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Dance music radio station Kiss is launching two new stations — Kisstory, featuring classic songs, and Kissfresh, with hot new tracks.
But they aren’t debuting on DAB, once hailed as the most important platform for digital radio. Instead Kiss will broadcast on its KissKube phone app, on its website and through TV on Freeview. “It’s audience-led,” explains boss Steve Parkinson as these platforms appeal to younger listeners than DAB. With the app in particular, it’s easier to monitor users. Parkinson remains a fan of DAB as the main London-based Kiss station recently went “national” on the digital network.
* Carphone Warehouse co-founder Sir Charles Dunstone has pulled off a coup, regaining full control of its High Street business from US giant Best Buy for £471 million, less than half of what his firm received for the 50% stake in 2008. Some would expect a retailer to struggle in the digital age but Carphone chief executive Roger Taylor says: “The percentage of sales we do online even when we floated in 2000 compared to what we do now is very similar. We’re very unusual.” Taylor says it’s because when it comes to buying a mobile or changing tariff, “customers still transact in store”. That said, he warns High Street retailers must adapt, and praised the Apple stores’ Genius Bar. Perhaps Carphone should follow suit, then.
* Sci-fi fans never forgave Michael Grade for axing Doctor Who in the 1980s but the next BBC1 boss could face a similar dilemma. Viewing figures for last Saturday’s episode fell to 4.9 million, a far cry from the 10 million that the series, rebooted in 2005, once pulled in. Even some Whovians believe the show is tired. Giving Doctor Who a “rest” after its 50th anniversary this November would be controversial as it is a global brand with a loyal following on BBC America. Overnight ratings also exclude the audience watching on “catch-up”. The new BBC1 boss, who will replace the upwardly mobile Danny Cohen, would be very brave to call time on the drama.


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Mtskheta Cruise company has started motorboat voyage services on the river Mtkvari for tourists in Mtskheta. Mtskheta Cruise offers 30 minute tours by modern motorboat.
The company representatives told the Business Contract that guides provide tourists with full information on Mtskheta culture monuments in 16 languages. The service tariff for corporate clients is 35 GEL, while individual package price is 39 GEL. The company launched operation in autumn 2016. Currently, the company owns two motorboats – for 10 passengers and 28 passengers.
The project’s investment value marked about 300 000 GEL. In spring 2017 a cafe will be also unveiled at the first location place of a motorboat. Moreover, green zone will be also arranged for wedding ceremonies.
The company co-founder Sulkhan Varshanidze told BusinessContract that polluted water and environment create problems.
“We have pollution problems. There is terrible situation on river banks. Household wasters are also dumped in the river. We plan to apply to due instances for correcting the situation”, Sulkhan Varshanidze said.

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Tesla Motors makes adjustments to its Autopilot feature for the safety of its drivers.
Tesla Motors intends to take a driver-friendly measure. Individuals act in an idiotic manner. Now, it comprehends that an individual’s reckless nature is adversely affecting its progress as far as its driverless automobiles are concerned. It is adjusting its “Autopilot” system to make it complicated for drivers to misuse it and trouble themselves, their riders, and counterparts in danger.
Tesla news exclaimed that the automaker launched Autopilot to its Model X SUVs and later Tesla Model S sedans in October, which will allow the automobile to cut down its speed, accelerate, and turn from one lane to another automatically. Quickly, drivers began to upload YouTube video, which demonstrated them to test the scary and dangerous results.
In October, the company’s official, Khobi Brooklyn, stated, “We’ve been very clear with our customers what the intentions of these features are, and we trust our customers and we expect them to be responsible.”
Apparently, the customers failed to meet the expectation of the company. The “clear” communication has failed to stop people from utilizing it on suburban streets, parkways, off-ramps and broadcasting their disturbing experience.
Tesla news today informed that other videos have demonstrated the tool working in a perfect manner, in once safeguarding the vehicle and its users from a potential accident. Even in a brilliant situation, it is not encouraged that drivers should take their hands off the steering wheel to make a video recording. In an earnings conference earlier this month, Mr. Elon Musk addressed the abuse and stated that the organization is forced to take an action to thwart it.
“There’s been some fairly crazy videos on YouTube… this is not good. And we will be putting some additional constraints on when Autopilot can be activated to minimize the possibility of people doing crazy things with it”, Mr. Musk told analysts.
Tesla Motors news affirmed that in a phone call interview to CBS News, an official of Tesla Motors, James Chen, confirmed the organization’s intentions. He stated, “We are looking at additional ways that we can make Autopilot a little bit more user friendly and perhaps a little less capable of being abused. We have had some people do some pretty scary things, and we are looking at ways to improve the system so that we don’t see this type of abuse.”
Tesla had decided to improve its autopilot system at a time when the Boston Business Journal has reported that it would open its stores in Hingham and Boston. It could be assumed that the adjusted tool would not only play a key role in safeguarding drivers from accidents in the future but also threaten its rivals, set high standards/benchmarks for others in similar business, and please the potential customers.


