text:
LatAm PE in ‘perfect storm’ as overcapacities meet slowing economy – Brazil distributor
SAO PAULO (ICIS)–The Latin American polyethylene (PE) market is heading into a “perfect storm” as the economy slows down while new global capacities continue coming on stream, according to the director at Brazil’s chemicals distributor Piramidal.
Wilson Cataldi, director at the company he founded in 1985, said PE coming from the US is currently “flooding” Latin American markets, including its largest economy of Brazil, which is making production for non-US producers challenging.
He added that Brazil’s economy is currently entering a downturn which presents a “very difficult” situation for a new government presided over by Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva since January.
US PE FLOODS LATAM
The US shale gas boom and associated increase in the supply of natural gas liquids (NGLs) such as ethane, key for the polymers industry as it can be transformed into building block ethylene, is now showing its effects on the PE market and, to a lesser extent, on polypropylene (PP).
It was always clear that US PE producers had export markets in mind when they planned their investments, and it was always clear that, apart from plastics-hungry, developing Asia, the Latin American markets would be a natural export destination.
The effects are now in full view. Producers in Latin America with no access to such affordable feedstocks are taking a hit.
Brazil’s petrochemicals major Braskem, a bellwether for the region’s petrochemicals industry, posted heavy losses in 2022 as high feedstocks costs met falling profit margins caused by lower selling prices.
“A perfect storm is coming. Latin America is flooded with US PE, and this is expected to continue for at least two or three more years. Supply coming from the US to Brazil, no matter what the import tariffs are, pressures prices down and that is going to continue for a while,” said Cataldi.
“There are several factors which indicate a perfect storm is brewing. There is a global slowdown, which is also affecting Brazil, while there is growing PE supply – the whole world is going into a period of lower prices, for longer.”
Cataldi went on to say that if a normal downturn cycle can last two or three years, PE’s overcapacity crisis “could last four or five” years, an uneasy situation for any polymers producer outside the US.
“There is plenty of capacity coming online while the market is retreating,” he said.
Cataldi mentioned the import tariffs after the Brazilian government hiked them for several polymers following intense lobbying from Braskem, the key PE producer in Brazil.
While smaller players who import product said their costs would spike after the import tariffs increase, both Braskem and Brazil’s chemicals trade group Abiquim welcomed the measure.
According to Piramidal’s director, however, the import tariff hike was expected after Braskem’s losses in 2022. As Brazil’s state-owned energy major Petrobras owns a 36% stake in Braskem, the performance of the petrochemicals producer can be considered a matter for the state to take action on.
“All countries use these type of instruments [to help their domestic industries]. The new government is very much about intervening in the market if that saves jobs. For the Brazilian economy, I understand the hike in imports: without that sort of external help, Braskem would find producing very difficult,” he said.
Cataldi said his preference would be, however, for a free market in which the government has little influence.
ECONOMIC POLICY, OR LACK
The new Brazilian government which took office in January has promised to increase social spending, but Cataldi said that promise could be difficult to fulfil given the slowing economy, which could not generate the tax hikes required to expand the state’s reach.
One economic sector which could do with some government help is automotive, with several Brazilian automobile plants going idle due to poor demand.
“Brazil’s vehicle production stood in February at 130,000 units, the lowest for 17 years. As interest rates remain high [at 13.75%], the recovery will take some time: consumers are not spending on durable goods such cars, TVs, fridges…” said Capaldi.
Earlier this week, the head for the Americas at Saudi petrochemicals major SABIC also said to ICIS the crisis afflicting durable goods consumption was hitting the petrochemicals industry hard.
Overall, however, Brazil’s new cabinet still lacks concrete economic plans which could bring back confidence to both businesses and consumers, said Cataldi.
In a more general reflection on Brazil’s performance, Cataldi said the country’s politicians tend to lack the required long-term vision for the country to prosper.
“There is still a lot of suffering in Brazil linked to social inequality. Interestingly, the size of the Brazilian economy was equal to that of China in 1970: look at where China is now, and look at Brazil,” he said.
“When you ask what went wrong, my answer would be: we lack leaders committed to the long term but, instead, they are obsessed with the short-term electoral cycle. I have been nearly 40 years running Piramidal: today, I am taking decisions that will affect the company’s performance in 10 years.”
Piramidal employs 200 workers and has 10 distribution centres in Brazil.
In 2022, it moved 100,000 tonnes in volumes, and posted sales of Brazilian reais (R) 1,3bn ($245m), according to Cataldi.
This interview took place in Sao Paulo during the plastics trade fair Plastico Brasil, which runs on 27-31 March.
($1 = R5.09)
Front page picture: Petrochemical
facilities in Deer Park, US state of Texas;
Source: David J Phillip/AP/Shutterstock
Interview article by Jonathan Lopez
Global News + ICIS Chemical Business (ICB)
See the full picture, with unlimited access to ICIS chemicals news across all markets and regions, plus ICB, the industry-leading magazine for the chemicals industry.
Now, more than ever, dynamic insights are key to navigating complex, volatile commodity markets. Access to expert insights on the latest industry developments and tracking market changes are vital in making sustainable business decisions.
Want to learn about how we can work together to bring you actionable insight and support your business decisions?


text:
Although the weight-loss management company had problems with spam foryears, Jeff Nelson, Jenny Craig's director of technology, says theproblem became worse for the company's 3,000 employees in the last year. At the height of the dilemma, almost half of incoming e-mail (includingthose to Nelson's own e-mail account) was unwanted spam, despite thefact that two IT employees worked full-time to administer in-house spamfilters.
Finally this past February, Jenny Craig took a path that many othercompanies have started to take -- company executives looked for helpfoiling spammers outside their own IT department. IT heads there hiredPostini, a Redwood City, Calif.-based company that offers email securityservices and virus protection.
According to a recent study by the Framingham, Mass.-based marketresearch firm International Data Corporation (IDC), spam infiltrationhas dramatically increased in the last few years, reducing theusefulness of e-mail, which has largely become a spam carrier as much asan information carrier.https://o1.qnsr.com/log/p.gif?;n=203;c=204660766;s=9477;x=7936;f=201812281312070;u=j;z=TIMESTAMP;a=20392931;e=i In 2002, 7.5 billion spams were mailed worldwide each day, according toRobert Mahowald, a research manager for IDC. And in 2004, that numberrose to 23.5 billion.
''It is definite that spammers are getting smarter,'' Mahowaldmaintains.
And it seems there are a few spam giants who are causing most of theproblems.
Mahowald contends that there are about 25 to 30 spam sources thatare accountable for 95 percent of the total number of spams each year. Most of these, he says, are involved in illegal businesses.
IDC notes that in a recent survey of 500 businesses, 69 percentreport spending part of their budget on anti-spam services or software,and 24 percent planned to install filters within six months. Only theremaining 7 percent had no plans to combat spam.
''Companies are getting smarter because they have to,'' says Mahowald.
The increased demand for e-mail security by companies like JennyCraig has meant more business for Postini. Postini's bookings andrevenues have grown 30 percent per quarter for the last 14 quarters,which translates to 185 percent growth each year, according to Andrew Lochart, Postini's director of product marketing.
Some of the company's 3,700 clients include Merrill Lynch, Ray-o-vac,and maybe a little ironically, the Hormel Food Corp., manufacturer of the food product Spam.
Before hiring Postini, Jenny Craig's Nelson says it took two ITemployees working full time to administer the in-housespam filters. Now it is ''light work'' for one IT employee to maintainPostini every day, he adds.
In addition to allowing in too much spam, Jenny Craig's previous in-house filter methods would sometimes erroneously delete important e-mail messages. That means critical emails, possibly regarding financing, customer needs or marketing plans, would be lost. It also means that customers or business partners might be left wondering why they received no response from the company.
''Some people, on occasion, would say, 'Hey, is something wrongwith the e-mail' I didnt get something I was supposed to.' And sureenough, we would check and something would be caught [in the filter],''Nelson says.
Now with Postini's solution in place, questionable e-mail is sent to the IT department, where it's sifted through and some is sent on to the employees. This also has cut down on employees using their e-mail for extraneous personal use.
Lochart says in addition to spam attacks, companies also are battlingan increase in direct harvest attacks and 'silent killers', in which a spammer may send a company's server thousands of empty e-mail requests, trying to find an accurate address. This puts an enormous burden on the server because it attempts to create thousands of 'bounce messages' back to the sender, slowing email delivery.
''Spammers are constantly reviving their technique,'' Lochart says. ''It's a cat-and-mouse game.''

domain: news


text:
The PC gaming handheld space is experiencing a boom thanks to the improvements made in mobile graphics tech, namely with the arrival of new AMD Ryzen mobile chips with built-in Radeon graphics like the Ryzen 7 7840U (and its variants) found in devices like the ROG Ally from ASUS and Legion GO from Lenovo.
On top of this, you've got the Steam Deck from Valve, with its custom AMD APU, that has sold millions of units. We're now at a point where PC handheld performance can play many of the latest releases alongside countless indie titles and a backlog of numerous games - with decent performance and battery life.
With rumors swirling that Sony is in the planning stages of creating a new dedicated PlayStation handheld along the lines of its beloved PSP or Vita devices with custom AMD hardware and Microsoft is looking into a dedicated Xbox Game Pass handheld, we can now add another name into the mix - NVIDIA.
As part of a new video breaking down the potential hardware that will make up the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 from tech channel Moore's Law is Dead, towards the end of the discussion, we get word that NVIDIA is currently looking into creating its very own 'premium gaming handheld.'
According to the channel, citing sources close to NVIDIA, the company is currently unhappy with AMD's success in the PC gaming handheld market, not only with the Steam Deck from Valve but also the dozens of AMD-powered handhelds presently available. And with that, it's looking at leveraging its GeForce hardware and architecture to compete.
"NVIDIA is worried they are missing a boat here," Moore's Law is Dead states. "I have been told directly that they have been looking into working with somebody on a premium handheld gaming device."
There's even a chance that NVIDIA will partner with Intel. However, this might be unlikely as Intel has gone all in on its new mobile chips with inbuilt Arc Graphics, as seen in MSI's new Claw gaming handheld. Remember that this is all still a rumor from a single source - so take this news of NVIDIA moving into the PC gaming handheld space with a heavy grain of salt. If true, unfortunately, it sounds like the device is still "years away" from release - so we might not get any official announcement until 2025 or 2026.
With NVIDIA's excellent power efficiency with its latest Ada Lovelace architecture and technology like DLSS and Reflex, not to mention its popular GeForce NOW cloud streaming service - a GeForce-powered handheld outside of the Switch 2, at this point, does feel inevitable.


