woman who is known as the Anna Kournikova of pingpong, although Golic actually wins sometimes.
If table tennis can be sexy, tennis not played on a table can be downright titillating. Maria Sharapova has a clothing line, even if most men would prefer she have an unclothed line.
Venus and Serena Williams often seem to be more into fashion than their game. While winning this year’s Australian Open, Serena continually was asked about being overweight, not a particularly endearing trait for someone in either the world of sports or style.
“I think it’s all because I have a large bosom and a large (behind),” she finally said. “I have a large (behind) and it always just looks like I’m bigger than the rest of the girls.”
Ironically, clothing lines are a little like (behinds); big or little, everyone seems to have one.
Quarterback Donovan McNabb has “Super Five,” golfer Michael Campbell has “Cambo Clothing” and boxer Evander Holyfield has “Warrior Wear,” which, according to the fighter’s people, “caters to consumers who want that fresh-from-the-gym look.” This should not be confused with that fresh-from-the-gym smell.
Even grungy, X-athlete Shaun White is working on a clothing line. He’s a famous snowboarder who generally appears to have the fashion sense of a dumpster behind a Goodwill Store.
The NBA is full of double-dribblers who also are double-dabblers, so many players tinkering in the world of clothing design. One of the pioneers was Michael Jordan, who discovered that people, for a decent pair of tennis shoes, were willing to pay almost anything, up to and including one of their internal organs.
The NBA itself is heavily into fashion with NBA4Her, a women’s line that debuted in 2002. Most of the major sports have followed, including NASCAR, which offers all sorts of ladies’ fashions, including polka dot boxer shorts honoring Dale Earnhardt Jr.
It was Oscar Wilde who once said, “One should either be a work of art or wear a work of art.” Those words are still true today, the proof being all around sports, where John Daly looks like a success from top to bottom. Mercifully, he smells just as successful.
Contact the writer: firstname.lastname@example.org


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Tamil Nadu's 2.25 crore cotton spindle capacity is a sizeable target for Indian shippers aggressively cutting prices to compete with truckers, who have benefitted from the sliding price of crude oil.
PM Narendra Modi, meeting entrepreneurs from Coimbatore just ahead of a public meeting there, assured them of action on FTA with the European Union.
The results of the voting were not announced and will be produced in Madras HC which laid this condition and several others to allow conduct of AGM.
Analysts dub the results as in line with estimates, including anticipated losses caused by the Chennai floods.
TVS Motor company said its Board of Directors have approved in-principle an investment not exceeding 10 million Hong Kong Dollars in Hong Kong.
Real estate demand and supply levels in Chennai are at their respective five-year lows, pressured downside by oversupply and waning consumer demand and the Chennai floods.
AutoRaja's customer base has been dwindling over the past two months and a shutdown, which began in August, was completed about 45 days ago.
Chennai-based angel network The Chennai Angels has announced it has invested Rs 3.5 crore ($500,000 million) in home automation company Silvan Innovation Labs.
Private and state-owned sugar mills numbering 43 have not been able to adhere to the price bar the state government wants them to reach.
The company may set up a small solar farm at the plant or go for third-party purchase. Saint-Gobain is currently purchasing sand from global sites such as Egypt.
- No blogs yet have been written by the author, we’re sure the author will contribute one soon


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Brussels, 10 May 2010 - EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht will visit the United States on 10-12 May 2010 to meet with United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk, US Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economic Affairs Michael Froman as well as other leading figures in the Administration, the Congress and business. His visit will specifically focus on the Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) which has the potential to unlock significant economic benefits for both sides of the Atlantic. Commissioner De Gucht, who is the TEC co-Chair on the EU side, will meet with his US counterpart Michael Froman in the National Security Council to discuss the way forward on this important initiative.
"The transatlantic economic partnership remains at the core of the world economy. Despite the economic crisis, the US and the EU are each others' most important markets, generating jobs and growth on both side of the Atlantic", said Commissioner De Gucht. "There is a potential to go further. By breaking down regulatory barriers, we can create additional opportunities which are urgently needed in times of economic recovery. I am convinced the Transatlantic Economic Council can play a significant role here."
TEC discussions will focus on how the Council can be used most effectively as an active instrument in the current economic recovery efforts.
Commissioner De Gucht will also meet with USTR Ron Kirk to discuss issues relating to the transatlantic trade relationship and the ongoing Doha Development Agenda. In addition, Commissioner De Gucht will meet with Members of the US Congress to discuss transatlantic economic relations.
The Transatlantic Economic Council
At the EU-US Summit on 30 April 2007, Commission President Barroso, German Chancellor Merkel and US President Bush signed the "Framework for Advancing Transatlantic Economic Integration between the USA and the EU". This framework included the establishment of the
Transatlantic Economic Council (TEC) which oversees, guides and accelerates the implementation of work designed to closer integrate the EU and US economies. The TEC brings together those Members of the European Commission and US Cabinet Members who carry the political responsibility for closer economic ties.
The TEC is currently co-chaired by the EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht on the EU side and Michael Froman (US deputy National Security Advisor for International Economic Affairs) on the US side. Other Commissioners and their US counterparts participate in TEC meetings. The TEC Framework covers areas like regulatory cooperation, investment, intellectual property rights, innovation, secure trade and financial markets issues.
The EU and the US also have a range of further dialogues - the Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue, the Transatlantic Consumer Dialogue and the TransAtlantic Business Dialogue - designed to further this agenda. The reports of TEC meetings are available to the public.
EU-US trade relations
The link between the EU and US economies remains strong; despite the crisis, it is the strongest in the world. The EU and the US are each other's main trading partners. Trade flows across the Atlantic amount to around €1.9 billion every day, reaching 700 billion Euros annually. The two economies are interdependent to a high degree. The EU and the US absorb about 20 % of each other's exports in goods, and about 30 % of each other's exports in services. Total FDI stocks held in each others countries reach approximately €1.89 trillion (in comparison the EU FDI in China amounted to 47 billion EU). The overall "transatlantic workforce" is estimated at 12 to 14 million people, of which roughly half are Americans who owe their jobs directly or indirectly to EU companies.


