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The coronavirus COVID-19 is affecting far more than human health. It’s proven capable of infecting global logistics and potentially bringing businesses to a standstill.
China is one of the largest exporters in the world. It was also the first country to be rocked by the outbreak of a new coronavirus. COVID-19 has since spread to over 100 countries, including the United States. Freight volume is plummeting as the virus takes a $350-million-per-week toll on international shipping. It’s a situation that may leave the logistics of many American businesses in a lurch.
For businesses everywhere, the virus could not have hit at a worse time. As we covered in our previous blog about the IMO 2020 regulations, international shipping is already facing a significant slowdown to fight pollution.
Vessels requiring new fuel types and expensive sulfur-based upgrades were already likely to cause delays to business as usual, but those are small inconveniences compared to the potential logistics nightmare of COVIC-19. Even the parts necessary to make the sulfur upgrades are in limbo as people and equipment, paralyzed by quarantines, struggle to make it to the shipping yards.
How this could impact global logistics
Delays in goods reaching America — or being sent by American businesses to overseas customers — are the most obvious impact. Global governments are setting quarantines of varying times and types, making it very difficult to predict when certain shipping lines will return to full strength or be put back in action.
Many goods are effectively stranded at sea with vessels unable to complete their role in the logistics chain. Destination ports are demanding that entire crews be screened and cleared of the coronavirus before being allowed to continue their route. Any American business reliant on Chinese electronics may be hardest hit due to the debilitating impact of coronavirus on the electronics manufacturing industry.
China has limited the number of vessels allowed to leave the country, while major shippers like Maersk and CMA-CGM have capped the number of vessels connecting China to the United States and recorded many instances of blank sailing.
These delays in ocean shipping will create a backlog of goods which is likely to result in increased freight prices, especially if American businesses, desperate to keep logistics on track, make the switch to more expensive air freight. However, the virus is causing problems there, too.
Shipping by air will also feel the impact
Some major air freight carriers, like IAG Cargo, have suspended all cargo flights to and from mainland China with no projected date for resuming. Cathay Pacific, which is a major cargo airline for the region, announced in January that it would be cutting its capacity by 50% or more until the end of March. CNN reports that DHL is also reporting supply chain disruptions to air cargo, but FedEx and UPS — America's two largest carriers — have said they will continue to fly to and from China.
This much, at least, could be a silver lining for U.S. businesses using the big two. However, FedEx has announced inevitable delays to its express international and international economy freight shipments to China.
An alert by the carrier from February 20 said there would be temporary service suspensions for certain China-to-Europe transit routes, a tangential risk for domestic businesses who see their goods pass through Europe before reaching America.
Can the big carriers stay healthy?
USA Today raised the valid point of what COVID-19 could mean for the financial health of the big carriers. It highlighted that FedEx stock values have fallen in the face of the outbreak and that the carrier was already struggling before current events. A significant loss of revenue for FedEx could mean that customers will be hit with higher rates, even temporarily, to make up for the shortfall. To the company’s credit, they’re deeply engaged with getting relief supplies to stricken areas.
UPS is perhaps most optimistic of all in the face of the coronavirus. Speaking at an investors conference, UPS Chief Financial Officer Brian Newman felt the company was poised to take positive advantage of the “pent-up demand” caused by supply chain backlogs. The carrier feels it’s too early to make any comments or predictions about just how much of an impact will be felt long-term.
Optimism is great, but American businesses must put realism first and prepare for the worst when it comes to their own logistics chains being disrupted. China is, after all, America’s third-largest trading partner after Mexico and Canada.
Stay tuned to the 71lbs blog for further updates on how global shipping will be impacted and contact our team at the link below to learn how we can keep your logistics expenses as low as possible.
At 71lbs, we focus on two things: a) helping customers save money on shipping, and b) helping customers understand their shipping costs. We provide refunds and savings on shipping insurance, freight and imports, among other benefits. Our automated dashboard displays easy-to-understand shipping costs and insights, so you can make better business decisions. Drop by the contact page to get in touch!


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Some thirty years ago, Japanese companies taught their U.S. and European counterparts that keeping a lean inventory helped boost profits.
Today, more demanding consumers, weak economies and shortening production cycles are straining the just-in-time inventory model and putting logistics at the heart of business success.
“Companies have eliminated most of their inventory and diversified their products at the same time,” says Fabrice Mattei, a director at consulting group Vincia in France. “This is putting pressure on the supply chain as consumers, manufacturers and distributers demand faster delivery of more products.”
Part of the success of Spain’s pioneering fashion retailer Zara, for example, is down to the speed with which it can get the latest trends to the stores. Zara offers its customers a new collection every two months, notes Mattei. He also cites the example of French decoration specialist Sia Home Fashion that renews its collection of 5,600 articles every six months. “The production cycle is becoming shorter and stocks are shrinking,” says Mattei. “This creates the need for an increasing number of urgent deliveries.”
Some industries, such as the aeronautical sector, must be especially responsive when delivering spare parts because of the cost of having an aircraft out of service. Mattei estimates that over half the daily shipments of parts in the aeronautical industry are urgent and need to be delivered within 24 hours anywhere in the world.
Other industries, such as the printing sector, are under increasing financial pressure leading them to eliminate stocks of expensive spare parts for their printing presses. Instead, they are demanding 24-hour delivery of these parts from their suppliers, he notes. Sometimes companies may need speedy transport of supplies or parts simply because of poor stock management or forecasting. They may also make seasonal products such as garden furniture whose sales are highly dependent on the weather.
In any event, the more responsive approach companies are taking towards their customers requires a different way of working. Companies must be able to produce low volumes as well as high volumes, Mattei says, since urgent deliveries often involve small amounts of goods.
Companies also increasingly need flexible and skilled employees able to switch between tasks or start and stop working as needed.
“Providing clients with flexibility and choices has become a key selling point,” says Mattei.
“But companies need the right operations and structure to be able to provide that service profitably.”
Customer demands for speed and choice increase the need for urgent deliveries and place the supply chain under strain.

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Everything you and your clients need to know about our mid net worth home insurance product, Preferred Choice.
Your input helps us to drive change and shape our business.
We are currently conducting a Home Claims survey - the results will be posted here shortly.
RSA, one of the largest UK commercial insurers, yesterday announced the launch of its e-traded Marine Cargo product on Acturis.
Latest: RSA Knowledge Hub


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Toyota India which plan to launch the much awaited Etios cars by end of year is studying to launch the car in CNG and LPG options.
We are looking at every possible alternative to launch ‘Etios’, apart from diesel and petrol variant, we will study the market and demand for launching the car in other fuel options (LPG and CNG) and hybrid mode,” Toyota Motor Asia Pacific President Mitsuhiro Sonoda said.
Toyota’s India unit expects to sell 63,000-64,000 Etios compact cars in 2011. The Etios has been designed specifically for the Indian market and will be launched towards the end of 2010.
Source: Economic Times


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Consumer Cellular planning 300 Valley hires
Consumer Cellular Inc., a wireless phone and service reseller targeting seniors, is expanding operations in Phoenix and planning to hire as many as 300 people within two years.
The Portland-based company has about 225 employees at a call center operation in South Phoenix and will establish another center near Loop 101 and Interstate 17, said John Marick, the company’s co-founder and CEO.
“If business goes as planned, it took us about two years to fill up the first center, so it would take us about two years to fill up the next one,” he said.
Consumer Cellular opened its first location outside Portland in 2009, in Arizona. The company buys space on other mobile providers’ networks and resells that space to customers wanting to use older-model phones with no contracts.
This niche industry continues to grow as Consumer Cellular has partnered with senior advocacy group AARP to market its services. Until recently, Consumer Cellular relied only on media advertising to sell, but it recently signed a contract with Sears, which will sell the products in its retail stores, Marick said.
The company is part of an industry trend known as mobile virtual network operators — cellular providers that do not have their own infrastructure because they buy minutes from other carriers. Consumer Cellular’s carrier is AT&T Wireless.
Officials with AT&T would not comment on the connection between it and Consumer Cellular or any other mobile virtual network operators, citing confidentiality agreements.
The number of mobile virtual network operators is growing. The industry segment still is small, representing about 9 percent of the overall market in 2010, according to the Federal Communication Commission’s most recent data. But it grew about 198 percent between 2003 and 2009, the latest years for which information is available, according to Amy Storey, a spokeswoman for CTIA the Wireless Association.
Patrick O'Grady is managing editor of the Phoenix Business Journal.
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They were pushing hard to make the IPO happen fast, but these disclosure do not make for a good environment to go public, no matter how large the company.
Lotte Group’s initial public offering of its hotel unit, which may be South Korea’s largest listing on record, will be delayed after reports said a company executive is being investigated, according to people familiar with the matter.
A new timetable for marketing of the IPO, previously scheduled for June 6, hasn’t been set yet, the people said, asking not to be identified as the information is private. A Lotte Group spokesman confirmed that the roadshow schedule will be “adjusted” but declined to comment on the reason.
Prosecutors visited Hotel Lotte Co. with a search-and-seizure warrant late this week as part of a bribery investigation, the spokesman said Saturday. The hotel unit and a company executive are subjects of the investigation, he said. Calls to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office weren’t answered.
The probe adds a potential roadblock to an IPO intended to fetch as much as 5.7 trillion won ($4.8 billion). Hotel Lotte is a key unit of the group headed by Chairman Shin Dong Bin, who ousted his older brother and sidelined their patriarch father in feud among the family that controls the company.
The company’s chain of hotels, amusement parks and duty-free shops generated more than 5.1 trillion won in revenue last year.
©2016 Bloomberg L.P.
This article was written by Regina Tan and Jung Park from Bloomberg and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.
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Photo Credit: Roof deck of the Lotte hotel property in New York City. It's planed IPO is being delayed by an investigation. Hotel Lotte