text:
The Australian economy benefited from a once-in-a-lifetime resource boom that began in the early 2000s. A decade later, the investment cycle has come to an end and resource prices have fallen considerably. China is pivoting away from mega investment towards consistent consumption. While this is causing possible headwinds for the Australian economy, the Asian growth story continues.
It's easy to overlook the sheer scale of the Asian population base and, as some Australian companies have witnessed recently, the Asian consumer can really drive a company's revenue.
More than 3.6 billion people, or roughly half the globe's population, live in Asia. Of the top 20 most populous nations, 13 of them are in Asia, led by China and India. After two decades of rapid economic expansion many Asian economies are maturing and are expected to grow below recent trends but above the rate of most western nations.
History shows poorer countries that industrialise and urbanise often follow that up with a meaningful rise in consumer wealth. Take a case study in Japan: during the '80s and '90s, Japanese household expenditure doubled over a 15-year period implying income growth of 5.6 per cent per annum.
Asian growth in income
Asia's consumption and domestic demand continues to be an attractive area for structural growth. Billions of Asian consumers are forecast to grow their disposable income two-fold over the next decade. Current trends suggest that China and other populous Asian nations are in the early stages of multi-decade wealth growth. As wealth grows, consumption habits evolve towards more premium goods and services. Wealthy consumers demand healthier eating options as well as top-tier education, luxury goods and unique entertainment.
But the consumer is also getting wiser and more savvy. The best-selling pair of Jeans on Taobao, China's number one online marketplace, cost just $6. Competing on price is no longer going to cut it. One of the sectors which is growing rapidly is cosmetics. While consumption is coming off a low base, demand continues to grow strongly. In China, annual per capita spend on cosmetics is only $35 compared to $250 in Australia. Growth over the past five years has compounded at 12 per cent and is expected to continue to grow at 10 per cent over the next five years.
One of the boom areas for growth has been Korean cosmetic companies. K-Pop, Korean culture, Korean TV and cinema, Korean fashion are all drivers, helping to push the customers to buy Korean cosmetics. This has been reflected in department store sales and growth in duty free sales. Korean cosmetic companies or "Kosmetic" companies have increased market share from 0.9 per cent to 1.9 per cent over the past six years. This is also being fuelled by the growth in tourism and duty free sales.
The Korean cosmetics sector is growing so fast that Korea has become the second-largest cosmetic supplier to China, only after France. In this rapidly evolving landscape there are many opportunities. We seek to understand the detail and look for stocks that can deliver quality earnings growth. The Korean cosmetics sector is one that checks those boxes.
Sam Le Cornu is co-head of Macquarie Asset Management's Asian equities team and is based in Hong Kong.
- Fiona Carruthers


text:
Saab celebrated 25 years of drop top motoring yesterday, but today there isn’t much to celebrate as the Detroit news is reporting that talks to partner with Hawtai Motors has crumbled. The Chinese automaker wasn’t able to secure stakeholder concent to get a 29.9 percent stake in Saab in exchange for $172 million.
This is not good news, however it doesn’t necessarily spell the end of the long and dramatic saga of Saab. Hawtai and Saab are reportedly still trying to resurrect the deal and on top of that, Saab is supposedly in talks with the European Investment Bank for a $41 million loan drawdown. It already has a $48 million loan to sell new cars in the short term, but Saab is still looking for some long term security. Apparently they’re ven willing to strike a deal with shady Russian businessman and former Spyker Chairman Vladamir Antonov. In fact, Antonov was reportedly the reason why the original Saab-Spyker deal was stalled for so long last year.
In any event, should the Hawtai deal fail completely it seems like Saab has some plan B’s and even some plan C’s in order, so don’t worry too much Saab fans – yet. Besides, with Saab currently developing a new 9-3 and a Audi A1 fighter, it’s unlikely they would continue working on new product when the brand may not exist in the near future.[Detroit News]


text:
The 2021 Geely Coolray has just been unveiled via the Chinese automaker’s official images. Geely’s latest subcompact SUV has been met with exterior and tech revisions, while the powertrain remains largely unchanged for the 2021 model year.
Upfront, the 2021 Geely Coolray features an updated front fascia. This particular variant we see here dons a greyed-out face. Rather than Geely’s “expanding cosmos” grille, the new Coolray features a sportier mesh design. While the headlights look the same as before, this new model’s headlamps now feature an opening sequence. At the sides, there are now a few body graphics that have been added to enhance this particular variant’s sporty looks. There are also a set of new all-black 18-inch wheels, though the design itself is the same as before. Lastly, the Geely Coolray gets a number of new colors, including this shade of yellow in these official photos.
Inside, the 2021 Geely Coolray gets a new color scheme that matches the selected exterior paint job, along with a new, bigger 12.3-inch touch screen infotainment system that replaces the previous model’s 10.25-inch screen. The electronic gear shifter has also been redesigned, and there’s also a new 72-color LED ambient lighting system. The rest of the design, however, remains largely unchanged, which is not exactly a bad thing since the Coolray already has one of the nicest interiors in its segment.
As for powertrains, the new 2021 Geely Coolray is still powered by a 1.5-liter inline-3 turbo gasoline engine that produces 177 hp and 255 Nm of torque. This is then sent to the front wheels via a 7-speed wet dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The facelifted 2021 Geely Coolray is expected to go on sale later this year, while a Philippine launch could happen by early- to mid-2022.


text:
UN switches to EVs for COP21 passenger car fleet
The move marks the first time the UN will use a zero-emission fleet for its entire passenger car shuttle at a COP event.
The fully electric car fleet will shuttle delegates 24 hours, seven days week to key venues around the conference and will feature the Renault ZOE, the Renault Kangoo Z.E. van, the Renault Fluence Z.E. sedan, the Nissan LEAF compact car and the seven-seater Nissan e-NV200 van.
The Renault-Nissan Alliance will work with companies in France to set up a network of more than 50 quick and standard charging stations powered by 100% renewable energy in strategic locations. The quick charging stations will be able to charge the EVs from 0 to 80% capacity in about 30 minutes.
Renault Nissan will also participate in Solutions COP21, an international exhibition on climate-change solutions, at the Grand Palais in Paris.
"We are delighted to announce that the Renault-Nissan Alliance is an official partner of COP21 in Paris. Thanks to the Alliance's fleet of 100% electric vehicles, it will contribute to our goal of achieving a carbon neutral event. The technology of electric vehicles helps reduce greenhouse gases in the transportation sector efficiently," said Laurent Fabius, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, President of COP21.