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Randy Whitehead, manager at the Andersons General Store in Maumee, straightens a display. The chain plans to offer discounts on total purchases.
Ann Albright uses nostalgia and memories.
Joe Chew peddles local warranties and service.
And Stephanie Harmon’s secret weapon? Her septuagenarian mother.
When it comes to battling big-box national retailers, Toledo-area store owners like Ms. Albright, Mr. Chew, and Ms. Harmon say there is no Santa Claus to fill their Christmas wishes.
The reality is they can never hope to match the buying, advertising, and e-commerce clout wielded by the Walmarts, Targets, and Best Buys of the retail world, so they won't bother trying.
They also aren't interested in gimmicks that harm their loyal employees and consumers, so they won’t be opening today.
But local retailers say that doesn't mean that they can’t compete with mass retailers.
Starting with Black Friday and continuing on through Christmas, the area’s locally owned stores will employ a variety of clever, tailored strategies that will allow them to become Davids in a world of retail Goliaths who come armed with huge budgets, national ad campaigns, and warehouses full of merchandise.
“We belong to a buying group. So our buying power is just as strong as the Walmarts and Targets,” said Jim Gryzwinski, general manager of the Appliance Center in Maumee, which will stick with its traditional Friday morning opening.
“We might buy 100 of one model and that way we get special discounts. Our appliance buyer will buy items by the truckload and that cuts costs,” he continued. “It’s the old idea that it’s cheaper if you buy a pound of nails rather than a couple of nails, and that makes us very competitive and sometimes less on price than the chain stores.”
Jeff Podgorski tags televisions at Appliance Center in Maumee in preparation for Black Friday. The store will be closed today.
Every year, the Appliance Center plans ways to up its game come Black Friday — the traditional shopping frenzy on the day after Thanksgiving.
Inventory goes up nearly 20 percent, prices drop considerably, and the store goes full tilt on moving product, sometimes with razor-thin sales margins. Or sometimes with no sales margin.
“Now is the period when the suppliers give [us] the best buys, so the consumers — beginning this weekend and right through December — are really getting buys better than they’ll get the rest of the year,” Mr. Gryzwinski said.
“This weekend retailers are basically selling things below cost. They will go up a little later, but not much,” he added.
Electronics and appliances are a quantity business, Mr. Gryzwinski said, which is why consumers will benefit from shopping now. The more product the Appliance Center sells, the more profit it makes, so the sales force is extra motivated, he said.
Because of its unique merchandise blend, The Andersons faces many competitors — home improvement stores, grocery stores, bath and kitchen stores, garden and craft stores, and general merchandisers.
Its strategy for the holiday season is to excel in its odd collection of niches and encourage customers to mix and match. Sell a cart full of food, tools, Christmas decorations, and kitchen items.
It’s unconventional, but effective, said John Hoover, The Andersons’ director of marketing and business development.
In that spirit, the company moved away from discounts on specific items this season and instead will offer discounts, such as 20 percent off, on an entire purchase.
“That’s the first time we’ve done that,” Mr. Hoover said. “We want customers to make the decision on what they want, rather than discount specific targeted items.”
The Maumee-based retailer competes with national chains on price, but prefers to offer specials on perishables, such as food and wine, to get customers in the store to see its 150,000 items.
“What we’re doing is focusing hard on categories that are solid but also provide value to the customers,” Mr. Hoover said. “It’s a nice one-stop shopping destination and we feel we’ve got that old-fashioned traditional customer service experience that our customers want."
At Swan Creek Candle Co., owner Ann Albright will again aim to use nostalgia and cherished memories to generate holiday sales.
Her company doesn’t do much for Black Friday, figuring few customers would stop there during the frenzied shopping day. It will open at its normal time.
But when consumers do get to Swan Creek Candle stores — located in historic buildings — the decorations and scents (such as frosted spruce and cinnamon spice) are deliberately chosen to evoke traditional holiday memories.
“Because our stores are all in historic locations and each one is unique, you get that old-fashioned feeling with the brick walls. There are people that want that experience and think, ‘That's how it used to be.’ It gets nostalgic,” Ms. Albright said.
Swan Creek will rarely do sales or markdowns during the holiday season. “We really feel we give value for the money and we stay away from sales. If we do have a sale, we never announce it,” Ms. Albright added.
“It is very unconventional. But then we price the things we know people will want accordingly, and people know that it has value.”
Stephanie Harmon, co-owner of the Bumble Olive Oil Co. at Westfield Franklin Park, knows she has unconventional products and tough competitors in gourmet stores and supermarkets.
So for the holidays she uses a grassroots marketing campaign and “grab and go” packaged products at various price points.
She’ll open at 12:01 a.m. Friday, but only because most of the mall will be open then and her store greatly depends on foot traffic.
“Everyone is trying to capture these holiday dollars. So we’ve been offering gift packs, holiday items, grab-and-go items for weeks,” Ms. Harmon said. “People only have a very limited time to be in our store, so we have things that are accessible once they come in.”
For the last three weeks, Ms. Harmon and her friends and family — including her mother — have spent hours making and arranging gift packs.
“I don’t have the luxury of being a huge corporate store where everything is done for me and prepackaged,” she said.
“You don’t have to be Williams-Sonoma. ... As long as you do it right and well, people will buy from you.”
For Mr. Chew, owner of the area’s Computer Discount stores, Black Friday will be mostly just another day, with his stores opening at their usual 10 a.m. start. They won’t be open on Thanksgiving.
That’s because Mr. Chew’s holiday strategy is to sell value and service, two things not easily explained in a promotion or “doorbuster” specials.
“People looking for the lowest price they can find will always buy online or at the big-box stores. But people looking for more services, they end up dealing with us,” Mr. Chew said.
Computer Discount will have sales from now through Christmas, but where it beats its national competitors is with bundling and support.
“You can buy an apple cheaper online than walking into Kroger, but what kind of fruit are you getting?” Mr. Chew asked. “That's the same thing with us. Take laptops — we give you free anti-virus, free data transfer, free optimization, free training, a free case, a warranty, and a loaner if your computer goes down. Plus local tech support.
“These are all what I consider value that you won’t get from a big box store. That’s also one way we’re able to compete directly with big box stores,” he said.
Service is also a key holiday sales strategy for Keri Suhy, owner of Vivian Kate apparel shop in Levis Commons.
She keeps a computer database of sales so that she knows what her customers have bought, their sizes, and the styles and brands they prefer.
It has allowed her to become a sort of retail concierge who can predict customer’s wants.
“We will run a sale on Black Friday through Sunday. ... But it doesn’t scratch the surface of what we do. Our strategy is really based on service and that’s how we excel,” she said. “We understand our customers and that’s why we do so well.”
Ms. Suhy said another key to her holiday strategy is that Vivian Kate carries product lines not found in many other area stores.
“You can’t go to Macy’s or Dillard’s and find the lines that we carry. You can get them at Nordstrom’s online, but then you won’t get the service.”
When it comes to his seasonal strategy, Phil Kajca, owner of the local J. Foster Jeweler and Pandora stores, says he has Walmart, Target, Costco, and other big-box retailers over a barrel.
The cost of gems and gold is the same for him as it is for the far larger organizations. Buying power wielded by Walmart for many goods does not carry weight when purchasing gems or precious metals.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s Walmart or J. Foster’s buying gold. It’s still $1,700 an ounce,” Mr. Kajca said.
J. Foster’s strategy is to target customers through selective advertising during the holidays. Depending on the market Mr. Kajca aims to reach, he said he’ll use combinations of print and electronic media.
Then, when buying jewelry, he will carry large selections of rings, necklaces, and other items. He will not have the same items in differing sizes, however.
“We’ll have 700 styles of engagement rings — 700 different rings,” he said. “But the chains, they’ll have what they believe are the 12 best-selling rings nationally. But they’ll carry them in three different sizes, much like the shoe business.
“So our strategy will be to have a lot of product to sell. It’s all about lots of sales and high volume,” he said. “Christmas is one-third of our year. So at this time we’re more competitive with our sales.”
Contact Jon Chavez at: email@example.com or 419-724-6128.
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1) Online retailer giant Amazon is considering taking over closed department stores in some malls to use as warehouses in their distribution system. Amazon is in talks with Simon Property Group, America’s largest mall owner, to convert J.C. Penny and Sears stores into distribution hubs for package delivery. Simon malls have 63 J.C. Penny and 11 Sears stores available. With many traditional brick-and-mortar stores in collapse, such a deal would make sense for both Amazon and Simon. Amazon is looking for more space closer to where customers live to help with its one day delivery strategy, while Simon needs cash rich tenants to bolster their business.
2) A report that outlines the three potential future movies in the Star Trek franchise has been released. The movies for Star Trek follow-on’s have been in limbo since the 2016’s Star Trek Beyond. There are three potential projects being considered for possible production, including a Tarantino’s Star Trek movie. The first movie by Noah Hawley (Fargo and Legion creator) is centered on a pandemic story line using a brand new cast, but is now on pause. The second is a movie by Tarantino, of Pulp Fiction fame, as writer, but not necessary directing it. Something of a take on of a prior Star Trek episode, it would be largely an earthbound 1930’s gangster setting. The third is a far more traditional Star Trek with the recent stars Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. The next few weeks is expected to yield the fate of the Star Trek franchise.
3) Latest job numbers show 1.8 million new jobs created last month to give a 10.2% unemployment rate. This is another coming down of the rate, a good sign for the economy. This leaves 43% unemployed of the 22 million people who lost their jobs from the pandemic, so the economy is still a long way from a full recovery. Fears are that it will be a long time before full recovery, what with the large number of small businesses that have succumb to the Covid-19 crisis with subsequent loss of jobs. The continual struggling price of oil indicates a still weak international economy.
4) Stock market closings for – 10 AUG 20:
Dow 27,791.44 up 357.96 Nasdaq 10,968.36 down 42.63 S&P 500 3,360.47 up 9.19
1) Apparel retailer J. Crew is filing for bankruptcy, with other struggling retailers expected to succumb this year too, big retailer names like Sears and J.C. Penny. J Crew is considered to be the first retail casualty of the pandemic with others expected to quickly follow. The pandemic has caused numerous stores to be closed, laying off hundreds of thousands of employees and losing most of their sales. The big retail stores were struggling before the virus hit, with people backing away from consumerism and now after the coronavirus shutdown, people are spending little other than for groceries and daily essentials. With further declining retail revenues, more stores will close with more layoffs. Furthermore, Americans’ appetite and ability to shop continues to decline, so it looks very dismal for a major segment of the American economy, which in turn will be a burden on other segments of the economy continually pulling the rest down.
2) The service sector of the economy is also experiencing troubles in what appears to be an emerging new economy for America. Gold’s Gym International is seeking bankruptcy protection as it struggles with debt after the prolong shutdown from the virus. With the shrinking of people’s disposable income, that is the money they have left after essential spending like food, housing and transportation, the non essential businesses of the service economy are finding it harder to survive.
3) General Electric is eliminating as many as 13,000 jobs in its jet engine business, another casualty of the coronavirus devastation to the aviation segment of the economy. With airline manufactures, such as Boeing building fewer airliners, there is less demand for new jet engines. This means a 25% reduction on GE’s aviation work force with little near future likelihood of those jobs returning, indeed if the recession deepens, more jobs may be lost. Like Boeing, GE aviation was having troubles before the virus hit.
4) Stock market closings for – 4 MAY 20:
Dow 23,749.76 up 26.07 Nasdaq 8,710.72 up 105.77 S&P 500 2,842.74 up 12.03
1) The Federal Reserve has left the interest rates unchanged, which was widely expected as the U.S. economy continues to grow at a slow and steady pace. So the interest rate will remain in the range of 1.5% to 1.75% , thereby encouraging more lending and home buying. Presently, those in the government don’t anticipate any changes, up or down, to the interest rate this year.
2) Founded in 1893, Sears was once the world’s largest retailer with billions of dollars in profits. Ten years ago, the giant retailer had 3,500 stores, but now Sears’ and Kmart combined have just 182 locations. Sears became the first major retailer to have an IPO (Initial Public Offering) in 1906 at $97.50 a share. Originally a mail order retailer, Sears opened its first department store in Chicago in 1928.
3) The budget deficient for the Federal government is forecast to past $1 trillion dollars in 2020 from contentious spending exceeding government income. Federal borrowing is likely to continue climbing dramatically over the next decade, reaching an un-precedent $31 trillion dollars by 2030. Some say this is a poor refection on the fiscal health of the nation.
4) Stock market closings for – 29 JAN 20:
Dow 28,734.45 up 11.60 Nasdaq 9,275.16 up 5.48 S&P 500 3,273.40 down 2.84
1) HP’s board has rejected Xerox’s $33 billion dollar takeover bid, for the same reason as Xerox’s previous offer, that the proposal significantly undervalues HP. Xerox first moved to acquire HP in November, but was rejected because HP stock holders would lose much of their value in the company. HP is a 2015 spinoff of giant Hewlett-Packard who has a market value of $300 billion dollars that dwarfs Xerox’s value of 7.7 billion dollars.
2) Mack Trucks, the manufacturer of large commercial trucks, announced plans to layoff 305 employees, which is about 13% of their payroll. After two years of high volumes of production, marked demand has dropped so the company must adapt to the lower demand. There are expectations of the truck market in America being down 30% this next year.
3) The American consumer continues to shun the traditional big department stores. Despite the monster holiday shopping season, America’s biggest department stores still lost money. This is a trend that has been in progress for several years as typified by Sears’ decline. Department stores such as JCPenny, Kohl’s and Macy’s continue to decline with dropping sales and store closings. Consumers are now going to big box stores and the internet commerce to save money, signaling a fundamental change in American consumerism.
4) Stock market closings for – 9 SEP 20:
Dow 28,956.90 up 211.81 Nasdaq 9,203.43 up 74.18 S&P 500 3,274.70 up 21.65
1) The ride sharing business Uber has filed a lawsuit against California, in response to a landmark gig worker law as being unconstitutional. The new law is designed to upend gig economy companies such as Uber and Lyft. Uber claims the new law unfairly targets workers and companies in the on-demand economy, treating them differently than traditional companies. The law forces on-demand companies to reclassify their independent contractors as employees, which would break up their businesses. With Uber actively researching auto-driving cars, this point may soon become mute.
2) In the wake of continual losses despite rising postal rates, America’s postal system, as a public government run entity, may be coming to a end as early as this year. New leadership is being brought into the USPS tasked with creating a package of large structural changes intent on privatizing and selling pieces of the public service off. One proposal is that the postal service stops delivering packages, since there are already several successful businesses who are already doing that.
3) Department stores and apparel retailers continue to shrink as customers continue their migration to Amazon. For the last several years, retailers such as Sears, Macy’s and the Gap have struggled to survive and prosper by closing their retail outlets with even more closures are forecast for this next year. One additional loss of retail revenues is the lost of store credit cards.
4) Stock market closings for – 31 DEC 19:
Dow 28,538.44 up 76.30 Nasdaq 8,972.60 up 26.61 S&P 500 3,230.78 up 9.49
1) The Permian Basin continues to experience difficulties producing oil, becoming increasingly gassy as drilling slows down. This undercuts profits for producers at a time when investors are demanding better returns. The region has long been plagued with a massive glut of gas which crude producers must sometimes pay to have hauled away or burn in the open air. This problem is intensifying as wells age and fewer new wells are drilled.
2) Oil prices rise to a three month high because of optimism on supply. The stage is set for the biggest monthly gain in almost a year on speculation that supplies are shrinking. Prices are up almost 12% for this month and are now higher since the mid-September high. The U.S. stockpiles have dropped 7.9 million barrels this last week, while Russia cut their crude output with a reduction of 240,000 barrels a day for December. Oil has surged about 36% for this year.
3) American retailers continue to struggle while some are actually thriving. The once giant Sears has fallen into bankruptcy having closed over 3,000 stores. Other major retailers in decline are Blockbuster Video, Radioshack, Victoria’s Secret, the Gap, JCPenny, Toys R Us and Borders Books. Retailers such as TJ Maxx, Amazon, Walmart, Target, Dollar General, Costco and Ross have flourished in the peril waters of American consumerism.
4) Stock market closings for – 26 DEC 19:
Dow 28,621.39 up 105.94 Nasdaq 9,022.39 up 69.51 S&P 500 3,239.91 up 16.53
1) Sears is laying off a little less than 300 people in their corporate headquarters in Hoffman Estates, Illinois and company offices in San Francisco, many being informed in a company meeting. The last round of layoffs was 250 employees in September. Restructuring plans include closing 96 more Sears and Kmart stores by February leaving about 180 stores remaining.
2) Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales is starting a social networking and news sharing site as an alternative to Facebook and Twitter. Called WT:Social, it will show the newest links first instead of using algorithms to bump posts with the most comments or likes to the top. Unlike Facebook and Twitter, the service will be funded by advertising. Just a month old, and it already has 50,000 users.
3) Interest in tiny houses continues with Amazon now offering prefabs from 100 square feet up to 1,500 square feet and prices from $5,000 to over $100,000. These style of houses are becoming popular with the young just starting life who don’t have the resources to buy a conventional home. However, their small size, while more friendly to the environment, set constraints on peoples lifestyles, by limiting what they can own or the number of friends they can have over at any one time. Nevertheless, tiny house continue to grow in popularity.
4) Stock market closings for – 14 NOV 19:
Dow 27,781.96 down 1.63 Nasdaq 8,479.02 down 3.08 S&P 500 3,096.63 up 2.58
1) The once high flying German Deutsche Bank has run aground rapidly slashing jobs and losing a ton of money. Stock for Germany’s biggest lender is trading at a near all time low. This is a result of poor management and failing to fully clean up its crisis era balance sheet. The banks restructuring efforts have fell short coupled with countless legal black eyes that have all contributed to the bank’s financial woes.
2) The pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Mylan have announced they are combining to create a global powerhouse in the low price drug market. Pfizer will gain most control of the company with 57% ownership, with Mylan shareholders owning the rest. Both companies lost exclusive manufacture rights from patent expirations, that were big money makers for the companies. Mylan, is the manufacturer of the emergency treatment for allergic reactions, the EpiPen. Mylan has recently been in the news for raising the price of EpiPens by 400%.
3) J.C. Penney, the 117 year old department store chain, is at risk of being de-listed from the New York Stock Exchange. To counter its downward spiral, the company has hired advisers to explore debt restructuring. Penney has $4 billion dollars in debt coming due in the next few years, while its revenues are increasingly being lost to sales on the internet and niche brands. Revenue has fallen over the last three years. The retail giant Sears has suffered similar troubles.
4) Stock market closings for – 29 JUL 19:
Dow 27,221.35 up 28.90 Nasdaq 8,293.33 down 36.88 S&P 500 3,020.97 down 4.89
1) A second major newspaper, the Reading Eagle of Pennsylvania, has been bought out and all of its 221 employees laid off, less than a month after the same thing happened to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. It is reported that within the next five years all the major newspapers will fold up, displaced by technology, because the print media is unable to compete with newer news distribution technologies.
2) Sears, after waves of closing its traditional stores, has embarked on a new marketing strategy with the opening of its first ‘Home & Life’ stores, smaller format stores selling mainly mattresses, appliances and connected home products. Sears is pinning its future on this marketing strategy to reclaim ground from the lost of their old department stores, at a time when thousands of traditional box stores are being closed across the county.
3) The motorcycle manufacture Harley-Davidson is taking a new but risky strategy to rejuvenate its sales, by using loans to reach new riders. Their revenues had been coming from the more affluent baby boomers who are better able to purchase their product. In addition to coming out with new models, including an electric bike that target the younger generation, the company will use in-house financing to make it easier for young people to purchase their product.
4) 24 MAY 19 Stock market closings:
Dow 25,585.69 up 95.22 Nasdaq 7,637.01 up 8.73 S&P 500 2,826.06 up 3.82
1) Stock for the company 3M took a tumble today with a 12.9% drop, the largest drop of 3M’s stock in thirty years. Their first quarter earnings were way below projected earnings, causing 3M to take measures to shore up their operations, starting with layoffs for two thousand employees.
2) Intel corporation forecasts weak second quarter revenues, and have also reduced their full year outlook from fears for an industry wide slowdown. Their 2019 forecast of $69 billion dollars is now down from their original $71.5 billion dollars estimate.
3) Sears is closing its ‘store of the future’ after just six months. Sears spent a year renovating the 56 year store in Oak Brook Illinois, which was a prototype of Sears new marketing strategy. This closing shows Sears doesn’t have a long term plan for its survival.
4) 25 APR 19 Stock market closings:
Dow 26,462.08 down 134.97 Nasdaq 8,118.68 up 16.67 S&P 500 2,926.17 down 1.08