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|By PR Newswire||
|November 25, 2012 03:00 PM EST||
SYDNEY, Nov. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading Australian Forex provider Vantage FX has launched an exclusive closed beta-test of their new Vantage FX WebTrader Platform to a select group of traders. The new Vantage FX WebTrader platform is an improved version of their original WebTrader platform, which was discontinued earlier in the year by Vantage FX and various other brokers such as Alpari, GO Markets and Axitrader following third party provider Xogee's dispute with MetaQuotes.
The new Vantage FX WebTrader Platform will allow traders to access their Vantage FX MT4 accounts from any web browser and computer in the world, including Apple Macs. This release of the WebTrader platform has been timed to coincide with the launch of Vantage FX's newly designed website.
The platform is completely verified and connected to MetaQuotes' MetaTrader 4 (MT4). The update has looked to improve connectivity, the user interface and customization abilities. Such favoured features as real-time charting and price monitoring are all still available.
Vantage FX's WebTrader Platform provides:
- Web trading for Mac, Linux & Windows
- Secure access wherever an internet connection exists
- Live price monitoring via an advanced market watch
- Real-time charting with advanced technical analysis & indicators
- Free customization with simple 'drag & drop' control
- 14 different language options
- No installation of software required
"We're excited to see the release of such a sophisticated WebTrader platform again," says Antony Goddard, Managing Director at Vantage FX.
"Clients will be pleased to see that we have incorporated many of the popular features from our previous WebTrader Platform, which was originally developed by third party platform developer Xogee," said Goddard. "We'd love to hear feedback from traders from all different countries, user capabilities, trader experience and especially those, always in transit. Our team has been working incredibly hard on the development of the new WebTrader platform and we look forward to hearing from our clients and users."
Current Vantage FX MT4 account holders can simply log in using their existing Vantage FX MT4 demo account login details at: www.vantagefx.com/webtraderdemo
For new, invited beta-testers who are not holders of a Vantage FX MT4 account, they will be required to visit the site and set up a demo MT4 account by downloading MT4 at: www.vantagefx.com/get-trading/demo-account. Once they have an account via MT4, they will not require the software to trade or access the WebTrader Platform. This will be a one time, initial requirement.
A public open beta-testing will be made available in weeks to come. The current beta-test version of Vantage FX WebTrader Platform does not allow connection to live trading servers.
About Vantage FX
Vantage FX is an award winning Australian financial services firm providing online Forex trading capabilities to retail, high-net worth and institutional clients in globally. This year, Vantage FX are winners of Best Forex Execution (Asia Pacific IB Times Trading Awards), Best Forex Broker & Forex Execution House - South East Asia (The DealMakers Annual Banking Awards) and Best Forex Broker Australasia (World Finance Foreign Exchange Awards).
Vantage FX is continually striving to provide a client-friendly, totally interactive Forex experience. As a team we always look to innovate and take advantage of the latest technology, passing on benefits to our clients. Vantage FX is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Enfinium Pty Ltd (AFSL No. 322081 and regulated by Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC).
For more information
Contact: Rom Revita
Email: [email protected]
Cloud is not a commodity. And no matter what you call it, computing doesn’t come out of the sky. It comes from physical hardware inside brick and mortar facilities connected by hundreds of miles of networking cable. And no two clouds are built the same way. SoftLayer gives you the highest performing cloud infrastructure available. One platform that takes data centers around the world that are full of the widest range of cloud computing options, and then integrates and automates everything. Join SoftLayer on June 9 at 16th Cloud Expo to learn about IBM Cloud's SoftLayer platform, explore se...
Mar. 28, 2015 02:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,552
The WebRTC Summit 2014 New York, to be held June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York, NY, announces that its Call for Papers is open. Topics include all aspects of improving IT delivery by eliminating waste through automated business models leveraging cloud technologies. WebRTC Summit is co-located with 16th International Cloud Expo, @ThingsExpo, Big Data Expo, and DevOps Summit.
Mar. 28, 2015 01:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,421
@ThingsExpo has been named the Top 5 Most Influential M2M Brand by Onalytica in the ‘Machine to Machine: Top 100 Influencers and Brands.' Onalytica analyzed the online debate on M2M by looking at over 85,000 tweets to provide the most influential individuals and brands that drive the discussion. According to Onalytica the "analysis showed a very engaged community with a lot of interactive tweets. The M2M discussion seems to be more fragmented and driven by some of the major brands present in the M2M space. This really allows some room for influential individuals to create more high value inter...
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The world's leading Cloud event, Cloud Expo has launched Microservices Journal on the SYS-CON.com portal, featuring over 19,000 original articles, news stories, features, and blog entries. DevOps Journal is focused on this critical enterprise IT topic in the world of cloud computing. Microservices Journal offers top articles, news stories, and blog posts from the world's well-known experts and guarantees better exposure for its authors than any other publication. Follow new article posts on Twitter at @MicroservicesE
Mar. 28, 2015 12:00 PM EDT Reads: 1,360
Wearable technology was dominant at this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) , and MWC was no exception to this trend. New versions of favorites, such as the Samsung Gear (three new products were released: the Gear 2, the Gear 2 Neo and the Gear Fit), shared the limelight with new wearables like Pebble Time Steel (the new premium version of the company’s previously released smartwatch) and the LG Watch Urbane. The most dramatic difference at MWC was an emphasis on presenting wearables as fashion accessories and moving away from the original clunky technology associated with t...
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SYS-CON Events announced today the IoT Bootcamp – Jumpstart Your IoT Strategy, being held June 9–10, 2015, in conjunction with 16th Cloud Expo and Internet of @ThingsExpo at the Javits Center in New York City. This is your chance to jumpstart your IoT strategy. Combined with real-world scenarios and use cases, the IoT Bootcamp is not just based on presentations but includes hands-on demos and walkthroughs. We will introduce you to a variety of Do-It-Yourself IoT platforms including Arduino, Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, Spark and Intel Edison. You will also get an overview of cloud technologies s...
Mar. 28, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 2,010
SYS-CON Events announced today that SafeLogic has been named “Bag Sponsor” of SYS-CON's 16th International Cloud Expo® New York, which will take place June 9-11, 2015, at the Javits Center in New York City, NY. SafeLogic provides security products for applications in mobile and server/appliance environments. SafeLogic’s flagship product CryptoComply is a FIPS 140-2 validated cryptographic engine designed to secure data on servers, workstations, appliances, mobile devices, and in the Cloud.
Mar. 28, 2015 11:00 AM EDT Reads: 1,356
Containers and microservices have become topics of intense interest throughout the cloud developer and enterprise IT communities. Accordingly, attendees at the upcoming 16th Cloud Expo at the Javits Center in New York June 9-11 will find fresh new content in a new track called PaaS | Containers & Microservices Containers are not being considered for the first time by the cloud community, but a current era of re-consideration has pushed them to the top of the cloud agenda. With the launch of Docker's initial release in March of 2013, interest was revved up several notches. Then late last...
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SOA Software has changed its name to Akana. With roots in Web Services and SOA Governance, Akana has established itself as a leader in API Management and is expanding into cloud integration as an alternative to the traditional heavyweight enterprise service bus (ESB). The company recently announced that it achieved more than 90% year-over-year growth. As Akana, the company now addresses the evolution and diversification of SOA, unifying security, management, and DevOps across SOA, APIs, microservices, and more.
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After making a doctor’s appointment via your mobile device, you receive a calendar invite. The day of your appointment, you get a reminder with the doctor’s location and contact information. As you enter the doctor’s exam room, the medical team is equipped with the latest tablet containing your medical history – he or she makes real time updates to your medical file. At the end of your visit, you receive an electronic prescription to your preferred pharmacy and can schedule your next appointment.
Mar. 28, 2015 08:00 AM EDT Reads: 572
GENBAND has announced that SageNet is leveraging the Nuvia platform to deliver Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) to its large base of retail and enterprise customers. Nuvia’s cloud-based solution provides SageNet’s customers with a full suite of business communications and collaboration tools. Two large national SageNet retail customers have recently signed up to deploy the Nuvia platform and the company will continue to sell the service to new and existing customers. Nuvia’s capabilities include HD voice, video, multimedia messaging, mobility, conferencing, Web collaboration, deskt...
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The list of ‘new paradigm’ technologies that now surrounds us appears to be at an all time high. From cloud computing and Big Data analytics to Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and the Internet of Things (IoT), today we have to deal with what the industry likes to call ‘paradigm shifts’ at every level of IT. This is disruption; of course, we understand that – change is almost always disruptive.
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Temasys has announced senior management additions to its team. Joining are David Holloway as Vice President of Commercial and Nadine Yap as Vice President of Product. Over the past 12 months Temasys has doubled in size as it adds new customers and expands the development of its Skylink platform. Skylink leads the charge to move WebRTC, traditionally seen as a desktop, browser based technology, to become a ubiquitous web communications technology on web and mobile, as well as Internet of Things compatible devices.
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Amazon’s cloud division AWS has acquired the Californian start-up Wickr. The encrypted messaging platform is already used by numerous authorities and companies to ensure secure communication in cloud services. […]
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has purchased the encrypted messenger platform Wickr. This is comparable to the Messenger signal and is already used by many US authorities and companies to ensure secure communication in cloud services.
However, further details on the purchase of the start-up from San Francisco are not yet known.
“Growing need to protect communication”
Thousands of government agencies use Amazon’s cloud computing services. It seems so, so Amazon wants to expand this business in the future. AWS is also currently in litigation with Microsoft over the Pentagon’s multi-billion dollar cloud deal.
“The need for this type of secure communication is increasing. With the transition to hybrid work environments driven in part by the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses and government agencies have a growing need to protect their communications across many remote locations,“ said Stephen Schmidt, vice president and chief information security officer at AWS in a blog post.
* Alessa Kästner is a graduate of the Burda School of Journalism, volunteered at Playboy and wrote for titles such as ELLE, Freundin and Focus as well as advertise and Sell. Her core topics as an INTERNET WORLD editor: Digital lifestyle, marketing trends and social media.