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4 top trends in digital marketing in China
2019-07-25 11:26 Thursday
In 2019, China is expected to overtake the U.S. as the world's biggest retail market, with some analysts expecting annual retail sales to go up by as much as 7.5% to $5.6 trillion.
But the biggest retail market in the globe is also the most competitive. Brands from all around the world – Russia, Australia, Japan, Europe, and, of course, China itself – are looking for a tempting slice of the Middle Kingdom pie.
Because of the strong competition and China's notoriously picky consumers, brands and retailers have had to step up their game to engage and retain paying clients.
Here are a few trends that show how the Chinese retail ecosystem is ahead of the pack – and how retailers and brands from elsewhere can adapt proactively to emerging global retail trends to stay relevant and competitive.
1. QR codes are bringing down transaction times
The ubiquitous QR code can be found everywhere in China. In every retailer, grocery store and restaurant, you can use the codes to pay with hugely popular mobile payment apps such as WeChat Pay or Alipay.
At the cash till, all you need to do is scan the QR code with your phone's app, enter a pin code or fingerprint recognition prompt, and the money is withdrawn from your e-wallet or savings account. There is no need to swipe your credit card or sign a receipt.
How did China get to this point? For one, it is a mobile-first internet market that developed later than its global peers. Many of its people went straight to purchasing cheap, home-brand smartphones and skipped desktop PCs or laptop, which less affordable.
China's banking and fintech services system also developed later. The Chinese government has been slow to open up the China market to global card networks such as Visa and MasterCard. Chinese people are also averse to personal debt, meaning that credit cards never really took off.
The security of the technology makes it possible for people to pay friends, strangers and small businesses without any worries. QR codes are much cheaper for small businesses than the near-field communication (NFC) credit card terminals. It's because of these mom-and-pop-store merchants that WeChat Pay and Alipay adopted QR codes.
2. Social sharing routes are lowering customer acquisition costs
In China, paid user acquisition costs are astronomical. It takes 200-300 RMB (US$29-44) to acquire a new customer on e-commerce platforms such as Tmall and JD.com. There is no equivalent to Facebook in terms of low-cost advertising tools for small brands who want to expand their reach.
As a result, brands in China have turned to social commerce to help them entice new customers. Instead of using ads to reach new users, they leverage their current customer base to market their products for them, and providing incentives to share with friends or family, by creating appealing content.
With social commerce, new customers discover products through their immediate community, which enables brands to build trust and educate new customers more quickly.
3. Influencers are helping build brand loyalty faster
In China, influencers, or key opinion leaders (KOLs), play an important role by acting as a go-to resource for potential buyer looking to learn more about a brand or see how a certain product actually works. Popular platforms include Weibo, short-video platform Douyin (TikTok), Little Red Book, and, of course, WeChat.
Influencers shorten the customer buying route, which is much longer in China; research shows that Chinese consumers require 8 touch-points with a brand before they decide to buy (vs. four for shoppers in the West) due to greater mistrust of e-commerce goods and wanting to stretch a budget further.
The prevalence of fake or badly-made goods and the frequent occurrence of scandals over product quality in the media have made domestic consumers more wary and discerning.
Also, buyers are put off by overwhelming choice, as there are simply too many brands to choose from. So many brands from all over the world are looking for a foothold, but it's hard for a customer to make sense of which one is better, especially through a marketplace platform like Tmall or JD.com.
Therefore, people look to places where they can get independent, fair reviews of products: this is where the all-important influencers come in.
4. Content and commerce are more tightly knit
Lastly, content and commerce is more integrated in China, thanks to China's mobile-focused internet economy. Payment apps such as WeChat Pay and Alipay are integrated, so customers can pay for items inside their social media or shopping apps without having to take out a credit card.
Now China's social media and content platforms are developing the practice of linking users to influencers' own e-commerce stores. Social media personalities like Mr. Bags are selling luxury handbags through their own stores on WeChat. Big e-commerce platforms Mogujie and Taobao have TV-shopping-like live-streaming shows where viewers can make in-app purchases instantly.
Even short video platforms like TikTok and Kuaishou are rolling out e-commerce features, making it easier for influencers to peddle goods through their videos. Such features make it easier and faster for customers to go from browsing content to dipping their hand in their pockets and pinging that cash register at the checkout.


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Knauf Insulation, a leading mineral wool insulation manufacturer, has launched a ‘closed loop’ glass packaging recycling project with Veolia to produce energy saving insulation products.
The company has entered into a long-term contract with Veolia to support the construction of a state-of-the-art glass cullet processing facility next to its manufacturing plant in St Helens.
The facility will take glass from Veolia’s material recovery facilities in the region and process it to a ‘furnace-ready’ quality, providing Knauf Insulation with a stable supply of high quality recycled glass from packaging – a key raw material in energy saving insulation products.
The end-to-end process supports the strategies of both companies in regards to sustainability – recycling and preserving scarce raw materials.
Tens of thousands of tonnes of glass will be cleaned, dried and crushed into small fragments to form ‘cullet’, which is then melted in a furnace and spun into glass mineral wool to make insulation rolls for ceilings, walls and pipes.
The recycled wool replaces the need to use virgin raw materials from quarries.
Recycling also uses less energy than traditional methods of manufacturing, with the associated energy saving generated from recycling a single glass bottle equal to powering a 100-watt light bulb for almost an hour.
Security of supply
Veolia’s £10 million investment in the project will create 18 permanent jobs at the facility.
Estelle Brachlianoff, senior vice-president at Veolia UK & Ireland, said the first-of-its-kind venture represented “significant investment in circular thinking”.
“[It] will save raw materials, lessen energy demand, cut CO2 emissions and reduce the amount of materials going to landfill”, she said.
John Sinfield, managing director at Knauf Insulation Northern Europe, added: “We are delighted to be working with Veolia on this project, which perfectly aligns our goals for sustainability and the circular economy.
“Given recent shortages impacting the construction sector, our customers can be reassured that we are working proactively upstream to further enhance the security of our supply.”
The facility is due to be built by the end of 2017.


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The automotive trade of Indonesia has change into an necessary pillar of the country’s manufacturing sector as most of the world’s nicely-identified car firms have (re)opened manufacturing crops or expanded production capacity in Southeast Asia’s largest economy. As NBC points out , whether or not tests are achieved by producers or the EPA directly, they’re aimed toward passing the EPA’s requirements’”which, as a side note, is what landed Volkswagen in hot water when it programmed its cars to change its emissions in a testing setting Nonetheless, the EPA would not at all times think about every issue.
The low-cost inexperienced car (LCGC) is an affordable, fuel environment friendly automotive that was launched to the Indonesian market in late-2013 after the federal government had supplied tax incentives to those automobile manufacturers who meet requirements of the federal government’s gas efficiency targets.
Friday’s closure in Elizabeth, a suburb of Adelaide, left many questioning why the federal government didn’t step in and save the nation’s as soon as-vibrant auto business , when auto producers in the United States and elsewhere acquired massive bailouts to stay afloat.
The Indonesian government is eager to turn Indonesia into a worldwide production base for automotive manufacturing and would like to see all major car producers establishing factories in Indonesia because it aims to overhaul Thailand as the largest automotive manufacturing hub in Southeast Asia and the ASEAN area.
One of many key reasons that explains why Indonesia’s economy ended the slowdown in 2016 was due to bettering commodity costs (rising commodity prices have a tendency to boost automotive gross sales on the resource-wealthy islands of Kalimantan and Sumatra).