text:
IT in vertical markets
- July 09, 2019
RPA vendor Automation Anywhere said it's poised to take full advantage of the burgeoning RPA market. Its recent deal with Microsoft is just one indication of RPA's popularity.
- November 30, 2018
Robotic process automation, or RPA, is sweeping R.R. Donnelley & Sons, which enlists RPA adoption as a way to automate repetitive activities in the document preparation process.
- August 16, 2018
The 2018 MIT Sloan CIO Symposium was all about making good on an enterprise digital transformation strategy. Explore the strategic advice, emerging technologies and big ideas from this year’s roster of CIOs, MIT faculty and experts.
- August 14, 2018
The rumors that GE is putting pieces of its vaunted GE Digital unit on the chopping block spread like wildfire. True or not, here's why CIOs should be taking notes.
- July 31, 2018
CIOs can expect the Microsoft industry focus to continue this year as the company seeks to boost its digital transformation business.
- January 22, 2018
The chief innovation officer at Boston Children's Hospital explains how digital technologies are changing the 'patient journey' for the better.
- November 30, 2017
A new Ovum survey cites telecom and banking as the industries making the most progress in digital transformation, while also ranking big data and APIs as the top tech enablers.
- October 20, 2017
Understand the problem first, then invent the technology -- unless you're Google and the technology is its Google Glass device. Also: KRACK attack, AlphaGo Zero, IoT security strategies on the rise.
- September 07, 2017
LAS VEGAS -- For an example of the transformative role drones -- or unmanned aerial vehicles, as they're known in the industry -- will play across industries, just consider, said Michael Huerta, ...
- July 31, 2017
Unpakt overcame an early chicken-and-egg challenge to create an online marketplace that let users view price quotes from multiple moving companies when planning a move.
- June 07, 2016
At online and mobile platform startup TaskRabbit, the TechOps team is as jazzed about the next new thing as the product engineers and data scientists.
- May 27, 2016
McKinsey researcher explains how the people skills required at the start of a digital transformation effort differ from those needed to scale it. Also: useful digital metrics.
- May 12, 2016
A U.K. hotel chain realized it had to get closer to customers who booked their stays through online travel sites. The answer was to cut out the middleman and adopt an API strategy.
- March 31, 2016
When companies get serious about understanding what it costs to get work done employment will change dramatically. Who's ready for the on-demand economy?
- March 30, 2016
Fueled by technology and global in scope, the gig economy is underway. Making it work will require a new social contract.
- February 09, 2016
Two dynamic CEO-CIO relationships were on display at the SIM Boston Technology Leadership Summit, proving that reporting lines count for CIOs bent on shaping business goals.
- January 31, 2016
Annals of digital business disruption: David Foote follows the money and finds that hard-core manufacturers are coming to terms with the digital era.
- December 22, 2015
What does it take to build effective IT teams? At the recent SIM Boston Technology Leadership Summit, CIOs Jack Wood and Paul Brady offered tips on how to recruit, retrain, retain -- and entertain -- IT talent.
- October 16, 2015
Ram Krishnan has a big job in IT. He is the chief marketing officer (CMO) at Frito-Lay North America, a $14 billion division of PepsiCo. In addition to Fritos corn chips and Lay's "Betcha can't eat ...
- August 26, 2015
The Cookie Dining debuts a platform business model designed to outcompete established rivals by offering real-time payment, lower commissions and analytics. It will have to grow fast to do that.
- July 24, 2015
How does Etsy keep its platform business model in tune? Deploying up to 60 code changes a day is par for the course.
- July 10, 2015
Former McCormick CIO Jerry Wolfe talks about his role as CEO of the spice company's new tech spinoff and why a digital platform is so essential to reaching today's foodies.
- April 16, 2015
CKE Restaurants, parent company of Hardee's and Carl's Jr. fast-food chains, is finding out that if you want to sell people food they didn't know they wanted, leave it to an algorithm. Recently, ...
- April 06, 2015
MGM Resorts uses customer analytics to dispel a long-standing myth on how to deliver good customer service to the digital customer.
- March 02, 2015
Myer, Australia's largest department store chain, said Monday that it has replaced its CEO of nine years, Bernie Brookes, with Richard Umbers, 48, who joined Myer as CIO and supply chain officer ...
- February 06, 2015
FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler released details to regulate the Internet as a public utility. Also in Searchlight: Anthem hacked; Google and Uber go head-to-head; Target hires a new CIO.
- January 14, 2015
Virtusize, Clothes Horse and LoveThatFit are trying to solve a burning question for online shoppers: But will it fit?
- October 23, 2014
What separates the high earners from the low earners among senior IT executives? The ability to negotiate a bonus helps, according to the 2014 TechTarget IT Salary and Careers Survey.
- June 09, 2014
Fidelity Investments Enterprise CTO Stephen Neff traces his career arc in this excerpt from an interview on leading the digital enterprise.
- May 17, 2012
Gaining a competitive advantage with mobile is no easy feat for a statewide bank. Getting an early jump made the difference for one CIO.
- May 04, 2012
This week's roundup of bits from around the Web includes two interesting looks at tech innovation. Plus, could your Facebook profile help save a life?
- March 20, 2012
The ACT-IAC recently gave out technology innovation awards to government programs using IT to improve services and automate paper-based operations.
- April 05, 2011
Lands' End CIO Steve Cretney came up with a cloud strategy to help the retailer expand internationally. Then the hard part came -- using his soft skills to bring people along.
- January 11, 2011
As companies began emerging from the recession, IT salaries differed by industry, in some cases widely. How were industries alike? Raises and a generally upbeat outlook for 2011.
- October 26, 2010
Last week, I brought up the topic of chief software architect Ray Ozzie leaving Microsoft. Since then, Ozzie, who rarely issues public statements, published a 3,453-word letter as a farewell and a ...
- October 19, 2010
It's been years since the talk to break up Microsoft. When the company was on trial for antitrust violations in 2000, many experts felt that a breakup was just punishment. But as time went on, many ...
- September 28, 2010
CIO Joe Marcella, a seasoned practitioner of business process automation, talks about his approach and how the recession -- and social media -- have made BPA more critical than ever.
- August 26, 2010
How does a conservative company like The Vanguard Group find itself on the forefront of corporate social media and enterprise 2.0 communication tools? It's all about the client.
- February 16, 2010
A combination of desktop and server virtualization is helping one bank CIO sync up disaster recovery between the backup data center and production site.
- January 13, 2010
Welch's uses business intelligence Software as a Service to retain data during an ERP implementation and gain operational efficiencies and savings.
- January 07, 2010
The results of our annual IT salary survey are in, and IT execs in some industries clearly earn more than others. Which industry do you think comes out on top?
- August 11, 2009
CIOs reluctant to put cloud pilots into production are investing in private clouds with moves they can then take to the public cloud later.
- May 06, 2009
Find out how CIOs are providing business users with real-time data without big investments in BAM tools.
- March 19, 2009
This CIO's disaster recovery plan for branch offices (hospitals) seems to have it all covered -- including the business mission.
- February 05, 2009
Vendor management offices and standards bodies can help large organizations save money on IT purchasing and better manage vendor relations, both critical during a recession.
- September 11, 2008
Tom Brady, CIO of a clinical network for administering chronic biologic drugs, explains how business event processing allows his firm to coordinate the distribution and administration of meds to patients in real time and at substantial cost savings.
- April 01, 2008
As French wine and spirits giant Pernod takes on Absolut, CIO Beatrice Leon no doubt is absolute-ly ready.
- February 13, 2008
Will Wal-Mart's mandate requiring Sam's Clubs to use RFID finally transform technology? Read and listen to one analyst's view.
- December 12, 2007
Pressured by lobbyists, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appoints veteran IT exec Teresa Takai as the Golden State's first statewide CIO. Better haul out that suit of armor, say analysts.
- December 11, 2007
Following a very public bankruptcy, a beleaguered California utility brought in a new team of executives to turn the company around and improve the efficiency of their data center. Among them was Patricia Lawicki, who made some progressive ...
- November 21, 2007
With a relocated Turkey Talk-Line call center and SAP system at the ready, America's most recognized turkey brand has the oven on for the holidays.
- September 25, 2007
At AFCOM's Data Center World, technical architect Doug Hall explains how capacity management and forecasting has enabled his company to grow at a rapid rate and earn executive support for data center construction.
- September 19, 2007
A 15-month study by health experts and vendors tests electronic health record systems -- and the grade is not good.
- August 21, 2007
It's a marriage made in Mensa: A law firm and a seasoned vendor figure out how to marry content management to litigation services to come up with a tool that does everything but argue cases.
- June 19, 2007
Just another process? Perhaps. But for one firm, going from no process to being process-centric turned it into a well-tuned IT organization.
- April 26, 2007
Managing the real estate leases of 6,300 stores would have driven a lesser man to the edge. But when CIO Joshua Jewett automated the process it gave way for continued growth -- as well as cost savings.
- March 06, 2007
The CIOs of Chicago, Seattle and San Francisco talk about the goals of their high-profile municipal Wi-Fi projects and the challenges they faced along the way.
- January 18, 2007
Experts say senior IT executives at TJX are most likely on the hot seat today after the retail giant revealed Wednesday a massive computer security breach.
- January 10, 2007
The global economy is spurring companies to make Web sites in many languages. Translation is the name of the game. CIOs take note: IT will be called on to play.
- August 01, 2006
Server consolidation and time savings are the two big benefits of virtualization, according to one healthcare company.
- July 26, 2006
The hosted data center is an appealing alternative to building new. But experts warn you can't just hand over the reins and walk away: It requires hands-on management.
- July 25, 2006
Jefferson Medical Center used business intelligence software to measure and improve employee productivity while maintaining a high level of patient care.
- June 07, 2006
IT needs to support and enhance business goals. Rich Hoffman, newly minted CEO of the North American IT operations at Hyundai Motor Co., took the mandate a step further, turning IT into a business.
- May 23, 2006
Being out in the middle of nowhere doesn't get you off the hook when it comes to complying with state regulations. Learn how one rural Illinois hospital is trying to give patients 24/7 pharmacy access through a VPN.
- April 06, 2006
The high-profile Wal-Mart CIO has a new job, but she leaves an impenetrable legacy to the IT world.
- March 08, 2006
The state of Wisconsin walked away from a $2.6 million email integration project using Oracle Collaboration Suite. What went wrong? Some say the CIO.
- December 23, 2005
When the consulting firm Katzenbach Partners released a report recently describing a metric -- called the Relative Value of Growth (RVG) -- that purports to measure the strengths and capabilities of outsourcing firms, it caused a stir.
- September 21, 2005
Wireless technology will help connect doctors and patients without so much red tape, one hospital CIO says.
- July 14, 2005
The Marine Biological Laboratory cabins on Cape Cod have no heat or local phone service -- but now the scientists in residence have VoIP.
- February 22, 2005
In his monthly column, Jonathan Byrnes highlights five areas where CIOs in the retail industry can work to improve the bottom line.
- December 06, 2004
MCI Inc. CIO Elizabeth Hackenson discusses the IT challenges of rebuilding what was once WorldCom.
- November 23, 2004
With online sales expected to increase up to 25% this year, tech upgrades at retailers like L.L. Bean and Ice.com focus on back-end enhancements.
- October 21, 2004
At this week's Gartner Symposium ITxpo, one expert said cutting-edge networking issues like MPLS and VoIP are transforming enterprises, paving the way for application convergence.
- September 20, 2004
What separates the leaders from the followers? One established leader says there are six qualities that make the difference.
- September 01, 2004
Lands' End CIO Frank Giannantonio discusses how IT has helped lead change -- and improve -- the retailer.
- March 29, 2004
The Six Sigma methodology was developed in the 1980s by Motorola Inc. to reduce manufacturing defects and improve customer satisfaction. Today, many CIOs at non-manufacturing enterprises are turning to this successful process-improvement ...
- March 08, 2004
Offshore outsourcing is a moving target for both state and federal lawmakers. So far, none of the bills have become laws, and right now CIOs shouldn't dwell on the legal rhetoric. There are plenty of other offshore risks to worry about.
- February 16, 2004
Deployment of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology is getting a little more static. But RFID should start making waves again once it clears a few hurdles. This Meta Group report spotlights some of the biggest obstacles to RFID adoption.


text:
Ola, a ride-hailing platform forayed into the quick delivery service of goods and items such as grocery, personal care and pet care in Bangalore, according to the sources. According to the anonymous source, the company is starting a pilot ‘Ola Store’ in Bangalore starting with a few cities and will expand across the country.
The sources said that the service is available within the Ola App and will roll out to its customers in Bangalore. The customers will be able to order from an assortment of nearly 2,000 items across multiple categories such as groceries,beverages, home and personal care as well as pet care products.
According to a RedSeer report, the quick commerce sector in India is expected to grow to USD 5 billion by 2025 from the current USD 0.3 billion.


text:
2017 farm payment scheme opens but farmers still waiting for cash
The 2017 Basic Payment Scheme has opened today, but South Lakes MP Tim Farron has pointed out the plight of those farmers still waiting for payments from the 2016 and even 2015 schemes.
Tim has taken up the cases of many local farmers facing late payments from 2015 and 2016, to put pressure on the Rural Payments Agency to sort out all outstanding issues and get cash to farmers. He is still dealing with a number of cases. The 2017 Basic Payment Scheme has opened to applications today, and closes at midnight on 15 May 2017.
Tim said: "The 2017 farm payment scheme was launched today, along with a cheery video setting out the process. But things are less rosy for those farmers who are still waiting for their payments from 2016 and even from 2015, and are struggling to make ends meet. It is a disgrace that farmers are still waiting for cash they have been owed for so long. The RPA must urgently sort out all outstanding payments, and make sure next year's system gets payments out on time."