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Editor’s note: Harley-Davidson Inc. is at a crossroads. In this report, BizTimes Milwaukee asked several acclaimed business consultants and authors to analyze Harley’s troubled business model and provide their recommendations for how the iconic Milwaukee company can survive.
Harley-Davidson Inc. is not only one of Milwaukee’s most important companies, it is one of the most iconic brands in the world.
The company’s motorcycles, the classic growl of their pipes and the Harley logo are known worldwide. It’s Milwaukee metal.
Harley enjoyed a long track record of growth since the mid-1980s by selling its motorcycles and soft goods as more than just products. The company sold a lifestyle. And the baby boom generation bought it.
By marketing that lifestyle, Harley enjoyed success and loyalty that most companies could only envy. The brand loyalty of its customers is so fierce that many riders have the company’s logo tattooed on their bodies.
However, Harley-Davidson has been adversely affected by the Great Recession.
The company is facing challenges on multiple fronts:
- How will it increase its sales by maintaining its existing relationships with its core customers, primarily baby boomers, while reaching new audiences, primarily younger motorcycle riders?
- How can it lower its production costs while not sacrificing the quality of its iconic product?
- How can the Milwaukee-based company maintain its legacy and identity if it decides to move production elsewhere?
The company’s problems are not only dramatic. They are tangible. Harley’s sales fell 18.2 percent during the first quarter of 2010, compared with the first quarter of 2009. The company’s annual sales were down 22.7 percent in 2009 after falling 7.1 percent in 2008.
Harley incurred a net loss of $55.1 million in 2009. The company’s net revenues fell 2.3 percent and net income fell 29.9 percent in 2008.
The company is not sitting idly by. Harley is closing its Wauwatosa plant and consolidating its operations into its Menomonee Falls plant. The company also is closing its Franklin distribution facility by consolidating parts, accessories and other merchandise distribution to a third party.
Harley has already won concessions from its unionized employees in York, Pa., and it will soon enter negotiations with its unionized production workforce in Wisconsin, where the company has said it needs to achieve a lower cost structure to continue manufacturing here.
Keith Wandell, Harley’s chief executive officer, has raised the prospect of moving production elsewhere if the company is not able to lower its Wisconsin production costs. The company has 1,450 employees in the state.
Connecting with a new generation of customers is one of the most difficult challenges for any business, especially for companies such as Harley that have a well-defined brand that appeals to baby boomers but has not struck a chord with younger riders.
“Harley-Davidson does have a tremendous heritage, and it’s got a brand that anybody views as authentic,” said Joe Pine, co-author of “Authenticity: What Consumers Really Want.”
“I don’t think it needs to reinvent itself completely, but it certainly needs to appeal to this next generation, but do so in a way that still is authentic that isn’t going to tick off the older generation – the core,” Pine said.
Dean Metropoulos, president C. Dean Metropoulos & Co., an investment firm based in Greenwich, Conn., that recently acquired Pabst Brewing Co., agreed that Harley needs to tread carefully as it makes this generational transition.
“I would never forget the baby boomers because I think they are going to have a fair amount of cash availability to buy these motorcycles,” said Metropoulos, a master marketer known for building some of the best-known brands, such as Chef Boyardee, Swanson, Vlasic and Ghiradelli Chocolate. “So many companies and brands get into trouble (when they) do not reinvent themselves for the next challenge, the next generation. They probably already know the financial demographics of their customers. Maybe they want to expand beyond that demographic. Maybe they want to reduce (price) and appeal to a different customer. I would target a product line, capitalizing on the technology … and modify that line and reach out to the next generation. I would listen very carefully to them as to what are the types of things that are important to them, and I would design my bikes with that flexibility in mind.”
Harley-Davidson needs to make a direct, personal connection with its next generation of riders, said Matthew May, author of “The Elegant Solution: Toyota’s Formula for Mastering Innovation.”
“I spent a lot of time with Toyota, and one of the things I learned there was that you can’t reach a buyer, a potential customer without living their life,” May said. “They did it with Lexus. They did the same thing with Scion. They spent times at raves, at extreme sporting events, at urban art shows just to figure out what the 18- to 25-year-old buyer might want, or what that person wants out of life. They walked away with one thing – personal expression. So they built a nice spare car that you could customize. I think Harley has to do the same thing.”
To actively engage with younger riders, Harley-Davidson also needs to effectively use social media applications such as Facebook, Twitter and others, May said.
“They don’t really trust the old establishment, and they’re going to get most of their stuff from the folks they hang out with,” May said. “And there might be a surprise or two that the designers could get simply by peeking over the shoulder of people in that age group that happen to have a Harley. But most importantly, they could be figuring out why they aren’t buying a Harley.”
To attract younger customers, Harley-Davidson should consider making more customizable motorcycles, smaller and more fuel-efficient models or styles that incorporate more technology, both May and Pine said.
“The older generation is an incredibly social animal when it comes to their Harleys,” Pine said. “The coming generation, they often connect through technology. They may drive more alone, but they might connect with and through digital technology. They may Tweet from their motorcycles where they are. It’s got to be hands-free but if you’ve got a helmet with earphones and a place for a microphone…”
Designing motorcycles for the next generation of customers is full of potential pitfalls for Harley-Davidson because of the brand’s history and iconic image. The company must be careful with its steps along the journey, experts say.
One of the greatest risks Harley-Davidson could take would be introducing a sport bike or line of sport bikes designed to compete with Japanese and European motorcycles, said Jeremy Anwyl, chief executive officer of Edmunds.com, a website devoted to the automotive industry. Anwyl has worked previously as a consultant to several large automotive manufacturers.
“The existing customers are going to look at that, and it’s not going to make any sense,” Anwyl said. “To the new customers, it’s not going to seem authentic because it’s not a Harley. What is that going to accomplish? It seems like an obvious thing – we’ll bring out a new product and appeal to a new market. But when you’ve got a brand that is really as powerful and as defined as Harley, it’s not as easy as perhaps it is when you’re dealing with other brands that don’t really stand for much.”
If Harley-Davidson were to introduce a lower-cost line of products for young riders, it would run similar risks, said Dantar Oosterwal, author of “The Lean Machine: How Harley-Davidson Drove Top-Line Growth and Profitability with Revolutionary Lean Product Development” and a former director of product development at Harley-Davidson.
“If you’re looking at going to a lower cost product, the question becomes, ‘What is the value proposition?'” Oosterwal said. “If you just reduce cost or price, you really have to look at what that does to the image of that vehicle. The question then becomes, ‘How can you create a product which comes in a lower price point that still provides the value proposition you want to maintain for the brand?'”
Harley-Davidson is closing its Wauwatosa plant and consolidating its operations into the company’s Menomonee Falls plant. In the process, the company is reducing its Wisconsin workforce.
Harley has never been known for tightly adhering to the tenets of lean manufacturing, which focuses on efficiency, elimination of waste, inventory reduction and quality control.
However, Wandell, who was named CEO of Harley in April of 2009, has an extensive background in lean manufacturing and continuous improvement from his former career at Glendale-based Johnson Controls Inc.
Experts believe that it is possible for Harley-Davidson to implement lean manufacturing in its operations, but they say it will be a difficult journey.
“Harley has gone in and out of the lean concept at various times,” Oosterwal said. “If you go back to the mid-80s, they didn’t call it lean then, but a lot of the same principles and ideas were brought in. It’s difficult as the company has tremendous growth to keep those lean ideals in place, and I think Harley-Davidson got away from that for some time.”
Harley’s talented, proud workforce is likely capable of the mindset shift required to effectively implement lean manufacturing, Oosterwal said, but it will take some time.
“Harley is a proud, and rightfully so, organization. They have very strong, ingrained beliefs,” he said. “The question is not necessarily eliminating the beliefs that they have, but modifying them in such a way that recognizes the current economic climate.”
The company could actually have an easier time implementing lean manufacturing now, while it is producing fewer motorcycles and consolidating operations, than it would during a time of expanded production, Anwyl said.
“I find in companies that when they’re in some sort of distress, employees respond very well to a lucid plan of action rather than sitting there doing nothing,” Anwyl said. “If you’re feeling like the company is in peril and the CEO is saying, ‘Here is the solution, let’s go do it,’ people feel a sense of relief.”
Harley-Davidson is expected to enter negotiations with its Milwaukee-area labor unions in the next several weeks. The company has previously said it needs concessions from its Wisconsin workforce. Earlier this year, the firm received concessions from its York, Pa., production workers.
Wandell has said previously that the company has received proposals from other states to relocate and that an outside consultant was reviewing other sites.
Experts say Harley’s brand would not be significantly damaged by moving to another state, but it could suffer if the company moved work offshore. However, many say the company is likely to win concessions from its local employees, which could help keep Harley’s production in the Milwaukee area.
“I suspect that they’ll get some concessions – the balance there is how you go about getting those concessions,” Oosterwal said. “What I have always appreciated in my experience with Harley-Davidson is that everything I’ve seen from the leadership perspective has always been about trying to get a win-win relationship (with labor). I think that everyone understands that there needs to be changes.”
If Harley is unable to win concessions from its Milwaukee area unions and decides to move some or all of its production to another state, the company would likely be able to avoid large damage to its brand as long as it kept most production in the United States, Pine said.
“I think that it could be done, probably in stages, and that it would still come off as being authentic,” he said.
However, Oosterwal and Anwyl both say that if Harley moves some production offshore, the impact to its brand may only be short term, especially for younger buyers.
“For today’s consumer, the motorcycle buyer we’re talking about didn’t grow up in the era of Easy Rider – they don’t even know what you’re talking about,” Anwyl said. “When you’re talking about trying to be authentically American, what does that even mean today? The country of origin, at least in the car world, has gotten so opaque. A Toyota today, where is it even made? Kentucky? Japan? It’s on the window sticker, but I’m not sure if people actually read that stuff.”
In its 107 years, Harley has been through multiple generations of riders, countless trends in the marketplace, several recessions and more. Oosterwal said the company is, at its core, capable of long-term growth and stability.
“Harley has been there before and has reinvented itself,” he said. “From a business perspective, it’s a phenomenal company with tremendous capabilities. Harley is capable and poised to be able to exploit the next upturn in the economy. I don’t think it’s an issue of the aging baby boomers. There are many other people that have an interest in motorcycles.”