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PlayStation 4’s online-focused racing launch title DriveClub has been officially delayed until early 2014, Sony has confirmed.
The game is in development at UK based Evolution studios and was set to be a launch title for the console this November, along with a free PlayStation Plus Edition. Both the full game and PlayStation Plus Edition has been delayed.
Sony Worldwide Studios boss Shuhei Yoshida confirmed the rumors of a delay on the official PlayStation Blog, saying that the title “will be a truly innovative, socially connected racing game, but the team requires more time in order to deliver on their vision – and I’m fully confident the game will surpass your expectations.”
The free PlayStation Plus Edition will now be replaced by a free copy of Contrast at launch. “If you’re not aware of Contrast, it will whisk you away to a surreal vaudevillian, film-noir inspired reality full of performance, intrigue, shadow-play and drama,” Yoshida said.
Earlier this week Ubisoft confirmed that Watch Dogs had been pushed back from November to spring 2014 on all platforms.


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Apple announces its Black Friday online and in-store sales event
Right on time, Apple has confirmed that it will be holding its annual Black Friday sale again this year. Pricing hasn't been announced, but deals are usually modest with US$100 off Mac purchases and $40 off iPads.
Discounted pricing will be available both online and in retail stores. The online part of the sale kicks off this Friday (November 29) at midnight and lasts 24 hours. You can shop on Apple's website or through its Apple Store app. Brick-and-mortar sales will start when Apple stores open for Black Friday. You can find a list of stores and their hours on Apple's website. Happy shopping!
Software Updatesmore updates
- Apple Remote Desktop updated with Yosemite support
- OS X Yosemite 10.10.2, iOS 8.1.3 updates now available
- Sports Illustrated 120 SPORTS channel comes to Apple TV
- Logic Pro X update brings AirDrop support, new effects, tools, and more
- Parallels Access 2.5 released, adds file manager, computer-to-computer remote access
- The Google Translate iOS app is about to get a lot smarter


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Half of Bulgarians Hardly Afford To Pay Taxes – Poll
More than half of Bulgarians must set money aside in order to pay their taxes on time, according to a recent study.
Some 40% of respondents would use card payments at the National Revenue Agency if they had access to POS terminals, the survey of Noema agency cited by Bulgarian National Radio showed.
Young Bulgarians have estimated highly the benefits of electronic payments. More than 55% of people under the age of 35 prefer this method of payment when it comes to local taxes and fees.
In 2014 alone the number of people who have chosen this method of payment increased by two percent and reached ten percent of the population. Speed and convenience are the two major advantages of electronic payments, according to the polled. A total of 90% of respondents said that the POS terminal payments are convenient and time saving.
Some 52% of Bulgarians said they need to save for a long time in order to be able to pay their taxes. Another 38% of the respondents claimed they could afford paying taxes on time. Only 4% of the polled think taxes are low and have no problem paying them.
- » Bulgaria's Prolet Gallery Presents Graphics Exhibition By Veliko Marinchevski
- » Bulgarian-Directed Short Film Gets Oscar Nomination
- » Truckers' Blockade on Danube Bridge 2 Lifted
- » Novinite's Personalities in the News Poll Closes in Four Weeks
- » Bulgaria's Prolet Gallery To Present Graphics Exhibition by Veliko Marinchevski
- » Code Yellow Declared for All of Bulgaria for Saturday


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Happy Earth Day!
Bardcorp is celebrating Earth Day today with our recent switch to a clean, green energy source to power our factory.
Bardcorp is pleased to chip in for the planet by switching to commercial grade solar power.
Our Dandenong South factory roof is now covered with 242 solar panels installed by Sun Connect.
The 63kw system uses a trio of Fronius inverters to create energy from light and reduce our carbon footprint.
Harvesting sun via solar panels enables our forward-thinking business to contribute to the electricity we need to run our many bottle printing machines.
Share the post "Bardcorp empowered – Happy Earth Day!"
Bardcorp managing director Greg Bardsley has just visited the home country of Chartreuse liqueur. He’s holding one of the commemorative Chartreuse green cocktail shakers that Bardcorp recently printed for a Spanish festival.
These Australian-made plastic bottles are now on their way from France to Catalonia in Spain for Santa Tecla, a major festival held annually in September to celebrate the patron saint of the city of Tarragona. As the printing on the shakers say, Chartreuse is la beguda de les festes (the beverage of the festival), and has been so for over 100 years. The red dragon printed on the bottle (and on the festival poster) is celebrating an anniversary; Drac de Sant Roc has led the Santa Tecla street procession for the past 30 years.
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The water in your pool should be crystal clear and pleasant to look at even during the winter months, says Bardcorp client Magic Pools. We print containers for their Algi Bloc, a product that kills algae in swimming pools.
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Well done to a Modern Pirate from Melbourne who is plying his trade both at home and away across the seas in stores on foreign shores.
Bardcorp is sharing the journey by printing Modern Pirate products for the well-groomed male.
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The naked containers that arrive here at Bardcorp leave our factory resplendent in their owners’ colourful printed designs.
We’d like to share their stories with you!
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Bardcorp printed Chartreuse green on 14,000 bright yellow cocktail shakers destined for export to the French company for its anniversary celebrations this year.
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Sting has backed putting messages on bottles for the past 35 years
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Switch from labels to printed bottles. They last longer. It’s a no bird brainer…
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Dubai: The Social Loan Company (TSLC), a Singapore-based fintech, pulled $25 million in a funding round from an investor consortium led by ADGM-domiciled ARV Investments. TSLC also saw significant interest from global institutional investors, including Rothschild & Co, which launched a Series B funding round of over $100 million for TSLC.
Founded in 2016, TSLC is known for its ecosystem of AI-powered, big-data driven personalised financial solutions. The new capital will be channeled to fuel its digital lending operations and deepen its AI capabilities in chosen markets.
The company has over 8 million digital natives on its platform in India under the brand CASHe. It recently established a presence in the UAE as it plans ‘a mobile-first credit-led platform’ in the Middle East within the next six months. Once launched, the platform will create affordable and personalised credit to middle-income consumers.
“As we look to enter new markets in Latin America, the Middle East, Sub-Saharan Africa and APAC, we are positioned to build on the strong support we have received to date,” said Deepak Saluja, Group CEO & co-founder, TSLC. “We are excited to have Rothschild lead our Series B funding round, which will help us accelerate innovation, achieve breakthrough growth and fulfil our mission on a much larger scale.”
TSLC recently set up Digital Collective Technologies, its wholly-owned subsidiary at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). Earlier this year, it forged a partnership with Aafaq Bank to launch a credit-enabled wallet with embedded mobile banking, to drive financial inclusion in the MENA region.


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Microsoft has chosen a new head of the Xbox Games Studios division. It was Alan Hartman, who previously headed Turn 10 Studios.
Hartman's promotion became known two weeks after The Verge reported on the reorganization of the Xbox management. Hartman was replaced by Matt Booty, who now holds the position of president of game content and studios.
Hartman has managed Turn 10 Studios since 2005. For the past two years, he has been vice president of the studio and was responsible for the development of the Forza and Fable franchises.


