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Oscars Red Carpet PhotosStraight From Duluth
At the 91st Academy Awards on Sunday, media outlets will be able to download photos of Lady Gaga on the red carpet even before she’s told Ryan Seacrest who she’s wearing. That real-time photo identification technology will come from a small start-up far away from the Hollywood limelight—in Duluth.
For years, Duluth-based Runway Manhattan has supplied fashion photos, videos, and copy to publishers worldwide. At the Oscars, the company will premier its new artificial intelligence-based technology called FashionBrain, designed to make it easier for publishers to quickly track down specific red-carpet images.
So how did a small company in Duluth earn this role? In fact, Runway Manhattan has been supplying fashion photos, videos, and copy to publishers worldwide for six years. It was launched by Duluth native Lara Signorelli, a former Associated Press photo editor, and her husband, Markus MÃ¼ller, a German-born photographer who ran his own news-photo agency in Denmark. The two met in 2007 at a European photojournalism festival. At the time, Signorelli was working in New York as a fashion editor, and she found herself frustrated by how difficult it was to locate specific fashion-related images. Her idea: create an online-based system that could make fashion photos easily searchable, and thus more useful for media outlets. In 2010, she and MÃ¼ller launched the company that became Runway Manhattan. That same year, they moved to Duluth—MÃ¼ller had not only fallen in love with Signorelli—he was also smitten with the beauty of her hometown.
Two years later, Runway Manhattan was up and running. The company provides a conduit between freelance fashion photographers and thousands of media sources by making relevant fashion imagery easier to discover. It added text content (the stuff of photo captions) to its offerings in 2014 and video two years later. In May, it signed a partnership with Toronto-based Thomson Reuters, the world’s largest international multimedia news provider, to offer fashion content to Reuters News Agency customers.
A couple of years ago, Signorelli and MÃ¼ller saw that fashion publishing was changing, and changing fast. Globally, more and more print publications devoted to fashion were moving from print to digital. These publications typically had smaller audiences, smaller budgets, shorter production cycles, but big demands. Meeting the growing needs in real time became unrealistic. “Only machines can do that,” MÃ¼ller says.
That’s the idea behind FashionBrain. Using an AI-based platform created in conjunction with BrainCreators, an AI technology developer based in Amsterdam, FashionBrain will automatically keyword each photo it receives with fashion terms related to apparel, hair, makeup, and other categories. The software can also identify the celebs in the photo. Editors and bloggers can then more quickly pick and choose the images they wish to use.
FashionBrain automatically pairs keywords to photos, such as an actor's clothing and hair styles, to improve the image's searchability. (Photo courtesy of Runway Manhattan)
Runway Manhattan isn’t the only company developing AI-driven fashion-photo identification. CondÃ© Nast, publisher of Vogue and GQ, is working with San Francisco-based AI-development firm Labelbox to create a machine-based fashion-image identification system that has similarities to FashionBrain. One key difference: “They have to manually identify every item in the photos because they do not have the database of 300,000 to 500,000 images that can be used to auto-train the AI,” MÃ¼ller says. FashionBrain’s machine learning capabilities, he says, can provide more accurate keywording and tagging without having “to manually train the system because we’ve built an archive of more than 500,000 properly tagged images.”
Runway Manhattan is looking beyond Oscars night. FashionBrain also includes predictive analytics capabilities, which will “give us potential fashion trends that we can follow,” MÃ¼ller says. “That is information that is very interesting for brands, because we can talk about analytics that are relevant for fashion design and production. That’s a step that goes way beyond just delivering content to publishing houses.”
But first, it’s time for FashionBrain to hit the red carpet.


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Las Vegas’ business elite gave the bad and the good of expectations for 2018 and beyond Friday.
About 2,000 business leaders gathered at the Thomas &Mack Center for the Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce’s annual Preview Las Vegas event. Here is a recap of the highlights.
Tourism: The bad
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Rossi Ralenkotter blamed a 1.7 percent decrease in annual visitors to the Las Vegas Valley in part on the Oct. 1 shooting.
He also credited a strong U.S. dollar for the decrease.
The valley saw 42.2 million visitors in 2017, fewer than the 43.2 million visitors predicted earlier on, he said.
Ralenkotter expects 42.7 million visitors this year.
Tourism: The good
Clark County saw $3.44 billion in taxable retail sales in October 2017, a 3.8 percent increase year over year, with a large percent of those sales from tourist spending, RCG Economics’ John Restrepo said. The county hit a 10-year low in October 2010 with about $2.3 billion in taxable retail sales.
To read more, click here.

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London’s Heathrow Airport is putting finishing touches on T2 – The Queen’s Terminal – which is set for a soft opening on June 4th with the arrival of the first United Airlines flight.
Her Majesty the Queen will be on hand to cut the ribbon and officially open the terminal on June 23rd and by November all 23 of the Star Alliance airlines, as well as Aer Lingus,Virgin Atlantic Little Red and Germanwings carriers, will be operating out of this building.
As you might imagine, Star Alliance officials are tickled about the project and on Wednesday they led a group of journalists through the terminal. And, as a treat, building architect Luis Vidal, who suggests the building be considered a “destination” rather than a “terminal,” was on hand to share some of his thinking behind the design focused on an improved passenger experience and point out some of his favorite features.
“The building and the roof guide you towards the plane and encompass three defined spaces, the last of which is the idea of the plaza,” said Vidal. There, “the roof seems to vanish as you look up and see what the weather is outside and you are free to rest, read, shop, dine, work – whatever you want to do.”
The last time I passed through the building, just about a month ago, the spaces for the shops, restaurants and amenities were empty. But now inventory is being put on store shelves, severs are being put through their paces in the restaurants and amenities, such as banks of terminals offering free internet, are being installed.


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304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
OnePlus 10T 5G, the company’s latest flagship, will be launched on August 3 at an event in New York. As always, some key details about the upcoming device are already public. The OnePlus 10T is the successor to the OnePlus 10 Pro from earlier this year. Interestingly, the “T” series marks a return, given that we didn’t see any OnePlus 9T last year. There was the OnePlus 9RT, but then the R series is different from OnePlus’ premium flagship. Let’s take a look at what has been confirmed so far.
Introducing the OnePlus 10T: The camera system
The OnePlus 10T camera will undergo a fundamental change. Unlike the OnePlus 10 Pro, there is no Hasselblad branding. The company confirmed this in a blog post where it revealed more details about the device’s camera. The reason it’s not a Hasselblad brand has to do with cost. OnePlus “wanted to offer the top performance of a flagship smartphone at the chosen price point of the device,” the post says. Does this mean the OnePlus 10T will cost less than the OnePlus 10 Pro? We’ll have to wait and see.
Still, the OnePlus 10T comes with a triple camera system, with the main camera being a 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor. The camera will have both optical (OIS) and electronic (EIS) image stabilization. It will support 10-bit color capture, which OnePlus says will provide “smoother transitions between colors for more accurate and enjoyable shots.”
The OnePlus 10T also includes an ultra-wide camera with a field of view of 119.9 degrees and a macro camera. The OnePlus camera will also come with some software features. The latest is the new “Image Clarity Engine (ICE),” which OnePlus touts as an “updated algorithm” that delivers faster photos with more detail. We can only confirm what this means for camera results after testing the phone. Interestingly, the Nightscape mode will be limited to the main 50MP camera.
OnePlus 10T launch: 150W SuperVOOC charging
OnePlus 10T gets 150W SUPERVOOC Endurance Edition. The company says the phone’s 4,800 mAh battery charges from 1 to 100 percent in just 19 minutes. All phones will come with a charger in the box for those who were curious. And it supports USB Power Delivery (PD) charging protocol, so you can use this charger to power other devices such as tablets, laptops, etc.
According to OnePlus, 150W fast charging will not compromise the health and life of the battery, which is always a concern. It claims the battery will retain at least 80 percent of its original capacity after 1,600 charge cycles, or about four years of use.
OnePlus 10T launch: Processor
The flagship of the OnePlus series is usually powered by a high-end Qualcomm processor. So it’s no surprise that the OnePlus 10T will run on the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 mobile platform, an upgrade over the previous generation chipset powering the OnePlus 10 Pro. In a blog post, the company also said that the phone will come with “the most advanced cooling system that offers twice the dissipation capacity of traditional smartphone vapor chambers.”
OnePlus 10T launch: No notification slider
Yes, this iconic component of OnePlus premium phones will be missing from the 10T. The company confirmed this by saying that the decision was not “quick or easy” as it is a global flagship. In a blog post, OnePlus says the new design meant “a necessary compromise was the removal of our signature alert slider.”
The blog post adds: “This decision gave us the necessary space inside the device to add new, meaningful technologies that deliver key improvements to the OnePlus experience while maintaining a thin and light form factor. This design change seems to have ensured that the OnePlus 10T will have “higher charging power, large battery capacity and better antenna signal”.
“We are doubling the space required for the device’s charging pumps, which limits the space inside the device for the alert rider,” the post added. According to OnePlus, in order to increase the battery size without making the phone thicker, it meant removing the notification slider.
And if you’re wondering how much space this alert slider takes up on your phone, OnePlus claims it has a “fairly large footprint on the device’s motherboard – taking up 30mm”.
The OnePlus 10T will come with a glass back in two colors: Moonstone Black and Jade Green.