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London/Mumbai: According to the news agency Reuters, Iran may import less sugar from India, the second-largest sugar-producing country, due to an increase in Iranian production and Tehran’s shortage of rupees limit buying. Iran is one of the most important customers of India. Recently, the central government approved the subsidy of Rs 3,500 crore to export around 60 lakh tonne of sugar.
Iran in the 2019-20 season had imported 1.14 million tonnes of sugar from India. This accounted for 20% of India’s sugar export.
A Mumbai based dealer associated with the global sugar export told Reuters, “Iran’s import requirement (from India) would be much smaller (this season). I think around 300,000-500,000 tonnes.”
In the previous season, India registered record sugar export. As the country is still with surplus sugar, mills will try to meet 60 lakh tonne sugar export target


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US designer admits Romanian coat inspired one of her pieces
The U.S. designer Tory Burch has changed the description of one of her designs after local Facebook community La Blouse Roumaine, which promotes the traditional Romanian blouse "ia", pointed out that it resembles a Romanian coat that is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Associated Press reported, quoted by The New York Times.
The design was initially marketed as a garment inspired by Africa, but on June 13 the brand said in a Facebook post that it missed a reference to the Romanian coat which served as inspiration for one of the pieces in its Resort 2018 collection.
“Resort 2018 is about the unique friendship between two inspiring women, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Princess Elizabeth of Toro. Both were style icons, global travelers, and art lovers. In our effort to summarize the collection, we missed a reference to a beautiful Romanian coat which inspired one of the pieces. Whether it’s Romania, Uganda, or France, we are a brand that strives to celebrate, honor, and be inclusive of women from all countries and cultures, in the broadest way possible,” the brand said on Facebook.
The wool coat that is in the collection of the New York museum dates from the early 20th century and is credited as a 1981 gift of Christine Valmy.
American fashion designer Tory Burch is the CEO and designer of Tory Burch LLC. Forbes magazine listed her in 2015 as the 73rd most powerful woman in the world.
Iasi mayor wants traditional Romanian blouse in UNESCO patrimony
(Photo source: La Blouse Roumaine Facebook Page)


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Palletways has taken 67 new Mercedes-Benz trucks in a range of sizes to be distributed among its UK depots. Provided by S&B Commercials, the new vehicles are on a contract hire agreement through Mercedes-Benz finance. The deal marks a move away from Palletways’ traditional spot hire strategy towards longer-term vehicle hire. The network has ordered 28 new Actros tractor units. The majority of these are 428hp vehicles with StreamSpace cabs, although there are four BigSpace cabs boasting 476hp. Rigids make […]
Operators appear to be ramping-up their Euro-5 purchasing activity ahead of the Euro-6 emissions deadline, a leading financing and vehicle leasing company has said.
Industry experts have accused TfL of putting the cart before the horse with its Direct Vision Standard (DVS).
Wincanton is putting safety first in its latest fleet upgrade with the addition of 100 Mercedes-Benz Actros tractor units.


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Tech giants hold annual Samsung Foundry Forum
South Korea’s Samsung Electronics disclosed a technology roadmap on June 28 with the target of starting 2-nanometer mobile chips in 2025 to catch up with business bellwether TSMC of Taiwan.
In its annual Samsung Foundry Forum 2023 in Silicon Valley, the tech giant also vowed to come up with 2-nanometer chips for high-performance computing in 2026 and automobiles in 2027.
The Seoul-based corporations also expected that mass production based on the 1.4-nanometer process would start in 2027.
A nanometer is one-billionth of a meter. The width of human hair is typically between 80,000 and 100,000 nanometers.
Chipmakers have put forth efforts to reduce the nano-scale to gaurantee better performance and power efficiency.
For example, Samsung noted that its 2-nanometer process had shown a 12 percent increase in performance, a 25% improvement in power efficiency, and a 5 percent decrease in area, compared to its 3-nanometer technology.
“Samsung Foundry is helping simplify designs that are becoming even more complex amid the application of the most advanced processes and new technologies such as heterogeneous integration,” Samsung Executive Vice President Kye Jong-wook said.
“We will continue to strive for consistent growth in the Samsung Foundry ecosystem in terms of both scale and quality,” he said.
Experts point out that Samsung is required to secure 2-nanometer technology by mid-decade to remain competitive in the foundry market of manufacturing chips for other firms.
“TSMC, a dominant leader in the foundry market, also plans to adopt the 2-nanometer process in 2025. To compete with TSMC, Samsung also has to complete the development of the 2-nanometer technology by then,” Professor Han Tae-hui at Sungkyunkwan University in Korea said.
According to consultancy TrendForce, TSMC accounted for 60.1 percent of the foundry market during the first quarter of this year, followed by Samsung Electronics with 12.4 percent and GolbalFoundries with 6.6 percent.


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Belgian brewing company Stella Artois has renewed its commitment to making clean water available in underdeveloped areas by designing limited-edition packaging.
The brand joined forces with American non-profit organisation Water.org in 2015 to embark on a four-year partnership to help provide 3.5 million people around the world with sustainable access to clean water by 2020.
Through the scheme, Stella Artois vowed to give one month of clean water to a person who needs it for every new co-branded limited edition bottle or can bought.
Within this framework, the purchase of a limited-edition Stella Artois Chalice—the company’s distinctive glass—helps provide five years of clean water to a person in the developing world, and every 12-pack edition sold will help Water.org provide 12 months of potable water to those in need.
Jerry Maguire, off-trade sales director at AB InBev, the brewing company that owns beer producers including Stella Artois, Budweiser and Corona, explained that the project is just the beginning.
He said: “With the support of our customers and consumers, so far we have donated more than $8 million to Water.org, helping to change the lives of more than 1 million people. However, there is still work to be done and we strongly believe that our customers in the off trade can play a key part to helping address the issue.
“Research shows that 70% of millennial shoppers consider a brands ethics and values when making a purchase. This is why we’ve created an off trade package that not only raises awareness of the cause, but also supports our customers from a business and reputational perspective,” Maguire added.
Earlier last week, the beer company announced the production of a TV spot to be broadcast during the 2018 Super Bowl break that will feature actor Matt Damon, a long-term partner and promoter of the initiative.
In the past years, Water.org has also partnered with IKEA Foundation to drive innovation in the water sector and improve the wellbeing of children.