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New SSL keys for 2017!
Production on my Paper Bitcoin Checks is now discontinued. The rise of new and exciting hardware wallets have quickly put paper wallets to shame.
Granted physical assets will always hold a spot technology will never really equalte too, however the shift in power is distictly present here. The
Store page will be taken down but the tools will not, for all active checks still in circulation the web tool to convert Mini-Private Keys will remain
present as to not alienate or bring a disservice to the customers still maintaining their legacy paper wallets.
To all the customers and partners that supported in this venture I say,
Tesla CEO and founder Elon Musk has advice for prospective buyers hoping their vehicles will b...TechCrunch
Lavabit, the encrypted email provider Edward Snowden favored, has risen from the ashes with...Engadget
A new website called Track Trump has launched to monitor the progress President Trump makes on...TechCrunch
It’s official. As of about an hour ago Donald Trump is the 45th President of The United ...TechCrunch


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East ‘has everything to gain’ from closer trading ties with Africa, says trade deals broker
- Credit: Archant
East Anglia is playing a leading role in forging new trading relationships with lucrative markets in Africa, according to a businesswoman brokering deals between the two.
Bolaji Sofoluwe - who has been introducing UK businesses to Africa and vice versa since 2012 - says numerous companies across Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex are developing importing and exporting links with countries such as Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya.
"Africa is open for business, and the East of England is leading the way with export and import relationships," she said.
MORE - Racing car electronics manufacturer goes full-throttle after factory moveAmong these are a Norwich-based Agritech firm which partnered with a Nigerian University for the purpose of product testing, an Ipswich-based importer of Chinese products who located a drop shipping provider in South Africa and an Essex-based juice concentrate manufacturer, looking for direct sales opportunities in Kenya.
"All these businesses understood that there was opportunity in Africa, but they needed help negotiating the red tape. That's where I come in," said Ms Sofoluwe.
Her work includes negotiating legislative hurdles such as planning permissions, legal barriers to purchasing property and land, and financial difficulties such as setting up African bank accounts and payroll systems.
She also tackles cultural barriers such as HR training and staff recruitment and negotiating purchases and sales, working closely with the Department for International Trade and the Essex Chamber of Commerce who provide her with referrals.
"I have more than 2,000 clients on the books and 40% of these are in East Anglia - proving that it's ahead of the game and reaping the benefits," she said.
- 1 Severe delays on major Suffolk route after crash
- 2 'You have broken us!' - New cafe at Suffolk beauty spot on huge demand
- 3 Richest people in East Anglia revealed on Sunday Times Rich List
- 4 Police carry out 'pre-planned' operation in Felixstowe road
- 5 Plans to explore Dutch-style cycling network in Suffolk town
- 6 Double drink driver who killed Jennifer, 32, jailed six years and eight months
- 7 'I like his profile' - McKenna looking forward to working with Ndaba
- 8 Man exposes himself to two women on Thorpeness beach
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- 10 'Bonne Mania' made us all smile... it faded but we'll always have the memories
International trade secretary Liz Truss said East of England companies had "everything to gain" from closer trading relationships with Africa, which has one of the youngest populations in the world with 60% of people under the age of 35, making it, and says she wants the UK to be "the investment partner of choice for African businesses and their governments".
Ms Sofoluwe pointed out some of Africa is underdeveloped, while the rest includes one the world's fastest growing economies, providing a wealth of opportunity in housing, logistics and further infrastructure.


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Can you read?
Letters released by the House Energy and Commerce Committee reveal that many internet and broadband companies use targeted-ad technology without clearly informing users.
The largest online ad firm of all, Google, said it tracks web-surfing behavior across affiliate sites. And this isn't the first such outing: two months ago, The New York Times revealed Google uses previous search activity to serve ads on existing searches.
Hoping to cover its bases against privacy advocates, the company recently added a "More Details" link to search results so customers can see how their data is used to refine searches.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee letters responded to a bipartisan inquiry of how over 30 online firms gather data to target consumers. Privacy advocates and select lawmakers claim the findings could serve as the foundation for an online privacy law.
"Increasingly, there are no limits technologically as to what a company can do in terms of collecting information […] and then selling it […] to other providers," said committee member Edward J. Markey (D-MA).
"Our responsibility is to make sure that we create a law that, regardless of the technology, includes a set of legal guarantees that consumers have with respect to their information."
Next year, Markey and his colleagues plan to present new legislation to address potential privacy breaches, a document the Washington Post dubbed a "sort of online-privacy Bill of Rights." It would require companies to provide a clear opt-in feature for consumers that want their behavior or personal data tracked for ad purposes.
Not all committee leaders favor the online privacy regulation, arguing it could harm small companies' ability to reach potential clients. Representative Cliff Stearns (R-FL) suggested a middle road: self-regulation that focuses on transparency and choice.
Yahoo recently announced more visible opt-out options for ad targeting. It committed to advertise these new capabilities, available at month's end, with public service announcements and clearly-marked text across its online network.


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Microsoft is testing the new watermark on some computers that are not compatible with its new operating system.
Microsoft is experimenting with two new methods to warn Windows 11 users that they’ve installed the operating system on unsupported hardware.
In the latest Windows 11 test builds , a new watermark appeared on the desktop wallpaper, along with a similar warning on the Start page of the Settings app.
If the test build is running on unsupported hardware, the desktop watermark simply states “system requirements were not met” and appears next to the build number which is only displayed in evaluation or preview builds of Windows .
The watermark is similar to, but less prominent than, the one that appears in Windows if you haven’t activated the operating system.
Might not make it to the final version
The software maker recently revealed that it would be testing new additions to Windows 11 that might not make the final cut.
Microsoft ‘s minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11 have been controversial, especially since the operating system only officially supports Intel Coffee Lake 8th generation CPUs or Zen+ and Zen 2 and up.
This move left millions of PCs behind, but there’s an easy way to bypass that restriction and install Windows 11 . Now anyone who has used that workaround may start seeing these warnings in future updates.
Microsoft has used similar warnings for non-activated versions of Windows in the past and restricts features like dark mode, personalization settings, and themes from being changed until a system is activated. For this version of Windows 11 , you have not restricted any computer features for the time being.


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Collegando un buco con un Seven-Passenger tappo sintetico
Consumers looking for a sport coupe, sport sedan, sporty five-seat crossover, five-passenger luxury crossover, trailer-capable SUV, luxury sedan or sports coupe hybrid were able to drive to Infiniti showrooms very satisfied. The automaker offers a well-kept family of vehicles for each of these genres, no doubt.
However, wealthy families who are looking to import luxury seven-seater crossover – without a traditional lineage trucks – have been forced to shop elsewhere. Many missed opportunities to end the Infiniti key to Acura MDX, Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90. With the aim to close a gaping in its range of products, Infiniti has officially introduced the world to its new JX crossover at the Los Angeles Auto Show a few months ago.
The newcomer is designed to “excel in areas that buyers of luxury crossover dearest wish – interior flexibility and roominess, safety, hospitality and advanced features”, says Infiniti. But to us, some of these qualities seem to move away from the company’s tagline ‘Inspired Performance’. Intrigued by the new arrival, we boarded a plane and flew to Charleston, South Carolina, for an introduction and test drive the JX crossover.