text:
Changes in manifest filings coming Jan. 1 in China
Chinese Customs is making changes to advanced manifest requirements beginning Jan. 1, changes that will require shippers and carriers to file manifests a day before a ship headed to China leaves from its port of departure, according to a note disseminated by the Chinese shipping line COSCO to its customers.
The ruling, made in September, could have a profound impact on carrier-shipper data exchange for China-bound shipments.
“We have recently been advised that a new regulation will come into effect as from the 1st of January 2009 whereby all cargo bound for China will be subject to the 24 hours advance manifest rule in accordance with the Chinese Custom ruling No. 172,” the note said. “(The) aforementioned rule provides that carriers undertaking shipments to China must submit manifest details to Chinese Customs 24 hours before vessel ETA (estimated time of arrival) at the port of loading. Upon screening of manifest data received, the Chinese Customs will advise back to the carrier whether or not the cargo can be allowed into China. Only if Customs feedback/response is positive, (will) cargo be accepted on board. Under no circumstance (will) the carrier be allowed to load cargo on board if (the) manifest filing is rejected by Chinese Customs.
“As you can appreciate this new regulation will have a massive impact on the way shipping lines and customers are presently handling their documentation and operations for shipments bound for China. Both parties (the shipping line and its clients) will be forced to adjust their internal workflow in order to meet the different time scale required by the introduction of the new 24-hour advance manifest rule. One of the key aspects is that exporters/customers will be asked to provide manifest details/shipping instructions well ahead to allow the shipping line to meet the 24 hours advance manifest requirement.”
In September, logistics company BDP International pointed out the rule change, saying the major difference will be that manifests are now due 24 hours prior to the vessel loading at the departure port. Previously, Chinese Customs had only required the manifest to be filed 48 hours before arrival at the port of discharge.
BDP said the ruling impacts airfreight shipments as well.
“All air freight carriers will be required to submit their full shipment manifests (electronically) that has an ETA of less than four hours from the departure point prior to departure,” the company said. “For air freight that has an ETA of greater than four hours from the departure point, the manifest must be submitted prior to the arrival at the first port in China.”


text:
CATL's lithium sharing program is not for price reduction purposes, but rather the company already owns some mineral resources and doesn't want to reap windfall profits, its management said.
Last month it was reported that CATL was pushing a lithium rebate program to electric vehicle (EV) makers to drive down the cost of battery purchases for a handful of customers. Now, for the first time, the power battery giant has acknowledged the move.
CATL's lithium-sharing program is not for the purpose of lowering prices, but rather the company already owns some mineral resources and doesn't want to reap windfall profits, its management said Thursday.
The company released its 2022 annual report Thursday and held an investor call afterward in which its management made those comments, according to a meeting minutes it released today.
CATL hopes to be able to share with long-term strategic customers and is moving forward with relevant communications, the company said.
On February 17, local media outlet 36kr first reported on CATL's plan, saying it was not for all customers, but for several strategic customers including NIO (NYSE: NIO), Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI), Huawei and Zeekr.
The core terms of the partnership include that CATL will settle a portion of the price of power battery supply with car companies at a rate of RMB 200,000 ($28,720) per ton of lithium carbonate for the next three years.
At the same time, automakers signing the partnership will be required to commit about 80 percent of their battery purchases to CATL, according to the report.
CATL did not confirm the report at the time, though Li Auto and NIO both mentioned the program in their respective subsequent earnings calls.
In response to the rumored new pricing arrangement, Li Auto and CATL were in negotiations, the EV maker said during an analyst call following the February 27 announcement of its fourth-quarter earnings.
Whether it's lithium price concessions or battery prices linked to raw materials, it would be good news if battery prices could be brought back to a rational range, Li Auto's management said.
Asked about the topic during a conference call on March 1, NIO's management said the company is also in the process of discussions with CATL.
"Of course, we will maintain a long-term strategic relationship with CATL, and we are discussing some new pricing mechanisms with them," said William Li, NIO founder, chairman and CEO.
Battery makers also recognize that they must share the price volatility of battery materials with car companies, Li said at the time.
Back at CATL, the company's annual report, released yesterday, showed it posted a 39 percent quarter-on-quarter increase in net profit in the fourth quarter and further improved gross margins to 22.57 percent.
CATL's management, when asked about the lithium industry overhaul in Yichun, Jiangxi, said it had essentially no impact on the company, and its projects there are moving forward as planned.
The overhaul is mainly aimed at correcting the chaos in local lithium mining, which is beneficial to compliant companies in the long run, CATL's management said.
In Yichun, nicknamed the "lithium capital of Asia," local lithium miners have shut down production for an industry-wide overhaul, Yicai reported on February 26.
Analysts fear that this may bring disruption to the lithium supply, thus halting the downward trend in lithium prices. But such fears have not materialized.
Lithium carbonate prices have continued to fall over the past two weeks, with battery-grade lithium carbonate falling to RMB 367,000 per ton on March 9 and industrial-grade lithium carbonate falling to RMB 332,500 per ton, both one-year lows.
($1 = RMB6.9643)


text: A popular convenience store in the area is closed temporarily due to the coronavirus. Officials with Wawa say the store in Bern Township had to undergo a deep cleaning and disinfecting. They say the store, which is just off Route 183, closed after an associate tested positive for COVID-19. Wawa says the employee who tested positive for the virus last worked in the store on April 2nd. The store is working with the health department to identify anyone that had close contact with the associate.


text:
Rest in peace, iPad 2.
Apple officially killed the three-year-old iPad 2 on Tuesday, retiring it from the product lineup. The 16 gigabyte fourth-generation iPad will replace the iPad 2 as the $399 tablet option.
It's a significant bump up for Apple fans who want to go the cheaper route when buying an iPad. The fourth-generation iPad, introduced in 2012, added a high-definition retina display and features a beefed-up camera and computing power compared with the iPad 2.
The iPad 2 was also the last tablet in Apple's lineup that featured the old 30-pin connector. Newer Apple devices, including the fourth-generation iPad, use the smaller "Lightning" dock.
That was the only Apple Store change for American customers on Tuesday, but in the U.K. and parts of Europe, Apple also introduced a new 8 GB model of its plastic iPhone 5C.


text:
Little effect expected here from Russian ban
- Russian banned imports of agricultural goods from countries that have imposed sanctions against it.
- In 2013, Russia was the 20th largest export market for goods raised and manufactured in Tulare County.
- Almonds and pistachios were the top California agricultural goods exported to Russia in 2012.
- Concerns are that Russian ban could drive down milk prices.
Russia's decision to ban meats, nuts and other agricultural crops from the U.S., Canada and the European Union could cost agriculture in the affected countries $17.5 billion, but it isn't expected to have a significant effect on the Central Valley's economy.
Although the Russian Federation was the 20th largest export market for crops and other agricultural products produced in Tulare County in 2013, it's not a huge buyer, said Gavin Iacono, the county's deputy agricultural commissioner.
If Thailand or Vietnam were to impose such a ban, it would have a much bigger effect, he said. And China's re-opening its market to California citrus last week after a 14-month ban is having a much bigger financial effect on agriculture here, he said.
As of Thursday, Iacono said he knew of 2,500 cartons of stone fruit and 44,000 pound of pistachios produced in Tulare County aboard ships heading to Russia, but he didn't know if those goods would turned away by Russian officials or if their distributors already are looking for other markets to send them.
That's not a lot of stone fruit, noted Barry Bedwell, a spokesman for the California Grape and Tree Fruit League, noting that up to 50 million cartons of stone fruit are produced in the Valley every year.
Most of Russia's fruit comes out of Europe, particularly Spain, Italy and France, which produce some of the same types of fruit grown here at about the same times of year, said Chris Tantau, manager of Venida Packing in Exeter.
Food and agricultural imports from the U.S. to Russia amounted to $1.3 billion last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In 2012, the latest figure available from the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Russia was California's 15th largest export market for California agricultural goods, with sales totaling $144.7 million, less than one percent of all the state's agricultural exports that year.
Sales figures for products grown and manufactures in Tulare County weren't available.
Almond and pistachios — both major crops in Tulare County — were California's largest exports to Russia in 2012, with sales totaling $102.4 million and $17.4 million, respectively.
The were followed by rice, dried plums and wine, each with total sales of more than $5 million, the California Farm Bureau.
So far this year, shipments to Russia represent only about 3 percent of California's total almond exports. Last year, those exports totaled about 23,500 tons and were valued at $126 million, the Almond Board of California reports.
Judy Hirigoyen, director of global marketing for American Pistachio growers, said officials with her organization weren't sure on Thursday if pistachios on boats and already at ports in Europe will be turned back by Russian officials, nor were Almond Board officials.
Also unclear is whether pistachios shipped to China and parts of Europe not included in Russia's one-year food trade ban will be able to sell their California-grown pistachios to Russia, she said.
Still, Hirigoyen said Russia is a small export market for California pistachios, less than 1 percent of export sales — compared to China and Hong Kong, which receives about 43 percent of the state's pistachio exports — but it had been an emerging market that was expected to grow prior to Russia's action in retaliation to sanctions of Russian goods imposed by western countries.
However long the ban lasts, Dave Kranz, a spokesman for the California Farm Bureau, said he believes food distributors will not have problems finding other markets that want the nuts and other products from here that Russia isn't buying.
But California's milk producers may not fare as well from the Russian ban.
Michael Marsh, chief executive officer of Western United Dairymen, said that in 2010 Russia imported 3,904 metric tons of U.S. California butter, along with 306 metric tons anhydrous milk fat — used as a butter substitute in manufacturing food products — and 608 metric tons of ice cream.
Most of those dairy products likely came from California, he said.
Figures on dairy exports to Russia in subsequent years weren't available, though Marsh did say that in 2012 most of Russia's dairy purchases probably came from New Zealand.
But the loss of Russia as a dairy buyer likely will not have as much of an affect as on dairies here and the rest of the U.S. as the potential effects of of Russia's actions on milk prices, said Marsh, whose Modesto-based organization is the largest trade association for dairy producers in the U.S.
News agencies report that Russia is the second-largest dairy importer in the world. So Russia not taking milk products from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and the European Union likely will put large amounts of dairy on the market and will drive down dairy prices worldwide, he explained.
Whether that decline will be severe isn't clear, Marsh said, but it certainly concerns dairy operators here who only recently saw the amount they receive for their milk come up to the point that they're making money after years of low prices.
Adding to the concerns is that buyers in China, which has grown in recent years into a major overseas importer of U.S. dairy, has begun buying less milk than they did in the first part of the year.
Part of the reason may be that they're waiting for milk prices to go down, Marsh said.
Contains material from the Associated Press


text:
Tradeshow Marketing Company Ltd, a specialty product development and direct to consumer commerce company with operations in North America, announced the closure of its two retail stores in Arizona, US, due to underperformance and increasingly challenging retail conditions. This decision came as part of an ongoing effort to reduce expenses and reverse losses.
“Though the decision to close the stores was not easy, it was a necessary step to prevent further losses and cash flow decreases,” said Luniel de Beer, president and CEO of Tradeshow.
De Beer continued, “We thank our loyal Arizona customers for their support over the years. We also thank our store employees for their hard work and dedication, and we are committed to assist them with this transition.”
Management continues to assess prospective locations, suitable to develop a set of showcase stores through which it seeks to demonstrate and expand its national retail brand. In addition, management is assessing non-traditional retail concepts, while continuing with its tradeshow operations to debut its developing line of proprietary branded products, and remains focused on executing its business plan for launching its products via direct response channels.