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Samsung is holding their Mobile World Congress press event in Barcelona on the 25th of February, the event is called Unpacked 5, and the company is expected to announce the Samsung Galaxy S5, and now it looks like we may see the Samsung Galaxy Gear 2.
The original Samsung Galaxy gear smartwatch was launched with the Galaxy Note 3, so we were no expecting the Galaxy Gear 2 to launch with the Galaxy S5.
The news comes from a report from the New York Times, who have apparently received some information about the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy gear 2.
We heard previously that the Galaxy gear 2 would feature a new design, which would be completely different from the current model.
The new Samsung smartwatch is also rumored to come with a flexible display, and Samsung will be ditching the square design of the original device for a curved design.
As soon as we get some more information on the new Samsung Galaxy Gear 2 smartwatch we will let you guys know.
Have a look at our Best Smartwatch 2014 guide for more information on the best smart watches available at the moment.
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The Natural Food Show 2019 will take place between April 7-8 at the ExCeL in London, as part of Natural & Organic Products Europe fair. During the event, a series of innovations in vegan foods will be put on display.
In anticipation of the tradeshow, the organizers have shared details about the new products set to be showcased at the Vegan World pavilion. Veganism is said to be one of Britain’s fastest growing food movements in the UK and the Natural Food Show aims to promote the trend by bringing together more than 60 UK and international plant-based innovations from companies including:
- Co Fro (vegan & paleo frozen desserts)
- One Planet Pizza (vegan pizza varieties)
- Daiya Foods (pizza, cheesecake, dairy-free cheese)
- Tofurky (meat substitutes)
- Atlantic Natural Foods (‘tuno’, a plant-based seafood alternative)
- Boost Ball (protein balls)
- Upton’s Naturals (jackfruit meat alternatives)
- Bravura Foods (vegan bakery, free-from mallows)
The event is supported by the Vegan Society, which will exhibit alongside many brands that hold the Vegan Society trademark certification.
“Vegan World at Natural Food Show, part of Natural Organic Products Europe, has been growing year on year, and 2019 will be no exception. You’ll be able to find favorite vegan brands and innovative plant-based offerings in one place, with Vegan Trademark registered products clearly signposted. This area of the show brings together some of the best vegan products out there, which are leading the way in terms of taste and quality,” said Abigail Stevens, trademark marketing manager at The Vegan Society.
On top of the vegan innovations, participants at the event can expect to find a wide array of plant-based offerings from companies like Unilever UK, Infinity Foods, Suma Wholefoods, and others.


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Four Fearsome Cylinders
Hyundai's new sedans pack unprecedented power and efficiency into tiny engines
Despite being the world’s fastest-growing automaker, Hyundai isn’t known for its engine-building prowess. This year, however, the company is rolling out one of the most powerful yet efficient four-cylinders ever produced, putting it on track to become the first carmaker to meet the new federally mandated average fleet fuel-economy standard of 35.5 mpg by 2016.
The 2011 Sonata now on sale, with its direct-injection 2-liter four, is already the market’s roomiest and most fuel-efficient conventional midsize sedan. Later this year, two new Sonatas, the turbo and Hybrid, will deliver a potent encore. Let’s start with the Sonata 2.0T. Like other turbos, the engine uses exhaust gases to spin a turbine, which pumps compressed air into cylinders to boost power. But the Hyundai’s twin-scroll turbocharger—typically found on pricier sportscars—directs exhaust to the turbine via two pathways instead of one. This creates steadier pulses of exhaust gas and reduces “turbo lag,” the delay between punching the gas and the rush of acceleration. The 2-liter turbo promises to deliver 274 horsepower, more than the Honda Accord’s 3.5-liter V6, to achieve 22 mpg city and 34 mpg highway while using 20 percent less gas.
Sonata’s Tiny Engine
Next, the Sonata Hybrid will pair a 2.4-liter four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle engine (the same efficient design found in the Toyota Prius) with a lithium-polymer battery and a 40-horsepower electric motor for an impressive combination of efficiency and power. Add to that a lightweight chassis, a six-speed automatic transmission and low-rolling-resistance tires, and the result is an estimated 37/39 mpg in city and highway—right in line with the class-leading 41/36 mpg of the Ford Fusion hybrid.


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While few brands struck social media gold on Super Bowl Sunday, Esurance was able to break through by putting a digital twist on one of the oldest marketing moves in the book: a sweepstakes.
People are still talking -- and tweeting -- about the insurer's post-game ad, which dangled $1.5 million in front of viewers. The rules were simple: Tweet "#EsuranceSave30" for a chance to win all the money. The phrase refers to the fact that Esurance says it saved 30%, or $1.5 million, by running the spot immediately following the game, rather than during the game.
As of late morning on Monday, 2.39 million people had entered the contest, including 200,000 entries that streamed in within one minute of the spot airing, according to the company and Leo Burnett, which handled the campaign. Meanwhile, "EsuranceSave30" continues to trend on Twitter globally, and the campaign has already generated 1 billion impressions, according to Leo Burnett and Esurance. All the while, the brand's Twitter follower count has grown from 8,900 to 155,000.
But the campaign carried risks, namely that people would hijack the hashtag. As CNET pointed out, there have been some offensive tweets using "#EsuranceSave30," including some bashing the company, which is owned by Allstate.
Esurance says it has rules in place to disqualify inappropriate tweets from winning the prize, which will be selected after the entry period ends at 4 a.m. eastern time on Feb. 4. "It was something we anticipated and there's always going to be a few bad eggs," Nancy Abraham, Esurance's VP of advertising, said in an interview. "The good news is the response has been overwhelmingly positive." The rules "say we can disqualify entries if they are inappropriate or offensive or they have used derogatory language or information," she added.
Does that include tweets that simply criticize Esurance? "It depends on how they are positioned and I think we'd look at it on a case-by-case basis," she said. The winner will be picked at random and announced during ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" show on Feb. 5.


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These are the first pictures of the Ducati 'HyperMotard' concept bike, which has been revealed to the press for the first time at the Milan Bike Show.
It features a stripped down look, with a 1000cc Dual Spark engine, twin exhausts, 50mm Marzocchi R.A.C. forks and an Ohlins remote reservoir shock.
Other highlights include magnesium engine covers, and a single-sided swingarm. Stopping comes courtesy of a 320mm Brembo at the front and 240mm disc at the rear, halting the Marchesini racing wheels.
Ducati has said that it will build the concept bike if it gets enough positive response. So what do you think of the new Hypermotard? Is it the sort of bike Ducati should be building, and would you be tempted to buy one? Post your comments by following the Related Topics link, right.
For more news on the Ducati Hypermotard, see Motor Cycle News, out November 23, 2005.
Discovered MCN Auctions? Click here.


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Hewlett-Packard is the PC leader and has a wide range of businesses ranging from printing to software to enterprise servers. HP also is a major services player via the acquisition of EDS. As IBM's primary rival, HP aims to sell customers an entire stack of hardware, software and services. Under Mark Hurd, HP was a lean, mean operational machine. The next CEO, however, must show that HP can grow organically sans acquisitions and cost cuts.
Articles about Hewlett-Packard
School will soon be in session and a Chromebook may be just what you need for the coming academic year.
The Helion Managed Virtual Private Cloud Lean targets organizations with lighter workloads and tighter budgets, with a starting cost of $168 per month for a small virtual server configuration.
The former Autonomy CFO, whose company was acquired by HP, said if a judge approved a settlement over the two firms' disputes, the "real reason" for the 2012 write-down would be buried.
HP could roll out its 3D printing lineup tomorrow and there's a good argument that the company is too late. Perhaps Stratasys or 3D Systems is the next HP?
Given how far it's come, mobile technology is not very old. In the early days, some outstanding gadgets set the stage for the mobile tech of today. These are six of them that had a big impact.
Red Hat and its partners are betting that 64-bit ARM processors are ready for the data center.
The new notebook is the first major design win for AMD's new budget mobile chip.
The two companies will integrate engineering strategies, collaborate on sales and make it easier for HP customers to adopt Hortonworks.
Shushovan Hussain has filed a motion to challenge HP's settlement with its shareholders regarding its botched acquisition of the British software company.
The company's president and chief executive now has another feather in her corporate hat, as the chair of the computer giant's board.
Hewlett-Packard's board of directors now stands at 11 people, including CEO Meg Whitman and venture capital titan Marc Andreessen.
UPDATED: IDC figures aren't quite as hopeful as Gartner's latest pulse check on the PC industry.
Three lawsuits stemming from the disastrous acquisition of Autonomy by HP have now been settled.
HP is positioning Helion Managed Services as an alternative to owning and managing storage assets, and says it's different from previous managed services offerings.