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Aurora buys Blackmore -- almost a rebuke to Musk
Last Month Elon Musk declared LIDAR was doomed. Yesterday, Aurora (startup formed by leaders from Google/Waymo, Tesla and Uber) which already has a $2B valuation buys Blackmore, a LIDAR company with a super-duper LIDAR which sees far and sees the Doppler (speed) of what it senses. In other words, the two sides of the LIDAR vs. Cameras debate are doubling down on their bets, and the stakes keep going up.
Read about the value of FMCW LIDAR, which sees Doppler, in Aurora buys Blackmore -- almost a rebuke to Musk


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Mixed results weigh on Europe shares; Sandvik slips
European shares fell early onFriday in choppy trade, as question marks over some corporateearnings and weaker financials offset gains made on the back ofrallying oil stocks and upbeat telecoms. At 0856 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index was down0.3 percent at 1,563.15 points, having risen more than 1 percenton Thursday when more weak U.S. data raised the prospects of astock-friendly U.S. rate cut next week. Swedish engineering group Sandvik fell 7 percentafter posting poor quarterly results, while Ahold dropped 4.7 percent after the Dutch supermarket group said its revamp of stores in the United States would continue to hurtmargins. Swedish bank SEB fell nearly 3.4 percent after itsthird-quarter operating profit came in just below marketconsensus after taking a hit in fixed income from recent creditmarket upheavel. Elsewhere in the sector Unicredit fell 2.1 percenton vague talk that Munich Re was selling the smallstake it owns in the Italian bank. Munich Re declined tocomment. "The earnings season -- some good, some bad. Generallyspeaking I think the market is focusing a lot on earnings riskand you can see that with some of the price moves," said PhilipIsherwood, strategist at Dresdner Kleinwort. Oil stocks benefited from rising prices, with U.S. crudehitting a record at above $92 a barrel. BP was up 1.3percent, Royal Dutch Shell gained 1.5 percent and Total rose 1.4 percent. U.S. Reuters/ University of Michigan Surveys of Consumersrelease the final October consumer sentiment index at 1400 GMT. Analysts said U.S. markets continued to be unpredictable. "We've seen some pretty volatile days in the U.S. this week... So I think there's a little bit of caution in terms of whatare you going to see from the U.S.," said Isherwood. British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline fell 1.7 percent,the top-weighted loser on the index, taken down by recentdowngrades after poor results and the weakness in the dollar. OTHER SIDE OF THE EARNINGS COIN Several companies reported robust results, underlininganalysts' views that earnings growth in Europe is becomingincreasingly selective. Shares in Nordic telecom leader Telia Sonera climbed 4.7 percent in their largest daily rally since May 2006after beating expectations with third-quarter core earnings andannoucing plans to return more than $1.5 billion toshareholders. This comes a day after France Telecom's sharesjumped nearly 9 percent on strong results. Auto stocks also roared on robust results. Shares in PSA Peugeot Citroen gained nearly 4.4percent after the French car maker posted a 12 percent rise inthird-quarter sales, beating market expectations. Shares in rival Renault SA surged 3 percent afterNissan Motor Co , in which Renault has a 44 percentstake, reported a surprise 12 percent gain in quarterlyoperating profit. Volkswagen rose 0.1 percent after posting a near50 percent gain in nine-month operating profit thanks toresurgent earnings at its core VW brand after the world's fourthlargest carmaker cut thousands of job cuts last year. The biggest percentage gainer of the pan-European index wasPortuguese bank Millennium bcp , up nearly 6 percentafter a source close to a Millennium shareholder said the bank'schairman has backed a merger proposal from smaller rival BPI and has begun urging shareholders to accept the deal.