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14 posts categorised "Research news"
12 November 2019 Annual Law Firms’ Survey: Adapting to a new world After an uncertain year for the business landscape, this year’s Annual Law Firms’ Survey has a very relevant theme, ‘Adapting to a new world’. Every year the PwC survey gives an insightful snapshot of the state of the UK’s legal sector and the latest publication offers a relatively bright picture in the face of economic and political uncertainty.
15 October 2019 Crossing the lines: How fintech is powering financial services and technology firms out of their lanes Rachel Surgenor highlights the key findings and insights from our Global Fintech report.
26 July 2019 Good times ahead for the project profession despite challenges “Despite global and political uncertainty the UK’s project management profession faces a positive future.” That was the message Julie McClean, Head of Quantitative Research at PwC Research, shared at an Association for Project Management (APM) Conference on Wednesday 26th June.
16 April 2019 Project management - a golden thread in the UK economy Wednesday 10 April marked the launch of PwC Research’s latest published report, ‘The Golden Thread’, which was commissioned by the Association for Project Management (APM).
15 April 2019 Enhanced engagement in the energy sector. Part two – consumer vulnerability In the second in our series of blogs on the role of research in enhancing engagement in the energy sector, PwC Research’s Richard Fincham looks specifically at the issue of consumer vulnerability.
25 March 2019 The Purple Pound - how to access its £249m spending power PwC Research director Michelle Norman looks at how retailers can respond to win and retain the loyalty of the 11 million UK citizens who have a disability.
08 March 2019 Enhanced engagement in the energy sector part 1 - considering the future landscape In the first in our series of blogs on the role of research in enhancing engagement in the energy sector, our PwC Research team reflect on the future landscape.
06 February 2019 Energy breakfast briefing - doing the right thing for stakeholders, consumers and business On Thursday 21st February, PwC Research will host an energy-sector breakfast briefing on the theme of ‘enhanced engagement - doing the right thing for stakeholders, consumers and business’.
23 January 2018 The anxious optimist in the corner office The results of PwC’s 21st Annual CEO Survey were launched last night (Monday 22 January) on the eve of the annual World Economic Forum at...
12 January 2018 Ofwat toughens its resolve for PR19, requiring higher levels of transparency and engagement with customers Ofwat has published its final methodology for the PR19 price review, continuing to raise the bar on the standards expected from the water industry. Its...
19 December 2017 The future is closer than we think Alison Blair features as a guest contributor in the latest Research Live Industry Report published by the Market Research Society (MRS), and considers what might be the next big trends to shape the research industry.
04 December 2017 This year's holiday shopping trends uncovered by PwC Research PwC has released its 2017 US Holiday Outlook, which explores likely holiday season shopping behaviours. Reflecting what more than 2,000 consumers told us in this...
02 November 2017 German cities top the ranking for real estate investment Copenhagen and Madrid will join the ranks of Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich as the top cities for real estate investment and development in 2018, according to Emerging Trends in Real Estate® Europe 2018.


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Some 34,500 tourists visited Israel in September, 128% more than last year when Israel was in the midst of its third Coronavirus wave, but still 91.5% less than September 2019, when 405,000 tourists entered Israel.
September, during which the Jewish High Holidays are usually celebrated, is a peak season for tourism in Israel.
In the first nine months of 2021, about 243,500 tourists visited Israel, compared to 782,700 in the corresponding period in 2020, but still 69% more than the same period in 2019.
The Israel Ministry of Tourism is working on an outline to allow vaccinated tourists to visit Israel from the beginning of November, in order to rehabilitate the tourism industry and to ensure that the hundreds of thousands of people working in the industry can continue doing so.
Israel fears that tourists will import a COVID-19 variant that will push the infection rate back up, and therefore is closely monitoring and constantly changing its guidelines on this issue.
A senior official in one of the main hotel chains in Israel has told TPS that the vast majority of tourists from abroad have canceled their reservations for 2021, and that the focus and hope is now on 2022.


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Goody’s Family Clothing Inc. has filed a disclosure statement and reorganization plan with the Delaware bankruptcy court, but unsecured creditors aren’t likely to collect much on their claims. The disclosure statement provides for them to get, on a prorated basis, “unsecured creditors cash and unsecured creditors notes,” the value of which was unspecified in the document. Sources familiar with the plan said that, although the hope is to have something left for unsecured creditors after other disbursements are made, it is likely that they will end up with a return of zero cents on the dollar. The retailer of moderate-priced family apparel, which filed for Chapter 11 on June 9, said a court hearing is set for Aug. 25. Should it get approval for the disclosure statement and reorganization plan, Goody’s can then begin the process of soliciting approval from creditors so it can obtain court confirmation of the plan. The current plan, if approved, will effect a compromise and settlement among the debtors and their pre-petition lenders. The retailer will be reorganized, and will continue operations. Paul White, Goody’s chief executive officer, said, “We appreciate the support of our vendor community, customers and employees during this Chapter 11 process.” Goody’s, with headquarters in Knoxville, Tenn., operates 286 stores in 20 states.
To celebrate Pride 2018, @themarcjacobs released the #GratefulNotHateful campaign, a social media initiative aimed at extending Pride beyond the parade. Inspired by Jacobs’ everyday outlook, the campaign features Jacobs along with a group of models and social media stars who are members and supporters of the LGBT community, all seen wearing @marcbeauty’s Highliner Gel Eye Crayons in colors of the rainbow. Head to our Instagram stories to see close-ups of the liner. #wwdbeauty
Virgil Abloh’s dad Nee and Don Crawley, cofounder of RSVP Gallery, were some of the hometown crew at the Chicago-born designer’s debut show for Louis Vuitton. (📸: @jdiderich ) #wwdmens #louisvuitton #virgilabloh
About last night: @marycharteris and @adwoaaboah hit up Hyde Park for the Serpentine Galleries’ annual summer party held in partnership with @chanelofficial. Head to WWD.com to see more photos. #wwdfashion
“This is Paris, my first show. I’m all about democracy. If some kid shows up, flew from New Jersey to just be around, let’s get him a seat.” — @virgilabloh tells WWD’s @jdiderich ahead of his first show for @louisvuitton men’s. (📸: @alfredo_piola ) #wwdmens #virgilabloh #louisvuitton
“Kate Spade was a true fashion icon who brought joy to the lives of women around the world, and inspired women to live life to the fullest. We are dedicated to carrying on her legacy,” said Anna Bakst, brand president and chief executive officer of @katespadeny. The Kate Spade Foundation announced that it will be donating $1 million to suicide prevention and mental health awareness in tribute to the recent death of Kate Spade. Read more on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @chinseephoto)
A first look at @virgilabloh’s sneakers for @louisvuitton. Abloh spoke to WWD about his debut collection for Louis Vuitton, creating @kendalljenner’s #metgala outfit and redefining the heritage brand. Read the full story on WWD.com. #wwdfashion 📷: @alfredo_piola)
The world’s largest producer of denim @iskodenim is sharing the strategy behind its product development process. Read our full interview with ISKO’s product development manager Baris Ozden on the company’s extensive research practices, upcoming denim trends and the latest material innovations on WWD.com. #iskodenim


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We have known that Apple is planning on bringing a whole slate of new emoji to iOS in the near future since July. And it looks like the wait is almost over.
Well, technically the wait is officially over for folks who are trying out iOS 14.2’s latest beta. Apple seeded the second developer beta of the software earlier today, and it has been confirmed that it supports the newest emoji first revealed earlier this year. Apple showcased the new emoji as part of World Emoji Day back in July.
The most interesting part of today’s beta seed is that they include a first look at some of the new emoji that we didn’t get to see earlier this year. That includes the 55 gender and skin-tone variants for the people emoji. There are also new gender-inclusive emoji to choose from, as well as a black cat, people hugging, blueberries, a polar bear, a boomerang, and a ninja. Among many others.
This latest emoji release is part of the Emoji 13 pack, and there are quite a few new options. Even bubble tea is finally joining the emoji ranks.
The new emoji will make their public debut at some point later this year. Apple just seeded the second developer beta of iOS 14.2 and iPadOS 14.2 earlier today, so we may still be a few weeks out before a public launch of the mobile operating systems.
How often do you use emoji?


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Small businesses across the UK are subjected to nearly 10,000 cyber attacks each day, according to new research from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
The research published by FSB, which includes Scottish businesses, found that one-in-five (20%) of small firms had been subject to a cyber-attack over the past two-and-a-half years.
In the two years to January 2019, research also shows that more than seven million individual attacks were reported, equating to 9,741 incidents each day. The cost of growing cyber threats to the small business community is now estimated at £4.5 billion annually, with the average cost of an attack standing at around £1,300.
Martin McTague, FSB policy & advocacy chairman, said that, although small businesses are “waking up” to the threat of cybercrime, many still lack the resources and financial muscle to contend with rapidly evolving threats.
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“These findings demonstrate the sheer scale of the dangers faced by small firms every day in the digital arena,” he says. “More small firms are waking up to the threat of cybercrime. It’s a threat that’s evolving rapidly, but too many small businesses still lack access to the resources and budgets needed to contain it.”
Attack methods regularly employed by cybercriminals include phishing, with 530,000 small firms suffering from this type of attack over the past two years, the research showed.
More than 370,000 businesses also reported incidences of malware attacks, as well as fraudulent payment requests (301,000). More than a quarter of a million businesses (260,000) also encountered ransomware attacks over the same period.
Firms based in the North West, South East and West Midlands were most likely to fall victim to cyber-attacks, with 25%, 23% and 21% of small businesses in these areas reporting cyber incidence respectively, FSB says.
FSB’s research found that one-in-three small firms (35%) have not installed security software over the past two years. Meanwhile, nearly half (40%) fail to regularly update software and a similar proportion do not back-up data and IT systems.
Such lackadaisical cybersecurity practices leave businesses and consumers at risk and, in a post-GDPR world, businesses big or small simply cannot take risks with consumer data. Implementing basic cyber hygiene practices, as well as developing a cyber-aware culture can go a long way to ensuring safety and security, says Gerry Grant, CSO at Converged Communication Solutions.
“They can do some really simple things like making sure all their devices and software are updated,” he explains. “They can make sure they are backing up their data on a regular basis and ensuring that they know how to restore that data.
“They can also make sure that they are doing at least some training and awareness about phishing scams and cybersecurity with their staff.”
Schemes such as Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus can also help set businesses “on the right pathway” to becoming a far more cyber secure organisation, Grant notes.
Cyber hygiene starts at a grassroots level, so to speak, and having a workforce which is cyber-aware and capable of picking up on suspicious activity could help avoid disaster. Without adequate training, Grant insists, businesses are leaving themselves wide open to attack.
“You can put as many technical controls in place as you like, but if you have an employee that is using a weak password or is clicking on emails and downloading attachments then that’s how you’re going to be caught out,” he says.
“This is when training and awareness become key, because how can we chastise a person if we’ve never shown them what we expect them to do and what to look out for?” Grant adds. “We spend a lot of time and effort on health and safety training for our staff, teaching them and showing them how to lift a box properly, but how often do we do training on phishing emails or how to create a good strong password?”
Grant concedes that staff training and awareness is often only half the battle. In his experience, small businesses often ignore the risks posed by cybercriminals due to their size. After all, with news stories regularly focusing on large-scale data breaches and cyber attacks, the real danger appears to be for larger organisations?
This simply isn’t true. In fact, smaller businesses are far more appealing targets compared to say, major banks or multi-national corporations, as they are easier to crack open. Emphasising to small businesses that they are prime targets is key to ensuring they take adequate steps.
“It’s about getting small businesses to understand that they are actually at risk” he says. “We constantly hear in the press about the big companies, such as Capital One last week, losing information. But very rarely do we hear about the small business that gets his by ransomware or suffers a data loss of some description.
“The perception, in my opinion, is that the criminals are after the big names – when in reality, everybody is at risk, Why would I spend six months trying to break into a bank that spends millions on security when, during that same period, I can steal data or ransomware dozens of small businesses for much less effort?”