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Platform for budget hotels, Oyo Rooms, raises $25M funding from Lightspeed, Sequoia, others
Ritesh Agarwal led network of branded budget hotels Oyo Rooms has raised $25 million from Lightspeed Ventures, Sequoia Capital, Greenoaks Capital and DSG Consumer Partners. The company will use funding to realize its ambition of becoming the largest technology-enabled network of hotels globally.
OYO Rooms leverages technology and enables consumers to have hassle-free budget hotel booking experience while it helps hotels/guesthouses to increase their occupancy.
Started in 2013, OYO Rooms claims to have grown to more than 200 hotels in 10 cities; booking 50,000 room nights every month. The Gurgaon based company intends to expand its network to 1000 hotels in 25 cities by this year end.Importantly, the funding comes after Chennai based online accommodation bookings marketplace Stayzilla raised $20 million Series B round in February this year.
Announcing the fresh round of fund raise, Ritesh Agarwal, CEO of OYO Rooms said, “Our vision is to offer the ‘OYO Rooms experience’ to every business, leisure and pilgrim traveler across 100 cities through a network of 10,000 hotels. We welcome Greenoaks as a partner and are very excited to work with them. Our current investors- Lightspeed, Sequoia and DSG have been great partners in helping us build and scale the company.”
Ritesh Agarwal was selected for the “20 under 20” Thiel Fellowship in 2013. The Thiel Fellowship is a two-year program wherein fellows receive $100,000 and mentorship from the foundation’s network of tech entrepreneurs, investors and scientists.
Bejul Somaia, MD at Lightspeed India said, “The economy stays segment is a large, unorganized and fragmented market and we believe that OYO brings a new, scalable and customer-friendly approach to addressing this opportunity. Ritesh and Abhinav have forged a strong partnership to build OYO. We look forward to helping them in fulfilling their mission of building the world’s largest technology-enabled hotel network.”
The Gurgaon-based company competes with Zostel which also keeps its own inventory. Stayzilla follows a pure-play aggregation approach.
The travel space is again seeing activity now, across the funnel. Trip planning has seen investor interest with Tripoto picking up a Series A round. Another Bengaluru-based travel marketplace iTraveller is picking up steam. ixigo has been aggressive on mobile and is widening its scope apart from big OTAs like Makemytrip.


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Chicken Recipe: Poppycock
A handwritten note believed to have possibly contained the late Col. Harland Sanders’s secret recipe for Kentucky Fried Chicken is a bunch of bull, KFC said Monday. The note was allegedly found in the basement of a home once owned by the colonel, who died in 1980. The distinguished old gent came up with the recipe in the 1930s, claiming it contained 11 secret herbs and spices. Restaurateurs Tommy and Cherry Settle, who bought the Sanders home in the 1970s, had hopes of selling the recently discovered recipe to a collector, their attorney told the Associated Press. Instead, they were sued by KFC, who dropped its legal action once it was concluded that the recipe wasn’t even close to the colonel’s.


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Visitor essay by Eric Worrall
The World Financial Discussion board, which hosts the massive annual occasion in Davos each January, thinks “At the moment’s customers don’t need extra and higher items and companies for an inexpensive worth. Somewhat, they more and more anticipate firms to contribute to social welfare and the widespread good”.
We should transfer on from neoliberalism within the post-COVID period
- COVID-19 has shaken the world in methods not seen for the reason that world wars, affecting all features of human life.
- For the sustainable growth of the planet, it’s important our restoration prioritizes new, greener methods to do enterprise.
- The ‘Nice Reset’ provides a chance to re-evaluate sacred cows of the pre-pandemic system but additionally defend long-held values.
No occasion since World Conflict II’s finish has had as profound a world impression as COVID-19. The pandemic has triggered a public well being and financial disaster on a scale unseen in generations and has exacerbated systemic issues corresponding to inequality and great-power posturing.
The one acceptable response to such a disaster is to pursue a “Nice Reset” of our economies, politics, and societies. Certainly, this can be a second to re-evaluate the sacred cows of the pre-pandemic system, but additionally to defend sure long-held values. The duty we face is to protect the accomplishments of the previous 75 years in a extra sustainable kind.
Particularly, we might want to rethink our collective dedication to “capitalism” as we have now identified it. Clearly, we must always not eliminate the essential engines of development. We owe many of the social progress of the previous to entrepreneurship and to the capability to create wealth by taking dangers and pursuing progressive new enterprise fashions. We’d like markets to allocate assets and the manufacturing of products and companies effectively, significantly in terms of confronting issues like local weather change.
However we should rethink what we imply by “capital” in its many iterations, whether or not monetary, environmental, social, or human. At the moment’s customers don’t need extra and higher items and companies for an inexpensive worth. Somewhat, they more and more anticipate firms to contribute to social welfare and the widespread good. There may be each a elementary want and an more and more widespread demand for a brand new form of “capitalism.”
Learn extra: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/10/coronavirus-covid19-recovery-capitalism-environment-economics-equality/
I’m glad the WEF has made issues so clear. Any attachment you are feeling to say having sufficient money to pay your weekly meals invoice or getting the absolute best deal on items and companies is outdated model neocapitalist pondering.
Based on the WEF, what you actually need deep, deep down is to know that your native grocery store cares about good causes, and that the revenue from the inflated costs you pay on the checkout goes in the direction of serving to to mitigate local weather change and world inequality.


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If there's to be an explosion of wearable devices and smartwatches in 2014, as analysts forecast, the bigger question becomes when more apps will emerge that work with such devices.
So far, a shortage of apps has been a major shortfall of many wearable devices. Some smartwatches might have only 15 to 20 apps, and they often need to work over Bluetooth to connect to a nearby smartphone. Compare that number to the 1 million-plus apps in Apple's App Store or Google Play for smartphones, and you begin to see the challenge.
Analysts expects not only an explosion of wearable devices in the next three years, but an explosion of mobile apps of all kinds. Research firm Gartner last year predicted that wearable devices will drive half of all app interactions by 2017, a startling prediction, but one that Gartner believes was reinforced by the flurry of wearable devices shown at International CES earlier this month.
"The level of use of wearable apps is pretty nominal today," said Brian Blau, an analyst at Gartner in an interview Wednesday. "But the new cadre of smartwatches shown at CES and things pinned to clothes [or other devices], shows it is safe to say that there will soon be a way to interact, through a mobile app, that's in lieu of almost any other way of interacting, including the mobile Web or the desktop Web."
Blau said that "virtually all vendors are choosing mobile apps to interact with the way we will use a wearable device." Gartner reached its prediction that 50% of all app interactions will come from wearable devices by 2017 partly because of the way wearables work.
For example, many wearables won't have a user interface, such as a heart rate monitor that is strapped to a runner's chest. Offloading that interface to the user's smartphone also means that the wearable depends on the mobile app for user input and output, configuration, content creation and consumption and, possibly, wireless or GPS connectivity.
Blau said the wearable connection to a mobile smartphone or tablet is a way for a manufacturer to keep the device small and efficient, which reduces the device cost and favors the use of apps that are easy to maintain and update.
A good example of a recent wearable is a heart rate monitor from Adidas called the MiCoach, a $56 monitor worn with a chest strap that communicates with a smartphone via a free MiCoach mobile app. The app allows a user to activate a GPS connection so that a run, bike ride or cross-country ski trek can be stored for later review, showing heart rate, pace, distance and calories consumed during different phases of the exercise. The app can be set to allow voice prompts (with a male or female coach's voice) from the phone that tell the athlete to "speed up" to get a maximum workout. The voice prompts can also be paired with suitable music already on the phone.
Nokia has loaded the MiCoach app natively on its Lumia 520 phones which run Windows Phone 8. That phone is sold as a no-contract Go Phone by AT&T, and the app is downloadable for free in the App Store, Google Play or Windows Phone Store.
Some of the data from fitness wearables will be stored briefly on the wearable device or on the smartphone the wearable is paired with, but many apps will require a Wi-Fi or cellular connection to take the onboard data and upload it to the cloud where it can be processed and analyzed before it is reported back to the user, Blau said.
"Apps are an obvious and convenient platform to enable great products and services to be developed," Blau said in a statement.
Part of the reason wearable apps are expected to grow so quickly is due to the expected growth in wearables like smartwatches. Gartner late in 2013 predicted that there will be up to 7 million smartwatches sold in 2014, up from less than 1 million in 2013.
"Our forecast on app usage is based on the basic trends of how many wearables will be out there and basic metrics around app interaction," Blau explained. " A good portion of what people are going to do will be based on some type of data that originated from a point in the past from a wearable device," he said.
Blau said there will be side benefits to having that data that aren't apparent in advance. One inventor Blau knows said he was developing technology to monitor his own sleep patterns, which six months later helped reveal a heart ailment.
Blau said wearables won't rely entirely on mobile apps and might develop as hybrids of mobile apps paired with mobile Web interactions. But he said developers will probably build apps for wearables sold mainly in the App Store and Google Play because that's where the opportunity to generate revenue has been.
"Developers will follow the money," he said.
Gartner predicts app downloads will reach $77 billion by 2017. Today, about 92% of app downloads are free, but users will often accept advertising or data connectivity in exchange for use of the app. Businesses benefit from free mobils apps as a means of better engaging with their customers.
This article, As wearable devices hit the market, apps are sure to follow, was originally published at Computerworld.com.
Matt Hamblen covers mobile and wireless, smartphones and other handhelds, and wireless networking for Computerworld. Follow Matt on Twitter at @matthamblen or subscribe to Matt's RSS feed. His email address is email@example.com.
Read more about mobile apps in Computerworld's Mobile Apps Topic Center.