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Autogem to distribute Michelin Pro-Series Hybrid wiper blades
Autogem has begun 2020 with an exclusive agreement to become sole trade distributor of Michelin Pro-Series Hybrid wiper blades. Autogem said the new addition to its portfolio fits its philosophy of assisting its installer partners with industry-leading products which save time, improve engagement and increase revenue streams. Examples of this can also be seen in Autogem’s Groove Glove and i-sensor TPMS tools, which the company states are amongst the fastest selling universal TPMS solutions anywhere.
The deal between Autogem and official Michelin Wiper Blade licensee Pylon will see stock arrive at the distributor in mid-February. The wiper blades feature patented suspension technology in ‘Smart-Flex’ design, and adapt to different windshield curves to provide long-lasting, clog-free all-season performance.
Autogem managing director Prashant Chopra said: “This is a huge coup for us. We see the Michelin Pro-Series Hybrid Wiper Blades as being way more than a part number, but an integral new dimension to our aftermarket portfolio. They save time through ease of installation and give 95 per cent coverage with relatively few SKUs.”
“The strength of the Michelin brand and the premium quality of its products made this an extremely attractive proposition for us. We are always looking at ways to help our customers engage with their end-users and these blades will allow them to do this.”
Pylon’s director of sales EMEA Martyn Holt added: “We are thrilled to be entering into this partnership with Autogem. The company is one of the most respected suppliers in the automotive industry and we immediately identified Autogem as an ideal route to market in the UK.
“We both share huge amounts of passion and enthusiasm for our respective solutions, so the partnership is a match made in heaven for us.”


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DENVER (KDVR) — The supply chain disruptions are impacting a beloved Thanksgiving Day tradition in the Mile High City. For almost 20 years, the Epworth Foundation has provided Thanksgiving Day baskets full of food to families in need in Denver.
The longstanding effort is in honor of “Daddy” Bruce Randolph who used to feed families on Thanksgiving Day. But this year, major retailers told the foundation they did not have enough supply to fill their order of 7,500 turkeys along with traditional sides.
Instead, this year the group decided to raise funds and hand out $35 gift cards. So far they have given away 5,500, however, their goal is 7,500. Adding to the organization’s challenges, they can usually raise money for the turkey giveaway after the holiday and pay the retailer even weeks after Thanksgiving. This year though because they are purchasing gift cards, they must have the money upfront.
To help with funding for gift cards this year, they accept a variety of forms of monetary donations. Electronic donations can be made on their website.
Individuals can also send a text to donate – text the word “give” to 1-844-967-4049. Individuals can also visit the Epworth church to drop off donations in the form of checks or cash.
Also, new this year, the first-ever Thanksgiving Day feast in honor of Randolph. It is scheduled from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 25, at 1865 Bruce Randolph Ave. Volunteers will be serving a warm and nutritious turkey dinner to anyone who attends.


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Dairy farmers’ patience wearing thin
DAIRY farmers’ patience is wearing thin as market indicators for dairy commodities soar to levels not seen since the heady highs of 2013, Scotland’s National Farmers’ Union has argued.
By comparison, farmgate prices have as yet failed to respond, leading to anger and frustration at farm level, the union says.
Actual Milk Price Equivalent (AMPE) and Milk for Cheese Equivalent ( MCE) track the basic wholesale commodity prices for butter, skimmed milk powder, mild cheese and cheese by-products.
While the National Farmers’ Union Scotland ( NFUS) acknowledges that they do not set the price, these have risen from a low of around 17p per litre a year ago to almost 37p now. That, it said, is ‘ a staggering increase that has yet to be fully reflected in the price farmers receive for their milk. Farmgate prices by comparison have risen by only 7p in the same period to an average of 26p or 27p per litre.
NFUS milk committee chairman James Rankin said: ‘ By anyone’s arithmetic, this does not add up.
‘Milk buyers failing to pass on market returns is clearly unacceptable in any circumstance, but particularly at a time when dairy farmers are recovering from the deepest price squeeze many have ever experienced.
‘There is no reasonable excuse. Production is muted, demand is strong and while the processing and retail sectors can cite concerns about oversupply and being competitive, there is no reason to hold back prices at this time, other than to manage their balance sheets and risk at the expense of farmers.
‘NFU Scotland and our fellow farming unions are, as ever, very open and willing to work with the dairy supply chain to manage risk and opportunity.
‘We acknowledge that volume management and market competitiveness are real issues, but we are very concerned that farmers are once again not being fairly or respectfully treated in terms of receiving a reasonable reward from such a strong market.’


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As the Trump administration prepares to roll back emissions regulations that push cars to be cleaner and more fuel efficient, it may also set the stage for a political battle that could create a rift in the U.S. auto industry. After several months of comment and a possible setback from the 35-day government shutdown last month, the newly finalized fuel economy rules are due from the administration by March 31. However, following the publication of the proposed changes, California and eighteen other states announced that if less-stringent fuel economy rules are enacted, they will sue the government — which may lead to a period of prolonged regulatory uncertainty.
MUSKEGON — A lakeshore fabrication shop hopes to capitalize on explosive growth in the U.S. craft distilling industry by offering custom Michigan-made stills and other equipment. NexGen Mechanical Solutions LLC founder Scott Whitaker, a pipefitter by trade, over the last 13 years developed a niche in serving the region’s distilleries, including New Holland Artisan Spirits in Holland and Muskegon-based 18th Amendment Spirits Co.
For the first time in four years, sales for direct-selling giant Amway Corp. have grown on a year-over-year basis.
BELMONT — Filter and Coating Technology Inc., a supplier of filter and coating solutions for the automotive and industrial markets, is under new ownership.
After nearly a century in Michigan, Harsco Corp. plans to permanently close its only manufacturing facility in the state, starting April 1.
Like more than half of Michigan’s manufacturers, business runs in the family at Grand Rapids-based Pridgeon & Clay Inc.
Despite a looming plateau in auto sales and automakers overwhelmingly betting on the same pieces of the market, savvy suppliers could still realize major opportunities in the coming years. Those opportunities come as automotive sales hit nearly 17.3 million units for 2018, with trucks and SUVs up 8 percent, accounting for around 11.8 million units. Meanwhile, passenger car sales dipped 13 percent to 5.5 million units.
With the final winter North American International Auto Show in the books, the century-old expo in Detroit and newer market-specific shows across the Midwest may start to change organically — but organizers aren’t planning on it.
Oliver Healthcare Packaging has expanded with a deal for a supplier of medical device packaging on the West Coast.
A subsidiary of a China-based manufacturer of electromechanical actuators plans to invest $2 million into a new headquarters facility on the lakeshore.
Westshore Design LLC plans to add customers in new markets with the acquisition of a Moline, Mich. electronics manufacturer.
HOLLAND — Acquiring the assets of a Charlotte-based plastics molder gave Clarion Technologies Inc. a broader customer base, added manufacturing capacity and the ability to move production closer to clients. The Holland-based Clarion Technologies acquired certain assets and a book of business from CNI Plastics LLC of Charlotte. Clarion Technologies redeployed the production equipment acquired in the deal to its facilities in Greenville, Mich., Anderson, S.C., and Garland, Texas.
Heavy truck industry supplier SAF-Holland Inc. has acquired a majority stake in a company that manufactures automatic tire pressure management systems.
Grand Haven-based GHSP Inc. is a global manufacturer “rooted into the West Michigan area,” according to Chief Technology Officer Marc Smeyers. In the past, GHSP was known for auto technology that combined electronics and mechanical engineering. Now, the company — a division of JSJ Corp. — is working across multiple industries for smart technology applications. At the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, GHSP introduced a future concept vehicle, products that use ultraviolet C (UVC) light to disinfect themselves, and a kitchen backsplash that’s an edge-to-edge touchscreen. Smeyers spoke to MiBiz about crossover technology in an increasingly fast-paced environment.
GRAND RAPIDS — The executives behind an iconic American superbike brand are breathing new life into the company and relaunching “boutique” motorcycle production in West Michigan. By establishing low-volume production of EBR Motorcycles in Grand Rapids, owner Bill Melvin hopes to bring sustainability to the company founded by famed motorcycle racer Erik Buell some 35 years ago.
As Larry Lewis advanced in his career as an engineer in the manufacturing, construction and telecommunications industries, he relied on computers as an essential tool for his everyday work. His aptitude grew alongside the technology, to which he was first exposed at Dartmouth College in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Most manufacturers can expect to fork over less in taxes for last year, and companies that monitor the shifting provisions could capitalize on greater investment in a few key areas. Although most of the tax cuts from the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 became effective for manufacturers on Jan. 1, 2018, businesses in all industries have been left with questions and uncertainty about how the new laws need to be applied, said Joel Mitchell, a tax partner at Plante Moran PLLC in Grand Rapids.
NORTON SHORES — A company that moved out of Norton Shores before its tax abatements expired is now suing the lakeshore community and fighting the city’s demands for repayment of nearly $1 million.
WYOMING — A Cleveland-based producer of specialty abrasive products plans to move part of its business to the Grand Rapids area after it was acquired by local private equity firm Stone Fox Ventures LLC.
NORTON SHORES — A lakeshore community is asking a manufacturer Wacker Neuson Corp. to pay back lost tax revenue after the company left town before fulfilling the obligations of its tax abatement. Wacker Neuson, a manufacturer of construction equipment that had been located in Norton Shores since 2007, closed its facility at 1300 E. Mount Garfield Road in August 2018, two and a half years before the expiration of one of six tax abatements it received.
A Southwest Michigan box manufacturer has agreed to pay $400,000 after it faced allegations of misconduct in connection to a multi-state subcontract with the federal government.
West Michigan-based contract furniture makers Steelcase Inc. and Herman Miller Inc. expect to maintain sales momentum going into 2019.
Business as usual? Manufacturers face questions over drug policies after Michigan legalizes marijuanaWritten by Jessica Young
Now that all adults in Michigan can legally use marijuana, employers are weighing how the new law — and misunderstandings about it — could affect their workforces.
Crystal Ball 2019 Manufacturing Outlook: Headwinds, talent challenges tamp down forecast for manufacturing sectorWritten by Jessica Young
Whether the West Michigan manufacturing industry continues on an ongoing growth trend in 2019 or veers into a contraction remains uncertain. Economist Paul Isely, associate dean for undergraduate programs in the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University, uses automotive, furniture, agriculture, and “amazingly nowadays” aerospace manufacturing to find the pulse of where the region’s economy is headed in the coming months and years.
Crystal Ball 2019 Manufacturing Roundtable: Manufacturing execs shift focus to internal operations, efficiencies in 2019Written by Joe Boomgaard
West Michigan-based manufacturing executives think 2019 marks a good time to take a pause from the recent breakneck pace of capital investments and acquisitions to focus on operations. That’s the general consensus from local manufacturing leaders across a range of industries who participated in a forward-looking roundtable discussion with MiBiz earlier this month.
West Michigan manufacturers are dealing with a host of issues, ranging from trade and tariffs to talent and technology. As they wade through those challenges, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center-West is there to help, according to Regional Director Justine Burdette. As MMTC seeks to “maintain that closeness and relationships with our manufacturers,” the organization is finding new ways to adapt and address their needs, she said.
Cascade Die Casting Group Inc. is a manufacturer heavily concentrated in the automotive industry. Although the company recently lost business related to the closure of several General Motors plants, the industry shift from low price-point cars to higher-margin trucks and SUVs has President Patrick Greene cautiously optimistic about continued growth in 2019.
This year, unemployment rates have dropped to an 18-year low and local manufacturers are scrambling to find new and innovative ways to grow without gaps. As founder of the advisory firm 100X LLC and chair of Vistage Executive Peer Group, an executive coaching organization, former manufacturing exec Steve Johandes helps dozens of local organizations and companies position themselves for “what’s next” in the market.
Women are critical to addressing the serious shortage of qualified applicants for skilled production positions, according to Kelly Springer, CEO of Metal Flow Corp., a Holland-based automotive supplier. Yet, relatively few women choose manufacturing careers. As chair of Inforum’s ManufacturingNext steering committee, Springer is helping to strengthen the talent pipeline of women who thrive in manufacturing professions.
After acquiring Nuvar Inc. in May from its long-time owner, Amy Sparks is executing on growth plans for the Holland-based manufacturer and developer of finished goods primarily for the contract furniture industry. While she’s mindful of some softening in the broader market, Sparks remains “cautiously optimistic” for the economy in 2019.
The 2019 forecast for the automotive industry remains steady, although sales are expected to experience “a little bit of a step down” to 16.8 million units compared to an expected 17.1 million units this year, according to Mike Wall, director of automotive analysis at IHS Markit. The big cloud over the industry currently hinges on tariffs and trade deals, specifically the United States Mexico Canada Agreement. Wall expects the USMCA to get enacted in some form, even though he does expect to see “some adjustments on the margins.”
Contract furniture manufacturer Herman Miller Inc. today reported strong quarterly sales and earnings gains.
A Northern Michigan Tier 1 supplier of engineered plastic assemblies has been acquired by a private equity firm.
Spartan Motors Inc. has acquired a Florida-based company that helps outfit vehicles with lighting, accessories and communications equipment.
KENTWOOD — Charter Industries Extrusions LLC, a supplier of carpentry components for the furniture and casegoods industries, has been acquired by a Pittsburgh, Pa.-based private equity firm.
Grand Rapids Community College will receive $100,000 from heavy metal band Metallica to support new programming, the school announced today.
GRAND HAVEN — By investing in three new injection molding machines in 2018, Anderson Technologies Inc. is betting that Industry 4.0 technologies will counter the effects of a shrinking workforce locally and nationally.
GRAND RAPIDS — Steve Weber’s purchase of Performance Die Cutting and Finishing LLC proves it’s hard to stifle the will of an entrepreneur to be his own boss.
Global direct-selling giant Amway Corp. has eliminated 45 management-level positions across various areas of the company including HR, supply chain, legal, IT, strategic planning, and finance.
With 2018 shaping up as slower than expected for the automotive supply chain, West Michigan-based tool and die makers are embracing diversification to counter the cyclical industry.
Aiming Small? Orchard Creek Capital’s deal for Classic Die signals downmarket trend for private equity firmWritten by Mitch Galloway
GRAND RAPIDS — For its first acquisition, Northville-based Orchard Creek Capital LLC targeted an investment in an established, family-owned manufacturing company.
HOLLAND — Johnson Controls International plc would exit its last remaining automotive industry manufacturing operations in West Michigan if it completes a transaction announced this week.