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The Jakarta Post
Lead singer of British band Coldplay Chris Martin performs at the Stade de France Arena in Saint Denis, on the outskirts of Paris, on July 15, 2017. (AFP/Geoffroy Van Der Hasselt)
Samsung is back at it again with its next piece of innovation, and this time it involves the popular band Coldplay and Live Nation.
The South Korean tech company recently announced that during Coldplay’s Chicago stop on their massive “A Head Full of Dreams” tour, owners of the Samsung Gear VR would be able to stream the concert live and in virtual reality.
Coldplay is known for their incredible pyrotechnics and lights during the concert and Samsung are working with Live Nation in order to bring this experience to over 50 countries all around the world. On Aug. 17 at 8.30 p.m. local time from Chicago’s Soldier field, the concert will be available to all Samsung Gear VR owners in real time, bringing one of the most popular tours this year in a 360-degree field of vision.
“Through our industry-leading VR hardware and platform ecosystem, we are thrilled to offer Samsung Gear VR owners access to premium, immersive live entertainment and experiences in full 360,” said Samsung Electronics America Content and Services VP Michael Schmier as quoted by Variety.
“Live Nation is a trailblazer when it comes to producing live virtual reality concerts, and we’ve been excited to bring Coldplay into the mix since announcing our collaboration with Samsung and Gear VR in late May,” added Kevin Chernett, executive VP for Live Nation's Global Partnerships and Content Distribution.
Following this never before done feat, the replay of the concert will be available on Samsung VR for a limited time, so even if you are not able to catch the show live, it is still possible for you to experience some Coldplay from the comfort of your home. (ken/kes)


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1. SMBs being pushed into bankruptcy by data breaches
A recent survey by Zogby Analytics confirmed what many people already knew: data breaches are wreaking havoc on SMBs. In particular, the financial implications of a data breach are overwhelming their capacity and forcing them to take drastic action.
The survey, which questioned more than 1,000 small business leaders, found that 37% of SMBs that experienced a data breach suffered financial loss and 25% filed for bankruptcy. Ultimately, 10% of SMBs went out of business following a data breach. SMBs must have a disaster response plan to deal with the high likelihood of being breached.


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Yakult Singapore Pte Ltd, a brand well-known for its probiotic cultured drinks, launches its next biggest product, Yakult Gold in Singapore. This new line of drinks caters to health-conscious consumers that are concerned about their sugar levels and calorie intake.
Yakult Gold is a Nutri-Grade B drink, containing sugar that is 5g or less per 100ml, enriched with Vitamin D which makes it beneficial for bone and teeth health and is a great option for those concerned about sugar levels in beverages.
Yakult’s announcement of Yakult Gold comes after the government’s recent introduction of mandatory nutrition labels and advertising prohibitions for pre-packaged sugar sweetened beverages, a measure to overcome rising cases of diabetes in the country.
Yakult Gold can be bought through Home Delivery Channel and over-the-counter sales at supermarkets at a retail price of S$3.70 (US$4.96) per pack.
Yakult sales network has expanded to over 40 countries and regions worldwide where more than 40 million bottles of Yakult are sold daily. It is currently the No. 1 selling cultured milk drink in Singapore.


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Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), India’s leading manufacturers of utility vehicles (UVs) and it’s wholly owned subsidiary, Mahindra Vehicle Manufacturers Limited (MVML), has notified BSE that it will be observing no production days for 8-14 days across plants in Q2FY20.
“The Company at its Automotive Sector, and Mahindra Vehicle Manufacturers Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company ("MVML"), as part of aligning its production with sales requirements, would be observing 'No Production Days' ranging between 8 -14 days in various plants of the Company and MVML during the second quarter of the Financial Year 2019-2020," it said in the public notification.
The step is taken as a measure to control the accumulating inventory of passenger vehicles across its dealership network and at the stockyards at its manufacturing plants. The company saw a decline of 15% and 16% year-on-year in passenger car and commercial vehicle wholesales respectively in July, as a direct result of the downsizing of vehicle production in previous month(s).
The company also said that it does not envisage any adverse impact on availability of vehicles in the market due to adequacy of vehicle stocks to serve the market requirements.


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Once around the park, James, and don’t spare the sources!
Native formats will take over digital channels this year, according to J.P. Morgan analysts. That means ads in sheep’s clothing will dominate the digital flock.
So let’s call the roll of some not-so-good shepherds.
AOL, MillerCoors Sign Native Ad Pact, ‘Brew Pub’ Aimed At Male Millennials
Take the new native ad pact between AOL and brewing giant MillerCoors, which is worth about $5 million, according to industry sources . . .
AOL has agreed to produce about 350 pieces of original content — including 100 videos — before the end of the year. At Miller’s request, each piece will appeal to male millennials, and plug Miller Lite, Coors Lite, Blue Moon, or Redd’s Apple Ale.
The so-called Brew Pub Newsroom will “span AOL properties including Huffington Post, Huff Post Live and the male-focused Mandatory.com.”
Because stealth marketing is mandatory, of course.
But it’s not just fake newsrooms that are trafficking in this sleight-of-ad. It’s real ones too . . .
Read the rest at Sneak Adtack.


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BY ANTHONY TODD
For the Sun-Times
All of the crazy New Year’s celebrations are over, but that doesn’t mean that bars and restaurants are resting on their laurels (while cleaning up all those broken glasses). There are some great dining events coming up in January — and these are three of my favorites.
Soul Food Week at Big Jones
Any event Big Jones (5347 N. Clark) puts on is sure to be a decadent culinary adventure, and when they change up their menu for an entire week, that’s worthy of headlines. To celebrate author Adrian Miller’s book “Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine,” Big Jones is hosting a fancy dinner on Jan, 18 that (no surprise) sold out in about five minutes. But for those who didn’t get tickets, the entire menu at the restaurant has been revised Jan. 11–18 with new dishes inspired by the book. There’s a “shrimp shack platter” with catfish and gulf shrimp fried in corn and rice flour, Chitlins Duran simmered with onions and garlic and even a special drink — “Red Drink,” a combination of cola and hibiscus.
Big Troublesome in Little Butcher Shop
The only thing better than eating everything at Publican Quality Meats (825 W. Fulton Market) would be eating it and then washing it all down with great craft beer. On Jan. 22 you can do that, as Off Color Brewing will team up with the restaurant for a beer dinner. There will be five different beers and bites from PQM, including a Navajo Taco with braised coppa, cabbage and celery root, served on potato bread, and a rutabaga tart with rutabaga custard. The whole thing is $55 a person, and you can call (312) 496-0012 for reservations.
Spreading the Sake Love
Let’s face it: Sake is still a mystery to most American diners, even those who eat sushi like it’s candy. Worse, it can be expensive to experiment with, so it’s hard to figure out exactly what you like. Roka Akor (456 N. Clark) to the rescue. Between Jan. 12 and 16, for just $15, guests can taste through eight different sakes guided by an expert from Tenzing wine and spirits. If you’re looking to go during the dinner hour, they’ll be holding the tastings between 5 and 7 on Wednesday and Thursday night — drink some sake and stay for dinner. If you’re looking for a lunch tipple, head in on Monday, Tuesday or Friday between noon and 2.
Anthony Todd is a local freelance writer.


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The Italian stock exchange Supervisory authority, Consob has ordered the ban of a number of financial service providers. Are also affected crypto-companies. Specifically, the authority has determined to block the relevant Websites by the Internet Service Provider.Brigitte Bernhardt
6. November 2019BTC $ 9,227.21 -1.15%part Facebook Twitter LinkedIn xing mail
The trade with Bitcoin & co. is unregulated in Italy so far, as far as possible. Also, the taxation of crypto-currencies is for Italian citizens, however, is not an issue. However, the authorities are also in Sunny Italy, and increasingly, against dark machinations in connection with crypto-Assets.Italy and the Blockchain-the future in Europe,
Not least of all, the government emphasizes the participation of Italy in the European Blockchain partnership strong interest in shaping the digital future, and DLT. The aim of the merger is, however, a cross-border basis in terms of security and privacy work together. Italy entered as 27. Country of the Alliance, and currently holds the chair.
the Italian stock exchange regulator has an eye on the supposedly black sheep in the industry. The task of the Commissione Nazionale per la Società e la Borsa (Consob) is part of it – to protect similar to the BaFin, potential investors from fraud. The authority is exercised in 2018, for the first time against rogue crypto-companies. At that time, the Consob ban on two companies, their tokens to the public offer.Black list of dubious suppliers
In the current case, five companies from the Forex and from the crypto section:TomCom Limited www.royalfxpro.euBonatech Ltd e Mitchell Group LTD www.ccxcrypto.comNext Trade Ltd / TLC Consulting Ltd – www.aspenholding.co and www.aspen-holding.comTrader Platinum www.traderplatinum.comLondon Capital Trade Ltd – www.londoncapitaltrade.net [display] Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, IOTA, and the most well-known crypto-currencies on the Plus500 trading. Why Plus500? Free Demo account Mobile Trading App; payments by PayPal; a wide selection of various financial products (crypto-currencies, stocks, commodities, ETFs, Forex, indexes).
open Now free account
the authority cited as justification for the misleading and illegal advertising of Forex and crypto-products. According to the Italian Online news service in Il Messaggero, the number of suspicious Websites has increased to 71, since then, the Consob had with the "Decreto Crescità" the appropriate authority. In June, entered into force the regulation is to decree English Growth. In the case of the blocked financial companies, it is likely to be negative growth.