text:
If you're wondering why #BlackoutDay2020 is trending, allow us to fill you in ... and then point you in the right direction to partake.
YouTuber Calvin Martyr is credited with launching the unofficial retail holiday, which is in full swing right now -- namely, Blackout Day. It's all about supporting Black-owned businesses, exclusively, today all across the country ... to show solidarity with the Black community.
This is an idea that's been discussed a lot recently, with some notable people -- like Killer Mike, for example -- encouraging folks in the African-American community to get on board.
Basically, the philosophy is this ... the best way to affect real change, while also lifting up Black people at the same time, is to use the power of the dollar and spend it strategically. As they say, money talks in this country, right? Blackout Day 2020 is the mobilization of that principle.
WSB-TV 2 Atlanta
Now, if you're unfamiliar with what Black-owned businesses are out there and wondering where to start -- we got you. As it turns out, there's plenty from which to choose.
Both companies sell products with darker-skinned customers in mind, but that doesn't mean their stuff is just for Black people either. So, with that in mind, you can browse their wide selection of goods online, or you can pop into a store that carries their line in person.


text:
Nokia (NYSE:NOK) Chief Executive, Stephen Elop, has come under increased scrutiny for Nokia's lackluster performance. With smartphones booming around the globe, Nokia is struggling to sell its Lumia line of smartphones. The decision to abandon its in-house Symbian platform was widely seen as a smart decision, but choosing Windows Phone over Android has received the opposite reaction. Elop was spot on in claiming that we are no longer in the era of smartphone vs. smartphone; we are in a battle of ecosystems. But Elop's decision to choose the Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) ecosystem has received much criticism. This criticism is overblown, however, and Nokia is positioned for long term success. With over 400 million Windows users worldwide, Nokia chose a partner that has huge potential to expand its desktop domination to the mobile world.
Nokia partnered with Microsoft just as Windows Mobile became Windows Phone. Nokia chose an unproven platform as their exclusive smartphone operating system. In exchange for choosing Windows Phone, Microsoft granted Nokia special access to change certain parts of the OS, as well as supporting them with around $1 billion a year in payments. Nokia made the right decision for its short and long-term health. Google (NASDAQ:GOOG) does not support its vendors in the way Microsoft does. Microsoft spends a significant amount on advertising, while Google only advertises its own "Nexus" line of devices. Over $400 million dollars was spent advertising WP7 and this has continued with WP8. Even though sales of Lumias are beginning to pick up at Nokia, many have argued that adopting Android would be more beneficial to the company.
What if an Android Switch Occurred
Let's suppose Nokia does make the switch to Android. First, Nokia's large investment in its HERE mapping platform would be nearly worthless. Users of Android love Google Maps, and even if Nokia put its own maps on Android, the integration with Google's services would not be the same. HERE maps offer better mapping data in the smaller emerging markets where Google has not spent significant resources. Second, Nokia would be responsible for its own marketing. With the company burning through cash, Nokia's financials are not exactly sound at the moment. While Elop has done an excellent job cutting costs, the company is in no position to spend the hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising that Microsoft currently does. Third, Nokia would owe large amounts of money to Microsoft. This one may seem counterintuitive, but it is true. Windows Phone is not a free operating system, and Nokia pays Microsoft for using its software; however this is more than offset by Microsoft's payments to Nokia which total around a billion dollars annually. If sales ever pick up, these payments may reverse and have a net benefit to Microsoft (these payments are structured so the net benefit goes to Microsoft only if Nokia sells above a certain amount of phones). But if Nokia's phones used Android, they would owe a far larger amount to Microsoft. Both HTC and Samsung pay an estimated 10-12 dollars for every Android device they sell because of Microsoft's broad intellectual property portfolio. So Nokia would pay Microsoft regardless of what platform it uses, but only Windows Phone would allow Nokia to receive the net benefit.
Nokia is begging to find its niche in an incredibly competitive smartphone market. Nokia makes a very capable phone in the Lumia 920, but it simply does not sell in the numbers that Samsung and Apple devices do. Despite this failure at the high end of the market, Nokia is beginning to have success elsewhere. While its flagship Lumia does not sell like the iPhone, its lower end Lumias are starting to take off. Take the Lumia 521, for example, which is selling at Walmart (NYSE:WMT) for $129 off-contract. It is a fully featured smartphone with a camera that is normally reserved for high end products. It offers excellent value and is aimed at those looking for a budget smartphone. Good luck finding one though; they sold out nearly one hour after online release at Walmart. The same situation is occurring in brick and mortar stores. I have checked 20 Walmart stores across the country and each was sold out. Nokia has found its niche in the market. By offering high end features at a very low price point, Nokia finally differentiated itself in a meaningful way.
Nokia followed Microsoft in its risky new product that is Windows Phone. The road has been incredibly difficult so far (Nokia's shareholders can attest to that), but the path ahead is much clearer. Nokia does not have to win the battle for the best smartphone, but they need to continue offering excellent value to the budget consumer that is not interested in Apple or Samsung's expensive phones. With Microsoft's financial support and differentiated software, Nokia has found a partner that just might be able to bring it back to life.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.


text:
Giant Heirloom Market is slated to open late this month in Philadelphia's Graduate Hospital neighborhood
Giant Food Stores LLC has revealed that it will open the first Giant Heirloom Market on Friday, Jan. 25 at 7 a.m. The store, located in Philadelphia’s Graduate Hospital community, debuts a new store concept, featuring an assortment specifically curated for urban neighborhoods.
“We’ve had the privilege of getting to know our Graduate Hospital neighbors and they are the true inspiration for our new store,” said Angel Cordero, who, as the store’s manager, will oversee about 60 full- and part-time associates. “I am thrilled to soon officially open the doors to Giant Heirloom Market, and I’m sure our neighbors will be just as excited to experience a store that connects them to real food, where every trip will inspire them to eat better – and for less.”
Combining innovation and community focus, the 9,500-square-foot location will carry an assortment of high-quality, fresh, local, seasonal and flavorful foods, along with everyday essentials and Giant’s organic private brand, Nature’s Promise.
Additionally, community vendor partnerships will be central, with famed Philadelphia-area food purveyors such as High Street on Market, Isgro Pastries, One Village Coffee and Sarcone’s Bakery offering their products at Heirloom Market.
Other store features include an on-site produce chef to offer preparation tips and cut fresh fruit and veggies on demand, a large selection of plant-based foods, local artisanal breads, kombucha on tap, a DIY station where shoppers can create their own olive oil and vinegar blends, and an array of craft, imported and domestic beers and wines. This last department will offer a “mix-a-six” program enabling customers to assemble customized 6-packs.
“We’re proud to serve our Graduate Hospital neighbors during their culinary quests by offering fresh produce, meat and seafood alongside the Philly products they know and love, all in a store designed for them,” added Cordero. “We’re confident that by providing an authentic shopping experience, our passion for locally sourced products and our customers will shine bright at Giant Heirloom Market.”
In keeping with the concept’s “Endless Aisles” philosophy, associates will guide customers in search of something not available on the shelves to in-store iPads so they can order it online and have it delivered the next day. For additional convenience, Giant Heirloom Market will provide both self- and mobile checkout.
On grand-opening day, the first 250 customers will receive a free Giant Heirloom Market cotton tote bag, while all attendees can enjoy free samplings and demonstrations throughout the day. A celebration at 10:30 a.m. will feature Giant Food officials, associates and community members commemorating the occasion with a donation to hunger relief organization Philabundance.
The grocer unveiled the new store concept last October to mark its 95th anniversary.
Carlisle, Pa.-based Giant Food Stores operates more than 170 neighborhood stores under the Giant and Martin’s banners in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, employing nearly 30,000 associates, and offers home delivery, online/mobile ordering, fuel centers, pharmacies and in-store nutritionists. Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA is No. 4 on Progressive Grocer’s 2018 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.


text:
Ashok Leyland Says GST Helping Sell More And Bigger Trucks
Automakers have seen strong revival in sales aided by the higher government spending on infrastructure, greater replacement demand and easing of Goods and Services Tax-led disruptions.
“GST has actually helped by creating a clear segmentation of the market leading to growth across segments,” Gopal Mahadevan, chief financial officer of the Chennai-based Ashok Leyland told BloombergQuint in an interview.
Fleet operators are finding it easier to manage a single truck of higher tonnage, as compared to maintaining two or three vehicles adding up to that weight, Mahadevan said. Operators are also expecting increased visibility on freight charges. That’s prompted them to invest in heavy tonnage vehicles to cater customer preference for larger loads, he added. Besides, some of the end-customers like oil and gas, fast-moving consumer goods and chemicals companies “want their fleet operators to have new trucks”, resulting in higher replacement demand.
The commercial vehicles industry had seen de-growth till September last year as demonetisation, implementation of the nationwide tax regime and the transition to new emission standards resulted in lower sales. The turnaround came through in the third and fourth quarters of the year-ended March 2018 as the government stepped up its infrastructure spending and states increased implemented rated loads regulations, Mahadevan said.
- Ashok Leyland recently won a Rs 100 crore order from the Indian Army and hopes to capitalise on its position as one of the largest suppliers to the Indian Armed Forces.
- The automaker will also be looking to pass on higher raw material costs to consumers, being a “reluctant follower of the discounting model”.
- The implementation of scrappage policy in 2020 will lead to higher demand.
- It expects absolute industry volumes to hit four to seven lakh units by then, following the transition to Bharat Stage VI emission norms.
Watch the full interview here.