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Josh Meloy has been picking up some serious steam just in the past few months, and it’s about time. The Oklahoma native released the single
Get Rowdy, Stay Rowdy
Sign up for our newsletter to get the rowdiest content on the internet. Also sales and new merch post here first.


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With salons closed in recent months as part of sheltering-in-place efforts, I’ve found myself doing more self-care at home -- from pedicures to Zoom make-overs with friends. Digging through my bathroom cabinet to find supplies, an important question dawned on me: Can I be sure the makeover products are safe?
Unfortunately, not so much. According to the Los Angeles Times editorial from earlier this year, “current law does not give regulators the authority to pull personal care and cosmetic products from the market, even when they’re tainted with hazardous chemicals.”
Last year, a woman in Sacramento suffered from mercury poisoning and fell into a coma after using skin-lightening creams containing dangerous levels of methyl-mercury. Tragically, this isn’t a one-off case. In fact, the California Department of Public Health has identified dozens of instances when these types of creams have been sold in online marketplaces, such as on Amazon.com or at flea markets.
That’s one reason why CALPIRG along with the Environmental Working Group, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners and Black Women for Wellness are co-sponsoring a bill in the state legislature to address this pressing problem (AB 2762). The re-introduced toxic-free cosmetics act would protect consumers from toxic ingredients in personal care products.
Authored by California Assembly members Al Muratsuchi, Buffy Wicks and Bill Quirk, the bill mirrors some important consumer protections enjoyed by citizens in the European Union and many other places around the world. It would ban a dozen of the most toxic ingredients from being used in personal care products sold in the state of California, including mercury, formaldehyde and phthalates, which have been linked to cancer, infertility and compromised immune systems. It would also give the state attorney general clear authority to take legal action against violators of the law. The idea that the cream you rub into your skin could affect your immune response to diseases like COVID-19 is especially concerning right now.
Today the bill faces a key vote in the California Assembly’s committee on the Environment, Safety and Toxic Materials. We urge the committee members to vote yes, and protect consumers in our state from exposure to toxics whenever we use body care products.


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Chinese tech giant, Huawei ‘s Consumer Business Group (CBG)received two prestigious awards at the annual TechRadar Mobile Choice Consumer Awards (MCCA) 2019, held at London’s Cafe de Paris.
The award ceremony is part of an annual consumer survey, where candidates are selected by TechRadar’s expert panel of judges. Consumers are also invited to vote for the coveted winner of the TechRadar MCCA trophy and elect a winner each for the consumers’ choice award for the best network and device.
The Huawei P30 Pro that comes with a sophisticated rear camera developed by Leica, was elected as the Best Camera Phone and the Huawei P smart 2019 was crowned as the Best Value Phone. While the P30 Pro retails in India at a starting price of Rs 71,990, the Huawei P smart is yet to make it to Indian shores.
When announcing the Huawei P smart 2019, the hosts said, “The Huawei P smart 2019 was praised by our judges for its slick design and an impressive amount of storage – all for an incredible price.” This was quickly followed by the Best Camera Phone category where the Huawei P30 Pro was announced as the winner.
Huawei has been a constant performer at the MCAA awards, having won three TechRadar Mobile Choice Awards in 2018 (Manufacturer of the Year, Phone of the Year, Best Camera Phone). Huawei also won two awards in 2017 (Best Mid-Market Phone, One to Watch) and one in 2016 (Best Camera Phone).
The Huawei P30 series has remained a consumer favorite, with sales exceeding 17 million units. It has been loved and praised by many authoritative organizations around the world including the European Image and Sound Association (EISA). Huawei P30 Pro was named the “EISA Best Smartphone 2019-2020” by the Association, the second year in a row that Huawei has won this category.
Huawei’s products and services are available in more than 170 countries and are used by a third of the world’s population. Fourteen R&D centers have been set up in the United States, Germany, Sweden, Russia, India and China. Huawei Consumer BG is one of Huawei’s three business units and covers smartphones, PC and tablets, wearables and cloud services, etc. Huawei’s global network is built on over 30 years of expertise in the telecom industry and is dedicated to delivering the latest technological advances to consumers around the world.


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European Cannabis Company Adopts Verge (XVG)
The Verge team seems not to be giving in to the recent drop the market has been going through, announcing this new development to the joy of their holders and supporters.
“A world known cannabis seeds producer @royalqueenseeds is now accepting @vergecurrency payments via @CoinPaymentsNET. $XVG is the future and we are happy to have you by our side. Thank you for the support and welcome to #VergeFam! https://www.royalqueenseeds.com #XVG #Verge” – tweeted Verge.
The European company is one of the fastest growing cannabis seed companies on their continent, having years of experience in the growing cannabis seeds industry in the Netherlands. Royal Queen just decided to distribute its own line of cannabis seeds with quality feminized, auto-flowering and medical seeds at very low prices.
Recently, Verge joined forces with Panchanko, a company that manufactures well-refined audio cables which are used heavily in the music industry.
Even though Verge is experiencing different attacks, the team behind the cryptocurrency is trying to develop a permanent solution to it. Despite the fact this latest development is not following after an attack, there have been cases where Verge’s collaboration came after a hack.
After hackers took over their official twitter account asking for funds, Verge asked for a crowdfund of 75,000,000 XVG from supporters to finance a secret partnership with the adult giant website, Pornhub.
Following its second 51% hack, Verge was featured in a collaboration with a sauce company where it revealed their hot sauce product, PexPeppers Pueblo Red with its logo printed on it. XVG is also used as a viable payment option in the health and construction sector, due to its partnership with DIOXYME and Heightcare.
Verge has so far managed to spread out across various sectors of the world industries with its applications, and this new partnership just adds to its ever-growing list of real-world use-cases.