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An industrial firm by the name of Motion Code: Blue has unveiled their plans for the Migaloo.
So what exactly is a Migaloo? It’s a fantastic luxury yacht that doubles as a submarine!
While still in the concept stage, the Migaloo is a reason for anyone interested in the future of nautical luxury to get excited. Even at this early phase of the Migaloo’s development, it’s clear that this will be a toy for the super-rich. Some are even speculating that it could appear in the next James Bond movie, which is the only way most of us will ever get close to it.
For more on the Migaloo and its proposed features, you can take a look at the gallery above, or check out the Born Rich website here. You can also visit Motion Code: Blue’s Facebook page here.
The Ballcap Buddy: Wash Your Favorite Hat In Your Dishwasher
Next iPhone To Feature 120 FPS Slow-Motion Camera?


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FarEye announces second ESOP buyback program
By FarEye | January 31, 2022
FarEye launched an Employee Stock Ownership Plan in 2021 to make employees ESOP holders, resulting in over 200 employees receiving ESOP grants This liquidation comes on the back of a USD $739,000 ESOP liquidation offered in December 2020
Chicago, IL, January 31st 2022: FarEye, a global SaaS platform provider transforming last-mile logistics, has announced liquidation for Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) holders worth USD 1.22 million via buyback. Aimed at rewarding and recognizing employees’ dedication and hard work in driving FarEye’s growth over the last year, this is the company’s second buyback and largest to date.
FarEye will be performing this buyback of vested ESOPs using its cash reserves, a move that signals the confidence the management and investors share in the business, and the important role of employees in the success of FarEye.
In 2021 FarEye launched a revised ESOP aimed at being more employee friendly, and democratizing ESOP grants to a significant section of its 700+ employees globally. In the last year, the number of ESOP holders jumped more than 400% to over 200 employees, a number that is expected to grow rapidly.
Under this liquidation, eligible employees have the opportunity to liquidate a fixed proportion of their vested ESOPs for a combined value of USD 1.22 million. There has been no distinction made between present and past employees, as the company looks to acknowledge the contribution of all members of the FarEye family in their journey.
FarEye's first ESOP liquidation occurred last year, where the company announced the distribution of USD $739,000 to liquidate eligible ESOP options.
CEO | FarEye
Continuing with its hyper-growth journey and expansion across the globe, FarEye plans to increase employee strength to over 1,000 this year. As an active employer and quickly growing SaaS company, FarEye has already attracted industry leaders from top brands like Microsoft, Amazon, and Dropbox to strengthen teams, enrich culture and build scalable, world-class products. Over the last year, FarEye has hired several senior executives, including CRO Amit Bagga (Ex-President of APAC at Blue Yonder), CPO Suvrat Joshi (former executive at Dropbox, Amazon, Facebook, Microsoft) and CFO Manoj Rath (Ex- Genpact, Grofers, BirlaSoft, DXC Technology). Other key hires include Arun Kumar (ex-Microsoft) as SVP Engineering and Rajat Budhiraja (VP Professional Services, ex Nagarro).
Last year, FarEye raised USD $100 million in Series E funding to accelerate the company’s mission of empowering brands to provide Amazon Prime-like delivery experiences and redefining how products are delivered across diverse logistics networks. Today, FarEye has five global offices, and 150+ customers across 30+ countries. FarEye's platform processes over 100 million transactions monthly, supports more than 25,000 drivers and is integrated into a network of over two million vehicles, improving billions of deliveries worldwide. The company is on a journey to achieve 100+ million transactions per day by processing petabytes of data.
FarEye’s Delivery Management platform turns deliveries into a competitive advantage. Retail, e-commerce and third-party logistics companies use FarEye’s unique combination of orchestration, real-time visibility, and branded customer experiences to simplify complex last-mile delivery logistics. The FarEye platform allows businesses to increase consumer loyalty and satisfaction, reduce costs and improve operational efficiencies. FarEye has 150+ customers across 30 countries and five offices globally. FarEye, First Choice for Last Mile.
Bradford Peirce, Communications Manager, firstname.lastname@example.org


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Vi TECHNOLOGY awards Macon as best distributor for Americas
May 24, 2012
Vi TECHNOLOGY announced presentation of its highest agent honor, the American Representative Challenge Award, to Macon, Vi TECHNOLOGY's sales representative for Argentina. The award was presented during the IPC APEX exhibition in San Diego, CA.
Each year, Vi TECHNOLOGY confers the American Representative Challenge Award to the top sales
organization in the Americas based on sales volume.
"I am pleased to present this award to Mr. Juan Pena, Emiliano Herrero and Carlos Mirabelli from Macon. Our partnership started 10 years ago, and since that day, both companies have worked to increase our business in Argentina. Macon has developed a customer-oriented organization which combines sales and best-in-class support, making Vi TECHNOLOGY the #1 AOI brand in Argentina. This award honors an exceptional 2011 sales year as well as the achievements of 2007 to 2010 when Macon doubled its AOI sales each year.", said Jean-Marc Peallat, President & CEO of Vi TECHNOLOGY Americas.
Upon receiving the award, Mr. Pena remarked, "Argentina is a very special market due to its geographical situation. Our key success factor is our ability to provide world-class support on all our equipment. If you combine this with state-of-the-art product, it leads you to success. This award represents the recognition of our work and confirms that we are on the right track."


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Concerned Gwent will be nothing but a cheap Witcher cash in by our friends over at CD Projekt Red? Worry no more, ladies and gentlemen. Worry no more.
Now it’s here, why not get up to speed with our Gwent deck guide?
According to details released by the Polish studio, Gwent: The Witcher Card Game (to give the game its name in full) will ship with a single player mode populated by multiple 10 hour campaigns. Yes, more than one.
Gwent was revealed at Microsoft’s Xbox briefing at E3 earlier in the week, and the studio has now revealed that it’s working in storylines into said single player mode, with the lead character in each determined by which story the player plumps for. Oh, and there’s voice acting included, too. Voice acting in a card battler. CD Projekt Red is definitely pushing the boat out.
The studio has also revealed completing missions on the map will unlock fresh cards for your deck, with the decisions you make in play said to be key to how the whole thing pans out. Unsurprisingly, a number of heroes and villains from The Witcher are also set to make an appearance.
Gwent is due to roll out for free on PC, Xbox One and PS4 later this year, with a closed beta hitting the first two in September.


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Twitter is said to be planning to sell user names to bring in new revenue streams as Elon Musk tries to revive the business.
Sources say Twitter staff have held talks about the sale of some user names for the site since at least December.
Engineers have proposed holding online auctions where users may bid on user names.
These are the words, figures, or strings of characters that appear after the @ symbol and are used to identify accounts on the platform.
For example, Mr. Musk’s Twitter handle is @elonmusk.
Sources added it’s unclear if the plan will proceed and whether it would affect all user names or just a fraction.
Mr. Musk said last month that he intended to start removing inactive Twitter accounts to free up 1.5 billion user names.
Only certain user names such as those of well-known people, brands, and popular names may have value.
Since Mr. Musk purchased it for $44 billion in October, the social media giant has been in upheaval.
Given the exorbitant cost of the deal, the billionaire is under pressure to make the purchase a success.
The Tesla billionaire has since reduced Twitter’s expenses by forcing layoffs, slashing other costs, and suspending vendor payments.
Mr. Musk has tried to explore new ways to generate money as Twitter’s ad revenue has plummeted.
He has said that he plans to create an “everything app” like China’s WeChat.
The app is used by over a billion people to access news, chat with friends, make payments, and order meals.
Need Career Advice? Get employment skills advice at all levels of your career
Unique user names, also known as handles, can be profitable.
Early adopters of social media platforms usually claim them, and some people and companies are ready to spend thousands of dollars on them.
People may now acquire “original gangster,” or O.G., user names that are coveted because they contain a short word or a number and may have been abandoned by their owners.
Mr. Musk and Twitter did not reply to requests for comment.
Source: The New York Times


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LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — After closing at the beginning of the pandemic, Alfalfa in downtown Lexington had a grand reopening Friday under new ownership.
The restaurant has been a staple in the city since it opened in 1973. The new owners plan to keep what it's known for while bringing in a new vision.
New owner Tiffany Bellfield El-Amin said she and her husband, Wali El-Amin, were quick to take over when the restaurant closed at the beginning of pandemic and went up for sale.
She said people who have been there before can expect many of the same menu items, but with a new twist, including more gluten-free options.
They'll also have a small shop, an extension of Bellfield El-Amin’s family business Ballew Estates, which will have local products and restaurant merchandise.
With the reopening, Bellfield El-Amin says there are a few goals in mind. As a Black-owned business, they want to celebrate diversity and representation in downtown. They also want to focus on supporting local.
“We’re buying as local as we can buy,” said Bellfield El-Amin. “Having local cooks who might not have a place to cook, having them be able to schedule and use our kitchen cooperatively. Farmers who are in eastern Kentucky who do not have the time or the means to come all the way to central Kentucky, but there's a place that they can sell and make money. Helping them bridge over here and getting their CSA and getting things sold."
As for opening a small business during a pandemic, Bellfield El-Amin said she's not intimated and she's confident in its success. She wanted to bring back this food option to the community.