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Siete Agromarketing has successfully celebrated the first of its series of Business Agro Tertulias, an innovative formula of meeting and debate that aims to foster collaboration between professionals and companies in the agricultural sector and the different institutions and administrations, around a topical issue and interest.
I Tertulia Agro Business Marketing DO WE SPEAK?: marketing stone fruit in China, which was held on September 29th in Lleida, has thrown its main conclusions address the challenge of this demanding and vast market under a brand of quality differentiated focus the supply of Spanish stone fruit exports to this country. The sector has welcomed the announcement of MAGRAMA director general Valentin Almansa, “that Russia “will not hinder the logistic transport by train”.
As stressed in this forum, jointly organized by Siete Agromarketing, e-Comercio Agrario (ECA) and the Business Association of Fruit of Catalonia (Afrucat), the fact that the Chinese consumer with some purchasing power prefer the imported goods rather than those produced in the country, given the limited guarantees they offer, represents for the Spanish production of stone fruit the opportunity to differentiate in quality and food safety and retain a segment of the Chinese population estimated at about 200 million population.
With the signing between Spain and China, on April 13th, of the protocol for the export of stone fruits, our country has become the world’s first with free access to this kind of fruit at the Chinese market. During the opening session (which was attended by the Director General of Food Quality and Food Industries (DARP) of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Antoni Diaz, the director general of Health of the Agricultural Production of MAGRAMA, Valentin Almansa; Deputy mayor for Promotion of Lleida, Rafael Peris, and Gissele Falcon, CEO of Seven Agromarketing and ECA), the representative of MAGRAMA informed, in relation to the importance of alternative routes of transport to the sea which shorten transit times, that Russia has confirmed in writing that the Government will not hinder the transport by rail through its territory of Spanish fruit to China.
Almansa: “China is an example of what will be our future in export, as strong pressure from mass distribution on the producer sector is forced to seek new alternatives. So we are forced to look further and by a longer period of time”
Meanwhile, Antoni Diaz, said among the challenges of export of stone fruit to China, on the one hand, the need for a thorough knowledge of the market, its distributors and business contacts because, culturally and traditionally, business with Chinese companies basically get “making friends”. On the other, taking into account the conditions in this type of fruit, of more perishable nature than others, leading to work logistical and crop areas to get to reach such a remote destination in the shortest possible time and in the most optimal conditions. In that sense, Rafael Peris said that, unlike the Asian market, “selling to Europe, is to sell to neighbors, as sell yourself”, with logistical and transport very similar.
On the importance of a joint strategy in the export sector of stone fruit to successfully reach the Chinese market, Valentin Turegano, Business Manager of Tecnidex referred to the convenience of opting for a brand policy, through a quality distinction recognized (protected Geographical Indication (PGI), protected Designation of Origin (PDO), following the example of Chile with cherry exports to China, where the product has already been done with a name and prestige.
PRODECA manager, Ramon Sentmartí Director stressed the importance of positioning as a quality brand to compete in the Chinese market
In this commitment to address the Chinese market in a joint and coordinated manner under the same umbrella brand of “Premium” quality, virtually all commentators agreed. Thus, the manager director of Afrucat, Manel Simon, pointed out that “our production of stone fruit should offer, compared to those produced in China, size, quality, (rather sweet) intense flavor and durability. In that sense, and although these are not an easy challenge, our exports have in this country a unique opportunity to join through a brand quality “.
Meanwhile, Joan Solanes, CEO of Chinese-Spanish Commercial Office (OCCHE), said that aggregate brand”Peach Spain” to distinguish the productions of our country, it would be a good opportunity to gain market share in China. “In that sense, we have an excellent vehicle to promote and disseminate trade online and RR.SS” he assured. In that vein, Joan Presseguer, CEO of Fruits de Ponent, said that to boost a powerful export to China is necessary to combine the efforts of industry, research, and institutions. “We must work on the concept of” collective intelligence “to export more and better”, he remarked.
Logistics, technology and finance, key to success
Issues of technology, logistics and financial, as essential to successfully reach the Chinese market key, would focus the debate on the first talk show, starring representatives of Syngenta, Tecnidex, Caixa Company and Port of Barcelona, all sponsoring entities of this event.
Thus, in relation to aspects of postharvest, Rui Correia, CP Asset Mgt Lead Iberia Syngenta, highlighted the efforts of his company to offer solutions so that the fruit is marketed under the best conditions and satisfy the end consumer, “considering that the postharvest period is calculated from the fruit is harvested until it reaches the consumer, without forgetting its time “shelf life”, which, in the case of a remote destination as China can be a period of up to two months”.
For Valentine Turegano, business manager of Tecnidex, “the taste will be one of the fundamental keys to take position strongly in this market in the future”.
Judith Illa, foreign trade expert of CaixaEmpresa, advised exporters that in cases of markets such as China with other currencies than the euro charge, had this aspect into account to better calculate their margins.
Lluis Paris, commercial manager of Port of Barcelona, said that China is the biggest trading partner of Port de Barcelona and 21% of their containers (400.000) have this country as origin or destination
“For the Port of Barcelona it is very important to know at all time what happens in this country and how to get our goods to that destination, as well as our commitment to the railroad, since 12% of the goods of our port also move by that means”, noted Paris.


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South Korea is known for its friendly stance on innovations including cryptocurrency. The country has even announced plans for releasing their own CDBC dubbed the digital won. However, they also show support to businesses dealing with other digital currencies.
The Swiss parliament has passed new amendments to the country’s blockchain and cryptocurrency regulations. The new framework is aimed at boosting the Swiss community and confirming the country’s status of Crypto Nation.
The USA seems to be keeping pace with global digitization. Shortly after the country announced its plans on issuing the digital dollar, a new bill was presented to legalize blockchain-based digital signatures.
While the US Securities and Exchange Commission is known for its cautious stance on cryptocurrencies, it seems things have been changing. The watchdog’s Chairman claimed that they are open to Decentralized innovations.
Despite people tend to trust traditional finance and banking more than their innovative alternatives, global giants prove they are not as reliable as it seems. As giant banks get themselves exposed to nefarious activity, people start exploring innovations like cryptocurrency, thus building trust in this kind of assets.
The financial technology (fintech) industry has seen a significant boost in terms of innovations. The most important technology is considered to be blockchain. However, some community players doubt that this tech is actually the saturation point of fintech.
As innovative technologies like blockchain and cryptocurrency gain popularity, they draw the attention of global celebrities from various fields. Now, a rapper Jay Z and a movie star Will Smith invested in a startup aimed at helping Ethereum developers.


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Everything you need to know about the Nokia 2, a budget-friendly smartphone
It seems like only yesterday that Nokia, the fabled Finnish company behind the indestructible Nokia 3380, rose from the post-Microsoft grave with three new smartphones running Google’s Android operating system: The Nokia 8, the Nokia 6, Nokia 5, and Nokia 3. But it’s just getting started.
Thanks to a strategic agreement with HMD Global, Nokia plans to release as many as six or seven phones in 2017. Leaks suggest the next might be the Nokia 2, a budget-friendly phone with a massive battery.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Nokia 2, including the rumored hardware, price tag, and release date.
Nokia 2 pic.twitter.com/IPp6Qvxp8o
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) September 14, 2017
The Nokia 2 won’t compete with flagships like the Apple iPhone X or Google Pixel, if leaked hardware specs are any indication. Instead, it’s shaping up to be Nokia’s answer to budget smartphones like the Lenovo Moto E4
Benchmarks in July suggest the Nokia 2 has a 5-inch HD (1,280 x 720 pixels) screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 210 or Snapdragon 212 processor paired with 1GB of RAM, and software based on Android 7.1.1 Nougat. Federal Communications Commission filings show it will pack a 4,000 mAh battery — the biggest on a Nokia handset this year — and 8GB of internal storage.
Product renders of the Nokia 2 (as first reported by Evan Blass) show a phone in line with Nokia’s new design language. Thick bezels pad the top and bottom, and a silver-accented band runs the length of all four sides. The corners are slightly curved, like the iPhone’s, and there is no home button to speak of; the only physical buttons are the power button and volume rocker on the right-hand side.
There is not much more to be gleaned from the renders, but the Nokia 2 appears to have a single front camera, a vertically oriented rear camera and flash, and a tiny back-firing loudspeaker in the lower left corner. The pic shows two colors, black and white. And if the LTE indicator on the screen is anything to go by, the Nokia 2 will support high-speed 4G cell networks.
Release date and price
We have a pretty good idea of what the Nokia 2 will look like, but we don’t know when it will be released.
Earlier rumors suggested that it would debut at Nokia’s London event on August 16 or its IFA press conference on August 31, but those dates came and went without an announcement. FCC filings tend to be a good indication that the launch date is not far away.
The Nokia 2’s pricing is easier to guess at. MySmartPrice claims the Nokia 2 will cost about $109, fitting squarely between the Nokia 3310 ($52) and the Nokia 3 ($157). That is a reasonable assumption — judging by the low-end hardware, it will almost certainly be cheaper than the Nokia 8 and Nokia 6.