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The chicken salad was made by Illinois-based Blue Ridge Farms.
Company executive Richard Siegel says 100 percent of the salad
had been accounted for. He says it was never delivered to any
retail outlet and was contained at distribution centers.
The U-S Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection
Service had said the chicken salad was distributed in Colorado and
four other states in announcing the recall yesterday.
No illnesses were reported. But listeria can cause serious and
sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people and
others with weakened immune systems.


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Federal regulators released new proposed rules Friday designed to make it easier for online video providers to get access to must-have channels, a change which ultimately could provide some relief for consumers tired of high cable bills.
The agency proposed broadening the current definition for what constitutes a pay-TV provider — in technical jargon, a “multichannel video programming distributor” — to also cover online video distributors.
The change would help companies like Dish Network, Verizon Communications, Sony and other companies hoping to launch a pay-TV service delivered over the Internet, instead of satellite or cable.
The change, while technical, is important because it would give online video providers protection under rules designed to prevent cable operators that own TV channels — such as Comcast*, which owns NBCUniversal — from withholding must-have content from rivals. So, in the case of Comcast, it has to offer NBC to a rival pay-TV service like Dish.
It would also require local station owners to negotiate in good faith with online video providers for permission to air local TV channels.
But while the proposal might make it a little easier for a company to launch an online video competitor to Comcast, the relief could be relatively modest.
In addition to making content available to rival distributors, the proposal says a cable operator has to sell its programming to startups at reasonable rates. But it doesn’t require programmers like Walt Disney Co. (which owns ESPN) or Viacom (which owns MTV) to do the same since they don’t own distribution systems. It also wouldn’t require these content companies to offer their channels a la carte or at reduced prices.
“Our proposal will mean more alternatives for consumers beyond the traditional cable or satellite bundle, including giving consumers more options to buy the programming they want,” said FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler in a statement.
Wheeler and the agency’s other two Democrats approved the proposed rules last month and were somewhat reluctantly joined Thursday by the FCC’s two Republican members, who have expressed some concerns about the FCC extending regulation over online video providers.
TV station owners have been supportive of the idea, mostly because it means that online video providers would be required to pay fees to broadcasters to air their channels.
Cable operators haven’t been quite as thrilled, which isn’t surprising since the proposal could open the doors to significantly more competition by Dish or other online video providers. The National Cable & Telecommunications Association said Friday that it doesn’t believe that the proposal “can be squared with the plain language” of the definition of a MVDP.
The FCC has been mulling the issue of what to do about online video providers for four years, when a little-known provider called Sky Angel asked the agency for help.
The company’s service offers family and Christian programming but it had problems adding Discovery Channel to its lineup. Sky Angel executives complained Discovery didn’t want to be carried on the small company’s online video service for fear of upsetting larger pay-TV providers.
Sky Angel shut down its online video service in January, citing its inability to offer a competitive service because media companies wouldn’t sell distribution rights to their channels.
The proposal also comes too late for Aereo, the broadcast TV startup currently in bankruptcy protection after the Supreme Court torpedoed its business. But it could help other startups hoping to offer lower-cost, smaller bundles of channels in the hope of taking subscribers away from Comcast and other traditional pay-TV providers
The agency is expected to collect comments about its proposal through next spring but a decision on rules isn’t expected before summer.
* Comcast owns NBCUniversal, which is a minority investor in Revere Digital, Re/code’s parent company.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.


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Interest in the Fall Guys arcade battle royale is gradually waning. The start of the second season, which was devoted to the knightly theme, did not help the developers either. Wizards and dragons, new levels, randomness – it looks fun, but online is falling, and the Mediatonic team is already thinking about how to get everything back.
According to one of the developers, the third season will be larger than the current second. The development team is growing, newcomers come out every week, and all efforts are aimed at making the game bigger. There are no details, but players can look forward to new levels and a ton of content. It is for the lack of this that Fall Guys ‘ second season is criticized .
Battle Royale is available on PS4 and PC. Other platforms are out of the question.


text: Slim Chickens signed franchise agreements for 150 units this year and opened its 116th corporate location…Great American Outdoors Group, parent company of Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, and White River Marine Group, will acquire Sportsman’s Warehouse. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2021. Sportsman’s Warehouse operates 111 stores. Bass Pro and Cabela’s operate 169 stores...Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop has acquired 67-unit Wing Zone. Capriotti’s opened 18 stores in 2020, boosting it to 115 locations, with an additional 210 in development. More than 30 will open in 2021. The company also signed 24 multi-unit franchise agreements for 106 restaurants, and plans to expand to more than 500 locations by 2025...Tuesday Morning has emerged from bankruptcy protection. The retailer closed approximately 200 stores during the process, leaving it with 490 stores in 40 states...PrimoHoagies has signed agreements to open 21 new franchise locations. PrimoHoagies currently has 81 locations in 6 states…Phenix Salon Suites opened 30 new stores and signed 57 franchise agreements this past year. The company has 290 locations…BoxUnion has acquired TITLE Boxing Club. BoxUnion is a fitness brand with 3 studio locations and a digital subscription service...Ikea opened its first US store in a new smaller format. Located in Queens, NY, the store offers a full range of products in 115,000 s/f, half the size of an average Ikea...Simply, Inc. opened a Simply Mac store at Destin Commons in Destin, Fl. Simply Mac operates 44 stores in 19 states…Citi Trends will open at least 100 new stores and remodel at least 150 stores by the end of fiscal 2023…Kitchen United plans to grow from 4 current locations to 20 by the end of this year…Edible plans to sign 160 franchise agreements and open 40 stores this year...Macy’s opened its 2nd small format Market by Macy’s location at the WestBend shopping center in Southlake, TX…Shake Shack will open its 1st location with drive-thru in 2021, in Orlando, FL. The company plans 5 to 8 US drive-thrus by mid-year...Jay Pandya, who purchased Boston Market last spring from Sun Capital Partners, is currently on pace to open 2 restaurants a week. Pandya and his team have opened 41 new locations. The chain currently has 326 restaurants…American Eagle Outfitters plans to expand its Aerie banner from 342 stores to about 550 by 2023... Amazon opened its 8th Amazon Fresh store, a 45,000 s/f location in Schaumburg, IL...Pet Supplies Plus has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Franchise Group for around $700 million. Pet Supplies Plus is currently owned by Sentinel Capital Partners, and has over 500 locations…Macy’s-owned Bloomingdale’s is experimenting with a 22,000 s/f store format dubbed Bloomie’s to open in Fairfax, VA, this coming fall...Tropical Smoothie Café opened 99 cafes, including its 900th location, in 2020 and is on track to reach 1,000 restaurants in 2021...Volofit has announced 15 new fitness studios in Minnesota, Arizona, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina...McDonald’s plans to open 500 US restaurants, part of a plan to open more than 1,300 locations worldwide...PGA Tour Superstore plans to open at least 6 new stores in 2021, reaching 50 stores by the end of the year...At Home opened 4 stores. The new additions give the retailer a total of 222 locations in 40 states. The company plans to open 12 - 15 US stores this year...Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets plan to merge, creating a chain with 292 Price Chopper, Market 32, Market Bistro and Tops Markets stores in 6 states...Sola Salon Studios will open 60 locations and sign 43 franchise agreements to develop 113 new salons throughout the US and Canada…Aldi plans to add 100 stores in 2021...Captain D’s will open 15 restaurants in 2021, and signed 5 franchise agreements to bring 17 new restaurants to key markets. Captain D’s operates more than 530 restaurants…Five Below plans to open 170 stores across the country during the next 9 months. The company currently operates 1,051 locations nationwide...Läderach Chocolatier Suisse is expanding its US footprint. The Swiss company signed an agreement to take over the leases of 34 US Godiva locations. Läderach opened its 100th store In December... Joann has filed with the SEC to raise up to $100 million in an IPO. Joann, which operates 855 stores nationwide, intends to list on Nasdaq under the symbol “JOAN.” The company was taken private in 2011 by Leonard Green & Partners LP in a $1.6 billion deal…Tractor Supply Company has acquired Orscheln Farm and Home in an all-cash transaction of approximately $297 million. Orscheln Farm and Home has 167 stores in 11 states. As of December 2020, Tractor Supply operates 1,923 stores in 49 states and 182 Petsense stores in 25 states...Target opened mini-Apple shops in 17 Target stores this month, with more to open in the fall... Amazon opened its 10th Amazon Fresh store, in Fullerton, CA. Amazon has at least 28 more Amazon Fresh stores in the works…Sephora will open more than 60 freestanding stores and 200 locations in Kohl’s stores this year. ..Dick’s Sporting Goods will open 3 namesake stores and 1 Warehouse Sale location in March. Following the openings, Dick’s will have 730 stores nationwide in 47 states...The Michaels Companies is being acquired by Apollo Global Management Inc. in a deal that values the arts-and-crafts retailer at $5 billion. Michaels has more than 1,275 stores in North America…Smashburger is adding to its network of 250 corporate and franchise restaurants by opening 40 new restaurants in 2021…Dollar Tree plans to open 600 stores and renovate 1,250 Family Dollar locations this year, with the openings consisting of 400 Dollar Tree stores and 200 Family Dollar stores., including H2 stores, a format that combines Dollar Tree and Family Dollar under one roof...Burlington Stores Inc. expects to open 100 new locations in its current fiscal year... Sprouts Farmers Market will open 20 new stores this year, including 4 with a smaller format and 1 relocation…Big Lots will open 50 to 60 stores this year…Bojangles and franchisee Jeff Rigsby have a deal to open 45 new locations over the next 7 years. Bojangles currently has over 760 restaurants in the Southeast... James Avery Artisan Jewelry opened its 100th location, in Del Rio, TX.. uBreakiFix plans to open more than 150 locations in 2021. The company ended 2020 with 611 locations and opened nearly 20 new stores since Jan. 1.