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The Thanksgiving day/weekend sales are STILL going.... Shopping ’til you drop just isn’t the same from your couch. Online retailers continued to swallow up more of the market from brick and mortar stores this Black Friday — but many Big Apple bargain-hunters still turned up … [Read more...] about Black Friday sales 2019…..
If you actually go into stores to shop? You WILL notice the 'on sale' signs almost everywhere.... Off-price retailers are cashing in on consumers who are increasingly demanding more bargains. Why it matters: The consumer is emboldened by a steady economy with a low jobless … [Read more...] about Discounts are what consumer’s are looking for….


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Over the last year, Sony has adopted a new approach to PC releases, which has seen the company bringing over some of its biggest games to PC several years after their initial launches. PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan has explained that it’s all about wanting to take the opportunity “to expose those great games to a wider audience”, and as such, the likes of Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone have released for PC, while Uncharted 4 is apparently next.
It’s quite a different approach from the one Microsoft has had for several years now, which sees them treating Xbox and PC essentially as equal platforms. Very nearly all of their first party offerings launch for Xbox and PC simultaneously, and are also available for free for Xbox Game Pass subscribers across both platformers. In a recent media briefing, Xbox boss Phil Spencer was quick to point out those differences, criticizing Sony’s policy of bringing their games to PC several years after launch, and “charging twice” for them.
“Right now, we are the only platform shipping games on console, PC and cloud simultaneously,” Spencer said (via VGC). “Others bring console games to PC years later, not only making people buy their hardware up front, but then charging them a second time to play on PC. And of course, all of our games are in our subscription service day one, full cross-platform included.”
“We have a huge growth opportunity on PC,” he continued. “We expanded to simultaneously shipping our first-party games on both console and PC. And last year we more than doubled our first-party retail games sales on PC. And we’re also one of the biggest third-party publishers on Steam.”
Sony has maintained that even as it looks to bring more of its games to PC, PlayStation is always going to be their top priority- so whether or not that changes and they adopt an approach more similar to Microsoft’s remains to be seen. Both companies have very different strategies and outlooks though, so for now, it seems quite unlikely.


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SUN VALLEY, Idaho -- Brian Grazer and Bobby Kotick goofed around a little bit when they ran into each other in the driveway outside the Sun Valley Lodge.Grazer pretended to be announcing Kotick's name in sports announcer fashion ("Bob-bee Kooo-tick"). But other than a little backslapping and mugging for a selfie by the chairman of Imagine Entertainment and the CEO of Activision Blizzard, Allen & Co. conference attendees were all business for the gathering here that brings together business moguls,...
Activision Blizzard, Inc.
Reports have said Kotick isn’t expected to stay with Activision Blizzard when — or if — it becomes a Microsoft subsidiary midway through 2023, per the tech overlord’s $69 billion move to acquire it. The FTC has aimed to block the deal, citing concerns shared by Xbox rival Sony that it is anti-competitive and could seriously hurt PlayStation and others. In addition to mobile giant King, Kotick’s company controls the top console franchise, “Call of Duty,” which in 2022 had its best title launch ever with October’s “Modern Warfare II.” He is also dealing with the California Civil Rights Department’s ongoing lawsuit against Activision Blizzard over accusations of rampant workplace misconduct under Kotick, which Activision has denied the veracity of. The company filed its own lawsuit against the agency in December, accusing it of unlawfully collaborating with the media on news reports and withholding evidence.


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Kum & Go is aligning new product discovery with customer demand.
The convenience store retailer is rolling out the RangeMe online product discovery platform to obtain access to more than 175,000 suppliers. Using selective and specific search criteria, Kum & Go will be able to connect with suppliers that can provide products that consumers want, including healthy and sustainable food and beverage items.
Fellow convenience store chains Yesway and Casey’s General Stores have also recently deployed the RangeMe solution to increase direct access to suppliers for improved product mix and assortment.
“Our customers are striving to feel and do better every day,” said Stephanie Poitry, Kum & Go senior category manager. “We are continually evaluating our assortment to ensure we are offering the products that are keeping up with our customer’s evolving wants and needs. Our partnership with RangeMe is an exciting step forward on our journey to make healthy food convenient for everyone.”
Founded in Hampton, Iowa, in 1959, Kum & Go has since grown to employ 5,000 associates in 400 stores across the 11 states of Iowa, Arkansas, Colorado, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Wyoming.


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3. Is There a War on Christmas?
The notion of a “War on Christmas” doesn’t hold up against the ever-growing prominence of the holiday. Each year, Christmas cheer seems to arrive earlier, with sales kicking off well before the last jack-o’-lantern has wilted. Today’s Christmas isn’t so different from the yesteryears, except for a broader recognition that the holiday season embraces diverse celebrations beyond Christmas itself.
Retailers aren’t shying away from the word “Christmas,” and cities, while often opting for inclusive greetings like “happy holidays,” continue to embrace traditional festivities. Christmas tree lightings, public caroling, and Santa Claus appearances remain staples of community holiday events, keeping the spirit of Christmas alive and well.


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Welcome to ResourceShelf
Since sources are the building blocks of business information, ResourceShelf contributing editors monitor and report on source
changes in the continuum from free to freemium to premium.
- Visit the ResourceBlog regularly to learn about new or revised web-based sources, changes in availability of sources via different platforms, and analysis of news relating to sources.
- Register to receive the ResourceShelf Newsletter
Latest ResourceBlog items:
Chrome Update Includes Conversational Search Interface
23rd May 2013
Google demonstrated conversational search at Google I/O a week ago, a style of search designed to be more like natural human speech ...
Data-Planet Datasets Now Available via EBSCO Discovery Service
20th May 2013
EBSCO and Data-Planet have reached an agreement that for the first time provides statistical DataSheets within a discovery ...
Bing Enhances Its Facebook Integration
13th May 2013
From Bing Seach Blog:
Following the introduction of social sidebar last year, we’ve been exploring ways to make it even more useful. ...
ProPublica Launches Online Tool to Search Nonprofit Tax Forms
10th May 2013
From The Chronicle of Philanthropy:
The investigative-journalism organization ProPublica started a free online service for searching the federal ...
Wiley Global Finance Launches WileyTrading.com
7th May 2013
From the press release:
Wiley Global Finance is excited to announce the launch of its newest vertical and professional community, ...
ebrary Adds 1,500 to Academic Complete
5th May 2013
From STM Publishing News:
ebrary continues to expand its flagship subscription database Academic Complete™ with 1,500 high quality titles ...
Google Removes Instant Preview, Makes Other Changes
26th April 2013
From The Next Web:
Google has added a new drop-down menu to its search results page beside every URL with three options: Cached, Similar, and ...
Google Releases Latest Transparency Report
25th April 2013
From Google Official Blog:
Three years ago when we launched the Transparency Report, we said we hoped it would shine some light on the scale ...
Yahoo! Introduces New Mobile App
23rd April 2013
From Yahoo! Search Blog:
The new Yahoo! mobile app is also smarter, using Summly’s natural-language algorithms and machine learning to ...
Digital Public Library of America Launches
19th April 2013
From the Digital Public Library of America:
Starting with over two million items, each with its own special story and significance, the Digital ...
View all ResourceBlog Articles »
"... a virtual information bonanza..."


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Lululemon is racing for $12.5 billion in revenue by 2026, using its track record of success as a roadmap for growth.
The Vancouver yoga wear company expects a compound annual growth rate of 15 percent over the next four years and said it’s crossed the finish line early on several of its stated targets. It doubled both its men’s and digital businesses in two years instead of three and is on track to quadruple the size of its international business by the end of the year versus 2018.
CEO Calvin McDonald told Wall Street investors Wednesday that those results stand out when factoring in what Lululemon didn’t do during the pandemic’s darkest days. “We made investments in the organization, in our people, in our culture—we were leaders, and paying rent, and not cutting one order and pay protecting our employees,” he said, pointing out that Lululemon achieved strong financials despite waves of government-mandated store closures. “We stood up to [do] the right thing…and still achieve[d] these incredible results.”
Lululemon said it still has opportunities to do more in its bread-and-butter run, yoga, train and On the Move categories. Activity-specific categories including tennis, golf and hiking offer additional growth potential on top the footwear category it launched with one women’s style last month and three more slated for this year before men’s arrives in 2023.
China is on pace to be Lululemon’s second-biggest market in the next four years after North America, where revenues should grow by double digits this year, McDonald said. The company plans to open its first stores in “Spain, Italy and Thailand in the next 12 months,” he added.
McDonald described raw materials and product innovation as the “essence” of Lululemon and how the company separates itself from rivals.
Consumers will supports brands at a “premium price point” because they know “what performs better,” McDonald said of why Lululemon prefers most expensive nylon over polyester.
Chief product officer Sun Choe said Lululemon is “constantly iterating, developing new materials and…looking to the future and investing in sustainable solutions via feel.” Product creation starts by focusing on the wearer’s activity, unmet needs, and how they want to feel, she added.
According to Choe, Lululemon is still in the “early innings” of its product journey for women’s, men’s and accessories. “Our product pipeline is robust and we continue to leverage the science of field-to-field product newness and innovation,” she said.
The company will build stronger connections across physical and digital, and explore new areas such as Lululemon Like New, the trade-in and resale program expanding nationwide on Earth Day. It will focus on its Power of Three x2 growth strategy, developing locally relevant product. Engaging customers in Mainland China, as well as scaling and entering new markets across Asia Pacific and Europe, will be key to this strategy.