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Google Android software stack: Google’s gift to the telcos. Or Trojan Horse? Adam Soroca, GM of Jumptap, sees dangers in mobile operators inviting Google inside their castle walls.
With Sprint sprinting to join the Open Handset Alliance and T-mobile mobilizing to ride the Android wave, who will own the valuable search real estate on mobile phone platforms? Who will monetize search traffic and own the relationship with the mobile operators’ current customers?
The biggest danger to carriers? Consumers will be able to bypass mobile operators altogether.
Soroca, a former exec with Google competitor Lycos, shared some insights into Google’s likely long-term strategy. “The Google toolbar watches everything users do online in real time,” he said. “Look at what Google can do with mobile phones: see every contact people dial, track and serve what ads they see. It’s clear their intent is to have all search and advertising run through their toolset — from Google AdWords and customer acquisition through the final Google Checkout transaction.”
Google Android Trojan horse inside the mobile operators’ walls would challenge Jumptap’s white label search platform for mobile operators. Jumptap’s software platform and service helps operators maintain their relationship with subscribers and retain search and advertising revenue.
Google’s efforts to create standards and open APIs for mobile platforms is a terrific benefit to the industry, notes Soroca. Google’s reach, powerful brand, and developer incentives will speed the industry’s move toward open platforms. In short, it’s a Google gift for mobile operators, mobile search, and local search on mobile devices.
It’s not a gift, though, that will keep on giving.
“Android is more than just a Trojan horse,” said Soroca. “Android can take awy all search and advertising revenue streams from mobile operators, who have the opportunity to become one of the most sophisticated and targeted ad networks on the planet.”


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Breaking today, Green Growth Brands (CSE:GGB) (OTC:GGBXF) will be repurchasing its common shares of APHA at $89 million CAD. The expiry of GGB’s takeover bid of Aphria Inc. (TSX:APHA) (NYSE:APHA) has been accelerated to April 25, 2019.
GGB said Monday that Aphria has agreed to shorten the expiry time for acceptance of its formal bid by two weeks from May 9, 2019, at 5:00 p.m. EST to April 25, 2019, at 5:00 p.m. EST.
As part of the agreement, Green Growth Brands will be repurchasing 27,300,000 of its common shares held by GA Opportunities Corp. for aggregate consideration, which will be paid through a combination of a secured promissory note and cash, payable in six months from the closing of the repurchase.
Green Growth Brand’s repurchase of its common shares will allow for the elimination of the second largest block of its outstanding shares at a price that is significantly below the market price.
“We are pleased to be buying back 27,300,000 shares owned by GA Opportunities significantly below the market price and the expected sale of our toehold position of 3 million shares of Aphria, all of which will benefit our shareholders,” said Peter Horvath, CEO of Green Growth Brands in the news release.
Looking at the closing price of $3.86 per Green Growth share on the Canadian Securities Exchange as of the last trading day, the implied offer consideration is $6.07 per Aphria share, representing a 54.8% discount to the Aphria shares’ closing price of $13.41 on the TSX at end of trading day, April 12, 2019.
Moving forward, Green Growth Brands will be concentrating on its CBD business and multistate operator (MSO) cannabis retail goods business.
“We are bringing our offer to an end on good terms with Aphria and are excited to turn our focus to our CBD personal care and retail cannabis businesses. We are actively continuing to review other partnerships and M&A opportunities to accelerate the build-out of our company.” Horvath said.
This announcement comes 60 days after Green Growth Brand’s hostile takeover was formally rejected by Aphria Inc., which caused APHA’s stock to drop down over 9% on the NYSE. Aphria called the buyout bid “significantly undervalued and inadequate” in its official rejection announcement.
Green Growth Brands’ offer was valued at $11 CAD per Aphria share, which represented a premium of 45.5% over its closing price on December 24, 2018. This gained the attention of Aphria shareholders at the time, after their confidence in the company was rocked by reports about its “worthless” $280 million CAD investment in Latin American acquisitions.
Both Aphria and Green Growth Brands agree that this proposed transaction is superior to the takeover offer by GGB.
According to Aphria’s Interim CEO Irwin D. Simon, “We are very pleased to move forward with this favorable resolution as we continue to focus on the long-term growth of our leading cannabis business. We plan to use the $89.0 million in proceeds from the transaction to fund our strategic global expansion initiatives.”
GGB’s share price reacted unfavorably to the news, decreasing by 3.37% by 3:30 pm EST to $3.37 CAD.
Featured image: Canva


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The recent unprecedented rise in the cost of postage has hit businesses hard, but pensioners and other vulnerable groups even harder, courtesy of the industry….
BOOTS CON PENSIONERS
Marketeers at Boots have told millions of pensioners that the loyalty benefits on their Advantage cards have been “upgraded” when in fact they have been downgraded….
ADVANCE FEE FRAUDS STILL ACTIVE
Enough UK business types are still gullible enough to make the advance fee frauds worth chancing, it seems. An example is the letter recently received from….
CONSCIENCE BEFORE ACCOUNTANCY
Latest firm to be censured for legal tax avoidance is SABMiller, brewers of Grolsch and Peroni beers. According to Ethical Consumer magazine research from ActionAid….
LESS PRODUCT, SAME PRICE (OR MORE.)
Supermarkets are now selling smaller packs for the same price, or more, in the quest for profits, according to Which? the consumer’s association….
Wetherspoons fans who love the group’s quality Lavazza coffee at 69 pence a cup have recently been a bit let down over the sudden cancellation of the coffee collectors….
ANOTHER GOOD ONE FOR WATCHDOG
Another worthwhile target for acid Annie Robinson and her Watchdog team would be their employers, the BBC. For years now their TV Licensing division has employed….