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Hungexpo Budapest announces record-breaking £21m revenue in 2018
Hungary’s largest exhibition organiser and event management company, Hungexpo, has announced record-breaking turnover for 2018.
Hungexpo, which is part of the international GL events Group, announced it had earned more than £21 million (HUF7.9 billion) at the end of 2018 which is an almost 30 per cent increase from the previous year’s £16m turnover.
The increased revenue is partly thanks to the three new exhibitions launched by Hungexpo in 2018, HOMEDesign, HungaroMed and the Beauty and Style Show. The successful launch of these exhibitions indicates the rising popularity of speciality fairs, which are expected to overtake large audience fairs.
Hungexpo reported that more than 450,000 people attended events, exhibitions, conferences, and corporate parties at the Hungexpo Budapest Fair Centre, the company’s permanent event space, last year.
Some of Hungexpo’s major events in 2018 included hosting the 15th Congress of the European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health (ESC), run by US-based pharmaceutical company, Pharma. The event welcomed 1,500 attendees from 86 countries.
Hungexpo also hosted the European championship of young professionals, EuroSkills Budapest 2018 last Septemeber. The event attracted close to 100,000 visitors which filled the entire 60,000 sqm of event space at Hungexpo Budapest Fair Centre.
Managing director of Hungexpo, Gabor Ganczer said: “For years we have been working with our parent company, GL events Group, towards hosting more international professional conferences.
“In 2018 our pavillions operated at 87 per cent occupancy, which is an outstanding achievement in the company’s history.”
After international success in 2018, Hungexpo will welcome more globally-recognised events this year, including ERA EDTA, the European Renal Association and the European Dialysis and Transplant Association, in June.
Hungexpo will also host the WTTC 2019, the singles World Table Tennis Championships in April; an event expected to draw more than 10,000 competitors from around the world.
Other events hosted at Hungexpo Budapest Fair Centre this year include Construma, the 38th International Budiling Trade Exhibition in April and AutotTechnika, the 28th International Vehicle Maintenance Industry Trade Exhibition in October.
The event space will also undergo an expansion in April, Ganczer said: “The construction and it’s temporary discomfort, all show the trust we put in our future.
“We, here at Hungexpo, are sure that in two year’s time we will be the owners of a world-class facility, capable of fully satisfying the needs of the exhibitors and visitors alike.”
Published Date: 28/03/2019


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New models - Porsche - 911 - GT3 RS
Geneva show: Porsche outs feistier 911 GT3 RS
New 383kW Porsche 911 GT3 RS launching in Q4 priced from $416k BOCs
Click to see larger images
21 Feb 2018
PORSCHE has whipped the covers off its facelifted 911 GT3 RS, and the German car-maker’s most powerful naturally aspirated sportscar is set to hit Australian showrooms in the fourth quarter this year priced from $416,500 before on-road costs.
Set for its international debut at the Geneva motor show next month, the new GT3 RS is $29,200 dearer than the model it replaces and attracts a $89,700 premium over the updated regular GT3 that went on sale late last year.
The GT3 RS’ motorsport-derived 4.0-litre atmo flat six-cylinder petrol engine returns to the action, this time punching out 383kW of power and 470Nm of torque – increases of 15kW and 10Nm over its predecessor and the latest GT3.
These swollen outputs translate to improved acceleration, with the GT3 RS now knocking down the sprint from zero to 100km/h in 3.2 seconds – 0.1s quicker than before – on the way to a top speed of 312km/h, up 2km/h.
As before, drive is exclusively sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission which has been specially calibrated to mate well with the high-performance engine that offers a screaming redline of 9000rpm.
Unlike the newest GT3, the GT3 RS is once again not available with a six-speed manual gearbox.
Performance has been further honed with a recalibration of the rear-wheel-steering system that turns the rear wheels the same way as the front ones at high speeds or the opposite way when travelling at low speeds. Either way, Porsche promises “maximum dynamics and precision”.
As per the 991.2 facelift that has been slowly rolled out to all 911 variants, the GT3 RS also picks up tweaked headlight and tail-light designs, and mildly restyled front and rear bumpers.
The eye-catching rear wing spoiler remains in all its glory, this time mounted on the new lightweight rear lid.
The GT3 RS rolls on a mixed set of lightweight alloy wheels, comprised of 20-inch rims wrapped in 265/35 tyres up front and 21-inch hoops shod in 325/30 rubber at the rear. Porsche says the former “enhance agility and steering behaviour” while the latter “improve traction”.
Inside, changes are less apparent, save for the addition of the latest 7.0-inch PCM touchscreen infotainment system, but bucket seats made of carbon-fibre are standard fair.
As is the case with all current GT-branded 911s, the Clubsport package is a no-cost option that adds a roll-over bar, a manual fire extinguisher, preparation for a battery disconnect switch and a six-point seatbelt – all in honour of a full-on track experience.
Additionally, the optional Weissach package provides a further weight reduction with extra carbon-fibre components for the chassis, interior and exterior, as well as a magnesium wheel option.
In its lightest form, the Weissach package reduces the GT3 RS’ weight to 1430 kilograms – 10kg heavier than before – but pricing is yet to be confirmed by Porsche Cars Australia (PCA).
Claimed fuel consumption on the combined cycle test is 12.8 litres per 100 kilometres, up 0.1L/100km, while carbon dioxide emissions have been tested at 291 grams per km, down 5g/km.
The GT3 RS is the third GT-branded 911 sportscar to launch in the past year, following the GT3 from the 2017 Geneva show and GT2 RS from the 2017 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Sales of the 911 steadily increased last year, with 431 examples sold to the end of 2017, representing a 2.1 per cent improvement over the 422 deliveries made in 2016.
This effort resulted in the Porsche becoming the best-selling model in last year’s over-$200,000 sportscar segment, placing it ahead of all Ferrari models (210 units), the Mercedes-AMG GT (149) and all Aston Martin models (134).
The Road to Recovery podcast series
13th of September 2017
Frankfurt show: Porsche goes all subtle with GT3
Touring Package softens the appearance of the GT3 while retaining brutal heart
3rd of July 2017
Fastest, most powerful Porsche 911 uncovered
Goodwood reveal for ballistic 515kW Porsche 911 GT2 RS coupe
9th of March 2017
Geneva show: More power, extra tricks for Porsche GT3
Porsche 911 GT3 price jumps $34k for latest version with 368kW Cup engine
3rd of March 2015
Geneva show: Porsche reveals fastest atmo 911
Porsche 911 GT3 RS gets big-bore 4.0-litre flat six in track-ready package
All new models
Motor industry news


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The Big Chill For Annuities In 2017
Financial Advisor; December 26, 2016
With the Department of Labor's 1,000-page fiduciary regulations due to take effect in April 2017, and a new anti-regulatory administration about to take office in Washington, insurance carriers are facing a double whammy of uncertainty.
"Going forward, there just won't be as many developments of new financial products simply because the insurance companies aren't sure what exactly fits in and what doesn't," says John Rodgers, chief operating officer, financial services and retail, at New York-based SSA & Co. "They might think about trying to design products, but with these barriers in the way they are mostly going to wait and see what happens."
The DOL ruling impacts many types of annuities and the distribution of insurance policies. But Rodgers foresees a chilling effect on the industry as a whole. In fact, he anticipates there will be fewer insurance products on the market in the year ahead. "The products may not go away, but the number sold will likely be scaled back," he predicts.


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A common concern for Call of Duty: Warzone players at the moment is whether or not they’ll be able to retain the skins and items they purchased for Call of Duty: Warzone 2, which is expected to arrive within the next year. Earlier this year, Activision confirmed it was planning to release Call of Duty: Warzone 2 alongside the recently announced Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II. Although other battle royales like Fortnite have managed to sustain themselves for years now, Warzone‘s myriad of technical issues has resulted in developer Raven Software choosing to cut its losses and start from scratch on an all-new engine.
Given the change in engine, many fear their skins will be lost in the shuffle. In an interview with The Washington Post, creative lead of CoD live ops Josh Bridge noted the technical challenges brought by the many different updates to the game. There’s an immense amount of content in the game, sometimes making it challenging to find certain items, which is pushing the developer to find new ways to make it accessible. In regards to if content will transfer over to Warzone 2, Bridge noted it’s a “technology discussion”. Call of Duty insider Tom Henderson noted on Twitter that he had heard it will be a “clean slate”, suggesting skins will not be transferred over, which wouldn’t be too surprising.
Every time I ask, I keep getting the answer “it’s a clean slate” – Which to me implies a hard reset. So we’ll see what happens there.
— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) April 29, 2022
Given the technology challenges of porting things between different engines, possible licensing issues from crossover characters, and much more, there’s a lot that would go in to making such a thing a reality. As of right now, there are next to no details regarding the next iteration of Warzone. Some rumors have revealed general map details for Warzone 2 and many expect it to be exclusive to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC, but there’s nothing too concrete. It’s likely more will be revealed this summer as we approach the official reveal of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II.
Do you think skins will transfer over to Warzone 2? Let us know in the comments below or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.


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TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - Pima County isn't going to follow the city of Tucson in passing a rule that requires pet stores to sell only dogs from shelters or nonprofit rescue groups.
The Tucson City Council earlier this month directed its staff to draft the rule for pet stores within city limits.
But the county, unlike the city, is prohibited by state law from dictating similar constraints on store owners.
An opinion from the Pima County Attorney's Office determined nothing in the state constitution or state law could justify interfering in where pet stores should acquire their inventory from.
The opinion says the measure would be unenforceable if county official approve it.
Tucson has more leeway in which laws it can adopt.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.