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The discovery that most bottled water is contaminated with tiny fragments of plastic has stirred up a mild panic. But do these microplastics actually pose a risk?
According to a study commissioned by Orb Media, a global consortium of journalists, samples from 93 per cent of 259 bottles contained microplastic particles – an average of 10 particles wider than 100 micrometres, or roughly the width of a human hair, per litre. The bottles were purchased from countries …
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Accelerating The Electric Revolution
Most of the Electric Vehicle industry relies on Radial Electric motors, which are based on legacy technology that’s more than 50 years old.
YASA, in partnership with Mercedes Benz, are leading the way in EV Motor Evolution, with our Axial Flux Technology.
The future of Performance EVs – Bloomberg
Bloomberg’s Craig Trudell met with our CTO & Founder Dr. Tim Woolmer, who explained the story behind YASA’s unique axial flux motors and how they’ve made their way into some of the most exhilarating electric vehicles…
Driving the electrification industry further, faster.
Re-engineering the future of electric mobility
“Woolmer is certainly one to watch in the EV and electric motor space” – Tech Crunch
Discover how YASA & Mercedes Benz are engineering the electric revolution. .
A new Axial-Flux approach
Our axial-flux motors are fundamentally more efficient, more powerful and smaller than legacy radial motors Find out more about YASA Axial Flux Technology.
Innovative powertrain solutions
Integrating a YASA Axial Flux motor into an electric or hybrid powertrain optimises vehicle range, performance and cost. Discover powertrain solutions.
Working with YASA
YASA’s culture, technology & market opportunity attracts world class talent. Be part of the future of Electric Mobility.


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Impact Exhibition Management Co Ltd in collaboration with MEX Exhibitions Pvt Ltd and EXCO Co Ltd are all set to for BMAM Expo Asia 2019, K-Fire and Safety Expo Bangkok 2019 and LED Expo Thailand 2019 + Light Asean.
Lazada, an e-commerce leader in Southeast Asia, has set a goal to be the No 1 shopping destination for women in the digital era to recognise their importance as influencers within the e-commerce marketplace.
Southeast Asia, and particularly Thailand, cannot expect to see a wide-scale divergence of supply chains coming its way unless there are improvements in production technology and capacity, and regional integration, according to HSBC Thailand.
BCPG Public Company Limited has announced its interim dividend payment for the first quarter of this year at the rate of Bt0.16 per share, with an XD (Exclude Dividend) sign posted on June 4, 2019 and the dividend payment date set for June 14.
WHEN Tunyawat Kasemsuwan, the director of Global Innovation Centre (GIC), joined Thai Union Group five years ago, he saw a lot of âvalueâ left unused at the firmâs tuna processing factory, and decided to take on the responsibility of finding ways to tap that value.
Airbnb, the community-driven hospitality company, and the Government Savings Bank, announced last week a partnership to help promote hospitality entrepreneurs in Thailand, starting with local homestay owners.
Amid stiff competition in the market as major smartphone brands vie for market share in Myanmar, South Korean giant Samsung Electronics remains confident that it will manage to maintain its leadership position this year, according to Zarni Win Htet, the head of mobile group at Samsung Myanmar.
THE NATION newspaper will stop its print editions and go fully online from July 1, when the independent English-language daily turns 48, to focus more on its core online readers including those based abroad, the top executive of the company that owns the paper said yesterday.
SAIC Motor-CP Co Ltd and MG Sales (Thailand) Co Ltd, the manufacturer and distributor of MG cars in Thailand, held âEVolution of Automotiveâ â a seminar centred on Thailandâs readiness for the use of battery electric vehicles (BEV)s.
Leading condominium developer Ananda Development has cited strong profits from joint venture projects for its first-quarter net profit of Bt232 million, a rise of 61 per cent on the same period last year.


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Digiland has reported $US10.1 million losses and a $US50 million drop in revenue across its Australian operations, fuelling speculation that its local presence is teetering on the edge of collapse.
According to the company's financial results, sales generated by the Australian subsidiary plummeted from $US79.1 million in the 2002/2003 financial year to $US27.3 million in 2003/2004.
Digiland wrote off nearly $US6 million in investments into Australia as a result of poor performance.
"The performance of the Australian subsidiary has been disappointing," the financial report reads. "As a result of the discontinuation of most of the product lines, the company had to write off $US3.5 million of inventories and $US1.9 million of accounts receivable."
Revenue across other country operations - including its Singapore headquarters and China - also declined, causing overall company turnover to fall from US$479.86 million to US$369.45 million.
The financial figures are the latest chapter in what has been a rough 18 months for Digiland. Following the loss of a lucrative distribution contract with HP in September last year, the company parted ways with Epson and Maxtor in November. Digiland has since lost distribution deals with Acer, Linksys, AMD and, most recently, MSI Computers.
A proposed partial merger with local distributor, eXeed, also fell through at the eleventh hour last year after seven weeks of negotiations.
At that time, Digiland CEO, Ong Seow Yong, told ARN the company would focus on boosting its whitebox offerings locally and would be signing up additional manufacturers and new sales staff to foster that side of the business.
However, neither of these two initiatives eventuated. Instead, ARN sources report Digiland Australian staff numbers have fallen dramatically from about 80 employees last year to just 10 at the end of June.
Staff exits include director of operations, Colin de Costa, and marketing manager, James McBeth.
The company has also closed its Perth operations. In addition, capital expenditure into Australia by the parent company has ceased. After spending $US314,000 in 2002/2003, the latest financial report showed no investment into the Australian business during the past year.
Sources close to the company claim it has not ordered new products from Australian-based suppliers in the past three months.
What's more, distribution relationships retained by the local subsidiary were reliant on distribution contracts signed and managed by the company's Singapore headquarters, the source said.
One vendor still maintaining a relationship with Digiland is Impact Systems.
Company managing director, Peter Agamalis, said it had not yet closed the door on its long-standing agreement with the distributor.
However, severe decline in stock orders throughout the year had forced the company to stop promoting Digiland as an authorised distributor, Agamalis said.
Impact Systems had not received an order from Digiland since mid-June and was no longer sending them leads, he said.
Agamalis said Digiland had originally been one of Impact's biggest distributors for its CMV range of monitors.
But a shortage of stock in the early days of the relationship had contributed to an eventual decline in the size of the agreement, he said.
"CMV was a big success for them, and they were successful in selling the product. They became an important partner for Impact," Agamalis said. "In their day, they were pushing about 7000 hard drives per month and buying a container of monitors a month from us.
"But the fact that they have stopped ordering stock leads us to believe they are closing up.
"Yet if they wanted to, they could pick up business again - they have been around too long not to."
Acting director of Digiland's Australian operations, Frank Tan, and the company's head office in Singapore, both refused repeated ARN requests for comment.


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TROLLHATTAN, Sweden, Feb. 8 (UPI) -- Insolvent Swedish automobile company Saab has attracted potential buyers, said a bankruptcy trustee, who did not want to reveal names.
The Stockholm News reported Wednesday that Hans Bergqvist confirmed there were "indicative offers" for the car company that shut down production in 2011 when it ran out of cash to pay suppliers and workers.
News reports have speculated the Chinese firm Youngman and the Indian firm Mahindra are in the hunt for Saab.
Bergvist said it would be "some weeks" before a buyer was revealed, the newspaper said.
|Additional Business News Stories|
REYKJAVIK, Iceland, June 19 (UPI) --Iceland's new prime minister this week cited the country's mackerel fishing dispute with the European Union as a prime example of the value of sovereignty.
PARIS, June 18 (UPI) --Engine-maker Pratt & Whitney has announced delivery of its 100th F135 propulsion system to the U.S. government for the F-35 Lightning II fighter.


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Atria Buys Saarioinen's Slaughter Operations19 July 2013
FINLAND – Finnish meat processor Atria has signed a preliminary agreement to buy of Saarioinen's slaughtering, meat cutting and meat procurement operations.
Atria will buy Saarioinen's procurement, slaughtering and cutting operations for beef, pork and poultry and will also gain the ownership of poultry production machinery and equipment, as well as the poultry production factory building and site in Sahalahti in Kangasala.
Jyväbroiler trademark is also included in the agreement.
In addition, Atria will take possession of the machinery and equipment of Jyväskylä slaughterhouse.
Atria and Saarioinen are to sign a cooperation agreement concerning meat deliveries from Atria to Saarioinen.
The company said that the deal will increase Atria's cost-efficiency in meat procurement, slaughtering and cutting operations.
The cooperation agreement will guarantee competitive long-term raw material deliveries to Saarioinen, possibly freeing up resources for processing operations.
The staff of Saarioinen's procurement, slaughtering and cutting operations will move to Atria as continuing employees, and Atria will continue the industrial operations in Jyväskylä and Sahalahti. There are about 400 employees.
Atria's turnover is expected to grow by about €70 million a year.
The deal, which is subject to the approval of the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority, is expected to close latest in the first quarter of 2014.
TheCattleSite News Desk