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If you’ve never had a chance to rip, crawl, or haul around in a 4×4 truck or SUV on an off-road route, then you really need to get it on your automotive enthusiast bucket list. There’s a magic about it, the adventure of it, that you really need to experience. Ah, but what 4×4 to […]
Today’s customers expect vehicles to offer confident performance and a spacious and comfortable interior with the latest technologies, no matter whether it’s a mainstream or luxury car. Ford and Lincoln have brought the goods to their respective three-row SUVs debuting for 2020. But is the Lincoln Aviator really worth the big price premium over its […]
The post 2020 Ford Explorer vs. 2020 Lincoln Aviator: Which Should You Buy? appeared first on MotorTrend.
What started as a story about an ad for a gas-powered, four-wheel-drive 1994 Ford E-350 that has a presidential history has turned into a recurring topic over at TruckTrend.com. Great feedback on that article was the catalyst, and we now are five (counting Birmingham, Alabama) cities into what has become an epic search for diesel […]
The post A Dually Delight: Top 5 Craigslist Diesel Trucks in Birmingham appeared first on MotorTrend.
We haven’t seen many major new-vehicle reveals this year for obvious reasons, but a very big one is coming next month. On June 25, Ford will drop the covers on the next-generation F-150 pickup. Mike Levine, Ford’s North America product communications manager, shared the news on Twitter earlier today. BAM! The all-new Ford F-150 will […]
The post Mark Your Calendars: The 2021 Ford F-150 Debuts on June 25 appeared first on MotorTrend.
You may have seen Nissan’s newest teaser for its future lineup. If not, you’re missing out. Not only does the video reveal plans for new or updated versions of nearly every vehicle Nissan makes, it also gave us our best look yet at the next Nissan Z car—presumably called the 400Z. Eagle-eyed viewers, however, might […]
The post Where Was the GT-R In Nissan’s New Product Blitz Hype Video? appeared first on MotorTrend.


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12 EastEnders stars' stunning real-life wedding and engagement photos
Michelle Obama dazzled at Barack Obama’s 60th birthday party in a dress you need to see
We expected nothing less than for Michelle Obama to wear a stunning look to celebrate Barack Obama’s 60th birthday, but because guests weren’t...
Secret meaning behind Victoria Beckham's £30k engagement ring from husband David
While most brides only ever have one engagement ring, Victoria Beckham has had a staggering 15 dazzling jewels while being with David Beckham – and...
Tom Brady reveals unique nickname for Gisele Bundchen in adorable post
Gisele Bundchen’s latest Instagram post ended up being a special gift for fans when she shared the sweetest childhood photo, and her husband Tom...
Penny Lancaster reveals 'secret' as she shows off stunning hair transformation
Penny Lancaster showed off a new look on social media – and also revealed something about herself that her followers (and husband) may not have...


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Blinders off... region chided for being too slow
“…as a region we are great debators…we’re big on lyrics…but slow on implementation.”
That was the cry of Chairman of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) Beverly Nicholson-Doty as she addressed the opening ceremony of the 2013 State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) at the Madiana Convention Centre in Fort de France, Martinique.
“One Sea, One Voice, One Caribbean cannot be just a feel good slogan or a tagline that we embrace when we meet a few times a year but it must be the strategic marketing reality of our region if we are to survive the aggressive marketing efforts of major destinations around the world,” the CTO chairman said.
She called on regional tourism officials to “take the blinders off” to “wake up to today’s realities” and “to seize the moment” noting that tourism remains our primary economic earner in the Caribbean.
The CTO chairman noted that the global market is growing so rapidly that “if we fall behind it is going to be so much more difficult and much more expensive, to catch up.”
For Daniel Levine, Global Trends expert, such an experience is classified by transparency, local and artisan involvement, sustainability, social involvement and a sense of giving back to the target destination. ??Presenting on the topic, “Delivering more perfect visitor experiences – How to Turn Authenticity into Greater Visitor Numbers”, Levine got the discussions started at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC 2013) at the Madiana Convention Centre in Martinique.
The Executive Director of the Avant Guide Institute noted that authenticity, though not always clearly defined, was becoming a major social trend globally.
With constant “connectivity”, customers are now talking more with each other about services and products. It is no longer the provider's ability to tell customers what they can offer. The question they are now faced with is “how do we make this more transparent environment work to our advantage ?”
Providing examples of technologies which allowed customers to make more informed decisions about their purchases, Levine suggested that persons were seeking products and services which were aligned to their own social values. They want real, they want unique, they want to interact with people and with everyday aspects of community life.
Concerns surrounding the impact of consolidation in the US airline industry on air capacity to the Caribbean, were eased after tourism officials were reassured of the benefits the process could bring. ??Speaking during the second session of the Caribbean Tourism Organization's State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC 2013) Thursday morning, Aviation specialists suggested that mergers, such as that proposed between American Airlines and US Airways, were unlikely to result in any reduction of airlift into the region.
According to Michael Lum of Sixel Consulting, interest in the Caribbean continues to grow, with routes from the US up by 30 per cent since 2003. This jump he says, can be contributed significantly to the entrance of several low-cost carriers.
While the USA has a hold on 61 per cent of air capacity to the region, Canada has performed outstandingly well, having grown nearly 500 per cent since 2003. It currently account for 10 per cent of airlift capacity, behind Europe at 17 per cent and Central and South America at 12 per cent collectively.
It cannot smile but it speaks all kinds of languages. It does not sleep neither does it go on strike. And if you did not guess what it is, there’s probably an App to help you figure it out. Tourism industry officials attending the 2013 State of the Industry Conference (SOTIC) in Martinique have been reminded that the right App at the right time and the right place can do wonders for promoting and marketing their destinations.
Addressing the topic: “There’s an App for That! Using Technology to Improve Your Bottom Line” General Manager of Destinations, Travelzoo Jim Brody said in this age of “digital maturity” destinations need to “niche up,” to “be socially diligent,” and to know that digital was made for them.
“Tell your stories, inspire people and be compelling; be authentic and beware if you are not; and don’t be afraid to ask questions,” he urged.
Another panellist, TRAVELSAT Competitive Index (TCI) CEO Olivier Henry-Biabaud, reminded the audience that Apps can help improve hospitality and access to authenticity.
But he cautioned, “before acting on authenticity and digital make sure about the basics; do not use Apps for hiding the truth.”
And with projections showing that 1 billion android devices will be sold in 2013, Owner and Creative Director of Opusseven Inc. Dwayne Bishop said there are “great possibilities for destinations” to capitalize on millions of ‘Appy Fingers.’
The Youth Congress closed off this 3rd CTO SOTIC with the Junior Ministers of Tourism Debate around two themes : Multigenerational Travel & Caribbean Agritourism.
Each Jr Minister had limited time to express him or herself on their desired topic.
Adrianna Sylvestre Jr Minister of Tourism of Saint-Martin gave a stunning intervention on Caribbean Agritourism.
The judges noted the passion that was felt as all 14 Jr Ministers spoke about their islands, and things they would like to see come to past.
The mystery topic « Share the one thing you would like to achieve or experience as Junior Minister/Commissioner of Tourism and state why achieving or experiencing this would be important to you. » is what determined who would walk away with the Jr Minister of Tourism of the Caribbean title.
During delibaration former Jr Minister of Tourism of the Caribbean O’brian Lewis spoke about his past year expériences and encourage all young persons present to pursue Tourism studies.
Neila Jones of Nevis is the new Jr Minister of Tourism of the Caribbean followed by Annick Bedford of St Kitts and Renita Shivnauth of St Lucia. Adrianna Sylvestre placed fourth.