text: Einstein Brothers Bagel Co.—the largest bagel chain in the United States—is testing Daiya Foods’ vegan cream cheese at select locations until February 28 before deciding if it will expand the schmear option nationwide to its more than 700 locations in 40 states. “Our guests have requested dairy-free options and we heard them loud and clear. We’re thrilled to offer dairy-free alternatives, among our other menu offerings,” Einstein CEO Jose Alberto Dueñas said. “We are committed to creating new ways to cater to our guests’ dietary needs and chosen lifestyles.” Last year, musician Adam Russell discovered that one Einstein location offered a vegan schmear option—then made by Kite Hill and available at limited locations. In addition to its new test of vegan cream cheese, Einstein added a vegan Almond Milk Latte (available hot or iced) to its in-store Caribou Coffee locations nationwide.


text:
All 50 staff are expected to lose their jobs.
American parts maker Gates, for whom GPA had been its first UK supplier, withdrew its contract on July 3 after a 17-year link.
The company said GPA was not keeping up payments and could not provide assurances for the future. Manchester-based administrators MCR were called in on July 11.
Gates transferred GPA’s contract to FPS, the national parts distributor owned by dealer group Lookers.
Other brands distributed by GPA included Brembo, SKF, Farécla, Sachs and Denso.
In November 2006, it launched an online parts catalogue based on the MAM Autopart platform, which brought a marked increase in electronic ordering from 2% to 21% in its first year.


text:
Let's talk about Amazon
Drone fleet approved, and Walmart competition...
The Bezos Behemoth is getting a little competition. Walmarthas announced "Walmart Plus", a new service that will compete with Amazon Prime. The service will cost $98 a year, or roughly half the annual salary of a Walmart manager.
In the industrial espionage file, Amazon was caught deleting a job listing for a "union spy" to gather intel on labor organizing threats within the company. Apparently they didn't need it once they realized that's what Alexa is for.
Looking to the future, Amazon's"Prime Air" drone delivery fleet has achieved FAA Clearance, but drone package delivery will still take a while to become a reality. Come on Amazon, what's the holdup? "Give these people air!"
Bonus Story! Policein Oakland raided a church and seized $200K in Magic Mushrooms and Marijuana. Looks like somebody discovered my secret to getting through Sunday service.


text:
(Pocket-lint) - TomTom is about to announce an update to its TomTom Go 930 model if UK retailer Handtec.co.uk is to be believed.
The TomTom GO 940 LIVE as it will be called, will offer a couple of new features including GPRS connectivity so you can get up to the minute traffic and fuel price info as you drive around trying not to get lost, the retailer is leading us to believe.
Of course, as with all connected devices there will also be the chance to do a bit of Google searching the listing claims.
However contacting Handtec in the UK directly all is not what it seems.
"It's all a bit blind at the moment", a sales representative said when we asked how Handtec knew that TomTom was announcing the new satnav. The representative then went on to say that the details weren't confirmed but it gave consumers a chance to pre-order the unit anyway.
In fact looking at the spec sheet, its reads very similar to the TomTom 930.
Pocket-lint contacted TomTom for a comment on the story, however the GPS maker said it wouldn't comment on rumours or speculation.
What a spokesperson did tell us however, was that the company would be holding a press conference at the start of IFA, Europe's largest electronic trade show, in Germany on 28 August at 2pm local time.
So will TomTom be announcing new product at the show? Most definitely, however whether it will be a TomTom 940 LIVE with the exact specs listed by Handtec we will have to wait and see.
We will keep you posted.


text:
New web app from CAAT reveals EU arms export info
Campaign Against Arms Trade (RLA 2012) has launched a new EU Arms Exports browser, which shows all known weapons transfers out of the EU from 1998 onwards, broken down by source, destination and type of equipment.
The browser uses data compiled by the European Commission and released in annual reports. While the reports are hard to navigate and highly technical, the browser provides a simple interface that allows the user to browse the data in an accessible format and quickly make comparisons between different exporters, destination countries, types of hardware and year. The app was produced in association with the European Network Against Arms Trade (ENAAT), and is available in four languages: German, English, Spanish and French.
The Right Livelihood Award prize money CAAT received in 2012 helped spur the development of this application.


text:
German chain Veganz still plans to open a store here next year, and will headquarter its US operations in Portland as well.
Though its original plans to open a vegan supermarket in Portland this spring were pushed back, German chain Veganz still plans to open a store here next year, and will headquarter its US operations in Portland as well.
In an interview with The Oregonian, Veganz spokeswoman Michele Hengst attributed the store's delay to a shift in the company's business strategy. In the last two years, she said, the chain has shifted its emphasis from opening stores to its wholesale business.
With the end goal of making plant-based foods available to everyone, Veganz has begun approaching established grocery chains with a "shop within a shop" merchandising plan, where a shelf or section of an aisle would be dedicated to Veganz products, Hengst said.
This wholesale strategy has taken precedent over opening new stores, she said. Next on Veganz's to-do list? Start a vegan e-commerce site. After those channels are established, then the company will open new stores, she said.
This applies to Europe as well as the US. Hengst will move to Portland to head the US operations in May. She plans to hire a local team to help her establish wholesale accounts with regional grocery chains and eventually open the Portland flagship store.
"What we really don't want to do is invade here in Portland," Hengst said. "Not like the big, bad Germans coming. We really want to interact with the community."
She also hopes to address concerns of local vegan business owners, who worry that a large German grocery store could hurt business, especially if a store were to open up nearby.
Hengst said Veganz won't just target vegans, but also omnivores and flexitarians, encouraging them to add more plant-based foods to their diets.
And despite rumors about a possible site for the Veganz store, Hengst said the company has not secured a space and is far from choosing a specific location. Plus, the opening date for the store could get pushed back again, as so often happens in retail.
"We still plan to open a Portland store next summer [in 2017]," she said. "Things always go slower than you wish them to go."
When the Portland location does open, it could offer more than just groceries. Though Hengst couldn't say for sure, the Portland store may be modeled after its German counterparts, some of which include a vegan restaurant and a vegan shoe store, with offices on upper floors.
So why Portland?
"We've been told it's the most vegan friendly city in the US," Hengst said.
That, coupled with its reputation for open-mindedness and alternative lifestyles make it an appealing place for the German company to enter the US market, she said.
-- Anna Marum


text:
On September 14th at 6 p.m. people will gather at The Orlo in Hyde Park to drink beer and have a good time at Beer and Bow Ties while raising money for the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. 100% of the proceeds from this event will benefit Suicide Prevention & Awareness.
"This is the fourth year of the event, and we started it because we feel that there's not enough discussion about mental health awareness," said Brent Kraus, owner of Ella Bing haberdashery and founder of the event alongside Kim Randall. Kraus lost his brother Matthew to suicide, and the event to increase awareness and funding has grown each year. "We always have a wonderful turnout, and it's a terrific celebration of life, and gets the conversation started in an open forum. People need to talk about mental health awareness." On average there is a suicide every 12 minutes, but Kim and Brent want to change that statistic.
The event starts at 6 p.m., with a VIP early doors open at 5:30. Complimentary tapas, craft beer, and spirits from plenty of local vendors will be on hand, as well as live entertainment, a photo booth, and plenty more.
More than just a good opportunity to donate to a cause worth supporting, it’s a night to remember as Brent and Kim make sure this event is a good time for all who attend. The live music and unlimited beer gets people up and dancing, taking goofy pictures and conversing with one another until the early hours of the next morning.
And don't forget: you are encouraged to wear your most stylish or goofy bow tie! And be careful, they might just get you into trouble! Don't have a bow tie? Check out the official bow tie of the event here, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
This all-inclusive event gives you access to the cigar lounge and live entertainment, with VIPs receiving access to a special VIP lounge complete with a private bar.
Tickets are on sale now and available here!


text:
While customers have bought into the increasingly blurred lines between the desktop, tablet, and mobile, Microsoft and its Xbox One console have quickly learned that the living room can be much more unforgiving.
It's real! The Internet whined and Rockstar listened!
The mega-popular endless-runner franchise hits one billion downloads.
The PlayStation 4 is going to have a rocking sophomore year if the slew of hardware, PlayStation Plus, and exclusive game announcements are any indication.
Sure, there was Assassin's Creed, The Division, and Just Dance—just like you expected. But nobody saw a new Rainbow's Six coming.
Battlefield. Dragon Age. The Sims. Star Wars. Madden. EA's E3 2014 keynote stuck to games with familiar names.
What's it like to watch a live stream of someone else playing an iOS game?
A ton of trailers this week—everything from The Witcher 3 to Mortal Kombat X—as we prepare for the E3 onslaught. This is gaming news for the week of June 2.
We take some time with the latest Elite: Dangerous update—10,000 new players, five star systems, and one complicated commodities market.
Little blocks, or complex characters with myriad neuroses? This game has more than what meets the eye.