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Greetings and welcome to the EURACTIV transport newsletter!
Below you’ll find the latest roundup of mobility news from across Europe.
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In case it wasn’t clear already that the future of the automotive industry is electric, the latest news from the financial markets should dispel any doubt. Tesla, arguably the world’s preeminent electric vehicle company, is now valued at over $1 trillion (€860 billion).
The car company joins a rarefied list of trillion-dollar, primarily tech-based companies, including Apple, Amazon, and (at least for now) Facebook.
The stock price rallied off the back of news that Hertz made an order for 100,000 Teslas, as the car rental giant looks to ramp up its offer of electric vehicles.
For many investors, the Hertz deal is a sign that electric cars are going from the preserve of the wealthy (who want to publicly bolster their green credentials) to the mainstream choice.
For Tesla founder, sometime sketch comedy actor, and the world’s richest man, Elon Musk (who recently surpassed fellow space-obsessed geek Jeff Bezos of Amazon in the accumulation of outrageous sums of money), the valuation surge brought his personal fortune to over $255 billion.
Musk celebrated the news on Twitter with a typically eccentric tweet.
But while Tesla is in rude health financially, the company still faces serious challenges and is not without controversy.
In addition to grappling with global supply chain issues, the company is facing scrutiny over its automation software, which allows its cars to essentially pilot themselves for parts of a journey.
Tesla has been keen to roll out increasingly advanced Autopilot capabilities, which, despite Tesla’s strict instructions that drivers must always remain alert while Autopilot is engaged, has the effect of encouraging drivers to take their hands off the wheel and zone out while travelling.
Following a series of at-times fatal crashes, both regulators and customers have raised questions over just how safe Tesla’s Autopilot feature is. Already, the US government has opened a formal investigation into Tesla’s driver assistance system, the Guardian reports.
While the system is remarkable in many ways, it is not without glitches – there are indications that the flashing lights of emergency vehicles may interfere with the cars’ sensors, potentially leading to accidents.
But while the automation issues will likely continue to raise questions, Tesla’s incredible valuation comes in part from its high-tech pedigree. Indeed, its valuation is more Silicon Valley than Motor City.
Eurostar faces new competition (possibly)
There’s another twist in the tale of the beleaguered Eurostar train line, which has recently faced bankruptcy in the wake of COVID restrictions decimating demand (a drop further compounded by Brexit-related issues over cross-border travel).
Now, Spanish company Renfe has requested permits that would allow its trains to compete on the Paris to London line, which runs through the Eurotunnel under the English Channel.
The publicly owned Spanish company expects a rise in demand for travel between the British and French capitals, with profitability foreseen after four years of running the service.
Before proceeding, however, Renfe must be awarded the appropriate permits to operate on the line, so it remains to be seen if it will emerge as a competitor.
Read the full story in El País.
FlixBus buys Greyhound
Germany’s FlixMobility company, which owns both FlixBus and FlixTrain, has significantly expanded its presence across the Atlantic by purchasing the US’s largest (and most iconic) bus company, Greyhound.
“The continuous expansion of our network through partnerships and acquisitions has always been an integral part of our growth strategy to build our global presence. The acquisition of Greyhound is a major step forward and strengthens FlixBus’ position in the US,” said Jochen Engert, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of FlixMobility.
Greyhound will now operate as a subsidiary of FlixMobility, which has its headquarters in Munich. Already FlixBus is Europe’s largest intercity bus company, with over 62 million people using their service in (pre-pandemic) 2019. Greyhound runs to around 2,400 destinations across North America.
Driving on sunshine
While discussions over the number of charging points Europe will need to facilitate the electric mobility revolution continue, one interesting pilot project has raised the spectre of a different approach.
According to a report by CNN, a Dutch campervan drove for just under 2,000 kilometres across Europe powered solely by the sun.
The solar-panel-bedecked campervan can fit two people and includes a toilet, shower, and cooking facilities.
The van was created by a group of students from the Eindhoven University of Technology, who wanted to demonstrate the possibilities of solar transport.
“The main goal is to really inspire people and the market and society to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable future,” Tijn Ter Horst, a member of Solar Team Eindhoven, told CNN.
Solar-powered vehicles may soon be a common sight on European streets – already the Dutch start-up Lightyear is working on rolling out cars powered by sunlight. The first Lightyear vehicles are expected to be launched in summer 2022.
Brussels plans to wrest the title of global electric vehicle battery leader from Asia by supercharging Europe’s battery production and imposing strict green criteria that will make European products the de facto global standard.
The European Commission has brushed off industry criticism that the upcoming EU battery regulation could raise the cost of electric vehicles, arguing that prices will fall thanks to increased manufacturing capacity ushered in by EU policies.
Greenhouse gas concentrations hit a record last year and the world is “way off track” on capping rising temperatures, the United Nations said on Monday (25 October), showing the difficult task facing climate talks in Glasgow aimed at averting dangerous levels of warming.
The European Commission has proposed new standards which would make batteries produced and sold in Europe the greenest in the world. MEP Simona Bonafè spoke to EURACTIV about the EU’s battery regulation and the future of battery production in Europe.


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Adani Ports sells Australian rail logistics unit to parent company Adani Enterprises
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) sold its investment in Bowen Rail Company Pty Limited (BRCPL), the rail logistics unit in Australia, to Adani Global Pte Limited, for undisclosed value as the largest port operator Indian private sector seeks to become carbon neutral and improve its environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings.
APSEZ has signed the share purchase agreement with Adani Global Pte Limited (Singapore subsidiary of Adani Enterprises Limited) for the sale of the investment in BRCPL, APSEZ said in its annual report for 2020- 2021.
“The transaction is pending regulatory approval from Australia’s Foreign Investment Review Board. In the meantime, APSEZ will reflect the investment as “held for sale” in its books, ”the annual report says.
BRCPL was incorporated in December 2019 as a subsidiary of Bowen Rail Operation Pte Ltd, a unit of APSEZ based in Singapore, to undertake the rail transport of coal produced from the Carmichael mine in Australia.
The Adani group had to resort to “self-financing” after a growing global campaign to ensure that no financial institutions were involved in the Carmichael mine project.
BRCPL intended to use APSEZ’s balance sheet to finance investments – estimated at A $ 500 million (US $ 350 million) for a rail transport capacity of 27 million tonnes per year for the purchase of coal locomotives and wagons, as well as associated maintenance installations and equipment.
As part of the annual evaluation of ESG performance by management, APSEZ has decided to sell its stake in BRCPL in order to comply with carbon neutrality commitments.
This is the first divestment by APSEZ from a segment that is under increasing scrutiny, with the assessment of environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks assuming a key criterion in global financial markets.
APSEZ is considering dollar loans for its financing needs. The company has raised $ 1.55 billion through three cross-border bond issues listed in US dollars in recent months. Currently, 69% of the company’s long-term debt is denominated in US dollars.
APSEZ has often been accused of ignoring environmental and social rules in its rise to become India’s largest port operator in just under two decades.
The company now aims to become the world’s leading carbon-neutral port company by 2025, with all port freight operations powered by renewable energy.
“We are taking steps to improve our ESG rating,” the report said.
ESG risks occupy a central place in our assessment process because they can have a significant impact on the business model and the value drivers of the company (income, margins and capital expenditure), he said.
In today’s global economy, environmental and social responsibility is essential. APSEZ’s ESG strategy is based on the principle that the creation of sustainable value is not only beneficial for the company but for the entire value chain.
As it seeks to become the world’s leading port company by 2030, APSEZ has said it will encourage practices that improve the environmental and social impact of its operations.
Due to the high carbon footprint of the maritime sector, APSEZ is in a unique position to drive positive change by implementing strategies to mitigate, measure and report environmental impact.
“As India accelerates its port-led development, while aggressively engaging in mitigating the impacts of climate change, we are in a position to deepen decarbonization,” he added.


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ST. LOUIS, MO/June 13, 2017 (STL.News) – When 36 million pounds of conventional soybeans leave a port in Turkey and arrive in the U.S. labeled organic, according to a Washington Post story, it calls into question the transparency of organic product imports.
“While these increased imports may benefit the marketplace today, U.S. food processors who have become reliant on imported products that could be produced domestically may inadvertently be putting not only their own company’s future at risk, but potentially the entire U.S. organic product marketplace,” said Peter Golbitz, CEO and president of Agromeris, in his recently published Midwest Organic Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) article, Organic Production Shortfall in U.S. Encourages Imports, Creates Risk.
Golbitz, whose consulting firm advises companies and organizations looking to build strategic and sustainable supply chains in specialty ingredient, food and agricultural markets, will present on that same topic at the third annual Organic & Non-GMO Forum, November 6-7 in St. Louis at the Hyatt Regency at the Arch.
That shipment, and two others like it over the past year, reflect the growing trend, according to statistics tracked by the U.S. Commerce Department and reported through the USDA FAS GATS database, that imports of organic products have grown at over 35 percent per year since 2012, from $496.3 million to $1.67 billion in 2016. This rise in imports has helped drop prices by more than 25 percent.
Golbitz argues that the short-term benefit of lower imported grain prices comes at a great cost to the industry later if widespread fraud is reported and imports are interrupted. “This could result in a significant shortfall of supply to a growing market that has no domestic backup,” he said. “And perhaps more importantly, buyers of imported grain are missing an opportunity to positively impact U.S. organic production and further build out a sustainable domestic supply chain on which they can depend for future growth.”
While the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) estimated that nearly 142,000 acres in the U.S. in 2015 were in transition to organic cropland, land used for organic production had only grown by about 1 percent annually since 2008.
“A concerted effort needs to be made by buyers of imported organic products to develop programs to identify and support farmers who are motivated to transition to organic production,” said Golbitz. “The end result would not only be a more reliable supply of organic grain and other row crops, but also one that ushers in the beginning of a much larger transformation of chemical-based agricultural practices to those that are environmentally sustainable, profitable and match the values of American family farmers.”
Read Golbitz’s article in its entirety here, and learn more on how organic imports benefit and create challenges for the organic market during his presentation at the Organic & Non-GMO Forum, which is hosted by HighQuest Group. Learn more at www.ongforum.com.
About HighQuest Group
HighQuest Group, headquartered in Danvers, Mass., is a strategic advisory, conference, and media firm serving corporations, financial investors, and governments across the global food and agribusiness value chains. www.highquestgroup.com


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From Boycott Workfare
Another high street chain has now been exposed as using workfare: Peacocks have taken on workfare placements instead of hiring staff.
London Boycott Workfare is taking action on Sat 1st March. We invite other groups to pay a visit to your local store too and put the pressure on for Peacocks to pay its staff!
Visit Boycott Workfare’s website to read how workfare means job applications are ignored in favour of free labour: Peacocks exposed: Apply for a job – get workfare!
Protest at a store on Saturday 1st March!
1pm, Peacocks store on Seven Sisters Road, Holloway with London Boycott Workfare
Peacocks Store in Catford with Lewisham Green Party
Can’t make it to a store on Saturday 1 March?
Follow me on twitter @johnnyvoid


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Petfood maker Mars Poland will invest more than 250 million zÅ‚ (US$80 million) in the expansion of its animal feed factory in KoÅ¼uszki Parcel, Poland. The decision to expand the animal feed mill was made to meet growing demand for prepared animal feeds in Poland and abroad.
"We still see great potential for both short-and long-term growth in this market, which will make it becomes one of the largest FMCG categories in Poland," said general director of Mars Poland Petcare, Aku VikstrÃ¶m.
Mars Poland sells petfood in Poland and Europe in a number of brands including Pedigree, Whiskas, Kitecat and Cesar. The money invested in the animal feed mill expansion will also be partly used to establish a new chocolate factory in JanaszÃ³wek, Poland.
Pet owners want a lot from their pet food brands. They want primary proteins that suit what they believe is best for their animal. They want grains or they don't. They want something customized, but it has to be easy to understand.
Constraints and crises, like those experienced in 2020, help drive innovation and sustainability offers context.