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ScoringAg Inc. is introducing a hydrocooling system that integrates food safety features to help stop the spread of foodborne pathogens.
The Bradenton, Fla., company says the integrated, charged and ready to run AG-Pack hydrocooler operates within minutes of arrival.
The unit removes field heat from crops and is capable of conducting a kill-step on foodborne pathogens, according to a news release. The unit quickly removes the heat and is affordable for smaller growers, according to the release.
The stainless steel units are constructed with food safety in mind and its design is efficient for cooling returnable plastic containers or lugs, according to the release.
The Hydro-Cooler-sanitizer model 275 uses food grade ice to cool from an on-site ice machine or purchased ice. Model 250 features a 5-ton stainless steel coil water conditioning cooling system.
“Now everyone can promptly respond to food safety preventions within their processes that have inevitably resulted in a potential food safety hazard being overlooked,” according to the release. “Achieving food safety prevention requires taking appropriate steps to prevent problems at every step along the farm-to-table chain. The higher the crop holding temperature, the greater the softening and respiration rate and the sooner the quality becomes unacceptable for commerce.”


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Amazon has struck one of its biggest deals for Russian content following an agreement with Mars Media that includes the Catherine the Great series Velikaya.
Janson Media, one of the largest content suppliers to Amazon Prime Video, was involved in brokering the deal, Jesse Janson, the company’s executive vp acquisitions and development, confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.
Under the deal, the television series Velikaya (The Great), focused on Russia’s 18th century Empress Catherine the Great, Grigory R, centered on mystic Grigory Rasputin who had a big influence on Russia’s last czar Nicholas II, and a few others will be available on Amazon Prime Video.
Founded in 2011 by Ruben Dishdishyan, previously the founder and president of Central Partnership, Mars Media quickly emerged as one of Russia’s major production companies for movies and television series.
In 2017, the company produced, in collaboration with CTB, Boris Khlebnikov’s Arrhythmia (Aritmiya), one of last year’s biggest art house hits in Russia.
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Chandigarh: The city of Chandigarh came to a standstill as crowds jostled to catch a glimpse of Bollywood diva Katrina Kaif, at the inauguration of the new showroom located at Sector 17. The company has inaugurated its 3rd showroom in Chandigarh, which offers a one-of-its-kind experience to consumers.
On this occasion, Global Brand Ambassador Katrina Kaif said, “As I complete half a decade of association with Kalyan Jewellers, it gives me immense pride to be part of this momentous growth story. It is an honour to represent such an iconic brand – built on the pillars of trust, transparency and customer centricity, Kalyan Jewellers has been at the forefront of revolutionizing India’s jewellery industry. I believe, at the core of the brand’s success lies its unwavering dedication to the fundamental principle of ‘Trust Is Everything’. As the company embarks on its next phase of growth, I am confident that patrons will continue to shower their love and support towards the brand.”
Commenting on the new showroom, Mr. Ramesh Kalyanaraman, Executive Director of Kalyan Jewellers, said, “In our three-decade long journey, we have achieved remarkable milestones, revolutionizing the customer shopping experience through creation of a holistic ecosystem. As we unveil this state-of-the-art showroom at Sector 17 in Chandigarh, we aim to enhance the brand’s presence and make it more accessible to patrons in the city. Our continued presence across key markets in the region is a testament to our unwavering dedication to this market and its patrons.”
As part of the launch offer, Kalyan Jewellers is offering customers with a complimentary 1 gram gold coin on every Rs. 50,000*. This offer is applicable on a minimum purchase of Rs. 1 lakh.
The jewellery retailed at Kalyan Jewellers is all BIS hallmarked and goes through multiple purity tests. Patrons will also receive Kalyan Jewellers’ 4-Level Assurance Certificate, which guarantees purity, free lifetime maintenance of ornaments, detailed product information, and transparent exchange and buy-back policies. The certification is part of the brand’s commitment to offering the very best to its loyalists.
Kalyan Jewellers’ all-new showroom offers Muhurat – the bridal jewellery line curated from across India. It also feature exclusive sections featuring Kalyan’s popular house brands such as Tejasvi (Polki jewellery), Mudhra (Handcrafted Antique Jewellery), Nimah (Temple Jewellery), Glo (Dancing Diamonds), Ziah (Solitaire-like Diamond Jewellery), Anokhi (Uncut Diamonds), Apoorva (Diamonds for Special Occasions), Antara (Wedding Diamonds), Hera (Daily Wear Diamonds), Rang (Precious Stones Jewellery), and the recently launched Lila (Coloured Stones and Diamond Jewellery).
For more information on the brand, its collections and offers, visit https://www.kalyanjewellers.net/
About Kalyan Jewellers
Headquartered in Thrissur in the state of Kerala, Kalyan Jewellers is one the largest jewellery retailers in India with a presence in the Middle East. The company has enjoyed a long-standing presence in the Indian market for nearly three decades and has set industry benchmarks in quality, transparency, pricing and innovation. Kalyan offers an array of traditional and contemporary jewellery designs in gold, diamonds and precious stones catering to the distinct needs of the customers. Kalyan Jewellers has over 210 showrooms across India and the Middle East.


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As we start the second half of the year, marketers in Kenya and around the world are now coming to terms with the fact that probably their 2020 brand plans might just remain that, plans.
The high-level planning and forecasting discussions, strategy meeting et all, I doubt if any had foreseen 2020 as it is now.
Most brands do their planning and resource allocation in Q1. Actualizing the plans starts in Q2 when the rubber meets the road with companies going flat out with ATL and BTL campaigns. No one saw this coming, and even if no one could imagine a crisis that will bring the world to a halt.
Responding to any crisis is difficult and as it is, we’re all figuring it out, as the day goes by. For marketers, it is that time where marketing budgets are cut and spending held back. (Its funny how whenever companies face challenges, the first culprits to get budget cuts are the marketers, it wasn’t taught in grad school though).
For marketers, such a crisis shouldn’t be left to go to waste. We should be able to learn from it and other past events and see how brands were able to wade through. Looking back in 2001, the US went into a crisis after the 9/11 attacks.
As the norm, brands took a step back, adopting a watch and see strategy, however, this was not the case for General Motors. Eight days after the terrorist attacks GM unveiled its "Keep America Rolling" plan, offering car buyers free financing for up to five years.
Critics had their day on how insensitive GM was, launching a campaign at such a moment. However, the spirit of moving forward seemed to be what Americans needed at that time.
The campaign worked, breaking a sales record in October 2001, and later in the year for the motor industry. This was brought by GM’s sales numbers as well as me too competitors who launched similar promotions.
At the dawn of this pandemic, many brands have taken the traditional approach of providing powerful, empathetic responses to help people navigate this time.
Whereas this is good, it can only be a short term measure as we look at how the brand will survive during and post this, if any. This is also a good time for a brand to conduct a deep dive to see if your brand is still true to the brand mantra.
Below are three things brand owners and marketers can do for their brands during such a crisis to make the best of this situation and create an edge for their brands.
In my social rendezvous, I bumped into a cooking group where a member was asking for the best tea leaves to use, the post had 3.9k comments. Further down, one was asking about “Unga ya Chapo”, and had 1.2k comments. A recent report indicated a steady growth of social media uses during this pandemic.
This gives brands more than enough fodder to mine information about what the market is saying about the brands. There are various social tools available to help brands understand what people are saying about them e.g. Google Alerts, Agorapulse, TweetDeck, Keyhole, Brandwatch and mention that can give brands special insights from your industry, geography, or related to your brand specifically.
After listening to the customers, using social communities (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Whatsapp Business etc.), brands can connect and serve their customers during this period.
These communities can be helpful resource centres for customers, as well as a brand’s mouthpiece.
It is that time to replace that crappy soap that the audience is complaining about, working on improving the after taste in your fruit juice or that tight lid that spills water when you to try open the bottle.
With the whole population on their phones, brands are receiving more inbound questions than ever before. Customers would like to know how their brands, services, and stores are responding to and prepared during this time. What are the offers available, how do the customers still enjoy the brand? This connection enables a brand to remain top of mind even during the period, leading to continuous usage.
A crisis is here, and as we can see, COVID – 19 is here to stay, it’s the new normal we have to live with. As marketers and brand owners, we need to understand that the onus of captaining the ship through this rough waters lies with us.
We must understand the new normal and find ways of ensuring that our brand proposition is relevant and competitive in the market.
The bad news is that if we as marketers, the brains behind brands do not do so, then businesses will continue to post low revenues, brands will continue losing market share, jobs will be lost, companies will close etc. The good news is that, most of our consumers are talking, let’s listen and act.