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Traton Innovation Day: lights, camera, action!
Last month, we mentioned that we would be attending the Traton Innovation Day at Scania’s headquarters in Södertälje, Sweden. We were promised a host of innovations, and the group certainly didn’t disappoint
The day kicked off with a presentation from Traton CEO Andreas Renschler, who touched on the multifaceted challenges faced by the commercial vehicle industry, including in particular the significant transformation towards alternative drive systems and systems with reduced CO₂ emissions, as well as the considerably fast pace at which consumerism and logistics are changing.
“When we started this journey four years ago, attempts at e-mobility in commercial vehicles were brushed aside as experiments. Today, we are already taking orders for electrically powered trucks and buses. We are confident that over the next 10 to 15 years every third truck and bus we deliver will have alternative drive systems, of which the majority will be purely electric,” he revealed.
Renschler was followed by Traton COO Christian Levin, who spoke about leveraging the best from the three commercial vehicle brands – MAN, Scania and Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus – for the group. “Group-wide coordinated research and development empowers us to achieve our mission of becoming a global champion. A common modular toolbox across all brands allows us to respond even faster, better and more efficiently to customer needs,” he said.
Levin also emphasised the importance of realising the potential of digital systems. “The proportion of electronics and software experts in our development departments is rising considerably. We intend to invest over a billion euros in digitisation over the next five years,” he announced.
We were able to attend workshops hosted by three of the captains of the global transport industry: Scania CEO Henrik Henriksson, Joachim Drees, CEO of MAN Truck & Bus and Roberto Cortes, CEO of Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus.
They were terrific (you will be able to read about them in future issues of FOCUS), but, of course, for the journalists who were there, the real highlight of the day was driving the innovative products from the Traton Group.
Actually, it was impossible to drive what was undoubtedly the star of the day. That’s because the Scania AXL – which made its world debut at the event – is fully autonomous, so it has neither a cab nor a driver.
During the Innovation Day, we were bussed to a demonstration area, where the AXL “did its thing”. The truck – which looks incredibly futuristic – drove itself around quite happily. It even drove around a vehicle that was obstructing its path.
At this stage, the AXL – which can run on regular diesel or biodiesel – is just a concept vehicle. However, it certainly could be seen hard at work in a mine, in construction or a quarry one day (and not too far into the future either). Those environments are, of course, perfect for autonomous vehicles, because there are generally clearly defined routes and little other traffic.
All of the other vehicles that were on display were designed for regular roads. There were some vehicles that we could not test drive (the Scania truck that is designed to run on e-highways and the pretty incredible Scania NXT, for instance), but there were several that we could drive!
For space reasons, I am not going to discuss each and every vehicle that was available for testing in great detail. Suffice to say that they were all massively innovative!
MAN showed its eTGE 3.140, an electric van that is proving very popular with transport operators; eTGM 26.360 E 6×2, which is being tested in Austria; eTGM 18.360 E 4×2, which does daily duty at Porsche; MAN Lion’s City 18 G, which boasts a natural-gas engine with an efficient hybrid system; and its MAN Lion’s City E, which we drove earlier this year at the company’s pre-Busworld press conference in Munich.
I took a spin the eTGE (to be perfectly honest, simply because I really enjoy driving this van; I would be delighted to make it my daily mode of transport) and I also did a lap around the test circuit in the MAN that’s used by Porsche. It’s a really great truck, which has a range of up to 130 km.
Scania showed its incredible NXT, which we have also reported on previously. Just in case you missed that article, the NXT is a people carrier that can also be used as a truck. The NXT was a static display in one of the presentation areas; we were not able to take it for a spin (pity, I would love that).
Scania also showed its Citywide LF Electric, which has a 300kW/2100Nm electric motor; the Scania P320 B6x2; Scania R450A4X2NB; the Scania G410 A4X2NA, which has an liquified natural gas (LNG) engine; Scania P280 B4X2NB, which is powered by compressed natural gas (CNG); Scania P320 A4X2NA hybrid; and the Scania L 320 B4X2NB hybrid.
I went for a drive in the mighty impressive Citywide LF Electric (we were relegated to passenger status) and I also took the Scania P280 for a whirl around the test track. Its 280 hp (209 kW) gas engine was very willing and extraordinarily quiet. The cab was also a great place in which to be; it’s both comfortable and practical (there’s lots of storage space). It has a 350-km range.
Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus had three vehicles on display: an e-Delivery 11, with a 200 kW electric motor; an e-Delivery 4, with an 85 kW electric motor and a Volksbus e-Flex, with a 300 kW electric motor. I took a spin in the e-Delivery 11; it’s a real workhorse, which is surprisingly spacious inside.
I also took a spin in the Volksbus, which is really interesting because it boasts flexible architecture. It works with battery electric vehicles (BEV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and range-extended electric vehicles (REEV). The performance is the same, regardless of how the batteries are charged.
To be perfectly honest with you, the most popular vehicle on display (with the exception of the AXL) was undoubtedly an International Type LT Series truck tractor; there were always queues of journalists fighting for a drive in this truck.
It was, without a doubt, the least green vehicle there, because it’s not powered by gas, electricity, biodiesel or anything like that. Its 12,4-litre engine sips away on nothing other than good old diesel. Still, International insists that it leads the industry in fuel economy, so it is somewhat innovative. And it was heaps of fun to drive!


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Apple Maps, on the other hand, doesn’t rely so heavily on traffic data, but instead comes with other gimmicks that help users get around a specific city.
Low-emission zones, for example, are a feature that makes it possible for Apple Maps users to set up a route to a specific destination while avoiding regions where certain restrictions might be put in place by the local authorities. And according to users on reddit, this feature has recently expanded beyond the United States, with low-emission zones now displayed in the Netherlands as well.
Needless to say, this is a welcome update, especially because Apple is working around the clock to make its product a better alternative for Google Maps. Earlier this year, the company announced a massive overhaul that included significant additions, such as traffic light and stop sign warnings for drivers in the United States.
These capabilities are now being expanded to more countries, but on the other hand, it’s not a secret that the rollout is happening at a painfully slow pace.
In the meantime, Google has already announced traffic light warnings for users running Google Maps for navigation, only that the search giant is moving at a much faster pace when to comes to expanding the availability to users across the world. For the time being, however, Google Maps still seems to be in pole-position in the fight in this particular software sector, so fingers crossed for Apple to accelerate its release pace for Apple Maps and thus provide customers worldwide with a worthy alternative.


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Slowly, life is returning to normality. We got used to wearing masks in stores and keeping our distance to people. Germany’s largest port is also affected by the Corona crisis. How much did the port notice the impact of Corona? It is obvious that the overall decline in global trade had an impact on the port – but how much?
Less cargo handling in the port of Hamburg
In the first three months of this year, the port of Hamburg handled significantly less cargo than in the same period in 2019. Cargo handling decreased by 7.9 percent to 31.9 million tonnes, according to the marketing company of the port. Most of the decline is attributable to the month of March, when the first effects of the Corona crisis reached the port of Hamburg.
Significant decrease in trade with China
Especially the traffic to and from China has fallen significantly, as China is the most important partner of the port of Hamburg. In China, the coronavirus had already led to production shutdowns and fewer ship departures in January and February, which were then felt in the port of Hamburg from March onwards. In numbers: Of the 551 planned ship arrivals in March, 26 were cancelled.
A look into the future
For the three months of the second quarter, 54 ship cancellations have already been reported so far. It is assumed that the shipping companies will continue to take individual routes out of the schedules in the coming months and that the volume of handling cargo will thus continue to decline.
The port industry is hoping that with the slow start of the economy in China and Europe, the volume of goods will increase again in the second half of the year. This would also benefit hinterland transport per rail and truck.
Do you also have to negotiate new freight rates because of the Corona crisis? We are happy to support you in your tendering process.
Interested to have a look into the SHIPSTA platform?
SHIPSTA was founded by Christian Wilhelm (CEO), Stefan Maratzki (CTO) and Oliver Ritzmann (CCO) in 2015. The innovative software company is headquartered in Luxembourg and has a branch in the Digital Logistics Hub in Hamburg. SHIPSTA has become one of the market leaders for eProcurement solutions in Germany. The eProcurement platform optimizes freight tenders by digitalizing and automating them. SHIPSTA’s clients include global companies from sectors such as food, high tech, pharma and automotive.
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It is well known that the COVID-19 pandemic has a devastating effect on the worldwide economy. Although the situation...
Whether Export Manager, Supply Chain Manager, Procurement Manager, Global Sourcing Manager - when it comes to freight...
FCL and LCL are two of common terms used in shipping under Export and Import trade of international businesses....
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PISD officials in a July 28 news release announced the PISD PTA will host a swap shop where parents may donate or exchange gently used clothes for their children once a month at the brown building behind Pearland Junior High West and across from the PACE Center at 2314 Old Alvin Road, Pearland.
According to the release, the swap shop will be open during the 2022-23 school year from 5-7 p.m. on the following dates: Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, Dec. 13, Jan. 10, Feb. 14, March 14, April 11 and May 9. The shop will also be open Aug. 9 from 4-7 p.m.
Clothing that can be exchanged or donated cannot have ink, marker or pencil marks; missing buttons; tears; or other flaws. All items must be washed and neatly folded, according to the release. The shop also accepts donations of lunch kits, backpacks, new socks, new underwear, and new or gently worn shoes. All clothing must fit the PISD dress code.
The shop also has a voucher program that allows qualifying families to receive donated items without exchanging. Vouchers must be approved by a school nurse, counselor or principal, according to the release.