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For more than two decades Chris Bilheimer has designed album covers, concert posters, rock T-shirts and more as art director for R.E.M. and freelancer for other bands, notably Green Day, Widespread Panic and Neutral Milk Hotel. Now he’s entered the fashion realm as the creative force behind Helm Boots’ redesign. This spring, the Austin, Texas-based brand unveiled a new logo, website, packaging, store signage and point-of-sale materials.
June 02, 2014
June 01, 2014
In what promises to be one of our most random playlists (yes, even surpassing the dirty secrets one), the AP editorial team is reflecting this week on the first music videos we ever saw. Some of our picks are older than us and downright ridiculous when you revisit them in a modern context—and that’s the beauty and hilarity of it all.
I can confidently say that Green Day were the vessel for my first music-meets-video experience, with their explosive 2004 single, “American Idiot.” My 10-year old self was enthralled by frontman Billie Joe Armstrong’s seemingly imperturbable punk-rock persona
June 01, 2014
Green Day @ The Paddington Hotel, Sydney – 20th February 2014
The night before they were set to play in front a stadium full of Brisbane fans for Soundwave, US pop-punk veterans Green Day decided to throw a surprise club show in Sydney at the eleventh hour – announcing it on Twitter a mere half an hour before they hit the stage – making it a truly special night for the lucky few hundred switched-on fans who got there in time.
“I guess a few of you saw the tweet,” joked Billie Joe Armstrong when arriving on stage, before whipping his bandmates through an hour-long, 12-song set of their
Slammin' tone and uncompromising attitude just like Billie Joe himself.
As the premiere punk rocker of his generation, Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong doesn't compromise on style, tone or attitude. The Billie Joe Armstrong ES-137 from Gibson Memphis rolls all three into a raging ball of badass, in a guitar that stems from surprising depths of tradition while packing the no-frills, sucker-punch power that punk demands.
This beautifully light and comfortable to play thinline semi-hollow sports the ES-175s classic lines, but thanks to a chambered mahogany core that enhances sustain and fights


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STANDAGE Inc. links its system with MVXchange- a Nigerian startup company, enhancing local delivery operations in Nigeria
On December 22, 2020, STANDAGE Inc. and MVXchange, a Nigerian logistics startup company, connected their platforms to strengthen the delivery system in Nigeria.
Japanese logistics companies tend only to handle delivery to sea or air ports in Nigeria and West Africa. From there, customs clearance and delivery from the ports are left to local Nigerian companies.
However, since the African companies buying these Japanese goods are often small or medium sized enterprises (SMEs), it is often too much of a burden for them to carry out import customs clearance procedures due to lack of manpower.
Accordingly, these SMEs want to put the requirement on the Japanese seller companies to deliver to their own designated warehouses. Furthermore, Japanese seller companies require that the location of their products are tracked down to the last mile, to know whether their valuable goods have been delivered properly. These are the problems of logistics in Africa.
STANDAGE provides DiGiTRAD, a comprehensive trade service that can complete all trade operations, from matching buyers and sellers, to settlement and financing, and cargo delivery.
MVXchange provides the MVXtransit service, which enables digital cargo management, delivery arrangements, import/export and customs clearance procedures for local logistics in Africa.
In order to solve these local logistics issues, MVXchange’s MVXtransit APIs and STANDAGE’s DiGiTRAD APIs were linked.
DiGiTRAD users and cooperating logistics companies can now easily perform MVXchange import customs clearance procedures and local delivery arrangements from the DiGiTRAD system.
The API integration has already been completed. As a first step, we will start operating this service in Nigeria. By the end of fiscal year 2021, we plan to expand this service not only to Nigeria but also to other West African countries.
We will jointly aim to realize a service that allows both buyers and sellers to trade safely, securely, and easily.
STANDAGE Inc. and MVXchange are funded by Kepple Africa Ventures. Kepple Africa Ventures is a Venture Capital firm specializing in start-up investments in Africa.
We received a comment from Mr. Shinada of Kepple Africa Ventures on this system integration; “There are still very few examples of collaboration between Japanese startups and African startups. Therefore, the partnership between these two companies is very innovative.
The collaboration between the two companies, which have a deep understanding of the needs of both Japanese and African customers, will create an end-to-end trade, payment, and transportation platform that connects exporters and importers. I hope that Japanese companies will further expand their business in Africa based on this platform”
https://mvxchange.com/ — MVXchange is a maritime trade and logistics platform.
In March 2019, MVXchange began operations with “MVXenergi.com,” a booking platform that matches demand for offshore support vessels in the energy industry.
In March 2020, “MVXtransit.com” was launched to provide digital freight forwarding, customs and in-land logistics services.
About STANDAGE Inc.
Founded in March 2017. Established their Nigeria office in December 2017. Started a demonstration test between Japan and Nigeria with beta version of DiGiTRAD in April 2019.
The official version was launched in December 2019.
The project was selected as a subsidy project by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry for two consecutive years in 2019 and 2020.
DiGiTRAD service official website: https://digitrad.world/ If you are interested in our services, please feel free to contact us.


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Solukon, Augsburg, Germany, has announced it is expanding its global sales network with a move into the Swiss Additive Manufacturing market through cooperation with Urma AG, Rupperswil, Switzerland.
Urma designs and manufactures precision tool systems that are used globally in drilling precise holes. For more than sixty years, the family-owned company, which has approximately 130 employees, has been active in a range of subsidiaries, OEM partnerships, and has a wide sales network.
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Solukon machines remove powder residue from complex metal additively manufactured parts entirely automatically through programmable two-axis rotation and adjustable vibration. Solukon’s Smart Powder Recuperation Technology (SPR) includes features such as the SPR Pathfinder depowdering software and the Digital-Factory-Tool, a sensor and interface kit for process monitoring and automation integration.
Together with URMA, Solukon hopes to further strengthen its already good market position in Switzerland.
“The Swiss AM market will continue to gain momentum in the coming years. We are happy to add another industry expert, Urma, to our global sales network,” stated Michael Sattler, Global Sales Director at Solukon, who is responsible for the Augsburg-based machine manufacturer’s international sales activities.
Oliver Berner, Director Machines and member of Urma’s management team added, “In recent years, Urma AG has greatly expanded its 3D printing abilities across the entire manufacturing chain. With Solukon, we have gained a strong partner in the area of postprocessing and a perfect addition to our portfolio of machines. We look forward to a successful cooperation!”


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*This content is brought to you by Altvest
In an African first, Altvest will be listed on the Cape Town Stock Exchange (CTSE) on May 5.
As one of Africa’s most disruptive fintech companies, this listing marks a new chapter in their meteoric rise. Altvest disrupts traditional private equity by democratizing access to exclusive alternative assets through timeshare.
Based in South Africa – the inequality capital of the world – the platform aims to unearth tightly held assets and make them accessible. The opportunity set includes fintech, renewable energy, luxury asset funds, private reserves, offshore ownership and popular sports franchises.
Retail investors will have access to several previously private assets for as little as R100. Trades are executed on CTSE’s intuitive and powerful trading platform, A-Trade.
As Altvest co-founder and chief executive, Warren Wheatley, puts it, “South African retail investors will be exposed to investment categories usually reserved for the top 1% of society. These include prestigious wine farms, ultra-luxury lodges, high-end artworks and other alternative assets. These will be available in a fully regulated environment and in affordable increments”
Alternative investments have found favor lately amid rising interest rates, rising inflation, shrinking stimulus and high volatility in traditional equities. Many asset subclasses among the alternatives have proven resilient, outperforming benchmarks over time. Alternative assets are expected to represent almost a quarter of all investable assets by 2025.
The retail investor landscape exploded during the lockdown and ushered in a new wave of passionate amateur stock analysts, vibrant financial communities and unleashed a social media juggernaut. Altvest intends to offer retail investors a universe of opportunities that goes well beyond traditional vanilla stocks.
The company’s executive chairman, Koshiek Karan, adds, “We live in the most unequal society on the planet. Layer on top of an incompetent government, mass unemployment and a stifling cost of living – we are the textbook case of a failing economy. The only way to expect someone to reasonably care about the economy is to own a piece of it. The democratization of private capital is more than the epitome of financial engineering, it is real-world economic reform. The great transfer of wealth is overdue.”
Details of the highly anticipated first announcement to go live on Altvest will be released following the announcement.
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Consumers Fear Automotive Technology Failures, Study Finds
Mobile phones and computers have bugs we live with; most people don't want their car to be their next problem.
According to a recent survey conducted by J.D. Power, it seems clear there is a divide between generations as to whether or not they trust autonomous car technology.
There is, however, plenty of interest in assistance technology and driver aid systems that can augment the experience in a way that can safely intervene without taking full control.
Compared with 2016, 11 percent more Gen Z consumers and 9 percent more Pre-Boomers say they “definitely would not” trust automated technology.However, similar to the 2016 study, consumers this year show great interest in collision protection and driving assistance technology.
Google and Apple have been quoted in several different ways saying more or less that humans suck at driving. And while much of that maybe true technology companies want to sell products and are looking for the next big thing. There are obvious other issues with commuting and transportation, such as state and municipal budgets for road repair and creation. Traffic control devices are poorly designed and not smart. We have infrastructure designed for human traffic. Adding beta- and alpha-tested autonomous cars on the road in that system is in many ways counter-productive.
The J.D. Power survey also covers something more fundamental: Many people don't trust technology. And the older you get, the more you witness the passing of fads and problems that the younger generations don't know about.
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