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During an event that took place in New Delhi, Chris Daniels, the Vice President of WhatsApp, stated that this popular messenger will start displaying ads next to its Status feature. According to him, the revenue that WhatsApp will gather from the app will constitute the “primary monetization made for the company”. He also said that the ads will give “an opportunity for businesses to reach people”. Daniels did not give us any specific date as to when this change could be finally implemented.
The huge success of WhatsApp Status
Launched at the beginning of 2017, WhatsApp Status was supposed to be the answer to the Stories feature that can be found on both Snapchat and Instagram. Since its introduction, WhatsApp Status has become so popular that it even surpassed Snapchat when it comes to the usage. This feature can be used to add a mix of videos, photos and text, all encrypted similarly to the messages. Updates of the status can be seen by the contacts for up to 24 hours, then they disappear.
Facebook wants to make more money from WhatsApp
Since the subscription fee for WhatsApp was removed back in 2016, everyone felt that Facebook will try to get its money out of the messaging service in a different way. However, at the time the company seemed to follow the original principles of WhatsApp. They even stated, “you can still count on absolutely no ads interrupting your communication”.
WhatsApp might generate huge revenue from ads
The situation is now completely different. The founders of the service decided to leave the company owned by Facebook due to the social network’s plans to start making money from WhatsApp. Earlier this year, Facebook made some changes so that now they can get their revenue from this hugely popular app.
Frances might be just at the beginning of her career, but after attending a technical school, she has a fresh perspective on today’s technology. She contributes to the site with tech news.


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Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger says government liquor stores are the best place to sell marijuana if and when the federal government legalizes the drug
As Trudeau wades into the day-to-day business of government, his determination to remake Canada may yield frustrating results
Warning: Marijuana use during pregnancy and breast-feeding poses potential harms. That message would be written on medical and recreational marijuana products and posted wherever they're sold if the nation's most influential doctors group has its way.
A full 59 per cent of Canadians support the idea of legal, regulated and taxed weed sales in Canada, with many of them preferring the idea of government agencies running the stores
Kelly Anderson says the closure of the dispensary denies him access to his medicine and is therefore discriminating against his condition
When Liberals get to considering the ramifications of their pot promise, odds are they'll follow their usual pattern of doing nothing.
Politics used to be theatre for ugly people, says a U.S. writer. But the flummox over scrumptious Justin suggests it's now just theatre.
Canada has one of the most advanced medical marijuana industries in the world, as well as some of the strictest regulations in existence
Trudeau's government will have to figure out whether to allow people to grow pot at home or buy it in stores, and how much sales tax to charge, among other things
We need to swing the policy conversation from politically motivated, unintelligent claims by pandering politicians, to deliberative, science-based findings by evidence-informed specialists


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TORRANCE, Calif. -- Calling its FAMIMA!! Premium Convenience Stores brand of convenience stores the "hottest new import from Japan," the company announced a grand opening celebration for its Belmont Shores location in Long Beach, Calif., the second location to open in the area in the past five months.
The store features hardwood floors, open displays and easy access to products. It also features dishes from the East and West, including traditional spaghetti and Asian-style fried noodles. Traditional Japanese dishes like bento boxes and omelet fried rice are available. More typical fare including grilled to order paninis, fresh sushi and soup is also available.
"Just two years ago, we were announcing the opening of our first store in West Hollywood; today I am proud to announce the opening of our Belmont Shores FAMIMA!!," said Shiro Inoue, president and CEO of FAMIMA!! Corp. "It's our mission to bring the same success that we've had overseas and make FAMIMA!! a household name here in the United States by serving the highest quality ready-to-eat products with the highest level of freshness along with a warm welcoming atmosphere."
A grand opening celebration will begin today and extend to April 15. Consumers there can fill up on snacks on their way to the Grand Prix of Long Beach.
"At FAMIMA!! we provide the highest level of quality and service to our neighbors and community. Our customers are our family. FAMIMA!! will always be there to lend a helping hand in the Long Beach community by supporting various events and organizations," Inoue added.
In other FAMIMA!! news, published reports on EaterWire.com state that a FAMIMA!! store in Westwood, Calif., has been shuttered. Reader e-mails alerted the Web site that the store had been closed recently. The location was open a little more than a year, according to the site, but there was no news of relocation.


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Offices of the country’s largest discount chain E-Mart were raided by labor authorities Thursday on suspicions that the company violated labor laws to prevent employees from joining a labor union.
“It was confirmed that there were a number of problems regarding issues uncovered in the recent special labor audit,” an official at the Seoul office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor said.
In a labor audit conducted last month, evidence emerged that Shinsegae Group’s discount store placed workers under illegal surveillance.
The official said that the E-Mart headquarters, six branches, two labor consultant firms and the homes of a number of employees were searched as the discount chain operator has been avoiding submitting materials required for the investigation.
Materials taken by the labor office include account books, minutes of internal meetings and electronic data.
“The investigation is being conducted, and officials have been summoned for questioning. A two-track investigation ― special labor audit and the investigation into unfair labor practices ― will be conducted.”
The labor ministry will conduct a special labor audit on 24 E-Mart branches across the country until Friday.
By Choi He-suk (email@example.com


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