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By Rob Potter
LIBERTY March 2, 2001 People who shop for electronic and computer equipment at the Radio Shack at the Ames Plaza in Liberty will soon have to make such purchases at another location.
As stated on a flyer taped to the stores front door, on March 31, the Liberty Radio Shack will close its doors for the last time. No reason is given.
Back in January, Metro Commercial Management Service Inc. took over as the plazas management company. Metro replaced Triangle Development Company as the management entity of the shopping center. The entire plaza, however, is still owned by Liberty Mall Plaza Associates, Ltd.
Peter Parino, property manager for the Mt. Laurel, NJ-based Metro Commercial, said that his company is not forcing Radio Shack to close its doors.
We dont want to see them leave, Parino said. They have been very good tenants. Personally, Im disappointed that Radio Shack is leaving.
Parinos sentiments are shared by the stores customers and staff.
Were not happy, said William Polakowski, manager of the Liberty Radio Shack. I moved up here because of the store. There are two other employees in this store, one full-time and one part-time, and theyre both worried about their jobs.
Polakowski, who said he would probably be transferred to the Middletown store for a sales position, has heard from a number of disappointed customers.
A lot of people have called up, he said. They want to keep us open.
According to Polakowski, the store, which opened back in September, has served thousands of customers. In December, for example, over 1,000 people made purchases at the store and in January the establishment had 700 customers.
Gene Pritzert, a White Sulphur Springs resident, is among those patrons who want the Liberty Radio Shack to remain open for business.
To a lot of people in the community, this is a vital store, Pritzert said. The service from the Radio Shack employees is great, and they have a real knowledge of the electronic products they sell.
Pritzert and Polakowski both feel that, even though the Radio Shack store in Monticello will remain open, the closing of the Liberty location will hurt customers.
I guess those in the Roscoe and Parksville areas will have to go somewhere else, Polakowski commented. They will have to shop at the Monticello store or elsewhere for the things they need.
Attempts to reach the Radio Shack corporate headquarters in Texas for comment on the Liberty store closing were unsuccessful.
The flyer on the establishments door urges customers to call 1-800-843-7422 to voice their concerns about the Liberty location (also known as store number 01-2846) or to log onto www.radioshack.com.


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House of Fraser chairman Frank Slevin yesterday recognised the changing shape of the high street as the company announced plans to shut 31 stores, taking its total store estate from 59 to 28.
“The retail industry is undergoing fundamental change and House of Fraser urgently needs to adapt to this fast-changing landscape in order to give it a future and allow it to thrive,” he said. “Our legacy store estate has created an unsustainable cost base which, without restructuring, presents an existential threat to the business.” His colleague Alex Williamson, chief executive of House of Fraser, said this announcement, “one of the most important in this company’s 169 year history,” was very much about whether the company continued to exist.“We, as a management team, have a responsibility to take necessary steps to ensure House of Fraser’s survival, which is why we are making these proposals.”
This is by no means a one off shock, but the latest evidence of deep change in the way that retail is organised. Currently the industry appears to be at a tipping point as the balance of power in retail moves from the store to online, driven by changing customer behaviour. Here are three big changes we are seeing in the way that retail is organised – and what they mean for House of Fraser.
Falling footfall is leading to reduced store numbers
As footfall has decreased – down by 4.8% on the previous year over March and April according to Springboard figures – so too have store numbers. House of Fraser is relatively late in the news cycle with its announcement of shutting 31 stores. Marks & Spencer said last month that it would close more than 100 stores by 2022, reducing the space it gives to home and clothing by 25% as it looks to make a third of its turnover from those categories online by that date. New Look is reducing its store numbers by 60, while Mothercare is also cutting store numbers as it reduces its stores by 50, from 137 to a ‘right size’ of 78. All are increasing their focus on digital: M&S says that its aim is to have fewer but more inspirational stores that will play their part in a “seamless online experience”. House of Fraser too says in its transformation plan, according to its briefing to investors this week, that it will become an “ecommerce-led retailer offering a seamless multichannel proposition and integration between in-store and online customer experience.” Its stores will be “in affluent locations offering the finest brands in ever-evolving and improve retail experience centres.”
Department store sales moving online faster
In March, while online sales grew by 13.3%, according to the Office for National Statistics, department store online sales moved still faster. That month they grew by a third (33%) and accounted for 17.1% of all sales made in the sector. In its presentation to investors, House of Fraser cites BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor figures showing 29.6% of clothing sales now taking place online, along with 22% of total retail sales. House of Fraser says that there have been 2.5 years of negative growth for physical store sales, and that the categories it sells are moving online most rapidly.
House of Fraser’s competition is focusing on customer service – in the case of John Lewis – and shopping as a social activity – in the case of Debenhams – in order to counteract the move online. In its briefing for investors, House of Fraser said that it aimed to “become the antidote to the issues of the high street”, targeting market gaps in luxury and premium and building “a brand proposition based on our extraordinary DNA”. It’s telling that in its transformation update to investors it said it would this year be starting the journey towards a single customer view, something that many retailers have been working on for several years already.
Brands selling direct
More brands are selling direct: today we also report on how clothing brand Joules and gaming brand Games Workshop are seeng their sales lift as they focus on giving their very different groups of customers the experience that they want, both online and offline. House of Fraser says that its focus will be on the brand proposition, with a high concentration of premium brands in order to become “the house of brands”. But today’s multichannel marketplace means that today retailers such as department stores are competing against the brands that they sell, whether that’s through their own direct sales online or in stores.


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U.S.A – Leaders of large businesses are more optimistic about the potential benefits of the new trade agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico than their counterparts at small companies, a recently released report shows.
A recently released report from the TMF Group about business leaders’ attitudes toward the United States-Canada-Mexico Agreement (USMCA), found that company leaders from businesses with less than 500 employees were more enthusiastic than those with more than 500 workers about what advantages the deal would give them as well as about whether it will even be ratified.
Overall, 75% of professionals with the authority to make purchases for services or products in large businesses said they believed the deal would be ratified by all three countries, while only 63% of leaders of small businesses thought the same.
“There’s a lot of moving pieces out there right now that TMF and me specifically are wondering just how long it’s going to take,” said Gary Hokkanen, the managing director of TMF Canada.
Professionals from large businesses also said more frequently than those at smaller businesses that they expected USMCA to better benefit their countries’ economies give them more opportunities for exports and open up more incoming trade and investment growth.


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June 26 - Softbank's Sprint buyout deal brings a new heavyweight into the U.S. telecom business- ready with a plan to try to get consumers to hang up on its rivals. Bobbi Rebell reports.
U.S. consumers- Softbank wants your number. One step closer to buying out Sprint- the Japanese giant is expected to do everything it can to grab consumers away from rivals Verizon and AT&T. First- fix what is broken. Softbank will invest heavily to upgrade Sprint's LTE - or Long Term Evolution network- also known as 4G. It will also likely integrat e wireless internet company Clearwire. Sprint owns 50% - and has an unrivaled bid for the rest- now that Dish has withdrawn its offer. All that could take some time- but will at the very least even the playing field. Second - don't fix what isn't broken- Sprint customers will probably keep their unlimited data plans: Macquarie Capital's Kevin Smithen: SOUNDBITE: KEVIN SMITHEN, ANALYST, MACQUARIE CAPITAL (ENGLISH) SAYING: "I think that LTE- unlimited LTE will actually be a differentiator as - versus the consumption based, usage based pricing that Verizon and AT&T offer." And third- bring in new strategies- that will get consumers' attention: SOUNDBITE: KEVIN SMITHEN, ANALYST, MACQUARIE CAPITAL (ENGLISH) SAYING: "The integration of content, mobile commerce and telecom service. In the U.S., it's been primarily about mobile broadband access today- getting access to the Internet. I think that Softbank is going to try to merge some of that content and mobile commerce in with the access. Try to create a differentiated product offering than what T and Verizon are doing today." Softbank has also been able to leverage partnerships in Japan- such as its deal with Yahoo Japan- and Smithen thinks they will focus on Internet partnerships in the U.S. as well.


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It really doesn't come as a surprise, but apparently, HTC is just that much closer to releasing the Android 8.0 Oreo update for its U11 handset. LlabTooFeR on Twitter, who has a good track record when it comes to HTC products, let it be known that the Android 8.0 update is in the final stages of development and should arrive in November or December.
Naturally, this is to be expected, considering that HTC has already stated multiple times previously that it would deliver the update by the end of the year. Regardless, this is good news considering that a majority of handsets aren't currently on the latest from Google, stuck with Android Nougat instead.
In a matter of weeks, HTC is poised to announce a new handset, one that could eclipse the U11 in terms of specifications and looks. The mystery phone is expected to arrive on November 2 running Android 8.0 Oreo.


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So, the first thing you'll notice about the company featured in this technology case study, 3Rivers, is that not only is it a small retailer but it focuses on a very niche market. Seriously, how many people in your neighborhood are in need of a longbow or recurve expert? That's the sort of thing that 3Rivers sells, appealing to hunters and sports archers.
That tight focus has been very well-served by the Ashley, Ind.-based company's chosen customer reviews platform, PowerReviews, according to Johnathan Karch, assistant director of sales and marketing.
PowerReviews is a service that makes it simple for visitors to the 3Rivers e-commerce site to write and submit product feedback or rate different products that the company is offering. When I spoke with Karch about two weeks ago, he estimated that there are 15,000-plus reviews associated with the site.
A screen grab appears below:
Approximately 20 reviews are submitted per day during the week, with that number jumping up to 60 or 80 per day on the weekend, Karch said. He makes it a point to review submissions within one business day; if feedback contains a question or a question is submitted separately, the 3Rivers team's policy is to try to answer that query within 24 hours.
"We handle all the moderation, and we refuse to edit someone's opinion," Karch said.
Since the company began using PowerReviews, it has seen a 30 percent increase in customer feedback and more than one-quarter of the reviewers have also opted into the 3Rivers customer loyalty program.
The 3Rivers marketing team has begun using the information gathered in PowerReviews to help make product merchandising or manufacturing decisions.
For example, Karch said 3Rivers has begun publishing customer feedback in its 112-page paper catalog; it has seen sales of those products grow as a result. The company may also choose to feature a product that it might not otherwise have considered, he said. That's important because sales to the e-commerce site usually spike about 75 percent in the two weeks after a catalog is mailed, Karch said.
"We have gotten rid of products that don't work and repositioned those that were doing well a bit differently," Karch said.
3Rivers stops short of saying that using PowerReviews has resulted in a sales increase. "I can say that there are larger numbers of reviews on our higher transaction products," Karch said.