text:
The Agency Playbook
The PR industry’s most comprehensive listing of firms from every region and specialty.
The latest PR news from PRovoke Media, previously known as the Holmes Report.
Opinion and commentary from PRovoke Media, previously known as the Holmes Report.
Catch the latest PR news & updates with PRovoke Media's PR Podcasts. Lifting the lid on key industry stories & trends, join our listeners of PR podcasts today.
Latest video interviews and campaigns from PRovoke Media, previously known as the Holmes Report.
The most popular news stories, longreads, podcasts, trends and more from PRovoke Media in 2023.
Long-form journalism that analyzes the issues, challenges and opportunities facing the business and practice of PR.
Industry-leading analysis of the PR stories that matter.
Explore PR profiles and interviews with leaders from the marketing and PR worlds.
Keeping up with the latest thinking on PR industry expansion.
All of PRovoke Media's coverage and events from the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Coverage of the Cannes Lions from PRovoke Media in association with ICCO.
PR Crisis & Business Crisis review. PRovoke Media's annual analysis of the top reputation crises to rock the corporate sector. Read on here.
PRovoke Media's coverage of the Covid-19 crisis, focusing on corporate communication, public affairs & PR industry fallout.
PRovoke Media's PR Trends round up. PRovoke Media's annual forecast of PR trends and news that will impact the PR world in the year ahead...
Diversity & inclusion trends, views and analysis from Provoke Media.
Creative work, trends and views from the global public relations industry.
Dedicated to exploring the new frontiers of PR as it dives deeper into social media, content and analytics.
Our coverage of key technology PR trends and challenges from around the world of digital communications.
From brand marketing to conscious consumerism, coverage of key marketing and PR trends worldwide.
PRovoke Media's coverage, analysis and news around the rapidly-shifting area of employee engagement and internal communications.
Sports PR news, diversity & inclusion trends, views and analysis from PRovoke Media. Subscribe today for the very latest in the world of sports communications.
PRovoke Media's definitive global benchmark of global PR agency size and growth.
Enter PRovoke Media's 2024 Global 250 Agency Ranking and/or our Agencies of the Year competitions now.
PRovoke Media's annual selections for PR Agencies of the Year, across all of the world's major markets.
The 100 most influential CCOs & CMOs of leading brands around the world.
PRovoke Media profiles marcomms innovators from across North America, EMEA and Asia-Pac.
The most creatively awarded PR campaigns and agencies in the world.
In-depth annual research into the PR industry's efforts to raise creative standards.
APACD/Ruder Finn annual study of Asia-Pacific in-house communications professionals.
The world's biggest PR awards programme, dedicated to benchmarking the best PR work from across the globe.
The biggest PR conference of the year, a high-level forum designed to address the critical issues that matter most.
A global network of conferences that explore the innovation and disruption that is redefining public relations.
Unrivalled insight into the world's best PR agencies, across specialist and geographic categories.
Our Roundtables bring together in-house comms leaders with PR firms to examine the future of communications.
PRovoke Media elevates the PR industry at Cannes, in conjunction with ICCO.
PRovoke Media's coverage & events from the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The PR industry’s most comprehensive listing of firms from every region and specialty
Find the latest global PR and communications jobs from PRovoke Media. From internships to account executives or directors. See all our PR jobs here.
Content from PRovoke Media's premium partners.
PRovoke Media's editorial series published in collaboration with partners.
In its third quarter trading update, the holding company – which owns H+K, BCW and FGS – said PR agency revenue had dipp ...
Maja Pawinska Sims 26 Oct 2023
WPP's technology specialist takes over from Edelman as the semiconductor giant’s global PR agency of record.
Maja Pawinska Sims 29 Aug 2023
Mindy Nelson, AxiCom's new senior VP of media strategy, spent the last two years as Ketchum's tech media lead.
Diana Marszalek 05 Jun 2023
Jake Green is joining AxiCom after four-plus years at Ketchum.
Diana Marszalek 07 Feb 2023
Industry leaders, along with PRovoke Media editors, weigh in on the trends they would like to see as the PR industry aim ...
PRovoke Media 09 Jan 2023
The global cybersecurity firm has briefed the technology specialist to handle communications strategy and campaign execu ...
Maja Pawinska Sims 16 Dec 2022
The technology agency will handle the business software giant's PR across eight markets including the US, UK, France and ...
Maja Pawinska Sims 09 Dec 2022
WPP’s specialist technology agency has also launched IP to underline its work with B2B and consumer brands that have a t ...
Maja Pawinska Sims 07 Dec 2022
Lisa Sullivan will oversee AxiCom's North America business and pursue expansion across South and Central America.
Diana Marszalek 08 Sep 2022
Steve Kerns is the AxiCom alumnus Big Valley has hired this year.
Diana Marszalek 30 Aug 2022
We feel that the views of the reader are as important as the views of the writer. Please contact us at [email protected]Signup For Our Newsletter Media Kits/Editorial Calendar Jobs Postings A-Z News Sitemap
© Holmes Report LLC 2023


text:
CRN petition to FTC: RCTs aren’t required to substantiate ‘health-benefit’ claimsCRN petition to FTC: RCTs aren’t required to substantiate ‘health-benefit’ claims
The Council for Responsible Nutrition on Thursday filed a petition with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), requesting the agency clarify certain aspects of a guidance regarding advertising claims of health products.
September 22, 2023
The Council for Responsible Nutrition on Thursday filed a petition with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), requesting the agency clarify certain aspects of a guidance regarding advertising claims of health products, including dietary supplements.
In a 17-page petition, CRN expressed concerns that FTC’s Health Products Compliance Guidance is attempting to remove the flexibility in the types of evidence needed to substantiate various health claims, including those related to general well-being and an ingredient’s role in affecting the structure or function of the human body.
CRN requested FTC clarify:
There is no bright-line mandate that an advertiser possess randomized, controlled clinical studies before making “health benefit” claims for dietary supplements or food.
To substantiate a claim, there is no requirement that the entire combination of ingredients in a product is tested; rather, testing on discrete ingredients is acceptable.
Professionals like nutrition researchers, nutritionists and pharmacologists can be appropriate scientific experts to evaluate substantiation for dietary supplement and food claims; and
Dietary supplements and foods are barred from making claims to treat or prevent disease without authorization from FDA.
FTC does not comment on petitions received from outside the agency, according to an FTC spokesman.
FTC in December published the Health Products Compliance Guidance, which supplanted an advertising dietary supplement guidance issued in 1998.
Among the concerns expressed in the petition, CRN argued a requirement for randomized, controlled clinical studies—before making so-called “health benefit” claims—has no basis in the law and “conflicts with the existing intricate statutory framework Congress has created for dietary supplements and food, versus drug products.”
“Any such bright-line clinical trial requirement, in fact, would even exceed the current standard for drug approval, which while purposefully more rigid than the substantiation standard Congress created for dietary supplement and food claims, still allows for flexibility,” the petition asserted.
CRN pointed to other forms of evidence to substantiate claims that establish a connection between a nutrient and healthy function of the body, including uncontrolled clinical studies, laboratory analysis, animal testing and epidemiological evidence.
As a general matter, FTC requires “competent and reliable scientific evidence” to substantiate claims about the health benefits or safety of foods, dietary supplements, drugs and other health-related products. FTC’s guidance, however, concluded, “As a general matter, substantiation of health-related benefits will need to be in the form of randomized, controlled human clinical testing to meet the competent and reliable scientific standard.”
While the guidance cites several court cases to support its position, CRN said “those cases simply show the CARSE [competent and reliable scientific evidence] factual analysis at work.”
For instance, the petition noted half of the eight cases involved claims to treat such diseases as cancer and erectile dysfunction, and one involved extreme weight loss claims. Following review of the claims, the courts considered expert testimony concerning the evidence required to support the claims and concluded the claims lacked sufficient support.
CRN suggested the “competent and reliable scientific evidence” analysis by the courts “does not support the position that RCTs [randomized controlled trials] are always required.”
“It demonstrates the opposite—that the type of claim being made dictates the level of support,” the petition added.
Testing of product vs. ingredients
CRN expressed further concerns over language in the guidance (citing two federal court decisions) that could be interpreted as suggesting testing of an entire product might be required to substantiate a health claim.
“What these case citations fail to acknowledge clearly is that the findings as to product testing were, in no uncertain terms, because the claims at issue were disease claims in the first case cited, and in the second case, because there was simply no other expert to counter the FTC’s,” the petition declared.
CRN distinguished those two cases from others in which “federal courts have repeatedly approved substantiation based on testing of individual product ingredients.”
CRN’s petition was signed by J. Kathleen (Katie) Bond, an expert on FTC requirements and partner in Washington, D.C., with the law firm Keller & Heckman LLP. Megan Olsen, SVP and general counsel of CRN, and her colleague, Andrea Wong, SVP of scientific and regulatory affairs, also signed the petition.
The document is the second petition filed in recent days with FTC by dietary supplement groups. On Sept. 15, a citizen petition filed by six industry trade groups led by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) urged FTC to withdraw substantiation-related “notice of penalty offenses” that it disseminated to nearly 700 marketers of dietary supplements and other products.
CHPA and the co-petitioners argued the notice attempts to require a substantiation standard that the law prohibits and that is inconsistent with long-standing regulatory guidance, as well as the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA).
“Both DSHEA and long-standing FDA guidance make clear that claims for non-drugs do not require drug-level RCTs,” the citizen petition proclaimed.
About the Author(s)
You May Also Like


text:
Honda has always been pretty optimistic about the two-wheeler market potential in India. The optimism was persistent even in 90s when the two wheeler especially scooter market was hitting its rock bottom. All the leading brands were refraining from touching the scooter segment witnessing the disaster LML and Bajaj geared scooters were facing that moment. And Honda was constrained to not to spark any tough fight for Hero’s line of motorcycles due to its joint venture with it. Honda played a smart move and introduced an automatic scooter named “Activa” on Indian floors. And the rest was history.
Activa still carries a strong hold on scooter market with highest sales. This non-gear scooter turned all geared scooters into a history. And it seems that Honda is again in a mood to prove its sincerity for Indian scooter segment. It is being assumed that Honda is planning to launch a Maxi-Scooter Honda PCX 150 soon in India. It is also being rumored that it will be the most expensive scooter in India costing round Rs.80000 – Rs.100000. This maxi-scooter will not be the first one to dawn on Indian roads previously Kinetics’ Blaze 165 maxi scooter has already given Indian riders a small glance into it.
Already earning a good name in Europe maxi-scooters can be quite handful on Indian roads courtesy their large size. These scooters from Honda are expected to be new trend-setters. Honda already has an expensive portfolio in terms of scooters and from what it seems PCX150 might be the picked one as it caters all the parameters of Indian markets. A 152cc liquid cooled-fuel injected four stroke engine powers this maxi-scooter generating a power of 13.7ps along with a torque of 14Nm.
It also comes with a CVT transmission, along with a fuel efficiency of 43Kmpl that is quite remarkable given the hefty weight of hundred and thirty kilograms. Although in terms of standard maxi-scooters it is quite light. The impressive mileage of the vehicle can be credited to its fuel injection technology. Already earning hefty amounts and accolades in several South East Asian countries, PCX150 may be scheduled as a new trend setter in India.
Stay tuned to Ride Talks for latest updates.


text:
The Jackpot Factory online casino group has joined the ranks of the internet bingo offerings by launching its site AllBingoClub.com. The online casino has launched the site under the slogan “We have got Balls”.
The web site that is licensed in Kahnawake has said that it has used the latest in technology to give its players the absolute best in 90 ball bingo.
The Jackpot Factory is currently offering its players a $10 beginner offer and a deposit bonus which can go up to $200.
The web site has a 24/7 support team for any players needing assistance. The spokesperson of the site said that bingo was becoming very popular in the UK, as the stakes involved in playing it were low.
He added that the games were supported by a special chat feature that are hosted by experienced bingo players.


text:
Honda unveiled the Civic Type R prototype model that made its debut at the Paris Motor Show in September at the 2016 SEMA Show, which opened its doors on November 11.
At its booth, Honda displayed the Civic Hatchback concept model equipped with accessories by genuine custom brand HFP, as well as models based on the 10th generation Civic series with various types of tuning and customization. It also showed models with various genuine accessory parts such as a sport grille and bed extender to expand storage space for the new Ridgeline, which recently underwent a full model change.
The Acura booth, however, displayed the NSX GT3 race car that is expected to make its racing debut in North America in 2017. It was displayed along with an MDX luxury SUV fitted out with wrapping to give a racing image with a specially built trailer designed with an NSF motif.
(Translated by Greg Scott)


text:
Toyota Motor Corp.'s (TM, 7203.TO) U.S. auto sales rose 9.8% in June from a year earlier, topping expectations from car-shopping website Edmunds.com.
Edmunds had projected Toyota's sales would increase 7% from a year earlier. Broadly, Edmunds expects new U.S. auto sales to climb 6.3% in June from a year earlier.
The Japanese auto maker reported it sold 195,235 vehicles in the U.S. last month, a 6.1% decline from May's total of 207,952 vehicles.
June had 26 selling days this year and 27 days a year ago.
Toyota in May reported its net profit tripled in the last fiscal year, boosted by solid U.S. sales, and is poised to grow an additional 42% this year. The auto maker is on the mend after a bruising half decade during which the company grappled with a massive recall, the 2011 natural disasters in Japan and severe flooding at its regional production facilities in Thailand.
Earlier Tuesday, Chrysler Group LLC reported its June U.S. auto sales rose 8.2% on strong demand for Dodge brand vehicles, while Ford Motor Co.'s (F) U.S. new-vehicle sales rose 13% on strong demand for small cars. Meanwhile, General Motors Co.'s (GM, GMM.U.T) U.S. auto sales rose 6.5% as more deliveries to retail customers helped offset weaker fleet sales.
Toyota's American depositary shares were recently trading 1.5% higher at $124.81. The stock is up 56% over the past 12 months.
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires


text:
10 Beers Americans Aren’t Drinking Anymore
Now that there's a ratio of three craft breweries to every American, I guess it makes sense that we don't make time for some mainstream beers anymore.
24/7 Wall Street analyzed beer sales over the past five years to figure out the brands we're just not drinking anymore. Here are the top 10:
- Bud Light Lime, down 35.5%.
- Keystone Light, down 26.2%.
- Miller High Life, down 24.1%.
- Natural Light, down 23%.
- Budweiser, down 22.2%.
- Natural Ice, down 20.9%.
- Busch, down 19.7%.
- Bud Light, down 13.4%.
- Miller Lite, down 12.6%.
- Icehouse, down 6.6%.
So what are we drinking to replace them? Obviously craft beers are huge, but some macrobrews are also seeing big growth. The sales numbers for Stella Artois and Modelo are both up over 200% in the past five years.


text:
LOS ANGELES — Boeing announced its top-performing suppliers at the company’s 2022 Supplier of the Year event in Los Angeles, recognizing nine companies for proactively managing supply chain quality, readiness and health and delivering on Boeing’s commitment to advance global sustainability.
Award categories are: Supplier Diversity, Outstanding Performance, Alliance, Pathfinder, Supply Chain Visibility, Collaboration, Sustainability, Risk Management and Support & Services. For the first time, a Sustainability Supplier of the Year was awarded to demonstrate the importance of collaboration to drive sustainability across the supply chain.
“Each Boeing Supplier of the Year delivered impressive performance as our entire industry collaborated to drive stability through a challenging environment,” said William Ampofo, vice president of Parts & Distribution Services and Supply Chain for Boeing Global Services and Chair of Boeing’s Supply Chain Operations Council. “They did an outstanding job maintaining our high standards – a focus on operational excellence, quality and reliability – that allow Boeing to continue to earn the trust of our stakeholders, customers and the flying public.”
The 2022 winners are:
- Supplier Diversity: Delaware Resource Group of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City
- Outstanding Performance: GeoControl Systems, Inc., Houston, Texas
- Alliance Award: Tata Advanced Systems, Hyderabad, India
- Pathfinder: Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corp., Taoyuan City, Taiwan
- Supply Chain Visibility Award: Cytec Engineered Materials (SOLVAY Group), Alpharetta, Ga.
- Collaboration: voestalpine Böhler Aerospace GmbH & Co., Kapfenberg, Austria
- Sustainability: Edison Energy, LLC, Irvine, Calif.
- Risk Management: RBC Bearings, Oxford, Conn.
- Support & Services: GXO Logistics, Greenwich, Conn.
Boeing works with nearly 11,000 active suppliers worldwide and spends approximately $37 billion in supplier payments very year.


text:
- July 8, 2021
- Posted by: Stratford Team
- Category: Business
July 8 (Reuters) – The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
– Royal Dutch Shell Plc is likely to launch share buybacks that could be worth more than $1 billion each quarter, analysts predicted, after the company announced it was ready to “move to the next phase of its capital allocation framework.” https://bit.ly/2ViGWDz
– Sir Philip Green’s wife has received 50 million pounds ($69.01 million) from the remains of her husband’s Arcadia retail empire while unsecured creditors will receive only 10 pence in the pound. https://bit.ly/3hOkYje
– Retailers are urging the government to bring forward changes to self-isolation policies planned for August as they warn of rapidly increasing staff shortages related to COVID-19. https://bit.ly/3hOkYje
– J D Wetherspoon Plc is seeking debt waivers from its lenders for the year ahead,…


text:
Chinese billionaire Liu Zhongtian, founder of metals giant Zhongwang has been indicted in the United States for his alleged role in an elaborate scheme to avoid paying USD 1.8 billion in tariffs on aluminum shipped to the US.
The former chairman of China Zhongwang Holdings is accused of exporting huge amounts of aluminum disguised as pallets to avoid paying customs duties of up to 400 percent.
Also named in the indictment, filed in Los Angeles federal court, is the company as well as several individuals and shell companies.
“This indictment outlines the unscrupulous and anti-competitive practices of a corrupt businessman who defrauded the United States out of $1.8 billion in tariffs due on Chinese imports,” said prosecutor Nick Hanna.
“Moreover, the bogus sales of hundreds of millions of dollars of aluminum artificially inflated the value of a publicly traded company, putting at risk investors around the world.” Authorities say the scheme, started in 2008 and still operating, consisted of Zhongwang selling the purported aluminum pallets to US-based companies controlled by Liu.
The metal was simply aluminum extrusions that were spot-welded together to make them appear to be functional pallets which would be considered finished goods not subject to duties, according to the indictment.
“In reality, there were no customers for the 2.2 million pallets imported by the Liu-controlled companies between 2011 and 2014, and no pallets were ever sold,” authorities said.
The bogus sales that transited through the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach were intended to inflate the value of the Chinese metals giant, the complaint says.
It said demand for the pallets was such that “defendants Liu and China Zhongwang would direct that aluminum melting facilities be built and acquired to be used to reconfigure the aluminum imported as pallets into a form with commercial value.” The indictment came as the United States on Wednesday resumed trade talks with China that had collapsed in May.
Washington and Beijing have so far hit each other with punitive tariffs covering more than $360 billion in two-way trade in a row focused on demands for China to curb the alleged theft of American technology and provide a level playing field to US companies.
Liu and the company could not immediately be reached for comment. The indictment charges Liu and his co-defendants with conspiracy, nine counts of wire fraud and seven counts of passing false and fraudulent papers through customs.
All of the defendants, apart from warehouse entities, also face money laundering charges.
Liu, 55, who goes by the nickname “Big Boss” and “Uncle Liu,” according to the indictment, is believed to be in China, US media reports said.


text:
The cosmetics industry is seeing a rising appetite for traditional oils that have been used for centuries by Africa’s indigenous people as the demand for new, powerful, and efficacious natural ingredients booms.
Supply chains are long and all too often include exploration of individuals near the bottom of it. CosmeticsDesign spoke with Chelsea Heyward, director of marketing at wholesaler Eye2Eye, about how the company is aiming to bring more ownership and equity...
Godrej Consumer Products is looking to build its home and personal care business in Africa by entering into an agreement with Kenya-based supplier Canon Chemicals for the acquisition of a majority equity stake in its business in the country.
A subsidiary of a leading Indian consumer goods manufacturer has
commissioned a toothpaste factory in Nigeria, adding to a growing
number of companies attracted by Africa's low manufacturing and
A UK-based company providing solutions for sensitive skin, has
announced a deal to distribute its hand cleanser and skin
moisturiser in South Africa; a decision aimed at tapping into
significant growth in this emerging market.


text:
The rise of voice recognition technology is changing the way consumers search for information
Their guests might only be staying for a matter of hours – so why are there now so many high-end airport hotels?
The way a hotel smells can be as influential as the way it looks – but how do you get it right?
In advance of the 15th Hospitality Design Awards, design expert Stacy Shoemaker Rauen shares her thoughts on the state of the industry
Why have so many hoteliers and B&B owners upped their game where breakfast is concerned?
Brazil saw record levels of international arrivals in 2016, bringing in nearly 7 million visitors. All this while navigating its way through what has been a turbulent period for the country. Click. explores how it plans to overcome these recent challenges and why there are reasons to be optimistic